Author: webentro

In a collaborative effort to advance large-scale artificial intelligence (AI) systems for scientific discovery, the newly formed Trillion Parameter Consortium (TPC) has gained a significant member in the National Center for Supercomputing Applications (NCSA), reported Cyber News. Comprising experts from esteemed research institutes, federal laboratories, academia, and industry, TPC aims to collectively build trillion-parameter-sized digital brains exclusively fueled by scientific information.
The open community of researchers, led by some of the brightest minds globally, seeks to pool knowledge, prevent duplication of efforts, and coordinate AI projects to maximize their impact.Envisaging a global network of resources and expertise, TPC focuses on creating state-of-the-art large language models (LLMs) for science and engineering.
The genesis of this collaboration dates back to the deployment of exascale computing platforms like Frontier, Aurora, and El Capitan in US Department of Energy laboratories. Recognizing the need for cooperation to develop models on par with private giants like OpenAI’s GPT-4, TPC emphasizes the trustworthiness and reliability of their AI models as the forefront of large-scale AI.
Rick Stevens, Argonne associate laboratory director, expressed the ongoing development of frontier AI models and the preparation of vast scientific datasets for training. The NCSA is pivotal in this initiative, introducing its AI-focused advanced computing and data resource, DeltaAI, set to triple the computing capacity and significantly expand the NSF-funded advanced computing ecosystem upon its launch in 2024.
Founding members, including Argonne National Laboratory, are concurrently working on their AI models. AuroraGPT, Argonne’s creation, aspires to become a comprehensive brain for scientific researchers after extensive training. The TPC collaboration seeks to harness global efforts in identifying high-quality training data, designing and evaluating model architectures, and innovating model evaluation strategies concerning bias, trustworthiness, and goal alignment.

ChatGPT owner OpenAI is not expected to offer Microsoft and other investors including Khosla Ventures and Thrive Capital seats on its new board, a person familiar with the matter told Reuters on Tuesday.
In a few tumultuous days last week, OpenAI ousted its CEO and founder Sam Altman without any detailed cause, setting off alarm bells among investors and employees.He was reinstated with the promise of a new board.
Altman’s exit sparked confusion about the future of the startup at the center of an artificial intelligence boom.
“I do not know that it’s going to be the choice of OpenAI to leave Microsoft off the board,” said Thomas Hayes chairman of hedge fund Great Hill Capital.
“Microsoft will have something to say about it, given the amount of money that they have put behind them,” he said, adding that it would not be in the interest of Microsoft “to sit passively”.
The Information first reported the news and said OpenAI will have a nine-person board.
The three initial directors of the new board – Chair Bret Taylor, former Treasury Secretary Larry Summers, and Quora CEO Adam D’Angelo – are expected to be confirmed as soon as this week, the report said.
D’Angelo would be the only remaining director from the old six-person board that fired Altman.
Microsoft, which has invested more than $10 billion in OpenAI, is one of the biggest backers of OpenAI that operates ChatGPT, its viral generative AI chatbot.
Its CEO Satya Nadella had earlier told CNBC the governance at the ChatGPT maker needed to change no matter where Altman ended up.
In response to a question on the OpenAI board, a Microsoft spokesperson said, “We will wait until the board officially says something.”
OpenAI and Thrive did not immediately respond to requests for comment, while Khosla declined to comment.

Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) has launched its AWS generative AI practice to help businesses harness the potential of AI and AWS generative AI services.The new practice will transform different parts of their value chain.
The company said that it has developed a large catalogue of use-cases for generative AI and has invested in foundation training of over 1,00,000 employees on generative AI.The company is now focussing on deepening their expertise, including certification of over 25,000 employees on AWS generative AI services.
How TCS Gen AI practice will help businesses
TCS’ AWS generative AI practice will help enterprises choose and scale the right solutions for their unique business needs, using AWS’ services such as Amazon Bedrock. TCS’ consultants will help clients explore use-cases in their business context, experiment collaboratively and co-innovate generative AI-powered solutions.
This co-innovation can take place at TCS Pace Ports, the company’s innovation and research hubs located in major city hubs including New York, Pittsburgh, Toronto, Amsterdam, and Tokyo. At these sites, the teams can also leverage work done by academic researchers and start-up partners from TCS’ innovation ecosystem.
“To make generative AI deployment effective and trust-worthy, we must approach the technology holistically across multiple dimensions including creativity, productivity, and business value. Drawing from all the investments we have made in building deep capabilities in generative AI, our strong partnership with AWS, and contextual knowledge of our customers’ businesses, we help them take a comprehensive approach to realise the true potential of generative AI to drive their growth and transformation,” said Krishna Mohan, deputy head, TCS AI.Cloud unit.
TCS offers generative AI services, including consulting and advisory, solution design and prototyping, large language model training and fine-tuning, guardrail agent design, project delivery and ongoing maintenance.
TCS will help organisations deploy Amazon CodeWhisperer to provide generative AI-powered code recommendations to developers directly.

Rise of China’s Temu and Singapore’s Sheinhas been exponential in the US. The e-tailers revenues have surged in the past year. Shein reportedly grew more than 40%, and is said to be on its way to surpass Zara — the world’s largest retailer. Shein has been able to trump fast-fashion incumbents Inditex’s Zara and H&M, with revenues reaching $24 billion in the first three quarters of this year, according to reports.The company’s valuation rose to $90 billion after it acquired UK-based online retailer Missguided in October.
According to a report in news agency Reuters, both Temu and Shein have been drawing millions of window shoppers to their websites this holiday season, but they reportedly far lag market leader Amazon.com where it counts. This is turning those visits into actual sales. According to Similarweb, a website data tracking firm, nine out of ten visitors to their websites were window shoppers, not buyers. Shein’s website reportedly drew 28.6 million unique monthly visitors in October, up 7.25% from a year earlier, according to Similarweb. But visits to Shein’s website that resulted in actual transactions declined to 4.1% from 4.6% a year earlier. The Shein app had 64 million monthly active users, a two-thirds increase on a year ago.
The newer Temu, which launched in the US in September 2022, is offering deals for cheap goods for the holiday shopping season. It had 42 million unique monthly visitors in October 2023, more than four times the amount a year earlier. Only 4.5% of those resulted in actual transactions. In Europe, the Temu app overtook eBay in October, hitting 51 million monthly active users across Android and Apple devices, according to data.ai.
The additional eyeballs on Shein is thanks to aggressive marketing. Shein is ramping up holiday marketing in the US and Europe as it extends its reach and products on its platform. Shein increased its ad spend 60% in the first two weeks of November compared to the same period a year earlier, according to data from marketing intelligence firm SensorTower. Its rival, Temu, doubled its ad spend within the same time frame, the data showed.
What “works” for Amazon
Amazon beat both online retailers with 56% of its 268 million unique monthly visits in October resulting in purchases, as per its data. While both Shein and Temu have been aggressive in advertising, Amazon cut its spending on advertising for the holidays in early November compared to a year ago. The etailer, however, is said to have seen more user engagement than it did in 2022, according to SensorTower. Melissa Minkow, director of retail strategy at information technology firm CI&T, told the agency that online shoppers have an “inherent comfort level” with Amazon’s expansive product categories, shipping speeds and return policies compared to Shein and Temu.
(With agency inputs)

The Finance ministry has taken a serious notice of the recent major issue at UCO Bank and the rising cases of bank frauds in the country. The ministry and the parliamentary panel on ICT have decided to look into and tackle the matter. Financial services secretary Vivek Joshi will hold key consultations on the matter next week.
Meetings will include officials from the Reserve Bank of India (RBI), Trai, telecom department and the National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI), among others.The parliamentary panel has already held consultations with the finance ministry and Punjab National Bank (PNB) MD. Reported fraud cases reached nearly 13,500 in the last year, compared to 9,100 in the previous fiscal year, marking an increase of almost 50%. Analysts believe that these figures may not fully reflect the situation, as many consumers do not file complaints.
The immediate trigger for the meeting appears to be the UCO bank incident.
What exactly is UCO Bank incident
The government and the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) are investigating lapses at UCO Bank. Earlier this month, Kolkata-based public sector lender UCO Bank reported erroneous credit of Rs 820 crore to account holders of the bank via Immediate Payment Service (IMPS). According to the bank, during November 10-13 due to technical issues in IMPS, certain transaction(s) initiated by holders of other banks have resulted in credit to the account holders in UCO Bank without actual receipt of money from these banks. IMPS is a real-time interbank electronic funds transfer system without any intervention.
The bank blocked the recipients’ accounts and has been able to recover Rs 649 crore out of Rs 820 crore.
Was UCO Bank incident hacking attack
The state-owned bank is yet to clarify whether this technical glitch was due to human error or a hacking attempt. However, the bank has reported the matter to the law enforcement agencies for necessary action.

Black Friday, the favourite shopping day of the Americans, has today become a globally recognized phenomenon, marking the official commencement of the holiday shopping season.
The concept, that originated in the US, has spread to other countries, influencing global shopping trends and creating similar sales events worldwide.

For years, Black Friday has meant long lines outside department stores, starting as early as 5am.

Many eager shoppers stood overnight to ensure that they did not miss on the biggest sale of the year. But over the last few years, a part of the Black Friday frenzy has moved online, evolving into a click-and-carry-to-cart event as well. But the deals and sales are pretty much the same – if not better.
Here are some of the best not-to-miss deals listed across online and offline stores, both premium as well as affordable. Read on to know the best deal for you, and yes Happy Shopping!
Amazon: 70% off Kindle, Fire TVs, Blink cams, tablets & clothing. You can also get major savings on the Dyson Airwrap, Apple AirPods, Le Creuset Dutch Ovens
Abercrombie: You get 25% off everything. Plus, you’ll get free shipping on orders of $99 or more. That even includes new arrivals.
Apple: AirPods, Apple Watch and iPads available from $79.
Adidas: 40% off running shoes & clothing
AT&T: iPhone 15 Pro free with plan
Bath & Body Works: Bath & Body Works is dropping new deals every day of the week on top products, like 3-wick candles, hand soaps, and fragrance mists.
Beis Travel: Get 25% off sitewide, plus Beis is running flash deals all weekend long, with up to 50% off best-sellers, like carry-on bags and checked luggage.
Best Buy: $800 off TVs, laptops & headphones
Coach: Select handbags are on sale for 50% off with some styles priced under $200. Clothing and shoes are also 50% off. Everything is already marked down up to 70% off at Coach Outlet for Black Friday, plus you can stack an extra 25% off this week only.
Crocs: Get up to 60% off Croc’s most popular styles, like the Baya Clog ($25, instead of $50) and the Classic Cozzzy Sandal ($30, instead of $55).
Dell: Cheap laptops and desktops starting from $259; gaming rigs from $799, monitors from $79
DreamCloud: Get minimum 40% off on all mattresses and home decor.
Dyson: Save up to $300 on select Dyson products. One of the best Dyson deals is on the V8 Absolute cordless vacuum, which is $220 off. You can also get an Airwrap for $100 that comes with a gift set that includes a presentation case and detangling comb worth $84.98.
Fossil: Get 30% off full-price styles, plus you can sign up for alerts to get $25 off your first order of $75+.
GAP: Everything is 40% off at GAP for Black Friday this week. Select items are marked down by up to 60% off, like vintage slim jeans.
Home Depot: Get up to 45% off tools, appliances and more. You can get up to $2,300 select appliance packages, up to 45% off select tools & accessories, and up to 40% off select home and bath decor.
Jachs NY: Get up to 80% off outerwear, flannel, pants, and fleece. Jahs NY is also hosting daily flash deals for Black Friday, where you can get up to 90% off on top products, like blazers.
J. Crew: Get up to 50% off on almost everything at J. Crew stores.
Kate Spade: You can save up to 50% off during Kate Spade’s Black Friday Preview Sale, plus you can get an extra 25% off the newest markdowns with promo code BFPREVIEW. Get up to 77% off during Surprise Days at Kate Spade this week for Black Friday.
Kohl’s: Black Friday kicked off at Kohl’s this past weekend, with an extra 15% off the lowest prices of the year.
Lenovo: Lenovo stores and website offering up to 76% off laptops, desktops & printers
Lowe’s: Offering up to $800 off major appliances including Kitchen appliances
Macy’s:Black Friday deals at Macy’s include 40-50% off boots, 60-65% off coats and jackets, and up to 40% off Levi’s.
Nike: Get up to 60% off must-have holiday gift items at Nike. You can also get an extra 25% off select styles when you use promo code BLACKFRIDAY at checkout.
Nectar: Get mattress deals starting at $359
Nordstrom: Get 40% off on Nike, Levi’s & UGGs, Coach, Barefoot Dreams and more.
Patagonia: Offering pullovers starting at as low as $64.99
Samsung: Save up to $1,000 during Samsung’s Black Friday Sale on the popular Frame TV. Plus, the more appliances you buy, the more you’ll save, when you buy 4+ appliances, you’ll get $650 off. There’s up to $800 off Galaxy S23 series.
Shopbop: 25% off sitewide with code Holiday
Target: 40% off Christmas decor, TVs & toys; Disney, Barbie & Lego toys starting from $14.99. Target’s Black Friday deals include up to 60% off on Nintendo Switch video games, and 50% off home essentials like KitchenAid mixers.
Victoria’s Secret: Get up to 40% off almost everything at Victoria’s Secret, no code necessary. You’ll also get a free tote on orders of $85+.
Walmart: Get cordless and robot vacs from $49; Big discounts on clothes, bags and shoes. Up to 90% off on TVs, air fryers, PS5 and toys. Select Smart TVs will be on sale for under $100.
Zappos: This Black Friday sale at Zappos has markdowns on shoes, apparel, and more from big brands like HOKA, Steve Madden, Cole Haan, and more.

Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT-In) has issued a high-severity warning about multiple vulnerabilities in multiple Adobe applications. According to the report, multiple vulnerabilities have been reported in Adobe products which can allow an attacker to bypass security restrictions on the targeted system.
List of affected Adobe applications

What’s the warning
CERT-In has mentioned multiple vulnerabilities in Adobe products that can let an attacker bypass security restrictions, execute arbitrary code remotely, disclose sensitive information and perform denial of service (DoS) conditions on the system.
What users can do?
CERT-In has advised users of these Adobe applications to apply an appropriate patch as soon as possible. This means, users are required to download and install the latest version of the affected application and install.

Security researchers have discovered new vulnerabilities in Microsoft’s Windows Hello fingerprint authentication system. Researchers at cybersecurity firm Blackwing Intelligence have found that the authentication system can be bypassed on laptops from Dell, Lenovo and even Microsoft. Security experts have found multiple vulnerabilities in the top three fingerprint sensors that are embedded into laptops.This system is used widely by businesses to secure laptops with Windows Hello fingerprint authentication.
Microsoft’s Offensive Research and Security Engineering (MORSE) asked the cybersecurity company to evaluate the security of its fingerprint sensors. In October, the researchers provided their findings in a presentation at the tech giant’s BlueHat conference. Fingerprint sensors are now widely used by Windows laptop users. Microsoft has also pushed Windows Hello for a passwordless future.
A few years ago, Microsoft revealed that nearly 85% of consumers were using Windows Hello to sign into Windows 10 devices instead of using a password. It is important to note that Microsoft also counts a simple PIN as Windows Hello.
Vulnerabilities in Windows Hello authentication system
The security team identified popular fingerprint sensors from Goodix, Synaptics and ELAN as targets for the research. In a blog post, the company explained how a USB device can be built to perform a man-in-the-middle (MITM) attack. Such an attack could provide access to a stolen laptop, or even an “evil maid” attack on an unattended device.

Laptop models including Dell Inspiron 15, Lenovo ThinkPad T14 and Microsoft Surface Pro X

were affected by the fingerprint reader attacks. This allowed the researchers to bypass the Windows Hello protection as long as the fingerprint authentication had been set up on a device earlier.
The research team reverse-engineered both software and hardware and discovered cryptographic implementation flaws in a custom TLS on the Synaptics sensor. The complicated process to bypass Windows Hello also involved decoding and reimplementing proprietary protocols.
This isn’t the first time that Windows Hello biometrics-based authentication has been bypassed. In 2021, the company was forced to fix a Windows Hello authentication bypass vulnerability after a proof-of-concept involving capturing an infrared image of a victim to spoof Windows Hello’s facial recognition feature surfaced.

Domestic accessory brand Ubon has expanded its audio product range with a new device. The company has launched the Ubon Sultan SP-47 wireless portable speaker in India. The SP-47 features a stylish design and offers a powerful sound. The company claims that it also has a durable build and can offer high-definition audio for 10 hours.
Co-founder of Ubon, Lalit Arora, stated, “This wireless speaker, a ‘made in India’ product, is specifically crafted with Indian consumers in mind.With a 360-degree sound experience, it is the perfect choice for both indoor parties and outdoor picnics, offering functionality alongside a beautifully designed body. Users can effortlessly carry this speaker and enjoy music freely.”
Ubon Sultan SP-47: Price and availability
The Ubon SP-47 Sultan Wireless Speaker is available in a single black colour variant and can be purchased at offline stores and online platforms across India. The wireless portable speaker will be available at Rs 2999.
Ubon SP-47 Sultan: Key specs
Ubon SP-47 speaker boasts a metal net finish and RGB Breathing lights that sync with the rhythm of your music. The made-in-India speaker features multi-function buttons for volume control, play/pause, and mode selection. With 50 watts of output power, the speaker also comes with a sling belt for easy portability.
The speaker has a built-in rechargeable battery that promises to offer 10 hours of battery life at moderate volume. The Sultan speaker also includes a microphone for clear calling.

For connectivity, the newly launched wireless speaker is universally compatible. It can pair with iPhones, Android devices and laptops. The SP-47 Sultan offers multiple connectivity options that include a USB port, Micro TF/SD card and AUX. To cater to diverse music preferences, the portable wireless speaker also features an FM mode.
In terms of wireless connectivity, the SP-47 Sultan wireless speaker supports the latest Bluetooth v5.0 technology for music playback. The speaker offers a BIS-certified 10-meter range without any obstacles. The portable speakers also come with a 6-month warranty.

OpenAI board sacked CEO Sam Altman sending the tech world into frenzy. The 3-day chaos at the company resulted in Microsoft hiring Altman and former co-founder Greg Brockman to lead a new “advanced AI research team.” More than 500 current employees, including CTO Mira Murati, at OpenAI wrote a letter demanding that the board should resign. The letter was shared by Wired and journalist Kara Swisher.Here’s the letter:
To the Board of Directors at OpenAl,
OpenAl is the world’s leading Al company. We, the employees of OpenAl, have developed the best models and pushed the field to new frontiers. Our work on Al safety and governance shapes global norms. The products we built are used by millions of people around the world. Until now, the company we work for and cherish has never been in a stronger position.
The process through which you terminated Sam Altman and removed Greg Brockman from the board has jeopardized all of this work and undermined our mission and company. Your conduct has made it clear you did not have the competence to oversee OpenAl.
When we all unexpectedly learned of your decision, the leadership team of OpenAl acted swiftly to stabilize the company. They carefully listened to your concerns and tried to cooperate with you on all grounds. Despite many requests for specific facts for your allegations, you have never provided any written evidence. They also increasingly realized you were not capable of carrying out your duties, and were negotiating in bad faith.
The leadership team suggested that the most stabilizing path forward – the one that would best serve our mission, company, stakeholders, employees and the public – would be for you to resign and put in place a qualified board that could lead the company forward in stability.
Leadership worked with you around the clock to find a mutually agreeable outcome. Yet within two days of your initial decision, you again replaced interim CEO Mira Murati against the best interests of the company. You also informed the leadership team that allowing the company to be destroyed “would be consistent with the mission.”
Your actions have made it obvious that you are incapable of overseeing OpenAl. We are unable to work for or with people that lack competence, judgement and care for our mission and employees. We, the undersigned, may choose to resign from OpenAl and join the newly announced Microsoft subsidiary run by Sam Altman and Greg Brockman. Microsoft has assured us that there are positions for all OpenAl employees at this new subsidiary should we choose to join. We will take this step imminently, unless all current board members resign, and the board appoints two new lead independent directors, such as Bret Taylor and Will Hurd, and reinstates Sam Altman and Greg Brockman.
1. Mira Murati
2. Brad Lightcap
3. Jason Kwon
4. Wojciech Zaremba
5. Alec Radford
6. Anna Makanju
7. Bob McGrew
3. ChecaNaryanan
10. Lillian Weng
11. Mark Chen
12. Ilya Sutskever