Latest news with #AFM
Forbes
01-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Forbes
Does Where Music Or Art Is From Matter Anymore?
Everything, including the code to power algorithms, came from someone at some point. Are we as a society forgetting that? Within the rise of artificial intelligence and the age of what OpenAI founder Sam Altman refers to as the time when 'humans go from being the smartest thing on planet earth to not the smartest thing on planet earth,' is a profound contradiction. On one side, there's an acceptance of ceding this so-called superior intelligence to something else, code, algorithms, and supercomputers, because it is claimed to accelerate economic and social progress. On the other hand, it is our intellect and its historical social superiority that created the intelligence on which AI is trained in the first place. We're using our smarts to develop something that replaces some of our skills, so we don't all need to be as smart. All of AI infrastructure, be it microchips that power servers and miners, or the prompts that create songs on Udio or Suno, began as an idea in someone's mind, somewhere, at some time. Over time, through trials and errors, those ideas became chips, art, musical works, or sets of code, each built on top of each other to create something that Altman proclaims will become or has already become smarter than all of us. Yet, wherever this progression leads us, I find this ignorance of forgetfulness, how we got to where we are now, baffling. In an effort to create something smarter than we could ever be, we have, in effect, dumbed down our ability to recognise how we got here. We are forgetting the importance of origin. And it is leading to worrying consequences. NEW YORK, UNITED STATES - 2024/09/04: The American Federation of Musicians (AFM), a union ... More representing over 70,000 musicians across the entertainment industry, rallies outside of Rockefeller Center as negotiations begin for a new contract with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP). After a year in which both actors and writers hit the picket lines, many fear another Hollywood strike may be on the horizon. (Photo by Michael Nigro/Pacific Press/LightRocket via Getty Images) The case study that best articulates this is the relationship and politics between AI firms and those who make a living from their creative intellectual property and, therefore, wish to continue to do so. AI is embedded in everything, whether we know it or like it or not, and most content online has been scraped to train models. The time-saving capabilities are profound, from researching complex topics to designing presentations, music-making, and creating effective social media campaigns. But what the AI is trained on came from somewhere, or someone, at some point. And what is being produced is detached from that origin. This flies in the face of how economic and social value is often derived. Take food as an example. In deciding what we eat, origin is marketed and sold as something of additional value, whether farm-raised, hand-reared, or grass-fed. It assures provenance and ensures those who grew the food are compensated. It is also a marketing tool. Knowing where your food comes from is a privilege worth paying for if one can, and tracking its journey, from field to fork, is a profitable business. There's a premium attached to origin, which often means that knowing where your food comes from means that your food costs more. It's not just food; this belief is everywhere. The concept of 'Made in A Place' remains an effective and fought-over political tool. This is why there remains a political conversation focused on onshoring manufacturing. Being from somewhere still matters. Now, there is far less importance attached to where an artist comes from, because an AI LLM can recreate their voice in any bedroom with a Broadband connection. With AI, origin is unprofitable. It is too human, too messy, and to be avoided. Where something is from doesn't matter. All that matters is that it has been ingested and can be used and manipulated. Where this leads, this decoupling of origin from human culture and creativity, is having adverse consequences. The origin of creativity, from brain to book, film, canvas, or ProTools, is less valued or seen as unique, because the same thing can be done anywhere, by anyone. Now, it does not matter where the coffee comes from or if it is fair trade, because we can all be satiated by mechanically produced caffeine, no matter where we are. Creative engineering, vintage illustration of the head of a man with an electronic circuit board for ... More a brain, 1949. Screen print. (Illustration) This could be seen as democratising, but this comes at a cost. In the pursuit of creating something smarter than us, we're dumbing down the value of making without AI. Therefore, attributing a financial value to an origin, recognising that a person, in a place, is an originator and thus deserves to be recognised - financially or otherwise - is being downgraded as server capacity has been upgraded. This fuels a narrative claiming copyright is old-fashioned and restricts progress. What's lost is not simply a forgetfulness, but a lack of understanding that the forgetfulness creates a system where the more this content is distributed, the less the original labour is valued. The more we hear, the less we realise where the first sounds were made. It is seen as smarter, or more efficient, to pay more for a ChatGPT or MidJourney membership than a music or design subscription, because ChatGPT, or other LLMs, can create the music and design for us. And with every search, every new piece of work that began somewhere but now lives nowhere, we lose the value of origin and with it, a recognition that societally, we are all tied to where we're from, a trait that should be understood and respected by everyone. If we value origin so much in what we eat, why don't we do the same with anything else we consume? AI advancement is welcome, but it should be tied, legally, to respecting origin and remunerating originators, rather than what's happening now. Instead of attributing what LLMs are trained on and compensating those for their usage, we're left with not just a mass theft of creativity, but also the theft of what it means to be from somewhere.
Yahoo
28-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Bitvavo Secures a MiCA License From the Netherlands
Bitvavo is the latest crypto exchange to receive a Markets in Crypto Assets License from the Dutch Authority for the Financial Markets (AFM) to operate across the 30 nations in the European Economic Area. Crypto companies have been applying for the licenses since the regulatory regime came into force in December last year. MiCA, which came into force in 2023 harmonizes rules across the European Union's bloc of 27 nations plus Iceland, Norway and Liechtenstein. The Netherlands also awarded licenses to four exchanges in December last year, as the rules took effect. Other exchanges like OKX, and Bitpanda secured a MiCA license from Malta. Kraken was awarded a license on Thursday from Ireland, Coinbase was awarded a MiCA license from Luxembourg in June and Bybit was awarded an EU license from Austria in May. "This license provides clarity, confidence and enables Bitvavo to fulfil its ambition: to become the leading digital asset trading platform in Europe," said Mark Nuvelstijn, CEO and co-founder of Bitvavo, in a statement. Bitvavo, which is the largest player globally in the EUR spot market, already held registrations in France, Austria, Italy and Spain, in addition to the Netherlands, the company's release said. Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
Yahoo
27-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
PCAOB fines Dutch units of Deloitte, PwC, EY for exam misconduct
The Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (PCAOB) has fined the Netherlands member firms of Deloitte, PwC, and EY a total of $8.5m (€7.2m) for cheating in internal exams. The audit watchdog issued separate settled disciplinary orders against these firms for breaching its rules and quality control standards related to their internal training programmes and monitoring systems. Over a five-year period from 2018 to 2022, the PCAOB found that all three firms failed to adequately prevent or detect widespread improper answer sharing on mandatory training tests designed to enhance the competencies and professional integrity of their staff. The misconduct involved 'hundreds' of professionals, including partners, who either provided or received access to test questions or answers without reporting it. At Deloitte Netherlands and PwC Netherlands, the improper conduct extended to senior leadership. The answer sharing occurred through various methods and was linked to tests for training on topics such as professional independence, PCAOB audit requirements, and professional integrity. Parallel investigations by the PCAOB and the Dutch Authority for the Financial Markets (AFM) led to the AFM imposing intensive supervision measures to prevent future occurrences. Each firm consented to the PCAOB's orders without admitting or denying the findings. Deloitte Netherlands and PwC Netherlands each agreed to a $3m civil money penalty, while EY Netherlands agreed to a $2.5m penalty. All three firms were censured and committed to reviewing and improving their quality control policies to ensure personnel act with integrity in internal training, with compliance to be reported to the PCAOB. The regulator noted that the firms' substantial cooperation during the investigations, including meaningful remedial actions and participation in the AFM's supervision process, resulted in reduced penalties. Without this cooperation, the fines would have been significantly higher, and additional sanctions may have been imposed, stated the watchdog. PCAOB chair Erica Willliams said: 'The PCAOB will not allow impaired ethics to threaten the integrity of our capital markets. 'I thank the Dutch Authority for the Financial Markets for its cooperation in the investigations of these matters and applaud the intensive supervision measures it has taken to hold these firms accountable going forward.' In 2024, the PCAOB fined KPMG Netherlands $25m for exam cheating over a five-year period. "PCAOB fines Dutch units of Deloitte, PwC, EY for exam misconduct" was originally created and published by The Accountant, a GlobalData owned brand. The information on this site has been included in good faith for general informational purposes only. It is not intended to amount to advice on which you should rely, and we give no representation, warranty or guarantee, whether express or implied as to its accuracy or completeness. You must obtain professional or specialist advice before taking, or refraining from, any action on the basis of the content on our site. Sign in to access your portfolio
Yahoo
24-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Park Systems Engages Global Audience with Multilingual Showcase of Park FX AFM Solutions
SUWON, South Korea, June 24, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Park Systems, a global leader in atomic force microscopy (AFM), successfully hosted a global interactive online showcase for the Park FX Large Sample AFM Series, bringing together a worldwide audience for an in-depth exploration of its advanced metrology solutions. The event highlighted Park's most recent additions to its AFM product family, including the Park FX200, FX300, FX200 IR, and FX300 IR, through live-streamed demonstrations, and simultaneous multilingual breakout sessions. Park Systems successfully hosted a global interactive online showcase for Park FX Large Sample AFM systems. Originally introduced at key industry events, the Park FX Large Sample AFM Series was presented in a consolidated, digital-first format for the first time. Participants across Asia, Europe, and the Americas joined the event, which was broadcast in three different time zones and supported by regional breakout sessions in English, Japanese and Chinese. This global engagement effort marked a major milestone in Park Systems' digital strategy for customer engagement and interaction. The highlight of the main session was a keynote interview with Dr. Sang-Joon Cho, Executive Vice President of Research Equipment Business Unit, who provided insights into Park Systems' vision for next-generation metrology in semiconductor and materials research. Following the keynote, a live demonstration of the Park FX300 IR system showcased the complete workflow—from probe auto-exchange to laser alignment, PiFM spectroscopy, and SmartAnalysis™-based chemical imaging—emphasizing speed, automation, and high resolution. To accommodate different time zones and market needs, the online event was held in three sessions covering Asia, Europe, and the Americas. Each region conducted its own format of breakout or follow-up sessions, delivering tailored presentations in multiple languages such as Japanese, Chinese, and English. These sessions provided opportunities for deeper discussion, regional use case sharing, and live Q&A conducted in participants' native languages. The Park FX Large Sample AFM Series is designed for advanced nanoscale analysis on sample sizes up to 300 mm, serving both research and industrial applications. The systems feature automated tip exchange, StepScan™ for multi-point measurements, and optional Fan Filter Units (FFU) for cleanroom operation. The infrared models (Park FX200 IR and FX300 IR) integrate PiFM spectroscopy to simultaneously deliver topographic and chemical information with high spatial resolution. In addition to the live sessions, Park Systems introduced its SmartSimulator™, an interactive online demo that allows prospective users to remotely explore key AFM workflows, such as probe handling, scan configuration, and post-scan analysis. The demo also provides 2D and 3D image views in line profiling and region histogram profiling modes, offering users a hands-on feel for how intuitive and user-friendly Park Systems' AFM systems are — all without needing physical access to the instrument. This digital tool supports early-stage customer engagement and serves as a scalable asset in Park's continued commitment to customer satisfaction.
Libya Review
08-06-2025
- Politics
- Libya Review
Malta Sees 90% Fall in Sea Rescues After Libya 'Secret' Deal
Rescues of migrant boats by Malta's Armed Forces have dropped by 90% since the launch of a secretive migration coordination centre with Libya in 2020, while interceptions by the Libyan Coast Guard surged by 230%, according to new data published by Times of Malta newspaper. In 2020, migrants in distress within Malta's search and rescue (SAR) zone were three times more likely to be rescued by Maltese authorities than intercepted by Libyan vessels. That year, there were 21 rescues by the Armed Forces of Malta (AFM), compared to seven interceptions by the Libyan Coast Guard. However, by 2024, this trend had reversed dramatically. AFM rescues fell to just two, while the Libyan Coast Guard carried out 23 interceptions within the same SAR zone. The data was compiled by the Malta Migration Archive, a new digital research tool developed using NGO sources such as Alarm Phone and Sea-Watch International. The figures suggest that a migrant boat in distress in Malta's SAR zone last year was nearly ten times more likely to be intercepted by Libyan forces than rescued by Malta. This area, which covers a vast stretch of the central Mediterranean, remains Malta's responsibility under international maritime law. The archive shows a consistent drop in Maltese rescues since 2020, with the sharpest decline between 2020 and 2021. UNHCR data supports the findings, with sea arrivals to Malta falling from 2,300 in 2020 to just 238 in 2024. Despite the role of the Libyan Coast Guard being formalised by Tripoli, human rights groups and European courts have criticised its conduct. In June 2024, an Italian court ruled that its actions do not meet the legal definition of rescue due to violence used during interceptions. Malta, meanwhile, continues to deny allegations of ignoring distress calls in its SAR zone. Tags: ImmigrationlibyaMaltaMediterraneanmigrants
