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Here’s what you need to know
Google had another big leak — this time showing it collected sensitive data from users. The voices of 1,000 children and secret Nintendo company announcements were among the privacy and security issues leaked to 404 Media.
Black employees of General Mills say a Georgia plant is run by white supremacists. A lawsuit accuses the food company of tolerating a racially hostile work environment run by so-called “Good Ole Boys.”
Former employees of top AI companies penned an open letter about the “serious risks” of the technology’s evolution. Some 13 former and current staffers of OpenAI, Google DeepMind, and Anthropic warned that AI tech companies lack oversight and transparency. Separately, ChatGPT was plagued with outages yesterday.
Paramount is eyeing $500 million in cuts — including layoffs — as a Skydance merger looms. Paramount executives laid out their vision for the future of the media conglomerate at the company’s annual shareholders’ meeting yesterday.
The U.S. is way behind on its renewable energy goals
The world has to do some stepping up to prevent the most catastrophic version of climate change.
A report from the International Energy Agency released Tuesday says that global commitments to building renewable energy capacity are nowhere near what’s necessary to keep temperatures to 2030 targets, and that includes goals set by the U.S.
Some key digits from the report:
50%: How much quicker the IEA said renewable infrastructure creation needs to ramp up in the U.S. to meet 2030 goals
1,000: Gigawatts of renewable energy capacity the U.S. and Canada want to install by 2030
60%: Share of power in the U.S. that comes from fossil fuels
80%: Energy generation in Canada that comes from renewable sources
For its part, the Biden administration is banking on tax credits to start moving the needle.
Americans keep buying gas guzzlers because of price
The average cost of an electric car in the U.S. — around $44,167 in the first quarter of this year — is turning a lot of Americans off to EVs, even though that price is down 9% year over year.
A new survey of more than 6,200 Americans found that price is still the major reason why people aren’t buying EVs despite new tax credits and incentives. Range anxiety is another one.
But there may be a light at the end of the tunnel: About two in five Americans say they are at least somewhat likely to make an EV their next car and 81% of current-EV owners are at least somewhat likely to purchase another one.
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Surprising discoveries
Back in 2014, it cost the average American $476 to cool their home for the summer. Now that figure is closer to $720.
IKEA is hiring people to man its virtual meatball stands. People can work at the Robolox store for nearly $15 an hour.
Japan has its own Tiny Desk Concert series. It features far more than just the country’s top brass acts.
Orange juice makers may have to start using mandarins in their recipes. A historic shortage of the former citrus is jacking up prices.
Drinking alcohol on long-haul flights may be bad for your health. A study found it can decrease blood oxygen levels and increase heart rates.
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