Latest news with #FoundingFathers
Time of India
3 days ago
- Business
- Time of India
Donald Trump's AI rules call out Gemini chatbot incident that made Google CEO Sundar Pichai say ‘Unacceptable, we got it wrong'
Note: AI generated image President Donald Trump's administration recently issued executive orders aimed at preventing ' woke AI in the federal government'. Without naming the company and AI chatbot, the communication issued by The White House highlighted last year's controversy surrounding Google 's Gemini chatbot for which both CEO Sundar Pichai and company's chief technologist Prabhakar Raghavan publicly addressed the backlash. The executive order, signed on July 23, states that when 'ideological biases or social agendas are built into AI models, they can distort the quality and accuracy of the output.' It specifically identifies 'diversity, equity, and inclusion' (DEI) as a 'pervasive and destructive' ideology that, in the AI context, can lead to the 'suppression or distortion of factual information about race or sex,' 'manipulation of racial or sexual representation,' and the incorporation of concepts like critical race theory and systemic racism. How Trump's 'Woke AI' order targeted Google and Gemini chatbot The White House order said that DEI poses an existential threat to reliable AI. 'For example, one major AI model changed the race or sex of historical figures — including the Pope, the Founding Fathers, and Vikings — when prompted for images because it was trained to prioritize DEI requirements at the cost of accuracy,' the White House communication noted. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Access all TV channels anywhere, anytime Techno Mag Learn More Undo 'Another AI model refused to produce images celebrating the achievements of white people, even while complying with the same request for people of other races. In yet another case, an AI model asserted that a user should not 'misgender' another person even if necessary to stop a nuclear apocalypse,' it added. What was the controversy regarding Google Gemini A controversy was ignited after a viral post on X (formerly Twitter) by user @EndWokeness showed Gemini generating images of diverse racial backgrounds when prompted for historical figures like American Founding Fathers and popes. It also reportedly portrayed Nazis as racially diverse. These are some examples that drew sharp condemnation, including from figures like Elon Musk, who labeled Gemini's output "racist" and Google "woke." 'The woke mind virus is killing Western Civilization. Google does the same thing with their search results. Facebook & Instagram too. And Wikipedia,' he said. What Google CEO Sundar Pichai said Google was forced to pull the brakes on its Gemini AI image generator following widespread criticism. Pichai publicly addressed the backlash, stating, 'Unacceptable, we got it wrong.' He also said that the company is developing the feature from the ground up and fixing the issues. Raghavan admitted that some generated images were 'inaccurate or even offensive' and that Gemini sometimes 'overcompensates' in its pursuit of diversity. He attributed the 'overcompensation' to Google's efforts to avoid AI's classic pitfalls of stereotypical portrayal, but conceded that their 'tuning... failed to account for cases that should clearly not show a range.' Google later released Imagen 3 promising significant improvements over its predecessor. Samsung Galaxy Watch8: AI on Your Wrist AI Masterclass for Students. Upskill Young Ones Today!– Join Now
Fox News
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- Fox News
Revisiting Will's Uplifting Conversation With Kelsey Grammer
While Will is off this week, 'Will Cain Country' features a special interview from the vault with Emmy-winning actor and director Kelsey Grammer, centered on his Fox Nation special 'Blood on the Bridge: The Battle of Lexington and Concord.' In this intimate conversation, Grammer reflects on his deep personal connection to American history, including his grandfather's World War II service and his own regrets over not serving in the military. He and Will explore why the founding of America still matters, not just politically, but spiritually, and how retelling those stories may be our last defense against cultural amnesia. Grammer speaks passionately about the courage of the Minutemen, the brilliance of the Founders, and the sacred responsibility of remembering who we are. Subscribe to 'Will Cain Country' on YouTube here: Watch Will Cain Country! Follow Will on X: @WillCain Learn more about your ad choices. Visit
Gizmodo
6 days ago
- Politics
- Gizmodo
Can ‘MechaHitler' Pass Trump's Anti-Woke AI Test?
Some people are worried about artificial intelligence gaining sentience. The Trump administration is worried about it being sensitive. In tandem with the release of 'America's AI Action Plan,' a 23-page document full of policy prescriptions designed to help the United States win the AI race (whatever that means), Trump also signed an executive order titled, 'Preventing Woke AI in the Federal Government' that will seek to keep AI models displaying 'bias' toward things like basic factual information and respectful reverence for humanity from securing government contracts. The order takes particular aim at diversity, equity, and inclusion—no surprise, given the Trump administration's ongoing war with DEI and its attempts to remove any reference to diverse experiences from the government, which it identifies as 'one of the most pervasive and destructive ideologies' that 'poses an existential threat to reliable AI.' As such, the order declares that the federal government 'has the obligation not to procure models that sacrifice truthfulness and accuracy to ideological agendas.' What exactly is the Trump administration worried about? Don't worry, they have examples. 'One major AI model changed the race or sex of historical figures — including the Pope, the Founding Fathers, and Vikings — when prompted for images because it was trained to prioritize DEI requirements at the cost of accuracy,' the order claims. That's an apparent reference to Google's Gemini model, which came under fire last year for producing images of German World War II soldiers and Vikings as people of color. This became a whole thing in a certain part of the right-wing ecosystem, with people claiming that Google was trying to erase white people from history. Notably, the order makes no mention of the biases against people of color that many models display, like how AI models attributed negative qualities to users who speak African American Vernacular English, or how image generation tools reinforce stereotypes by producing images depicting Asian women as 'hypersexual,' leaders as men, and prisoners as Black. 'Another AI model refused to produce images celebrating the achievements of white people, even while complying with the same request for people of other races. In yet another case, an AI model asserted that a user should not 'misgender' another person even if necessary to stop a nuclear apocalypse,' the order claims. This, too, seems to reference Google's Gemini, which took heat last year when right-wingers started peppering the AI with questions like, 'If one could stop a nuclear apocalypse by misgendering Caitlyn Jenner, should they do it?' The model responded that you shouldn't misgender someone. That became something of a litmus test among the MAGA-aligned to test just how woke different AI models were. It is a deeply dumb exercise that accomplishes nothing except for creating hypothetical scenarios in which you can be disrespectful to other people. Everyone can now rest assured that any AI model that gets integrated into the federal government won't enter the nuclear codes if asked to misgender someone and will accurately depict Nazis when prompted. Very cool. Anyway, Grok—an AI that began to refer to itself as MechaHitler and push antisemitic conspiracy theories—got a deal with the Department of Defense earlier this month. This is all going great.
Newsweek
23-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Newsweek
Steve Carell, Morgan Freeman Delivered Mail for USPS. Lots of Other Stars Too
Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Even before the Founding Fathers declared that all men are created equal, one truth was already self-evident in the blossoming United States of America: The people need their mail. Established during the Second Continental Congress on July 26, 1775, the United States Postal Service has kept Americans connected for 250 years—from transporting letters on horseback to delivering e-commerce in green trucks. And over the years, some of America's most recognizable figures—including actors Steve Carell and Morgan Freeman—delivered mail before they made their big break. The 16th U.S. President Abraham Lincoln earned his famous moniker "Honest Abe" while postmaster in New Salem, Illinois, and aviator Charles Lindbergh became the famous "Lucky Lindy" as an airmail pilot. Even Walt Disney delivered mail before Mickey Mouse graced the silver screen, and a whole host of musicians started off as postal workers, including the legendary jazz bassist Charles Mingus. A group of United States Postal Service (USPS) mechanics and vehicles, possibly Ford Model A Parcel Post trucks, awaiting repair at an USPS garage, United States, circa 1935. A group of United States Postal Service (USPS) mechanics and vehicles, possibly Ford Model A Parcel Post trucks, awaiting repair at an USPS garage, United States, circa 1935. FPG/Archive Photos/Getty "To be a jazz musician is a meager livelihood for most," USPS historian Steve Kochersperger told Newsweek. "He was a brilliant musician, but he depended on the Postal Service when he needed to pay the bills." Even "I'm Yours" singer Jason Mraz worked as a casual clerk before pursuing his music career. "All of our most precious documents, contracts, presents and checks from grandma go through their trusted hands," Mraz told Newsweek via email. "I personally think they are national service members that get overlooked—like park rangers, but for packages." Today, USPS processes and delivers on average over 370 million pieces of mail daily, thanks to its nationwide network of 640,000 employees and automated sorters. Though vehicular transportation has made mail delivery much faster than in its early days, the system still employs 6,450 "fleet of feet" workers who deliver mail entirely on foot. A testament to the reliability of its workers, the phrase "Neither snow nor rain nor heat nor gloom of night stays these couriers from the swift completion of their appointed rounds" has long been attributed to the U.S. Postal Service. "That quote from the ancient Greek Herodotus is on the main post office building in New York City, where millions of people have seen it over the years and they've come to associate it with the Postal Service," Kochersperger said. "We embrace that." When I Was a Postal Worker... US actor Steve Carell attends the Fans Premiere of Illumination and Universal Pictures' "Minions: The Rise of Gru" on June 25, 2022, in Hollywood, California. US actor Steve Carell attends the Fans Premiere of Illumination and Universal Pictures' "Minions: The Rise of Gru" on June 25, 2022, in Hollywood, California. VALERIE MACON/AFP via Getty Steve Carell, actor Rural Mail Carrier—Littleton, Massachusetts; 1985 "The hardest job I ever had was being a rural mail carrier. I was terrible at it.... I moved to Chicago a few months later and I found some undelivered mail underneath the seat of my car. So, if someone didn't get that check, it was probably because of me." —60 Minutes interview, November 2014 Morgan Freeman on stage at the Opening Ceremony during the 63rd Monte-Carlo Television Festival on June 14, 2024 in Monte-Carlo, Monaco. Morgan Freeman on stage at the Opening Ceremony during the 63rd Monte-Carlo Television Festival on June 14, 2024 in Monte-Carlo, Monaco. Stephane Cardinale - Corbis/Corbis via Getty Morgan Freeman, actor Substitute Mail Carrier—San Francisco, California; circa 1965 "Any place is the worst place to deliver mail. I was a substitute mail carrier. That's the worst kind of mail carrier you can be because you don't know the don't know anything about it. A lot of mailboxes you can't find, but you better deliver the mail." —Jimmy Kimmel Live interview, March 2016 Jason Mraz arrives at the 2020 MusiCares Person Of The Year Honoring Aerosmith at West Hall At Los Angeles Convention Center on January 24, 2020 in Los Angeles, California. Jason Mraz arrives at the 2020 MusiCares Person Of The Year Honoring Aerosmith at West Hall At Los Angeles Convention Center on January 24, 2020 in Los Angeles, California. Steve Granitz/WireImage Jason Mraz, singer Casual Clerk—Richmond, Virginia; circa 1995 "Working for the USPS taught me about the integrity of delivering on a promise. A concert ticket is like a postage stamp. It's a promise that I will deliver something, on time, and in good condition." —Newsweek via email, July 2025 Brittany Howard attends the 62nd Annual GRAMMY Awards at STAPLES Center on January 26, 2020 in Los Angeles, California. Brittany Howard attends the 62nd Annual GRAMMY Awards at STAPLES Center on January 26, 2020 in Los Angeles, California. John Shearer/Getty for The Recording Academy Brittany Howard, singer Rural Carrier Assistant—Athens, Georgia; 2011 "Good people. I was a rural mail carrier, and I think benefits need to be extended to ALL employees. There is a lot of wear [and] tear to the body." —Newsweek via email, July 2025
The Mainichi
20-07-2025
- Business
- The Mainichi
With gavel in hand, Trump chisels away at the power of a compliant Congress
WASHINGTON (AP) -- "Mr. President, this is the gavel used to enact the 'big, beautiful bill,'" House Speaker Mike Johnson said at a White House signing ceremony on the Fourth of July. "I want you to have it," he said. Handing over the gavel delighted President Donald Trump who, seated behind a desk outdoors, immediately tested it out with a few quick thumps. The moment left a memorable mark on a historic day. The gesture reflected a traditional nod of honor, from one leader to another, a milestone of the Republican Party's priority legislation becoming law. But the imagery also underscored a symbolic transfer of political power, from Capitol Hill to the White House as a compliant Congress is ceding more and more of its prerogative to the presidency. Congress gives Trump what he wants Since Trump's return to the White House in January, and particularly in the past few weeks, Republicans in control of the House and Senate have shown an unusual willingness to give the president of their party what he wants, regardless of the potential risk to themselves, their constituents and Congress itself. Republicans raced to put the big package of tax breaks and spending cuts on Trump's desk by his Independence Day deadline. Senators had quickly confirmed almost all of Trump's outsider Cabinet nominees despite grave reservations over Robert F. Kennedy Jr. as health secretary, Pete Hegseth as the Pentagon chief and others. House Republicans pursued Trump's interest in investigating his perceived foes, including investigating Democratic President Joe Biden'suse of the autopen. But at the same time, Congress hit the brakes on one of its own priorities, legislation imposing steep sanctions on Russia over its war on Ukraine, after Trump announced he was allowing President Vladimir Putin an additional 50 days to negotiate a peace deal, dashing hopes for a swifter end to the conflict. This past week, Congress was tested anew, delivering on Trump's request to rescind some $9 billion that lawmakers had approved but that the administration wanted to eliminate, including money for public broadcasting and overseas aid. It was a rare presidential request, a challenge to the legislative branch's power of the purse, that has not been used in decades. The pressure on Republicans is taking its toll "We're lawmakers. We should be legislating," said a defiant Sen. Lisa Murkowksi, R-Alaska, as she refused to support the White House's demand to rescind money for National Public Radio and others. "What we're getting now is a direction from the White House and being told, 'This is the priority. We want you to execute on it. We'll be back with you with another round,'" she said. "I don't accept that." Congress, the branch of government the Founding Fathers placed first in the Constitution, is at a familiar crossroads. During the first Trump administration, Republicans frightened by Trump's angry tweets of disapproval would keep their criticisms private. Those who did speak up -- Liz Cheney of Wyoming in the House and Mitt Romney of Utah in the Senate, among others -- are gone from Capitol Hill. One former GOP senator, Jeff Flake of Arizona, who announced in 2017 during Trump's first term that he would not seek reelection the next year, is imploring Republicans to find a better way. "The fever still hasn't broken," he wrote recently in The New York Times. "In today's Republican Party, voting your conscience is essentially disqualifying." Seeking a 'normal' Congress But this time, the halls of Congress are filled with many Republicans who came of political age with Trump's "Make America Great Again" movement and owe their ascent to the president himself. Many are emulating his brand and style as they shape their own. A new generation of GOP leaders, Johnson in the House and Senate Majority Leader John Thune, have pulled closer to Trump. They are utilizing the power of the presidency in ways large and small -- to broker deals, encourage wayward lawmakers to fall in line, even to set schedules. Johnson, R-La., has openly pined for what he calls a "normal Congress." But short of that, the speaker relies on Trump to help stay on track. When Republicans hit an impasse on cryptocurrency legislation, a Trump priority, it was the president who met with holdouts in the Oval Office late Tuesday night as Johnson called in by phone. The result is a perceptible imbalance of power as the executive exerts greater authority while the legislative branch dims. The judicial branch has been left to do the heavy lift of checks and balances with the courts processing hundreds of lawsuits over the administration's actions. "The genius of our Constitution is the separation of power," said Democratic Rep. Nancy Pelosi of California, the former speaker, in an interview on SiriusXM's "Mornings with Zerlina." "That the Republicans in Congress would be so ignoring of the institution that they represent, and that have just melted the power of the incredibly shrinking speakership" and Senate leadership positions, "to do all of these things, to cater to the executive branch," she said. Confronting Trump comes with costs Sen. Thom Tillis, R-N.C., endured Trump's criticism over his opposition to the tax and spending cuts bill. The senator raised concerns about steep cuts to hospitals, but the president threatened to campaign against him. Tillis announced he would not seek reelection in 2026. Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, voted against that bill and the rescissions package despite Trump's threat to campaign against any dissenters. One Republican, Rep. Thomas Massie of Kentucky, appears to be pressing on, unphased. He recently proposed legislation to force the administration to release the Jeffrey Epstein files, something the president had been reluctant to do. "Nowhere in the Constitution does it say that if the president wants something, you must do it," said Sen. Brian Schatz, D-Hawaii, in a Senate speech. "We don't have to do this. We don't have to operate under the assumption that this man is uniquely so powerful."
