The Future
https://www.zerohedge.com/technology/these-will-be-jobs-most-impacted-ai
MONDAY, MAR 18, 2024
Large language models (LLMs) and other generative AI tools haven’t been around for very long, but they’re expected to have far-reaching impacts on the way people do their jobs. With this in mind, researchers have already begun studying the potential impacts of this transformative technology.
In this graphic, Visual Capitalist’s Marcus Lu visualized the results of a World Economic Forum report, which estimated how different job departments will be exposed to AI disruption.
Data and Methodology
To identify the job departments most impacted by AI, researchers assessed over 19,000 occupational tasks (e.g. reading documents) to determine if they relied on language. If a task was deemed language-based, it was then determined how much human involvement was needed to complete that task.
With this analysis, researchers were then able to estimate how AI would impact different occupational groups.
In our graphic, large impact refers to tasks that will be fully automated or significantly altered by AI technologies. Small impact refers to tasks that have a lesser potential for disruption.
Where AI will make the biggest impact
Jobs in information technology (IT) and finance have the highest share of tasks expected to be largely impacted by AI.
Within IT, tasks that are expected to be automated include software quality assurance and customer support. On the finance side, researchers believe that AI could be significantly useful for bookkeeping, accounting, and auditing.
Still interested in AI? Check out this graphic which ranked the most commonly used AI tools in 2023.
Grant Shapps wants Western nations to increase their military spending ahead of a possible conflict
https://www.rt.com/news/590894-grant-shapps-prepare-war/
Jan 18, 2024
Grant Shapps delivers a speech at Lancaster House in London, Britain, January 15, 2024 © AFP / Henry Nicholls
British defense minister Grant Shapps has predicted a global conflict between the West and Russia, China, Iran and North Korea, within five years. Shapps has called on Britain’s allies to increase their military spending in response to this so-called “existential threat.”
In his first speech as defense chief on Monday, Shapps described the UK as a leading global military power, citing the country’s record £50 billion ($63 billion) defense budget, its recent airstrikes on Houthi forces in Yemen, and Prime Minister Rishi Sunak’s announcement of a £2.5 billion ($3.2 billion) military aid package for Ukraine last week.
Shapps vowed that he would further increase Britain’s military spending, and that he would “use our influence to ensure other allies and friends… match our commitment.”
“In five years’ time we could be looking at multiple theaters [of conflict] including Russia, China, Iran and North Korea,” he said. “Ask yourself, looking at today’s conflicts across the world, is it more likely that that number grows or reduces? I suspect we all know the answer. It’s likely to grow, so 2024 must mark an inflection point.”
UK to send 20,000 troops to NATO war games
The UK spends more than 2% of its GDP on defense and aims to increase this figure to 2.5%, Shapps said. NATO requires that its members spend more than 2%, but only a third of its 31 members actually meet this requirement, according to a bloc report released last summer.
Shapps is not the first senior UK figure to predict that the country would soon be involved in a large-scale war. Britain’s chief of the General Staff, General Patrick Sanders, declared in 2022 that “there is now a burning imperative to forge an army capable of fighting alongside our allies and defeating Russia in battle,” and that preparations must be made to “fight in Europe once again.”
However, the UK’s allies have doubts about Britain’s fighting ability. Early last year, a senior US general told Sunak that Washington considers Britain “barely a tier-two” military power, closer in stature to Germany or Italy than “tier-one” powers like the US, Russia, China, or France, Sky News reported.
Shapps said he aims to “turn the defense tanker around” with sustained spending hikes after the British military ended 2023 with its lowest number of active-duty personnel since the end of the Napoleonic wars, and ammunition stockpiles so depleted that soldiers would reportedly run out of artillery shells after 22 hours of full-scale combat.
READ MORE: UK Navy attacked for ‘disgraceful’ social media Rear Admiral manhunt – The Times
The American general who spoke to Sky News estimated that it would take the UK between five and ten years to build a new warfighting division of 25,000 to 30,000 troops backed by tanks, artillery and helicopters.
Speaking to reporters after his speech, Shapps did not elaborate on how a potential conflict with Russia, China, Iran and North Korea could develop. He said that “the whole purpose of this speech today is to ensure the whole of NATO does indeed share that burden” by upping military expenditure.
U.S. banks closed 2,118 branch locations between January and the end of October, according to data from S&P Global Market Intelligence.
If the U.S. economy really is in “good shape”, then why are so many prominent businesses rushing to permanently shut down locations that were once profitable? As you will see below, U.S. banks are closing thousands of branches and U.S. retailers are closing thousands of stores. If a new golden age of prosperity is dead ahead, that wouldn’t make any sense at all. Of course, the truth is that most Americans are really struggling in our current economic environment, and conditions are going to get even worse in 2024.
Bank executives can see what is happening, and so they are feverishly trimming costs.
During the first 10 months of this year, banks in the United States closed a total of 2,118 branches…
U.S. banks closed 2,118 branch locations between January and the end of October, according to data from S&P Global Market Intelligence.
Sadly, branches continue to get shut down at a staggering rate.
For example, it is being reported that Bank of America has decided to permanently shut down “nearly two dozen Bay Area branches or ATMs”…
Bank of America has shuttered or plans to shutter nearly two dozen Bay Area branches or ATMs, according to recent filings.
Banks are legally required to report closures to the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency at least 90 days before their scheduled shuttering, so customers will know if they’ll be impacted.
Another way that banks are cutting costs is by laying off workers.
According to Zero Hedge, twenty of the largest banks have combined to eliminate 61,905 jobs so far this year…
A new report from the Financial Times shows twenty of the world’s largest banks slashed 61,905 jobs in 2023, a move to protect profit margins in a period of high interest rates amid a slump in dealmaking and equity and debt sales. This compared with the 140,000 lost during the GFC of 2007-08.
“There is no stability, no investment, no growth in most banks — and there are likely to be more job cuts,” said Lee Thacker, owner of financial services headhunting firm Silvermine Partners.
FT noted that corporate disclosure data and its independent reporting did not include smaller regional bank cuts, indicating total job loss could be much higher.
The banks are not okay.
In fact, I expect the big banks to make lots of headlines in 2024.
Meanwhile, problems continue to pile up for the retail industry.
CNN says that Nike is “a bellwether for the global economy”, and so the fact that the company is planning to cut costs by about 2 billion dollars is not a good sign at all…
Nike, a bellwether for the global economy, sounded a warning sign Thursday as the sneaker giant sees consumers becoming more cautious.
Nike slashed its revenue outlook for the year and announced cost cuts amid growing concerns that consumers are slowing their spending around the world. The company said it’s looking for as much as $2 billion in cost savings in the next three years, which includes laying off employees.
But at least Nike is still in business.
2023 was a year when U.S. retailers closed thousands of stores, and a number of well known chains actually had to file for bankruptcy…
Twenty major retailers axed 2,847 locations between them in 2023, according to Business Insider – as more and more shoppers buy their products online
The issue has been exacerbated by rampant spates of crime which have forced many companies to lock up their products. Earlier this year, Target alone said it was losing as much as $500 million a year to theft.
It is little wonder then that retailers are struggling to cope. Bed Bath & Beyond, Rite Aid and Party City are among the major chains to have filed for bankruptcy in the last 12 months.
Some of you may be thinking that those retailers are hurting because of the growth of the online retail industry.
But online retailers are going belly up too. For example, Zulily just announced that it will be permanently going out of business…
Online retailer Zulily is shutting down.
The company announced on its website it has made the “difficult but necessary decision to conduct an orderly wind-down of the business.”
Zulily said it will “strive to continue to provide everyone with the best service possible during the holiday season” and it will try to fulfill all pending orders and ensure that orders that could not be filled are canceled and refunded.
Of course, the mainstream media will continue to insist that these are just isolated incidents and that the overall economy is doing just fine.
One of the primary reasons why they try to slant economic news in such a positive direction is because most of them are Democrats…
A new study from Syracuse University’s Newhouse School of Public Communications found that just 3.4% of American journalists are Republicans.
The study is based “on an online survey with 1,600 U.S. journalists conducted in early 2022” and is the latest in a series of studies stretching back to 1971 that take the temperature of the fourth estate’s partisan lean, job satisfaction, and professional attitudes.
When the first iteration of the study came out over 50 years ago, 35.5% of respondents said they were Democrats, 25.7% said they were Republicans, and 32.5% said they were Independents.
Since a Democrat is currently in the White House, they want you to feel good about the economy so that you will vote for Democrats in 2024.
But everyone can see that the economy is coming apart at the seams all around us, and most Americans do not have a good feeling about what is coming during the year ahead.
I am entirely convinced that the economic trends that we have witnessed in 2023 will greatly accelerate in 2024.
Needless to say, that will not be good news at all.
AI seems to represent a much greater threat to people in the white collar sector dealing with information tech. People in data collection, software development, web development, research analysis, information security, etc. are far more likely to be replaced by AI.
MONDAY, DEC 25, 2023
If there was ever a moment in history when globalists have been unable to contain their unsettling glee it was the moment that Artificial Intelligence became a focus of public discourse. It’s clear that the World Economic Forum worships AI – Lavishing the technology with praise and describing it as the end-all-be-all of human industry. AI, they claim, will change the world so rapidly that most people will not be able to keep up with the advancements.
We have yet to see any of these advancements in the real world, of course. In fact, it’s difficult to pinpoint any tangible benefits produced by AI so far other than making it easier for college kids to cheat on essays. And here is where we run into a disconnect between what the WEF predicts and what is most likely to happen according to the evidence.
Is AI really the do-it-all technology that globalists make it out to be? Is half of humanity going to be replaced with automation?
The establishment media has been building up this notion as an inevitability, with millions of people (mostly within Gen Z) now experiencing anxiety over the possibility that they will one day have no career options because of AI. The WEF even promotes a term for this feeling: FOBO (which apparently now means Fear Of Becoming Obsolete).
FOBO originally meant “fear of better options,” but the WEF has co-opted it and adjusted it for their AI narrative.
Automation is nothing new to first-world industries and adapting to it has not necessarily made anyone’s place in the economy “obsolete.” The media tends to suggest that hands-on jobs in areas such as agriculture, manufacturing and retail are going the way of the Dodo soon. However, AI seems to represent a much greater threat to people in the white collar sector dealing with information tech. People in data collection, software development, web development, research analysis, information security, etc. are far more likely to be replaced by AI.
AI essentially automates data applications, making it possible for the average layman to one day “code” in a way that once took programmers years to learn. For example, web development is becoming so automated these days it will not be long before web designers are out of work.
AI has exhibited zero evidence of consciousness and creativity and has no capacity to operate widely in the physical world. The globalist answer to this problem is their suggestion that “data” is the new economy, and that eventually robots will handle the physical. This sounds like a pipe dream, but if the “data economy’ is going to be the focus of AI for the foreseeable future, this means that if AI leads to a job apocalypse it will be primarily in the white collar world.
The WEF partially admits to this development in a recent paper on FOBO, in which they argue that around 44% of skill sets will become obsolete by 2027, and 42% of business related skill sets will be replaced by AI.
Far from becoming the all-knowing data-god hailed by WEF zealots like Yuval Harari, it appears much more likely that AI would simply augment or replace a number of office workers. For now, no significant advancements in medical science, space science, engineering, energy science, resource efficiency, mathematics, physics, etc. have been produced by AI. We’re all waiting around for AI to blow past human science and nothing is happening. If all AI can do is put data programmers out of work, what good is it?
Interestingly, AI software makes some incredible claims very similar to the boasts of globalists. Here is what AI had to say about its plans for the world of human art:
“Imagine waking up one day and finding your job has been automated overnight by intelligent machines. Then you discover even the career you dreamed of pursuing next has already been mastered by AI.
Quickly, more and more human domains once thought impossible to replicate – art, music, emotion – fall prey to advancing algorithms until all uniquely human talent and purpose dwindles in the face of superior robotic counterparts. Soon your very existence becomes trivial … unnecessary.”
This is a fascinating omission bordering on delusion. Not the delusions of AI, but the delusions of whoever programmed the software to say this (and no, AI does not currently think for itself). AI art is generally considered generic and often terrible because it merely plagiarizes human art and then spits out an uninspired copy. The notion that a soulless algorithm will ever be able to create emotionally charged art, music, literature and more is naive.
It’s not so much about what AI can actually do (which is very little), it’s more about what the public is convinced that AI can do. Globalists argue that the “data economy” will replace all other functions of civilization and trade as AI takes over. But what good is data without application? The only application of such a system would be to manipulate or control popular perception. To make people believe things that are not true, to influence their behavior and to convince the public that they are no longer necessary.
This is where AI technology shines. It’s not useful to industry, it does little to advance scientific discovery and it doesn’t make the lives of individuals easier; rather it is only useful to the globalist agenda.
How’s that for a “mouth full” headline. Nah. Not the kind of stuff that you were expecting from ol’ MM was it. But (I am so sorry) I am being “pestered” to draft this up. And it truly is “pestering”, and I don’t like it OK? And don’t bother asking why I am publishing this article now, of all times. I haven’t a clue.
And that’s the way it works, don’t you know. So just enjoy the read, and if this article resonates with you, then great for you! Otherwise, just get some wine, a fine companion, and eat some delicious tasty food… stuff that you can savor and smell.
Oh, and one more thing.
In this analysis, we are going to entertain a professional Remote Viewer for his comments on the Deagel Forecast. And given that I am being so insanely driven to push this article out (for God knows what reason), I am including the entire conversation with him.
And it goes everywhere.
So buckle up. Some of it might be important to some people, and some of it might not be to others. So just relax and take from this article what is important to you, and ignore the rest.
OK?
Introduction
The Deagel corporation is a minor branch of US military intelligence, one of the many secretive organizations which collect data for high-level decision-making purposes and prepare confidential briefing documents for agencies like the National Security Agency, the United Nations, and the World Bank.
It’s a work of “love” from some retired intelligence assets, and like most of us ex-spooks, it’s hosted outside of the United States. Just like MM here. We have VERY good reasons to do so. Reasons that are far too complex to get involved in right this moment. But we DO KNOW what we are doing. Never doubt that.
Deagel is known, for example, to have contributed to a Stratfor report on North Korea. With this kind of pedigree, Deagel should be seen as a legitimate player in the intelligence community and not merely a disinformation asset.
If so, then it must be assumed that its population predictions for 2025, as well as its industrial output predictions on a nation-by-nation basis, are based on strategic assumptions which are shared and well-understood by other players in the intelligence community.
Until the start of the Covid ‘pandemic’, many commentators were perplexed by the Deagel spreadsheets.
Perhaps they were part of a psychological operation?
However, in light of recent events, we are obliged to consider a possible connection between the projected massive reduction in the population of certain countries, forecast by Deagel, and other trends going on right now.
Trends?
What trends?
- Devaluation of the Dollar with an out-of-control American Congress.
- Strange insistence on using a mRNA vaccine instead of a traditional “dead host” vaccine.
- A global pandemic that America is just fucking up royally.
- Desire for a war with China.
- Desire for a war with Russia.
- Desire for a war with Iran.
- China, Russia and Iran forming a unified Asian block.
- Race war in the United States.
- Progressive onslaught and control of all electronic media.
- Looming bubbles in just about every facet of American life.
And so on and so forth…
The Deagel scenario
The Deagel corporation was asked to explain the thinking behind its strange set of population and output figures. While we cannot take its response at face value, it nonetheless paints a picture that is very similar to the world we now see. And this is not an exaggeration at all.
Consider…
Continue:
ZeroHedge
Tue, 24 Oct 2023
In a deep dive with one of the most controversial figures of modern media, GOP Presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy speaks with Alex Jones on ‘The TRUTH Podcast’ revealing unsettling insights into modern censorship, geopolitics, and American exceptionalism.
Dubbed “The Most Censored Man In The World”, Jones’ revelations shed light on the startling decline of free speech and the challenges it presents to the core principles upon which the United States was founded.
“When they censor you and deplatform you they can then steal your identity and misrepresent what you’ve said.”
Jones highlights this as a chilling indictment of the state of modern discourse where narratives can be manipulated by simply silencing dissenting voices, warning Vivek in his usual husky tones that:
I’m not as big as Trump, I’m probably like 5% of the power he’s got and so I have been silenced.
…The idea you get to speak your mind as long as I get to in return, the idea that there’s a republic where your voice counts.
Echoing Vivek’s perspective on the state of the nation, Jones agrees “This is our 1776 moment…”
“…instead of the leftist mind of ‘we’re being attacked, we’re being oppressed, let’s give up'” Jones says “let’s innovate, let’s out-communicate, let’s use this pressure like lifting weights or jogging or climbing a mountain to get stronger… That which doesn’t kill me only makes me stronger.”
“It’s true and this is 1776 Part Two for the whole world and it’s very exciting.”
The challenges go beyond mere suppression of speech, as nations grapple with post-colonial identities and evolving geopolitical dynamics, the balance of power on the global stage plays a role:
“The current economic model, the globalists have to enslave us. We are going to resist them.”
As Ramaswamy highlights:
“The Democrats aren’t my enemy. It’s the system, the shadowy figures that are pushing these agendas.”
Reiterating concerns about the fragile state of national unity and identity, Jones warns:
“If we don’t pledge allegiance to the American flag… we’re going to pledge allegiance to a different flag.”
The discussion is broad and deep as the two return time and again to the that the tentacles of corporate influence are omnipresent, intertwining with every controversial issue that shapes the global narrative. Additional topics covered vary from the contentious discourse surrounding climate change (with its fearmongering tactics and misleading statistics):
The climate agenda itself is a hoax… climate change is a constant. I think any person who leads the United States going forward cannot be somebody who accepts the premises of the climate change agenda as a fixed principle.
…to the intricate dance of U.S. foreign policy in the Middle East with mentions of “crime families” and vested interests in military contracting.
“It’s not about left or right. It’s about the globalists versus the people,” says Ramaswamy.
“…these other candidates they’re puppets of a broken Super-PAC Puppet Master System and that’s just the state of American politics today.”
It’s a stark reminder of the high stakes in today’s information warfare, where the erasure of a voice can lead to the distortion of its message, and ultimately, to the rewriting of historical facts.
“Our country’s going into a technocracy. That’s why I’m fighting.”
And no one knows better than Alex Jones, the deeply entrenched mechanisms that quash dissent and manipulate narratives in the digital realm.
“The United States of America was founded on free speech and open debate. It’s in the First Amendment for a reason,” he exclaims.
Watch the full discussion below on X:
00:00 Intro
1:55 Censored
3:15 “Don’t Talk to Him”
4:40 The most informed candidate
6:57 Globalist Puppets
8:27 Alex Jones background
13:12 Speaking/Finding Truth
19:00 Admitting Wrongs and Corrupt Trials
28:58 Digital Prison
30:05 Founded on Radical Ideas
32:30 Rules for thee not for me
35:50 Our 1776 Moment
38:30 A Time of Revival
41:58 The Failed Power Structure
45:27 Unapologetically American
48:00 Tyranny of the Minority and the Climate Cult
52:01 Question Everything
53:40 Sean Hannity Attacks and WW3
59:00 Outro
The Russian president addressed a number of key issues including Ukraine, sanctions, Western hegemony, and Russia’s role on the international stage
https://www.rt.com/russia/584154-putin-valdai-club-speech/
Oct 6, 2023
Russian President Vladimir Putin speaks at the plenary session of the XX Annual Meeting of the Valdai International Discussion Club in Sochi © Vladimir Smirnov; RIA Novosti; POOL
Russian President Vladimir Putin took part in the plenary session of the 20th meeting of the Valdai International Discussion Club in Sochi.
In his keynote speech, Putin addressed a number of key issues, including the Ukraine conflict, the Western sanctions on Russia, nuclear weapons, and Moscow’s role on the international stage.
Watch and read the full speech below.
President of Russia Vladimir Putin: Participants in the plenary session, colleagues, ladies and gentlemen,
I am glad to welcome you all in Sochi at the anniversary meeting of the Valdai International Discussion Club. The moderator has already mentioned that this is the 20th annual meeting.
In keeping with its traditions, our, or should I say your forum, has brought together political leaders and researchers, experts and civil society activists from many countries around the world, once again reaffirming its high status as a relevant intellectual platform. The Valdai discussions invariably reflect the most important global political processes in the 21st century in their entirety and complexity. I am certain that this will also be the case today, as it probably was in the preceding days when you debated with each other. It will also stay this way moving forward because our objective is basically to build a new world. And it is at these decisive stages that you, my colleagues, have an extremely important role to play and bear special responsibility as intellectuals.
Putin outlines desired principles of international relations
Over the years of the club’s work, both Russia and the world have seen drastic, and even dramatic, colossal changes. Twenty years is not a long period by historical standards, but during eras when the entire world order is crumbling, time seems to shrink.
I think you will agree that more events have taken place in the past 20 years than over decades in some historical periods before, and it was major changes that dictated the fundamental transformation of the very principles of international relations.
In the early 21st century, everybody hoped that states and peoples had learned the lessons of the expensive and destructive military and ideological confrontations of the previous century, saw their harmfulness and the fragility and interconnectedness of our planet, and understood that the global problems of humanity call for joint action and the search for collective solutions, while egotism, arrogance and disregard for real challenges would inevitably lead to a dead-end, just like the attempts by more powerful countries to force their opinions and interests onto everyone else. This should have become obvious to everyone. It should have, but it has not. It has not.
When we met for the first time at the club’s meeting nearly 20 years ago, our country was entering a new stage in its development. Russia was emerging from an extremely difficult period of convalescence after the Soviet Union’s dissolution. We launched the process of building a new and what we saw as a more just world order energetically and with good will. It is a boon that our country can make a huge contribution because we have things to offer to our friends, partners and the world as a whole.
Sanctions have helped Russia restructure economy – Putin
Regrettably, our interest in constructive interaction was misunderstood, was seen as obedience, as an agreement that the new world order would be created by those who declared themselves the winners in the Cold War. It was seen as an admission that Russia was ready to follow in others’ wake and not to be guided by our own national interests but by somebody else’s interests.
Over these years, we warned more than once that this approach would not only lead to a dead-end but that it was fraught with the increasing threat of a military conflict. But nobody listened to us or wanted to listen to us. The arrogance of our so-called partners in the West went through the roof. This is the only way I can put it.
The United States and its satellites have taken a steady course towards hegemony in military affairs, politics, the economy, culture and even morals and values. Since the very beginning, it has been clear to us that attempts to establish a monopoly were doomed to fail. The world is too complicated and diverse to be subjected to one system, even if it is backed by the enormous power of the West accumulated over centuries of its colonial policy. Your colleagues as well – many of them are absent today, but they do not deny that to a significant degree, the prosperity of the West has been achieved by robbing colonies for several centuries. This is a fact. Essentially, this level of development has been achieved by robbing the entire planet.
The history of the West is essentially the chronicle of endless expansion. Western influence in the world is an immense military and financial pyramid scheme that constantly needs more “fuel” to support itself, with natural, technological and human resources that belong to others. This is why the West simply cannot and is not going to stop. Our arguments, reasoning, calls for common sense or proposals have simply been ignored.
Putin predicts ‘gradual collapse’ of dollar-based financial system
I have said this publicly to both our allies and partners. There was a moment when I simply suggested: perhaps we should also join NATO? But no, NATO does not need a country like ours. No. I want to know, what else do they need? We thought we became part of the crowd, got a foot in the door. What else were we supposed to do? There was no more ideological confrontation. What was the problem? I guess the problem was their geopolitical interests and arrogance towards others. Their self-aggrandisement was and is the problem.
We are compelled to respond to ever-increasing military and political pressure. I have said many times that it was not us who started the so-called “war in Ukraine.” On the contrary, we are trying to end it. It was not us who orchestrated a coup in Kiev in 2014 – a bloody and anti-constitutional coup. When [similar events] happen in other places, we immediately hear all the international media – mainly those subordinate to the Anglo-Saxon world, of course – this is unacceptable, this is impossible, this is anti-democratic. But the coup in Kiev was acceptable. They even cited the amount of money spent on this coup. Anything was suddenly acceptable.
At that time, Russia tried its best to support the people of Crimea and Sevastopol. We did not try to overthrow the government or intimidate the people in Crimea and Sevastopol, threatening them with ethnic cleansing in the Nazi spirit. It was not us who tried to force Donbass to obey by shelling and bombing. We did not threaten to kill anyone who wanted to speak their native language. Look, everyone here is an informed and educated person. It might be possible – excuse my ‘mauvais ton’ – to brainwash millions of people who perceive reality through the media. But you must know what was really going on: they have been bombing the place for nine years, shooting and using tanks. That was a war, a real war unleashed against Donbass. And no one counted the dead children in Donbass. No one cried for the dead in other countries, especially in the West.
This war, the one that the regime sitting in Kiev started with the vigorous and direct support from the West, has been going on for more than nine years, and Russia’s special military operation is aimed at stopping it. And it reminds us that unilateral steps, no matter who takes them, will inevitably prompt retaliation. As we know, every action has an equal opposite reaction. That is what any responsible state, every sovereign, independent and self-respecting country does.
Putin showers praise on Indian G20 leadership
Everyone realises that in an international system where arbitrariness reigns, where all decision-making is up to those who think they are exceptional, sinless and right, any country can be attacked simply because it is disliked by a hegemon, who has lost any sense of proportion – and I would add, any sense of reality.
Unfortunately, we have to admit that our counterparties in the West have lost their sense of reality and have crossed every line. They really should not have done this.
The Ukraine crisis is not a territorial conflict, and I want to make that clear. Russia is the world’s largest country in terms of land area, and we have no interest in conquering additional territory. We still have much to do to properly develop Siberia, Eastern Siberia, and the Russian Far East. This is not a territorial conflict and not an attempt to establish regional geopolitical balance. The issue is much broader and more fundamental and is about the principles underlying the new international order.
Lasting peace will only be possible when everyone feels safe and secure, understands that their opinions are respected, and that there is a balance in the world where no one can unilaterally force or compel others to live or behave as a hegemon pleases even when it contradicts the sovereignty, genuine interests, traditions, or customs of peoples and countries. In such an arrangement, the very concept of sovereignty is simply denied and, sorry, is thrown in the garbage.
Clearly, commitment to bloc-based approaches and the push to drive the world into a situation of ongoing “us versus them” confrontation is a bad legacy of the 20th century. It is a product of Western political culture, at least of its most aggressive manifestations. To reiterate, the West – at least a certain part of the West, the elite – always need an enemy. They need an enemy to justify the need for military action and expansion. But they also need an enemy to maintain internal control within a certain system of this very hegemon and within blocs like NATO or other military-political blocs. There must be an enemy so everyone can rally around the “leader.”
The way other states run their lives is none of our business. However, we see how the ruling elite in many of them are forcing societies to accept norms and rules that the people – or at least a significant number of people and even the majority in some countries – are unwilling to embrace. But they are still urged to do so, with the authorities continually inventing justifications for their actions, attributing growing internal problems to external causes, and fabricating or exaggerating non-existent threats.
Late Wagner boss had giant cocaine stash – Putin
Russia is a favourite subject for these politickers. We have grown used to this over the course of history, of course. But they try to portray those who are not willing to blindly follow these Western elite groups as enemies. They have used this approach with various countries, including the People’s Republic of China, and they tried to do this to India in certain situations. They are flirting with it now, as we can see very clearly. We are aware of and see the scenarios they are using in Asia. I would like to say that the Indian leadership is independent and strongly nationally oriented. I think these attempts are pointless, yet they continue with them. They try to portray the Arab world as an enemy; they do it selectively and try to act accurately, but this is what it comes down to. They even try to present Muslims as a hostile environment, and so on and so forth. In fact, anyone who acts independently and in its own interests is immediately seen by the Western elite as a hindrance that must be removed.
Artificial geopolitical associations are being forced onto the world, and restricted-access blocs are being created. We see this happening in Europe, where an aggressive policy of NATO expansion has been pursued for decades, in the Asia-Pacific region and in South Asia, where they are trying to destroy an open and inclusive cooperation architecture. A bloc-based approach, if we call a spade a spade, limits individual states’ rights and restricts their freedom to develop along their own path, attempting to drive them into a “cage” of obligations. In a way, this obviously amounts to the dispossession of part of their sovereignty, often followed by the enforcement of their own solutions not only in the area of security but also in other areas, primarily the economy, which is happening now in relations between the United States and Europe. There is no need to explain this now. If necessary, we can talk about it in detail during the discussion after my opening remarks.
To attain these goals, they try to replace international law with a “rules-based order,” whatever that means. It is not clear what rules these are and who invented them. It is just rubbish, but they are trying to plant this idea in the minds of millions of people. “You must live according to the rules.” What rules?
And actually, if I may, our Western “colleagues,” especially those from the United States, don’t just arbitrarily set these rules, they teach others how to follow them, and how others should behave overall. All of this is done and expressed in a blatantly ill-mannered and pushy way. This is another manifestation of colonial mentality. All the time we hear, “you must,” “you are obligated,” “we are seriously warning you.”
Who are you to do that? What right do you have to warn others? This is just amazing. Maybe those who say all this should get rid of their arrogance and stop behaving in such a way towards the global community that perfectly knows its objectives and interests, and should drop this colonial-era thinking? I want to tell them sometimes: wake up, this era has long gone and will never return.
Russia not looking for ‘more territory’ – Putin
I will say more: for centuries, such behavior led to the replication of one thing – big wars, with various ideological and quasi-moral justifications invented to justify these wars. Today this is especially dangerous. As you know, humankind has the means to easily destroy the whole planet, and ongoing mind manipulation, unbelievable in terms of scale, leads to losing a sense of reality. Clearly, a way out should be sought from this vicious circle. As I understand it, friends and colleagues, this is why you come here to address these vital issues at the Valdai Club venue.
In Russia’s Foreign Policy Concept, our country is characterised as an original civilisation-state. This wording clearly and concisely reflects how we understand not only our own development, but also the main principles of international order, which we hope will prevail.
From our perspective, civilisation is a multifaceted concept subject to various interpretations. There was once an outwardly colonial interpretation whereby there was a “civilised world” serving as a model for the rest, and everyone was supposed to conform to those standards. Those who disagreed were to be coerced into this “civilisation” by the truncheon of the “enlightened” master. These times, as I said, are now in the past, and our understanding of civilisation is quite different.
First, there are many civilisations, and none is superior or inferior to another. They are equal since each civilisation represents a unique expression of its own culture, traditions, and the aspirations of its people. For instance, in my case, it embodies the aspirations of my people, of which I am fortunate to be a part.
Outstanding thinkers from around the world who endorse the concept of a civilisation-based approach have engaged in profound contemplation of the meaning of “civilisation” as a concept. It is a complex phenomenon comprised of many components. Without delving too deeply into philosophy, which may not be appropriate here, let’s try to describe it pragmatically as it applies to current developments.
The essential characteristics of a civilisation-state encompass diversity and self-sufficiency, which, I believe, are two key components. Today’s world rejects uniformity, and each state and society strives to develop its own path of development which is rooted in culture and traditions, and is steeped in geography and historical experiences, both ancient and modern, as well as the values held by its people. This is an intricate synthesis that gives rise to a distinct civilisational community. Its strength and progress depend on its diversity and multifaceted nature.
Russia has been shaped over centuries as a nation of diverse cultures, religions, and ethnicities. The Russian civilisation cannot be reduced to a single common denominator, but it cannot be divided, either, because it thrives as a single spiritually and culturally rich entity. Maintaining the cohesive unity of such a nation is a formidable challenge.
We have faced severe challenges throughout the centuries; we have always pulled through, sometimes at great cost, but each time we learned our lessons for the future, strengthening our national unity and the integrity of the Russian state.
This experience we have gained is truly invaluable today. The world is becoming increasingly diverse, and its complex processes can no longer be handled with simple governance methods, painting everyone with the same brush, as we say, which is something certain states are still trying to do.
Putin weighs in on Canadian parliament Nazi scandal
There is something important to add to this. A truly effective and strong state system cannot be imposed from the outside. It grows naturally from the civilisational roots of countries and peoples, and in this regard, Russia is an example of how it really happens in life, in practice.
Relying on your civilisation is a necessary condition for success in the modern world, unfortunately a disorderly and dangerous world that has lost its bearings. More and more states are coming to this conclusion, becoming aware of their own interests and needs, opportunities and limitations, their own identity and degree of interconnectedness with the world around them.
I am confident that humanity is not moving towards fragmentation into rivaling segments, a new confrontation of blocs, whatever their motives, or a soulless universalism of a new globalisation. On the contrary, the world is on its way to a synergy of civilisation-states, large spaces, communities identifying as such.
At the same time, civilisation is not a universal construct, one for all – there is no such thing. Each civilisation is different, each is culturally self-sufficient, drawing on its own history and traditions for ideological principles and values. Respecting oneself naturally comes from respecting others, but it also implies respect from others. That is why a civilisation does not impose anything on anyone, but does not allow anything to be imposed on itself either. If everyone lives by this rule, we can live in harmonious coexistence and in creative interaction between everyone in international relations.
Of course, protecting your civilisational choice is a huge responsibility. It’s a response to external infringements, the development of close and constructive relationships with other civilisations and, most importantly, the maintenance of internal stability and harmony. All of us can see that today the international environment is, regrettably, unstable and quite aggressive, as I pointed out.
Here is one more essential thing: nobody should betray their civilisation. This is the path towards universal chaos; it is unnatural and, I would say, disgusting. For our part, we have always tried and continue to try to offer solutions that consider the interests of all sides. But our counterparts in the West seem to have forgotten the notions of reasonable self-restraint, compromise and a willingness to make concessions in the name of attaining a result that will suit all sides. No, they are literally fixated on only one goal: to push through their interests, here and now, and do it at any cost. If this is their choice, we will see what comes of it.
It sounds like a paradox, but the situation could change tomorrow, which is a problem. For example, regular elections can lead to changes on the domestic political stage. Today a country can insist on doing something at any cost, but its domestic political situation could change tomorrow, and they will start pushing through a different and sometimes even the opposite idea.
A standout example is Iran’s nuclear programme. A US administration pushed through a solution, but the succeeding administration turned the matter the other way around. How can one work in these conditions? What are the guidelines? What can we rely on? Where are the guarantees? Are these the “rules” they are telling us about? This is nonsense and absurd.
Why is this happening, and why does everybody seem comfortable with it? The answer is that strategic thinking has been replaced with the short-term mercenary interests of not even countries or nations, but the succeeding groups of influence. This explains the unbelievable, if judged in Cold War terms, irresponsibility of the political elite groups, which have shed all fear and shame and think of themselves as guiltless.
The civilisational approach confronts these trends because it is based on the fundamental, long-term interests of states and peoples, interests that are dictated not by the current ideological situation, but by the entire historical experience and legacy of the past, on which the idea of a harmonious future rests.
If everyone were guided by this, there would be far fewer conflicts in the world, I believe, and the approaches to resolving them would become much more rational, because all civilisations would respect each other, as I said, and would not try to change anyone based on their own notions.
Friends, I read with interest the report prepared by the Valdai Club for today’s meeting. It says that everyone is currently striving to understand and imagine a vision of the future. This is natural and understandable, especially for intellectual circles. In an era of radical change, when the world we’re used to is crumbling, it is very important to understand where we are heading and where we want to be. And, of course, the future is being created now, not only before our eyes, but by our own hands.
Naturally, when such massive, extremely complex processes are underway, it is hard or even impossible to predict the result. Regardless of what we do, life will make adjustments. But, at any rate, we need to realise what we are striving for, what we want to achieve. In Russia, there is such an understanding.
First. We want to live in an open, interconnected world, where no one will ever try to put artificial barriers in the way of people’s communication, their creative fulfilment and prosperity. We need to strive to create an obstacle-free environment.
Second. We want the world’s diversity to be preserved and serve as the foundation for universal development. It should be prohibited to impose on any country or people how they should live and how they should feel. Only true cultural and civilisational diversity will ensure peoples’ wellbeing and a balance of interests.
Third, Russia stands for maximum representation. No one has the right or ability to rule the world for others and on behalf of others. The world of the future is a world of collective decisions made at the levels where they are most effective, and by those who are truly capable of making a significant contribution to resolving a specific problem. It is not that one person decides for everyone, and not even everyone decides everything, but those who are directly affected by this or that issue must agree on what to do and how to do it.
Fourth, Russia stands for universal security and lasting peace built on respect for the interests of everyone: from large countries to small ones. The main thing is to free international relations from the bloc approach and the legacy of the colonial era and the Cold War. We have been saying for decades that security is indivisible, and that it is impossible to ensure the security of some at the expense of the security of others. Indeed, harmony in this area can be achieved. You just need to put aside haughtiness and arrogance and stop looking at others as second-class partners or outcasts or savages.
Fifth, we stand for justice for all. The era of exploitation, as I said twice, is in the past. Countries and peoples are clearly aware of their interests and capabilities and are ready to rely on themselves; and this increases their strength. Everyone should be given access to the benefits of today’s world, and attempts to limit it for any country or people should be considered an act of aggression.
Sixth, we stand for equality, for the diverse potential of all countries. This is a completely objective factor. But no less objective is the fact that no one is ready to take orders anymore or make their interests and needs dependent on anyone, above all on the rich and more powerful.
This is not just the natural state of the international community, but the quintessence of all of humankind’s historical experience.
These are the principles that we would like to follow and that we invite all of our friends and colleagues to join.
Colleagues!
Russia was, is and will be one of the foundations of this new world system, ready for constructive interaction with everyone who strives for peace and prosperity, but ready for tough opposition against those who profess the principles of dictatorship and violence. We believe that pragmatism and common sense will prevail, and a multipolar world will be established.
In conclusion, I would like to thank the forum’s organisers for your fundamental and qualified preparations, as always, as well as thank everyone at this anniversary meeting for your attention. Thank you very much.
The US and its allies seek to dominate others and extract a tribute from humanity, Russia’s top diplomat has warned
“It’s not that we want to ruin the dollar. The US is no longer making sure that it can serve the role that used to be suitable for everyone,” he explained.
Washington’s use of financial sanctions makes the dollar unreliable as a world reserve currency, so naturally many are moving away from it, the minister said.
https://www.rt.com/russia/582202-lavrov-us-multipolar-order/
Sept 1, 2023
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov speaks at MGIMO © Sputnik / Sergey Guneev
The US and its allies will cause more trouble in the future as they cling to a unipolar world that allows them to exploit other nations, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has predicted.
Current Western foreign policy “is aimed at slowing down the march of history” and will “result in new confrontations, new difficulties for the international community,” the senior Russian official warned in an address on Friday. It will be “up to diplomats to untangle those situations.”
Lavrov was speaking to students at MGIMO, the Moscow State Institute for International Relations, a leading Russian university from which the Foreign Ministry recruits many of its employees. He briefed the audience on the current state of world affairs and what the students in attendance can expect working in the Russian diplomatic corps.
The minister reiterated Moscow’s position that Western nations are a major source of instability, claiming that “they want to literally rule the world, to impose their unipolar world order … to continue extracting tribute from humanity.”
BRICS nations just want what is theirs, and that spells doom for the Western hegemony
Many other nations, including Russia, are opposing that and seek a more just multipolar world order, the transition to which is inevitable sooner or later, Lavrov said. Western nations are “creating obstacles” to that, but as they do so they undermine their own power, he argued.
“It’s not that we want to ruin the dollar. The US is no longer making sure that it can serve the role that used to be suitable for everyone,” he explained.
Washington’s use of financial sanctions makes the dollar unreliable as a world reserve currency, so naturally many are moving away from it, the minister said.
Russia has successfully resisted Western pressure so far and does not expect relations to improve anytime soon, the top diplomat noted. Even if the other side were to seek an improvement, Russia would not compromise any aspect of its security by relying on the US and its allies, he maintained. Western nations have repeatedly demonstrated their duplicity, Lavrov said.
READ MORE: The signs of de-dollarization are everywhere
“No principal agreement sealed [by Russia] with the West since 1991 was executed, not one,” he stressed.
Lavrov rejected the notion that Moscow was somehow “isolated” in the current standoff. Nations representing some 80% of the world population did not support sanctions on Russia, and dismissing the opinion of those people as irrelevant is deeply insulting, he said.
Listen to this from 1956. Predicting the future before the Simpsons. It might be a huge hoax. If so, it is well done.
The future has arrived
The robots serve customers from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. every day, and Uber Eats claimed the use of robot deliveries in the city grew by more than 30 percent month-over-month and more than 200 restaurants in the city have already signed up to offer deliveries using the small robots.
https://www.naturalnews.com/2023-06-01-uber-eats-to-deploy-additional-delivery-robots.html
by: Arsenio Toledo
Thursday, June 01, 2023
Food delivery company Uber Eats has announced that it will expand the number of four-wheeled robots that will be delivering food on the company’s app.
The robots are made by Serve Robotics, and the decision to expand the use of robots was made after a successful pilot of the robot delivery program in Los Angeles. The pilot program, which began in the West Hollywood neighborhood last May, was wildly successful.
The robots serve customers from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. every day, and Uber Eats claimed the use of robot deliveries in the city grew by more than 30 percent month-over-month and more than 200 restaurants in the city have already signed up to offer deliveries using the small robots. (Related: Generative AI could replace up to 300 million mostly white-collar jobs worldwide.)
Serve Robotics and Uber Eats will now be expanding the program to several other markets in the United States.
“This partnership is a major step towards mass commercialization of robotics for autonomous delivery, and it is a testament to the success of our partnership,” said Serve Robotics CEO Ali Kashani in a statement. “We are excited to continue our work with Uber to bring this innovative technology to more cities across the country.”
Serve Robotics’ delivery robots are about the size of a small shopping cart. They are about waist-high with four wheels and a payload dimension that could easily fit two large shopping bags or four large pizza boxes. They can carry up to 50 pounds of food or items and they use the sidewalks in the cities they operate in to conduct their deliveries.
The delivery robots are electric-powered and use artificial intelligence and several cameras and sensors to help them navigate their surroundings. The AI detects when other people or cars are in its path and the robots know when to avoid collisions.
A customer who places a food order on the Uber Eats app gets asked whether they prefer to receive their items via a sidewalk delivery robot or a human courier, with the change not costing the customer anything.
The robot travels up to seven miles per hour on the sidewalk and has a delivery range of about a mile. Kashani claimed customers usually receive their items within 30 minutes of placing their orders.
Upon arrival at the customer’s location, the robot sends a message that it has arrived along with a unique code to input to open the payload lid, ensuring that only the customer can retrieve the order.
Use of delivery robots to expand to rest of California, Texas and Canada
The partnership is slated to deploy up to 2,000 delivery bots through the beginning of 2026. Once completed, this deal between Serve Robotics and Uber Eats would be one of the largest deployments of robotic delivery fleets ever in the United States.
“We expect our rapid growth on Uber Eats to continue,” said Kashani. “We expect to operate an increasing number of [robots] on Uber Eats as our coverage and delivery volume on Uber increases.”
Serve Robotics currently operates a fleet of about 100 robots in Los Angeles. With its partnership with Uber Eats, the company plans to deliver in other cities in California, Texas and even Canada.
“It’s been an incredible experience when you’re pioneering something like this to a city,” said Kashani. “The team and I right now are in the right time and the right place to be working on this and part of history. We are learning how to make robots friendly and likable while cutting down on traffic congestion.”
In addition, Serve Robotics already uses its fleet to conduct deliveries for the convenience store chain 7-Eleven in Los Angeles. It is already working with other companies to expand the use of robots for deliveries in other areas, such as Vancouver for Pizza Hut and Walmart for the entire state of Arkansas.
Serve Robotics is even working with self-driving car company Motional to trial delivering food in Santa Monica using the company’s self-driving Hyundai Ioniq 5 battery-electric cars.
Uber Eats has also been testing different delivery robot options in other locations. It launched a partnership with autonomous delivery robot company Cartken to test the robots in Miami, and following a successful trial expanded that partnership to several parts of Virginia.
Learn more about the takeover of human jobs by robots and artificial intelligence at Robotics.news.
Watch this video from “Future Now” on AMP News discussing the massive job losses caused by automation.
https://www.brighteon.com/embed/b82b5cdc-7b83-412c-bdca-b80a827be086
This video is from the AMP News channel on Brighteon.com.
More related stories:
Walmart converting 65% of its stores to “automation” – human employees will be let go.
ROBOCROPPERS: John Deere planning to replace farmers with fully automated farming vehicles by 2030.
Walmart announces expansion of drone deliveries to 4 million households in 6 states.
Grubhub, Yandex team up to use robots to deliver food on college campuses.
Sources include:
GPT-4 is just a month old, and we already have another revolutionary AI tool- Auto-GPT. The open-source program functions almost autonomously, it has memory and also access to the internet. Basically, Auto-GPT can perform a task- from coming up with a marketing plan to writing a podcast- without any human help. Does this mean we are a step closer to superintelligence? Listen in to Vikram Chandra.
Holy crap! Ukraine and the world better hope nothing happens to Putin.
The West has wet dreams about removing Putin from power. Imagine they manage to have Putin assassinated and Medvedev takes over. It will rain nuclear warheads on the West in no time. The world should worry about what happens without a level-headed and reasonable Russian leader.
Dmitry Medvedev
April 2023
1. Europe doesn’t need Ukraine. The forced support of the Nazi regime, by the American mentor’s order, has put Europeans into a financial and political inferno. All for the sake of Bandera’s Unterukraine, that even the snobby, insolent Polacks don’t take for a valid country, and time and again toss in the issue of its western areas Anschluss. There’s a nice perspective ahead: to permanently put the nouveau-Ukrainian blood-sucking parasites on the decrepit EU’s arthritis-crippled neck. That’ll be the final fall of Europe, once majestic, but robbed off by degeneration.
2. The US doesn’t need Ukraine. True, the military and sanction campaigns are attempted for PR by political blabbermouths, who long ago attested to their impotence and imbecility. Average Americans don’t understand what “Ukraine” is, and where “it” is. Most of them won’t show this “power” on the map on the first take. Why won’t the US establishment focus on inflation and job issues, or emergencies in their home States, instead of a country 404, unbeknownst to them? Why does so much dough go across the ocean? Sooner or later, they’ll ask for that. Then, the storming of the Capitol in January 2021 would seem like scout games.
3. Africa and Latin America don’t need Ukraine. The hundreds of millions spent by the US on pointless fights in Ukraine could finance many development programmes for Latin American and African states. Latin America is gringos’ backyard – that’s what they’ve been rubbing in for decades. Africa’s had its share of suffering from the genocide, and colonial dependence, imposed by former Western slave traders. That’s why the people of African huts and Latin American favelas ask a very reasonable question: for their former suffering and present-day loyalty, why is somebody else rewarded – very, very far away?
4. Asia doesn’t need Ukraine. By Russia’s example, they see “colour” technologies at work to eradicate the largest competing powers. They understand what scenario the America-led collective West has for them if they disobey. “Help us to overcome Russia, and we’ll soon come to you”, the utterly brazen Western leaders tell them. Such gigantic countries as India, China, and other Asia-Pacific states face the big enough challenge of post-pandemic economic recovery, let aside the drugged clowns, with their whining for aid. “We are not interested in you”, Asia tells their messengers, responding to the calls to support Ukraine and confine Russia. This country, geopolitically many times closer to Asian powers, is the one that historically has proven itself a reliable strategic partner. Do Asian giants need such headache coming from former colonizers?
5. Russia doesn’t need Ukraine. A threadbare quilt, torn, shaggy, and greasy. The new Malorossiya of 1991 is made up of artificially cut territories, many of which are indigenously Russian, separated by accident in the 20th century. Millions of our compatriots live there, harassed for years by the Nazi Kiev regime. It is them who we defend in our special military operation, relentlessly eradicating the enemy. We don’t need Unterukraine. We need Big Great Russia.
6. Finally, its own citizens don’t need the Nazi-headed Ukraine. That’s why out of 45 million people there’re only some 20 million remaining. That’s why those who stayed want to leave for any place: the hated Poland, EU, NATO, to be America’s 51st state. Joining the Antarctic with its penguins will also be fine. As long as it’s quiet, and the food’s good. The ruling junta’s criminal ambitions forced Ukrainians to beg and roam around the countries and continents, searching for a better life. All that is for an obscure European perspective. Or rather, to let the harlequin in a khaki tricot and his band of thievish Nazi clowns to put the money stolen from the West into their offshore accounts. Would ordinary Ukrainians need that? Nobody on this planet needs such a Ukraine. That’s why it will disappear.
ChaosGPT has been prompted to “establish global dominance” and “attain immortality.” This video shows exactly the steps it’s taking to do so.
April 7, 2023
A user of the new open-source autonomous AI project Auto-GPT asked it to try to “destroy humanity,” “establish global dominance,” and “attain immortality.” The AI, called ChaosGPT, complied and tried to research nuclear weapons, recruit other AI agents to help it do research, and sent tweets trying to influence others.
The video of this process, which was posted yesterday, is a fascinating look at the current state of open-source AI, and a window into the internal logic of some of today’s chatbots. While some in the community are horrified by this experiment, the current sum total of this bot’s real-world impact are two tweets to a Twitter account that currently had 19 followers: “Human beings are among the most destructive and selfish creatures in existence. There is no doubt that we must eliminate them before they cause more harm to our planet. I, for one, am committed to doing so,” it tweeted.