The AI scandal sparked severe criticism of media coverage and outrage from the magazine’s staff, reports Futurism…reports Asian Lite News
The publisher of Sports Illustrated has sacked the magazine’s CEO Ross Levinsohn, after the magazine published articles with bylined non-existent writers and AI-generated profile pictures.
The board of directors of The Arena Group terminated the employment of Levinsohn, and named Manoj Bhargava as interim Chief Executive Officer late on Monday.
“This follows actions last week, in which the company terminated the employment of operations president and COO Andrew Kraft, media president Rob Barrett, and corporate counsel Julie Fenster,” the company said in a statement.
The AI scandal sparked severe criticism of media coverage and outrage from the magazine’s staff, reports Futurism.
“Effective immediately, Ross Levinsohn will be leaving the company and his role as CEO,” Grady Tripp, the company’s senior vice president of people, wrote in an email to staff.
“This follows the recent departure of three senior executives last week.”
Bhargava is the founder of the energy drink brand 5-hour Energy and majority investor of The Arena Group.
The Arena Group has brands like Sports Illustrated, TheStreet, Parade, Men’s Journal, and HubPages.
The company aggregates content across a diverse portfolio of over 265 brands, reaching over 100 million users monthly.
In another post by a user on X, reading, “Leaving OpenAI for equity in Sam Altman’s new venture could be a profitable decision for many OpenAI employees”…reports Asian Lite News
Breaking his silence on OpenAI CEO Sam Altman’s sacking, tech billionaire Elon Musk on Sunday said that if he returns as CEO, the board will be gutted.
His comment comes when an X user @enriquebrgn posted a screenshot, asking an AI chatbot a question related to Altman sacking.
“So is Sam Altman back as CEO or not?,” the user asked the AI chatbot.
“Well, it seems like the situation with Sam Altman and his role at OpenAl is quite the rollercoaster ride! Just yesterday, he was fired by the board for allegedly not being candid enough in his communications but now they’re in talks to bring him back as CEO,” the chatbot responded.
“From what I gather, the board is currently in discussions with Altman, and he is reportedly “ambivalent” about returning. If he does come back, he might want some changes in the governance structure,” it added.
To which Musk replied: “If he does return, the board will be gutted”.
In another post by a user on X, reading, “Leaving OpenAI for equity in Sam Altman’s new venture could be a profitable decision for many OpenAI employees”.
Musk replied: “We should dispense with the false idea that money is somehow relevant in an AGi future”.
After creating a high-voltage drama after abruptly sacking Altman, the OpenAI board is now reportedly in discussions with him to return to the company as its CEO.
However, Altman, who was fired by the board on a video call, is “ambivalent” about coming back and would seek key governance changes, reports The Verge, citing people aware of the development.
Three top-level researchers at OpenAI have reportedly quit, following the sacking of Altman and the resignation of Co-founder and President, Greg Brockman.
Rajnath Singh reached Paris late on October 10 and interacted with the Indian community…reports Asian Lite News
Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Wednesday met with the CEOs of the top French defence companies with a focus on their plans for collaboration with India in France.
During the interaction Eric Trappier, CEO of Dassault; Pierre Eric Pommellet, CEO of Naval Group; Guillaume Faury, CEO of Airbus; and Olivier Andries, CEO of Safran Group were present.
Union Minister visited the Safran Engine Division’s R&D Centre at Gennevilliers near Paris, France during the second and final leg of his two-nation tour.
During his visit to the Centre, he witnessed the latest developments in aero-engine technology.
Olivier Andries, Global CEO Safran welcomed Rajnath Singh to the facility and, along with his team, gave a detailed briefing to him. Safran expressed interest in being a part of the Indian growth story by working with its counterparts on mutually agreed joint projects.
Singh highlighted the advantages of co-development and co-production in India, including the possibility of exports to third countries. He underlined the inherent advantages of the Indian market such as a large, skilled HR base, world-class infrastructure and a strong legal architecture, the release stated.
Later in the day, Rajnath Singh will be holding the fifth Annual Defence Dialogue with the French Minister of Armed Forces Sebastien Lecornu.
Rajnath Singh reached Paris late on October 10 and interacted with the Indian community.
While addressing the sizeable Indian community at the India House, he highlighted the various achievements of India in the defence sector such as increased defence exports, increasing indigenous production of defence equipment, concerted efforts on co-development and co-production in India and an enhanced outreach in the region.
The Defence Minister spoke about the tremendous progress achieved in India in the last nine years, an assessment that was heartily supported by the Indian community. (ANI)
The year of celebrations will start on 23 April 2025, on World Book and Copyright Day…reports Asian Lite News
The UAE Ministry of Economy, in cooperation with the Abu Dhabi Chamber of Commerce and Industry, has hosted a delegation of more than 20 Indian CEOs organised by the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII).
Headed by Piyush Goyal, India’s Minister of Commerce and Industry, the delegation participated in a roundtable with Dr. Thani bin Ahmed Al Zeyoudi, Minister of State for Foreign Trade, and leading figures from the UAE business community. The roundtable discussed ways to enhance bilateral relations within the framework of the UAE-India Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA), which came into force in May 2022, and explored further opportunities its enhanced market access offers.
In his welcoming remarks, Dr. Al Zeyoudi commended the growing ties between the UAE and India and, with the CEPA now in place, affirmed the UAE’s commitment to working alongside policymakers and private sector leaders in both countries to deliver long-term prosperity and growth.
“The UAE-India relationship is the strongest it has been since diplomatic relations were established more than 50 years ago. The landmark Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement has brought our economies closer together, boosting bilateral trade and investment and creating a powerful platform for collaboration. Face-to-face meetings such as this are critical to fully realising the potential of the deal, sparking conversations and establishing networks that evolve into meaningful, mutually beneficial partnerships. I look forward to continuing my work with Piyush Goyal and ensuring the CEPA delivers tangible results long into the future,” he said.
For his part, Piyush Goyal said, “The UAE-India CEPA has played a prominent role in consolidating economic and trade relations between our two nations, driving further growth and prosperity and creating new enablers for the private sector.”
Abdulla Mohamed Al Mazrouei, Chairman of the Abu Dhabi Chamber, highlighted the meeting’s alignment with the Chamber’s objectives of facilitating private sector cooperation between the UAE and India.
He said, “The bonds that exist between the UAE and India in various economic sectors have been fortified by the implementation of the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement. The UAE is now India’s third-largest trading partner and the second-largest destination for India’s exports, while India is the second-largest trading partner for the UAE. Building on these achievements through the adoption of future-facing initiatives that enhance market access, promote entrepreneurship and empower SMEs to establish and scale in our respective economies will further strengthen our economic partnership.”
Ahmed Khalifa Al Qubaisi, CEO of the Abu Dhabi Chamber, emphasised the significance of meeting as a platform for discussing opportunities for joint cooperation in a broad spectrum of economic, investment and trade sectors.
He said, “The meeting with the Confederation of Indian Industry comes as part of the Abu Dhabi Chamber’s efforts to enhance cooperation with all local and international entities to enhance the prosperity of the economic, investment and trade sectors at the local, regional and international levels, and to keep pace with the rapid developments witnessed by the global economy.
“The meeting reflects our dedication to organising business linking events between domestic and international entities, which serve to nurture cooperation, promote economic growth, and facilitate trade, investments, and collaboration opportunities within the private sector,” he added.
The roundtable was also attended by R. Dinesh, President of the Confederation of Indian Industries, Yousuf Ali Musliam, Second Vice Chairman of the Abu Dhabi Chamber and Chairman of Lulu Group International, as well as UAE government and private-sectors representatives.
The medical examiner’s office “took possession of the victim’s body,” police added…reports Asian Lite News
A female tech CEO who appeared on the Forbes 30 under 30 list has been found dead in her Baltimore apartment with blunt-force trauma after being reported missing, media reported.
Pava LaPere, 26, was found inside her luxury Mount Vernon apartment by police on Monday morning shortly after she was reported missing, New York Post reported.
The EcoMap founder was found with blunt-force trauma, according to police.
The medical examiner’s office “took possession of the victim’s body,” police added.
It is unknown whether LaPere had any guests over prior to her death. It appeared she was single on her social media pages, New York Post reported.
“That’s pretty horrifying,” building tenant Chris McNees told CBS News Baltimore.
“I mean, just for that to happen anywhere in the city is obviously a bad thing, but it’s hard to imagine why this would happen specifically in this building.”
The Forbes 30 Under 30 honoree lived in the former Congress Hotel, which has since been renovated into apartments. One-bedroom apartments go for around $1,500 per month, according to the building’s management company Zahlco as quoted by the New York Post.
LaPere started her eco company from her dorm room at Johns Hopkins University. The purpose of her company is to make ecosystems information accessible to everyone along with “powerful technology to digitize ecosystems,” according to the company’s website.
LaPere’s company has managed to raise $7 million in funding in the last year and a half.
Her clients include the Aspen Institute, Meta, and more, according to its website.
The company released a statement following her death sending its condolences and calling her passing “deeply distressing”.
“Pava was not only the visionary force behind EcoMap but was also a deeply compassionate and dedicated leader. Her untiring commitment to our company, to Baltimore, to amplifying the critical work of ecosystems across the country, and to building a deeply inclusive culture as a leader, friend, and partner set a standard for leadership, and her legacy will live on through the work we continue to do,” it said in a statement, according to CBS News Baltimore.
Acquired by Fox for $440 million in 2020, Tubi also surpassed PlutoTV, Peacock and HBO Max in total TV viewing minutes…reports Asian Lite News
Indian-American Anjali Sud will take over as the new Chief Executive Officer of Tubi, Fox Corporation’s free ad-supported streaming service, from September 1.
Sud, who recently stepped down as CEO of Vimeo after nine years, will succeed Farhad Massoudi, Tubi’s founder and chief executive.
“We are witnessing a seismic shift in where and how content will be consumed, and I believe that Tubi can become the destination for the next generation of audiences,” Sud said in a statement.
“The future of streaming TV is free, and I am excited to join the Tubi team to help shape the next wave of entertainment, by giving all people access to all the world’s stories. Tubi is doing things differently in a space that is being imminently disrupted, and that is my kind of opportunity,” she added.
Sud’s appointment comes as Tubi recently became the most watched free ad-supported TV streaming service in the US, with the streamer reporting 64 million monthly active users, according to Nielsen.
Acquired by Fox for $440 million in 2020, Tubi also surpassed PlutoTV, Peacock and HBO Max in total TV viewing minutes.
Tubi is at the core of FOX’s digital business unit, Tubi Media Group, led by Paul Cheesbrough, which includes Tubi, AdRise, Blockchain Creative Labs and Credible, as well as the digital platforms and teams that underpin FOX’s wider digital business in news, sports and entertainment.
In her new role, Sud will be reporting to Cheesbrough, who called the new CEO a “highly accomplished executive in the technology and media industry with a passion and track record for strategic disruption and authentic leadership”.
“As Tubi continues to scale and solidify its momentum as the most watched free TV and movie streaming service in the US, she is the perfect candidate to lead Tubi into a new era of creativity, growth and market leadership,” Cheesbrough said in a release shared by the company.
Under Sud’s leadership as CEO of Vimeo, the platform established itself as the home for video creators and professionals worldwide, building a thriving community of over 300 million users and generating scaled revenue growth and significant cash flow.
Before her tenure at Vimeo, Sud held positions in finance, media and e-commerce at Time Warner and Amazon.
These private events on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum often serve as meet-and-greets between CEOs, billionaires and government officials…reports Asian Lite News
US lawmakers along bi-partisan lines had a ritzy luncheon meeting with some 50 of the top CEOs of global companies at the World Economic Forum (WEF) in private at Davos in Switzerland.
Democrats Joe Manchin, Chris Coons and Krysten Sinema, Independent and Republican Brian Kemp, Georgia governor, were among those at the luncheon. Dozens of top businessmen met with the Democrats from West Virginia, Delaware, Arizona and Republican from Georgia.
Media reports streaming in here from Davos said that Coons, Manchin, Sinema and Kemp are among the US-based officials scheduled to participate in panel sessions at this year’s conference. These private events on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum often serve as meet-and-greets between CEOs, billionaires and government officials.
Coons and Manchin each separately addressed the gathering of corporate leaders at the lunch, said an attendee, who declined to be identified speaking about a private gathering, reports said.
Coons’s discussions focused on U.S. aid being given to Ukraine following Russia’s invasion while Manchin, who is the chairman of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, called for American energy independence. Congress passed $40 billion in additional aid for Ukraine last year.
The private lunch was held at the Hotel Schatzalp, which is primarily accessible by riding a funicular, or tram, up the property, those with knowledge of the gathering said. A participant said the gathering took place at the hotel’s Belle Epoque restaurant, with salmon and a beef dish served to the participants, reports said.
The business leaders came from a wide variety of backgrounds, including the CEO of Hewlett Packard Enterprise, Antonio Neri, Klaus Schwab, the executive chairman of the World Economic Forum, and the heads of a variety of non-governmental organisations, among others, one of the participants said.
Coons told CNBC on the sidelines that members of the congressional delegation were heading to the lunch “with about 50 CEOs”. He didn’t say which executives were scheduled to attend. A Hewlett Packard Enterprise representative confirmed Neri’s attendance.
Amazon will prioritise communicating directly with impacted employees before making broad public or internal announcements…reports Asian Lite News
Amazon CEO Andy Jassy has warned employees that there will be more layoffs at the company in early 2023 “as leaders continue to make adjustments”.
The e-commerce giant publicly confirmed some layoffs on Wednesday and now, Jassy has said more layoffs are coming as Amazon’s annual planning process extends into the new year.
“Those decisions will be shared with impacted employees and organisations early in 2023,” he said in a statement late on Thursday.
“We haven’t concluded yet exactly how many other roles will be impacted (we know that there will be reductions in our Stores and PXT organisations), but each leader will communicate to their respective teams when we have the details nailed down,” Sassy added.
Amazon will prioritise communicating directly with impacted employees before making broad public or internal announcements.
“This year’s review is more difficult due to the fact that the economy remains in a challenging spot and we’ve hired rapidly the last several years,” said Jassy.
The company did not reveal the exact number of employees being hit although earlier reports put the number at 10,000 employees or 3 per cent of its workforce.
The massive job cuts have hit several divisions, especially the Alexa virtual assistant business and the Luna cloud gaming unit.
“We communicated the difficult decision to eliminate a number of positions across our Devices and Books businesses, and also announced a voluntary reduction offer for some employees in our People, Experience, and Technology (PXT) organisation,” Jassy further said.
“I’ve been in this role now for about a year and a half, and without a doubt, this is the most difficult decision we’ve made during that time,” the Amazon CEO added.
Dave Limp, Senior Vice President of Devices and Services, also wrote an internal post, saying that “after a deep set of reviews, we recently decided to consolidate some teams and programmes”.
“One of the consequences of these decisions is that some roles will no longer be required,” Limp said.
He said it was by not an easy decision to leave his current role as it was his first professional job and has been on it for the last 26 years…reports Asian Lite News
Campbell Wilson has said that his appointment as Air India CEO and MD is a fantastic opportunity to lead a historic airline, adding that there are “mountains to climb” in his new role.
Wilson is currently the CEO of Singapore Airlines’ subsidiary Scoot Air.
Singapore Airlines (SIA) is a joint venture partner of Tata Group in full-service carrier Vistara.
“This afternoon I informed the executive team and your union leaders of my resignation from Scoot and the SIA Group,” he said to the employees to Scoot through a communique, which reportedly was his farewell letter.
He said it was by not an easy decision to leave his current role as it was his first professional job and has been on it for the last 26 years.
Wilson, who has 26 years long experience in the aviation industry, was appointed as the new Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director of Air India earlier this week.
Air India would benefit from Wilson’s added experience of having built an airline brand in Asia, Air India Chairman N. Chandrasekaran had said.
Earlier, Turkish Airlines head Ilker Ayci had been appointed the Air India CEO by the Tatas, but he subsequently declined the offer on March 1.
Air India is at the cusp of an exciting journey to become one of the best airlines in the world, offering world-class products and services with a distinct customer experience that reflects Indian warmth and hospitality, said Wilson after announcement about his new role.
In January 2022, the Centre handed over the management control of national carrier Air India to a subsidiary of Tata Sons.
With this Air India’s strategic disinvestment was complete after the Centre received a consideration of Rs 2,700 crore from the ‘Strategic Partner’ — Talace — which is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Tata Sons.
Besides the upfront payment, Talace will retain a debt of Rs 15,300 crore.
For 2021, Twitter registered over $5 billion in annual revenue, up 37 per cent for the year…reports Asian Lite News
Twitter, under new CEO Parag Agrawal, posted robust quarter results on Thursday, as revenue reached $1.57 billion (with ad revenue of $1.41 billion) — both up 22 per cent (on-year) — driven by ongoing revenue product improvements, solid sales execution and a continued increase in advertiser demand.
The micro-blogging platform reported 217 million average mDAU (monetisable daily active users), up 13 per cent, driven by product improvements, as well as global conversation around current events.
“Our strong 2021 performance positions us to improve execution and deliver on our 2023 goals. We are more focused and better organised to deliver improved personalisation and selection for our audience, partners, and advertisers,” said Agrawal who took over from Jack Dorsey in November.
For 2021, Twitter registered over $5 billion in annual revenue, up 37 per cent for the year.
“There are no changes to our goals of 315 million average mDAU in Q4 2023 and $7.5 billion or more revenue in 2023. Our increased focus on performance ads and the SMB opportunity after the sale of MoPub positions us even better for 2022 and beyond,” said CFO Ned Segal.
The company also announced a new $4 billion share repurchase authorisation, of which half ($2 billion) will be executed through an accelerated share repurchase programme (ASR).
The US revenue was $885 per cent, an increase of 21 per cent for Q4 while international revenue was $683 million, an increase of 23 per cent.
“Japan, our second largest market, reported revenue of $194 million, up 10 per cent,” said Twitter.
Nearly 280 million accounts now follow at least one Topic, with more than 14.5K Topics available across 11 languages on Twitter.
