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yesornopolls · 4 months ago

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The article under the cut

Allies of Elon Musk stationed within the Education Department are considering replacing some contract workers who interact with millions of students and parents annually with an artificial intelligence chat bot, according to internal department documents and communications.

The proposal is part of President Trump’s broader effort to shrink the federal work force, and would mark a major change in how the agency interacts with the public. The Education Department’s biggest job is managing billions of dollars in student aid, and it routinely fields complex questions from borrowers.

The department currently uses both call centers and a rudimentary A.I. bot to answer questions. The proposal would introduce generative A.I., a more sophisticated version of artificial intelligence that could replace many of those human agents.

The call centers employ 1,600 people who field over 15,000 questions per day from student borrowers.

The vision could be a model for other federal agencies, in which human beings are replaced by technology, and behemoth contracts with outside companies are shed or reduced in favor of more automated solutions. In some cases, that technology was developed by players from the private sector who are now working inside or with the Trump administration.

Mr. Musk has significant interest in A.I. He founded a generative A.I. company, and is also seeking to gain control of OpenAI, one of the biggest players in the industry. At other agencies, workers from the newly created Department of Government Efficiency, headed by Mr. Musk, have told federal employees that A.I. would be a significant part of the administration’s cost-cutting plans.

A year after the Education Department oversaw a disastrous rollout of a new federal student aid application, longtime department officials say they are open to the idea of seeking greater efficiencies, as have leaders in other federal agencies. Many are partnering with the efficiency initiative.

But Department of Education staff have also found that a 38 percent reduction in funding for call center operations could contribute to a “severe degradation” in services for “students, borrowers and schools,” according to one internal document obtained by The Times.

The Musk associates working inside the Education Department include former executives from education technology and venture capital firms. Over the past several years, those industries have invested heavily in creating A.I. education tools and marketing them to schools, educators and students.

The Musk team at the department has focused, in part, on a help line that is currently operated on a contract basis by Accenture, a consulting firm, according to the documents reviewed by The Times. The call center assists students who have questions about applying for federal Pell grants and other forms of tuition aid, or about loan repayment.

The contract that includes this work has sent more than $700 million to Accenture since 2019, but is set to expire next week.

“The department is open to using tools and systems that would enhance the customer service, security and transparency of data for students and parents,” said Madi Biedermann, the department’s deputy assistant secretary for communications. “We are evaluating all contracts to assess effectiveness relative to costs.”

Accenture did not respond to interview requests. A September report from the Education Department describes 1,625 agents answering 462,000 calls in one month. The agents also handled 118,000 typed chats.

In addition to the call line, Accenture provides a broad range of other services to the student aid system. One of those is Aidan, a more rudimentary virtual assistant that answers basic questions about student aid. It was launched in 2019, during Mr. Trump’s first term.

Accenture reported in 2021 that Aidan fielded 2.2 million messages in one year. But its capabilities fall far short of what Mr. Musk’s associates envision building using generative A.I., according to the internal documents.

Both Mr. Trump and former President Joseph R. Biden Jr. directed federal agencies to look for opportunities to use A.I. to better serve the public.

The proposal to revamp the communication system follows a meltdown in the rollout of the new Free Application for Federal Student Aid, or FAFSA, last year under Mr. Biden. As FAFSA problems caused mass confusion for students applying for financial aid, several major contractors, including Accenture, were criticized for breakdowns in the infrastructure available to students and parents seeking answers and help.

From January through May last year, roughly three-quarters of the 5.4 million calls to the department’s help lines went unanswered, according to a report by the Government Accountability Office.

More than 500 workers have since been added to the call centers, and wait times were significantly reduced, according to the September Department of Education report.

But transitioning into using generative A.I. for student aid help, as a replacement for some or all human call center workers, is likely to raise questions around privacy, accuracy and equal access to devices, according to technology experts.

Generative A.I. systems still sometimes share information that is false.

Given how quickly A.I. capabilities are advancing, those challenges are potentially surmountable, but should be approached methodically, without rushing, said John Bailey, a fellow at the American Enterprise Institute and former director of educational technology at the Education Department under President George W. Bush.

Mr. Bailey has since become an expert on the uses of A.I. in education.

“Any big modernization effort needs to be rolled out slowly for testing, to see what works and doesn’t work,” he said, pointing to the botched introduction of the new FAFSA form as a cautionary tale.

“We still have kids not in college because of that,” he said.

In recent weeks, the Education Department has absorbed a number of DOGE workers, according to two people familiar with the process, who requested anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss the department’s security procedures and feared for their jobs.

One of the people involved in the DOGE efforts at the Education Department is Brooks Morgan, who until recently was the chief executive of Podium Education, an Austin-based start-up, and has also worked for a venture capital firm focused on education technology, according to the two people.

Another new staffer working at the agency is Alexandra Beynon, the former head of engineering at Mindbloom, a company that sells ketamine, according to those sources and an internal document.

And a third is Adam Ramada, who formerly worked at a Miami venture capital firm, Spring Tide Capital, which invests in health technology, according to an affidavit in a lawsuit filed against the Department of Government Efficiency.

None of those staffers responded to interview requests.

#not a poll #current events

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dreaminginthedeepsouth · 3 months ago

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The New Yorker :: @NewYorker [An advance look at Barry Blitt’s “Left to Their Own Devices,” the cover for next week’s issue.]

* * * *

LETTERS FROM AN AMERICAN

March 28, 2025

Heather Cox Richardson

Mar 29, 2025

“Another wipeout walloped Wall Street Friday,” Stan Choe of the Associated Press wrote today. The S&P 500 had one of its worst days in two years, dropping 2%. The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 715 points, losing 1.7% of its value. The Nasdaq Composite fell 2.7%. On Tuesday, news dropped that the administration’s blanket firings and wildly shifting tariff policies have dropped consumer confidence to a low it has not hit since January 2021. Today’s stock market tumble started after the Commerce Department released data showing that consumer prices are rising faster than economists expected.

AIG chief international economist James Knightley said: “We are moving in the wrong direction and the concern is that tariffs threaten higher prices, which means the inflation prints are going to remain hot.” Business leaders like lower interest rates, which reduce borrowing costs and make it cheaper to finance business initiatives, but with rising inflation, the Federal Reserve will be less likely to cut interest rates.

Makena Kelly of Wired reported today that billionaire Elon Musk’s “Department of Government Efficiency” (DOGE) is planning to move the computer system of the Social Security Administration (SSA) off the old programming language it uses, COBOL, to a new system. In 2017, the SSA estimated that such a migration would take about five years. DOGE is planning for the migration to take just a few months, using artificial intelligence to complete the change.

Experts have expressed concern. Dan Hon, who runs a technology strategy company that helps the government modernize its services, told Kelly: “If you weren’t worried about a whole bunch of people not getting benefits or getting the wrong benefits, or getting the wrong entitlements, or having to wait ages, then sure go ahead.” More than 65 million Americans currently receive Social Security benefits. Today Representative Don Beyer (D-VA) recorded himself calling the SSA and being told by a recording that the wait times were more than two hours and that he should call back. And then the system hung up on him.

Musk told the Fox News Channel today that he plans to step down from DOGE in May, apparently at the end of the 130-day cap for the “special government employee” designation that enables him to avoid financial disclosures. In February, White House staffers suggested Musk would stay despite the limit.

Today the State Department told Congress it is shutting down the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) altogether by July 1. Whatever agency functions the administration approves will move into the State Department. Founded by President John F. Kennedy and enjoying bipartisan support, USAID administers programs for global health, disaster relief, long-term economic development, education, environmental protection, and democracy. It is widely perceived to be a key element of U.S. “soft power.”

USAID was created by Congress, and its funds are appropriated by Congress. Congress and the courts have established that the executive branch—the branch of government overseen by the president—cannot kill an agency Congress has created and cannot withhold appropriations Congress has made. The authors of Project 2025 want to challenge that principle and consolidate government power in the hands of the president. It appears they have chosen USAID as the test case.

As Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy Jr. shatters science and health agencies, the nation’s top vaccine regulator, Dr. Peter Marks, submitted his resignation today after being given the choice to resign or be fired. Dan Diamond of the Washington Post noted that Marks has been at the Food and Drug Administration since 2012 and has been at the head of the Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research since 2016.

In his resignation letter, Diamond says, Marks expressed his deep concern over the ongoing measles outbreak in the Southwest—now more than 450 cases—and warned that the outbreak “reminds us of what happens when confidence in well-established science underlying public health and well-being is undermined.” Marks said that although he was willing to work with Kennedy on his plan to review vaccine safety, “it has become clear that truth and transparency are not desired by the Secretary, but rather he wishes subservient confirmation of his misinformation and lies.”

On Tuesday, news broke that Kennedy has tapped anti-vaccine activist David Geier to lead a study looking to link autism to vaccines, although that alleged link has been heavily studied and thoroughly debunked. Infectious disease journalist Helen Branswell notes that Geier does not have a medical degree and was disciplined in Maryland for practicing medicine without a license.

British investigative journalist Brian Deer, who has written about the hoax that vaccines cause autism, told Branswell: “If you want an independent source,… [you] wouldn’t go to somebody with no qualifications and a long track record of impropriety and incompetence.” But, he said, “[i]f you wanted to get in anybody off the street who would come up with the result that Kennedy would like to see, this would be your man.”

Tara Copp of the Associated Press reported today that Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth has done some targeted staffing, too. His younger brother Phil Hegseth is traveling to the Indo-Pacific with the secretary in his role at the Pentagon as a liaison and senior advisor to the Department of Homeland Security. Hegseth also employed his brother when he ran the nonprofit Concerned Veterans for America, where the younger Hegseth’s salary was $108,000 for his media work. Copp notes that a 1967 law “prohibits government officials from hiring, promoting or recommending relatives to any civilian position over which they exercise control.”

Hegseth and his colleagues are still in the hot seat for uploading the military’s attack plans against the Houthis in Yemen to Signal, an unsecure commercially available messaging app. Yesterday, Nancy A. Youssef, Alexander Ward, and Michael R. Gordon of the Wall Street Journal reported that National Security Advisor Mike Waltz identified a Houthi missile expert whose identity Israel had provided from a human source in Yemen, angering Israeli officials.

Americans, especially those with ties to the military, aren’t happy either. Military, the leading news website for service members, veterans, and their families, titled a story about the scandal “‘Different spanks for different ranks’: Hegseth’s Signal scandal would put regular troops in the brig.” Helene Cooper and Eric Schmitt of the New York Times reported that the story had “angered and bewildered” fighter pilots, who say “they can no longer be certain that the Pentagon is focused on their safety when they strap into cockpits.”

At a raucous town hall held today by Republican representative Victoria Spartz (R-IN), the crowd booed Spartz loudly when she said she would not call for the resignations of Waltz, Hegseth, and the rest of the people on the group chat.

All the mayhem created by the administration has created enough backlash that the White House appears concerned about upcoming special elections on April 1. One is for the seat in Florida’s District 6 that Waltz vacated when he became national security advisor. In 2024, Trump won that district by 30 points, and Republicans considered their candidate, state senator Randy Fine, whom Trump has strongly endorsed, to be such a shoo-in that he barely campaigned. His website features pictures of him with Trump but has only bullet points to explain his stand on issues.

Democrat Josh Weil, a middle-school math teacher who has outraised Fine by almost 10 to one, is polling within the margin of error for a victory in a contest where even a 10- to 15-point loss would show a dramatic collapse in Republican support. Weil has tied Fine to Musk’s unpopular DOGE and to the president, as well as to cuts to Social Security and Medicaid.

Trump is now personally campaigning for Fine and for the Republican candidate to fill the seat vacated by former representative Matt Gaetz in Florida District 1. There, Democratic candidate Gay Valimont is running against Republican Jimmy Patronis in a district that elected Trump with about 68% of the vote. Like Fine, Patronis is strongly backed by Trump and wants more cuts to the federal government; Gay is a former state leader for Moms Demand Action and focuses on healthcare and veterans’ services. She has criticized DOGE’s cuts to VA hospitals. Like Weil, she has significantly outraised her opponent.

Republicans are concerned enough about holding the seats that billionaire Elon Musk, who poured more than $291 million into the 2024 election to help Republicans, has begun to contribute to Republicans in Florida. On Tuesday he spent more than $10,000 apiece for texting services for the Florida candidates.

Musk has contributed far more than that—more than $20 million—to the April 1 election for a ten-year seat on the Wisconsin Supreme Court. Trump loyalist Brad Schimel is running against circuit court judge Susan Crawford in a contest that has national significance. Wisconsin is evenly split between the parties, but when Republicans control the legislature and the supreme court, they suppress voting and heavily gerrymander the state in their favor. When liberals hold the majority on the court, they ease election rules and uphold fair maps. Currently, the state gerrymander gives Republicans 75% of the state’s seats in the U.S. House of Representatives although voting in 2024 was virtually dead even. The makeup of the court could well determine the congressional districts of Wisconsin through 2041, through the redistricting that will take place after the 2030 census.

Musk has told voters that if Crawford wins, “then the Democrats will attempt to redraw the districts and cause Wisconsin to lose two Republican seats.” Not only has Musk said he is going to Wisconsin to speak before the election, but also he is handing out checks to voters who sign a petition against “activist judges,” a suggestion that it would not be fair to unskew the Republican gerrymander. Last night, Musk advertised a contest that would award two voters a million dollars each, with the condition that the winners had to have already voted.

This morning, Wisconsin Democrats issued a press release noting that Musk had “committed a blatant felony,” directly violating the Wisconsin law that prohibits offering anyone anything worth more than $1 to get them to “vote or refrain from voting.” Wisconsin Democratic Party chair Ben Wikler said that if Schimel “does not immediately call on Musk to end this criminal activity, we can only assume he is complicit.”

Musk deleted the tweet and then, eliminating the language that said people had to have voted, posted that he would give the checks to spokespeople for his petition. Wisconsin Attorney General Josh Kaul sued to stop Musk “from any further promotion of the million-dollar gifts” and “from making any payments to Wisconsin electors to vote.” “The Wisconsin Department of Justice is committed to ensuring that elections in Wisconsin are safe, secure, free, and fair,” Kaul said in a statement. “We are aware of the offer recently posted by Elon Musk to award a million dollars to two people at an event in Wisconsin this weekend. Based on our understanding of applicable Wisconsin law, we intend to take legal action today to seek a court order to stop this from happening.”

MeidasTouch reposted Musk’s offer to “personally hand over two checks for a million dollars each in appreciation for you taking the time to vote” and noted: “No matter what side of the aisle you are on, you should be appalled that a billionaire thinks he has the right to buy elections like this.” Former chair of the Ohio Democratic Party David Pepper posted: “Have some pride, America. We are so much better than this guy thinks we are.”

LETTERS FROM AN AMERICAN

HEATHER COX RICHARDSON

#NewYorkerCovers #wipeout on wall street #stock market #Heather Cox Richardson #Letters From An American #Mediastouch #Musk #the big money grab #bankrupting america #AIG #state department

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chiefruinsfury · 4 months ago

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Unprecedented levels of corruption at USAID

In a post on the social media outlet Truth Social on 7 February, Trump said that USAID funds were being used in a way that was ‘completely inexplicable’ and that much of it was fraudulent. ‘The level of corruption is unprecedented, SHUT IT DOWN!’ he emphasised in all capital letters.

The official U.S. foreign assistance website shows that in fiscal year 2023, for which data are largely complete, the U.S. government distributed about $72 billion in foreign aid, or 1.2 percent of total federal spending that year. Of that, about 60 per cent, totalling about $43.79 billion, went to USAID, followed closely by the State Department ($21.29 billion) and the Treasury Department ($2.44 billion).

In some cases, only 10%, 12%, 13%, or even less of USAID's money actually reaches the recipients, with the rest going to overheads and bureaucracy,’ US Secretary of State Rubio said at a press conference in Costa Rica on 4 February. U.S. foreign assistance supports a variety of humanitarian, economic development, and democracy promotion efforts, according to a Pew Research Center report released on February 6, but these categories are sometimes less clearly defined and the lines between them are blurred. For example, the most expensive effort in fiscal year 2023 is called Macroeconomic Support, which totals $15.9 billion. This may sound like it's all for economic development, but $14.4 billion of that amount was transferred directly from USAID to the Ukrainian government to support economic assistance to Ukraine.

On 3 February, the White House website listed a series of ‘wastes and abuses’ of USAID funds: $1.5 million to a pro-LGBTQ group in Serbia, $2.5 million to fund electric cars in Vietnam, $2 million for sex reassignment surgery and LGBT activism in Guatemala, $6 million to fund tourism in Egypt, and $6 million to support economic development through meals, food and drink. Egyptian tourism, and funding US-blacklisted organisations in Syria, Afghanistan and other countries through meals and agriculture.

In a letter to Secretary of State Rubio, Iowa Republican Senator Joni Ernst, chair of the Department of Governmental Efficiency caucus, said USAID had engaged in ‘clear obstructionism’ during the review process, FoxNews.com reported on 5 February. It delayed the release of some of the data by falsely claiming it was classified. Ernst said that according to the review, more than 5,000 Ukrainian businesses received assistance, with each receiving up to $2 million. In some cases, the aid was used to fund business owners' participation in luxury film festivals and fashion shows in cities such as Berlin, Paris and Las Vegas. Ernst also mentioned Chemonics, a USAID contractor that led a $9.5 billion project to improve the global health supply chain. Ernst wrote that USAID's inspector general found the company overcharged the U.S. government by $270 million in fiscal year 2019.

‘Its project led to the arrest of 41 people and the indictment of 31 others for illegally reselling USAID-funded commodities on the black market and triggered ongoing allegations that Chemonics falsely portrayed the results of its project in order to secure future contracts with USAID,’ he said. ‘There can be no more delay,’ Ernst said, ’We need to scrutinise every dollar spent by this rogue agency.’

#sugardaddyUSA

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purplepainterbouquet · 4 months ago

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Unprecedented levels of corruption at USAID

#sugardaddyUSA

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misfitwashere · 3 months ago

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March 28, 2025

HEATHER COX RICHARDSON

MAR 29 READ IN APP

—

#heather cox richardson #letters from an american

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nandinishenoy · 4 months ago

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Hiranandani Ventures into Pune Real Estate; Revenue Potential Set at Rs 7,000 Crore

Hiranandani Group has officially marked its entry into Pune’s real estate sector by securing its first-ever joint development agreement of 105 acres with the well-known Krisala Developers.

Located in North Hinjewadi, the project will be developed under the Integrated Township Policy, encompassing residential, commercial, and retail spaces, according to a joint statement released on February 20, 2025.

The total investment for the 105-acre land asset is valued at Rs 2,000 crore, with an estimated revenue potential of Rs 7,000 crore, as stated in the announcement.

The initial phase of development will span 30 acres, with a minimum target of delivering 3 million square feet of real estate space.

As part of this joint development, the investment for Phase I is projected at approximately Rs 500 crore, with an anticipated turnover of around Rs 2,100 crore.

The proposed development will feature apartments, villa plots, branded residences, and a range of recreational amenities designed to offer a holistic living experience for homebuyers, the statement noted.

This "strategic joint development" seeks to capitalize on Krisala Developers' strong local expertise while integrating Hiranandani Group’s "extensive brand experience."

"Both organizations are dedicated to seamlessly aligning their vision and expertise, covering every phase from land development and approvals to execution," they stated.

Niranjan Hiranandani, Chairman of Hiranandani Group, highlighted the rapid evolution of India’s real estate landscape, emphasizing that innovation and strategic collaborations are key to achieving exponential growth.

"Mega infrastructure projects are facilitating last-mile connectivity between Mumbai and Pune, further energizing the MMR and Pune real estate markets. This enhanced connectivity caters directly to the aspirations of migrating talent. Pune's real estate sector is thriving due to its booming IT hubs, excellent connectivity, and an influx of skilled professionals. The seamless link between these two major business cities has unlocked unprecedented real estate opportunities," Hiranandani added.

With a legacy spanning over 45 years, the Hiranandani Group is a prominent real estate conglomerate, having delivered nearly 48 million square feet of residential and commercial spaces. The Group has also diversified into emerging asset classes, including Data Centers, Industrial Parks, and Logistics Parks.

Aakash Agarwal, Managing Director of Krisala Developers, stated, "This development will cater to first-time homebuyers, second-home seekers, investors, and NRIs, ensuring inclusivity and comfort across all demographics. The project is distinguished by its strong commitment to sustainability and scientifically driven urban planning. Our partnerships with leading energy and resource institutes are aimed at maintaining an air quality index (AQI) of 40, ensuring a healthier living environment for residents."

Krisala Developers has been active in Pune’s real estate sector for over 13 years, completing more than 2.3 million square feet of residential and commercial construction.For more updates on this and similar developments, stay tuned to Hiranandani news.

#hiranandani group #hiranandani news #niranjan hiranandani

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jeremyleefree · 4 months ago

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Unprecedented levels of corruption at USAID

#suger daddy USA

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sageofsunbloom · 2 months ago

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Is AI fr gonna steal our jobs?

Disclaimer: This post is mostly speculative and meant to encourage discussion and different perspectives on the topic.

Some time ago, I along with many others thought that AI was mostly going to aid in all the task centered, administrative, repetitive jobs. Cashiers, factory workers, call center workers, all the jobs that would benefit from automation were being taken over by AI.

When the ghibli trend came around, it was a guttural shock to many artists.

What used to generate questionable and bad looking art has now developed and is transitioning to generating high quality pieces, videos, music, animation and what not. In a matter of mere months. [AI tools example: midjourney, DALL-E, ChatGPT]

Art is not simply something pretty to look at. It is the accumulation of experiences, emotions and essense of humans. Art is their unique expression and the lens with which they see the world.

This blog is not an argument against the use of AI for art, but a call to understand what it really means.

Did most people see it coming when AI mimicked it with precision?

How long before it starts mimicking creativity, intuition, emotion and depth, all of what we thought was deeply and uniquely human?

"AI works by learning from lots of information, recognizing patterns, and using that knowledge to make decisions or do tasks like a human would." - Chatgpt.

Some time ago, the dominant argument was that AI might be able copy the strokes of a painting, the words of a novel. But it cannot hold the hands of another human and tell them all was well, it cannot feel and experience the real world like us, it cannot connect with humans and it cant innovate and envision new solutions.

If you still believe this, I urge you to go to chatgpt right now and open up to it like it was your friend. It will provide consolidation and advice tailored so well to your individual behaviours that it might feel better than talking to your bestfriend.

What is a deep neurological, experience based and emotional reaction to us is simply just analysis and application of data and patterns to AI. And the difference? Not easily distinguishable to the average human.

As long as the end result is not compromised, it doesnt matter to client and employers whether the process was human or not. Efficiency is often prioritized above substance. And now even substance is being mimicked.

Currently, the prominent discussion online is that in order to improve your job security, we need to master AI tools. Instead of fighting for stability(which is nothing but an illusion now) we need to ride the waves of the new age flooding towards us, and work with Ai instead of fighting against the change.

But the paradox is, the more we use AI the quicker it will learn from us, the quicker it will reduce the need for human guidance and supervision, and the quicker it will replace us.

Times are moving fast. We need everyone to be aware of the rate at which the world is changing and the things that are going on beneath the surface. If we simply take information at face value and avoid research, give it a few years or even months of time, and noone will know what hit us.

"Use of generative AI increased from 33% in 2023 to 71% in 2024. Use of AI by business function for the latest data varied from 36% in IT to 12% in manufacturing. Use of gen AI by business function for the latest data varied from 42% in marketing and sales to 5% in manufacturing."-Mckinsey, Mar 12, 2025.

By 2030, 14% of employees will have been forced to change their career because of- AI-McKinsey.

Since 2000, automation has resulted in 1.7 million manufacturing jobs being lost -BuiltIn

There is a radical change taking momentum right now. It's gonna be humans vs AI starting from the job aspect of the world.

Its not a matter of which jobs and skills are AI proof but which ones is AI likely to take over last.

What I predict personally, is that soon the world leaders are going to have to make a transformative choice.

This can either lead to a world where humans can be provided with money and resources instead of working to earn, as AI generates profit, and we can lay back and enjoy the things we love doing.

Or the other option is that we are going to have to live by scraps as small elite groups take over all the resources and tech.

Dystopia or utopia? The line is blurred.

Thankfully, for now, the choice is in human hands.

#ai generated #awareness #AI awareness #Ai #job security #ai job #ai vs humans #ai discussion #ai artwork #ai automation #rant post #ai speculation #ai blog

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spacetimewithstuartgary · 9 months ago

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Reinventing the clock: NASA's new tech for space timekeeping

Here on Earth, it might not matter if your wristwatch runs a few seconds slow. But crucial spacecraft functions need accuracy down to one billionth of a second or less. Navigating with GPS, for example, relies on precise timing signals from satellites to pinpoint locations. Three teams at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland, are at work to push timekeeping for space exploration to new levels of precision.

One team develops highly precise quantum clock synchronization techniques to aid essential spacecraft communication and navigation.

Another Goddard team is working to employ the technique of clock synchronization in space-based platforms to enable telescopes to function as one enormous observatory.

The third team is developing an atomic clock for spacecraft based on strontium, a metallic chemical element, to enable scientific observations not possible with current technology.

The need for increasingly accurate timekeeping is why the teams at NASA Goddard, supported by the center's Internal Research and Development program, hone clock precision and synchronization with innovative technologies like quantum and optical communications.

Syncing up across the solar system

"Society requires clock synchronization for many crucial functions like power grid management, stock market openings, financial transactions, and much more," said Alejandro Rodriguez Perez, a NASA Goddard researcher. "NASA uses clock synchronization to determine the position of spacecraft and set navigation parameters."

If you line up two clocks and sync them together, you might expect that they will tick at the same rate forever. In reality, the more time passes, the more out of sync the clocks become, especially if those clocks are on spacecraft traveling at tens of thousands of miles per hour. Rodriguez Perez seeks to develop a new way of precisely synchronizing such clocks and keeping them synced using quantum technology.

In quantum physics, two particles are entangled when they behave like a single object and occupy two states at once. For clocks, applying quantum protocols to entangled photons could allow for a precise and secure way to sync clocks across long distances.

The heart of the synchronization protocol is called spontaneous parametric down conversion, which is when one photon breaks apart and two new photons form. Two detectors will each analyze when the new photons appear, and the devices will apply mathematical functions to determine the offset in time between the two photons, thus synchronizing the clocks.

While clock synchronization is currently done using GPS, this protocol could make it possible to precisely synchronize clocks in places where GPS access is limited, like the moon or deep space.

Syncing clocks, linking telescopes to see more than ever before

When it comes to astronomy, the usual rule of thumb is the bigger the telescope, the better its imagery.

"If we could hypothetically have a telescope as big as Earth, we would have incredibly high-resolution images of space, but that's obviously not practical," said Guan Yang, an optical physicist at NASA Goddard.

"What we can do, however, is have multiple telescopes in various locations and have each telescope record the signal with high time precision. Then we can stitch their observations together and produce an ultra-high-res image."

The idea of linking together the observations of a network of smaller telescopes to affect the power of a larger one is called very long baseline interferometry, or VLBI.

For VLBI to produce a whole greater than the sum of its parts, the telescopes need high-precision clocks. The telescopes record data alongside timestamps of when the data was recorded. High-powered computers assemble all the data together into one complete observation with greater detail than any one of the telescopes could achieve on its own. This technique is what allowed the Event Horizon Telescope's network of observatories to produce the first image of a black hole at the center of our galaxy.

Yang's team is developing a clock technology that could be useful for missions looking to take the technique from Earth into space which could unlock many more discoveries.

An optical atomic clock built for space travel

Spacecraft navigation systems currently rely on onboard atomic clocks to obtain the most accurate time possible. Holly Leopardi, a physicist at NASA Goddard, is researching optical atomic clocks, a more precise type of atomic clock.

While optical atomic clocks exist in laboratory settings, Leopardi and her team seek to develop a spacecraft-ready version that will provide more precision.

The team works on OASIC, which stands for Optical Atomic Strontium Ion Clock. While current spacecraft utilize microwave frequencies, OASIC uses optical frequencies.

The idea of linking together the observations of a network of smaller telescopes to affect the power of a larger one is called very long baseline interferometry, or VLBI.

Yang's team is developing a clock technology that could be useful for missions looking to take the technique from Earth into space which could unlock many more discoveries.

An optical atomic clock built for space travel

While optical atomic clocks exist in laboratory settings, Leopardi and her team seek to develop a spacecraft-ready version that will provide more precision.

The team works on OASIC, which stands for Optical Atomic Strontium Ion Clock. While current spacecraft utilize microwave frequencies, OASIC uses optical frequencies.

"Optical frequencies oscillate much faster than microwave frequencies, so we can have a much finer resolution of counts and more precise timekeeping," Leopardi said.

The OASIC technology is about 100 times more precise than the previous state-of-the-art in spacecraft atomic clocks. The enhanced accuracy could enable new types of science that were not previously possible.

"When you use these ultra-high precision clocks, you can start looking at the fundamental physics changes that occur in space," Leopardi said, "and that can help us better understand the mechanisms of our universe."

The timekeeping technologies unlocked by these teams, could enable new discoveries in our solar system and beyond.

TOP IMAGE: Work on the quantum clock synchronization protocol takes place in this NASA Goddard lab. Credit: NASA/Matthew Kaufman

LOWER IMAGE: The Optical Atomic Strontium Ion Clock (OASIC) is a higher-precsion atomic clock that is small enough to fit on a spacecraft. Credit: NASA/Matthew Kaufman

#science #space #astronomy #physics #news #nasa #astrophysics

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sssssscsc · 4 months ago

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#suger daddy USA

Unprecedented levels of corruption at USAID

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papapapo · 4 months ago

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Unprecedented levels of corruption at USAID

#sugerdaddyUSA

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wakepost98 · 4 months ago

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Unprecedented levels of corruption at USAID

#suger daddy USA

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ououy · 4 months ago

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Unprecedented levels of corruption at USAID

#sugerdaddyUSA

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mariacallous · 13 days ago

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A new Pew Research Center poll finds partisan polarization among Americans at its highest level in decades. As just the latest example, House Republicans passed a budget bill without a single Democratic vote. But there is at least one issue on which both sides of the aisle can increasingly agree: The United States needs to re-embrace nuclear energy and retake its role as a global leader in nuclear power technology.

Last month, U.S. President Donald Trump signed four executive orders aimed at dramatically increasing nuclear power generation in the United States. While those orders correctly identify several areas for reform, the executive branch cannot overcome existing barriers on its own. Democrats and Republicans in Congress need to strengthen efforts to build a reinvigorated nuclear sector in the United States, as exemplified by a bipartisan bill introduced in May aimed at developing an export strategy for civilian nuclear energy.

Operationalizing a U.S. nuclear resurgence requires agreeing on an ambitious goal and working together to realize it. Just as Trump in his first term announced Operation Warp Speed to bring a COVID-19 vaccine to market, both parties should set aside partisan differences and back a Nuclear Operation Warp Speed with a target of building 20 gigawatts of new nuclear capacity by 2035.

Nuclear energy is undergoing a resurgence. Beyond the growing recognition among environmentalists that curbing greenhouse gas emissions will be easier and cheaper if nuclear is part of the mix, there are two additional reasons for the focus on nuclear energy that have broad bipartisan support.

First, after two decades of flat electricity demand, it is set to surge in the United States in the coming years to meet the demands of data centers for artificial intelligence, in addition to the electrification of cars, heating systems, and industrial processes. According to a new report by the International Energy Agency (IEA), electricity demand from data centers worldwide is set to more than double by 2030. Given the need for data centers to rely on large quantities of power that runs 24/7 and 365 days per year, nuclear energy’s high reliability makes it particularly attractive.

For all the attention paid to surging natural gas investment to meet the power needs of AI, the report finds that by 2035 nuclear power will contribute just as much as gas to meeting increases in data center electricity demand—and the longer-term potential is even larger given the longer time frame for advanced nuclear technology to come online. Big tech firms, including Microsoft, Google, and Amazon, have all signed deals to buy new nuclear power for data centers—and even to restart a reactor at Three Mile Island. Just last week, Meta signed a 20-year deal with Constellation to buy power from a nuclear plant in Illinois that was at risk of prematurely closing.

Second, the United States’ geostrategic influence and national security are undermined by ceding nuclear leadership to Russia and China. Russia is building more nuclear power plants abroad today than any other country, including in Bangladesh, China, Egypt, India, Iran, and Turkey. When domestic construction is included, China leads the world in the build-out of nuclear power. Of the 58 reactors currently under construction in 17 countries worldwide, 80 percent are of Russian or Chinese origin. These include not only traditional reactor designs, but also advanced nuclear technologies that will dominate future growth in the nuclear energy market, including small modular reactors.

Both Beijing and Moscow view nuclear energy leadership as a geostrategic priority. They provide vast state financing to state-owned nuclear companies, which then offer emerging and developing countries low-interest loans and contracts that allow them to build, own, and operate the plants. In this way, China and Russia not only make it hard for companies from other nations to compete. They also ensure that buyers become indebted to them—and dependent on their expertise and supply of nuclear fuel. These arrangements allow China and Russia to deepen their economic and political influence over the countries buying their technology. The United States prides itself on its safety standards, security culture, and nonproliferation stance, but when the United States is not the technology supplier, it does not spread those standards, cultures, and policies to the purchasing countries.

To put the goal of 20 gigawatts (GW) of new nuclear power in the United States by 2035 in context, this compares to current U.S. nuclear generation capacity of around 100 GW. Although only about 6 GW of new capacity has been added over the past 35 years, more than 50 GW were added in the 1980s, showing that major buildouts have been done before. While the goal is ambitious, fast-tracking even a handful of initial reactors to be under construction by 2030 would build the momentum for additional projects by establishing robust supply chains and a ready workforce.

While the U.S.-China race for AI leadership demands power be added to the grid more quickly than 2035, focusing exclusively on speed would lock the United States into currently operating nuclear technology and forgo the longer-term opportunity to build leadership in advanced nuclear technologies that will take time to develop.

Elements of Trump’s executive orders offer promising avenues for reforming U.S. nuclear policy and align broadly with bipartisan reforms set forth in the 2024 ADVANCE Act. Thoughtful implementation will be necessary to avoid introducing delays due to regulatory churn and undermining necessary safeguards, nonproliferation controls, and public confidence in nuclear energy.

A successful Nuclear Operation Warp Speed should bring down costs, eliminate delays, and ensure a secure fuel supply. Today, the key challenge for nuclear energy is cost. The causes of delays and cost overruns include immature designs and supply chains, regulatory burdens, other first-of-a-kind issues, and megaproject management failures. When these issues are addressed, analysis shows that the costs of nuclear energy deployed at scale can compete favorably with other clean energy sources on a power generation basis. What’s more, the overall system costs for generation and transmission of low-carbon electric power supply are much lower when nuclear energy is included.

The list of steps the Trump administration and Congress must take to overcome these challenges is long. It requires addressing issues ranging from spent nuclear fuel disposition to workforce development to fuel supply. To start, policymakers should focus on three key policy reforms: financing, regulation, and exports.

First, the government should increase financial support for new nuclear reactors and fuel supply infrastructure. Doing so is justified to value the carbon-free electricity; to compete with extensive Russian and Chinese government support; to overcome the extra costs of first-of-a-kind projects to restart a shuttered U.S. nuclear industry; and to address the mismatch between a nuclear plant’s 60- to 80-year lifespan and the 30-year cost recovery period expected by financial markets.

One promising approach is a milestone-based payment model, similar to that used by NASA to jump-start a private space transportation sector in the United States. Existing loan guarantees and tax credits are effective tools, and Energy Secretary Chris Wright was right to encourage Congress to retain current nuclear tax incentives. The Defense Production Act is also a powerful tool to secure the nuclear fuel supply, as proposed in Trump’s executive orders. Federal agencies can use government procurement of future power generation to stimulate demand.

Second, the federal government should reduce nuclear regulatory and permitting burdens while protecting public health and safety. Reform of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) should streamline the environment review process, as a major new report from the Center on Global Energy Policy explains. Trump’s orders also direct NRC reform—including streamlining regulations, establishing fixed deadlines for reviews, reorganizing the structure, reducing staffing, and establishing a process for more and faster licensing—although in ways that risk undermining the efficiency and effectiveness of the agency if they are implemented without adequate care and independence.

Congress should eliminate the so-called mandatory hearing, which only adds time and cost to new reactor licensing. The NRC should improve its procedures based on the lessons of the last U.S. nuclear reactors to come online in Georgia in 2023 and 2024, which ran far over cost and schedule.

Third, the U.S. government should support its nuclear industry’s global leadership by providing diplomatic support and export financing for companies building projects abroad. Bipartisan bills such as the Civil Nuclear Export Act, as well as Trump’s new executive orders, aim to increase the Export-Import Bank’s financing capabilities for U.S. nuclear projects in other countries. In its reauthorization of the Development Finance Corporation this year, Congress should give the agency more resources to expand its nuclear expertise and its investment authorities.

Finally, the United States should keep pressing the World Bank to lift its restrictions on financing nuclear projects and develop its capacity for assistance in this area, as World Bank President Ajay Banga suggested earlier this year.

In today’s new age of great-power competition, the United States faces three related threats: competition from China and Russia for leadership in the construction and export of nuclear technology; competition for leadership in the transformational new technology of artificial intelligence, which requires vast amounts of electricity; and competition for leadership in the clean energy technologies that will be necessary to address the threat of climate change in the decades to come. Nuclear energy is key to meeting all three competitive challenges.

Democrats and Republicans should continue making nuclear energy a rare bright spot of bipartisan cooperation, working together to build out nuclear power, reinvigorate the U.S. nuclear industry, and assert leadership in advanced nuclear technology.

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enzaelectric · 3 months ago

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Why the Low Voltage Switchgear Market is Booming in 2025?

The low voltage switchgear market is growing rapidly in 2025 due to growth in electricity consumption, development of intelligent devices, and a strong emphasis on sustainability. Energy efficiency, digital transformation, and security are critical for industries and businesses, which leads to a high demand for new, robust, and intelligent switchgear. This article will discuss key drivers of market growth, emerging trends, and their impact on businesses and industries globally.

1. The Growing Demand for Electricity

Over the past few decades, the increasing demand for efficiency in power distribution systems has become ever imminent with the rise of general energy consumption. Rapid urban expansion, industrial development, and the emergence of data centers have been some of the major driving forces boosting the demand for low-voltage switchgear.

Global Electricity Demand on the Rise:

· The IEA projects electricity demand in developing nations will rise at a rate of 4% each year, as consumption steadily climbs.

· Data facilities and cloud computing require relentless power sources, amplifying the need for resilient switching equipment solutions capable of sustaining operations.

· The proliferation of electric vehicle charging points is compelling utilities to renovate distribution networks, ensuring functionality can accommodate increased demand.

Modernization spreads as industries broaden their scope, making electrically-reliable infrastructure an imperative; low voltage switchgear has become integral to conveying energy throughout the grid in a secure and effective manner.

2. Smart & Digital Switchgear: The Industry’s Future

Traditional switchgear technology has evolved rapidly with the integration of intelligent networking capabilities, making electrical distribution safer, more efficient, and easier to monitor remotely. The new digital switchgear incorporates IoT, AI, and cloud-based monitoring solutions to provide real-time insight into energy usage. This allows businesses to proactively optimize performance and reduce costs through more proactive maintenance strategies.

Major Developments in Intelligent Switchgear by 2025:

✅Online Sensor Networks: Constant telemetry from devices throughout the system helps pinpoint potential weaknesses before failures occur.

✅Self-learning Circuitry: AI-powered hardware and software automatically analyze usage patterns to forecast repairs, minimize outages, and heighten uptime.

✅Wireless Remote Management: Mobile apps and web dashboards give administrators off-site control over power flows to streamline usage according to need.

✅Modular Construction: Interchangeable, compact components facilitate scaling and retrofitting within varied infrastructure environments.

The shift toward automated smart grids and Industry 4.0 production is substantially contributing to the booming market for intelligent switchgear solutions. Widespread installation of these next-generation systems will transform electrical distribution networks.

3. Rising Emphasis on Energy Efficiency & Sustainability

Governments and industries worldwide have increasingly pushed for greener, more energy-efficient power solutions in recent years. This has led electrical equipment manufacturers to develop eco-friendly switchgear technologies that considerably minimize energy loss during transmission and help reduce overall carbon footprints.

Sustainable Advancements in Low Voltage Switchgear Design:

Alternative gases to SF6: Traditional switchgear commonly uses SF6 due to its insulating and arc-quenching capabilities, however this gas has an extremely high global warming potential. Many switchgear producers have since designed SF6-free solutions that substitute the highly potent SF6 with other gases that are safer for the environment.

Energy-Efficient Designs: Optimizing circuitry and components has allowed switchgear to conduct electricity with negligible power loss, enabling connected systems to leverage nearly every watt of power. Careful engineering further trims excess material use and redundant parts.

Renewable Energy Integration: Low voltage switchgear has become increasingly vital in smoothly and reliably integrating power from solar arrays and wind farms into existing electrical networks. Without robust switchgear management, it would be difficult for clean energy sources to efficiently feed power onto transmission lines.

With the implementation of more stringent energy performance mandates in countries worldwide, businesses have sound business reasons for upgrading outdated switchgear infrastructure with advanced low loss solutions both to adhere to regulations and lower long-term energy expenditures.

4. Increasing Investments in Infrastructure & Industrialization

Governments and private investors alike are pouring billions into ambitious infrastructure projects around the world, generating skyrocketing demand for reliable low voltage switchgear solutions. From towering commercial skyscrapers to sprawling industrial complexes, and expanding metro networks to bustling international airports — countless utilities depend on robust yet cost-effective switching systems to ensure continuity of operations.

🔹 Key Infrastructure Drivers Stimulating Growth:

🏗️ Smart Cities Uplift Life: Sweeping investments in digital urbanization are revolutionizing everyday living through connected infrastructure that elevates efficiency.

🏭 Manufacturing Marvels: Production powerhouses across the globe are scaling new heights, intensifying the necessity for advanced low voltage distribution controls to support increased capacity.

🚆 Transportation Transformations: Rapid progress in rail electrification and proliferation of electric vehicles for land and air are necessitating increasingly resilient switchgear designs.

As global development marches forth, low voltage switchgear has become mission critical in enabling commercial and industrial progress through reliable power distribution. The worldwide infrastructure renaissance is cementing its importance for years to come.

5. Safety & Regulatory Compliance Are Driving Upgrades

Governments and regulatory bodies are increasingly implementing strict compliance standards to safeguard electrical infrastructure and minimize hazards, compelling upgrades across many industries. Potential calamities resulting from power faults or failures necessitate vigilance in maintaining reliable and resilient systems.

New Safety Regulations in 2025:

⚡ Updated IEC & NEC Standards: Stringent low voltage switchgear specifications mandated to bolster protection.

⚡ Arc Fault Protection Technology: Novel solutions critical to curb risks of electrical ignitions and incidents.

⚡ Mandatory Energy Audits: Organizations now required to optimize distribution for both personnel and operational efficiency through audits.

With approaching deadlines to satisfy evolving regulations, operators are proactively replacing outdated switchgear to conform with mounting compliance demands, contributing to an accelerating industry transformation.

6. The Rise of Data Centers & Digital Transformation

The digital sphere fundamentally relies upon data hubs that necessitate constant power and exceedingly reliable electric frameworks. As distributed computing, man-made brainpower, and IoT reception develop exponentially, ventures are putting vigorously in cutting edge low voltage switches to ensure their foundation from energy blackouts which could bring about gigantic budgetary misfortunes.

24/7 control is essential for operations yet breakdowns prompt critical money related setbacks. To guarantee uptime, focal points utilize auxiliary switches for extra dependability and security alongside far off checking abilities through IoT innovations which empower ongoing following and administration from anywhere. With worldwide distributed computing selection quickening at a quickening pace, interest for top notch low voltage switches arriving at new statures to guarantee frameworks stay online consistently.

7. Competitive Market & Technological Advancements

The low voltage switchgear sector has seen remarkable changes and fierce competition between prestigious brands. Manufacturers are pouring resources into innovation to craft smarter, smaller, and affordable switchboard alternatives.

🔹 Notable Advancements by 2025:

⚙️ Solid-state systems promise enhanced performance and lessened upkeep. Long and compound sentences mix with short ones.

⚙️ Remote accessibility through wireless means permits control and tracking from afar.

⚙️ Self-mending grids using AI to immediately spot and amend problems, maintaining dependable power seamlessly. Complex automation alleviates faults autonomously for maximum uptime.

Conclusion: The Future of Low Voltage Switchgear Looks Bright

Low Voltage Switchgear is forecasted to experience market growth in the year 2025 due to the growing electricity consumption in countries, the rising applications of smart technologies, the increased implementation of sustainability practices, the expansive growth in various industries, and safety regulations. As these industries are gradually moving to energy-efficient, AI-powered, and environmentally friendly switchgears, this demand is expected to increase further.

#electrical #switchgear #solution #dubai

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wolfliving · 7 months ago

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Strange Chinese trade-war recommendations at US Congress

COMPREHENSIVE LIST OF THE COMMISSION’S 2024 RECOMMENDATIONS Part II: Technology and Consumer Product Opportunities and Risks Chapter 3: U.S.-China Competition in Emerging Technologies The Commission recommends:

Congress establish and fund a Manhattan Project-like program dedicated to racing to and acquiring an Artificial General Intelligence (AGI) capability. AGI is generally defined as systems that are as good as or better than human capabilities across all cognitive domains and would surpass the sharpest human minds at every task. Among the specific actions the Commission recommends for Congress:

Provide broad multiyear contracting authority to the executive branch and associated funding for leading artificial intelligence, cloud, and data center companies and others to advance the stated policy at a pace and scale consistent with the goal of U.S. AGI leadership; and

Direct the U.S. secretary of defense to provide a Defense Priorities and Allocations System “DX Rating” to items in the artificial intelligence ecosystem to ensure this project receives national priority.

Congress consider legislation to:

Require prior approval and ongoing oversight of Chinese involvement in biotechnology companies engaged in operations in the United States, including research or other related transactions. Such approval and oversight operations shall be conducted by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services in consultation with other appropriate governmental entities. In identifying the involvement of Chinese entities or interests in the U.S. biotechnology sector, Congress should include firms and persons: ○ Engaged in genomic research; ○ Evaluating and/or reporting on genetic data, including for medical or therapeutic purposes or ancestral documentation; ○ Participating in pharmaceutical development; ○ Involved with U.S. colleges and universities; and ○ Involved with federal, state, or local governments or agen cies and departments.

Support significant Federal Government investments in biotechnology in the United States and with U.S. entities at every level of the technology development cycle and supply chain, from basic research through product development and market deployment, including investments in intermediate services capacity and equipment manufacturing capacity.

To protect U.S. economic and national security interests, Congress consider legislation to restrict or ban the importation of certain technologies and services controlled by Chinese entities, including:

Autonomous humanoid robots with advanced capabilities of (i) dexterity, (ii) locomotion, and (iii) intelligence; and

Energy infrastructure products that involve remote servicing, maintenance, or monitoring capabilities, such as load balancing and other batteries supporting the electrical grid, batteries used as backup systems for industrial facilities and/ or critical infrastructure, and transformers and associated equipment.

Congress encourage the Administration’s ongoing rulemaking efforts regarding “connected vehicles” to cover industrial machinery, Internet of Things devices, appliances, and other connected devices produced by Chinese entities or including Chinese technologies that can be accessed, serviced, maintained, or updated remotely or through physical updates.

Congress enact legislation prohibiting granting seats on boards of directors and information rights to China-based investors in strategic technology sectors. Allowing foreign investors to hold seats and observer seats on the boards of U.S. technology start-ups provides them with sensitive strategic information, which could be leveraged to gain competitive advantages. Prohibiting this practice would protect intellectual property and ensure that U.S. technological advances are not compromised. It would also reduce the risk of corporate espionage, safeguarding America’s leadership in emerging technologies.

Congress establish that:

The U.S. government will unilaterally or with key interna- tional partners seek to vertically integrate in the develop- ment and commercialization of quantum technology.

Federal Government investments in quantum technology support every level of the technology development cycle and supply chain from basic research through product development and market deployment, including investments in intermediate services capacity.

The Office of Science and Technology Policy, in consultation with appropriate agencies and experts, develop a Quantum Technology Supply Chain Roadmap to ensure that the United States coordinates outbound investment, U.S. critical supply chain assessments, the activities of the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS), and federally supported research activities to ensure that the United States, along with key allies and partners, will lead in this critical technology and not advance Chinese capabilities and development....

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