Facebook to investigate claims its algorithms are discriminatory
By: The Guardian July 22, 2020 Facebook is launching an investigation into whether its algorithms discriminate against minority ethnic groups, after internal protests forced the company to reassess the possibility that its machine learning systems could have picked up on real-world bias. The company’s new “equity and inclusion” teams will be tasked with assessing the algorithms […]
TikTok’s UK headquarters in doubt amid US pressure
By: BBC July 19, 2020 TikTok’s plan to base its international HQ in the UK has been thrown into doubt following pressure by Washington over the Chinese firm’s future in the US. ByteDance, owner of the video sharing app, has had talks with the government about basing its HQ in London. But the US is […]
World faces staggering jobs challenge, says Microsoft president
By: BBC July 18, 2020 The world is facing a staggering jobs challenge with a quarter of a billion people set to lose their job this year, the president of Microsoft has said. Brad Smith says millions will need to learn new skills to get jobs, or even to hang on to their old one, […]
Trump administration moves to squash “socially responsible” investing
By: CBS News July 16, 2020 The Trump Administration is moving to dramatically curtail “socially responsible” investments, an area that has seen a surge of interest in recent years amid mounting alarm about climate change. The Department of Labor is proposing to change a rule governing employee retirement plans to discourage money managers from so-called socially responsible investing. Under […]
Demand for robot cooks rises as kitchens combat COVID-19
By: AP News July 14, 2020 Robots that can cook – from flipping burgers to baking bread – are in growing demand as virus-wary kitchens try to put some distance between workers and customers. Starting this fall, the White Castle burger chain will test a robot arm that can cook french fries and other foods. […]
US asset managers set to fight proposals on ESG investments
By: Financial Times July 10, 2020 Asset managers are gearing up for a battle with the Trump administration over a new proposal that threatens investors’ ability to incorporate environmental, social and governance principles into pension portfolios. Late last month, the Department of Labor proposed a new rule that would require private pension administrators to prove […]
Axa IM to implement tough gender diversity targets
By: Financial Times July 09,2020 AXA Investment Managers SA said it will implement a 33% diversity target in a bid to address gender diversity issues in its companies globally. The target is meant for listed companies in developed market economies, starting in 2021. At least one-third of boards in developed market economies like North America, […]
Virtual Salon from Singularity – Want Not: The Great Global Food Waste Disruption
By: Singularity University July 09, 2020 Surplus and waste are among the most pressing problems facing (and opportunities for disruptive thinking around) the global food supply. Environmentally, economically, municipally, and ethically, it grows consistently as one of the great challenges of our time. In this Next:Food virtual salon, we’ll explain how this problem is created, […]
Facebook decisions led to serious setbacks for civil rights – report
By: The Guardian July 08, 2020 Facebook’s decisions over the last nine months have resulted in “serious setbacks for civil rights,” according to the damning conclusion of a two-year-long audit commissioned by the social network to review its impact on the world. The final report, which focuses primarily on decisions made since June 2019, praises […]