Latest news with #60thPresidentialInauguration
New York Post
29-05-2025
- Business
- New York Post
Elon Musk says goodbye, thanks Trump as he formally departs DOGE: My time ‘comes to an end'
Elon Musk thanked President Trump late Wednesday as he officially stepped down from his temporary gig leading the budget-slashing Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). 'As my scheduled time as a Special Government Employee comes to an end, I would like to thank President @realDonaldTrump for the opportunity to reduce wasteful spending,' the world's richest man posted on his social media site, X. 'The @DOGE mission will only strengthen over time as it becomes a way of life throughout the government.' 3 Musk, with his son X Æ A-Xii, arrives on the dais with President-elect Donald Trump, at a rally ahead of the 60th Presidential Inauguration, Jan. 19, 2025, in Washington. AP Musk's 130-day mandate as a special government employee in the Trump administration was already set to expire around May 30. His 'off-boarding' started Wednesday night, a White House official said. The exact circumstances surrounding his exit weren't immediately clear but the announcement came soon after the Tesla mogul publicly came out against the White House's 'Big, Beautiful Bill' — calling it too expensive and a measure that would undermine his DOGE work. Trump officials, meanwhile, have insisted that Musk will still stick around as an adviser even though his time is officially up. Musk has also been adamant that DOGE would continue even after his time was up — once confidently comparing his role in the cost-cutting department to the Buddha. 3 Elon Musk wears a shirt that says 'Tech Support' as he speaks during a cabinet meeting with US President Donald Trump at the White House in Washington, DC, on Feb. 26, 2025. AFP via Getty Images 3 Musk holds up a chainsaw he received from Argentina's President Javier Milei, right, as they arrive to speak at the Conservative Political Action Conference, CPAC, at the Gaylord National Resort & Convention Center, Feb. 20, 2025, in Oxon Hill, Md. AP 'Is Buddha needed for Buddhism?' the billionaire said earlier this month when asked who would be next to lead the department. 'Was it not stronger after he passed away?' 'DOGE is kind of a way of life … we make converts all the time,' he added. Musk — who was once Trump's right-hand man — was the driving force behind DOGE in the first months of the administration, stirring public opinion over his initiatives to gut whole agencies and look for wasteful spending. With Post wires
Newsweek
22-05-2025
- Business
- Newsweek
Mark Zuckerberg Overtakes Jeff Bezos in Global Billionaire Ranking
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. Mark Zuckerberg has overtaken Jeff Bezos to become the second richest person in the world. The Meta CEO and Facebook founder has a net worth of $225 billion, edging ahead of Bezos' $223 billion, according to the Bloomberg Billionaires Index. Both men still trail Tesla CEO Elon Musk, whose net worth was valued at $370 billion as of Wednesday. Zuckerberg has increased his net worth by $17.3 billion since the beginning of 2025, while the rest of the top four—Musk, Bezos, and Oracle founder Larry Ellison—have all seen losses. Zuckerberg's net worth largely comes from his personal stake in Meta. He owns roughly 13 percent of the tech company's stock, which is up nearly nine percent year to date and closed Wednesday at $635.50 per share. Mark Zuckerberg, Jeff Bezos, Sundar Pichai and Elon Musk arrive before the 60th Presidential Inauguration in the Rotunda of the U.S. Capitol in Washington, Monday, Jan. 20, 2025. Mark Zuckerberg, Jeff Bezos, Sundar Pichai and Elon Musk arrive before the 60th Presidential Inauguration in the Rotunda of the U.S. Capitol in Washington, Monday, Jan. 20, 2025. Getty Images More to follow
Euronews
30-04-2025
- Politics
- Euronews
Trump ousts Biden-era Holocaust Council members including Doug Emhoff
ADVERTISEMENT President Donald Trump has dismissed many of former President Joe Biden's nominees to the United States Holocaust Memorial Council - among them Doug Emhoff, the Jewish husband of former Vice President Kamala Harris and a leading figure in the Biden administration's campaign against antisemitism . Emhoff, who played a key role in shaping the White House's approach to combatting hate, condemned the decision: 'Let me be clear: Holocaust remembrance and education should never be politicised.' He added, 'To turn one of the worst atrocities in history into a wedge issue is dangerous - and it dishonours the memory of six million Jews murdered by Nazis that this museum was created to preserve.' Related One month in, how has Trump impacted culture around the world? Funeral etiquette: Was Trump's blue suit a diplomatic and fashion blunder at pope's funeral? Former Vice President Kamala Harris and Doug Emhoff listen as President Donald Trump speaks after being sworn in at the 60th Presidential Inauguration. Credit: AP Photo U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum's 14th Street entrance. Credit: Timothy Hursley/United States Holocaust Memorial Museum Also removed were Ron Klain, Biden's former chief of staff, and Susan Rice, who spearheaded the first-ever U.S. National Strategy to Combat Antisemitism in 2023 during her tenure as domestic policy adviser. Anthony Bernal, a senior adviser to former First Lady Jill Biden, confirmed he, too, had been dismissed. Since taking office in January, Trump has moved to fire many Biden appointees across government - including ostensibly apolitical roles. Biden, too, while on a far smaller scale, dismissed some Trump carryover appointees after he entered the White House in 2021, including 18 appointees to U.S. military academy boards.
New York Post
29-04-2025
- Automotive
- New York Post
From Inauguration Day to the Vatican, a look back at Trump's first 100 days: Photos
Donald Trump was inaugurated as the 47th President of the United States on Monday, January 20, 2025. Tuesday, April 29, marks his 100th day in office. Here's a look back in photos, from his Inauguration Day ceremony and fiery Oval Office meeting with Ukrainian President Zelensky to Elon Musk's DOGE and the deportation of illegal immigrants. 1 of 23 Donald Trump with his wife first lady Melanie Trump after taking the oath of office during the 60th Presidential Inauguration in the Rotunda of the U.S. Capitol in Washington, Monday, January 20, 2025. AP 2 of 23 Donald Trump speaks to the press before signing a proclamation renaming the Gulf of Mexico as the Gulf of America aboard Air Force One, on February 09, 2025. AFP via Getty Images 3 of 23 Donald Trump and Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky's fiery meeting in the Oval Office, on February 28, 2025. AFP via Getty Images 4 of 23 Elon Musk holds up a chainsaw he received from Argentina's President Javier Milei, right, at the Conservative Political Action Conference, in Oxon Hill, Md, on February 20, 2025. AP 5 of 23 Karoline Leavitt, White House Press Secretary, announced that deportation flights have begun, on January 24, 2025. @PressSec/X 6 of 23 Donald Trump addresses a joint session of Congress at the U.S. Capitol on March 4, 2025. Getty Images 7 of 23 Elon Musk, head of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), displays his t-shirt that reads 'Tech Support' as he speaks during a Cabinet meeting at the White House, on February 26, 2025. Getty Images 8 of 23 Trump holds up a chart while speaking during a 'Make America Wealthy Again' trade announcement event in the Rose Garden at the White House, on April 2, 2025. Getty Images 9 of 23 Vice President JD Vance tours the U.S. military's Pituffik Space Base in Greenland on March 28, 2025. via REUTERS 10 of 23 Donald Trump's mugshot on the front of the New York Post is framed on a wall just outside the Oval Office at the White House, as seen on February 14, 2025. Getty Images 11 of 23 Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem speaks during a tour of the Terrorist Confinement Center in Tecoluca, El Salvador, Wednesday, March 26, 2025. AP 12 of 23 Donald Trump's newly decorated golden Oval Office is highlighted during a meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, on April 7, 2025. AFP via Getty Images 13 of 23 Donald Trump is driven around the track prior to the NASCAR Cup Series Daytona 500 in Daytona Beach, Florida, on February 16, 2025. via REUTERS 14 of 23 Donald Trump signs an executive order alongside US singer Kid Rock in the Oval Office of the White House, on March 31, 2025. AFP via Getty Images 15 of 23 First lady Melania Trump arrives at the U.S. Capitol for a roundtable discussion on the 'Take it Down Act,' a legislation against revenge porn, on March 3, 2025. AP 16 of 23 Donald Trump and Tesla CEO Elon Musk, with a Cyber Truck and a Model S on the South Lawn of the White House on March 11, 2025. Getty Images 17 of 23 Donald Trump holds up a sword after using it to cut the cake as first lady Melania Trump smiles during the Commander-in-Chief Ball on Trump's inauguration day in Washington, Jan. 20, 2025. AP 18 of 23 Trump signs an executive order barring transgender female athletes from competing in women's or girls' sporting events, in the East Room of the White House, February 5, 2025. AP 19 of 23 Donald Trump sit with Elon Musk and his son at the UFC fight at the Kaseya Center in Miami, Florida, on April 12, 2025. Getty Images 20 of 23 President Donald Trump speaks with reporters in the James Brady Press Briefing Room at the White House, Thursday, Jan. 30, 2025, in Washington. AP 21 of 23 President Donald Trump and his son, Eric Trump, drive in a golf cart after he arrived on Marine One at the LIV Golf tournament being held at his Trump National Doral Golf Club, Florida, on April 03, 2025. Getty Images 22 of 23 Tesla and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk, and his son X, with President Trump for an executive order signing in the Oval Office at the White House on February 11, 2025. Getty Images
Forbes
21-03-2025
- Business
- Forbes
Tech Titans Seek Copyright Immunity, Plus More Cinematic AI
TOPSHOT - Guests including Mark Zuckerberg, Jeff Bezos, Sundar Pichai and Elon Musk, arrive before ... [+] the 60th Presidential Inauguration in the Rotunda of the U.S. Capitol in Washington, Monday, Jan. 20, 2025. (Photo by Julia Demaree Nikhinson / POOL / AFP) (Photo by JULIA DEMAREE NIKHINSON/POOL/AFP via Getty Images) Tech Giants Push for AI Copyright Exemptions, Citing China's Threat. The Trump administration asked them to comment on a new AI policy, having overturned the weak one Biden had put in place by executive order. Tech companies say training AI models on copyrighted content constitutes fair use, arguing that restrictive laws would hand China an insurmountable advantage. OpenAI, Meta, and Google have all cited the rapid rise of DeepSeek, a Chinese open-source AI model, to justify their position. 'If the PRC's developers have unfettered access to data and American companies are left without fair use access, the race for AI is effectively over,' OpenAI wrote in its submission to the White House. Critics, including Hollywood unions and over 400 high-profile creators, argue that this would allow AI firms to profit from unlicensed material without compensating those who created it. Big tech wants nothing less than a preemptive pardon for copyright infringement. With the administration's open contempt for the media, in particular the NY Times (who is suing Open AI), the influence of Elon Musk, who owns Xai, and Trump's personal vendetta against Hollywood, it's not hard to predict how this movie is going to end. Roblox generates 3D objects from 2D pictures. Roblox has unveiled an early version of its Mesh Generator API, a 3D object generator powered by CUBE 3D, a 1.8 billion-parameter model. This tool lets users create 3D objects from text prompts, with future plans to support generation from images. Roblox wants to simplify content creation, expanding beyond traditional game design to capture a larger share of the $180 billion gaming market. The company also plans AI models for speech-to-text, text-to-speech, and real-time translation. While free, the tool has usage caps. Roblox's long-term vision includes generating entire interactive scenes on demand. LONDON, ENGLAND - MARCH 20: Directors Joe Russo and Anthony Russo attend the UK Film Premiere of ... [+] "Captain America: The Winter Soldier" at Westfield London on March 20, 2014 in London, England. (Photo by) Directors Joe and Anthony Russo defend use of AI in The Electric State for voice modulation. Joe Russo remarked that AI's role in Hollywood is often misunderstood, stating, "There's a lot of finger-pointing and hyperbole because people are afraid. They don't understand." He further noted that while AI isn't yet suitable for "mission-critical work" due to its potential for inaccuracies, it's well-suited for creative applications. The Russo brothers are also developing AI tools within their studio, Agbo, aiming to empower artists and streamline the creative process in filmmaking. LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - APRIL 30: Tony Gilroy attends the Emmy FYC screening for Andor at the DGA ... [+] Theater in Los Angeles, California on April 30, 2023. (Photo by Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty Images for Disney) On the other side of the lot, Tony Gilroy, creator of the acclaimed series Andor, has chosen not to release the show's 1,500-page script collection due to concerns about artificial intelligence (AI) misuse. He fears that making the scripts publicly available could enable AI systems to absorb and replicate his work without authorization. Gilroy expressed his reluctance, stating, "Why help the f**king robots anymore than you can?" This decision reflects a growing unease among creators regarding the potential exploitation of their intellectual property by AI technologies. The situation underscores the ongoing debate over AI's impact on creative industries and the need for protective measures for original content. James Cameron joined the board of Stablility AI last year. Stability AI has introduced Stable Virtual Camera, an AI model that transforms 2D images into immersive 3D video scenes. The tool can synthesize novel viewpoints and simulate camera movements like panning and zooming without traditional 3D modeling. Supporting up to 32 input images, it generates sequences up to 1,000 frames. While promising for film, gaming, and VR, it struggles with human figures and complex textures. Released under a research license via Hugging Face, the model signals Stability's pivot amid financial challenges. Competing with OpenAI's Sora and Google's Lumiere, it reflects the AI industry's push into generative 3D content. Elon Musk's AI company, xAI, has acquired Hotshot, a San Francisco-based startup specializing in AI-powered video generation tools. Founded by Aakash Sastry and John Mullan, Hotshot developed models like Hotshot-XL to transform text prompts into dynamic videos. This acquisition aligns with xAI's strategy to enhance its generative AI capabilities and compete with platforms like OpenAI's Sora and Google's Veo 2. Sastry expressed enthusiasm about scaling their efforts using xAI's extensive computing resources. Before the acquisition, Hotshot attracted investments from notable figures, including Reddit co-founder Alexis Ohanian. Existing Hotshot users have until March 30 to download their content before services are discontinued. Batbridge XR At SXSW 2025: Expanding The Boundaries Of Immersion. SXSW 2025's XR showcase pushed the limits of immersive storytelling, featuring award-winning VR, AR, and MR experiences, from haptic empathy-driven VR to large-scale dome projections. The XR Experience Competition featured 15 world premieres, with the top Jury Award won by Chloé Lee's Reflections of a Little Red Dot, an open-world documentary exploring Singapore, a country in transition. Judges praised its subtle yet deeply resonant storytelling, calling it 'a universal sense of place.' Also honored with a Special Jury Award Special was Proof As If Proof Were Needed created by Ting Tong Chang, Matt Adams. Virtuix has unveiled the Omni Mission Trainer (OMT), a mixed reality system featuring omni-directional treadmills that enable soldiers to physically navigate immersive 360-degree virtual environments by walking, running, jumping, and kneeling. Supporting up to 15 participants, OMT facilitates team-based training scenarios such as mission rehearsals and active shooter responses. The system integrates soldiers' authentic equipment into the virtual space, enhancing operational realism. An After-Action Review tool enables real-time performance analysis. Singapore-based Vidu, the generative video platform from ShengShu Technology, is teaming up with Los ... [+] Angeles animation studio Aura Productions to co-produce a sci-fi anime series made entirely with AI tools. Singapore-based Vidu, the generative video platform from ShengShu Technology, is teaming up with Los Angeles animation studio Aura Productions to co-produce a sci-fi anime series made entirely with AI tools. The series of 50 short episodes, will debut across social platforms in 2025 and showcase Vidu's new 'Multiple-Entity Consistency' feature, designed to maintain visual coherence across characters and environments. Aura Productions, led by Luo Yan and showrunner D.T. Carpenter, who specializes in teen-targeted anime content. The inaugural Austin AI Film Festival (AAIFF), adjacent but not part of SXSW, concluded last week in Austin, Texas. Organized to recognize creators using AI tools, the festival showcased narrative films across genres. The top honor, a $5,000 cash prize for Best AI Narrative, was awarded to One Last Wish, directed by Edmond Yang, recognized for its compelling integration of AI in narrative cinema. The AI x Entertainment report is free at has published its first quarterly AI Industry Report, offering a snapshot of the rapidly evolving AI studio landscape. Focused on 98 AI-native studios, the report includes interviews with nine leading players: Promise, Asteria, Secret Level, shy kids, Fable, Argil, Scenario, and Frore. The report highlights how these studios are reshaping production pipelines, redefining creative roles, and building new infrastructure for AI-driven storytelling. Future reports will cover creators, startups, and emerging workflows. was co-founded by Rachel Joy Victor and Todd Terrazas to accelerate AI integration into storytelling and content creation. They help early-stage AI startups find product-market fit while guiding corporations through AI adoption as strategic advisors. Nem Perez is following up its hilarious, delightful, and unwatchable T2 fan film with an adaptation of 'Alice in Wonderland.' This is a natural for blending AI-generated imagery, 3D animation, and live action through an "Exquisite Corpse" technique, allowing over 25 of the best AI studios and artists to contribute their unique visions while maintaining narrative cohesion. Reza Sixo Safai and Jagger Waters lead the story team. Perez's creative team includes prominent AI filmmakers Fred Grinstein and Minh Do of Machine Cinema, Reza Sixo Safai of Massive Studios and Max Einhorn of Gennie Studios. The roster of A.I. Filmmakers features Junie Lau, who won silver at last year's Runway Film Festival, MetaPuppet, the 1st prize winner of the Culver Cup, and Maddie Hong, a finalist in Culver Cup & Runway's 48hr competition. The submission deadline for the Runway's AI film festival has been extended to April 6, 2025. This year's jury includes Joel Kuwahara (Co-founder and President of Production, Bento Box Entertainment), Jane Rosenthal (Founder and CEO of Tribeca Enterprises), Bruce Markoe (Head of IMAX Post and SVP, IMAX Corporation) and Kia Brooks (Deputy Director, The Gotham Film and Media Institute), among others. This column is the script for the news portion of the author's weekly podcast co-hosted by former Paramount futurist and co-founder of Red Camera, and Rony Abovitz, founder of Magic Leap, Mako Robotics, and Synthbee AI. This week our guest is Bob Cooney, the most prominent thought leader in immersive technologies and location-based entertainment. We can be found on Spotify, iTunes, and YouTube. What We're Reading Something is Rotten Cupertino - Apple AI (DaringFireball blog) Demand for VR headsets remains low (Computer World) Meta: 'We're Still Investing Massively In VR Gaming And Don't Plan To Stop' (Upload VR)
