Latest news with #BillGurley
Bloomberg
5 days ago
- Business
- Bloomberg
The New Third Rail in Silicon Valley: Investing in Chinese AI
The backlash came swiftly for Benchmark, one of Silicon Valley's top venture capital firms, after Bloomberg News reported in late April that it was investing in an AI startup founded in China. Republican senators framed the deal as Benchmark effectively aiding the Chinese government, and suggested Congress should take action. Fellow venture capitalists said Benchmark was acting irresponsibly. 'You're just investing into your enemy,' says Delian Asparouhov, a 31-year-old partner at Founders Fund. 'Why would we be funding the Russia space program in 1972? Why would we be funding the Chinese AI race in 2025? To me, those are the same questions. It just seems to be beyond the realm of logic.' Benchmark declined to comment. But the grumbling came as a surprise to Bill Gurley, a longtime partner at the firm who scaled back his responsibilities in 2020 and wasn't involved directly in the deal. In a May episode of BG2, his podcast, Gurley supported the firm's decision to lead a $75 million investment in Butterfly Effect, the creator of the AI agent Manus. The product, he noted, only operates atop large language models developed in the US, such as Anthropic's Claude; and the startup has offices outside China and doesn't store any customer data there. He rejected the notion that it posed a threat to US national security. 'In not being a China hawk, people accuse you of being a sinophile. And there's a lot of room in between those things,' said the 6-foot-9-inch Gurley, one of the most recognizable figures in the venture industry.
Time of India
11-07-2025
- Business
- Time of India
Dell CEO Michael Dell warns Meta's AI hiring spree may result in line of ‘complaining employees' outside CEO Mark Zuckerberg's office
Dell CEO Michael Dell has raised concerns about the internal culture impact Meta may face due to its aggressive hiring of artificial intelligence talent from rivals – Google DeepMind, OpenAI, GitHub, Apple and others. Speaking on the BG2 podcast hosted by Bill Gurley and Brad Gerstner on Thursday, Dell warned that bringing in top AI professionals at high salaries could lead to dissatisfaction among existing staff at Meta Platforms . 'It'll be a challenge culturally for sure,' Dell said. He further explained that offering higher pay to new hires could make current employees feel left out or underappreciated, which may result in friction within teams and create a long line of 'complaining' employees outside CEO Mark Zuckerberg's office. Emphasizing the importance of fairness in the workplace, he stated 'People generally have a sense of fairness, right? They want to be treated fairly relative to others and relative to the opportunities that they have out there in the overall market.' Dell further stated that while Meta's strategy and the 'math' may work if this is reduced to a 'race to super intelligence,' but he also warned against the potential for internal conflict and dissatisfaction should not be overlooked. Meta hiring push and industry reaction by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like An engineer reveals: One simple trick to get internet without a subscription Techno Mag Learn More Undo Meta has significantly ramped up hiring through its Superintelligence Labs, launched in June to focus on artificial general intelligence (AGI). The company has hired talent from competitors such as OpenAI, Google DeepMind, Anthropic, and Apple. This talent war has reshaped the AI sector and drawn mixed reactions from industry leaders. Earlier, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman also criticized Meta's hiring strategy, calling it 'distasteful' and suggesting it may create issues inside the company. Altman even hinted that OpenAI might need to review its compensation policies in response to Meta's aggressive poaching. Reid Hoffman, cofounder of LinkedIn and former OpenAI board member, offered a different view. In an interview with CNBC, Hoffman said it makes economic sense for companies to spend big on AI talent if they want to stay ahead. Lava Storm Play First Look: Best Budget Phone Under Rs 10,000? AI Masterclass for Students. Upskill Young Ones Today!– Join Now
New York Times
02-06-2025
- Business
- New York Times
Companies Rely on Delaware Courts. Lawyers Reap Huge Fees There.
Andrew here. To kick off the week, I've been digging into a new study quietly making its rounds in corporate boardrooms. The analysis suggests Delaware's judiciary has created a veritable fee machine for lawyers, raising pointed questions about the state's long-held status as the preferred incorporation haven. Meanwhile, investors are focused on new comments from the White House and China on the tariff battle. And my colleague Danielle Kaye has uncovered some truly counterintuitive implications within a provision in Republicans' budget bill that limits states' ability to regulate A.I. — with far-reaching consequences. What are Delaware judges doing? Delaware's decades-long pitch to corporate America is simple: It offers predictable judges, light-touch politics and fast decisions. But a new study making the rounds in boardrooms — and loudly promoted by the prominent venture capitalist Bill Gurley — finds reasons for Corporate America to reconsider its reliance on courts in the First State. A fee factory? The study, by the well-known Stanford law professor Joseph Grundfest tallied every shareholder case since 2000 in which lawyers won fee 'multipliers' of 7 times ('septuples') or 10 times ('decuples') their normal hourly rate from big corporations. Here's what it found: Delaware produced 21 septuples and 14 decuples, almost matching the entire federal system on septuples and nearly triple on decuples. One payout for a lawyer practicing before Delaware's Court of Chancery worked out to an astonishing $35,000 an hour. Some lawyers are walking away with multipliers of 66 times their standard rates. Just two chancery court judges handed out a majority of those supersize awards, so it matters which judge you get. 'Something is awry in Delaware and you should know the risks,' Gurley, the Benchmark Capital partner who invested in Uber, wrote on X. He has been critical of Delaware and supported what like-minded critics call DExit. Want all of The Times? Subscribe.
Epoch Times
13-05-2025
- Health
- Epoch Times
Cinnamon Supplements May Reduce Effectiveness of Medications, Study Finds
That sprinkle of cinnamon in your coffee or oatmeal? Probably harmless. But taken as a supplement, it could change how your body processes prescription drugs, new research suggests. Cinnamaldehyde, the compound behind cinnamon's signature flavor and scent, can interfere with how the body processes medications. The recent study on human liver and gut cells found that at high concentrations, the compound may speed up drug metabolism, clearing medications before they can take full effect. 'Cinnamaldehyde has a low to moderate potential for drug interactions based upon our preliminary in vitro studies,' co-author of the study Bill Gurley, who is a principal scientist at the National Center for Natural Products Research, told The Epoch Times in an email. What Researchers Discovered In a At concentrations above 270 micrograms per milliliter, which would be reached only through taking high-dose supplements, cinnamaldehyde activated these receptors, acting like gatekeepers, telling the body how quickly to break down and eliminate medications. Researchers say that this could be a concern for people taking certain medications—particularly drugs metabolized by the liver enzymes CYP2C9 and CYP1A2, such as some blood thinners, diabetes drugs, antidepressants, and anti-inflammatory drugs. 'Cinnamon and cinnamon-based supplements are quite safe when used in moderation,' Gurley said. 'The likelihood that cinnamaldehyde poses any risk for clinically relevant drug interactions is quite low.' Related Stories 5/11/2025 11/19/2024 The researchers found no changes in PXR activity at lower levels of cinnamaldehyde (up to 20 micrograms per milliliter), suggesting that everyday use—like those typically used in cooking—is unlikely to be a problem. Even in a 'It is okay to consume cinnamon in food or take it as a supplement in moderation,' Shabana Khan, a principal scientist at the university's National Center for Natural Products Research and co-author of the study, told The Epoch Times in an email. Health concerns, however, can arise when supplements are used in high doses or for long periods—especially without a doctor's knowledge. Some people take 'It's difficult to define how much is too much since different preparations or products / supplements will have different quantities or vary in composition,' she said. 'It should be used in moderation.' Know Your Cinnamon Cinnamon is used in several forms, each with varying levels of risk. Ground cinnamon, the kind you likely have in your spice rack, is used in cooking and baking, and up to a teaspoon is considered safe. Cinnamon oil, often used in foods and personal care products, poses little risk in small amounts. However, supplements, which can contain anywhere from 500 to 1,000 milligrams per dose, can be more concentrated and potentially interfere with medications when taken regularly. Most cinnamon sold in U.S. stores is Labels don't always list the type of cinnamon used; unless otherwise stated, it's mostly like going to be cassia. You can also contact the manufacturer for clarification, especially if you are taking cinnamon in supplement form. Apart from cinnamaldehyde, cinnamon also contains coumarin, a naturally occurring blood thinner. 'Cassia cinnamon, often sourced from regions like Southern China, contains significantly higher levels of coumarin and is a potent blood thinner compared to true cinnamon (Cinnamomum verum) from Sri Lanka,' study co-author Amar Chittiboyina, associate director at the National Center for Natural Products Research, told The Epoch Times in an email. True cinnamon or 'We strongly advise individuals currently taking blood thinners who are considering incorporating cinnamon into their daily routine to consult with their primary healthcare physician,' Chittiboyina said. Still, researchers say that when used appropriately, cinnamon may offer benefits. A 2022 scientific But as with many natural compounds, the benefits may depend on the dose, the form, and how it's used. Other Competing Foods and Herbs Cinnamon isn't the only natural ingredient that can interact with medications. Common foods and herbs can affect how drugs are absorbed or broken down—something to keep in mind if you take medication regularly. For example, grapefruit can block like warfarin. Dairy products can reduce the absorption of some antibiotics, making them less effective. Several herbs and supplements have also been linked to well-documented drug interactions, according to Gurley. St. John's Wort, often used for mild depression, can reduce the effectiveness of medications like antidepressants, birth control pills, and antivirals by speeding up liver enzyme activity. Goldenseal may slow down drug metabolism of certain statins, antihistamines, and sedatives, increasing drug levels in the body. And licorice root—unless it's had the glycyrrhizin compound removed—can raise blood pressure and interfere with blood pressure medications. 'Our best advice is to talk to a health care provider before using any supplements along with prescription medicine,' Khan said.
