Latest news with #CarnegieMellon
News.com.au
11 hours ago
- Entertainment
- News.com.au
Suri Cruise spotted in NYC looking the spitting image of her mother Katie Holmes
Suri Cruise has been spotted strolling through the streets of New York, looking the spitting image of her famous mother, Katie Holmes. Rocking a laid-back look in a denim jacket and cut-off shorts, the 19-year-old was enjoying a day out in New York City. Suri, also the daughter of actor Tom Cruise, could easily have been mistaken for a younger version of her actress mum as she flashed a smile at passers-by. Suri recently completed her first year of college at Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and has returned to New York for the summer. The 19-year-old is regularly seen enjoying time with her mother, Holmes, but has been estranged from her dad, Cruise, for years. The Mission Impossible star's final public appearance with his daughter was in 2012 when he took her to Disney World in California. Although they have no contact, with Suri even recently changing her last name, Cruise does support his daughter financially. In their divorce settlement, Cruise was ordered to pay US$400,000 (~AU$619,000) a year in child support payments, as well as all of Suri's 'medical, dental, insurance and education costs up until the age of 18. Despite the financial support, it's reported that both Holmes and her daughter have no time for Cruise. 'He does not exist to Katie or Suri, and his daughter does not want to rely on him for anything,' an insider claimed earlier this year. Cruise first became a father when he and then-wife Nicole Kidman adopted daughter Isabella, now 32, and son Connor, now 30, prior to their 2001 split. He wed Holmes five years post-divorce, with the duo welcoming Suri in April 2006. Holmes, 46, has given rare insight over the years into raising Suri over the years, telling Elle UK in 2019 that they 'kind of grew up together.' Last year, the Dawson's Creek star slammed 'completely false' claims that Suri's alleged trust fund from Cruise had kicked in. 'I don't want a target on my child's back,' the actress explained in a December 2024 Instagram comment. 'It's dangerous.'
Hindustan Times
a day ago
- Politics
- Hindustan Times
America's campus wars and its China connection
The US announced last week it is revoking the visas of hundreds of Chinese nationals studying and researching in high-value science and engineering fields. This sweeping decision by the Trump administration represents a major escalation in tensions with Beijing and is aimed at curbing what it describes as the Chinese Communist Party's efforts to steal US intellectual property through academic institutions. The decision has triggered protests from American universities and reignited debates about immigration, openness, and national security. But it also marks a turning point. For the first time in decades, the US is limiting academic access on national security grounds—a move that, while controversial, is not without justification. As someone who has taught at Duke, Stanford, Harvard, and Carnegie Mellon, I have long believed in the power of openness. The US has led in innovation precisely because it has welcomed the world's brightest minds. Over the last four decades, its top universities have drawn extraordinary talent from countries like China and India. These students have earned advanced degrees, contributed to major breakthroughs, launched start-ups, and helped build the US tech economy. Many of my students from China and India were among the most diligent, creative, and capable I have taught. At Carnegie Mellon's Silicon Valley campus, where I taught a course on exponential innovation — covering Artificial Intelligence (AI), robotics, cybersecurity, and synthetic biology — more than half of the class was Chinese. Most of them were outstanding and will no doubt go on to do great things. But not all Chinese students come to the US solely to learn. In 2005, I was teaching a course and conducting research at Duke University comparing engineering education in the US, China, and India. One Chinese student stood out — not for academic excellence, but for disinterest. When I asked him why he had enrolled, he told me plainly: His father was in the Chinese military, and he had been sent — on a government scholarship — to study, make contacts, and report back. Years later, a European institute contacted me to verify a recommendation letter I had supposedly written for him. I had written no such letter. It had been forged — presumably to help him gain access to sensitive research. In other cases, I met Chinese students who openly said they were on Chinese military-sponsored programmes. They worked hard to align themselves with professors conducting cutting-edge research in photonics, quantum devices, and advanced materials—fields with clear military applications. To be clear, this is not the norm. I estimate that only a small, single-digit percentage of Chinese students are sent abroad with such strategic intentions. But even a small number, when operating in critical research environments, can have an outsized impact. What troubles me more is how US universities often look the other way. At every institution where I taught, professors routinely received invitations from Chinese universities to collaborate or attend conferences — with business-class airfare, honorariums, and perks for spouses. Visiting researchers from Chinese State-linked institutions were welcomed with little scrutiny. Everyone seemed to treat it as business as usual. I myself received dozens of such invitations. I declined nearly all of them, except for a research trip to Hong Kong organised by the New York Academy of Sciences which paid $5,000. I also hosted Chinese scholars at Stanford and CMU, receiving modest stipends. At the time, my colleagues assured me this was routine and did not require disclosure. But in hindsight, I see how easily these engagements can blur into influence operations, especially in the absence of transparency. Meanwhile, America's own immigration system continues to undermine its competitiveness. Because it is so difficult for foreign students to stay after graduation, nearly all of my Chinese students returned home. They took with them the knowledge, networks, and experience they gained in the US — and many will now use that to advance China's strategic goals. If the class had been made up of 80% American citizens and 20% foreign students committed to contributing to the US, that would have felt balanced. But what I witnessed was lopsided. I increasingly worried that I might be helping train technologists who would later compete with democratic countries. That was one of the reasons I chose to step away from teaching. This doesn't warrant blanket bans. The US must remain open to the world's talent, but it also must be smart. Visa and research screening should include affiliations, risk, and research domains. If a student or researcher has ties to the Chinese military or a State-backed research initiative, they should not be allowed into the country or granted access to sensitive technologies or federally funded labs. Universities must also be held accountable. They should be required to fully disclose all foreign funding sources. Faculty should not be permitted to accept undisclosed compensation or enter into informal partnerships with institutions tied to adversarial governments. Sensitive research, particularly in dual-use technologies, must be governed by stronger security protocols — on par with those used by government contractors and national laboratories. China is not just another academic peer. It is a surveillance State, a strategic rival, and an authoritarian regime with a declared ambition to dominate critical technologies. It does not separate research from national interest, unlike democracies such as the US and India, which must now work together to protect the integrity of their institutions. Vivek Wadhwa is CEO, Vionix Biosciences. The views expressed are personal.
Forbes
2 days ago
- Business
- Forbes
The Strategy Behind Hugging Face's Acquisition Of Pollen Robotics
Reachy 2 In April 2025, Hugging Face acquired Pollen Robotics, a France-based company that develops humanoid robots, including Reachy 2. This marks a milestone in the convergence of generative AI and robotics, known as physical AI. This article analyzes the strategic reasons behind Hugging Face's acquisition of Pollen Robotics. Hugging Face's acquisition of Pollen Robotics demonstrates a long-term vision for the future of AI technology, as it evolves from digital intelligence to physical form. The strategy is based on three core pillars: 1) Vertical integration of the AI-to-robotics stack 2) Ecosystem leverage through their massive developer community 3) Timing advantage as foundation models become capable of controlling physical systems. The acquisition gives Hugging Face immediate access to Pollen's flagship Reachy 2 humanoid robot, a $70,000 research platform already deployed at prestigious institutions such as Cornell University and Carnegie Mellon. With 7 degrees of freedom, bio-inspired arms capable of handling 3 kg payloads, advanced VR teleoperation and fully open-source hardware designs, the Pollen Robotics Reachy 2 offers a proven platform for Hugging Face to build upon instead of starting from scratch. The timing proves particularly strategic given several converging factors. Nvidia recently chose Hugging Face as the preferred platform for its GR00T N1 humanoid robot foundation models, signalling industry recognition of Hugging Face's platform capabilities. Meanwhile, the remarkable growth of Hugging Face's LeRobot library to over 12,000 GitHub stars in just 12 months demonstrated strong developer demand for open robotics tools. The acquisition also follows Hugging Face's strategic hire of Remi Cadene, a former Tesla Optimus engineer, who now leads their robotics division. While Hugging Face has emerged as the largest collection of open-source and open-weight models, Pollen Robotics focuses on the vision of open hardware for robotics. This acquisition combines the strengths of open-source software with open hardware design in the field of robotics. The embodied AI market has reached an inflection point where theoretical capabilities meet practical applications, driven by breakthroughs in foundation models for robotics and dramatic cost reductions in hardware components. AI models such as Pi0 from Hugging Face, Nvidia's GR00T N1 and Google's Gemini Robotics extend the power of generative AI to robotics. Instead of generating text or media content, these models are trained to send commands directly to the robotic hardware. They leverage multimodal AI by combining video content and policies to generate commands that control robots. The combination of Hugging Face's AI infrastructure and Pollen's robotics expertise creates technical synergies that neither company could achieve independently. Hugging Face brings 1.5 million models and datasets hosted on its platform, proven infrastructure serving 12 petabytes of data, and deep expertise in transformer architectures and diffusion models. This AI foundation provides the intelligence layer essential for next-generation robotics. Hugging Face's acquisition of Pollen Robotics represents more than a product expansion. It marks a fundamental shift in how AI and robotics will evolve together. By combining proven AI infrastructure with capable robotics hardware under an open-source philosophy, Hugging Face creates unique value that neither pure software nor pure hardware companies can replicate. The broader implications extend beyond corporate strategy. If Hugging Face succeeds in democratizing robotics as they've democratized AI, we may see an explosion of innovation similar to what followed the open-sourcing of deep learning frameworks.
Forbes
3 days ago
- Business
- Forbes
Are The World's Most Sustainable Cities Worth Visiting?
Helsinki, Finland, is one of the world's most sustainable cities. It's no secret that the world's most sustainable cities think their forward-looking views on the environment will attract more visitors. But what's less known is whether being green makes them worth a visit. What are the most sustainable cities? According to the latest Global Destination Sustainability Index (GDSI), they are Helsinki; Gothenburg, Sweden; Copenhagen; Bergen, Norway; and Aarhus, Denmark. (I hope you like Scandinavia.) The GDSI ranks cities' eco-friendliness, assessing 69 criteria across environmental, social, and economic factors. It gives a snapshot of a city's sustainability performance and highlights areas for improvement. Although it isn't focused on tourism, many destination management organizations tout their GDSI scores, hoping it will add to their appeal. "Being sustainable can have a long-term impact on a city as a tourism destination," says Evelyn Xiao-Yue Gong, who teaches operations management at Carnegie Mellon University's Tepper School of Business. "Being rated one of the most sustainable cities in the world inarguably increases the visibility of a city, and evokes travelers' curiosity, both of which are important stimulants for tourism prosperity." But Gong says there's a potential downside. Some visitors may experience inconveniences — like having to recycle or use mass transit instead of driving. "Nevertheless, these small frictions are typically outweighed by the overall positive push on tourism," she adds. But how exactly does that work? Let's go down the list by ranking. Helsinki Cathedral in the city center. The Finnish capital ranks first on a new sustainability list. One of the first things you notice about a city like Helsinki is how squeaky clean it is. Every piece of trash is picked up. Every leaf that falls off a tree is raked. "There are bikes everywhere," says Tampa marketing executive Jasmine Charbonier. "And I mean everywhere." I spent several days last year in Helsinki, and tourism officials there told me that they are pursuing sustainability without worrying about how it affects visitors. And yet it does. The city limits the number of cruise ships in its port, as do the other top sustainable cities. There's a heavy emphasis on mass transit. But most of the green initiatives are not noticeable to the average visitor. The only place where someone might feel it is in the wallet — all those initiatives cost money, so you'll pay more for hotels, restaurants and attractions. Älvsborgsbron Bridge over the sea in Gothenburg, Sweden. When I visited Gothenburg a few months ago, one of the things I noticed was how normalized their sustainability efforts had become. "It's been regarded as the most sustainable city in Europe for numerous years," says Duncan Greenfield-Turk, a travel advisor. "The city runs practically entirely on renewable energy, and public transport is rather effective, which makes exploration simple without a car." Greenfield-Turk says the culinary scene is a standout. Restaurants like Bhoga concentrate on seasonal, hyperlocal foods. Of course, you can't miss the cinnamon rolls at Café Husaren. But there, too, sustainability is not front and center. Gothenburg is known for its food and cultural attractions, and it just happens to be sustainable. Very sustainable. Copenhagen, Denmark, is rated as one of the most sustainable cities in the world. Denmark's capital also has a well-earned reputation for being green, as Lizet Wesselman discovered when she recently spent a month there. "They have an amazing recycling system, which is more extensive than I've ever seen anywhere else," says Wesselman, a blogger who specializes in sustainability. (It is indeed impressive — and complex.) But, she adds, that doesn't really affect tourists. "The two biggest things that are relevant for tourists are the extensive bicycle path network and the fact that the whole city seems to be cashless," she says. I've been touring the world's most sustainable cities, and was only in Copenhagen briefly last summer. But it certainly left an impression. I'm not sure if visitors will notice its commitment to sustainability or even if they will visit because of its sustainability — but there is no question this city means to be green. Panorama of historical buildings of Bergen at Christmas time. "Bergen is one of those places that quietly impresses you," says Cindy Scott, a videographer and outdoor adventurer. "It doesn't shout about its sustainability efforts, but you can feel it everywhere. The city just gets it." On my last trip to Bergen, I was stunned by the number of EVs on the road. Norway leads the way in EV adoption, and nowhere is that more obvious than Bergen, where you really have to look both ways before crossing the street. You can't hear the traffic coming. Scott said as a visitor, she noticed the EVs too, especially the buses. Also, she said the restaurants were proud of their local ingredients, which made them more sustainable. But like other sustainable destinations in Scandinavia, Bergen wasn't in her face about being green. Aarhus by night in the blue hour and reflection in the sea. In Aarhus, sustainability is more visible, according to Richard Burgon, who publishes an RV site. But it's not where you might expect. "I wasn't struck by the green spaces or the green technology," he says. "Rather, it was the extent to which the people living in the areas integrated sustainability in their lives." For example, he found a lot of urban farming projects in Aarhus (not unlike the ones I recently reported on in Berlin). "It felt like something from a futuristic novel," he says. There's a reason behind it. Aarhus has an ambitious plan to invest in green spaces and sustainable design to create a healthier and more livable environment. It's working toward a goal of becoming carbon neutral by 2030 through a range of initiatives, including increasing the use of renewable energy and reducing waste. A consensus of the travel experts I interviewed for this story was yes, it's worth going. But no, you probably won't see a lot of big sustainability projects. It's small stuff like many multicolored recycling bins, urban gardens, and lots of mass transport and bike paths. And it's also knowing that you're supporting a place that aligns with your values — if, indeed, being green matters to you. Kristin Winkaffe, owner of Winkaffe Global Travel, says for most of her clients, sustainability means visitability. "People are looking for places that align with their values," she says, "whether that's supporting local businesses, enjoying eco-friendly accommodations, or exploring cities that prioritize green spaces and clean energy." So if you care about the environment, consider adding one or more of these cities to your "must visit" list, says Jennifer Goff, a travel advisor who specializes in sustainable vacations. "The revenue directed toward local businesses, artisans, and sustainable programs helps improve infrastructure, provides more opportunities for local entrepreneurs, and creates jobs that are rooted in ethical practices," she says. Your visit will have a ripple effect. As tourism increases, other cities will see that sustainability can also affect profitability. And who knows, maybe you'll see your favorite place on the next GDSI list, which is due in October.
CNET
5 days ago
- Business
- CNET
Thousands of Asus Routers Have Been Hijacked, But I Wouldn't Panic Just Yet
Your Asus Wi-Fi router may have been hacked, according to a new blog post from the cybersecurity firm GreyNoise. As of May 27, over 9,000 Asus routers have been confirmed compromised in what the firm characterizes as an 'ongoing exploitation campaign.' GreyNoise has been tracking the attack since Mar. 17. In the months since, they've only seen 30 requests related to the attack, which indicates how quietly the campaign is operating. The attackers have maintained access to affected routers even after reboots and firmware updates, 'giving them durable control over affected devices,' the blog post says. While that sounds pretty scary, you probably don't need to replace your router just yet. Your personal data isn't the target in attacks like these. Instead, the attacker uses infected devices as pawns in a larger game. 'These compromised IoT devices, like smart cameras or a router, have enough computational power that you can use networks of tens of thousands of them to do a denial of service attack,' Yuvraj Agarwal, a computer science professor at Carnegie Mellon, told CNET. Locating local internet providers He compared it to the infamous Mirai botnet attack from 2016 that temporarily took down websites like Twitter, Netflix, Reddit and Pinterest. 'It's not trying to compromise your laptop or your iPhone, right? That's not what it's doing,' Agarwal added. 'Users would have to ignore a few different safeguards for them to be vulnerable to somebody stealing their credentials.' GreyNoise didn't say exactly where it thinks the attack is coming from, but did note that 'the level of tradecraft suggests a well-resourced and highly capable adversary.' The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) has named China, Russia, North Korea and Iran as likely actors in similar attacks in the past. Few Wi-Fi routers have been immune to such breaches. CISA keeps a list of Known Exploited Vulnerabilities (KEV) that have been observed in the wild, and almost every router manufacturer appears on there somewhere. 'We find stuff in everything," said Thomas Pace, CEO of cybersecurity firm NetRise and former security contractor for the Department of Energy, in a previous interview. 'The problem with the CISA KEV [list] is, if everything's on the list, how good is that list?' Pace added. 'Basically, every telecommunications device on the planet has at least one vulnerability on the CISA KEV.' While it first observed the attack in March, GreyNoise said it waited until now to release its findings so it could coordinate with government and industry partners. A representative for Asus declined CNET's request for comment on this story and referred me to their product security advisory page for the latest updates. What to do if you own an Asus router In most attacks, the router manufacturer can issue a firmware update that fixes the vulnerability. But in this case, the attackers exploited a security flaw that allows them to retain backdoor access even after reboots and firmware updates. 'Because this key is added using the official ASUS features, this config change is persisted across firmware upgrades,' GreyNoise noted in another post. 'If you've been exploited previously, upgrading your firmware will NOT remove the SSH backdoor.' The steps you'll need to take to find out if your router has been compromised -- and potentially fix it -- are fairly technical, so bear with me here. Log into your router's firmware. You can do this via the Asus app or by going to Find the "Enable SSH" option under Service or Administration settings. If your router was breached in this campaign, these settings will show that someone can log into it using SSH over port 53282 with a truncated SSH public key of: ssh-rsa AAAAB3NzaC1yc2EAAAABIwAAAQEAo41nBoVFfj4HlVMGV+YPsxMDrMlbdDZ... If your router hasn't been infected, your next step will be to update the firmware immediately. Asus fixed the flaw with its latest update, which should take care of it. If your router has been infected, the backdoor will still be there even if you update the firmware. In that case, you'll need to follow these steps to block unauthorized access:
