Latest news with #AGI
Fox News
15 hours ago
- Science
- Fox News
China experimenting with brain-computer interfaces in global race for AI dominance: report
China is reportedly working to cognitively merge humans with machines as part of its ongoing efforts to compete in the artificial intelligence race. The communist country is using brain-computer interface (BCI) technology — systems that allow for communication between the brain and an external device — to "augment human cognition and human-machine teaming," The Washington Times reported, citing a presentation from Georgetown experts delivered to U.S. officials. These include invasive, minimally-invasive and non-invasive BCIs, according to The Washington Times. Invasive BCIs involve surgery to implant electrodes into the brain, while non-invasive BCIs use sensors on the scalp to monitor brain activity. Meanwhile, minimally-invasive BCIs involve implanting devices, but they do not penetrate brain tissue, according to a report in the National Library of Medicine. The U.S. has primarily focused on building up language models to develop AI technology. However, China is going against traditional thinking about how to achieve artificial general intelligence (AGI) — a type of AI that has the ability to perform as well as or better than a human being in cognitive tasks, according to William Hannas, lead analyst at Georgetown's Center for Security and Emerging Technology. "There are all kinds of possibilities out there, but if you want human equivalent AI, you're not going to get it just by increasing the parameters [of models]," Hannas told The Washington Times. Hannas, who formerly worked for the CIA, collected Chinese government documents that contained information about the country's AI funding plans for this year and last year. The plans include several brain-inspired AI approaches, The Washington Times reported. Additionally, Chinese state-run media have quoted statements saying the future involves making AI a physical part of humans, according to the Washington Times. In 2018, two technologists working on brain-inspired approaches to AI were also recruited by Chinese officials, they told The Washington Times. China's innovation in artificial intelligence is "accelerating," Michael Kratsios, the director of the White House Office of Science and Technology, told Fox News Digital in April. But he maintained that the United States remains the world's dominant power in AI and the Trump administration's "promote and protect" strategy will solidify that standing. Georgetown's Center for Security and Emerging Technology did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital's request for comment.
Herald Malaysia
a day ago
- Politics
- Herald Malaysia
Partial peace agreement for DRC signed in Qatar
Following ongoing turmoil in the Democratic Republic of Congo, representatives of the Kinshasa government and the M23 rebel group meet in Qatar and sign a declaration of intent, which includes a permanent ceasefire. Jul 23, 2025 Qatar's Minister of State for Foreign Affairs stands between peace mediator Sumbu Sita Mambu, a high representative of the head of state in DRC (left) and Rwanda-backed armed group M23 executive secretary Benjamin Mbonimp (right) as they sign a ceasefire deal in Doha on July 19, 2025 (AFP or licensors) By Deborah Castellano LubovA partial peace agreement has been signed for the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), raising hopes of a more peaceful future for the embattled country. On Saturday in Doha, Qatar, representatives of the Kinshasa government and the M23 rebel group signed a declaration of intent, which includes a permanent ceasefire and outlines a roadmap for the restoration of state authority in eastern DRC, according to Italian news agency AGI. The Declaration commits to launching formal negotiations as soon as possible with a view toward a 'comprehensive peace agreement.' Violence-plagued region In the region, the frontlines have remained unchanged since February, but, AGI reports, violence continues between M23 and pro-Kinshasa militias engaged in guerrilla operations. For over 30 years, Eastern DRC, a region rich in minerals, has been plagued by conflict, and previous peace agreements and ceasefires have been repeatedly violated in recent years. In recent months, following a lightning offensive by M23 and Rwandan troops against the Congolese army, violence has erupted along the region bordering Rwanda. According to the United Nations and Congolese government, this has resulted in thousands of deaths, worsening a humanitarian crisis involving hundreds of thousands of displaced people. Peace requires efforts, support and making concessions The DRC's Minister of the Interior, Jacquemain Sabani, reflected on the ceasefire agreement signed with the M23 armed group, which is supported by Rwanda, calling this breakthrough a step closer to peace, during a briefing co-hosted with fellow Minister of Communication and Media, Patrick Muyaya. After three decades of unrest, Minister Shabani reasoned, 'Peace is a choice,' adding, 'I am confident and fully convinced that we are close to peace," and that this is an "important project we have the responsibility to build.' Yet, he argued, this requires work. 'We must prepare the population to move toward this goal,' and must be prepared to make 'concessions.' Working toward definitive peace With this sentiment, Communications Minister Muyaya echoed, 'We want a definitive peace, a lasting peace.' Since the document signed by both parties also outlines restoring state authority in eastern DRC once the peace agreement is signed, he noted, for the government, this entails 'redeploying the administration and public forces' in the M23-controlled territories, while reassuring that this will be the subject of a process to be 'described in detail in the peace agreement.'--Vatican News
Gizmodo
2 days ago
- Business
- Gizmodo
Meta Is Breaking OpenAI $100 Million at a Time
The artificial intelligence landscape, once characterized by collaborative innovation, has dramatically shifted into an all-out war for top talent. At the forefront of this aggressive new era stands Mark Zuckerberg's Meta Platforms, orchestrating an unprecedented assault on rival OpenAI. This isn't merely a recruitment drive; it's a clear declaration of war, fueled by a staggering $300 million offer designed to dismantle the very core of its competitor. The Wall Street Journal is reporting that Meta is dangling pay packages so extreme they fundamentally redefine the concept of a 'signing bonus.' For more than ten of OpenAI's most brilliant minds, the offer is a life-altering proposition, with up to $100 million paid out in the first year alone, potentially escalating to $300 million over four years. These are, quite literally, the most extreme financial incentives in tech history, crafted not merely to attract individuals, but to systematically weaken a rival. The ultimate goal: to poach the very minds behind groundbreaking AI systems like GPT (Generative Pre-trained Transformer, a type of large language model capable of understanding and generating human-like text) and accelerate Meta's ambitious dream of achieving artificial general intelligence (AGI), a level of AI capable of performing any intellectual task a human can. When contacted by Gizmodo, a Meta spokesperson referred to comments made last week by CEO Mark Zuckerberg during an interview with The Information. When asked if it was accurate that Meta was spending up to $100 million or $200 million on packages for recruits, Zuckerberg responded, 'So look, I mean, a lot of the specifics that have been reported aren't accurate by themselves. But it is a very hot market. I mean, as you know, and there's a small number of researchers, which are the best, who are in demand by all of the different labs. So I think that it certainly is quite competitive.' He further added, 'There's just an absolute premium for the best and most talented people.' OpenAI Reportedly Shuts Down for a Week as Zuck Poaches Its Top Talent The impact on OpenAI has been immediate and severe, leading to what many are now calling the '$300 Million Brain Drain.' As Gizmodo previously reported, OpenAI has been forced to hit the panic button internally, grappling with a significant exodus of its top researchers. The scale of Meta's poaching became so disruptive that, as Gizmodo also revealed, OpenAI reportedly had to shut down operations for an entire week. This drastic measure was taken to stem the bleeding and reorganize in the face of such aggressive talent acquisition. Key figures, the very architects of OpenAI's most advanced models, were suddenly faced with offers too lucrative to refuse, leaving gaping holes in the company's research and development teams. Now, the full extent of this pressure is clear: Zuckerberg isn't just luring away researchers; he is offering them generational wealth, fundamentally altering their financial futures. OpenAI Hits the Panic Button This aggressive maneuver suggests a coordinated power play aimed at hollowing out OpenAI from within. The Journal's report highlights that Meta is extending these jaw-dropping pay packages even as it struggles to fill the critical role of chief scientist within its own AI division. Despite months of outreach, the company still lacks a singular leader to spearhead its AGI ambitions. This hasn't, however, deterred Meta from attempting to acquire everyone else's top talent. This narrative transcends mere competitive hiring; it is a story of unprecedented escalation. Meta is striving to achieve superintelligence – machines that are smarter than humans and capable of outperforming human intelligence in virtually every field – by poaching the very individuals who built OpenAI's most advanced systems. The strategy appears to be to offer loyalty-level money without a clear leader or a fully defined plan, operating on the premise that if enough high-IQ individuals are gathered in one building, AGI will inevitably follow. And it might be working. The departures from OpenAI are far from over, and the internal mood has reportedly shifted from defiance to dread. OpenAI is bleeding talent at a pace that could fundamentally reshape the entire AI landscape. But Meta's aggressive maneuver raises a profound question for the future of artificial intelligence: Can you truly buy genius, or are you merely renting it? While Meta gains immediate access to unparalleled expertise and accelerates its own AI ambitions, the long-term implications are complex. The culture of a company, the synergy of its teams, and the organic development of groundbreaking ideas are not easily purchased. There's a significant risk that such extreme financial incentives, while effective in the short term, might inadvertently foster a mercenary environment rather than a truly innovative one. For Zuckerberg, this is a clear and strategic play to rapidly close the gap with OpenAI and Google in the fiercely competitive AI race. By siphoning off the very individuals responsible for the advancements that put OpenAI at the forefront, Meta aims to acquire not just talent, but invaluable institutional knowledge, proven methodologies, and perhaps even a piece of the intangible 'magic' that has driven OpenAI's success. Zuckerberg's strategy mirrors how startups often chase product-market fit: if one researcher doesn't get you there, maybe the next one will. If a chief scientist cannot be secured, perhaps the field can simply be outspent until one emerges. The underlying logic is simple: build the smartest team in the world, pay them more than anyone ever has, and task them with chasing god-level AI. However, building superintelligence is a vastly different endeavor from scaling a social media application, and Meta's spending spree comes with inherent risks. Throwing $100 million at an individual is not the same as cultivating a cohesive culture, establishing a unified vision, or developing a coordinated research roadmap. Without strong scientific leadership, the lab risks transforming into a gravity well of competing egos and conflicting agendas. For OpenAI, the stakes are nothing short of existential. This battle is not just about who builds the next groundbreaking AI model; it is about who will control the very future of artificial intelligence. A mere year ago, OpenAI stood as the undisputed leader in the field. Today, Meta is leveraging its immense financial power to systematically dismantle that lead. Zuckerberg has publicly stated his ambition for Meta to be the company that 'gets AGI right.' This vision, it appears, begins with owning the premier talent and, by extension, breaking the institution that first cultivated it.
Cision Canada
2 days ago
- Business
- Cision Canada
MindHYVE.ai™ Launches Immersive New Website Showcasing the Future of Human-Aligned AGI
NEWPORT BEACH, Calif., July 22, 2025 /CNW/ -- a leader in decentralized agentic intelligence, today announced the official launch of its newly reimagined website: More than a digital refresh, the new site is an interactive portal into the architecture, ethics, and future-facing vision behind approach to AGI. The website integrates immersive design, 3D modeling, and an AGI-native visual language — offering visitors a cinematic, thought-provoking experience that invites both exploration and imagination. "We didn't just design a website — we constructed an intelligence portal," said Bill Faruki, Founder & CEO of "It reflects the way our systems think: adaptive, spatial, and purpose driven." Key Features of the New Site Immersive, Agentic Interface Inspired by the architecture of decentralized AGI, the new website features motion-responsive navigation, conceptual modules, and a visual language that mirrors agentic flow and reasoning. Formal Introduction of MindHYVE's Digital Specialists For the first time, the public is introduced to suite of digital agents, each designed to represent a core pillar of its intelligence ecosystem: Arthur – reasoning & orchestration Chiron – knowledge & memory Justine – values & governance Ava – human interface for learning & collaboration These agents are rendered in 3D and featured throughout the site, bringing form and personality to MindHYVE's internal architecture. "By giving our digital specialists identity and visual presence, we're turning the abstract into something relatable," said Faruki. "It's a foundational step in building trust in AGI." Concept-Led Storytelling Rather than focusing on products, the site emphasizes concepts, ethics, and intelligence strategy. Users can explore the logic behind design systems, the ethical parameters shaping its tools, and the long-term vision of AI for global good. "AI for Good" Visual Ethos Every design element — from dimensional depth to ambient motion — is intentional. The AGI-centric design system underscores commitment to human-aligned, globally inclusive intelligence systems. "We believe the future of AI must feel different, not just function differently," Faruki added. "The site is our way of showing what that future could look like." Explore the Experience Whether you're a researcher, policymaker, partner, or curious learner, the new website offers a clear and compelling window into what's next for AI — and how is helping shape it. Visit: Media Contact Marc Ortiz Email: [email protected] Phone: +1 (949) 200-8668 Website: SOURCE Inc.
The Hindu
2 days ago
- Business
- The Hindu
AGI Greenpac shares surge on Q1 results, charts ₹1,000-cr. aluminium can foray
AGI Greenpac shares surged almost 15% on Tuesday after the glass container maker announced a 41% year-on-year increase in standalone net profit for the June quarter to ₹89 crore and planned to enter the aluminium-can segment. For the foray, it intends to set up a manufacturing plant in Uttar Pradesh with an investment of ₹1,000 crore. 'This new venture offers strong synergies with our existing glass packaging business. Both categories serve the alcohol and F&B industries, allowing for leveraging existing customer relationships, distribution networks and supply chain efficiencies,' CMD Sandip Somany said in a release on Monday. The net profit came on a 25% increase in total income to ₹721 crore (₹577 crore). The company said one of the factors contributing to the profitability was successful upgrade of the product mix, now including premium, higher-margin segments such as cosmetics, perfumery and alcohol. On the proposed plant, the company said the investment will be made in two phases and the facility is expected to be operational by Q3 FY28. It will have an initial annual production capacity of 950 million aluminium cans, which will be expanded to 1.6 billion aluminium cans by FY 2030. The company's shares on Tuesday closed 14.76% higher at Rs.972.85 apiece on the BSE. In March AGI said it will set up greenfield plant in Madhya Pradesh with ₹700 crore to boost glass manufacturing capabilities and increase daily capacity from 2,100 tonne to 2,600 tonne. It is expected to be operational by March 2027.
