Valley Point

The AI industry's conflicting positions are being scrutinized in both Washington and Silicon Valley, according to Axios. The report points to tensions between the industry's public warnings about AI risks and its aggressive push to build and deploy powerful systems, as well as companies' calls for regulation while lobbying against constraints. The contradictions are drawing attention as policymakers weigh new AI rules and tech leaders shape the debate.

A new report on the assassination of Charlie Kirk at Utah Valley University says his organization, Turning Point USA, insisted he appear outdoors despite security concerns. The university, where Kirk was killed, reportedly failed to properly assess dangers, including the possibility of a rooftop shooter. The findings renew scrutiny of security planning for the event and questions about who bears responsibility for the lapses.

Scott Graffius is promoting his website, which offers resources and analysis on technology and business topics including AI, Agile, project management, teamwork and leadership. As an example of the content, he points to a talk on strategic alignment he gave at a PMI Silicon Valley event. The self-promotion has drawn only minimal attention so far, with a small number of likes and little visible discussion.

Mother Jones examines whether Hollywood is turning on tech billionaires, pointing to a wave of films, documentaries and prestige dramas about figures like Elon Musk, Sam Altman, Mark Zuckerberg and Elizabeth Holmes, with directors such as Luca Guadagnino and Aaron Sorkin said to be behind projects reckoning with Silicon Valley's power.

A new study of 5,000-year-old skulls from Ancient Egypt reveals fracture patterns that researchers say point to human sacrifice, shedding light on violent ritual practices in one of the world's earliest civilisations. The findings suggest such rites were taking place far earlier than many had assumed, prompting renewed discussion among archaeologists about the origins and scale of ritual killing in the Nile Valley.

A New York Times Magazine essay argues that the logic of gambling underlies much of Silicon Valley's culture and products, from prediction markets to startup investing. The piece links betting, statistics and probabilistic reasoning, suggesting tech's faith in forecasting outcomes is closer to wagering than to science.

Frasers Property and Mitsubishi Estate have announced plans to jointly redevelop Valley Point and Frasers Suites in Singapore. The partnership between the Thai-linked developer and the Japanese property group will see the two River Valley-area assets transformed, adding to a wave of redevelopment activity in the city's central districts. Details on timelines and project scale have not yet been released.

Anthropic's attempt to win Vatican support for its views on artificial intelligence has failed, according to reports circulating online. Vatican scholars reportedly refused to accept the company's assertion that scaling transformer neural networks could give artificial systems subjective experience, moral standing, or spiritual agency. The rejection underscores a widening gap between Silicon Valley claims about AI consciousness and religious institutions' views on what constitutes a soul or moral personhood.

The Paradise Valley town council has discussed a proposed solar project known as the Casa solar project after nearby residents raised concerns. Details of the neighbors' objections and the council's response were not specified in available reporting, but the project has become a local point of debate over siting and neighborhood impact.

City of Solvang employees remain on strike after negotiations between workers and the city ended without a resolution. The labor action, taking place in the Santa Ynez Valley community in California, is affecting municipal services as talks stall. Local media, including the Santa Maria Times, are covering the standoff, and it is not yet known when bargaining will resume or what the main points of disagreement are.

A new study reported by The Business Journal finds that agricultural communities in California's Central Valley want more training in agricultural technology. The research suggests residents see agtech skills as key to the region's farming future, highlighting demand for education programs that prepare workers for technology-driven changes in agriculture.