Latest news with #WayneLiu
CBC
24-06-2025
- CBC
Manitoba flight school now barred from training pilots put students in 'significant danger': whistleblower
A Manitoba flight school was banned from training pilots "in the interest of public safety," Transport Canada says, more than a year after a former instructor came forward with allegations the school failed to follow aviation rules and put students in "significant danger." Transport Canada cancelled the flight training unit operator certificate of Gimli-based LS Airways Flight Academy on Nov. 19, 2024. The federal government department said in an email to CBC News that the certificate cancellation was a "serious action," and is only taken when oversight and monetary penalties do not lead to compliance. Wayne Liu said he and several other students alerted authorities about safety concerns at the school. They decided to report the school to Transport Canada in September 2023, he said. "I really hope this [doesn't] happen again to other students," Liu said about why he spoke up. WATCH | Gimli flight school put students in danger, whistleblower claims in lawsuit: Lawsuits allege Manitoba flight school endangered students 7 minutes ago Duration 2:39 His lawsuit is one of four filed against the school in the past year alleging that the Gimli flight school faked logs of flying hours, told students to fly with jerry cans of gasoline on board, altered maintenance records and exploited students. The school's owner, Noura Gharib, declined to be interviewed. She said in a phone call with CBC she intends to fight the revocation. 'So regretful': student Liu first enrolled at the school to convert a U.S. flight instructor licence into a Canadian one, and taught at LS Airways for about a month in 2023 after passing a flight test. But Liu says he should never have gotten the instructor rating, because LS Airways did not give him the number of flight hours needed to qualify for the certification in Canada. The owner "never put me on the flight schedule," Liu said. "I [told] her … even though I have some experience, we still need to practise and meet requirements for the exam. Until two or three days before the flight test, she still never flew with me and [faked the] hours on the PTR." "PTR" stands for pilot training record, a logbook required to obtain pilot permits and ratings. I was telling myself, 'Hey, I shouldn't do this.' - Wayne Liu, former LS Airways flight instructor A pilot must complete a minimum of 30 hours of dual flight instruction (training where a certified instructor is in the aircraft) for a Class 4 instructor rating, among other requirements. Applicants receive some credits if they previously held that rating — through foreign accreditation, for example. In lawsuit documents filed on May 23, 2025, Liu alleges that Gharib instructed him to record false numbers on the training record. He said he needed 15 flight hours to qualify for the licence, but got just over one hour with a student — not a certified instructor. "I was telling myself, 'Hey, I shouldn't do this,'" he said. "I accepted her wrongful instruction.… I was so regretful I did those wrong things." Company fined more than $46K Liu, from Taiwan, trained as a pilot in the U.S. and taught at a flight school in Georgia before coming to Canada, planning to eventually settle in the country. He was under a lot of stress to get his Canadian instructor's licence because he wanted to get a job in aviation and then bring his family to live with him, he said. Liu said that after he came forward, government officials told him his instructor rating was no longer valid and that he had to go to a different flight school to get it back. The school "took all my savings," he said. The lawsuit says LS Airways wrongfully accepted $15,495.54 in tuition payments. "I was expecting like, hey, just follow the rules, go to a flight school, get my instructor rating … so I can get more hours, then moving on to maybe charters." Liu now wants the money he paid for tuition at LS Airways back, so he can reapply for the training he needs to become an instructor in Canada. "Because of this school, I feel so depressed," he said. "It's like I couldn't complete my plan — wasted money and time here." A public post from Sept. 9 on Transport Canada's website shows the flight school — identified as 10113158 Manitoba Ltd., its business registry number — was fined $28,500 for three counts of violating Canada's aviation regulations. The violations are related to transporting people or cargo without being certified to do so, operating an aircraft without proper registration and failing to meet personnel record requirements. The charges stemmed from incidents between July and August of 2023, according to a decision issued by Transport Canada last May, which mentions the school didn't keep proper records for Liu as an assigned flight instructor. The fines were outstanding as of Jan. 25, and the school had not filed for a review, federal court documents say. The unauthorized transport service violation is related to operations from Gimli to Island Lake and Little Grand Rapids in eastern Manitoba on July 24, 2023. This month, Transport Canada made two more violations public. In March 2024, the company let an aircraft take off when it had not been maintained in accordance with an approved maintenance schedule, or in accordance with "airworthiness limitations," according to Transport Canada. The two violations resulted in $18,000 in additional fines. In his lawsuit, Liu alleges the school required students to keep "incorrect maintenance paperwork" that left out operational time used to calculate oil changes. Liu's lawsuit also alleges LS Airways directed students to travel to a flight test in Lindsay, Ont., with five 20-litre jerry cans of fuel in the cabin to avoid charges at the Lindsay airport. The lawsuit calls that a "serious safety violation" that exposed students to "significant danger." No statement of defence has been filed, and the allegations haven't been tested in court. Lawsuits filed by 3 other students LS Airways advertised itself as a "designated learning institution-registered Canadian flight school" on its now-unavailable website. The designated learning institution, or DLI, status allows Canadian schools to host international students. A spokesperson for the provincial government, which manages designated learning institutions in Manitoba, said in an email the province revoked LS Airways' DLI status on March 18, 2024, following an investigation launched in January of that year. The spokesperson said the investigation found there had been an unreported change in ownership. Since the designation is non-transferable between owners, the school's DLI status was revoked. The ownership change had happened "several years earlier," the provincial spokesperson said. LS Airways applied for a new DLI status, but the application is presently paused, according to the spokesperson. "The department is prepared to resume its review once LS Airways has resolved any and all outstanding items with Transport Canada," the spokesperson said. The Canadian Civil Aircraft Register shows two Cessnas that once belonged to LS Airways were no longer owned by the school as of June. A lawsuit filed in December by another former LS Airways student claims he entered an agreement with Gharib to teach at the school once he got his instructor rating there. His suit alleges that Gharib unilaterally dismissed him after he complained about the services the school provided. The statement of claim also alleges, among other things, that Gharib falsified training records with another instructor who was not Liu. In a statement of defence, Gharib denied all allegations in the December lawsuit. Another lawsuit was filed on Feb. 20 by a different student, who claims she was employed as a part-time dispatcher at the school and was also unjustly dismissed after complaining. The student alleges she was not allowed to fly, despite paying $1,600 in fees. She claims she also had to pay for fuel out-of-pocket twice and wasn't reimbursed, and that she didn't get her money back after paying fees for a flight test she didn't complete. The student also said she was also never given a pilot training record, despite numerous requests. In another statement of defence, Gharib denied all the allegations in the February lawsuit, saying the student was never employed by the school. Gharib countersued the student for defamation, saying in court documents the student failed multiple flight tests and disclosed a "history of dangerous manoeuvres" at a previous school. And another lawsuit, filed by a student from Thailand on April 24, said that flight instructors at the school lacked valid teaching licences and had obtained them through processes "not evidently in compliance with" regulations. The school denied the allegation in a statement of defence. It said it "meticulously maintained" all required documentation, including instructor credentials and aircraft records, and that it conducted maintenance "strictly in accordance" with approved procedures. None of the allegations contained in the four lawsuits filed by students have been tested in court. Meanwhile, Liu said he would still like to bring his family, including his four-year-old child, to Canada, but his future is still up in the air. "I'm still struggling about my plan. I don't know what can I do," he said.
Newsweek
18-06-2025
- Business
- Newsweek
AI Impact Awards 2025: Newsweek Celebrates AI Innovation
Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. Newsweek has announced the winners of its inaugural AI Impact Awards, recognizing 38 companies across 13 different categories. As artificial intelligence becomes increasingly more popular among everyday Americans, AI has laid its claim as the most transformative technology of the century. From health care to finance, from retail to education, AI is in the process of revolutionizing nearly every industry and sector. To celebrate strides in various areas, Newsweek is recognizing businesses that are using new capabilities to solve practical challenges. "AI is reshaping our world, and the organizations receiving this award are at the forefront of that transformation," Jennifer H. Cunningham, the editor-in-chief of Newsweek, said in a press release. "We are proud to spotlight the companies whose technologies and practices are pushing the boundaries of what AI can achieve—responsibly and effectively." About one in six American workers say that at least some of their work is currently done with AI and an additional one in four say that while they're not using AI much now, at least some of their work can be done with AI, according to an October poll conducted by Pew Research Center. This year, the AI Impact Awards were divided by specific sectors. Newsweek awarded five practitioners in the health care category and four in education. Three practitioners were recognized in each of the following categories: arts and media; brand and retail; science and engineering; finance; marketing; and workplace. The customer service and sustainability categories each had two companies recognized, and the mobility and sports categories each had one honoree. Under brand and retail, Perfect Corp. was recognized for its Skin Analysis tool, which earned them the 2025 award for Best Outcomes, Customer Experience. Wayne Liu, the chief growth officer at Perfect Corp., told Newsweek that winning this award was a particularly notable milestone for the company. "Not all awards are equal. This one is very different, and it also gives us all this sense of excitement," Liu said, adding, "Our technology, our effort has been seen." AI Impact Awards AI Impact Awards Newsweek Illustration To adjudicate this year's entries, Newsweek selected a cross-industry panel of 56 expert judges who work with AI technology in their respective fields. In addition to category winners, these judges also selected Every Cure as the overall Best in Class. Every Cure, a nonprofit aimed at identifying new uses for FDA-approved medications, received an additional award, in the Best Outcomes, Materials Science and Chemistry category. There were also five recipients in the Best of—Most Innovative AI Technology Service category. Among those honorees is Ex-Human, a digital platform that allows users to create customizable AI humans to interact with. This year, Ex-Human was awarded the Extraordinary Impact in AI Human Interactivity or Collaboration award. Artem Rodichev, the founder and CEO of Ex-Human, told Newsweek that the win "validates our vision that emotional depth matters." "Building AI is not about functional stuff, but how technology can make people feel better," Rodichev said. "Winning this award helps us to build trust, to attract new partners, and in general, to acknowledge that the emotional side of innovation is important." The winners of the 2025 AI Impact Awards were invited to attend Newsweek's upcoming AI Impact Summit. The three-day summit, which is being held in Sonoma, California, from June 23 through 25, brings together a diverse group of leaders. Tech innovators, C-suite executives, policymakers and ethicists will all join Newsweek in a series of thought-provoking conversations about how organizations can most effectively adopt AI. To see the full list of winners and awards, visit the official page for Newsweek's AI Impact Awards.
Forbes
09-06-2025
- Business
- Forbes
The Dupe Unicorn: The Rise Of Lean, AI-Powered Startups
Wayne Liu is the Chief Growth Officer and President of Perfect Corp America. Venture capital has entered a new era of constraint. According to EY, a $40 billion AI transaction helped prop up venture capital numbers, but without it, funding would have seen a steep 36% drop—and the overall volume of deals continues to shrink. Megadeals like this are now the exception, not the norm. Yet amid this pullback, one sector continues to surge: artificial intelligence. AI-related startups accounted for 33% of all VC activity in 2024 and show no signs of slowing. The unicorn model may be fading, but something smarter is rising in its place. According to Crunchbase, IPO activity has flatlined, with hundreds of companies still in the pipeline; many from the unicorn class of 2021 and 2022 are stuck without an exit in sight. At the same time, traditional venture capital is morphing into something more conservative. As Bloomberg recently reported, firms like Lightspeed are shifting away from the classic VC model, increasingly behaving like private equity players focused on capital efficiency and profitability. In this environment, the billion-dollar unicorn model, the holy grail of startup success for decades, no longer feels viable for many founders. The good news? There seems to be something new taking its place. From the wreckage of the old growth-at-all-costs model, a new breed of startup is emerging: lean, AI-powered and profitable, which is what I refer to as the LAP model. These founders aren't scaling head count or chasing inflated valuations. Instead, they're building lean businesses with small teams, using open-source large language models (LLMs) and AI tools to automate tasks ranging from customer service and content creation to coding and strategic decision-making. In some cases, they're even replacing expensive consultants with AI agents that can perform real-time market analysis or draft legal documents. Recent research shows that AI startups are achieving revenue growth at a pace that significantly outpaces traditional tech companies. Their ability to reach customers faster, automate internal processes and scale with minimal human overhead gives them a notable advantage, especially in a market where efficient monetization has become a survival skill. I call these startups "dupe unicorns." Much like the consumer trend where savvy shoppers seek affordable "dupes" of premium products, today's smartest founders are creating companies that deliver the value of unicorns without the overhead. They may not have massive valuations but offer real utility, faster execution and sustainable business models. In beauty and fashion culture, a "dupe" (short for duplicate) is a lower-cost alternative to a high-end product that offers similar benefits. Crucially, a dupe is not a counterfeit; it doesn't pretend to be the original or infringe on intellectual property. Instead, it's a smart substitute: an independent product that delivers comparable results, often at a fraction of the price. On platforms like TikTok, dupe culture is a celebration of value, discovery and democratized access. Apply that to startups, and the metaphor becomes powerful. A dupe unicorn isn't a knockoff of a legacy tech giant. It's a next-gen business that mimics unicorns' performance, innovation and market traction but with leaner resources, smarter automation and sharper focus. I've seen this shift firsthand through my work advising university accelerators and incubators. Founders today aren't waiting for large teams or fundraising milestones. One founder built an AI-powered video analytics system for sports, helping coaches with limited staff make better decisions. His tool rivals those used by elite organizations at a fraction of the cost. Another, frustrated by traditional market research, launched a generative AI search engine using open-source models, making real-time consumer insights as intuitive as a Google search. A gamer trained a translation engine for cross-border multiplayer sessions, optimized for speed and slang. A marketer developed an AI content generation tool to produce campaign materials, social posts and email copy all from one interface, bypassing costly agencies. It's a new kind of builder mindset: practical, fast-moving and unburdened by the myths of needing massive teams or massive rounds to make an impact. Having helped build my company from seed stage to IPO over nine years, I've lived through the unicorn arc. I know the exhilaration of hypergrowth and its weight. That perspective has sharpened my appreciation for what these new AI-native startups are doing. Here's what I believe founders should embrace now: 1. Design AI-inclusive models from day one. Use AI not just to optimize, but to reimagine your business's foundation. Ask yourself: What can be automated, personalized or accelerated from day one? 2. Run lean with intentionality. It's not about avoiding people; it's about sequencing. Use AI to build early momentum and add team members when human creativity, trust or judgment are truly needed. 3. Speak to the new consumer journey. Gen Z and Gen Alpha founders already get this. The customer journey is no longer a funnel; it's dynamic, nonlinear, shaped by TikTok trends, AI recommendations and immersive technologies like AR glasses. Your go-to-market strategy needs to flow with that reality, not fight it. 4. Prototype, learn, repeat. Founders can now test a new idea, build a landing page, generate content and gather user feedback all within a weekend. Use that velocity to your advantage. 5. Prioritize profitability without compromising vision. Capital efficiency is a competitive advantage. Let profitability guide your build decisions. A good business model should sustain you, not distract you. The unicorn isn't dead but evolving. In today's climate, founders don't need a million-dollar funding and a 30-person team to build a game-changing company. Sometimes, all it takes is a strong idea, a solid AI stack and a sharp understanding of your customer's real need. The dupe unicorn is not a compromise. It's a smarter model for a smarter age, rooted in innovation and built to last. In the age of capital discipline, the LAP model, lean, AI-powered, and profitable, may well become the blueprint for the next generation of breakout startups. Forbes Business Council is the foremost growth and networking organization for business owners and leaders. Do I qualify?
Business Wire
07-05-2025
- Business
- Business Wire
Perfect Corp. Announces Upcoming Thought Leadership Events Including 2025 Global Beauty and Fashion AI Forum
NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Perfect Corp. (NYSE: PERF), the leading AI and AR beauty and fashion tech solutions provider, is excited to announce a dynamic lineup of upcoming thought leadership events in New York: The 2025 Global Beauty and Fashion AI Forum, taking place September 16 th at the Metropolitan Pavilion, 125 W 18th St, New York, NY 10011 The Beautiful AI Luncheon, hosted May 20 th at the New York Stock Exchange, 18 Broad St, New York, NY, 10005 Both events will convene industry leaders and innovators to explore how AI is transforming every aspect of the consumer journey from skin diagnostics to content generation, and how brands can future-proof their strategies in an AI-driven world. 2025 Global Beauty and Fashion AI Forum The flagship Global Beauty and Fashion AI Forum will bring together top experts and visionary brands across beauty, fashion, skincare, medspa, and dermatology to explore the most transformative AI breakthroughs shaping the industry today. Attendees will discover how brands are using AI to enhance customer experiences, simplify services, and create hyper-personalized shopping journeys that resonate with the modern consumer. This one-of-a-kind event offers the opportunity to network with industry pioneers, explore cutting-edge technology, and walk away with real-world strategies to thrive in an ever-evolving digital landscape. From AI skin diagnostics to personalized recommendations and immersive try-on experiences, the forum will highlight powerful case studies and tangible innovations from the brands redefining beauty and fashion in 2025. 'We are thrilled to convene the brightest minds and most innovative brands to explore how AI is redefining beauty and fashion,' said Alice Chang, CEO and Founder of Perfect Corp. 'These events are designed to inspire, educate, and spark new ideas as we all work to create more intelligent, personalized, and impactful consumer experiences.' Early bird registration now open: To inquire about speaking or sponsorship opportunities at the 2025 Global Beauty and Fashion AI Forum, please contact_event@ Beautiful AI Luncheon at NYSE In advance of the Forum, Perfect Corp. will host an exclusive Beautiful AI Luncheon at the New York Stock Exchange on May 20th, 2025. The luncheon will feature a fireside chat between: Wayne Liu, Chief Growth Officer & President at Perfect Corp. Raheel Khan, SVP of Foresight & Growth Intelligence at The Estée Lauder Companies. Together, they will dive into how AI is transforming beauty from internal workflows to personalized digital experiences, and what brands must do today to prepare for the future. This exclusive event will also feature industry insights from Anna Mayo, VP of Beauty Vertical at NielsenIQ. Mayo will explore the dramatic shifts in consumer behavior and shopping habits reshaping the beauty and personal care space in 2025. Space is limited. To register for The Beautiful AI Luncheon, please reach out to contact_event@ About Perfect Corp. Founded in 2015, Perfect Corp. (NYSE: PERF) is on a mission to make beauty smarter, more personalized, and more fun through Beautiful AI. As a global leader in AI and AR-powered beauty and fashion technology, we help brands and consumers connect through immersive, interactive digital experiences. With cutting-edge AI solutions, Perfect Corp. powers iconic virtual try-ons across makeup, hairstyles, eyewear, jewelry, watches, and fashion accessories, along with advanced AI-driven analyzers for skin and hair that provide real-time insights for personalized recommendations. Our generative AI tools take creativity to the next level, offering photo and video editing, AI content generation, and personalized beauty experiences. Trusted by over 705 global brands and 1.1 billion YouCam app downloads, we make beauty, fashion, and skincare more accessible, engaging, and intuitive than ever before.
