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Binance reaches 200M users with $100B in assets under custody – TradingView

Binance, the largest cryptocurrency exchange in the world by daily volume, announced on June 8 it had reached 200 million global users.

No other exchange can boast nearly as many users. However, these figures are self-reported.

In true celebratory fashion, Binance marked the occasion across its social media platforms by framing the 200 million user mark as a milestone on the companys quest to onboard a billion, or one in every eight people on Earth.

In an X post, Binance said:

Today, we celebrate 200 million and its all because of YOU! Your support is the heartbeat of our journey to 1 billion users. Heres to the stars of our story you!

As recently as 2022, Binance only had approximately 130 million users. In 2023, the exchange added 40 million users, bringing its total count to 170 million. Six months into 2024, its already added at least 30 million more. This puts Binance on pace to reach 300 million users by 2026, assuming trends remain the same for both the company and the industry.

The global cryptocurrency consumer installation base reached 562 million people in 2024, up 142 million over 2023s 420 million users, according to research from Triple-A. These numbers indicate that Binance users account for approximately 36% of the global cryptocurrency user base.

Binances 200 million user milestone comes on the heels of another cryptocurrency industry record for the company. As Cointelegraph reported in March, Binance reached a total of $100 billion in user assets under custody. That averages out to about $500 worth of assets in custody per user.

The companys legal woes are also largely in the rearview. With founder and former CEO Changpeng CZ Zhao currently serving a four-month sentence on fraud charges, it appears as though Binance has emerged relatively unscathed.

CZ, for his part, is reportedly apologetic for his actions and dutifully serving his time in a minimum-security facility in California.

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Io.Net Replaces CEO Ahead of Binance Launchpad Token Launch – Crypto Times

A Solana-based decentralized infrastructure provider, Io.Net, has replaced its CEO just days before its native token launch on Binance Launchpad. Co-founder Ahmad Shadid announced his resignation on Sunday via X, naming co-founder and former COO Tory Green as his successor.

Shadid mentioned past allegations as the cause of his departure, aiming for Io.Nets uninterrupted progress. Shadid pledged one million of the platforms forthcoming tokens from his personal supply to bolster the Internet of GPUs Foundation and ecosystem support.

Shadid said, While there have been allegations regarding my past, I want to emphasize that I am stepping down as CEO to allow io.net move forward without distraction and to focus on its growth and success.

New CEO Tory Green reaffirmed the companys vision to become the worlds largest AI computing network. Green confirmed the token launch on Binance Launchpool set for June 11.

Io.Net has recently faced criticism from competitors regarding its GPU offerings. Allegations include varied network size metrics and Shadids past involvement in Arabic-language crypto projects. The company claimed attackers tried to spoof GPUs to gain more rewards, addressing these concerns in a detailed postmortem.

Greg Osuri, CEO of Akash Network, a DePIN competitor, commented positively on the CEO change but noted that questions about the allegations remain.

Shadid clarified on X that his tokens would be locked for four years, with other investors and team members facing shorter lockups. Io.Nets Series A fundraising round achieved a $1 billion fully diluted token valuation.

Responding to questions about the timing of his resignation, Shadid emphasized that his decision was for the benefit of the Io.Net community. Its not about me anymore. Its about all of you, Shadid stated.

Shadids decision to step down as CEO of Io.Net amidst past allegations, pledging support to the platforms ecosystem, reflects a strategic move for the companys uninterrupted progress under new leadership.

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J. Cole Smith Reappointed to 5-Year Term as Dean of College of Engineering and Computer Science Syracuse … – Syracuse University News

J. Cole Smith

Vice Chancellor, Provost and Chief Academic Officer Gretchen Ritter today announced that J. Cole Smith has been reappointed to a five-year term as dean of the College of Engineering and Computer Science (ECS). Todays announcement follows a comprehensive review process that includes feedback from key stakeholders, including ECS faculty, staff and advisory board members.

In Coles nearly five years as dean, the College of Engineering and Computer Science has grown stronger on multiple counts and made great strides towards reaching a new level of excellence, Provost Ritter says. This is an exciting time for the college, and I can think of no better leader to shepherd the students, faculty, staff and alumni into this new era.

Smith assumed leadership of ECS in October 2019. His tenure has been marked by several high points for the college. A massive renovation, which included multiple new lab spaces and the Allyn Innovation Center, served to modernize ECS buildings and facilities. The pending new Campos Student Center, supported by a recent $2 million gift that Smith helped secure, will further enhance the colleges physical space.

Smith oversaw the development of the new Syracuse University Center for Advanced Semiconductor Manufacturing, an interdisciplinary center that brings together expertise in artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, manufacturing processes, optimization and robotics to advance the science of semiconductor manufacturing. He also helped launch a new masters degree program in operations research and system analytics, as well as the signature co-op program.

Under Smiths leadership, ECS research expenditures grew by 30% during the 2022-2023 academic year over 2019 levels. Enrollment, faculty size and staff size are also on track to grow by 50% in the next four years as part of a plan Smith developed. He also helped guide the college toward bronze-level status in the American Society for Engineering Educations Diversity Recognition Program.

Engineering and Computer Science is driving regional, national and international growth in areas such as advanced manufacturing, sustainable infrastructure, healthcare engineering, advanced computing technologies and materials science, Smith says. I have never been a part of a more exciting moment at the nexus of college, University, city and national growth. What we are doing here matters and will resonate for decades to come, and it is a true privilege to have the opportunity to realize the transformational opportunity that awaits Syracuse University and the College of Engineering and Computer Science.

Smith came to Syracuse from Clemson University, where he held positions as associate provost for academic initiatives and chair of the Department of Industrial Engineering. His research focuses on integer programming and combinatorial optimization, network flows and facility location, computational optimization methods and large-scale optimization due to uncertainty or robustness considerations. In 2023, he was named an Institute for Operations Research and the Management Sciences (INFORMS) fellow.

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Kallie (Ziltz) Pearl Named Percy Hughes Award Recipient – Lehigh University

This years recipient of the Percy Hughes Award received multiple nominations from faculty and students across the Lehigh community. Kallie (Ziltz) Pearl '16 '17 '18G '24 Ph.D. is a four-time Lehigh alumna, most recently graduating from the College of Educations Teaching, Learning and Technology (TLT) program with her doctoral degree.

Pearl joined the P.C. Rossin College of Engineering and Applied Science faculty in 2020, where she has developed innovative ways to engage studentsespecially women and other underrepresented populationsin computer science.

Teaching is something that I was born to do, she says. But I have been so blessed to cultivate an interdisciplinary niche for myself between computer science and education.

LILAC (Looping Interactive Learning and Authentic Contexts) is the acronym Pearl uses to describe the innovative approach she developed with colleagues to improve student engagement and learning. In her nomination of Pearl, TLT professor and program director Brook Sawyer explains, Kallies mission of improving Lehighs computer science courses has been unwavering since she has been an undergraduate student herself, struggling to feel like she fit in computer science as a woman.

Former student Alexia Drey noted Pearls generosity of spirit and support for her students in her award nomination.

Dr. Pearl wants each and every one of her students to know that they can and will succeed in her course if they put in the effort, despite being from a traditionally underrepresented group, Drey says. She inspires her students every day, and her passion and love for computer science shines through every time you interact with her.

A tireless advocate for women in computing, Pearl led a group of students attending the Grace Hopper Celebration this past fall. Nominator and program director Sharon Kalafut says Pearl came to her years ago with the idea to start a Women in Computing Club within the COE. Today, Pearl serves as the faculty advisor for the club. During the summer and weekends, she has worked with middle school students as part of the Women in Science & Engineering (WISE) days and Charting Horizons and Opportunities in Careers in Engineering and Science (CHOICES) program at Lehigh as well as the DaVinci Center in Allentown.

In his nomination TLT faculty advisor Tom Hammond notes, The most visible impact of Kallies work is her publications, which span both academic journals, such as the International Journal of Computer Auditing, popular outlets such as the Huffington Post and presentations including keynote and panelist roles for the WISE initiative.

I see myself in the work Hughes accomplished, and know that my path would not be as clear without folks like him paving the way, says Pearl. I don't see my work in the classroom and as an educational researcher as big or bold, but I know that it is important to push Lehigh to emerge as a strategic leader in high-quality education.

Over the course of his 35-year tenure at Lehigh, Percy Hughes used the responsibility of scholarship to pursue social change and transform the Lehigh culture. By committing himself to interdisciplinary work and humanistic principles, he furthered Lehighs tradition of scientific and classical education. From womens rights to environmentalism, Hughes devoted his life to historically progressive ideas.

The Percy Hughes Award for Scholarship, Humanity and Social Change is awarded annually by the College of Education to honor a Lehigh community member who works towards implementing transformative ideas in the local, national and world communities. Since the award's inception in 2010, nine individuals have been recognized for their work addressing the world's most pressing challenges. Award recipients are leaders who not only foster Lehigh's historic educational mission, values and core beliefs but also push Lehigh in new directions and heights of excellence.

To learn more about Hughes and the Percy Hughes Award, visit https://ed.lehigh.edu/insidecoe/awards/percy-hughes-award.

Story by Beth Blew.

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Master’s student capstone spotlight: AI-Enabled Information Extraction for Investment Management – Harvard School of Engineering and Applied Sciences

Data science and computational science and engineering masters students at the Harvard John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences (SEAS) take AC297R: Computational Science and Engineering Capstone Project. Taught by Weiwei Pan, Assistant Director for Graduate Studies in Data Science, the course groups students together for semester-long research projects in which they work with client organizations to tackle real-world challenges.

AI-Enabled Information Extraction for Investment Management

Noah Dohrmann (S.M. 24), Sudhan Chitgopkar (S.M. 24), Jimmy Mendez (S.M. 24), Stephanie Monson (S.M. 24, M.E. 25)

Client: Harvard Management Company

What real-world challenge does this project address?

This project focuses on extracting information from Limited Partnership Agreements legal documents which outline terms for a monetary partnership between two entities. These documents are long, verbose, and difficult to parse. As a result, entire legal teams are sometimes necessary to summarize these documents. Here, we streamline the process by developing a machine learning model able to ingest and extract salient information from LPAs, reducing the workload and complexity that financial firms like the Harvard Management Company face.

How does this research attempt to solve that real-world challenge?

This research helps take large semi-structured data (like long documents that have different sections or subsections) and extract a set of terms from the data. Presently, machine learning models aren't well-suited to understanding and retaining large amounts of context (as you might need when reading 100+ page documents). To solve this problem, our research has developed both machine learning and classical software engineering applications to help pass only the most relevant context to large language models (LLMs). We also develop some of the existing literature on prompt engineering to help LLMs generate accurate answers to tough, industry-specific questions.

How did you apply the skills you learned at SEAS to your project?

The skills weve learned at SEAS helped us design and develop a cohesive and production-level application end-to-end. SEAS has taught us how to design good, robust, and versatile software and how to turn those designs into reality at scale to be deployed at companies of all sizes which is hopefully the future for this project!

What part of the project proved the most challenging?

LLMs are very prone to hallucination, or providing a false response if it does not find the query or if the query answer does not exist in the document at all. These false positives are quite undesirable when the information extracted from the document will be used to make key business decisions, such as investment. Through prompt engineering techniques, we were able to greatly reduce the false positive rates.

What part of the project did you enjoy the most?

We really enjoyed working closely alongside the C-suite, data science team, and lawyers at the Harvard Management Company, and gaining insights from different stakeholders in the project. Often, we think software projects like these are limited to developers and their direct managers, but having such a diverse set of people working alongside us gave us fresh new perspectives and helped us consider new ideas.

What did you learn, or skills did you gain, through this project?

We were able to broaden our understanding of different machine learning paradigms while getting rigorous hands-on experience and developing production-level software with some great people!

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Bill would require Michigan high schools to offer computer science course – 9 & 10 News

LANSING Computer science courses could soon become available to more Michigan students under a new proposal in the state legislature.

All Michigan high school students would have the opportunity to take a computer science course under new legislation proposed in the state house.

Bill sponsors say that over 30 other states already require the offering of a computer science course for high school students, as well as 55% of Michigan high schools.

The proposal would require all public high schools to offer at least one computer science course but would not implement the course as a graduation requirement. The policy wouldnt go into effect until 2027.

The legislation would also allow schools to offer the course virtually if they lack the resources for in-person teaching.

Rep. Carol Glanville, a former teacher and sponsor of the bill, says that computer science courses provide both direct knowledge of technology and the thinking abilities that are becoming more critical by the day.

Computer science is a foundational skill necessary for todays students to succeed in a 21st century society, said Glanville, D-Walker.

Supporters of the legislation also say the requirement would help students from all backgrounds explore the topic more easily. Over 70% of current computer science students are boys, and Black students are underrepresented compared to White and Asian students.

By putting computer science in every high school that will help communicate that this opportunity is open to all students, said Julia Wynn, representing code.org.

Lisa Rivera, a teacher from Mackinaw City, testified in support of the bill, saying her rural district of less than 150 students has offered a computer science course for nearly 20 years and requires it for students in 10th grade.

The computer science classroom environment is truly amazing, she said. No matter the topic being covered, there is a focus on problem solving and collaboration. This focus helps students become leaders in the classroom, students who arent always traditional leaders and other academic areas.

Any teacher would be able to teach a computer science course after completing a professional development course.

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the media annual wage for the computer and IT industry is over $100,000, double the national average for all fields. The Bureau also projects over 350,000 openings in the field per year through 2032, a growth rate faster than most other industries.

The bill has bipartisan support from members of the House Education Committee and could be passed into law later this year.

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Noise-canceling headphones can use AI to ‘lock on’ to somebody when they speak and drown out all other noises – Livescience.com

Noise-canceling headphones are widespread nowadays, but scientists have found a way to take these devices to the next level by creating headphones that can focus on one external sound source and block out all other noises.

The technology, called "Target Speech Hearing," uses artificial intelligence (AI)to let the wearer face a speaker nearby and after a delay of a couple of seconds lock onto their voice. This lets the user hear only that specific audio source, retaining the signal even if the speaker moves around or turns away.

The technology comprises a small computer that can be embedded into a pair of commercial, off-the-shelf headphones, using signals from the headphones' built-in microphone to select and identify a speaker's voice. The scientists outlined the details in a paper published on May 11 in the journal Proceedings of the CHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems.

Related: 'It would be within its natural right to harm us to protect itself': How humans could be mistreating AI right now without even knowing it

Scientists hope the technology could be used as aids for people with impaired hearing, and they are working to embed the system into commercial earbuds and hearing aids next.

"We tend to think of AI now as web-based chatbots that answer questions," said study lead author, Shyam Gollakota, professor of Computer Science & Engineering at the University of Washington. "In this project, we develop AI to modify the auditory perception of anyone wearing headphones, given their preferences. With our devices you can now hear a single speaker clearly even if you are in a noisy environment with lots of other people talking," Gollakota said in a statement.

Target Speech Hearing (TSH) follows on from research the same scientists conducted into "semantic hearing" last year. In that project, they created an AI-powered smartphone app that could be paired with headphones, which let the wearer choose to hear from a list of preset "classes" while canceling out all other noises. For example, a wearer could choose to hear sirens, babies, speech or birds and the headphones would single out only those noises and block out all others.

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To use TSH, the wearer faces straight in front of the speaker whose voice they wish to hear, before tapping a small button on the headphones to activate the system when positioned correctly.

When the speaker's voice arrives at the microphone, the machine learning software then "enrolls" the audio source. It allows for a small margin of error in case the listener isn't directly perpendicular to the speaker before it identifies the target voice and registers vocal patterns. This lets it lock onto the speaker regardless of the volume or the direction they're facing.

As the speaker continues talking, it improves the system's ability to focus on the sound because the algorithm better identifies the unique patterns of the target sound over time.

For now, TSH can only enroll a single audio source, or a single speaker, at any one time, and it's less successful if there's another noise of a similar volume coming from the same direction.

In an ideal world, the scientists would present the system with a "clean" audio sample to identify and enroll, with no other environmental noise that could interfere with the process, they said in the paper. But this would not be well-aligned with building a practical device, as obtaining a clear sound is challenging in real-world scenarios.

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What incoming students can harness from a successful UW-Madison computer sciences alum – Daily Cardinal

John Stecher sits in an office in New York City, reflecting on a career trajectory that most young professionals can only dream of.

Today, he is the head of Technology and Innovations at Blackstone, the world's largest alternative investment firm. But 27 years ago, he was only a computer science freshman at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.

Stecher, a UW-Madison alum, commands a crucial role as the chief technology officer at Blackstone. His journey from the collegiate labs of Madison to the executive offices on Lexington Avenue embodies professional growth, determination and the power of collaboration.

Many incoming students may look to technical proficiency as the only cornerstone of corporate success. But Stecher's journey from UW-Madison to Blackstone illustrates that success also depends on embracing hard work, strategic thinking and an innovative spirit. Adopt these principles as your tools to transform challenges into opportunities and aspirations into achievements.

Stecher began his rise to Blackstone at IBM, where he was awarded the title of Master Inventor.

"The title Master Inventor means that you are constantly innovating and driving forward IBM's intellectual property portfolio," Stecher told The Daily Cardinal.

Over his nine-year tenure at IBM, Stecher contributed to 45 patents, each addressing various complex challenges that had not been solved before. His innovations ranged from improving how computers manage their memory and resources to designing better ways to store data across different areas in a network.

This period of his career illustrates Stecher's commitment to continual learning and an unwavering drive to pioneer solutions that had never been achieved before.

But he didnt do it alone. Stecher, working alongside a dedicated IBM team, helped create, refine and implement solutions "that can actually be helpful in the world."

Reflecting on his title as a Master Inventor, Stecher said it influences everything from receiving accolades "woo, you're a master inventor, that's super cool!" to developing a deeper understanding of collaboration's role in innovation.

You cant make stuff by yourself. You are just a single person with a finite set of ideas, and no matter how smart you are, working together and collaborating with others is so much more effective," Stecher said.

Following his tenure at IBM, he joined Goldman Sachs as a managing director, where he helped launch the firm's retail banking division.

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But the primary focus for Stecher in his later years was running the engineering and product teams for Marcus, a consumer banking platform designed to simplify personal finance with user-friendly online services for savings, loans and investment management. Under Stecher's leadership, the team managed to "move from the first line of code to booking loans within six months, then going live by the tenth month."

This turnaround not only showcased his ability to lead under pressure but also showed the necessity of flexible leadership in the fast-paced tech environment.

Stecher then transitioned to Barclays, serving as the chief technology officer and innovation officer for three years then moved to Blackstone to assume the role of chief technology officer.

Blackstone is the world's largest alternative asset manager with $1.04 trillion in assets under management as of Dec. 31, according to Investors Business Daily.

In his role, Stecher focuses on harnessing the power of technology to transform and enhance Blackstone's operations. Stecher has been instrumental in migrating Blackstone to Amazon Web Services (AWS), completed at the end of 2021.

Stecher credits this move as a foundational element for the future of Blackstone, allowing for continued operational advancements.

"I looked at what would increase efficiency and enable a highly available infrastructure that could span across the U.S. in different data centers, Stecher said. That was a huge part of my decision to move toward AWS."

But Stecher said he doesn't always jump for the newest technologies, instead looking at the cost of making the move versus the benefit."

From recent innovations at Blackstone, to a career-long commitment to principles of determination, innovation and collaboration, Stechers path to success embodies the Wisconsin Idea of lifelong learning.

Whether youre an incoming student, or preparing to graduate next spring, consider how Stechers principles of relentless pursuit and strategic innovation can be applied to your studies and upcoming careers.

What solutions can you devise for the pressing issues in your field? How might you, like Stecher, drive forward the next wave of innovation?

His path from the classrooms of UW-Madison to the executive suite at Blackstone demonstrates that success is often not just about what you learn, but about how you apply that knowledge to tackle the challenges you encounter and adapt creatively at every step.

Bryson Turner is a sophomore studying computer science and economics. Do you agree that an emphasis on collaboration and a focus on innovation is the key to career success? Send all comments to opinion@dailycardinal.com.

The Daily Cardinal has been covering the University and Madison community since 1892. Please consider giving today.

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Here’s how Google might benefit as Microsoft rumoured to outsource its best AI to OpenAI – Business Today

A tech CEO has said that Microsoft is planning to hand over its best artificial intelligence tools and software to OpenAI which could indirectly benefit Google. In an interview with CNBC, Todd McKinnon, CEO of identity security firm Okta stated that Google is looking to defend its search, not outsourcing its R&D is probably one of their best decisions.

He further stated that the transformers that power generative AI or deep learning model all came from Google, with DeepMind and the research. Notably, transformers are deep-learning models that learn context and eventually their meaning by tracking relationships in sequential data, like words.

I mean, the breakthrough was the research from Google, the transformers which are the algorithm that all these LLMs [large language models] are using to make these big advancements.

He even emphasised that if Microsoft plans to do this, it will end up being a consultancy for OpenAI. Notably, Microsofts AI assistant CoPilot and its AI PCs all come with tech developed by OpenAI. Microsoft had signed a multi-year, multi-billion dollar partnership with Sam Altman headed OpenAI.

He said, Its so bizarre. Imagine working at Microsoft. OpenAI is over there making all the exciting stuff. Its almost like Microsoft is going to turn into a consulting company.

Lately, Google has been struggling to establish its AI products like AI Overviews, Image generator and more in the market due to major blunders like asking users to use glue in a pizza and more.

Its different than other generations of technology like with personal computers, where it was not necessarily the biggest companies in the world that had the advantage because the whole thing about personal computers is they were truly disruptive in the sense that they were almost toys, stated McKinnon.

Theres no new AI model thats like a toy. The only reason OpenAI can get it working is that the great R&D that they needed $10 billion from Microsoft, to run the model that wasnt like a disruptive thing, that was a $10 billion investment, he added.

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OpenAI, Google DeepMind employees warn of a culture of retaliation in open letter – HR Grapevine

Current and former employees at OpenAI and Google DeepMind have signed an open letter warning of the risks of artificial intelligence (AI), highlighting insufficient whistleblower protections and the threat of retaliation.

The letter is signed confidentially by six current and former OpenAI employees; and publicly by five former OpenAI employees, one former DeepMind employee, and one current DeepMind employee.

The authors state they believe in the potential of AI technology, but believe it also poses numerous risks including the further entrenchment of existing inequalities, manipulation and misinformation, and the loss of control of autonomous AI systems leading to human extinction.

They argue that AI companies have a "financial incentive" to avoid effective AI oversight, and "weak obligation" to share capabilities, limitations, risks, and the adequacy of protective measures.

The outcome, according to the signatories, is that employees are among the few who can hold AI companies to account, but fear doing so due to fear of retaliation.

Broad confidentiality agreements block us from voicing our concerns, except to the very companies that may be failing to address these issues, the letter states, arguing that current protections for whistleblowers are insufficient as they are predicated on illegal activity, whereas much of the AI landscape remains unregulated.

Some of us reasonably fear various forms of retaliation, given the history of such cases across the industry, the current and former AI staffers write.

The workers ask advanced AI companies to commit to four principles they believe would mitigate retaliation against workers who raise concerns, criticism, limitations, and risks associated with AI technology.

The principles include commitments not to enforce any agreement that bans workers from disparagement or criticism and not to retaliate by hindering any vested economic benefit.

Companies are also asked to support a culture of open criticism, achieved in part by setting up an anonymous channel for current and former employees to raise concerns to the company's board, regulators, or an independent body.

The group also recommends companies do not retaliate against current or former workers who resort to publicly sharing concerns if their efforts to do so in other (private) channels have failed.

In response to the letter, an spokesperson told CNN OpenAI is proud of our track record providing the most capable and safest AI systems and believe in our scientific approach to addressing risk.

The spokesperson added OpenAI agrees with the need for rigorous debate and pointed out its anonymous integrity hotline and the recent announcement of its Safety and Security Committee.

However, one of the letters signatories, Daniel Ziegler, worked for OpenAI from 2018 and 2021, and questions the companys commitment to safety and transparency.

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Its really hard to tell from the outside how seriously theyre taking their commitments for safety evaluations and figuring out societal harms, especially as there is such strong commercial pressures to move very quickly, he told CNN. Its really important to have the right culture and processes so that employees can speak out in targeted ways when they have concerns.

OpenAI came under fire earlier in May after Vox News reported the exit of two high-profile safety researchers whichrevealed clauses in non-disclosure and non-disparagement agreements (NDAs) that could have cost workers vested equity if they criticized the company.

CEO Sam Altman said he was genuinely embarrassed, but added the company had never clawed back equity from a current or former worker and would strike the policy from all paperwork of current and future staff.

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