Latest news with #Caldas
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
CIOs tackle talent strategies, org structures as AI takes hold
This story was originally published on CIO Dive. To receive daily news and insights, subscribe to our free daily CIO Dive newsletter. Cambridge, Mass. — The rapid pace of AI development is putting CIOs in a tricky spot: Not only are they responsible for deploying tools that can boost productivity, they're also working to ensure the tools can be utilized once deployed. The dynamic has made workforce upskilling efforts a priority. It's up to tech leaders to help shape a culture that enables AI experimentation, according to Monica Caldas, global CIO at Liberty Mutual Insurance. "I do not believe that AI thrives in heavily authoritarian, top-down environments," said Caldas, speaking last week at the MIT Sloan CIO Symposium. "I think the way people pick it up is through play." Along with encouraging experimentation, the risk profile of AI necessitates guardrails as businesses tackle change management. "It's not anarchy, but it's also not authoritarian," Caldas said. "You have to hit that sweet spot, and that's where adoption really starts." Other businesses are preparing their employees through targeted training programs. More than half of leaders said they plan to upskill their workforce ahead of AI implementation plans, according to a January survey from Revature. More than 4 in 5 decision-makers flagged access to talent as a top concern. Potential productivity wins can help existing staff embrace upskilling efforts, said Dimitris Bountolos, chief information and innovation officer at infrastructure company Ferrovial. "What we have seen is an excitement of staff to be self-sufficient in activities that were really bureaucratic," Bountolos said. The deployment of generative AI tools caused a rush of interest in prompt engineering roles. Interest has since fizzled, as businesses began to understand that learning to prompt generative AI systems is a core skill that should be developed more broadly. AI savviness should be embraced by the entire organization, according to Reshmi Ramachandran, head of partnerships and go to market strategy at consulting firm Cprime. "When we consult with companies we often tell them: never do prompt engineering in isolation. It's not an isolated job, it is actually a cross-functional skill," Ramachandran said. "You get some of your best prompts from marketing leaders, from HR, because that's where the context is." In addition to changes in job functions, departmental structures are also evolving. The wave of AI adoption is helping to accelerate a shift away from the established pyramid-shaped organizational structures in software development, according to Aamer Baig, senior partner, Chicago, at McKinsey & Company. "In the last decade or so, we've proven that is not the most effective and economical way of delivering software," said Baig. A diamond-shaped model with a team of somewhere between eight to 12 was identified as the most effective. But with the influx of agentic AI, that organizational structure is also changing. "Now, we have a new model, which is enabled and powered by AI, that has a product person, product builders and many, many agents to support, which can deliver as much output as a diamond-shaped team does," Baig said. In addition to serving as CIO, tech executives will need to take on additional roles including "chief influencing officer, chief change management officer" as organizations adjust to shifts in their core talent and operational structures. "The ability to move that sort of organization and that complexity forward will differentiate the winners and the losers in large companies," Baig said.
Yahoo
22-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Ecopetrol Will Acquire Ten Renewable Energy Firms from Norway's Statkraft
CEO Ricardo Roa of Colombia's state-owned oil company Ecopetrol S.A. (NYSE:EC) stated on Tuesday that the two companies had reached an agreement to acquire ten wind and solar energy project development companies from Statkraft of Norway. A portfolio of renewable projects with a combined capacity of up to 1.3 gigawatts is part of the agreement, which aims to provide for the firm's domestic energy needs. There was no disclosure of the transaction's value. One project is now underway, and others have no set timeframe but are expected to begin in 2026 or 2027. Legal and regulatory approvals of the agreement are still pending. A fleet of tanker ships crossing the sea as they deliver oil and gas to their destinations. The acquisition reduces Ecopetrol S.A. (NYSE:EC)'s dependency on bilateral agreements and spot market purchases while assisting with its shift to low-emission energy. The projects are spread in the departments of La Guajira, Sucre, Cordoba, Caldas, and Magdalena. Roa claims that the agreement improves the business's energy independence in a market that is very competitive. Jose Castellanos, Statkraft's Colombian representative, stated that the sale marks the Norwegian company's complete withdrawal from the Colombian market. As part of a larger move toward renewable energy, Ecopetrol S.A. (NYSE:EC) also signed an agreement with AES Colombia in April to acquire a 49% stake in the Jemeiwaa Ka'I wind cluster and is currently negotiating the purchase of another wind project with Enel of Italy. While we acknowledge the potential of EC to grow, our conviction lies in the belief that some AI stocks hold greater promise for delivering higher returns and have limited downside risk. If you are looking for an AI stock that is more promising than EC and that has 100x upside potential, check out our report about this READ NEXT: and Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
Time of India
02-05-2025
- Sport
- Time of India
Musclebound trans swimmer Ana Caldas wins all 5 races at women's swim nationals
Unmatched Performance at National Meet Ana Caldas , a 47-year-old transgender swimmer , won all five races she entered at the us. Masters Swimming Spring National Championship last weekend in San Antonio, Texas. Competing in the women's 45-49 age group, Caldas took gold in the 50- and 100-yard breaststroke, the 100-yard freestyle, and the 100-yard individual medley. She won some events by margins rarely seen at this level, such as over four seconds in the breaststroke and three seconds in the freestyle. Footage circulating online showed her leading far ahead of other swimmers, drawing both applause and outrage. Critics quickly drew parallels to Lia Thomas, the first openly transgender athlete to win an NCAA Division I swimming title in 2022, sparking renewed debate over fairness and inclusion in women's sports. — hecheateddotorg (@hecheateddotorg) A Familiar Debate Reignites Lia Thomas's collegiate victories once marked a significant moment for trans athletes but also triggered nationwide controversy. Her 2022 NCAA win in the women's 500-yard freestyle led to a federal investigation. The us. Department of Education found that the University of Pennsylvania violated Title IX by allowing her to compete in the women's division, ordering the school to strip her records and honors from that season. This ruling raised significant questions about how athletic bodies should balance fairness and inclusion, questions now resurfacing with Ana Caldas's dominance. Some supporters view her success as a display of determination and resilience. Others, however, see it as another example of transgender athletes potentially holding physiological advantages over cisgender women, particularly in short-distance events where milliseconds usually separate winners. Public Backlash and Athlete Reactions The reaction online has been swift and polarizing. Prominent women's sports advocate Riley Gaines, a former collegiate swimmer, dismissed Caldas's gender identity and tweeted, 'He won them all.' Another critic, Beth Bourne, likened the situation to a 'real-life South Park episode,' a reference that quickly went viral on social media as viewers expressed disbelief at the race footage showing Caldas outpacing competitors by multiple body lengths. Bourne, who is an outspoken advocate for women's rights in sports, also called the results 'insanity,' noting, 'Anyone who competes in swimming at the national level knows this is unheard of in a 50-yard race where wins are often measured in a tenth or a hundredth of a second' at national-level events, not in multiple seconds. A spokesperson for the Independent Council on Women's Sports (ICONS) told Reduxx, 'He's just laughing at these women,' referring to Caldas's performances. ICONS also sent a letter to us. Masters Swimming (USMS), warning that allowing her to compete might violate fair competition principles. Governing Policies and a Complex Legacy Under USMS policy, transgender women may compete in women's events if they meet specific hormone-level criteria . Caldas was allowed to compete under these rules. But critics argue those standards do not adequately offset physiological advantages carried over from male puberty. Her athletic history adds further fuel to the debate: before transitioning, Caldas, born Hugo Caldas, competed in men's sports and even made three appearances at the CrossFit Games, narrowly missing a spot in the 2012 London Olympics. This background, combined with her recent dominance, has intensified calls for sporting bodies to revisit their policies. Supporters of transgender inclusion maintain that exclusion based on gender identity is discriminatory. However, critics insist that fairness for female athletes must remain a top priority. As Ana Caldas becomes the latest flashpoint in a growing cultural and legal debate, sports organizations are being pushed to clarify how best to respect identity while preserving the integrity of competition.
Daily Mail
02-05-2025
- Sport
- Daily Mail
Trans swimmer 'just laughing' at female rivals after dominating every event at national championships
A trans swimmer was 'just laughing at these women' after thoroughly dominating every event she entered at a national championships in Texas. Her time differences in the five individual races in San Antonia last week were described as 'absolutely insane' and like something from a 'real-life South Park episode.' Video posted online showed Ana Caldas crushing rivals in the 50-yard breast stroke by three seconds, with a time of 29.74. In all Caldas, 47, came first in the five individual events she entered at the US Masters Swimming Spring National Championship in San Antonio last week. The swimmer scooped the top prize in the women's 45-49 age category for the 50 and 100-yard breaststroke, the 50 and 100-yard freestyle, and the 100-yard individual medley. The athlete was born Hugo Caldas and formerly competed in male college competitions under that name. She has also competed under the name Hannah. A spokeswoman for the Independent Council on Women's Sports (ICONS) said the difference in time between Caldas and the other swimmers was 'absolutely insane,' adding to Reduxx that Caldas was 'just laughing at these women.' ICONS penned a letter to the US Masters Swimming (USMS) board implying that by allowing Caldas to compete it had violated its own fair play policies. has sought comment from Caldas. The board stipulates that trans women must have had hormonal therapy, and have testosterone levels below 5 nmol/L in order to compete against biological females. 'Transparency in these matters is critical to maintaining the integrity of the competition and the trust of all USMS athletes,' the ICONS letter stated. 'There is no length of time during which testosterone suppression eliminates male advantage; therefore it should not serve as a guideline permitting men to compete in women's swimming. 'At a minimum, it is USMS's responsibility to enforce its current policy.' ICONS told Reduxx that USMS did not respond to its email flagging concerns. has contacted ICONS for confirmation. Meanwhile, conservative political activist and former competitive swimmer Riley Gaines slammed Caldas' wins as 'a real-life episode' of the satirical comedy South Park. 'A man who goes by the name Ana swam five events at the U.S. Masters Swimming National Championship. He won them all,' Gaines fumed on X. Gaines also recently slammed the NCAA for ignoring Donald Trump's executive order banning transgender athletes from competing in women's sports. Previous life: The athlete was born Hugo Caldas and formerly competed in male college competitions under that name. She has also competed under the name Hannah She accused the highest division of intercollegiate athletics of 'purposefully deceiving the public and Donald Trump' by allowing transgender Ithaca rower Juniper Gattone to compete. 'Wait a minute...I thought the NCAA had a new policy that was in full compliance with Trump's EO?' Gaines wrote on X. 'Nope. Men are still competing in women's NCAA sports. Meet Juniper (Tyler) Gattone. The NCAA purposefully deceived the public and Donald Trump.' However, an Ithaca spokesperson said: 'It is the intent of Ithaca College to comply with all NCAA rules. Under those rules, the student-athlete in question has the ability to be on the roster and participate in practices and open-gender competition. 'This past weekend, there was a misunderstanding by the coaching staff about what constituted an official NCAA event, because there is no third varsity rowing event at NCAA championships.' Gattone, who stands at 5-foot-10, is a sophomore at Ithaca and studying Environmental Science. Last season, she rowed in the Novice 8+ boat and helped the Bombers capture their sixth consecutive Liberty League women's rowing crown. Their boat was also named LL Women's Rowing Novice Crew of the Year after winning the two-boat final by a massive 37 seconds. Gattone's boat was also the top novice boat at the New York State Championships, defeating Army by two seconds. Trump's executive order prompted the NCAA to change its participation policy on February 6, limiting competition in women's sports to athletes assigned female at birth only. The change was effective immediately and applies to all athletes regardless of previous eligibility reviews. The NCAA has some 1,100 member schools with more than 500,000 athletes, easily the largest governing body for college athletics in the U.S.
Daily Mail
01-05-2025
- Sport
- Daily Mail
Musclebound transgender swimmer wins all five races she entered at Texas contest
Transgender swimmer Ana Caldas has dominated every event she entered at the national championships, in scenes likened to 'a real life South Park episode'. Caldas, 47, came first in the five individual events she entered at the US Masters Swimming Spring National Championship in San Antonio, Texas, last week. The swimmer scooped the top prize in the women's 45-49 age category for the 50 and 100-yard breaststroke, the 50 and 100-yard freestyle, and the 100-yard individual medley. Video posted online shows Caldas crushing the competition in the 50-yard breast stroke race. She won by three seconds with a time of 29.74. The athlete was born Hugo Caldas and formerly competed in male college competitions under that name. She has also competed under the name Hannah. A spokeswoman for the Independent Council on Women's Sports (ICONS) said the difference in time between Caldas and the other swimmers was 'absolutely insane', adding to Reduxx that Caldas was 'just laughing at these women'. ICONS penned a letter to the US Masters Swimming (USMS) board implying that by allowing Caldas to compete they had violated their own fair play policies. has reached out to Caldas for comment. The board stipulates that trans women must have had hormonal therapy, and have testosterone levels below 5 nmol/L in order to compete against biological females. 'Transparency in these matters is critical to maintaining the integrity of the competition and the trust of all USMS athletes,' the ICONS letter stated. 'There is no length of time during which testosterone suppression eliminates male advantage; therefore it should not serve as a guideline permitting men to compete in women's swimming. 'At a minimum, it is USMS's responsibility to enforce its current policy.' ICONS told Reduxx that USMS did not respond to their email flagging concerns. has contacted ICONS for confirmation. Meanwhile, conservative political activist and former competitive swimmer Riley Gaines slammed Caldas' wins as 'a real life South Park episode'. 'A man who goes by the name Ana swam five events at the U.S. Masters Swimming National Championship. He won them all,' Gaines fumed on X. Gaines also recently slammed the NCAA for ignoring Donald Trump's executive order banning transgender athletes from competing in women's sports. The athlete was born Hugo Caldas and formerly competed in male college competitions under that name. She has also competed under the name Hannah She accused the highest division of intercollegiate athletics of 'purposefully deceiving the public and Donald Trump' by allowing transgender Ithaca rower Juniper Gattone to compete. 'Wait a minute...I thought the NCAA had a new policy that was in full compliance with Trump's EO?' Gaines wrote on X. 'Nope. Men are still competing in women's NCAA sports. Meet Juniper (Tyler) Gattone. The NCAA purposefully deceived the public and Donald Trump.' However, an Ithaca spokesperson said: 'It is the intent of Ithaca College to comply with all NCAA rules. Under those rules, the student-athlete in question has the ability to be on the roster and participate in practices and open-gender competition. 'This past weekend, there was a misunderstanding by the coaching staff about what constituted an official NCAA event, because there is no third varsity rowing event at NCAA championships.' Gattone, who stands at 5-foot-10, is a sophomore at Ithaca and studying Environmental Science. Last season, she rowed in the Novice 8+ boat and helped the Bombers capture their sixth consecutive Liberty League women's rowing crown. Their boat was also named LL Women's Rowing Novice Crew of the Year after winning the two-boat final by a massive 37 seconds. Gattone's boat was also the top novice boat at the New York State Championships, defeating Army by two seconds. Trump's executive order prompted the NCAA to change its participation policy on February 6, limiting competition in women's sports to athletes assigned female at birth only. The change was effective immediately and applies to all athletes regardless of previous eligibility reviews. The NCAA has some 1,100 member schools with more than 500,000 athletes, easily the largest governing body for college athletics in the U.S.
