• Fresno lost over $600,000 to a phishing scam in 2020.
• Officials failed to spot red flags on a contractor invoice, a jury found.
• Mayor Jerry Dyer said the city has since improved training and updated fraud prevention procedures.

The city of Fresno lost more than $600,000 to to a phishing scam in 2020. Now, a grand jury says that city officials should have noticed the scam before it cost taxpayer dollars.

City officials discovered the fraud after realizing an invoice from a contractor working on a section of the Fresno police station was fake, according to The Fresno Bee.

The contract included the real contractor's letterhead but an incorrect account number, according to the Bee. City officials did not publicly comment on the scam until reporting by the paper uncovered it in 2022.

A civil grand jury found on Thursday that the city failed to notice "conspicuous red flags" that should have tipped them off to the fraud, the Bee reported.

The jury found that the city's finance department followed policies that were "understood" through training but never written, according to the Bee. Employees were also supposed to get approval from another employee for large payments, but failed to do so when making the payments that resulted in the scam, the jury said.

"Phishing" attacks are carried out by criminals who usually send an email or some other message pretending to be a company or individual asking for credit card information, passwords, or other sensitive information. The goal of the scam is to trick users into sharing personal information so the scammer can gain access to their computer, company, or finances.

One study from Harvard Business School predicted that phishing scams could "increase drastically in quality and quantity over the coming years" with AI now able to automate the "entire phishing process."

Earlier this month, scammers targeted a tiny Idaho town, stealing more than $1 million from the town government through a similar scam. Criminals there tricked an employee into thinking that the city's payment information for a contractor needed to be updated.

Fresno Mayor Jerry Dyer — who was not in office when the scam occurred — did not immediately return a request for comment from Business Insider on Sunday.

He told The Bee in a statement that the city has already met many of the jury's recommendations following the case, including implementing new training.

"I am appreciative of the Civil Grand Jury's time and attention on such a relevant issue in our city and our nation," the statement said. "I am also pleased with the grand jury's confidence that internally updated procedures appear appropriate for preventing this type of fraud from happening again."

• The FDA is investigating Diamond Shruumz-brand microdosing chocolate bars.
• Eight people fell ill after consuming the product, the agency said. 
• The symptoms included vomiting, seizures, and central nervous system depression.

Eight people in four states fell ill after consuming Diamond Shruumz-brand microdosing chocolate bars, the FDA said on Friday.

Microdosing is the practice of regularly taking a dose of a drug — typically a psychedelic — that is small enough not to feel any effect.

Some people believe microdosing can improve creativity and mental health. It's become trendy in Silicon Valley. And some CEOs say they've added microdosing to their morning routine.

The microdosing industry has boomed in recent years as companies hope to transform drugs like MDMA into approved medicines. Business Insider reported that a "psychedelics renaissance" began sweeping the industry in 2020. Data from Pitchbook said psychedelics companies amassed $163.6 million in investments during the first three quarters of 2020.

While Diamond Shruumz markets its products as microdoses, they don't actually contain any psychedelics. The company sells more than a dozen products, including chocolate bars that come in six flavors. The company's FAQ said its products use a "proprietary blend of natural ingredients."

"There is no presence of psilocybin, amanita, or any scheduled drugs, ensuring a safe and enjoyable experience," its website says. "Rest assured, our treats are not only free from psychedelic substances, but our carefully crafted ingredients still offer an experience."

The FDA said people experienced "severe symptoms" after eating the chocolate bars, including seizures, central nervous system depression, nausea, vomiting, agitation, abnormal heart rates, and hyper/hypotension.

All eight who fell ill sought medical care. Six had to be hospitalized, but there were no reported deaths.

"FDA is working to determine the cause of these illnesses and is considering the appropriate next steps. More information will be provided as it becomes available," the news release said.

Representatives for Diamond Shruumz did not respond to Business a request for comment from Business Insider.

• Fired researcher Leopold Aschenbrenner published a 165-page essay on the future of AI.
• Aschenbrenner's treatise discusses rapid AI progress, security implications, and societal impact.
• Here's what GPT-4 thinks about Aschenbrenner's predictions.

Over the past few months, several employees have left OpenAI, citing concerns about the company's commitment to safety.

Besides making pithy exit announcements on X, they haven't said much about why they're worried about OpenAI's approach to development — or the future of AI.

That is, until earlier this week, when Leopold Aschenbrenner, a researcher fired from OpenAI in April, published his thoughts on the AI revolution in an epic 165-page treatise.

Aschenbrenner worked on OpenAI's super alignment team — which was tasked with mitigated AI risks. Aschenbrenner said OpenAI fired him for leaking information about the company's readiness for artificial general intelligence.

For his part, Aschenbrenner said the information he shared was "totally normal" and that OpenAI may have just been looking for a reason to fire him. He was one of several employees who refused to sign a letter calling for CEO Sam Altman's return after the board briefly ousted Altman last year.

Aschenbrenner's essay doesn't appear to include sensitive details about OpenAI. Instead, as Aschenbrenner writes on the dedication page, it's based on "publicly available information, my own ideas, general field knowledge, or SF gossip."

Business Insider uploaded the tract to OpenAI's GPT-4 model. We asked it to summarize the work and relay the most significant takeaways. We also gently requested that the bot keep its summary clear and concise.

Here's ChatGPT's 57-word summary of Aschenbrenner's essay

ChatGPT distilled the essay into 57 words that outlined Aschenbrenner's views on the evolution of AI.

"Leopold Aschenbrenner's essay discusses the transformative potential of artificial general intelligence (AGI) and superintelligence, and forecasts significant advancements in AI technology in the near future. Aschenbrenner, formerly associated with OpenAI, outlines how the progression from current AI models like GPT-4 to AGI could occur much faster than anticipated, based on trends in computational power and algorithmic efficiency."

ChatGPT then offered four key takeaways from Aschenbrenner's essay

Rapid Progress in AI

"Aschenbrenner argues that AI development is accelerating at an unprecedented rate. He predicts that by 2027, AI models could reach the capabilities of human AI researchers and engineers, potentially leading to an intelligence explosion where AI surpasses human intelligence."

Economic and Security Implications

"The essay highlights the immense economic and security implications of these advancements. Aschenbrenner points out that trillions of dollars are being invested into developing the infrastructure needed to support these AI systems, such as GPUs, data centers, and power generation. He also emphasizes the critical need for securing these technologies to prevent misuse, particularly by state actors like the CCP."

Technical and Ethical Challenges

"Technical and Ethical Challenges: The essay discusses the significant challenges in controlling AI systems smarter than humans, referring to this as the "superalignment" problem. Managing this will be crucial to prevent catastrophic outcomes."

Predictions and Societal Impact

"Aschenbrenner suggests that few people truly understand the scale of change that AI is about to bring. He discusses the potential for AI to reshape industries, enhance national security, and pose new ethical and governance challenges."

There's more.

As Aschenbrenner wrote, there are probably only a few hundred people, most of them in AI labs in San Francisco, who have "situational awareness" about the industry. These people will likely have the best insight into how AI will reshape the years ahead.

Aschenbrenner, as one of them, seems to believe AI will assume a critical role in national security.

We followed up our original prompt by asking ChatGPT to summarize the predictions Aschenbrenner made in his essay.

Here's how ChatGPT broke it down.

1. AGI by 2027: "Aschenbrenner predicts that artificial general intelligence (AGI) is strikingly plausible by 2027, highlighting the rapid progress from GPT-2 to GPT-4, which saw AI models advancing from preschool-level to smart high-schooler abilities in just four years. He expects a similar leap in the next few years based on consistent improvements in compute and algorithmic efficiency."
2. Superintelligence Following AGI: "Post-AGI, the author anticipates an "intelligence explosion," where AI rapidly advances from human-level to superhuman capabilities. This transition is expected to be fueled by AI's ability to automate and accelerate its own research and development."
3. Trillion-Dollar AI Clusters: "Economically, Aschenbrenner suggests that the AI sector will see an increase in investment into trillion-dollar compute clusters as corporations and governments prepare for the implications of AGI and superintelligence."
4. National and Global Security Dynamics: "There are predictions about intense national security measures being enacted to manage and control AI developments. The competition, particularly with the Chinese government, could intensify, possibly leading to an 'all-out war' if not managed properly."
5. Superalignment Challenges: "One of the most critical predictions is the struggle with 'superalignment' — the challenge of keeping superintelligent AI aligned with human values and interests. This problem is anticipated to be one of the central hurdles as AI reaches and surpasses human intelligence levels."
6. Societal and Economic Transformations: "Aschenbrenner expects AI to have a profound impact on society and the economy, potentially leading to a restructuring of industries and the job market due to AI's capability to perform tasks currently managed by humans."
7. The Project Involvement by the US Government: "Predictions include the US government becoming significantly involved in AI development by around 2027-2028 through a dedicated AGI project, likely due to the strategic importance of AI technology."
8. Technological Mobilization: "He anticipates a mobilization of technological and industrial resources similar to historical wartime efforts, focusing on AI and its supporting infrastructure as a priority for national policy."

Here's the full prompt we used:

Role: Act as an editor.

Task: Read the attached essay about former OpenAI researcher Leopold Aschenbrenner.

Instructions:

• Summarize the essay, highlighting the most significant takeaways.
• Focus on key contributions, research areas, and any notable impacts on the field.
• Ensure the summary is concise yet comprehensive, providing a clear understanding of Aschenbrenner's work and influence.

• After more than two decades as an online-only retailer, Wayfair is getting into brick-and-mortar.
• In May, the housewares company opened its first-ever store outside Chicago.
• I visited the store to take a look and preferred the experience to an Ikea run.

For all of its 22 years in business, housewares retailer Wayfair has been online only.

That all changed in May when the company opened its first-ever brick-and-mortar store in the Chicago suburb of Wilmette, Illinois.

The 150,000 square-foot, two-story store features furniture, decor, appliances, and much more.

It's not every day that a $7.25 billion e-commerce brand takes the plunge into physical retail, so I decided to visit the store to take a look.

I arrived expecting a stand-alone building, but Wayfair's store is in a suburban strip mall in a space once occupied by a department store.

The renovation is crisp and inviting, with a main entrance for shoppers and an online order pickup area around back.

Lots of companies say they're 'omni-channel,' but Wayfair really means it.

Like an Ikea, this Wayfair is part showroom, part store, with a selection of items to take home directly, or scan QR codes in-store and have items delivered.

There were even Ikea-style shopping bags.

I'll be curious to see if these take over on college campuses as the de-facto laundry carrier.

The space was huge, but clear signage made it easy to navigate.

The layout flowed very naturally, and I never had trouble getting oriented.

Like any furniture retailer, there were model rooms showcasing design themes.

I was surprised to see some larger sectionals, since my impression of Wayfair has skewed more toward smaller pieces.

A cardboard cutout of brand ambassador Kelly Clarkson showed off a cozy living room setup.

Wayfair describes the collection as "French-country looks designed for real life."

The eclectic collection of accent chairs…

Something about this display felt eerily like an e-commerce site come to life.

… and the carpet selection struck me as peak Wayfair.

There was a time when I would have thought that Wayfair exclusively sold accent chairs and carpets. That's certainly not true now.

Several design studios were located around the store to help shoppers mix and match textures and finishes.

The more I walked around, the more I got the sense that I would need someone to help me process the sheer volume and range of options available.

I definitely was not expecting to see a pool table or a shuffleboard.

Both games were playable, which will probably keep some kids happy while their parents talk about tile.

There was even a whole section for tidying up your garage.

I could have spent an hour fiddling with different storage options, but alas, time was limited.

The center atrium features everything you need for drinking and dining…

Wayfair calls this area "Market Square."

… like glassware and dishes…

There was stemware for every occasion.

… to cocktail shakers and wine chillers.

Shakers downstairs, bar carts upstairs.

Every once in a while something would catch me by surprise.

I don't think I've ever considered the illuminating qualities of feathers.

A nearby sign offered instructions on how to order customized versions of this artwork.

Like many products in the store, scanning the QR code on an item would bring up a bunch of personalization options.

The children's furniture selection was bright and cheerful.

There were a few thoughtfully designed pieces that caught my eye, especially those with integrated storage, like the craft table.

Over in the 'Dream Center,' there were a plethora of mattresses to test out.

I don't know how many styles of mattresses exist, but I'm pretty sure they're all represented in this room.

There was even furniture for pets.

Fancy dog kennels, cat condos, even pet sofas.

Here you can find a bath tub, bath towels, and bath robes.

The scale of home improvement projects just kept ticking up.

There were also more budget-friendly options for sprucing up your space.

I saw some peel and stick tile too that would make for an easy kitchen backsplash project.

The 'Shower Experience' display was pretty clever — it allowed you to see how the water flowed.

The shower head display reminded me more of a science museum than a home improvement store.

Similarly you could test out all sorts of faucets.

Here you could really mess with the different settings.

There were doorknobs in every fit and finish…

We don't usually think about the sheer variety of something so simple as a doorknob.

… a hall of appliances…

Do you need the fancy ice or the flatscreen display? So many choices.

… and a section for designing custom cabinetry.

There really are too many choices to make sometimes.

But the end result can look pretty slick.

I'm not sure people would believe you if you told them, "I got this kitchen from Wayfair."

These sorts of touch-and-feel displays definitely helped overcome my primary reservation about buying things online.

Here's where I'll admit I've never bought anything from Wayfair. Texture and durability are important qualities in choosing housewares, and that can be hard to convey online.

Overall, this store does an effective job of inviting customers in to Wayfair's world.

The closest thing I can compare it to is Ikea, but I preferred this shopping experience.

Like Ikea, Wayfair has a restaurant to grab a bite to keep you going. There's even beer and wine available, and you can bring your beverage along as you shop.

If Ikea skews more toward urban renters, Wayfair is trying to be the store for suburban homeowners.

• OpenAI's office apparently has undercover security guards, unsettling neighboring businesses.
• OpenAI moved into its Mission District office in July 2023, keeping details tightly guarded.
• California law requires unarmed security guards to disclose license info to law enforcement.

OpenAI's office in San Francisco is crawling with undercover security guards who don't take kindly to questions, locals say. And employees at neighboring businesses say it's weirding them out.

Photographers for The San Francisco Standard, an online local news outlet, said they recently noticed what looked like undercover security guards standing outside the company's office.

A photograph of one suspected security guard published by the outlet shows a man wearing a black baseball cap, sunglasses, and a clear earpiece.

Owners at nearby businesses, like Candace Combs of In-Symmetry Spa, told the Standard that the men would not tell her who they worked for or which company worked out of the building where they lingered.

"I asked, 'Is this OpenAI?' And they were like, 'We can't say,'" Combs told the outlet. "I was like, 'Well, I know you're OpenAI. We're a spa that does massages, and here's coupons for 10% off.' So it's like an open secret."

OpenAI first moved into its 59,000-square-foot office in San Francisco's Mission District in July 2023. According to planning documents, the building features amenities one might expect from a Silicon Valley tech startup, like nap rooms, micro kitchens, lounges for viewing the sunrise, and a multimillion-dollar library that spans the two floors.

The company has kept information about the office space tightly guarded since moving in, turning away reporters from Business Insider and other publications and refusing to confirm or deny the company's location.

Iain Langlands, a cashier at a pet store just one block from the office, told the Standard that the "vibe" surrounding the OpenAI office is "secretive."

"They have this security, and they look at me when I walk by the building or when I park," he said.

James, another worker at a neighboring business, Health Ceramics, told the Standard that he asked some suspected guards if they were working security, but they "never admit to it."

"[OpenAI] is not a bad neighbor, but they're secretive," he said.

California's Bureau of Security and Investigative Services — which issues security guard licenses — did not immediately return Business a request for comment from Business Insider.

The Bureau told the Standard that unarmed security guards don't have to wear a uniform or badge, but they must be employed by a security guard company, lawful business, or public agency and must disclose their license information to law enforcement.

OpenAI did not immediately return a request for comment from BI on Sunday.

• Rep. Jennifer Wexton became the first to use a text-to-voice app for a speech on the House floor.
• Wexton has a disease referred to as "Parkinson's on steroids."
• She will retire at the end of this term, opening up a competitive seat in the House.

An early-career Virginia Democrat is leaving office following her diagnosis with a disease known as "Parkinson's on steroids," but she's breaking new ground on her way out of the Capitol.

Rep. Jennifer Wexton, who beat a Republican incumbent in 2018 to represent Virginia's 10th congressional district, announced a year ago that she had been diagnosed with Parkinson's but insisted she would remain in Congress, Business Insider previously reported.

About six months later, she changed course and announced she would retire at the end of the term.

"I wasn't making the progress to manage my symptoms that I had hoped," Wexton said in a statement in September, noting that her doctors "modified my diagnosis to Progressive Supra-nuclear Palsy — a kind of 'Parkinson's on steroids.'"

Since then, she became the first member of Congress to address the House floor using an Augmentative and Alternative Communication device that translates text to speech, according to The 19th.

"I hope I can show that even as debilitating a diagnosis as this doesn't have to mean you are powerless," Wexton told CNN, using the device. "Whatever your politics, when it comes to illness, 'progressive' is not a good thing to be."

Virginia primaries are set for later this month to determine VA-10's candidates for the November election, and they are shaping up to be highly competitive. One expert told WAMU, DC's NPR affiliate, that it could be one of the "most expensive Democratic congressional primaries in the history of Virginia."

It comes as the state, which Biden won easily in 2020, is turning purple, alarming Democrats and giving hope to supporters of former President Donald Trump.

• The United Nations will add Israel to its global list for violating children's rights.
• The decision precedes the UN's annual report submission to the Security Council this week.
• Israel's ambassador to the UN said the UN Secretary-General António Guterres should be "blacklisted."

The United Nations is set to include Israel and Hamas on its global list of entities accused of violating children's rights and protections.

A UN spokesperson confirmed to AP News that Israeli authorities have been notified of this decision.

The announcement comes ahead of the UN's annual report submission to the Security Council next week when the UN Secretary-General António Guterres will add Israel and Hamas the annual global list of countries and groups violating children's rights in armed conflicts.

Other countries on the list include Russia, Syria, Yemen, Myanmar and Iraq.

Thousands of Palestinian children have been killed during Israel's invasion of Gaza that began after the October 7 terrorist attacks by Hamas and other militants on Israel, though estimates of the precise number vary.

The decision has further strained relations between the UN and Israel, which have been deteriorating since Israel's military campaign in Gaza commenced after the Hamas-led attack on Israel on October 7.

Gilad Erdan, Israel's ambassador to the UN, took to X to express his fury at the secretary-general's decision to add Israel to the "blacklist."

Erdan condemned the decision on X, saying, "The only one who is blacklisted today is the secretary-general whose decisions since the war started and even before are rewarding terrorists and incentivizing them to use children for terror acts."

In May, Erdan stoked controversy during a General Assembly emergency special session when he pulled out a portable shredder and symbolically destroyed the UN Charter.