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Time Magazine
20 hours ago
- Politics
- Time Magazine
Trump Falls For Europe's Charm Offensive
This article is part of The D.C. Brief, TIME's politics newsletter. Sign up here to get stories like this sent to your inbox. The Europeans made the pilgrimage to Washington on a moment's notice. They flattered their host, President Donald Trump, with praise for his ability to convene an impromptu peace summit with their Ukrainian counterpart, who in turn updated his fashion choices to fall in line with what White House officials expect from visitors. Above all, they made Trump feel every bit like the most powerful person on the planet. What's more, Trump took their bait. From the moment a week ago that Trump announced that he would meet that Friday with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Alaska, European leaders have come together with an Avengers-like unity to have the back of Ukrainian President counterpart Volodymyr Zelensky, whose nation was invaded more than three years ago by Putin's forces. The leaders of the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Italy, and Finland, plus the heads of the European Commission and NATO, took part in a largely harmonious charm offensive meant to guide Trump back to a footing of support for the U.S. ally facing Russian belligerence. They heaped compliments on Trump in what can only be described as a diplomatic plea for a ceasefire that just days ago Trump walked away from. In turn, Trump did not rule out sending U.S. forces to help defend Ukraine. For the Europeans, things seemed to go as well as they could have imagined. In fact, it almost seemed the most unlikely of qualities in Trump's Washington: normal. Unlike Zelensky's first trip back to Trump's White House this term, there was none of the made-for-TV stage fighting. In February, with the world watching, Trump and Vice President J.D. Vance ambushed Zelensky in the Oval Office and proceeded to kick him and his delegation out. It made for drama but it left the wartime President unsure if Washington would keep in Kyiv's column of supporters. Since then, Trump has softened slightly toward Zelensky, as Trump has grown frustrated that his charisma alone has not delivered an offramp for a brutal battle that has continued without pause, even amid Trump's meetings with Putin and Zelensky. Trump is famously fickle and famously susceptible to shameless praise, even when it seems to most outside observers as feigned. Sycophancy is a survival skill in the President's orbit, and survivors know its currency. Cabinet meetings with Trump are ultimately a tour of department chiefs, each of whom knows to come ready with lavish compliments for their boss. Trump, as expected, responds with a wide grin. Zelensky, having learned his lesson after a disastrous visit in February, returned on Monday with gratitude being shoveled in spades. Not only that, he traded in the military wardrobe he's favored since Russia's invasion in 2022 for one of an all-black field jacket and buttoned-up dress shirt. It set the stage for a warmer welcome from Trump, who from the start seemed pleased to have forced a wardrobe update based on his whims. To be clear: This is not how the United States—or any rational government, really—should be deciding on strategy. It is obviously in the United States' security interests to side with European nations standing with ally Ukraine against Russia, which now occupies about one-fifth of its neighbor. Europeans rightly worry an expanding Russia that is indifferent to sovereign borders is a threat to post-Cold War norms. A strong NATO alliance that includes the United States remains crucial for keeping a creeping post-Soviet Russia from metastasizing. But those global currents matter less to Trump than his fragile ego. So the Europeans traded geopolitical arguments over decades of curbing Moscow's ambitions for cheap praise. For the moment, it seems to have worked as Trump returned to the prospect of a trilateral summit with Ukraine and Russia, and himself as the arbiter. 'Everyone around this table wants peace,' French President Emmanuel Macron told Trump. Like others, Macron said Trump has a unique ability to convene a session where that peace may be scored—the latest example of Macron's unique ability among European leaders to be their Trump whisperer. The Europeans clearly had coordinated their approach and were speaking with one message if in eight different voices. 'The next steps ahead are the more complicated ones,'' German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said, being upfront with his host. 'I can't imagine the next meeting will take place without a ceasefire,' he told Trump. But Trump has said a ceasefire was not necessary. 'If we can get a cease-fire, great,'' Trump responded. He also said that it would be up to Zelensky and Putin to negotiate any such pause to the fighting. 'As of this moment it's not happening.' Thus, it returns to a sequencing order: which comes first, a ceasefire or a trilateral meeting? That's the question that seemed to persist even as the meetings unfolded across the White House's campus. But one thing was clear: he who gives Trump the biggest ego boost is likely to come out ahead. 'I think he wants to make a deal with me—you understand that?—as crazy as it sounds,' Trump was heard on a hot mic making small talk ahead of that one-way praise fest. It remains a matter of debate, though, if Trump is correct or just projecting there. Given the opportunity to press their luck, the Europeans instead decided to push laudatory comments that would not draw any backlash. Ultimately, that strategy may preserve Ukraine and settle the borders of Europe's map. Make sense of what matters in Washington. Sign up for the D.C. Brief newsletter.
Yahoo
30-07-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Zuckerberg Outlines His Vision for the Development of AI ‘Superintelligence'
This story was originally published on Social Media Today. To receive daily news and insights, subscribe to our free daily Social Media Today newsletter. Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg has outlined his view for the development of AI 'superintelligence,' which is a goal that he believes is now in view, as we accelerate development of the latest AI systems. Which, in technical terms at least, are not 'AI' at all, as they are not 'intelligent,' as such. The current slate of generative AI tools are able to crossmatch data patterns, in order to come up with human-like responses, based on whatever inputs you give them, but that doesn't equate to thought, and these systems aren't capable of original ideas or human-like thinking. Indeed, Meta's own AI chief Yann Lecun has repeatedly highlighted the limitations with LLMs, noting that such tools will be useful in a range of applications. But they're not likely to lead to artificial general intelligence (AGI), which is the Holy Grail of AI development, because such systems have no way of understanding the physical world, nor what their outputs are, in practical sense. In this respect, the current gen AI models are more akin to calculators than replicating human-like thinking. And it's that next stage, and the possibility of systems that can think for themselves, that Zuckerberg is now aiming for with his new super intelligence team. Which is a little scary, but Zuck has the money, and time. So it's happening, whether we like it or not. As explained by Zuckerberg: 'I am extremely optimistic that superintelligence will help humanity accelerate our pace of progress. But perhaps even more important is that superintelligence has the potential to begin a new era of personal empowerment where people will have greater agency to improve the world in the directions they choose.' Zuckerberg says that his new superintelligence project aims to 'bring personal superintelligence to everyone,' providing the power of advanced machine learning to everyday applications: 'As profound as the abundance produced by AI may one day be, an even more meaningful impact on our lives will likely come from everyone having a personal superintelligence that helps you achieve your goals, create what you want to see in the world, experience any adventure, be a better friend to those you care about, and grow to become the person you aspire to be.' Yeah, some of these are a little concerning, in reflecting Zuck's worldview, and the value of such tools. Like, being a better friend seems like that should remain in the realm of purely human experience, but maybe, for people like Zuckerberg, human connection is a key element that true AI can help with. Which may or may not be where we want to be headed. Either way, Zuckerberg has assembled his own Avengers-like team of AI development superstars, after gathering up staff from other AI projects. That team will be led by Shengjia Zhao, the co-creator of ChatGPT, and Alexandr Wang, the former CEO of Scale AI, with the two of them now tasked with building a system that can replicate the synapses of the human brain in digital form. Which will be some feat, though Meta is likely the frontrunner in this race. For years, Meta has been working on computer systems that can understand more about their environment, in order to factor such into their responses. Meta's V-JEPA 2 world model, for example, aims to mimic human understanding of the physical world, while Meta's 'Brain Decoding' process, which it first previewed in 2023, which aims to simulate neuron activity, and understand how humans think. Meta's even got direct insight into brain control itself, based on its previous efforts to build a human brain computer interface. That project has been in varying levels of exploration since 2017, and while Meta has since stepped back from its initial brain implant approach, it has been using this same MEG (magnetoencephalography) tracking to map brain activity in its more recent mind-reading projects. So Meta is already well-advanced in regards to understanding how the human brain functions, and how neurons can be translated to computer chips. Now, it's looking to cross the next threshold in building systems that can capitalize on this knowledge. Can it be done? Well again, Zuck's confident that it can, so much so that he's investing 'hundreds of billions' of dollars into making it a reality. 'Personal superintelligence that knows us deeply, understands our goals, and can help us achieve them will be by far the most useful. Personal devices like glasses that understand our context because they can see what we see, hear what we hear, and interact with us throughout the day will become our primary computing devices.' A world of empowered AI, which you can summon at any time via a wearable device. It's either utopia, or a disaster, with seemingly little in between. 'The rest of this decade seems likely to be the decisive period for determining the path this technology will take, and whether superintelligence will be a tool for personal empowerment or a force focused on replacing large swaths of society.' Zuckerberg's obviously angling for the former, but really, we have no idea where this path leads, and what might come from Meta's superintelligence push. Sign in to access your portfolio
Yahoo
15-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Ben Affleck and Matt Damon ‘Still Marvel' at Jordon Hudson Crashing Dunkin' Super Bowl Commercial: Report
Ben Affleck and Matt Damon have worked with just about every actor in Hollywood, but there's one former costar they can't stop talking about: Bill Belichick's girlfriend, Jordon Hudson. Affleck, 52, starred in a Dunkin' Super Bowl commercial earlier this year alongside a bevy of Boston-affiliated celebrities, including former New England Patriots head coach Belichick. Damon, 54, has also appeared in the Dunkin' cinematic universe, teaming up with Affleck, Tom Brady and others to form the 'DunKings,' an Avengers-like group of Dunkin' enthusiasts. In the ad that aired during Super Bowl LIX in February, Belichick, 73, appeared alongside his girlfriend, Hudson. As it turns out, Hudson, 23, wasn't supposed to be in the commercial at all — until she started working her magic. All the Wildest Claims and Revelations From Podcast Deep Dive Into Jordon Hudson and Bill Belichick 'She was the one negotiating with Ben Affleck and Matt Damon, who had no idea what was happening,' journalist Pablo Torre alleged Monday, May 12 on the 'Ovies and Giglio' podcast. 'She appointed herself Bill Belichick's agent, got into the commercial, got paid.' Torre, 39, added, 'Affleck and Damon, I can very safely say to you, still marvel at this today.' Us Weekly has reached out to Affleck and Damon for comment. Belichick and Hudson's relationship was analyzed in a deep dive on Torre's own podcast, 'Pablo Torre Finds Out,' last week. As he reported on Monday, the Dunkin' commercial was really the catalyst for stories about Hudson to come out of the woodwork. 'The floodgates opened behind the scenes in terms of, 'You think that's crazy, you should hear about this,'' Torre explained. 'When that started happening, when this came to be a story not about an age gap relationship, but a story about power being wielded very clumsily behind the scenes, I just pulled on every available thread.' Torre initially broke the news of how Hudson weaseled her way into the Super Bowl commercial on an episode of his podcast in February. 'Jordon has represented herself as [Belichick's] de facto agent,' Torre alleged at the time. 'The person that you need to go through to book Bill Belichick for a Super Bowl commercial, or for the other commitments that he has as a multi-platform personality. She's the gateway.' Torre continued, 'In this case, what I have been told reliably, is that Jordon happened to then use that power to be in the commercial, as well.' Hudson's influence over Belichick has allegedly become a point of concern for his family. Unearthed Pageant Video Calls Jordon Hudson's Real Age Into Question On Torre's episode about the couple's relationship last week, he reported the Belichicks are 'extraordinarily concerned' about Hudson. Us Weekly has reached out to Belichick and Hudson for comment. Torre spoke to a 'Belichick family source' who said there is allegedly 'deep worry for how detrimental Jordon can be for not just North Carolina but Bill's legacy, reputation — everything he has built and worked for over decades.' The Belichick family has reportedly started 'digging into' Hudson's past on their own.
