Internet Initiative Japan Stock (OTC: IIJIY)

Latest News for Internet Initiative Japan Stock (OTC:IIJIY)

Internet Initiative Japan Inc. is a provider of a variety of services including Internet access, outsourcing, and systems integration. Its Internet access services span dial-up, mobile, and broadband technologies. Its wide area network services allow secure data sharing over Internet virtual private networks, independently developed routers, and closed wide area networks. Its outsourcing services include cloud, content delivery, data center, and security services. The firm generates nearly all its revenue in Japan.

News

Intraday Update

Markets

Movers

Trading Ideas

AAXN

ABBV

AFBA

ALKEF

ALNY

ALPMY

AMED

AMZN

APAM

ASHTY

ATBPF

ATLC

ATRC

BCNAF

BITRF

BTCY

CCOI

CCXI

CDLX

CHDN

CHYCY

COST

CRMT

CTAC

DOCU

EDRVF

EQIX

ESCC

EXPGY

Flaherty Crumrine/Claymore Preferred Securities

FLGT

FONU

FPAY

GDEN

GLPG

GNRC

GOOGL

GRWG

GSHD

Hannon Armstrong Sustainable Infrastructure Capital

HASI

HCHC

HENC

HGHGF

HKTVY

HLNE

HTGC

IIIV

IIJIY

INGIY

INGXF

JECFF

JRONY

KDDIY

KNSL

Stocks That Hit 52-Week Highs On Monday

ACRE

ACST

AFGC

AHCHY

ALFVY

ALGT

APTO

ARCAY

ASGN

ATGN

AUBN

AXAHY

BABA

BALMF

BLAGF

BWXT

CACI

CATN

CDAY

CHNG

CIVB

CLPBF

CNXN

CPXWF

CRUS

DEAC

DIOD

DRRX

DSGX

EGIF

ELMA

ENTG

ESKYF

ESPR

FBMS

FTGFF

FUSB

GFGSF

GOLF

GREN

GRMN

GVDNY

HANNF

HCMLY

HELE

HESAF

ICLR

IDEXY

IFJPY

IMKTA

INFO

INTC

IOVA

IRWD

ITCI

JAZZ

JBAXY

KPTI

LAMR

LBTI

AAPL

ACGL

ACLS

ADBE

ADSK

AGRO

AIQUY

AJMPF

APTV

ARDX

ASMIY

ATVI

AWWI

AXAHF

AZNCF

BANF

BHLB

BMTC

BNDSY

BRBR

BXMT

CBRE

CBSH

CHGS

CHRYY

CMRE

COHU

CROX

CRTX

EFSC

ELTZ

ENLAY

EPAY

ESSYY

Eaton Vance Tax-Managed Diversified Equity

Eaton Vance Tax-Managed Global Diversified Equit

Stocks That Hit 52-Week Highs On Friday

INTERNET INITVE JAPAN ADR by Internet Initiative Japan, Inc.

Internet Initiative Japan Inc

Saudi Prince Turki bin Salman Al Saud has seemingly taken delivery <a href="https://www.google.com/search?q=site%3Abenzinga.com+cybertruck+anan&amp;sca_esv=189ba783b38f146b&amp;sca_upv=1&amp;rlz=1C1ONGR_enIN1061IN1062&amp;ei=_j1IZsq2DM_j2roPmJyV-AY&amp;ved=0ahUKEwjKrcCfvZaGAxXPsVYBHRhOBW8Q4dUDCBA&amp;uact=5&amp;oq=site%3Abenzinga.com+cybertruck+anan&amp;gs_lp=Egxnd3Mtd2l6LXNlcnAiIXNpdGU6YmVuemluZ2EuY29tIGN5YmVydHJ1Y2sgYW5hbkjcCVCUBFjUBnABeACQAQGYAa4CoAG5BKoBBTMuMy0xuAEDyAEA-AEBmAIAoAIAmAMAiAYBkgcAoAe0AQ&amp;sclient=gws-wiz-serp">of a Cybertruck </a>and Tesla Inc. CEO Elon Musk is pleased.
What Happened: Pictures circulating on social media platform X show the Prince posing by Tesla&#8217;s latest vehicle &#8211; the stainless steel Cybertruck. Benzinga was not immediately able to confirm if the Prince indeed purchased the vehicle.
Musk, however, shared the image with a short, &#8220;Cool.&#8221;
<figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"> 
<div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">Cool <a href="https://t.co/oS0gzawPCg">https://t.co/oS0gzawPCg</a>
&mdash; Elon Musk (@elonmusk) <a href="https://twitter.com/elonmusk/status/1791692285757034788?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 18, 2024</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
</figure>
Prince Turki bin Salman Al Saud is the chairman of Saudi&#8217;s Tharawat Holding Company and also the brother of Saudi Prime Minister and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.
The Tesla Cybertruck has previously been purchased by <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/general/entertainment/24/02/37412516/they-clearly-have-great-taste-tesla-ceo-elon-musk-thrilled-by-growing-list-of-celebs-buying">several popular names</a> including bureaucrats and artists. The list of celebrity Cybertruck owners reportedly includes socialite&nbsp;Kim Kardashian, singer&nbsp;Lady Gaga, songwriter&nbsp;Pharrell Williams, tennis star&nbsp;Serena Williams, basketball player&nbsp;Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, singer&nbsp;Justin Bieber,&nbsp;television host&nbsp;Jay Leno, and music power couple&nbsp;Jay-Z and Beyoncé.
Musk previously commended popular figures for purchasing the vehicle and said, &#8220;Well, they clearly have great taste!&#8221; The CEO further sought to clarify that none of these celebrities were paid by Tesla to promote the vehicle or provided any discounts for their purchase. 
Why It Matters: While Tesla intends to deliver 250,000 Cybertrucks every year starting in 2025, the company is currently only ramping production. The low production volume, coupled with the Cybertruck&#8217;s stainless steel exterior, angular design, and higher price point has <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/24/03/38012526/did-marques-brownlee-set-a-new-world-record-with-teslas-cybertruck-youtube-review-sparks-speculation">made it a celebrity pick</a>. 
The higher-end version of the Cybertruck is priced at $99,990 in the U.S. and the company delivers the vehicle only in the country. Hence it is likely that the Saudi Prince had to have it shipped to the Middle East if he purchased it. 
Check out more of Benzinga&#8217;s Future Of Mobility coverage by&nbsp;<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/topic/mobility" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">following this link</a>.
Read Next: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/24/05/38906539/tesla-makes-its-3-millionth-car-in-california-despite-rising-inventory-layoffs">Tesla Makes Its 3 Millionth Car In California Despite Rising Inventory, Layoffs</a>
Photo via Shutterstock

Tech

Tesla Cybertruck Seemingly Drives To Saudi Royal Family; Elon Musk Thinks It's 'Cool'

A former top safety executive at OpenAI, Jan Leike, has publicly criticized the company&#8217;s leadership for prioritizing &#8220;shiny products&#8221; over AI safety days <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/24/05/38834519/openai-chief-scientist-ilya-sutskever-steps-down-ceo-sam-altman-calls-him-a-guiding-light-of-ai-fiel">after his departure</a>.
What Happened: Leike, who was a key figure in OpenAI&#8217;s superalignment group, announced his resignation on Tuesday. In a candid post on X, Leike wrote, &#8220;I resigned."
While he did not immediately explain why he resigned, Leike has now detailed his disagreements with OpenAI leadership in several posts.
"Stepping away from this job has been one of the hardest things I have ever done because we urgently need to figure out how to steer and control AI systems much smarter than us."
<figure class="wp-block-embed is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"> 
<div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">Stepping away from this job has been one of the hardest things I have ever done, because we urgently need to figure out how to steer and control AI systems much smarter than us.
&mdash; Jan Leike (@janleike) <a href="https://twitter.com/janleike/status/1791498177327341609?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 17, 2024</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
</figure>
Leike further elaborated on his decision, stating that OpenAI&#8217;s safety culture and processes have been sidelined in favor of &#8220;shiny products.&#8221; He expressed his disagreement with the company&#8217;s core priorities and emphasized the urgent need for Microsoft Corp.-backed (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/MSFT#NASDAQ">MSFT</a>) OpenAI to become a &#8220;safety-first AGI company.&#8221;
Subscribe to the&nbsp;<a href="https://bztechtrends.beehiiv.com/subscribe" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Benzinga Tech Trends newsletter</a>&nbsp;to get all the latest tech developments delivered to your inbox.
"But over the past years, safety culture and processes have taken a backseat to shiny products."
<figure class="wp-block-embed is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"> 
<div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">But over the past years, safety culture and processes have taken a backseat to shiny products.
&mdash; Jan Leike (@janleike) <a href="https://twitter.com/janleike/status/1791498184671605209?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 17, 2024</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
</figure>
Leike&#8217;s departure was followed by a similar announcement from Ilya Sutskever, the other superalignment team leader. Altman acknowledged Leike&#8217;s contributions and expressed his commitment to addressing the issues raised.
He also responded to Leike's criticism, acknowledging the complaints he raised instead of taking an adversarial approach to it.
See Also:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/24/05/38849496/elon-musk-recalls-breaking-friendship-with-googles-larry-page-over-ilya-sutskever-linchpin-for-opena?itm_source=parsely-api" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Elon Musk Recalls Breaking Friendship With Google's Larry Page Over Ilya Sutskever: ‘Linchpin For OpenAI Being Successful&#8217;</a>
"I&#8217;m super appreciative of @janleike&#8217;s contributions to OpenAI&#8217;s alignment research and safety culture, and very sad to see him leave,&#8221; Altman said. &#8220;He&#8217;s right we have a lot more to do; we are committed to doing it. I&#8217;ll have a longer post in the next couple of days.&#8221;
<figure class="wp-block-embed is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"> 
<div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">i&#39;m super appreciative of <a href="https://twitter.com/janleike?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@janleike</a>&#39;s contributions to openai&#39;s alignment research and safety culture, and very sad to see him leave. he&#39;s right we have a lot more to do; we are committed to doing it. i&#39;ll have a longer post in the next couple of days. &#x1f9e1; <a href="https://t.co/t2yexKtQEk">https://t.co/t2yexKtQEk</a>
&mdash; Sam Altman (@sama) <a href="https://twitter.com/sama/status/1791543264090472660?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 17, 2024</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
</figure>
Why It Matters: The recent resignations at OpenAI have raised concerns about the company&#8217;s future in AI safety. The departures of Sutskever and Leike, along with other safety-focused employees, have been attributed to a <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/24/05/38906742/amid-mass-exodus-from-openais-ai-safety-team-insider-says-trust-collapsing-bit-by-bit-in-ceo-sam-alt">loss of trust in Altman&#8217;s leadership</a>.
These resignations follow a series of significant events at OpenAI, including <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/24/05/38834519/openai-chief-scientist-ilya-sutskever-steps-down-ceo-sam-altman-calls-him-a-guiding-light-of-ai-fiel">Sutskever&#8217;s departure</a> after nearly a decade with the company. Despite expressing confidence in OpenAI&#8217;s ability to develop artificial general intelligence, Sutskever decided to leave, marking a significant shift in the company&#8217;s leadership.
Check out more of Benzinga's Consumer Tech coverage by&nbsp;<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/topic/consumer-tech" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">following this link</a>.
Read Next:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/24/05/38862733/openai-chief-scientist-that-quit-months-after-participating-in-coup-against-sam-altman-likely-to-joi?itm_source=parsely-api" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">OpenAI Chief Scientist Who Quit Months After Helping Briefly Oust Sam Altman Likely To Join Elon Musk's xAI</a>
Disclaimer: This content was partially produced with the help of <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/author/benzinga-neuro" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Benzinga Neuro</a> and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.
Photo courtesy: Shutterstock

MSFT

Crisis At OpenAI? Top Executive Who Just Quit Says Focus Shifted Away From AI Safety To 'Shiny Products:' Here's Sam Altman's Reply

Bitcoin (BTC) is poised for a <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/top-stories/24/05/38903246/bitcoin-ethereum-dogecoin-rally-amid-1-3b-in-etf-inflows-in-2-weeks-fair-to-assume-that-the-way-to-8">price surge</a> as demand begins to outstrip supply, according to a prominent crypto analyst.
What Happened: &#8220;When supply exceeds demand, the asset&#8217;s price tends to decline. Conversely, when demand outstrips supply, the price usually rises. These same principles apply to Bitcoin,&#8221; crypto analyst Ali Martinez wrote on X on Thursday.
The recent market dynamics, including a rise in the supply of BTC after it hit an <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/cryptocurrency/24/04/38202781/bitcoin-surpasses-70-000-following-ppi-data-jasmycoin-emerges-as-top-gainer">all-time high</a> of over $73,700 in March, led to a corrective phase that saw the price of Bitcoin drop below $57,000. This drop caused Bitcoin to fall below its &#8220;Short-Term Holder Realized Price,&#8221; sparking market fear as short-term holders are more likely to sell based on price volatility, the analyst said.
&#8220;The Short-Term Holder Realized Price, which currently stands at $60,500, served as an accumulation point despite investors' fears. Indeed, long-term holders felt comfortable adding more than 70,000 $BTC to their positions at these levels after realizing profits in March,&#8221; he added.
<figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"> 
<div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">The Short-Term Holder Realized Price, which currently stands at $60,500, served as an accumulation point despite investors' fears. Indeed, long-term holders felt comfortable adding more than 70,000 <a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%24BTC&amp;src=ctag&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">$BTC</a> to their positions at these levels after realizing profits in March. <a href="https://t.co/BARIqJM4xH">pic.twitter.com/BARIqJM4xH</a>
&mdash; Ali (@ali_charts) <a href="https://twitter.com/ali_charts/status/1791128330109952498?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 16, 2024</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
</figure>
Martinez now predicts that the demand for Bitcoin will soon surpass the supply, <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/cryptocurrency/24/05/38897781/bitcoin-shows-highest-daily-gains-in-2-months-jack-dorsey-says-price-will-surpass-1-millio">pushing Bitcoin value upwards</a>. He pointed to the movement of over 30,000 BTC to private wallets for long-term holding since early May as evidence of confidence among holders in Bitcoin&#8217;s future value.
Why It Matters: Cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin, Ethereum (CRYPTO: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/eth/usd">ETH</a>), Dogecoin (CRYPTO: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/doge/usd">DOGE</a>), and Shiba Inu (CRYPTO: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/shib/usd">SHIB</a>) have seen gains this week after increasing institutional interest in spot Bitcoin ETFs <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/top-stories/24/05/38903246/bitcoin-ethereum-dogecoin-rally-amid-1-3b-in-etf-inflows-in-2-weeks-fair-to-assume-that-the-way-to-8">resulted in $1.3 billion inflows</a> in the last two weeks.
The <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/top-stories/24/05/38903246/bitcoin-ethereum-dogecoin-rally-amid-1-3b-in-etf-inflows-in-2-weeks-fair-to-assume-that-the-way-to-8">next Bitcoin price target</a> for bulls, according to &#8220;Bitcoin OG&#8221; Lluciano aka Lucky is $69,000. Crypto researcher Alex Wacy asked if it&#8217;s &#8220;fair to assume that the way to $80K is now open?&#8221;
Price Action: Bitcoin is currently trading at $66,860, rising by 1.94% in the last 24 hours, according to <a href="https://pro.benzinga.com/dashboard">Benzinga Pro</a>.
Read Next: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/cryptocurrency/24/05/38857448/bitcoin-ethereum-dogecoin-spike-on-good-macro-news-so-far-so-good-says-bullish-trader?itm_source=parsely-api" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Bitcoin, Ethereum, Dogecoin Spike On Good Macro News: &#8216;So Far, So Good,&#8217; Says Bullish Trader</a>
Image generated using Dall-E
<div style="font-family: 'Lato', sans-serif">
<hr style="border: 0;height: 5px;background: #225aa9" />
<div style="background-color: #f5f5f5;background-position: center;background-size: cover;justify-content: center"></div>

 Engineered by 
 Benzinga Neuro, Edited by 
 
 <a href="None" target="_blank" rel="noopener" style="color: #225aa9;text-decoration: none"> 
 Anan Ashraf</a> 
 
 
<hr style="border: 0;height: 1px;background: #225aa9" />

 The GPT-4-based Benzinga Neuro content generation system exploits the 
 extensive Benzinga Ecosystem, including native data, APIs, and more to 
 create comprehensive and timely stories for you. 
 <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/author/anan-ashraf" target="_blank" rel="noopener" style="color: #225aa9;text-decoration: none">Learn more.</a>
 
<hr style="border: 0;height: 5px;background: #225aa9" />
 </div>

Analyst Color

Coverage of Bitcoin, Etherum, Ripple and all the latest digital currencies.

Cryptocurrency

Price Target

$DOGE

$ETH

$SHIB

Bitcoin Price Predicted To Rise Due To 'Demand And Supply Dynamics,' Says Analyst As King Crypto Rebounds 10% In Last 7 Days

Boeing Co (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/BA#NYSE">BA</a>) shareholders re-elected outgoing CEO Dave Calhoun to the company&#8217;s board of directors on Friday, contrary to the advice of proxy adviser Glass Lewis. Calhoun had earlier announced his <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/24/03/37951542/boeing-ceo-dave-calhoun-retires-amid-safety-crisis-departs-with-multi-million-dollar-exit-package">retirement by the end of the year</a>.
What Happened: Lewis in April recommended shareholders to vote against the reelection of Calhoun, together with Akhil Johri and David Joyce, citing discontent with how they addressed <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/equities/24/05/38672489/emirates-ceo-tells-boeing-to-get-your-act-together-as-david-calhoun-set-to-step-down-amid-safety">safety and regulatory concerns</a> at the company.
Joyce and Johri were also re-elected on Friday at the company&#8217;s annual shareholder meeting, according to a preliminary tally.
Boeing chairman Steve Mollenkopf told shareholders on Friday that the company has consulted investors and its clients regarding Calhoun&#8217;s successor.
Why It Matters: In January,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/24/01/36750759/i-am-angry-says-alaska-airlines-ceo-on-boeing-737-max-9-mid-air-blowout-reveals-many-loose-bolts-fou" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">a door plug panel flew off&nbsp;</a>an&nbsp;Alaska Airlines&nbsp;plane manufactured by Boeing soon after take off. The incident forced the pilots to make an emergency landing.
Since then, Boeing has been at the receiving end of <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/24/05/38652488/faa-opens-new-investigation-into-boeing-787-did-employees-falsify-aircraft-records">severe regulatory scrutiny</a> including from the Justice Department. Boeing said in March that its CEO Dave Calhoun<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/equities/24/03/37921734/outgoing-boeing-ceo-vows-persistence-in-crisis-aftermath-we-have-another-mountain-to-climb" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"> will step down</a> by the end of the year. The company also appointed Stephanie Pope as the new head of its commercial airplanes division, replacing Stan Deal.
The Justice Department has also <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/24/05/38845748/justice-department-accuses-boeing-of-2021-settlement-breach">accused Boeing of breaching its 2021 settlement</a> regarding the company&#8217;s involvement in two fatal 737 Max crashes.
Price Action: Boeing shares closed nearly 2% higher at $184.95 on Friday. However, the stock is down nearly 27% year to date, according to data from <a href="https://pro.benzinga.com/dashboard">Benzinga Pro</a>. 
Check out more of Benzinga&#8217;s Future Of Mobility coverage by&nbsp;<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/topic/mobility" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">following this link</a>.
Read Next: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/24/05/38906539/tesla-makes-its-3-millionth-car-in-california-despite-rising-inventory-layoffs">Tesla Makes Its 3 Millionth Car In California Despite Rising Inventory, Layoffs</a>
Photo courtesy: Shutterstock and Wikimedia

Boeing's Outgoing CEO Dave Calhoun Reelected To Board Despite Safety Concerns At Company

The AI safety team at OpenAI is facing a "mass exodus" with key members resigning due to a loss of faith in the company&#8217;s leadership. The <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/24/05/38834519/openai-chief-scientist-ilya-sutskever-steps-down-ceo-sam-altman-calls-him-a-guiding-light-of-ai-fiel">departures of Ilya Sutskever and Jan Leike</a>, leaders of the superalignment team, have raised concerns about the future of AI safety at OpenAI.
What Happened: Microsoft Corp.-backed (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/MSFT#NASDAQ">MSFT</a>) OpenAI, the company behind ChatGPT, has seen a series of resignations from its AI safety team. The departures of Sutskever and Leike, who were key figures in ensuring AI alignment with human goals, have sparked concerns about the company&#8217;s future in AI safety.
At least five other safety-focused employees have also left since November when OpenAI&#8217;s board <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/23/11/35861275/the-reason-behind-sam-altmans-ouster-from-openai-could-be-something-elon-musk-has-been-complaining-a">attempted to dismiss CEO Sam Altman</a>. The failed ousting led to a loss of trust in Altman among safety-focused employees, according to sources within the company, <a href="https://www.vox.com/future-perfect/2024/5/17/24158403/openai-resignations-ai-safety-ilya-sutskever-jan-leike-artificial-intelligence">reported</a> Vox.
"It's a process of trust collapsing bit by bit, like dominoes falling one by one," said an anonymous source, according to the report.
Subscribe to the&nbsp;<a href="https://bztechtrends.beehiiv.com/subscribe" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Benzinga Tech Trends newsletter</a>&nbsp;to get all the latest tech developments delivered to your inbox.
OpenAI&#8217;s offboarding agreements with non-disparagement provisions have also contributed to the silence of departing employees. Those who refuse to sign the agreement forfeit their equity in the company, potentially losing out on millions of dollars.
One former employee, Daniel Kokotajlo, who refused to sign the offboarding agreement, spoke out about the company&#8217;s direction.
&#8220;OpenAI is training ever-more-powerful AI systems with the goal of eventually surpassing human intelligence across the board. This could be the best thing that has ever happened to humanity, but it could also be the worst if we don't proceed with care,&#8221; he said.
See Also: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/24/05/38849496/elon-musk-recalls-breaking-friendship-with-googles-larry-page-over-ilya-sutskever-linchpin-for-opena?itm_source=parsely-api" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Elon Musk Recalls Breaking Friendship With Google&#8217;s Larry Page Over Ilya Sutskever: &#8216;Linchpin For OpenAI Being Successful'</a>
Leike, in a post on X, echoed Kokotajlo&#8217;s concerns. &#8220;I have been disagreeing with OpenAI leadership about the company's core priorities for quite some time, until we finally reached a breaking point."
<figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"> 
<div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">I joined because I thought OpenAI would be the best place in the world to do this research. However, I have been disagreeing with OpenAI leadership about the company&#39;s core priorities for quite some time, until we finally reached a breaking point.
&mdash; Jan Leike (@janleike) <a href="https://twitter.com/janleike/status/1791498178346549382?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 17, 2024</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
</figure>
Why It Matters: The departures of Sutskever and Leike come after a series of significant events at OpenAI.
Sutskever, a key member of the company's founding team, announced his decision to leave OpenAI after nearly a decade, expressing confidence in the company's ability to develop artificial general intelligence under the leadership of Altman and other executives.
Following Sutskever&#8217;s resignation, OpenAI appointed Jakub Pachocki as its new chief scientist. Pachocki, <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/24/05/38836944/meet-jakub-pachocki-openais-new-chief-scientist-following-ilya-sutskevers-exit-sam-altman-calls-him">who took over from Sutskever</a>, was described by Altman as &#8220;easily one of the greatest minds of our generation.&#8221;
Elon Musk, one of the co-founders of OpenAI, recalled how he holds Sutskever in such high regard that he broke his friendship with Alphabet Inc. co-founder Larry Page over it.
Check out more of Benzinga&#8217;s Consumer Tech coverage by&nbsp;<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/topic/consumer-tech" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">following this link</a>.
Read Next: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/24/05/38862733/openai-chief-scientist-that-quit-months-after-participating-in-coup-against-sam-altman-likely-to-joi?itm_source=parsely-api" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">OpenAI Chief Scientist Who Quit Months After Helping Briefly Oust Sam Altman Likely To Join Elon Musk&#8217;s xAI</a>
Disclaimer: This content was partially produced with the help of <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/author/benzinga-neuro" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Benzinga Neuro</a> and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.
Photo courtesy: Shutterstock

Amid 'Mass Exodus' From OpenAI's AI Safety Team, Insider Says 'Trust Collapsing Bit By Bit' In CEO Sam Altman: Report

Crypto lending firm Genesis Global has reportedly been given the green light by a U.S. Bankruptcy Judge to return approximately $3 billion in cash and cryptocurrency to its clients. This move <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/cryptocurrency/23/12/36306858/barry-silberts-dcg-cant-meddle-with-genesis-ownership-until-chapter-11-finalizes-court">leaves the firm&#8217;s owner</a>, Digital Currency Group (DCG), with no recovery from the bankruptcy.
What Happened: On Friday, U.S. Bankruptcy Judge Sean Lane approved Genesis&#8217; Chapter 11 liquidation plan, dismissing an objection raised by DCG. The objection was based on the argument that Genesis should only pay its customers and creditors based on the value of crypto assets in January 2023, when the firm filed for bankruptcy, Reuters reported. Since then, however, crypto prices have seen a surge. 
However, Judge Lane overruled DCG&#8217;s objection, stating that Genesis would first have to pay off other creditors, including federal and state financial regulators with claims totaling $32 billion, before being able to pay its owner. Lane emphasized that there were insufficient assets to provide any recovery to DCG.
Why It Matters: Genesis is returning the funds to its customers in cryptocurrency where possible. However, the firm does not have enough cryptocurrency to settle its debts. In February, Genesis estimated that it would be able to pay its customers up to 77% of the value of their claims, depending on future price fluctuations.
Meanwhile, FTX, the cryptocurrency exchange that filed for bankruptcy in November 2022, is set to distribute as much as $16.3 billion in cash among its creditors, which <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/cryptocurrency/24/05/38699358/ftx-to-pay-back-customers-in-full-with-interest-as-it-amasses-billions-in-cash-this-is-jus">amounts to about $5.3 billion more than what is owed</a>. FTX's plan includes paying interest to its 2 million customers, a rare outcome in U.S. bankruptcies where creditors typically receive only a fraction of their claims. 
Read Next: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/cryptocurrency/24/05/38842331/ark-21shares-amends-spot-eth-etf-filing-cathie-wood-on-ethereum-etf-approvals" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">ARK 21Shares Amends Spot ETH ETF Filing: Cathie Wood On Ethereum ETF Approvals</a>
Photo courtesy: Shutterstock
<div style="font-family: 'Lato', sans-serif">
<hr style="border: 0;height: 5px;background: #225aa9" />
<div style="background-color: #f5f5f5;background-position: center;background-size: cover;justify-content: center"></div>

 Engineered by 
 Benzinga Neuro, Edited by 
 
 <a href="None" target="_blank" rel="noopener" style="color: #225aa9;text-decoration: none"> 
 Anan Ashraf</a> 
 
 
<hr style="border: 0;height: 1px;background: #225aa9" />

 The GPT-4-based Benzinga Neuro content generation system exploits the 
 extensive Benzinga Ecosystem, including native data, APIs, and more to 
 create comprehensive and timely stories for you. 
 <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/author/anan-ashraf" target="_blank" rel="noopener" style="color: #225aa9;text-decoration: none">Learn more.</a>
 
<hr style="border: 0;height: 5px;background: #225aa9" />
 </div>

Genesis Global To Return $3B In Cryptocurrency, Cash To Customers After Court Approval: Report

The U.S. Justice Department and TikTok have reportedly requested a U.S. appeals court to expedite the legal proceedings regarding a new law that mandates parent company BytDance to <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/asia/24/05/38567569/tiktok-ban-is-the-us-government-taking-a-page-from-chinas-censorship-book">divest TikTok&#8217;s U.S. assets</a> by a certain date or face a ban.
What Happened: The U.S. Justice Department and TikTok, along with parent company ByteDance and a group of TikTok content creators, have requested the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia to expedite the legal process, reported Reuters. The law in question requires ByteDance to divest TikTok&#8217;s U.S. assets by Jan. 19, 2025, or face a ban.
The parties have proposed a fast-track schedule to ensure a ruling by Dec. 6, allowing them to seek review from the Supreme Court if necessary before the U.S. deadline. This move is intended to resolve the legal challenge without the need to request emergency preliminary injunctive relief, TikTok reportedly said. 
The law, signed by President Joe Biden on April 24, further prohibits app stores like Apple Inc. and Alphabet Inc.&#8217;s Google from offering TikTok and bars internet hosting services from supporting TikTok unless ByteDance divests TikTok. It was passed overwhelmingly in Congress amid concerns that China could access data on Americans or spy on them through the app.
Earlier, in its lawsuit, <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/24/05/38693602/tiktok-admits-xi-jinpings-ccp-wont-let-its-algorithm-be-sold-after-biden-gives-9-months-to-divest-or">the company admitted that</a> Xi Jinping's Communist Party of China&nbsp;would not allow it to sell the algorithm that powers TikTok.
Why It Matters: On Tuesday, a group of TikTok creators <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/24/05/38836945/tiktok-creators-challenge-bidens-divestment-law-in-court-argue-platform-gives-a-unique-and-irreplace">filed a lawsuit</a> to block the law, arguing that it has had a profound effect on American life.
The platform has been at the center of a geopolitical tug-of-war, with the U.S. government raising concerns over national security due to ByteDance's ties to China. TikTok's CEO&nbsp;Shou Zi Chew&nbsp;has been vocal, stating in a video that the company&nbsp;<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/asia/24/04/38418913/tiktok-fights-back-we-arent-going-anywhere-whats-next-for-users" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">will not back down without a fight</a>.
The courts are now faced with a pivotal decision, as they must weigh the national security concerns against the freedom of expression. With nearly<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/24/04/38500093/tiktok-ban-courts-must-decide-whether-national-security-concerns-trump-freedom-of-expression" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">&nbsp;170 million users in the U.S.,</a>&nbsp;the outcome of this legal battle is expected to have far-reaching implications for digital platforms and user rights.
Check out more of&nbsp;Benzinga's&nbsp;Consumer Tech coverage by&nbsp;<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/topic/consumer-tech" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">following this link</a>.
Read Next:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/24/05/38891146/teslas-german-factory-expansion-gets-local-councils-nod-despite-protests" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Tesla's German Factory Expansion Gets Local Council's Nod Despite Protests</a>
Photo courtesy: Shutterstock
<div style="font-family: 'Lato', sans-serif">
<hr style="border: 0;height: 5px;background: #225aa9" />
<div style="background-color: #f5f5f5;background-position: center;background-size: cover;justify-content: center"></div>

 Engineered by 
 Benzinga Neuro, Edited by 
 
 <a href="None" target="_blank" rel="noopener" style="color: #225aa9;text-decoration: none"> 
 Anan Ashraf</a> 
 
 
<hr style="border: 0;height: 1px;background: #225aa9" />

 The GPT-4-based Benzinga Neuro content generation system exploits the 
 extensive Benzinga Ecosystem, including native data, APIs, and more to 
 create comprehensive and timely stories for you. 
 <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/author/anan-ashraf" target="_blank" rel="noopener" style="color: #225aa9;text-decoration: none">Learn more.</a>
 
<hr style="border: 0;height: 5px;background: #225aa9" />
 </div>

Social Media

Legal

TikTok And US Justice Department Push For Speedy Court Action On Divestment Law: Report

EV giant Tesla Inc (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/TSLA#NASDAQ">TSLA</a>) said on Friday that <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/24/04/38516918/california-love-fadin-for-tesla-ev-giants-registrations-plummet-as-rivian-mercedes-and-bmw-gain-grou">its factory in California</a> and its gigafactory in Nevada together made its 3 millionth electric vehicle and it&#8217;s a deep metallic blue. 
What Happened: &#8220;Congrats Tesla Fremont + Giga Nevada on building their 3 millionth car!&#8221; Tesla wrote on X. The post was adjoined by a photograph of celebrating employees with the blue landmark Tesla in their midst.
<figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"> 
<div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">Congrats Tesla Fremont + Giga Nevada on building their 3 millionth car! <a href="https://t.co/AKc6qo1cUQ">pic.twitter.com/AKc6qo1cUQ</a>
&mdash; Tesla (@Tesla) <a href="https://twitter.com/Tesla/status/1791606155719966982?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 17, 2024</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
</figure>
Giga Nevada does not make production vehicles by itself. Instead, it is focused on electric motors, energy storage products, vehicle powertrains, and batteries. The Fremont factory, in contrast, makes Tesla&#8217;s mass-market offerings Model 3 and Y, as well as the more premium Model S and X.
Why It Matters: The production milestone comes amidst layoffs. Last month, Tesla announced plans to cut at least 10% or 14,000 of its global workforce in an effort to cut costs. <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/24/05/38899176/telsa-to-lay-off-600-additional-california-employees">At least 3,300 jobs</a> were cut in California and <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/24/04/38452751/teslas-biggest-layoffs-mapped-where-has-ev-giant-cut-most-jobs">nearly 700 in Nevada.</a>
As part of the same strategy, Tesla will lay off <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/24/05/38899176/telsa-to-lay-off-600-additional-california-employees">nearly 600 more employees</a> at its Fremont-based manufacturing plant and its engineering headquarters in Palo Alto.
Tesla's&nbsp;<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/24/05/38727916/whats-with-thousands-of-teslas-piling-up-at-a-german-airfield-satellite-images-hint-at-intense-inven">global vehicle inventory jumped 87%</a> from last year to 28 days of supply in the first quarter. The&nbsp;company's&nbsp;global deliveries fell to 386,810, marking an 8.5% year-on-year dip as demand dwindled. The company, however, produced 433,371 vehicles in the time frame.&nbsp;
Check out more of Benzinga's Future Of Mobility coverage by&nbsp;<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/topic/mobility" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">following this link</a>.
Read Next: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/24/05/38891146/teslas-german-factory-expansion-gets-local-councils-nod-despite-protests" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Tesla's German Factory Expansion Gets Local Council's Nod Despite Protests</a>
Photo via Shutterstock

TSLA

Tesla Makes Its 3 Millionth Car In California Despite Rising Inventory, Layoffs

In a significant setback for organized labor&#8217;s Southern strategy, workers at two Mercedes-Benz factories in Alabama have voted against unionization, dealing a blow to the <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/24/05/38819007/mercedes-worker-advocates-for-better-work-life-balance-amid-unionization-efforts-in-alabama-plant-so">United Automobile Workers (UAW) campaign</a> to expand its influence in the region.
What Happened: On Friday, workers at the Mercedes-Benz factories near Tuscaloosa, Alabama, rejected the UAW&#8217;s bid to represent them, <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2024/05/17/business/mercedes-benz-uaw-alabama-vote.html">reported</a> The New York Times. The vote was seen as a crucial test of the UAW&#8217;s ability to unionize Southern factories.
The defeat followed strong opposition from Alabama&#8217;s Republican leaders, who argued that a pro-union vote would harm the state&#8217;s auto industry. This outcome is likely to slow down the UAW&#8217;s efforts to organize workers at other major auto plants in Alabama, such as Hyundai and Honda.
See Also: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/equities/24/05/38889994/why-cant-tesla-just-grant-elon-musk-a-new-pay-package-critic-and-legal-expert-says-ceo-cant-repl?itm_source=parsely-api" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Why Can&#8217;t Tesla Just Grant Elon Musk A New Pay Package? Critic And Legal Expert Says CEO &#8216;Can&#8217;t Replicate The Stock-Pumping Feats&#8217; From 2018</a>
Despite the setback, UAW leaders remain determined to expand their membership to include employees of companies like Toyota and Tesla.
However, the defeat at the Mercedes plants is expected to prompt the UAW to reevaluate its strategy and invest more time in securing worker support before holding elections at other auto plants.
Shawn Fain, the president of the UAW, acknowledged the loss but emphasized the need to learn from it and move forward. The defeat is a significant blow to the UAW&#8217;s efforts to strengthen its presence in the South, where it has historically struggled to gain a foothold.
Why It Matters: The UAW&#8217;s defeat in Alabama comes amidst a series of challenges and successes in its efforts to expand its membership. The UAW has been <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/24/04/38363664/after-uaw-wins-big-in-tennessee-40m-campaign-continues-35-car-plants-are-next">aggressively pursuing unionization</a> at non-union automaker factories, with a $40 million campaign aimed at 35 U.S. plants, including those of Mercedes-Benz, Tesla Inc., BMW, Toyota, Nissan, and Hyundai.
However, the UAW&#8217;s campaign has faced strong opposition, as seen in the <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/top-stories/24/05/38798644/mercedes-benz-workers-in-alabama-face-anti-union-pressure-amid-uaw-vote">anti-union pressure</a> faced by workers at the Mercedes-Benz plant in Alabama. The defeat in Alabama is a significant setback for the UAW&#8217;s efforts to expand its influence in the South and could prompt a re-evaluation of its strategy.
Read Next: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/equities/24/05/38837557/faraday-future-basking-in-the-glory-of-gamestops-amc-heres-what-ev-makers-100-jump-in-pre-market?itm_source=parsely-api" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Faraday Future Basking In The Glory Of GameStop, AMC? Here&#8217;s What EV Maker&#8217;s 100% Jump In Pre-Market Indi</a>
Disclaimer: This content was partially produced with the help of <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/author/benzinga-neuro" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Benzinga Neuro</a> and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.
Image created using pictures on Shutterstock

General

Alabama Mercedes-Benz Workers Reject UAW Unionization Bid In A Blow To Organized Labor's Southern Strategy

Argentine <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/topic/javier-milei">President Javier Milei</a> is planning to meet with top tech executives in Silicon Valley, including Meta Platforms Inc. CEO Mark Zuckerberg, executives of OpenAI Inc., Apple Inc., and Alphabet Inc.'s Google, among others.
What Happened: Milei is planning to visit San Francisco for discussions with several top tech leaders, after his meeting with Tesla Inc. CEO Elon Musk, <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2024-05-17/argentina-s-milei-plans-to-meet-with-zuckerberg-at-end-of-may?srnd=technology-vp">reported</a> Bloomberg.
The Argentine President&#8217;s mission will also include meetings with other prominent companies in the tech industry. The trip will be led by Argentina&#8217;s Ambassador to the U.S.
See Also: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/24/05/38873639/elon-musk-reacts-after-doge-designer-says-meta-would-be-trillionaires-by-now-if-they-had-a-dollar-fo?itm_source=parsely-api" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Elon Musk Reacts After Doge Designer Says Meta &#8216;Would Be Trillionaires By Now&#8217; If They Had A Dollar For Every Child Safety Investigation</a>
This visit follows a meeting between Milei and Silicon Valley investor Peter Thiel in Buenos Aires earlier this month. Milei has also had two meetings with Musk, including one at the <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/24/05/38666652/tech-billionaire-elon-musk-reveals-the-3-things-that-keep-him-up-at-night-and-one-thing-that-is-his">Milken Institute&#8217;s conference</a> in Los Angeles.
The Council of the President&#8217;s economic advisors is coordinating the final details of the trip, which aims to attract investments to position Argentina as an artificial intelligence hub.
Subscribe to the&nbsp;<a href="https://bztechtrends.beehiiv.com/subscribe" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Benzinga Tech Trends newsletter</a>&nbsp;to get all the latest tech developments delivered to your inbox.
Why It Matters: Milei&#8217;s upcoming visit to Silicon Valley is the latest in a series of high-profile meetings with tech leaders.
Earlier in May, <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/cryptocurrency/24/05/38659381/elon-musk-meets-bitcoin-supporting-president-javier-milei-again-i-recommend-investing-in-a">Musk met with Milei in Buenos Aires</a> and publicly endorsed investing in Argentina. Musk posted, "I recommend investing in Argentina," after the meeting.
This was Musk and Milei's second meeting in as many months – the two met in April as well at Tesla's manufacturing facility in Austin, Texas.
Check out more of Benzinga's Consumer Tech coverage by&nbsp;<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/topic/consumer-tech" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">following this link</a>.
Read Next: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/24/05/38873201/elon-musks-neuralink-patient-noland-arbaugh-shares-his-journey-from-paralysis-to-cyborg-once-you-get">Elon Musk&#8217;s Neuralink Patient, Noland Arbaugh, Shares His Journey From Paralysis To Cyborg: &#8216;Once You Get A Taste For Using It…&#8217;</a>
Disclaimer: This content was partially produced with the help of <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/author/benzinga-neuro" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Benzinga Neuro</a> and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.
Photo courtesy: Shutterstock

Politics

Global

After Elon Musk, Argentina's President Milei To Meet Mark Zuckerberg And Other Tech Leaders In Silicon Valley: Report

BSFC

Trading Halt: Halted at 7:50:00 p.m. ET - Trading Halt: Halt News Pending

OPGN

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

Latest News for Internet Initiative Japan Stock (OTC:IIJIY)

Monday, February 10, 2020

Monday, December 23, 2019

Friday, December 20, 2019

Thursday, December 19, 2019

Tuesday, December 17, 2019