locacorten

From my standpoint, this isn’t about revenge. It’s about accountability and alignment with broader realities. Over the past 18 months, we've seen over a million layoffs across the US tech sector alone. White-collar industries everywhere are tightening belts. The US government also had massive layoffs due to DOGE.

And yet, I haven’t seen a single example of administrative downsizing in our public universities—not one. Instead, I hear about professors losing grant funding and international students facing stress over visa uncertainty.

So when I say universities aren’t hearing the message, I’m referring specifically to the glaring lack of reform in their administrative structures. Until I see serious efforts to address this—starting with large-scale administrative layoffs—I'm not inclined to offer my sympathy.

In the city where I live, the contrast is striking: the local state college boasts dorms and facilities that are remarkably luxurious—architecturally grand, stylish, and visibly well-funded. Meanwhile, the local NVIDIA office operates out of a building that looks decidedly unremarkable, even shabby by comparison. One is supported in part by public funds; the other is a profit-driven enterprise.

I absolutely believe in the value of academia and agree we should support it. But this administration has made it clear that reform is expected. I’m not convinced that message is being fully heard. Until we see meaningful changes—such as a leaner administrative structure and a shift away from spending on vanity infrastructure—I’ll pass.

I wonder what would be a really effective incentive to the construction industry to build more homes.

Something like -- no tax on any homes construction for the next 5 years. Wouldn't that create a construction boom?

I beg to differ.

Regular human beings would die 100% of the time. Not 80.

I'm disappointed to hear this news. Understanding the origins of Covid is one of the most important things we can do in this century.

No. It's not deep in their nature. People do not compete in a system offering no incentive to compete.

I think everybody is missing the point. If one grad student was able to do this, imagine what a team of dozens of well-paid, well-equipped, and highly experienced security experts could do.

In other news, we just learned that any half-decent security agency has already injected their own vulnerabilities and back-doors in OSS.

I get a server error (500)

It might be flawed, wrong, stupid, etc. but that’s not a reason to flag it. Argue against, bring more light into the discussion. Censoring it brings no good.

Censorship should be rarely and carefully used.

Sam, I know that you now spent a couple of months with researchers, and thus can write "deep" articles on researchers vs. founders now. Everyone knows that the best kind of researchers in the world are all at OpenAI now, and that gives you a chance to observe them.

On a serious note, I beg you to write about things other than research and researchers. Leave them alone, outside of the media spotlight and your writings. You see the media and its spotlight have a tendency to disrupt and destroy value. If you truly want do good, leave them alone. Please.

All drawings, paintings, and art I saw in Africa, all of them depict people in a group. There is never a single person depicted in any imagery.

You won't find any Mona Lisa in African art. :-)