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Kelly directs the National Institute of Standards and Technology's recently created US AI Safety Institute, a group of top computer scientists and ethicists tasked with studying and addressing AI risks, particularly in relation to areas of national security, civil rights, and general public safety. It's expected to introduce testing standards for AI developers to make sure their systems are safe. Kelly, part of Business Insider's 2024 AI Power List, helped shape President Joe Biden's technology policy and assisted in drafting his executive order last year that focused on issues related to AI safety. Before that, Kelly was a special assistant to the president of the National Economic Council, where she led efforts in technology policy, including in AI. Kelly previously held executive positions at Capital One Investing and United Income, a fintech startup acquired by Capital One.See Business Insider's full <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://businessinsider.com/ai-power-list-2024">AI Power List</a>

Elizabeth Kelly, US AI Safety Institute director, sets AI safety standards

<keyword id="19936600" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Dhaka" source="keywords">Dhaka</keyword>: A top police official in <keyword id="19919639" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="bangladesh" source="keywords">Bangladesh</keyword> has called on every member of the police force to resume their duties gradually and maintain <keyword id="20384229" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="public-safety" source="keywords">public safety</keyword> and law and order amidst reports of attacks on the law enforcement authorities in the violence-hit nation. Additional Inspector General of Police (AIG) A.K.M. Shahidur Rahman, who was appointed as the focal person of the <keyword id="20089848" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="Bangladesh-police" source="keywords">Bangladesh Police</keyword> on Tuesday to handle the current crisis, asked his force to ignore rumours. "The police are friends of the people and work for the public. We cannot imagine a society without the police. Therefore, I request our police members once again to ignore rumours and return to their duties in a phased manner, ensuring that security arrangements are properly in place," he said, emphasising the crucial role of the police in maintaining public safety. Most <keyword id="20117995" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="police-stations" source="keywords">police stations</keyword> in the country, including the capital Dhaka, currently have no police personnel present, the Dhaka Tribune reported. Multiple police officers have reported that over four hundred police stations across the country have experienced attacks, vandalism, arson, and looting. In this situation, no one feels safe staying in their respective stations or offices, leading everyone to seek safe shelters. A police headquarters official mentioned that the police have not faced such a situation since 1971, the report said. In many places, clashes broke out between the police and agitated mobs. Consequently, law enforcement officers vacated various stations overnight. After the attack on the police headquarters on Monday night, senior officials were evacuated to safety by helicopter. Many climbed over walls to escape the headquarters. Law enforcement broke down in Bangladesh after the fall of the Sheikh Hasina government on Monday, with police absent from their duty to keep law and order or manage traffic, the Dhaka Tribune newspaper reported on Tuesday. Since Monday afternoon, the police presence in urban areas dwindled, and by Tuesday, the breakdown of the police system was evident throughout the country. Attacks on police stations and facilities across the country, resulting in numerous police casualties, have led to this unprecedented situation, the newspaper reported. As the army took charge following Hasina's ouster and the death toll in the violence in which temples were also attacked rose to 440, President Mohammed Shahabuddin dissolved Parliament on Tuesday and appointed 84-year-old Nobel laureate Mohammad Yunus as the head of an upcoming interim government. Meanwhile, the readymade garment (RMG) and textile factories across the country will reopen on Wednesday, the paper said. Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA), the apex trade body of the country's RMG manufacturers, urged its members to open their factories on Wednesday. BGMEA Director Mohiuddin Rubel, a participant at the meeting, told the paper that they were going to reopen their factories for the betterment of the country's economy and workers. In a separate statement, Sulov Chowdhury, CEO of the Bangladesh Knitwear Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BKMEA), urged its members to reopen their factories as there is an announcement to keep industrial units open in the present context. However, considering the current situation, he also urged the BKMEA member factories to ensure the overall safety of the factories, along with their workers.

Bangladesh's top police official urges policemen to resume their duties and maintain public safety

The Consulate General of India in Toronto on Thursday said it is cancelling some of its scheduled consular camps after the Canadian security authorities conveyed their inability to provide minimum security protection to its organisers. The announcement comes days after an incident of violent disruption by protestors carrying Khalistani flags at a consular event co-organised by the Hindu Sabha temple in Brampton and the Indian Consulate. "In view of the security agencies conveying their inability to provide minimum security protection to the community camp organisers, the Consulate has decided to cancel some of the scheduled consular camps," the Consulate General of India said in a post on X. On November 3, the protest occurred at the Hindu Sabha temple in Brampton and unverified videos circulating on social media appeared to show demonstrators holding banners in support of Khalistan. The protestors clashed with people and disrupted the consular event. The incident was condemned by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau who said every Canadian has the right to practise their faith freely and safely. India condemned the attack with an expectation that those indulging in violence "will be prosecuted". In a statement, the Ministry of External Affairs said that New Delhi remains "deeply concerned" about the safety and security of Indian nationals in Canada. The relations between India and Canada came under severe strain following Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's allegations in September last year of a "potential" involvement of Indian agents in Khalistan extremist Hardeep Singh Nijjar's killing. New Delhi rejected Trudeau's charges as "absurd". India has been maintaining that the main issue between the two countries is that of Canada giving space to pro-Khalistan elements operating from Canadian soil with impunity. SEE ALSO:<a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/auto/news/skoda-kylaq-suv-launched-in-india-starting-at-7-89-lakh/articleshow/115013668.cms" target="_blank"></a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/auto/news/skoda-kylaq-suv-launched-in-india-starting-at-7-89-lakh/articleshow/115013668.cms" target="_blank">Skoda Kylaq SUV launched in India starting at ₹7.89 lakh</a><a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/stock-market/webstories/swiggy-ipo-gmp-risk-factors-and-all-you-need-to-know/slidelist/115004939.cms" target="_blank"></a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/stock-market/webstories/swiggy-ipo-gmp-risk-factors-and-all-you-need-to-know/slidelist/115004939.cms" target="_blank">Swiggy IPO – GMP, risk factors and all you need to know</a><a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/mobile/news/realme-gt-7-pro-with-snapdragon-8-elite-6500mah-battery-to-launch-in-india-on-november-26/articleshow/114945858.cms" target="_blank"></a><a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/telecom/news/reliance-jio-ipo-indias-biggest-telco-to-go-public-in-2025-retail-ipo-further-away/articleshow/114944496.cms" target="_blank"></a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/telecom/news/reliance-jio-ipo-indias-biggest-telco-to-go-public-in-2025-retail-ipo-further-away/articleshow/114944496.cms" target="_blank">Reliance Jio IPO – India’s biggest telco to go public in 2025, retail IPO further away</a>

Indian consulate in Canada cancels consular camps over security issues, Canadian authorities convey inability to provide security

If you’re a <keyword id="6354321" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="bengaluru" source="Orion">Bengaluru</keyword> resident, we’re almost certain that you must be coming across vendors frying and selling hot chicken <keyword id="21046095" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="kebabs" source="keywords">kebabs</keyword> by the sides of the road on the regular. With their rather bright red colours, those things are unmissable, after all. But if you’ve been fighting temptation because of how unhealthy they could be, we have some good news for you. Making kebabs the teensiest bit healthier, the Karnataka government is putting a ban on artificial colours in your favourite kebabs, be they vegetarian, chicken, or fish. This move comes after a series of actions by the <keyword id="19987876" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Karnataka-Health-Department" source="keywords" meta.keywordsubtype="org" meta.entityname="Karnataka Health Department" meta.hostid="261" meta.entityid="Karnataka Health Department">Karnataka Health Department</keyword> to ensure <keyword id="20000858" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="food-safety" source="keywords">food safety</keyword> and protect <keyword id="19913584" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="public-health" source="keywords">public health</keyword>. Reports of poor kebab quality due to artificial colouring prompted the department to take action. In light of these concerns about kebab safety, the government tested 39 samples from across Karnataka and 8 variants of kebabs were found to have harmful artificial colours. The presence of sunset yellow and carmoisine colours, in particular, were deemed unsafe for consumption. This isn't the first time the Karnataka Health Department has cracked down on harmful food additives. Following Tamil Nadu and Goa, Karnataka joined the fight for safe treats earlier this year when it flagged the use of artificial colours in cotton candy and gobi manchurian. The survey, conducted between February 12 and an unspecified date, revealed the presence of concerning chemicals in 15 out of 25 cotton candy samples and 107 out of 171 gobi manchurian samples. They found Rhodamine-b, a suspected carcinogen which already has a nationwide ban. This ban extends to sunset yellow and carmoisine in cotton candy, and tartrazine (when not used within approved limits) in gobi manchurian. If any vendors are found flouting these bans, the Food Safety and Standards Act enforces strict penalties: licence cancellation, hefty fines (up to ₹10 lakh), and even jail terms (from 7 years to life imprisonment) for using banned substances. Looking ahead, the government plans to raise awareness among food vendors about safe colouring alternatives, empower consumers and conduct surprise checks to ensure compliance with the new regulations. The success of this initiative might lead to similar scrutiny of other popular street foods, like kebabs, which often use colouring agents. This could pave the way for a future where vibrant colours on our plates come courtesy of nature, not potentially harmful chemicals.

Karnataka Health Department bans use of artificial food colouring in kebabs; imposes hefty fine of 10 lakhs!

<ul class="summary-list"><li>The National Transportation Safety Board has more concerns about Boeing's planes.</li><li>It said at least 40 airlines outside the US may be operating aircraft with risky rudder parts.</li></ul>The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has flagged fresh concerns with Boeing's 737 planes, saying that at least 40 airlines outside the US may be operating aircraft with faulty components.The NTSB issued a <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.ntsb.gov/news/press-releases/Pages/NR20240926.aspx">press release</a> on Thursday, saying it had issued urgent safety recommendations to Boeing and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).The release said that the NTSB was investigating a February 6 incident with a United Airlines Boeing 737 Max 8 plane, which experienced "stuck" rudder pedals while landing at Newark Liberty International Airport in New Jersey.The Board said that its investigators tested a rollout guidance actuator — one of the rudder control components from the affected airplane — at the component's manufacturer, Collins Aerospace.When tested with another identical unit from a separate airplane, both actuators failed. Moisture was detected in both units.Collins Aerospace later found that the sealed bearings on the units had been incorrectly assembled, "leaving the unsealed side more susceptible to moisture that can freeze and limit rudder system movement," per the release.The NTSB said that Boeing's 737 flight manual instructs pilots facing a jammed rudder to overpower the system by applying "maximum force." But the Board warned that such force on faulty rudders could "unintentionally cause loss of control or departure from a runway."NTSB Chair Jennifer Homendy wrote a September 30 <a target="_blank" href="https://www.ntsb.gov/news/Documents/Boeing%20Urgent%20Safety%20Recommendations%20ltr%20to%20FAA%20Administrator.pdf">letter</a> to the FAA's administrator, Michael Whitaker, saying she was concerned that the FAA "did not take this issue more seriously until we issued our urgent safety recommendation report." She added that she had been made aware the "FAA has been downplaying the urgency of this issue, maintaining that the units are no longer in service."Homendy said that Boeing had said that it had received 353 affected actuator units since February 2017.Per Homendy's letter, 271 affected actuators may now be installed on aircraft in service operated by at least 40 foreign air carriers. She added that 16 units "may still be installed on US-registered aircraft." Homendy also slammed Boeing for failing to inform United Airlines that faulty actuators were installed in the 737 planes it had delivered to them."We are concerned of the possibility that other airlines are unaware of the presence of these actuators on their 737 airplanes," Homendy wrote."Not making operators fully aware of the installed systems and equipment on the airplanes delivered to them is unacceptable and cannot continue to be tolerated," she added.<h2 id="83df9e8e-4477-4580-94cb-f7372a1e0d82">A bad look for Boeing</h2>Guy Gratton, an associate professor of aviation and the environment at Cranfield University, told BI that component faults reflect poorly on Boeing."It's another instance of national authorities in the USA (the Federation Aviation Administration, and the National Transportation Safety Board) stepping in to address safety issues that Boeing themselves should have already identified and rectified," Gratton said. "I'd anticipate their customers worldwide being disappointed in that."However, he added that he thought this issue was not as serious as Boeing's past safety issues, like the January 5 incident when the door plug on an <a target="_blank" rel="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/alaska-boeing-737-max-9-door-blowout-company-response-earnings-2024-1">Alaska Airlines passenger plane</a> — a 737 Max 9 model — detached during a flight, forcing pilots to make an emergency landing."This fault could not in itself lead to loss of an aircraft, and even an aeroplane going off the side of a runway, whilst extremely embarrassing and expensive, would be unlikely to lead to loss of life," Gratton said.He added: "I'd still be content to get into a Boeing 737, and I do — but it does continue to show the company as being troubled, and its products less trustworthy than those of the obvious competitors."<h2 id="c23a3048-4c95-4c5b-8c89-bc8188352509">Latest blow to an already beleaguered Boeing</h2>Boeing shares dropped 2.74% on Monday. It's also worth noting that the NTSB probe is the latest setback for the company. Their <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/why-boeing-737-max-planes-have-issues-2024-1">Max family has been plagued by safety concerns</a> since the two crashes of its 737 Max jetliners in 2018 and 2019 that killed a total of 346 people.And following the Alaska Airlines door plug incident, the FAA <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.faa.gov/newsroom/faa-halts-boeing-max-production-expansion-improve-quality-control-also-lays-out-extensive">barred</a> Boeing from expanding production on Max plane models until quality and safety issues were addressed.A string of <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/boeing-whistleblower-says-he-saw-holes-drilled-wrongly-on-787s-2024-6">whistleblowers</a> have also alleged this year that the company is lax with safety and quality control. Some bombshell allegations were publicized in a <a target="_blank" rel="" href="https://www.hsgac.senate.gov/wp-content/uploads/2024.06.17-PSI-Majority-Staff-Memorandum.pdf">sprawling 204-page report released on June 17</a> by the Senate subcommittee that investigated Boeing's safety and quality practices.These accounts include testimony from Sam Mohawk, a quality assurance inspector for Boeing, who alleged that the <a target="_blank" rel="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/boeing-whistleblower-faulty-plane-parts-may-be-on-new-aircraft-2024-6">company lost track of hundreds of faulty 737 parts</a> and ordered staff to conceal improperly stored plane parts so FAA inspectors would not see them.Merle Meyers, a former Boeing quality manager, said that Boeing's manufacturing team regularly tried to retrieve bad parts from a "reclamation" area even after they were thrown out.Boeing declined to comment on BI's queries, saying it would defer to the NTSB on the investigation. The FAA didn't immediately respond to a request for comment from BI, sent outside business hours.

Boeing's 737 safety mess just got worse

The latest findings from the <keyword id="20000858" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="food-safety" source="keywords">Food Safety</keyword> and Standards Authority of India (<keyword id="20225209" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="FSSAI" source="keywords">FSSAI</keyword>) have raised serious health concerns regarding <keyword id="20410656" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="bakery-items" source="keywords">bakery items</keyword> sold in Bengaluru and other parts of Karnataka. FSSAI’s recent tests on 235 cake samples across the state revealed that 12 of these samples contained harmful, cancer-causing ingredients. The bakery items in question included popular varieties like red velvet, black forest, and pineapple cakes. <keyword id="21583421" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="artificial-colours" source="keywords">Artificial colours</keyword> such as Allura Red, Sunset Yellow FCF, Ponceau 4R, Tartrazine, and Carmoisine were found in the cakes at levels that exceed permissible limits. These <keyword id="23428063" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="synthetic-dyes" source="keywords">synthetic dyes</keyword> are commonly used to give cakes an intense, attractive appearance, especially in varieties like red velvet. However, these colours are not without risks. According to studies, prolonged exposure to such chemicals, even at low levels, can increase the risk of cancer. They are also known to cause other health issues such as allergies, asthma, and hyperactivity in children. Allura Red, one of the key culprits identified, has been banned in some countries due to its potential carcinogenic effects. Studies conducted on animals have shown that high doses of this dye can lead to the development of tumours. In addition, other food dyes like Ponceau 4R and Sunset Yellow FCF are suspected of containing contaminants such as benzidine and 4-aminobiphenyl, both of which have been linked to cancer. <h2>Impact on public health</h2>The presence of these hazardous chemicals in commonly consumed bakery items is particularly concerning given the long-term <keyword id="19977451" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="health-risks" source="keywords">health risks</keyword> associated with synthetic dyes. Children and young adults, who often consume colourful cakes at parties and celebrations, are especially vulnerable. Health practitioner have also highlighted that these chemicals could contribute to respiratory problems and potentially lead to cancer over time. Therefore, consumers must be cautious when purchasing visually striking baked goods, as they may contain harmful ingredients. The FSSAI has taken swift action by issuing warnings to the bakeries involved and reminding all food outlets to comply with the Food Safety and Standards Act of 2006. Health Minister Dinesh Gundu Rao emphasised that strict action will be taken against businesses that continue to violate food safety standards. Non-compliance with the <keyword id="21256704" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="food-regulations" source="keywords">food regulations</keyword> could lead to legal penalties, including the closure of bakeries found using harmful additives. The FSSAI’s crackdown follows a series of inspections targeting food safety across Karnataka. The department has also previously banned the use of artificial colours in popular street foods like gobi manchurian and kebabs, and it continues to conduct regular inspections of food outlets across the state. Recent enforcement activities have also included tests on paneer, khova, and other food products sold in hotels, tourist spots, and railway stations. <h2>Alternatives to synthetic dyes</h2>In light of these findings, consumers are urged to opt for bakery products made with <keyword id="23428065" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="natural-colourants" source="keywords">natural colourants</keyword>, which are safer and free from harmful chemicals. Many bakers in Karnataka are already shifting towards the use of permitted natural colours derived from fruits and vegetables, which pose no risk to health. However, there remains a significant number of bakeries that use artificial dyes to enhance the visual appeal of their products. For consumers, being informed about the ingredients in the foods they purchase is crucial. While brightly coloured cakes may seem appealing, the potential health hazards they carry cannot be overlooked. Health experts recommend asking bakery owners about the types of colourants used and checking for FSSAI compliance labels before making a purchase. (With inputs from agencies)

Cancer-causing dyes have been detected in popular bakery items in Bengaluru — here’s which items you might need to avoid

<ul class="summary-list"><li>X, formerly Twitter, is making changes to the platform's block function.</li><li>Blocked users will soon be able to see the posts of the person who blocked them.</li></ul><a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/elon-musk-twitter">X</a>, formerly Twitter, recently announced it's changing the way the social media platform's block function works.Currently, blocking a user means that account can no longer see the posts of the user who blocked them. But X said this week that would change soon, though it did not specify when. Instead, the updated block function will still allow the blocked person to see the posts of the user who blocked them — as long as that user has a public account — but they will be unable to engage with them."Today, block can be used by users to share and hide harmful or private information about those they've blocked. Users will be able to see if such behavior occurs with this update, allowing for greater transparency," the X engineering team said in a post.Critics of the change say it could make X less safe for some users, such as victims of <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/los-angeles-basic-income-program-domestic-violence-survivors-2024-10">domestic violence</a> or harassment.X did not provide comment on these concerns when reached by BI, instead referring to the <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://x.com/XEng/status/1846605254864888180">post</a> by the X engineering team."big day for stalkers and harassers," said X user wrote in response to the announcement. The <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://x.com/evildeadthing/status/1846611747727134945">post</a> got more than 89,000 likes."That's not blocking. It's supporting stalking," another <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://x.com/HeatherThomasAF/status/1846662936242409668">user</a> said."How do I block people whom I've blocked for security (stalking) reasons?" another <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://x.com/BKatie617/status/1846614222727196891">user</a> asked."Anything that gives an abusive individual power and control over the victim should be considered carefully by Twitter," Adam Dodge, founder of End Tech-Enabled Abuse, told Business Insider. "The mere knowledge that a person who is seeking to harm a victim can monitor their social media posts puts that victim in an unsafe position."Dodge said that this change in the block function could lead to some victims going into a mode of hypervigilence, which can have a severe impact on their emotional and physical wellbeing.Dodge said he expects some people to respond to the victims who criticize this change by telling them they should just make their account private, but he said that's blaming the victim.In the recent post about the change, X directed users who wanted more control over who could see their posts to the <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://help.x.com/en/safety-and-security/how-to-make-x-private-and-public">page</a> that explains how they can make their account private.Dodge said victims should be able to have their account be public if they choose, and that they should be empowered to block users who are harassing, stalking, or abusing them. There are also people who need a public X account for their work."I think it's going to result in victims being forced to choose between safety and their right to speech on the platform, and we should never be putting victims in that place," he said.There are workarounds to the current blocking system. For instance, a blocked user could simply create a new account to view the posts of the user who has blocked them."While it is true that the current blocking system used by social media platforms isn't perfect, it typically creates some measure of a barrier to guard against toxic behavior and bad situations on the platform," Dominic Sellitto, a clinical assistant professor of management science and systems at the University at Buffalo School of Management who researches <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/websites-know-who-you-are-data-brokers-privacy-online-shopping-2024-3">digital privacy</a>, said. "After all, creating another account takes effort, and the typical harassing user on the platform may just move on if they cannot see a user's account who has blocked them."Sellitto said consumers still have some power over their privacy, and that they can choose not to use a platform if they do not support its policies. He acknowledged, though, that this can be difficult for people whose accounts are tied to their work, personal brand, or even income."But it is something that every user should consider with any of their online presences, especially if they are encountering toxic situations," he added.

X is about to change its block function. Some users worry it will empower abusers and compromise victims' safety.

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Hurricane Helene caused at least 6 EV fires in Florida, according to state officials.</li><li>Saltwater can corrode lithium-ion batteries, leading to short-circuits and fires.</li></ul>Soon after Hurricane Helene barreled into northwestern Florida, local government officials <a target="_blank" href="https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=1886706438505288&amp;ref=sharing">shared footage</a> of an electric vehicle catching fire in a flooded garage.The video, posted by Pinellas County officials on social media, came with a warning for EV owners about the risks posed by salt water, which can corrode lithium-ion batteries and cause them to short-circuit and overheat. Don't "charge, drive, or store your EV or E-bike in your home or garage,"the post said. It recommended they "move the EV or E-bike 50 feet away from any other combustible material" and "have the vehicle towed to a dealership for inspection."Florida officials said on Tuesday that they had <a target="_blank" href="https://myfloridacfo.com/news/pressreleases/press-release-details/2024/10/02/fire-safety-alert-cfo---state-fire-marshal-jimmy-patronis--lithium-ion-batteries-are-ticking-time-bombs-in-wake-of-hurricane-helene">since confirmed 16 lithium-ion-battery fires</a> related to Hurricane Helene's storm surge, six of which were in EVs. Electric golf carts, e-bikes, and other battery-powered devices are also a hazard. The fires led Florida's chief financial officer and fire marshal, Jimmy Patronis, to call on automakers to be more proactive about notifying customers about moving their EVs to higher ground ahead of a storm (as <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/hurricane-helene-electric-vehicles-evs-owners-fire-risk-safety-tips-2024-10">Gov. Ron DeSantis</a> did before Helene arrived) and about what to do if an EV is flooded."It's not too late for these manufacturers to send out notifications and fire safety information directly to their consumers," Patronis said in a statement, adding that his office was coordinating with emergency responders to make residents aware of the risks.The warnings come at a critical time for the EV industry. Consumer demand for EVs has been slower than expected this year, and Republicans including <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/jd-vance-elon-musk-tesla-electric-vehicle-tax-credit-oil-2024-7">JD Vance have attacked the industry</a> in the run-up to the presidential election in November. J.D. Power has forecast that EVs will account for 9% of the market this year — a figure the group <a target="_blank" href="https://www.jdpower.com/business/resources/jd-power-revises-ev-retail-share-forecast">revised down from 12% because of slower adoption</a>. Surveys have suggested that <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/ev-charging-range-improving-americans-still-dont-want-electric-cars-2024-9">Americans are a lot more concerned about finding chargers</a> than safety, but viral videos of EV fires could fuel skepticism.Brent Gruber, the executive director of J.D. Power's electric-vehicle practice, told Business Insider that because of the recent fires, his team planned to begin tracking consumers' concern about EV fires.Some data from the Transportation Department and Tesla suggests EVs catch fire less often than hybrid or gas-powered cars on the road or in crashes. Saltwater storm surges during Hurricanes Ida, Ian, and now Helene pose a risk to lithium-ion batteries, but it's not clear how often EV fires occur during extreme weather events.A spokesperson for the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said its data on vehicle fires was limited to fires after fatal crashes. The agency said that since Hurricane Ian struck Florida in 2022, it has monitored reports of EV fires during coastal storms in the southeastern and northeastern US and in California. It said reports of EV fires resulting from saltwater flooding came only from Florida."More research is underway to better understand the interaction of high-voltage battery systems and saltwater immersion," the spokesperson said. They added that the agency had proposed updating some safety requirements for EV batteries to reduce the risk of these fires.Albert Gore, the executive director of the Zero Emission Transportation Association, which represents EV makers like Tesla and Rivian, told Business Insider that manufacturers had done a lot of outreach over the past decade to local fire departments about EV-battery safety. He emphasized that the fires seemed to be limited to coastal regions where saltwater storm surge is a risk and argued that EVs in general are much less likely to catch fire than gas-powered vehicles."The most important piece of information to communicate is if you live in an area where there's a risk of hurricanes and storm surge, it's really important to move that vehicle to higher ground," Gore said.Several fire departments along Florida's coastline told Business Insider that they'd been <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/electric-vehicle-fires-what-to-know-2023-11">educating their emergency responders</a> and the public about how to prevent and put out EV fires since Hurricane Ian in 2022.Kelsey Grentzer, a spokesperson for the government in Pinellas County, which covers St. Petersburg and Clearwater, said that so far during Hurricane Helene, emergency responders in the county had been called out to at least 93 vehicle fires. Grentzer said they were still analyzing the breakdown of how many were gas cars versus EVs.Heather Mazurkiewicz, a spokesperson for the North Collier Fire Control and Rescue District, which covers Naples, didn't have an exact figure for Helene but said the district had been taking the problem seriously."There's no predictability as to how or when a fire will start from the battery compartment. They're extremely volatile," Mazurkiewicz said.Even after an EV battery fire appears to be extinguished, lingering stored energy can cause what's known as a "thermal runaway," a cycle of overheating and over-pressurizing. Putting out the battery fire can require more than 10,0000 gallons of water, Mazurkiewicz added.The volatility was on display in the Pinellas County officials' viral video. The EV owners <a target="_blank" href="https://www.fox13news.com/news/electric-vehicle-catches-fire-garage-destroys-home-during-hurricane-helene">told a local Fox affiliate</a> that they narrowly escaped their home in Siesta Key as it became engulfed in flames and that they didn't know that a small amount of flooding could ignite the EV.

Viral videos of EVs catching fire after Hurricane Helene raise safety concerns in Florida

<ul class="summary-list"><li>OpenAI is changing its corporate structure.</li><li>The changes will likely give it more leeway over decisions and a defense against activist investors.</li></ul>OpenAI is in the midst of a <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/what-openai-needs-to-do-to-become-for-profit-altman-2024-9">massive corporate restructuring</a>.The <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/everything-you-need-to-know-about-chat-gpt-2023-1">ChatGPT maker</a> announced last month that it would transition to a public benefit corporation, in line with competitors like Anthropic and xAI.Since its launch in 2015, <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/openai-valuation-funding-ai-race-competition-2024-10">OpenAI</a> has operated under the supervision of a nonprofit board, with a mission to develop artificial general intelligence that is safe and benefits humanity. It added a for-profit arm in 2019 to help it raise money to fund that mission.Now, as the company grows more valuable, its backers want to see returns on their investment. As part of the latest round of funding — the <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/openai-investors-latest-funding-round-2024-10">$6.6 billion deal</a> it closed this month, one of the largest in Silicon Valley history — OpenAI will be transitioning to a regular for-profit structure. If it doesn't complete this transition within the next two years, its investors can ask for their money back, Axios reported.Public benefit corporations are for-profit businesses "created to generate social and public good, and to operate in a responsible and sustainable manner," <a target="_blank" href="https://www.law.cornell.edu/wex/public_benefit_corporation">according to the Legal Information Institute</a> at Cornell Law School.Unlike traditional for-profit businesses, which are primarily focused on maximizing shareholder value, public benefit corporations must balance stakeholder interests with those of their employees and customers.Travis Borden, the founder and president of advisory firm <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.keeneadvisors.com/about">Keene Advisors</a> helps purpose-driven companies like public benefit corporations raise capital, pursue mergers and acquisitions, and conducts a broad range of strategic consulting work. He told Business Insider that one of the benefits of OpenAI's proposed new structure is that it can serve as a bulwark against the demands of activist investors.In a regular company, "if their stock price is lagging and they're not growing as quickly as they could, activist investors can come in, take a position on the board, they can sort of threaten shareholder lawsuits and things like that and force the company to do really profit maximizing things," he said.In a public benefit corporation, however, the board has more discretion."They can say, well, in addition to making profit and maximizing value, we also have this public benefit that's in our charter that we are going to pursue. So it gives them some kind of cover to say, we don't have to maximize short-term profits at all costs," Borden said.Investors can also question why a company isn't progressing on its stated public benefit.Borden said that once OpenAI gets the approval of its shareholders to transition, it will need to change its structure under Delaware law — where many corporations are based — and its articles of incorporation, the legal documents filed with the state to create a corporation. It will also need to define its "public benefit" as part of its new corporate charter, he added.That public benefit, for now, is laid out in OpenAI's mission: to develop the technology in a way that is safe and benefits humanity.But OpenAI's restructuring comes when those inside and outside the company are questioning its commitment to that mission.Last November, the company's board <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/what-sam-altman-did-so-bad-he-got-fired-openai-2023-12">unsuccessfully ousted Altman as CEO</a>, saying he was not "consistently candid in his communications." The ousting publicized a growing rift in the company between those looking to maximize profits and those worried about the dangers of too aggressively developing the technology. In the months since, <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/openai-leaders-who-left-since-2023-sam-altman-leadership-struggle-2024-9">several high-profile researchers and executives</a>, many of them part of a team focused on safety, have left the company, including chief scientist and cofounder Ilya Sutskever, head of alignment Jan Leike, and most recently, chief technology officer Mira Murati.So as OpenAI restructures, the pressure is now on the company to clearly articulate its public mission and show that it's serious about it."I think that they talk about ensuring that it benefits all of humanity, and that may be part of what they would try to incorporate into their public benefit, that their tool will, in addition to obviously generating returns for shareholders, will benefit all of humanity," Borden said. But "that's a pretty broad statement."He said the good news is that once they've specified their mission, the board and management teams will have more "latitude" in decision-making.Jens Dammann, a professor at the University of Texas School of Law, told The Information that OpenAI would likely find that proposition attractive."If you can convey the idea to people that you are a good enterprise, a morally safe enterprise and that comes with very little constraints, that has to be tempting to entrepreneurs," she told the outlet.OpenAI did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Business Insider.

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