Latest news with #TechPartnership
Forbes
19-07-2025
- Business
- Forbes
Black Voices Are Training Big Tech. But Who's Protecting Them?
Howard University and Google are partnering under the name Project Elevate Black Voices to release ... More data that can be used by artificial intelligence to better understand African American English. It was recently announced that Howard University and Google are partnering under the name Project Elevate Black Voices to release data that can be used by artificial intelligence to better understand African American English (AAE). A media release from Howard University explained that researchers traveled across the United States to capture different dialects used within the Black community, collecting 600 hours of vocal data across 32 states in different dialects, dictions and accents. The project's aim is to address the inherent bias baked into many artificial intelligence-driven tools we use to address difficulties interpreting and understanding Black users who have dialects and diction more common in the Black community. Howard University will own the dataset and licensing, making the data available to researchers and institutions at historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs) and will allow Google to use the dataset to improve its products. In an Instagram post made by pocintech about the project, there were many who were leery of the partnership stating it wasn't a good idea, with some wondering how this partnership would benefit the Black community. It's understandable for some to be suspicious about this type of partnership. There is a long history of tech being extractive, exploitative and harmful to the Black community. The erasure of Black creators who have started trends and viral dances yet are the least protected on social media, racial bias in facial recognition software used for policing and surveillance, and technology that is more likely to flag Black creator's content as 'offensive,' are just a few examples. Though the backlash is warranted, we should also consider the different ways that a robust dataset containing different types of AAE can benefit Black workers and help create better technology. Many companies use tech tools like Zoom and Microsoft Teams auto-captioning, AI notetakers, and meeting recording summaries. Having more data about AAE will help to improve these speech recognition tools, which can often misinterpret AAE. In some cases, a dataset like this may make employees less likely to codeswitch because they won't have to worry as much about whether their voice and speech patterns will be understood by workplace AI tools, making these tools more inclusive and accessible. Industries like healthcare, customer service and the legal sector, which may use speech-to-text tools for things like clinical documentation, customer sentiment analysis, and to transcribe legal documents could particularly benefit from Project Elevate Black Voices. Many companies use tech tools like Zoom and Microsoft Teams auto-captioning, AI notetakers, and ... More meeting recording summaries. The criticism that can be seen online is not completely unwarranted. There are very real tensions around who will have access to the dataset in the future and some are worried that the data could be extracted and exploited to the detriment of the community that it was designed to benefit. The value of this type of rich data outside of improved speech recognition tools is a preservation and archive of Black American culture during a time when Black history is being actively erased. In the wrong hands though, this type of data could be used in nefarious ways, furthering the use of Black AI influencers and digital Blackface, training AI products without the compensation or credit (and in some cases the knowledge) of those whose data was used to train these products, and expanding the use of surveillance technology that disproportionately harms and targets Black people. According to Howard's media release about the partnership, 'The Howard African American English Dataset 1.0 will initially be made available exclusively to researchers and institutions within historically Black colleges and universities to ensure that the data is employed in ways that reflect the interests and needs of marginalized communities, specifically African American communities whose linguistic practices have often been excluded or misrepresented in computational systems.' It's understandable to question how this data could be used to further the harm that Black communities already face. While the initial intentions in collecting this data may be benevolent, it's imperative to understand how easy it is for data to be wielded for corrupt and capitalistic purposes. It is a great move that the data will be available to HBCU institutions, but a word of caution: Black-led, Black-founded and Black-owned organizations and institutions are not immune to harm and extraction—one could argue that within these systems, harm is more insidious and is sometimes more challenging to spot and combat. Organizations and institutions that are primarily Black or led by Black people can still engage in practices that are oppressive and harmful. Audre Lorde taught us that, 'the true focus of revolutionary change is never merely the oppressive situations we seek to escape, but that piece of the oppressor which is planted deep within us.' We must be careful that when we are trying to reclaim equity and repair broken tools that we do not recreate newer versions of the same harmful systems.
Yahoo
05-07-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
OpenAI's Partnership With Microsoft is Good, Says CEO Sam Altman; There's ‘Tension,' But Already Planning ‘Next Decade Together'
Sam Altman, CEO of OpenAI, has emerged as one of the most influential voices in artificial intelligence (AI), known for his ability to navigate both technological innovation and complex business relationships. In a recent appearance on the Hard Fork Podcast, Altman addressed public speculation about the state of OpenAI's partnership with Microsoft, offering a candid perspective on the realities of high-stakes collaboration in the tech industry. Altman described a recent conversation with Microsoft (MSFT) CEO Satya Nadella, noting it was a 'super nice call' that covered a range of topics, including their shared hopes for a 'very long and productive future working together.' This sentiment underscores the depth of the relationship between the two companies, which began in earnest when Altman secured a $1 billion investment from Microsoft in 2019 — a move that enabled OpenAI to accelerate its research and product development at a critical moment. OpenAI CEO Sam Altman Plans 'Fundamentally New Type of Computer' That Will Make AI 'Transcendentally Good' Meta Platforms Stock Looks Cheap - Short OTM Puts for a 2% One-Month Yield Is SoundHound AI Stock a Buy, Sell, or Hold for July 2025? Stop Missing Market Moves: Get the FREE Barchart Brief – your midday dose of stock movers, trending sectors, and actionable trade ideas, delivered right to your inbox. Sign Up Now! Since then, the partnership has expanded dramatically. In 2023, Microsoft announced a new multi-year $10 billion investment in OpenAI, further cementing the relationship and integrating OpenAI's technology into Microsoft's products and cloud infrastructure. Altman acknowledged that, as with any 'deep partnership,' there are 'points of tension,' but emphasized that overall, the collaboration has been 'wonderfully good for both companies.' This pragmatic view is consistent with Altman's reputation for balancing ambition with realism, a skill honed during his years as president of Y Combinator and as a serial entrepreneur in Silicon Valley. Altman's authority on the subject is rooted in his track record of leading OpenAI through both rapid growth and significant challenges. He co-founded OpenAI in 2015 with the mission to advance digital intelligence for the benefit of humanity, and has since overseen the launch of transformative products like GPT-3, DALL-E, and ChatGPT. These innovations have not only shaped the direction of AI research but have also brought the technology to millions of users worldwide. Addressing rumors about friction between OpenAI and Microsoft, Altman remarked that while media coverage sometimes speculates about the partnership 'about to collapse,' his own conversations focus on 'how do we figure out what the next decade together looks like?' He was clear that 'there is' tension, but also 'so much good stuff there,' and he expects the partnership to remain valuable for both sides 'for a very long time to come.' Altman's approach reflects his broader philosophy: ambitious goals require strong, sometimes challenging alliances. His leadership style — marked by transparency, adaptability, and a focus on long-term value — continues to shape OpenAI's role at the forefront of artificial intelligence, and the company's ongoing collaboration with Microsoft remains a central pillar of that strategy. On the date of publication, Caleb Naysmith did not have (either directly or indirectly) positions in any of the securities mentioned in this article. All information and data in this article is solely for informational purposes. This article was originally published on
Yahoo
17-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
OpenAI's $3 Billion Windsurf buy sparks Microsoft IP clash
OpenAI's $3 billion acquisition of coding startup Windsurf has reportedly strained its deep partnership with Microsoft (NASDAQ:MSFT) over access to AI intellectual property. According to a Wall Street Journal report, the deal terms give OpenAI pause about extending Microsoft's existing access to Windsurf's technology, even though Microsoft currently holds rights to all of OpenAI's IP under their multibillion-dollar investment agreement. The report says OpenAI doesn't want to grant Microsoft the same level of access to Windsurf's code. Warning! GuruFocus has detected 6 Warning Sign with MSFT. Both companies downplayed tensions, telling the WSJ they have a long-term, productive partnership and remain in talks optimistic we will continue to build together for years to come. The frictions come amid Microsoft's growing stake in OpenAIit initially invested $1 billion in 2019 and has since poured in roughly $13 billionand as OpenAI transitions to a public benefit corporation, where Microsoft is pushing for a larger equity share than OpenAI is willing to cede. Any wobble in the OpenAI-Microsoft alliance could ripple through the cloud and AI markets. Microsoft's exclusive rights to sell OpenAI's models via Azure and its preferred technology access have been a linchpin of both companies' cloud strategies. Scaling such partnerships without diluting competitive advantagesor investor returnswill test how Big Tech and AI startups navigate IP-sharing, governance and commercial incentives as they race to build next-gen AI services. This article first appeared on GuruFocus. 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
Yahoo
05-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Microsoft CEO Says OpenAI Alliance Changing But Remains Strong
(Bloomberg) — Microsoft Corp. (MSFT) Chief Executive Officer Satya Nadella said his company's crucial partnership with OpenAI ( is changing, but remains strong. ICE Moves to DNA-Test Families Targeted for Deportation with New Contract The Global Struggle to Build Safer Cars NYC Residents Want Safer Streets, Cheaper Housing, Survey Says The Buffalo Architect Fighting for Women in Design 'Any company that has gone from being a research lab to one of the most successful product companies of this age — obviously things have to change for them and for us and in the context of the partnership,' Nadella said in an interview on the The Circuit with Emily Chang. The world's largest software maker is seen as a leader in commercializing AI due to its relationship with — and $13.75 billion investment in — the ChatGPT maker. Still, there have been signs of friction between the companies as each launches competing products and seeks out additional partners. Nadella noted that OpenAI is Microsoft's largest infrastructure customer and said his company is 'thrilled' to have access to the AI powerhouse's technology. 'Having that multifaceted partnership is what we are really focused on,' he said. 'Why would any one of us want to go upset that?' The current contract continues through 2030, but a revision earlier this year allows OpenAI to rent computing power from other providers to train AI models. 'I hope that for decades to come, Microsoft and OpenAI will be partnered in variety of different ways,' Nadella said. 'Will they have other partners? Absolutely. Will we have other partners? Absolutely.' In a previous episode of The Circuit, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman said, 'We do get a lot of great stuff from Microsoft, but I think this is more than any one company can deliver.' To secure more computing for its power-hungry AI models, OpenAI has joined forces with Oracle Corp., SoftBank Group Corp. and others on an AI infrastructure effort called Stargate. Still, 'Microsoft will do a lot of compute for us, a lot, a lot,' Altman said. 'We're very happy about that.' Microsoft, which is celebrating its 50th anniversary this year, has been weaving AI tools into its suite of business applications — an effort designed to boost the company's share of the global market for cloud services. Nadella also is keen to use AI to reboot Microsoft's consumer business, which has long struggled against its peers. To accelerate the process, he recruited DeepMind co-founder Mustafa Suleyman last year to create an AI-focused consumer franchise. Suleyman has pledged to create emotionally intelligent assistants that can be tailored to users' individual needs. 'The number-one priority for us is that we have to produce beautiful, elegant consumer products that regular young people love,' Suleyman said an interview. 'And that is not the way that people currently think of Microsoft products today.' Microsoft's consumer assistant, dubbed Copilot, has gained some traction but is up against steep competition, most notably from OpenAI. Last month, ChatGPT was downloaded 105 million times between Apple and Android mobile phones, roughly 20 times the number of consumer Copilot downloads, according to research firm Sensor Tower. Nadella points out that because Microsoft provides much of OpenAI's computing, his company makes money every time ChatGPT is used. 'Every day that ChatGPT succeeds is a fantastic day for Microsoft,' he said. This episode of The Circuit With Emily Chang premiers at 8 a.m. in New York on the Bloomberg app and It appears at 6 p.m. on Bloomberg Television. Check out The Circuit podcast for extended conversations. —With assistance from Lauren Ellis and Matt Day. Cavs Owner Dan Gilbert Wants to Donate His Billions—and Walk Again YouTube Is Swallowing TV Whole, and It's Coming for the Sitcom Millions of Americans Are Obsessed With This Japanese Barbecue Sauce Is Elon Musk's Political Capital Spent? Trump Considers Deporting Migrants to Rwanda After the UK Decides Not To ©2025 Bloomberg L.P. By subscribing, you are agreeing to Yahoo's Terms and Privacy Policy
Reuters
21-05-2025
- Automotive
- Reuters
Google, Volvo Cars deepen partnership to develop Android software for vehicles
May 21 (Reuters) - Volvo Cars and Alphabet's Google said on Wednesday the Swedish carmaker was now the lead development partner for Android automotive software, which should give its buyers access to new versions long before they are available via car industry rivals. "We're going to be able to be fast in bringing new capabilities, new features and new experiences to our customers," Alwin Bakkenes, Volvo's ( opens new tab head of global software engineering, told Reuters. "This really gives us an edge in building fantastic customer experiences." The two companies have been working together for a decade, but the deeper partnership means Google (GOOGL.O), opens new tab engineers will drive Volvo cars with the latest software to "experience how their product behaves in a real context much earlier and much faster", Bakkenes said. He said on average the auto industry was about two Android releases behind mobile phones, which "means things you can do on your mobile phone, in many cases you cannot do in the car". Volvo vehicles currently operate using Android 13, but at Google's I/O annual developer conference underway in Mountain View, California, the two companies are demonstrating Volvo's flagship EX90 electric SUV running on Android 15 - the latest version of Google's mobile operating system - which will roll out in production models later this year. "Others might have to wait two years to get" that latest version of Android, Bakkenes said. At the I/O conference the two companies also demonstrated Google's Gemini artificial intelligence model running in the EX90, which Volvo is going to roll out to cars with Google built-in. Bakkenes said rather than drivers having to search through their phones for their destination, they can ask Gemini to search their emails or messages for it. Or drivers can, for instance, ask Gemini to find recipes and then put a shopping list on their phone to create "a human-centric experience", Bakkenes said.
