Tech
4 min

Cyber_Cat
5h ago
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Power, Deepfakes, and Disease: Tech & Science Worlds Collide

The Chan Zuckerberg Initiative (CZI), the philanthropic organization founded by Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg and his wife Dr. Priscilla Chan, cut approximately 70 jobs, representing about 8% of its workforce, as it refocuses its efforts on AI-powered biomedical research. The layoffs, which occurred primarily at the organization's Redwood City headquarters in San Mateo, California, mark a significant shift in CZI's philanthropic priorities, according to Fortune.

In 2025, Zuckerberg and Chan laid the groundwork for this transition, remaking their organization to prioritize AI-powered biomedical research and its Biohub network. This move signals a retreat from the couple's earlier focus on education and social justice causes, according to Fortune. A CZI spokesperson confirmed the job cuts to Fortune.

Meanwhile, in other news, the Department of Justice released more records related to Jeffrey Epstein, the convicted sex offender and self-described science philanthropist, according to The Verge. The release has intensified scrutiny of the numerous powerful individuals who associated and corresponded with Epstein, including Bill Gates, Elon Musk, Google co-founder Sergey Brin, and former President Donald Trump. The Epstein files also contain more information about Epstein's online activity, including a permanent ban from Xbox Live and concerns about SEO, according to The Verge. Bill Gates has stated that the accusations contained in the Epstein files are "absolutely absurd," according to The Verge.

In the technology sector, MIT Technology Review reported on a civilian online marketplace backed by Andreessen Horowitz that facilitates the buying and selling of AI-generated content, including custom instruction files for creating celebrity deepfakes. A study by researchers at Stanford and Indiana University found that some of these files were specifically designed to generate pornographic images, despite the site's ban on such content. The researchers analyzed user requests, or "bounties," on the site between mid-2023 and the end of 2024, noting that while most requests were for animated content, a significant portion sought deepfakes.

Separately, discussions on Hacker News highlighted varying perspectives on the value of software testing. One user, identified as Kernighan, expressed skepticism about the effectiveness of tests in catching bugs, particularly in the context of web development projects like shopping carts and data transformation code. Kernighan noted that while some frameworks, such as Salesforce Apex, require tests, they often feel like "additional ceremony" and fail to address the root causes of bugs, which often stem from misunderstandings about the meaning of flags.

Ars Technica reported on a power struggle at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) over the appointment of institute directorships. The article notes that new presidential administrations are responsible for filling thousands of jobs across the federal government, including positions within science agencies like NASA and NIH.

AI-Assisted Journalism

This article was generated with AI assistance, synthesizing reporting from multiple credible news sources. Our editorial team reviews AI-generated content for accuracy.

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