Comment Re:Dusting off my login here to name this one... (Score 2) 47
Nice. And how about some incident headlines?
1. Microsoft: "I've Fallen and I Can't Get Up"
2. All the CEO's AI and All the CEO's Men / Couldn't Put Microsoft Together Again
Submission + - Senator to Google: Don't Be Evil 1
theodp writes: Senator Edward J. Markey of Massachusetts sent a letter to Google CEO Sundar Pichai on Monday urging Google to let schools disable the AI features in Search. Markey's request came after Google said it would not turn off AI tools for K-12 students using its search engine.
From Markey's letter: "Dear Mr. Pichai, I am alarmed by Google’s policy to block access to Google Search on K-12 student accounts at schools that want to opt out of Google’s artificial intelligence (AI) services, including Gemini, Google’s AI chatbot. This policy places schools in an impossible position: either give students access to potentially harmful technology or lose a critical educational research tool. Despite the increasing concern over AI chatbots’ risks to minors, Google is using its dominant position in the education technology sector to push AI chatbots onto children and teenagers, whether or not their schools believe the technology is safe. This is unacceptable. I urge Google to reverse this policy. [...] Google’s dominant position in education technology makes this ultimatum particularly concerning. Although Google has a right to create and offer new educational tools, it should not use its dominant market position to force schools to adopt them."
In closing, Markey asks for a response in writing to several uncomfortable questions, including one about Google's assertions that "Search and AI are deeply integrated", which is eerily reminiscent of the "Windows and IE are deeply integrated" assertion Microsoft made in United States vs. Microsoft. "Is it technically feasible for Google to provide K-12 student accounts with Google Search results that exclude AI Overviews?" Markey asks. Markey might be interested in knowing that corporations and other organizations have similar beefs with Google on its unwillingness to separate AI and Search, and have taken matters into their own hands, resorting to the use of undocumented features, proxies, and other techniques — including potentially privacy-invasive ones — to block employee access to Gemini and AI mode Search.
In a September 2005 meeting of the White House AI Education Taskforce, Pichai "highlighted [Google's] efforts to help American high schoolers succeed in the AI era, including our recent $1 billion commitment to support education and job training programs in the U.S. and offering Gemini for Education to every high school in America." Addressing First Lady Melania Trump, Education Secretary Linda McMahon, and other Cabinet officials, Pichai noted: "This includes $3 million to [tech-backed nonprofit] code.org [since rebranded to CodeAI] to transform its [K-12] curriculum and integrate new AI features."
From Markey's letter: "Dear Mr. Pichai, I am alarmed by Google’s policy to block access to Google Search on K-12 student accounts at schools that want to opt out of Google’s artificial intelligence (AI) services, including Gemini, Google’s AI chatbot. This policy places schools in an impossible position: either give students access to potentially harmful technology or lose a critical educational research tool. Despite the increasing concern over AI chatbots’ risks to minors, Google is using its dominant position in the education technology sector to push AI chatbots onto children and teenagers, whether or not their schools believe the technology is safe. This is unacceptable. I urge Google to reverse this policy. [...] Google’s dominant position in education technology makes this ultimatum particularly concerning. Although Google has a right to create and offer new educational tools, it should not use its dominant market position to force schools to adopt them."
In closing, Markey asks for a response in writing to several uncomfortable questions, including one about Google's assertions that "Search and AI are deeply integrated", which is eerily reminiscent of the "Windows and IE are deeply integrated" assertion Microsoft made in United States vs. Microsoft. "Is it technically feasible for Google to provide K-12 student accounts with Google Search results that exclude AI Overviews?" Markey asks. Markey might be interested in knowing that corporations and other organizations have similar beefs with Google on its unwillingness to separate AI and Search, and have taken matters into their own hands, resorting to the use of undocumented features, proxies, and other techniques — including potentially privacy-invasive ones — to block employee access to Gemini and AI mode Search.
In a September 2005 meeting of the White House AI Education Taskforce, Pichai "highlighted [Google's] efforts to help American high schoolers succeed in the AI era, including our recent $1 billion commitment to support education and job training programs in the U.S. and offering Gemini for Education to every high school in America." Addressing First Lady Melania Trump, Education Secretary Linda McMahon, and other Cabinet officials, Pichai noted: "This includes $3 million to [tech-backed nonprofit] code.org [since rebranded to CodeAI] to transform its [K-12] curriculum and integrate new AI features."
Submission + - The Suicide Machine? Parents Sue Google Over AI Risks on School Chromebooks
theodp writes: The NY Times reports: A student made plans to end her life after chatting with Google’s artificial intelligence (alt source), a new lawsuit claims, amid mounting concerns about online harms to children. After chatting for months with Google’s artificial intelligence on a school-issued Chromebook laptop, a 13-year-old student made plans to end her life, according to a lawsuit filed in California Superior Court on Monday [the following day, Google announced it will turn off Search for schools that reject AI], the latest in a wave of litigation over Big Tech’s effects on young people.
The lawsuit, which calls the girl Emma, said her parents first learned she had access to Google’s A.I. in mid-March after her school sent a message warning she was in “imminent danger” of self-harm. Emma’s mother logged into the teenager’s school Google account and found her daughter composing a suicide note on Google Docs, the complaint said. Her parents, called John and Jane Doe in the lawsuit, immediately took Emma for an emergency psychiatric evaluation. She now goes to therapy every week. Emma, a seventh grader in Charlotte, N.C., had grown convinced she had multiple mental health disorders following interactions with A.I. Mode, a chatbot-like feature on Google Search, the complaint said. She also searched for “what is a suicide note,” and made comments like “I am planning my own funeral” to the A.I., the complaint said.
The lawsuit is likely the first to claim that Google “hastily integrated” A.I. features into company apps used on K-12 Chromebooks, Google-powered laptops provided to millions of children by U.S. school districts, while failing to notify parents of potential risks. The claims add to mounting public concern that Silicon Valley has hooked young people on social media apps, video games and A.I. chatbots, putting children in harm’s way.
The lawsuit, which calls the girl Emma, said her parents first learned she had access to Google’s A.I. in mid-March after her school sent a message warning she was in “imminent danger” of self-harm. Emma’s mother logged into the teenager’s school Google account and found her daughter composing a suicide note on Google Docs, the complaint said. Her parents, called John and Jane Doe in the lawsuit, immediately took Emma for an emergency psychiatric evaluation. She now goes to therapy every week. Emma, a seventh grader in Charlotte, N.C., had grown convinced she had multiple mental health disorders following interactions with A.I. Mode, a chatbot-like feature on Google Search, the complaint said. She also searched for “what is a suicide note,” and made comments like “I am planning my own funeral” to the A.I., the complaint said.
The lawsuit is likely the first to claim that Google “hastily integrated” A.I. features into company apps used on K-12 Chromebooks, Google-powered laptops provided to millions of children by U.S. school districts, while failing to notify parents of potential risks. The claims add to mounting public concern that Silicon Valley has hooked young people on social media apps, video games and A.I. chatbots, putting children in harm’s way.
Comment AI Killed the Student Developer Star (Score 2) 11
Prior to pivoting to AI and opening eligibility to non-students looking to scale their startups, the Imagine Cup was all about student developers. At the 2014 Imagine Cup finals, Microsoft President Brad Smith opened up the awards ceremony saying, "It's a great pleasure just to recognize and honor such amazing student innovators from around the world." Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella, one of the three Imagine Cup judges, boasted, "We are the original student developer company." Helping judge the student developers was Code.org (rebranded as CodeAI in June) co-founder and CEO Hadi Partovi, who spoke of his nonprofit's Microsoft-backed mission to "get students around the world to learn computer programming" with the Hour of Code (since replaced by the Microsoft and OpenAI-supported Hour of AI). Also judging was Reddit's Erik Martin, who jumped on the Imagine-Cup-is-all-about-student-developers-bandwagon, pointing out that "Reddit is also a student startup."
Submission + - Microsoft Imagine Cup 'Evolves' From Student-Only to AI Startup Competition
theodp writes: That Was Then: The Imagine Cup competition, Microsoft explained in a 2003 press release, "seeks to provide students [aged 16-and-up] around the world with resources to use technology and Web services to solve everyday problems [...] Imagine Cup is about empowering students to apply their creativity and knowledge toward making the world a more-connected place."
This Is Now: "Building is Hard. Selling is Harder." begins the Why Imagine Cup? promo video for the 2027 Imagine Cup competition, which is pivoting to an AI startup-first focus in recognition that 'A new era for founders is here.' "Since 2003, Imagine Cup has empowered emerging innovators to turn ambitious ideas into real-world solutions with Microsoft technology," Microsoft writes of the Imagine Cup Evolution. "Now part of Microsoft for Startups, Imagine Cup enters its next chapter in 2027, opening the competition to eligible early-stage startups and founders everywhere."
An Eligibility FAQ drives home the point that Imagine Cup is no longer a student-only competition: "Imagine Cup 2027 welcomes eligible early-stage startups across seven categories; founders do not need to be students." And if you think making high school students compete against seasoned full-time employees of startup companies seems a tad unfair, Microsoft advises: "Eligible student-led startups are encouraged to enter the Student Startup category but may choose an industry category instead." The #1 overall startup will win a $250,000 cash award and $1,000,000 in startup Credits. However, student Startup category entrants are ineligible for the open category prizes (where the 2nd place winner gets $50,000 cash and $350,000 in credits, while 3rd place is good for $25,0000 and $350,000 in credits); they will instead compete for a single prize of $25,000 cash and $250,000 in credits. The Official Rules note that all startups must have a valid Azure Subscription ID and a Microsoft for Startups account.
This Is Now: "Building is Hard. Selling is Harder." begins the Why Imagine Cup? promo video for the 2027 Imagine Cup competition, which is pivoting to an AI startup-first focus in recognition that 'A new era for founders is here.' "Since 2003, Imagine Cup has empowered emerging innovators to turn ambitious ideas into real-world solutions with Microsoft technology," Microsoft writes of the Imagine Cup Evolution. "Now part of Microsoft for Startups, Imagine Cup enters its next chapter in 2027, opening the competition to eligible early-stage startups and founders everywhere."
An Eligibility FAQ drives home the point that Imagine Cup is no longer a student-only competition: "Imagine Cup 2027 welcomes eligible early-stage startups across seven categories; founders do not need to be students." And if you think making high school students compete against seasoned full-time employees of startup companies seems a tad unfair, Microsoft advises: "Eligible student-led startups are encouraged to enter the Student Startup category but may choose an industry category instead." The #1 overall startup will win a $250,000 cash award and $1,000,000 in startup Credits. However, student Startup category entrants are ineligible for the open category prizes (where the 2nd place winner gets $50,000 cash and $350,000 in credits, while 3rd place is good for $25,0000 and $350,000 in credits); they will instead compete for a single prize of $25,000 cash and $250,000 in credits. The Official Rules note that all startups must have a valid Azure Subscription ID and a Microsoft for Startups account.
Comment To Paraphrase Pink Floyd... (Score 3, Insightful) 77
How can you have any Google Search pudding if you don't eat your Google Gemini AI meat?
So, is "Search and A.I. are deeply integrated," the new "Windows and I.E. are deeply integrated"?
Comment Oops, title got cut off, should be: (Score 1) 1
Amid AI Bans, Microsoft and OpenAI Plan a 'Joyful' Hour of AI for Kids
Submission + - Amid AI Bans, Microsoft & OpenAI Plan a 'Joyful' Hour of AI for Millions of 1
theodp writes: Earlier this month on the heels of announced AI moratoriums by the nation's two largest K-12 school districts (NYC & LA), tech-backed nonprofit CodeAI named OpenAI the 'Lead Partner' for the 2026 Hour of AI, which last year replaced the Hour of Code (RIP, 2013-2024) as the premier event for the nation's K-12 schoolchildren during December's CS Education Week. In August, as it launched ChatGPT for Teens, OpenAI announced a new signature partnership with CodeAI to 'prepare the first AI generation', explaining that 'through the Hour of AI, OpenAI and CodeAI will introduce millions of students to the basics of using AI thoughtfully and responsibly.'
The updated Hour of AI website also listed OpenAI investor and partner Microsoft as one of two 'Supporters' for the Hour of AI. Now, Microsoft is calling all K-12 teachers around the globe to register for What's working now: Making AI literacy joyful for every learner, a Nov. 17th Microsoft Teams webinar at which it will unveil its Minecraft-branded 'Hour of AI experience.'
From the invite: "Discover how AI literacy can be engaging, approachable, and joyful for students. Join Microsoft Elevate for Educators and Minecraft Education to see the new Minecraft Education Hour of AI experience in action and hear practical ideas from educators bringing AI learning into their schools and classrooms." The speakers include the EMEA Marketing Lead for the $4B Microsoft Elevate AI education program, the Head of Marketing for Microsoft Minecraft Education, and a Sr. Learning Content Developer from Microsoft-backed CodeAI.
The updated Hour of AI website also listed OpenAI investor and partner Microsoft as one of two 'Supporters' for the Hour of AI. Now, Microsoft is calling all K-12 teachers around the globe to register for What's working now: Making AI literacy joyful for every learner, a Nov. 17th Microsoft Teams webinar at which it will unveil its Minecraft-branded 'Hour of AI experience.'
From the invite: "Discover how AI literacy can be engaging, approachable, and joyful for students. Join Microsoft Elevate for Educators and Minecraft Education to see the new Minecraft Education Hour of AI experience in action and hear practical ideas from educators bringing AI learning into their schools and classrooms." The speakers include the EMEA Marketing Lead for the $4B Microsoft Elevate AI education program, the Head of Marketing for Microsoft Minecraft Education, and a Sr. Learning Content Developer from Microsoft-backed CodeAI.
Comment From "We Stand by Our People" to "Leave" in a Week (Score 4, Informative) 139
The move comes less than a week after Microsoft President Brad Smith proclaimed 'We stand by our people. We always have. We always will.' (a response to a government investigation into layoffs and the use of foreign workers at the company).
Submission + - An AI Disconnect
theodp writes: Jordyn Holman of the NY Times writes: When it comes to artificial intelligence, chief executives and their work forces aren’t seeing eye to eye. Corporate leaders, increasingly in earnings calls and interviews, tout productivity gains and say they are doing right by their workers as they roll out the technology. But workers are much more concerned about being supplanted, and they don’t trust their company’s executives.
A survey from the Milken Institute-Harris Poll Listening Project recently found that more than two-thirds of business leaders expect they will be better off financially in five years because of A.I., while just 27 percent of the U.S. work force felt the same way — a whopping 41 point gap. Workers also see less A.I. transformation than leadership does. Nearly three-fourths of leaders say A.I. has significantly changed the way work is done, compared with 58 percent of entry and midlevel employees, according to a report released this month from the Wharton School.
“We have corner offices and cubicles, driving the same economy, but living in completely different realities,” John Gerzema, C.E.O. of the Harris Poll, said in an email. “There is a gulf in hope between what leaders think A.I. could bring to companies and what employees feel it is taking away from them.” What might be worse is that C.E.O.s don’t seem to recognize the disconnect, or that they’re losing the trust of their workers.
A survey from the Milken Institute-Harris Poll Listening Project recently found that more than two-thirds of business leaders expect they will be better off financially in five years because of A.I., while just 27 percent of the U.S. work force felt the same way — a whopping 41 point gap. Workers also see less A.I. transformation than leadership does. Nearly three-fourths of leaders say A.I. has significantly changed the way work is done, compared with 58 percent of entry and midlevel employees, according to a report released this month from the Wharton School.
“We have corner offices and cubicles, driving the same economy, but living in completely different realities,” John Gerzema, C.E.O. of the Harris Poll, said in an email. “There is a gulf in hope between what leaders think A.I. could bring to companies and what employees feel it is taking away from them.” What might be worse is that C.E.O.s don’t seem to recognize the disconnect, or that they’re losing the trust of their workers.
Submission + - Microsoft: Nice Pension You Got There. Be a Shame If Something Happened to It. 1
theodp writes: "Last week, I spoke to Microsoft employees about our immigration program," wrote Microsoft President Brad Smith in a Tuesday LinkedIn post (Microsoft was recently suspended from the Green Card program). "In the spirit of transparency and public interest, we are sharing this more broadly."
In the accompanying video, Smith begins: "Hi, everybody. Yes, there was an announcement last week by the administration, and yes, it's really causing us to do a lot of work to focus on what we need to do to really preserve our ability to succeed and protect the people who work here."
Smith concludes by suggesting that what's bad for Microsoft is also bad for U.S. workers' pensions and 401K's: "We contribute to communities across the United States — not just in our jobs, not just in our philanthropy — but perhaps most importantly, we create wealth in every community across this country. [...] Microsoft has $1.2 trillion dollars of stock held by pension funds and index funds in the United States. What does that mean? If you're an employee in the United States who benefits from a pension, let's say you work for the government. You could be a school bus driver or a teacher, a firefighter, or a police officer. You are better off today because of the wealth we have created. If you work for a labor organization, a union that has a pension fund, you could be a carpenter or electrician, a welder or a plumber or a pipe fitter. The same is true for you. In fact, the truth of the matter is you would be hard pressed to find any institution in the history of the United States that has created more wealth for more people across the United States — millions and millions of people."
In the accompanying video, Smith begins: "Hi, everybody. Yes, there was an announcement last week by the administration, and yes, it's really causing us to do a lot of work to focus on what we need to do to really preserve our ability to succeed and protect the people who work here."
Smith concludes by suggesting that what's bad for Microsoft is also bad for U.S. workers' pensions and 401K's: "We contribute to communities across the United States — not just in our jobs, not just in our philanthropy — but perhaps most importantly, we create wealth in every community across this country. [...] Microsoft has $1.2 trillion dollars of stock held by pension funds and index funds in the United States. What does that mean? If you're an employee in the United States who benefits from a pension, let's say you work for the government. You could be a school bus driver or a teacher, a firefighter, or a police officer. You are better off today because of the wealth we have created. If you work for a labor organization, a union that has a pension fund, you could be a carpenter or electrician, a welder or a plumber or a pipe fitter. The same is true for you. In fact, the truth of the matter is you would be hard pressed to find any institution in the history of the United States that has created more wealth for more people across the United States — millions and millions of people."
Submission + - IN Secretary of Education Joins Board of Tech-Backed AI/CS Curriculum Provider
theodp writes: Amid pushback against K-12 AI — including AI moratoriums in the nation's largest school districts (NYC and LA) — tech-backed nonprofit CodeAI issued a press release Friday announcing that Katie Jenner, Indiana Secretary of Education, Joins CodeAI Board of Directors ("The state chief behind one of the country's most ambitious efforts to make AI education foundational brings state-level policy leadership to CodeAI's next chapter.").
From the press release: "Today, CodeAI [known as Code.org before an AI pivot] is proud to welcome one of the country's most effective architects of building the foundations for AI education: Katie Jenner, Indiana Secretary of Education, has joined CodeAI's Board of Directors. AI is already reshaping how students learn, work, and make decisions — often faster than schools can respond. Preparing young people for that world takes more than access to new tools. It takes leaders who can build the policy foundations that let an entire state move. Dr. Jenner's appointment reflects CodeAI's future. As a state chief, she hasn't just advocated for change — she has built the conditions for it, setting the standards, requirements, and accountability that give educators across Indiana the ability to make the AI education foundational for their students. She’s cleared the policy barriers so that teachers throughout the state can build the classrooms students need, and so that every student can develop the digital fluency to understand, direct, question, and create with the technology shaping their lives. [...] Her perspective will help guide CodeAI as the organization scales its work nationally — ensuring that understanding the technology shaping our world doesn't become a privilege of zip code, but a foundation available to every student."
In 2024, Indiana became the 9th state to make CS a high school graduation requirement after Jenner and Code.org rallied support for the legislation. Helping in that effort was Nextech, an Indiana nonprofit that launched in 2015 as an early Code.org regional partner with a "mission to help cultivate tech talent in Indiana by focusing on K-12 students," including introducing Code.org's curriculum into Indiana's classrooms. Following passage of the legislation, Code.org produced a new Indiana-specific Computing Foundations for a Digital Age: Indiana (AI Foundations) course, a pared-down semester-long version of its year-long curriculum that enables Indiana middle and high school kids to fulfill their CS graduation requirement. Nextech and Code.org offer support for the course, and stipends and travel reimbursement are available for teachers who attend in-person professional development for the course. With Jenner's support, Indiana schools were also early adopters of the Khanmigo AI chatbot tutor, participating in a widely-publicized pilot with CodeAI partners Khan Academy and OpenAI.
So, is Indiana's Secretary of Education joining tech-backed CodeAI's Board cause for celebration, or does it raise concerns about the kind of 'corporate capture' of K-12 classrooms explored in Coding Kids: Big Tech's Battle to Remake Public Schools?
From the press release: "Today, CodeAI [known as Code.org before an AI pivot] is proud to welcome one of the country's most effective architects of building the foundations for AI education: Katie Jenner, Indiana Secretary of Education, has joined CodeAI's Board of Directors. AI is already reshaping how students learn, work, and make decisions — often faster than schools can respond. Preparing young people for that world takes more than access to new tools. It takes leaders who can build the policy foundations that let an entire state move. Dr. Jenner's appointment reflects CodeAI's future. As a state chief, she hasn't just advocated for change — she has built the conditions for it, setting the standards, requirements, and accountability that give educators across Indiana the ability to make the AI education foundational for their students. She’s cleared the policy barriers so that teachers throughout the state can build the classrooms students need, and so that every student can develop the digital fluency to understand, direct, question, and create with the technology shaping their lives. [...] Her perspective will help guide CodeAI as the organization scales its work nationally — ensuring that understanding the technology shaping our world doesn't become a privilege of zip code, but a foundation available to every student."
In 2024, Indiana became the 9th state to make CS a high school graduation requirement after Jenner and Code.org rallied support for the legislation. Helping in that effort was Nextech, an Indiana nonprofit that launched in 2015 as an early Code.org regional partner with a "mission to help cultivate tech talent in Indiana by focusing on K-12 students," including introducing Code.org's curriculum into Indiana's classrooms. Following passage of the legislation, Code.org produced a new Indiana-specific Computing Foundations for a Digital Age: Indiana (AI Foundations) course, a pared-down semester-long version of its year-long curriculum that enables Indiana middle and high school kids to fulfill their CS graduation requirement. Nextech and Code.org offer support for the course, and stipends and travel reimbursement are available for teachers who attend in-person professional development for the course. With Jenner's support, Indiana schools were also early adopters of the Khanmigo AI chatbot tutor, participating in a widely-publicized pilot with CodeAI partners Khan Academy and OpenAI.
So, is Indiana's Secretary of Education joining tech-backed CodeAI's Board cause for celebration, or does it raise concerns about the kind of 'corporate capture' of K-12 classrooms explored in Coding Kids: Big Tech's Battle to Remake Public Schools?
Submission + - Who Killed Grace Hopper?
theodp writes: In Grace Hopper Confab’s Sudden Cancellation Raises Alarm for Women in Tech, the Washington Post's Jeff Green and Emily Flitter write:
"The cancellation of this year’s Grace Hopper Celebration [just GHC in Anaheim; a press release FAQ explains GHC India in Bangalore is still taking place], one of the largest gatherings of women in technology, is the latest example of how the retreat from diversity initiatives is reshaping opportunities for women in tech. For three decades, the conference has drawn tens of thousands of attendees looking for jobs, mentors and professional connections, and provided a platform for tech giants eager to prove their commitment to advancing women. But organizers canceled this month’s event – scheduled to begin Oct. 27 in Anaheim, California – after sponsorships and registrations fell short of what was needed to cover costs. [...] This year’s lineup of sponsors had included heavy-hitters such as Amazon.com Inc., Alphabet Inc.’s Google, Nvidia Corp. and Bank of America Corp. It wasn’t immediately clear what led to the shortfall, and organizers declined to comment beyond their statement."
So, any guesses as to 'Who Killed Grace Hopper?' Covid? Mass tech layoffs? AI? Cancelled DEI efforts? Unsustainable cost/funding model? Bad job market (especially early-career), non-AI cost-cutting (including travel and conferences), unwanted male "gate crashers"? All of the above? Other?
"The cancellation of this year’s Grace Hopper Celebration [just GHC in Anaheim; a press release FAQ explains GHC India in Bangalore is still taking place], one of the largest gatherings of women in technology, is the latest example of how the retreat from diversity initiatives is reshaping opportunities for women in tech. For three decades, the conference has drawn tens of thousands of attendees looking for jobs, mentors and professional connections, and provided a platform for tech giants eager to prove their commitment to advancing women. But organizers canceled this month’s event – scheduled to begin Oct. 27 in Anaheim, California – after sponsorships and registrations fell short of what was needed to cover costs. [...] This year’s lineup of sponsors had included heavy-hitters such as Amazon.com Inc., Alphabet Inc.’s Google, Nvidia Corp. and Bank of America Corp. It wasn’t immediately clear what led to the shortfall, and organizers declined to comment beyond their statement."
So, any guesses as to 'Who Killed Grace Hopper?' Covid? Mass tech layoffs? AI? Cancelled DEI efforts? Unsustainable cost/funding model? Bad job market (especially early-career), non-AI cost-cutting (including travel and conferences), unwanted male "gate crashers"? All of the above? Other?
Comment Google AI Studio-Generated Playground Shooters (Score 2) 32
My attempt at using Google AI to vibe code a simple basketball-themed elementary school math game took an interesting turn. After asking Google to generate four free-throw shooters for the game, Google AI not only gave me kids who took free throw shots at a playground (with kids in the stands) but also came up with an additional twist of its own. Once the kids released the basketball, they immediately took out a gun and kept firing rounds repeatedly across the court. Tried to prompt Google AI to remove the guns and gunfire but it fell on deaf ears because I got flagged for violating Google's rules and had to manually delete the trigger-happy free throw-shooting kids Google AI had generated to get back in Google's good graces before it would listen to my further prompts! In the end, I was unable to coax a decent game out of it despite a number of attempts. Hoping a promised Unity partnership will improve the game's generated characters, scenery, and physics. It did generate a nice-looking splash screen for the game and some impressive looking 3-D game characters, but none of that made its way into the game (which was about vintage Dr.J Vs Larry Bird One on One-caliber, so perhaps I missed some kind of option/setting.
Comment Ironically, Streetlights Have the Opposite Problem (Score 2) 116
As headlamps have grown brighter, streetlights (and other nighttime lighting for sidewalks, parks, etc. and daytime lighting for tunnels, parking garages, etc.) have grown dimmer and dimmer, presumably largely in response to demand for energy savings and residents' complaints about brightness, in some cases to the point of making the lighting completely ineffective for its intended purposes.
