Mission Everywhere

Ben Jiang / South China Morning Post : DeepSeek launches DeepSeek-OCR 2, an upgraded optical character recognition model that replaces OpenAI-developed CLIP framework with Alibaba's Qwen2-0.5b   —  The Chinese AI start-up says its latest OCR model delivers stronger performance after adopting an Alibaba-developed open-source model from Techmeme https://ift.tt/XWdIyGU

Axios : In a 38-page essay, Dario Amodei warns of civilization-level damage from superintelligent AI, questioning whether humanity has the maturity to handle such power   —  - Massive job loss: “I ... simultaneously think that AI will disrupt 50% of entry-level white-collar jobs over 1-5 years … from Techmeme https://ift.tt/ZuDP8Rv

Tear gas fills the air in Minneapolis after federal agents shot and killed Alex Pretti on Saturday morning. Star Tribune via Getty Images/Star Tribune via Getty Images Federal immigration officers shot and killed Alex Pretti, 37, in Minneapolis on Saturday. It was the second fatal shooting of a US citizen by ICE in Minneapolis this month. The killing elicited sharp reactions from Americans, including business and tech leaders. Federal immigration agents on Saturday shot and killed a US citizen in Minneapolis — the second fatal shooting involving ICE officers this month — adding more fuel to an already explosive national debate over immigration enforcement. The killing sparked an outcry on Minneapolis streets , as well as online, eliciting sharp responses from all sides, including leaders in the business and tech communities. The billionaire CEO of Pershing Square Capital Management, Bill Ackman , for instance, wrote in a post on X that it was "time to take the temperat...

Jonathan Vanian / CNBC : Meta's decision to deprioritize VR in favor of AI and internet-connected glasses has chilled the VR industry, leading to concerns about its future   —  Meta's deprioritizing virtual reality in favor of artificial intelligence and Internet-connected smart glasses has chilled the industry, leading to concerns about its future. from Techmeme https://ift.tt/zCaEHGT

Matt Phillips / Sherwood News : SanDisk's stock has surged ~1,000% in the past five months, driven by AI demand for its chips, which have a cost advantage thanks to its 20-year JV with Kioxia   —  Soaring chip prices have fueled a nearly 1,000% run for Sandisk in a matter of months.  Industry insiders, prolific hedge fund managers … from Techmeme https://ift.tt/amGOLs4

Community donations at Smitten Kitten (left and right), and BabyBel Mozzarella the cat (middle), are supporting Minnesotans. Mikayla Stanek (Smitten Kitten); Vanessa Beardsley (Catzen) January is typically a slow month for retailers — a time for restocking, chores, and tax prep. This year, small businesses in the Minneapolis area have thrown that out the window. They're offering aid during heightened ICE activity. A second fatal shooting by federal officers in Minneapolis on Saturday has further inflamed tensions in the city. Immigration agents, in full view of filming protesters, tackled a 37-year-old man to the ground before one shot him multiple times. City officials said in a press conference on Saturday that the man, who they believed to be a US citizen, had died at the scene. The shooting occurred as thousands of protesters converged in downtown Minneapolis to rally against the Department of Homeland Security's Operation Metro Surge, which has flooded Minnesot...