Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang Dismisses Market Panic Over DeepSeek’s AI Breakthrough

February 24, 2025

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AI

  

 Credit to Nvidia

The AI world was shaken when DeepSeek unveiled its R1 open-source reasoning model, sending Nvidia’s stock into a freefall. But according to Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang, the market completely misread the situation.  

Speaking in a pre-recorded interview with Alex Bouzari, CEO of DataDirect Networks, Huang called DeepSeek’s innovation “incredibly exciting” and rejected the notion that it threatens Nvidia’s dominance.  

“I think the market reacted as if AI was over,” Huang said. “Like, ‘Oh my gosh, we don’t need computing anymore!’ But it’s exactly the opposite.”  

Instead of spelling doom for the AI hardware market, Huang believes DeepSeek’s advancements will drive even greater demand for AI processing power.  

“It’s making people realize that AI models can be far more efficient than we ever thought possible,” Huang explained. “That means AI adoption is going to expand and accelerate.”  

He also emphasized that while DeepSeek’s pre-training techniques are impressive, the post-training process—where AI models are refined and fine-tuned—remains highly compute-intensive.  

“Reasoning is still a major computational challenge,” he added, hinting that Nvidia’s chips will continue to play a crucial role in AI’s evolution.  

Market Overreaction?  

Huang’s comments come nearly a month after DeepSeek’s R1 announcement sent shockwaves through the market. Nvidia’s stock plunged 16.9% in a single day, erasing a staggering $600 billion from its market cap within three days.  

However, Nvidia has since bounced back. On Friday, its stock opened at $140 per share, nearly recovering from the losses. With the company’s Q4 earnings report set for February 26, investors will be eager to hear more about Nvidia’s stance on DeepSeek and the future of AI computing.  

Meanwhile, DeepSeek isn’t slowing down. The company just announced plans to open-source five additional code repositories next week as part of its “Open Source Week” event.  

One thing is clear: AI is far from “finished.” If anything, the race is just heating up.

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Trump Administration to Pull the Plug on Federal EV Charging Network

February 23, 2025

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News

 

Credit to sonowipes

The Trump administration is reportedly shutting down the federal government’s entire network of electric vehicle (EV) chargers, a move that signals a broader retreat from renewable energy initiatives.  

According to a report by *The Verge*, the General Services Administration (GSA)—which manages federal buildings—plans to take hundreds of EV charging stations offline, affecting around 8,000 charging plugs used by government vehicles and federal employees.  

A source told *The Verge* that guidance to shut down the chargers will be issued next week, with some regional offices already ordered to disconnect their stations.  

EV Charging No Longer "Mission Critical"  

Earlier this week, *Colorado Public Radio* obtained an internal email revealing that EV chargers at the Denver Federal Center would be deactivated because they were deemed “not mission critical.”  

This move aligns with the Trump administration’s broader efforts to roll back support for clean energy programs. The administration has already slashed funding for renewable energy initiatives and halted federal support for EV charging infrastructure—programs that once provided millions in funding to companies like Tesla.  

With federal backing for EVs rapidly disappearing, the decision raises questions about the future of government sustainability efforts and the transition to electric transportation.

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Mercor: AI Hiring Startup Led by 21-Year-Olds Secures $100M, Hits $2B Valuation

February 23, 2025

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News

 

Mercor, an AI-powered hiring startup founded by three young Thiel Fellows, has raised $100 million in a Series B funding round, according to TechCrunch.

The round was led by Felicis, a venture capital firm based in Menlo Park, valuing Mercor at $2 billion—eight times its previous worth. Other investors include Benchmark, General Catalyst, DST Global, and Menlo Ventures.

Mercor previously raised $3.6 million in seed funding in 2023, led by General Catalyst, followed by a $32 million Series A in 2024, backed by Benchmark at a $250 million valuation.

This investment makes Mercor’s co-founders—CEO Brendan Foody, CTO Adarsh Hiremath, and COO Surya Midha—some of the youngest founders of a billion-dollar company. Mercor, which is supported by tech leaders like Peter Thiel, Jack Dorsey, and Adam D’Angelo, says the new funding will help them improve their AI-driven hiring process and connect people with the right jobs.

### How Mercor Works

Founded in 2023, Mercor uses artificial intelligence to simplify hiring. The platform automates resume screening, candidate matching, AI-powered interviews, and payroll management. Employers upload job descriptions, and Mercor suggests the best candidates.

Mercor claims its system not only speeds up hiring but also removes bias, though AI’s ability to eliminate bias is still debated. Despite this, major tech companies, including OpenAI, use Mercor’s hiring tools, which the startup says can identify better candidates than traditional methods.

Job seekers complete a 20-minute AI interview that assesses their skills and creates a profile. The system then matches them with full-time, part-time, or temporary job opportunities.

“We analyze candidates’ performance data to improve our predictions of who will succeed in the future,” said Foody.

### Expanding Talent Pools

Mercor initially focused on hiring software engineers and professionals in operations, product development, content creation, and design. Today, software engineers are still the most sought-after, but AI labs are increasingly looking for consultants, PhDs, bankers, doctors, and lawyers.

To meet growing demand, Mercor has expanded its talent pool, helping HR teams review 468,000 job applications. India remains the largest source of talent, followed by the U.S., while Europe and South America are seeing rapid growth.

### Revenue Growth & Market Impact

Mercor’s growth has led to a sharp increase in revenue, which comes from charging hourly finder’s fees to employers.

As of last September, the startup was growing at a rate of 50% per month, with an annual revenue run rate (ARR) in the “tens of millions.” At its current pace, it has reached a $75 million ARR, with most revenue coming from AI labs. The company now works with the top five AI research labs, including OpenAI.

Mercor’s valuation of $2 billion gives it a 27x ARR multiple, which is reasonable compared to some AI companies that receive valuations of up to 50 times ARR.

### AI and the Future of Work

One concern about Mercor’s technology is whether it will contribute to job displacement as AI automates more tasks. However, Foody argues that Mercor doesn’t replace workers but instead helps match people to jobs where human skills are still essential.

“If AI automates 90% of the economy, then humans become even more valuable for the remaining 10%. Every task they perform becomes 10 times more important,” he said. “Work is shifting toward a more flexible, gig-based model.”

Foody believes companies will move away from long-term hires and instead look for specialists to complete short-term projects.

“Smarter job matching makes work more efficient,” he added. “Every project should be handled by the best person for the job, not just whoever is available.”

As for its own hiring, Mercor, with an average team age of 22, recently brought in the former Head of Human Data Operations from OpenAI and the previous Head of Growth from Scale.

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Elon Musk and Government Data Access: What’s Happening?

February 19, 2025

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News

Credit to investopedia.com 

In recent weeks, Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) has been gaining access to highly sensitive U.S. government data, raising serious concerns among federal agencies and the public. Opponents of DOGE are now relying on a decades-old law to try to limit Musk and his team’s reach.

DOGE’s Access to Sensitive Data

Since the Trump administration began replacing federal employees, DOGE has accessed key government data, including:

• Federal employee records from the Office of Personnel Management
• Government payment data from the Department of the Treasury
• Student loan recipient information from the Department of Education
• Disaster victim data from FEMA
• Workplace and employment data from the Department of Labor

There are also reports that White House officials are pressuring the IRS to grant DOGE access to U.S. taxpayer records. The acting head of the Social Security Administration even resigned rather than allow DOGE access to her agency’s vast personal data archives.

The Privacy Act: A Legal Barrier for DOGE?

The Privacy Act, passed after the Watergate scandal, was designed to prevent government abuse of personal data. It limits how federal agencies can collect, use, and share information about U.S. citizens.

Key provisions include:

• Allowing individuals to access and correct their government records
• Requiring agencies to limit data collection and protect information from security breaches
• Restricting access to personal records by agency employees and third parties

Critics argue that DOGE is violating these protections by accessing sensitive information without proper authorization.

Government vs. DOGE Critics

• Trump Administration’s Argument: DOGE needs access to this data to eliminate wasteful spending and shut down programs that conflict with President Trump’s agenda.
• Critics’ Argument: This represents the largest privacy breach in U.S. history, with inexperienced and largely unvetted DOGE staffers handling sensitive government records.

The courts will now determine whether DOGE’s data access violates the Privacy Act or falls under certain legal exemptions.

Lawsuits Against DOGE

So far, at least eight major lawsuits have been filed against the Trump administration over DOGE’s access to federal data. Plaintiffs include:

• Federal employee unions – arguing that DOGE has no legitimate reason to access government employee databases.
• Privacy advocacy groups – suing over DOGE’s alleged unauthorized access to government payment systems.
• Student associations – accusing the Department of Education of illegally sharing student data with DOGE staffers.
• State governments – 19 attorneys general are suing over DOGE’s access to federal financial records.

What Happens Next?

Some judges have already issued temporary restraining orders limiting DOGE’s access to certain data systems. However, the legal battle is far from over.

If the courts rule against DOGE, its access to sensitive government data may be revoked. But if the Trump administration wins, DOGE will continue to have unprecedented control over federal records, raising serious privacy concerns for millions of Americans.

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What do you think? Is DOGE truly working to improve government efficiency, or does it pose a major threat to public privacy? 🚀

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