End-to-End Encrypted Instagram and Messenger Chats: Why It Took Meta 7 Years | WIRED

December 8, 2023December 7, 2023 ~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

Since 2016, the social behemoth now known as Meta has been working to deploy end-to-end encryption in its communication apps. CEO Mark Zuckerberg even promised in 2019 that the data privacy protection would roll out by default across all of the company’s chat apps. In practice, though, it was a wildly ambitious goal fraught with technical and political challenges, and Meta has only been able to move toward it in gradual, incremental steps. But this week the company is finally starting its full rollout.

“It’s been a wild ride,” says Jon Millican, a software engineer within Meta’s messenger privacy team. “I suspect this is the first time that something’s been end-to-end encrypted with all of the constraints that we’re working with. It’s not just that we’re migrating people’s data, but it’s actually that we’re having to fundamentally change a bunch of the assumptions that they work with when they’re using the product.”

Google’s Gemini Is the Real Start of the Generative AI Boom | WIRED

December 8, 2023December 7, 2023 ~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

The history of artificial intelligence has been punctuated by periods of so-called “AI winter,” when the technology seemed to meet a dead end and funding dried up. Each one has been accompanied by proclamations that making machines truly intelligent is just too darned hard for humans to figure out.

Google’s release of Gemini, claimed to be a fundamentally new kind of AI model and the company’s most powerful to date, suggests that a new AI winter isn’t coming anytime soon. In fact, although the 12 months since ChatGPT launched have been a banner year for AI, there is good reason to think that the current AI boom is only getting started.

Boss or Leader? 8 Principles to Truly Effective leadership | Entrepreneur

December 7, 2023December 6, 2023 ~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

Throughout my career, I’ve seen the stark differences between mere bosses and true leaders. These experiences have shaped my leadership approach and fueled my drive to help others become outstanding leaders. In today’s ever-changing business world, understanding this distinction is critical. It’s more than semantics; it’s about inspiring belief in your vision and mission. Drawing from over forty years of experience as a business owner and through extensive leadership presentations and writings, I’ve delved into what separates leaders from bosses.

Boss vs. Leader: Understanding the difference

The terms ‘boss’ and ‘leader’ are often used interchangeably, but they represent vastly different approaches to organizational management. A boss typically focuses on processes, compliance and maintaining the status quo.

In contrast, a leader inspires change, fosters a culture of innovation and encourages team growth. This contrast is not just in actions but also in mindset; while a boss thinks about tasks and authority, a leader focuses on people, potential and possibilities.

Follow This Rule to Become a Better Presenter | Entrepreneur

December 7, 2023December 6, 2023 ~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

Not long ago, I was asked by a research partner and friend to guest speak at his Stanford MBA class on “People Analytics,” which explores how social networks interact and how data can be used to understand them. The lesson I took away from this experience has stayed with me through every presentation I have made since.

The focus of my lecture was on how to make analytics-based solutions for organizational/team coordination purposes commercially viable. I’d never lectured before and spent a ton of time prepping material with slides, points I’d like to make, and a perfectly curated talk track.

The class was an hour long, and I spent around 35 minutes presenting and the rest answering questions. By the end of it, I was mentally exhausted. Absolutely brain-dead.

Tips for Finding a Job in a New City | Cool Business Ideas

December 6, 2023December 5, 2023 ~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

Moving to a new city can be exciting and daunting – from searching for a place to live with the help of Black Tie Moving Dallas, learning the local customs, and meeting new people, there’s plenty of adventure ahead. But with all the changes that come with relocating to a different area, one big transition on your agenda is finding a job in your new destination.

Understanding the job market in your chosen city will help set you up for success as you hunt for jobs and hammer out interviews. With these tips in mind, searching for employment in unfamiliar territory doesn’t have to be an intimidating experience. Read on for helpful advice on how to find a job in your new city!

1. Research the job market in your new city – understand the types of jobs and industries available, the average salaries for those positions, and what qualifications you need to land a job

Elon Musk is no fan of ‘GTA’ — but X is desperate to bring the ‘GTA 6’ trailer to the platform | Mashable

December 6, 2023December 5, 2023 ~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

Elon Musk has voiced his love for video games like Elden Ring in the past. But there’s one extremely popular game that Musk isn’t a fan of: Grand Theft Auto.

“Tried, but didn’t like doing crime,” Musk said in a reply to an X employee who said they had never played a GTA game before. “GTA5 required shooting police officers in the opening scene. Just couldn’t do it.”

GTA is a work of fiction – a video game – and playing it does not mean you are actually doing crime or shooting police officers. But Musk is entitled to his opinion. And GTA was certainly a big topic of conversation on Monday, after the trailer for GTA 6 leaked on Musk’s social media platform a day before it was supposed to launch.

Klarna freezes hiring because AI can do the job instead | Mashable

December 5, 2023December 4, 2023 ~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

Klarna CEO Sebastian Siemiatkowski is betting so big on AI that he’s instituted a hiring freeze.

“There will be a shrinking of the company,” said Siemiatkowski per The Telegraph. “We’re not currently hiring at all, apart from engineers.” Last May, 10 percent of the fintech company’s staff was laid off during a period of economic downturn for the tech industry.

This time, however, Klarna isn’t planning any layoffs. Instead, it is refraining from active recruitment with the expectation that AI can now handle many tasks that were previously performed by humans

Windows 12 may have a release date window of June 2024 | Mashable

December 5, 2023December 4, 2023 ~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

Windows 12 could be coming as early as June 2024 if leaks are to be believed. This is good news for PC and laptop manufacturers looking to bounce back from dwindling hardware sales that boomed during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The leak comes from a report by the Tawainese-based business newspaper The Commerical Times. The publication wrote that Microsoft would drop Windows 12 in June 2024. Additionally, the article stated that the release of Windows 12 would spark a new wave of AI PCs that will, hopefully, reinvigorate the laptop and PC market.

Alaska Air to buy Hawaiian Airlines for $1.9 billion | CNN Business

December 4, 2023December 3, 2023 ~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

Alaska Air (ALK) on Sunday announced it will buy rival Hawaiian Airlines (HA) for $1.9 billion.

The acquisition was the culmination of “several months” of negotiations, according to Alaska Airlines CEO Ben Minicucci. It will include $900 million in Hawaiian Airlines debt.

“This is a fantastic deal that bring two airlines that have amazing loyalties in our regions together,” said Minicucci in a news conference, adding that the merger will give customers in both states expanded domestic and international choices.

We could end the AIDS epidemic in less than a decade. Here’s how. | Live Science

December 4, 2023December 3, 2023 ~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

An HIV diagnosis hasn’t been a death sentence for years, thanks to powerful medications.

Despite incredible progress, however, HIV (human immunodeficiency virus) remains a global public health threat, with 1.3 million new infections and around half that many deaths in 2022 alone.

While new HIV infections have dropped steadily since their peak in 1995, as people live longer with the disease, the pool of people who are HIV-positive has only grown. People with HIV must consistently take medications to prevent the virus from becoming transmissible again or progressing to AIDS (acquired immunodeficiency syndrome). As a result, new infections could actually rebound fast if the world doesn’t dramatically ramp up the number of people being regularly treated, tested and protected from new HIV infections.