Concerns Over DOGE’s Actions at the VA

Politicians and Employees Express Concerns

Representative Gerald Connolly, ranking member of the House Oversight Committee, has expressed his concerns over the actions of DOGE’s team at the VA. He claims that DOGE’s actions are putting veterans’ lives at risk by stripping them of the care they need and deserve. Connolly believes that President Donald Trump and Elon have turned the VA over to "lackeys who do not know the first thing about what it means to serve your country."

VA Employees Express Frustration and Concern

VA employees have expressed concern over the changes implemented by DOGE’s team. One employee revealed that the team has zero understanding of the agency’s operations. "These people have zero clue what they are working on," the employee said.

Introduction of AI Technology

It appears that Lavingia’s past work has influenced his current approach at the VA, particularly when it comes to AI. In a blog post, Lavingia discussed how Gumroad achieved financial stability by replacing manual processes with automated ones and pushing marginal costs to customers. He also stated that AI will soon be able to handle tasks such as customer service, crisis management, and negotiations.

Potential Security Risks

Two sources familiar with Lavingia’s work at the VA note that he is attempting to introduce an AI tool called OpenHands to write code for the agency. This has raised concerns about the potential security risks, as the tool has not been properly vetted for government purposes. The sources worry that the use of OpenHands could leave the VA’s systems and data vulnerable to security gaps.

Concerns Over Data Protection

The introduction of new tools also raises concerns about data protection. A VA tech worker expressed worry that the proposed use of OpenHands could potentially script and access sensitive information, including social security numbers, bank information, and medical and disability history.

Conclusion

The concerns raised by politicians and employees over DOGE’s actions at the VA are serious. The introduction of AI technology and the potential security risks it poses have raised red flags. The VA’s employees deserve more respect and care, and it is essential to prioritize their well-being and the security of their data.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: What are the concerns over DOGE’s actions at the VA?

A: Representative Gerald Connolly and VA employees have expressed concerns that DOGE’s actions are putting veterans’ lives at risk by stripping them of the care they need and deserve.

Q: What is OpenHands, and how is it being used at the VA?

A: OpenHands is an AI tool that Lavingia is attempting to introduce to write code for the agency. It is not clear how the tool will be used, but sources suggest it may be used to fill gaps in canceled contracts.

Q: What are the potential security risks associated with OpenHands?

A: The sources familiar with Lavingia’s work at the VA have expressed concerns that OpenHands has not been properly vetted for government purposes, potentially leaving the VA’s systems and data vulnerable to security gaps.

Q: What kind of data is at risk with the introduction of OpenHands?

A: The data at risk includes social security numbers, bank information, and medical and disability history.

A New Study Lends Credence to Allegations of OpenAI’s Use of Copyrighted Content

OpenAI Embroiled in Suits Over Alleged Use of Copyrighted Works

OpenAI is facing lawsuits from authors, programmers, and other rights-holders who claim that the company used their works without permission to develop its AI models. OpenAI has argued that its use of copyrighted content falls under fair use, but the plaintiffs argue that there is no carve-out in U.S. copyright law for training data.

Study Proposes New Method for Identifying Memorized Training Data

Researchers at the University of Washington, the University of Copenhagen, and Stanford have proposed a new method for identifying training data “memorized” by models behind an API, like OpenAI’s. The study uses the concept of “high-surprisal” words, which are words that stand out as uncommon in the context of a larger body of work.

Methodology

The co-authors probed several OpenAI models, including GPT-4 and GPT-3.5, for signs of memorization by removing high-surprisal words from snippets of fiction books and New York Times pieces and having the models try to “guess” which words had been masked. If the models managed to guess correctly, it’s likely they memorized the snippet during training, concluded the co-authors.

Results

According to the results of the tests, GPT-4 showed signs of having memorized portions of popular fiction books, including books in a dataset containing samples of copyrighted ebooks called BookMIA. The results also suggested that the model memorized portions of New York Times articles, albeit at a comparatively lower rate.

Conclusion

The study’s findings shed light on the “contentious data” models might have been trained on. The researchers believe that their work aims to provide a tool to probe large language models, but there is a real need for greater data transparency in the whole ecosystem.

FAQs

Q: What is the significance of the study’s findings?
A: The study’s findings suggest that OpenAI’s models may have been trained on copyrighted content without permission, which could have legal implications.

Q: What is the method used in the study to identify memorized training data?
A: The study uses the concept of “high-surprisal” words, which are words that stand out as uncommon in the context of a larger body of work.

Q: What are the implications of the study’s findings for OpenAI?
A: The study’s findings could have legal implications for OpenAI, as they suggest that the company may have used copyrighted content without permission.

Q: What does the study suggest about the need for data transparency in the AI ecosystem?
A: The study suggests that there is a real need for greater data transparency in the whole ecosystem, as it is difficult to audit and examine large language models scientifically without it.

The US Economy is on a Collision Course with Disaster

A Tariff-Ridden Trainwreck

The Trump administration’s latest move is a set of globally applied tariffs that make no sense on their face. No sane economist would endorse this. Through a combination of stupidity, incompetence, and sheer gangsterism, the Trump administration has decided to levy a series of taxes that encourage blatant corruption, entirely fail to encourage American manufacturing growth, and leave people and companies poorer. That is, assuming that the taxes come into play at all.

Experts Weigh In

Chris Barrett, professor of economics at Cornell University’s SC Johnson School of Business, says, "This is the craziest of the crazy things we’ve seen thus far." Christopher Meissner, a professor of economics at the University of California Davis, adds, "This is probably the biggest single-day tax rise and for sure the largest tariff since World War I, if not ever in the history of the country." Justin Wolfers, a professor of economics at the University of Michigan’s Ford School of Public Policy, says, "This is a bad idea and it’s going to hurt Americans." Paul Krugman writes, "There’s so much wrong with this approach that it’s hard to know where to start." JP Morgan’s chief global economist warns, "There will be blood."

The Consequences

The US has shaken the world’s confidence, and there are consequences for that. Tariffs of any kind are disruptive. Since companies know they will be paying extra on items they import, they will pass the increase on to consumers, especially the poorest ones. They are likely to look for ways to cut costs and are unlikely to splash out on investments, says Meissner. Consumers are likely to do the same thing — cutting back on spending and holding onto necessities for longer than they would have otherwise, at least in part because they know there’s a higher likelihood they’ll be fired if companies trim costs.

Wages Will Likely Remain the Same

The design of these new tariffs amplifies all of this. They’re global with a minimum tax of at least 10 percent, so companies can’t easily avoid them by moving supply chains around, like many did during Trump’s first trade war. And already we are seeing disruptions. The Nintendo Switch 2 has delayed preorders. Advertising businesses — like Meta, Google, and Amazon — are bracing for pullbacks on spending, especially from Chinese companies. Expect the price of groceries, clothes, and cars in particular to rise steeply. China has announced its retaliatory tariff, which will doubtless make those estimated price rises worse, and it may be the first of many countries to do so.

The Economy was Doing Fine, But…

Let’s talk for a hot minute about how the economy was doing pre-tariff. That dip in consumer confidence predated the latest tariff announcement. The actions of DOGE — firing and unfiring people, slashing social services, freezing previously-agreed-on grants, and generally running amok in the government — already shook consumers. In March, consumers’ expectations for the future were the lowest they’d been in more than a decade. In particular, people were nervous about their employment, which is the kind of thing that leads people to cut spending.

A Great Deal of Economics is Basically Just Feelings

A great deal of economics is basically just feelings. People are feeling bad, and the tariffs have them feeling worse. That’s the kind of thing that can spiral into a recession. JP Morgan’s macro economist had previously put the risk of a recession at about 40 percent. That’s not the only bank to do so — S&P Global, Goldman, Barclay’s, Bank of America, and Deutsche Bank all agree that the risk is now considerably higher, though they disagree about how much higher.

The Ostensible Reason Behind These Tariffs

The ostensible reason behind these tariffs is to drive trade deficits to zero, but that makes no sense. A trade deficit essentially means that the US is receiving many goods and services from a country in exchange for pieces of paper, and they are receiving fewer goods and services (and thus giving us less paper), Wolfers says. Who cares? Economics isn’t a zero-sum game.

The Trump Administration’s Goal

Trump’s supposed ultimate goal is to bring manufacturing back to the US, but this isn’t going to happen either. That requires a less uncertain environment so companies will invest in building here, for one thing. It also requires a workforce — and it’s unclear why Americans would choose to work in manufacturing jobs as long as they have other options.

Conclusion

This is like watching a trainwreck in slow motion. The Trump administration has weakened the dollar, Congress has abdicated control over spending, and now the tariffs further endanger American wealth and safety. The only real questions are when we’re going to get the explosion, and how big it’ll be.

FAQs

Q: What is the purpose of these tariffs?
A: The ostensible reason is to drive trade deficits to zero, but experts say it’s a bad idea that will hurt Americans and the economy.

Q: What will happen to consumers?
A: Consumers will likely see price increases on imported goods, and may cut back on spending.

Q: Will wages change?
A: Wages will likely remain the same, even as everything costs more.

Q: What are the consequences of these tariffs?
A: The US has shaken the world’s confidence, and there are consequences for that. Tariffs of any kind are disruptive, and can lead to a recession.

Q: Can the tariffs be repealed?
A: It’s unclear, but experts say the best-case scenario is that they are abandoned.

On the Verge of a Robotics Revolution

On a recent morning, I knocked on the front door of a handsome two-story home in Redwood City, Calif. Within seconds, the door was opened by a faceless robot dressed in a beige bodysuit that clung tight to its trim waist and long legs.

The Rise of Humanoids

This svelte humanoid greeted me with what seemed to be a Scandinavian accent, and I offered to shake hands. As our palms met, it said: “I have a firm grip.” When the home’s owner, a Norwegian engineer named Bernt Børnich, asked for some bottled water, the robot turned, walked into the kitchen and opened the refrigerator with one hand.

Artificial intelligence is already driving cars, writing essays and even writing computer code. Now, humanoids, machines built to look like humans and powered by A.I., are poised to move into our homes so they can help with the daily chores. Mr. Børnich is chief executive and founder of a start-up called 1X. Before the end of the year, his company hopes to put his robot, Neo, into more than 100 homes in Silicon Valley and elsewhere.

The Next Step

His start-up is among the dozens of companies planning to sell humanoids and get them into both homes and businesses. Investors have poured $7.2 billion into more than 50 start-ups since 2015, according to PitchBook, a research firm that tracks the tech industry. The humanoid frenzy reached a new peak last year, when investments topped $1.6 billion. And that did not include the billions that Elon Musk and Tesla, his electric car company, are pumping into Optimus, a humanoid they began building in 2021.

The Challenges

Simpler robots — small robotic arms and autonomous carts, for instance — have long shared the workload inside warehouses and factories. Now, companies are betting that machines can tackle a wider range of tasks by mimicking the ways that people walk, bend, twist, reach, grip and generally get things done. Because homes, offices and warehouses are already built for humans, these companies argue, humanoids are better equipped to navigate the world than any other robot.

The Current State

The push toward humanoid labor has been building for years, fueled by advances in both robotic hardware and A.I. technologies that allow robots to rapidly learn new skills. But these humanoids are still a bit of a mirage. Internet videos have circulated for years showing the remarkable dexterity of these machines, but very often, they are remotely guided by humans. And simple tasks like loading the dishwasher are anything but simple for them.

Conclusion

As I watched Neo load a washing machine, squatting gingerly to lift clothes from a laundry basket, I realized that this robot is still a work in progress. Even when controlled by humans, Neo might drop a cup or struggle to find the right angle as it tries to toss an empty bottle into a garbage can under a sink. Though humanoids have improved by leaps and bounds over the past decade, they are still not as nimble as humans. However, Mr. Børnich and his team are committed to pushing the boundaries of what is possible with their technology.

FAQs

Q: What is the purpose of humanoids?
A: Humanoids are designed to help with daily chores and tasks, freeing up humans to focus on more complex and creative work.

Q: How do humanoids work?
A: Humanoids are powered by artificial intelligence and can be controlled remotely by humans or learn tasks through observation and simulation.

Q: Are humanoids safe?
A: The safety of humanoids is a top priority, and companies like 1X are working to ensure that their robots can operate safely in homes and businesses.

Q: Will humanoids replace human workers?
A: While humanoids may automate some tasks, they are not designed to replace human workers entirely. Instead, they are meant to augment human capabilities and make certain tasks easier and more efficient.

Q: How will humanoids be used in the future?
A: Humanoids have the potential to be used in a wide range of applications, from healthcare and education to manufacturing and logistics. As the technology continues to evolve, we can expect to see humanoids being used in more and more areas.