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The NBAs Boston Celtics are used to packing their arena with a sea of green. Now, the companys owners, the Grousbeck family, are seeing green. Thats because the franchise has reportedly been sold for $6.1 billion, per ESPN, to a group led by Bill Chisholm, managing partner at private equity firm Symphony Technology Group. The sale would be the largest for a sports franchise in North American history, beating out the sale of the NFLs Washington Commanders franchise two years ago, which tallied $6.05 billion. The sale would still need to be approved by the NBA Board of Governors. Fast Company has reached out to both the Celtics and Symphony Technology Group for comment. The sale comes on the heels of the Celtics winning the NBA championship last year, the 18th in franchise history. It was announced that the Grousbeck family, the franchises primary owner, would seek to sell the team last summer as well. It bought the team in 2002 for $360 million, and if the $6.1 billion sale does go through, the family would see a roughly 1,700% return on investment. The sale also shows that sports franchise values are steadily increasing. In 2023, both the Phoenix Suns and Milwaukee Bucks were also sold, for $4 billion and $3.5 billion respectively. At the tail end of that year, the Dallas Mavericks were also sold for $3.5 billion. The $6.1 billion valuation would put the Celtics near the upper echelon of North American sports franchises. The most recent rankings from Forbes, which regularly publishes a list of the most valuable sports teams, ranks the NFLs Dallas Cowboys at the top with an estimated value of more than $10 billion. Two other NBA franchises are among the top five: The Golden State Warriors are valued at $8.8 billion, and the New York Knicks are valued at $7.5 billion.
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Welcome to AI Decoded, Fast Companys weekly newsletter that breaks down the most important news in the world of AI. You can sign up to receive this newsletter every week here. Nvidias Jensen Huang: The world got DeepSeek totally wrong At Nvidias GTC developer event in San Jose this week, CEO Jensen Huang called it AIs Super Bowl. Indeed, Nvidia is the chip supplier of the AI boom, and arguably the most influential (and certainly most profitable) company in the growing AI industry. As it does every year, the company used Huangs keynote to announce its next-generation chips, which will power the training and operation of the AI models of the near future. Huang introduced a new platform called Vera Rubin, which includes Nvidias first custom-designed CPU, Vera, and two new Rubin GPUs. (The platform is named after astronomer Vera Rubin, who discovered evidence of dark matter.) Nvidia says Vera is twice as fast as the Arm-based CPU in last years Blackwell platform. Together, Vera and Rubin deliver more than double the inference performance of Blackwell. Huang also revealed Blackwell Ultra, a more powerful version of the current flagship GPU, with increased compute and memory. Its expected to launch in the second half of 2025. These platformsespecially Vera Rubinare designed to boost performance during inference, the real-time reasoning AI models perform to generate answers. Huang stressed the growing need for chips that can rapidly process and store massive amounts of data during inference. In a pointed comment, he said almost the entire world got it wrong about the DeepSeek phenomenon, referencing the Chinese startup that claimed it could train top-tier models with fewer, weaker GPUs. The amount of computation we need as a result of agentic AI, as a result of reasoning, is easily 100 times more than we thought we needed this time last year, he said. In other words, inference demand is set to soarand with it, demand for Nvidia hardware. Huang also updated Project Digits, a desktop AI platform for developers, researchers, and students. It will ship in two versions: a compact GTX Spark, and a larger GTX Station capable of running more complex models. Nvidia says both will reach the market this summer. As Nvidias role in generative AI deepens, its pushing beyond infrastructure and into the application layer. To that end, the company announced a new family of open-source, mid-size reasoning models called Nemotron. Built on Metas Llama, these models can run on the Spark or Station hardware or in the cloud. While not the most advanced, theyre optimized for lighter enterprise tasks and run efficiently on Nvidia chipsoffering yet another incentive for companies to stay within the Nvidia ecosystem. Big AI gives the Trump administration pointers on its AI Action Plan As the U.S. government rethinks its approach to artificial intelligence, the emerging consensus around this second Trump administration is clear: minimal oversight, maximum freedom for industry. The working theory is that Trump and Vice President JD Vance would take a hands-off approach to AI regulation, favoring rapid innovation over safety mandates. Both Trump and Vance have emphasized the need for U.S. AI companies to operate without transparency mandates or safety guidelines, arguing that this freedom is essential for global leadership. The AI future is not going to be won by hand-wringing about safety, Vance said during a February speech at the Artificial Intelligence Action Summit in Paris. On day one, the administration rescinded the Biden-era AI safety and transparency guidelines, which were largely voluntary. The Trump team is reportedly developing its own AI policy. As part of that effort, the Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP) solicited public input on an AI Action Plan. The plan, according to the OSTP request, aims to define priority policy actions needed to sustain and enhance America’s AI dominance while avoiding unnecessarily burdensome requirements on private-sector innovation. Comments were accepted through March 15, and several major AI companiesOpenAI, Anthropic, Meta, and Googleposted their submissions publicly. Across the board, these companies warned that overly aggressive safety rules could cause the U.S. to fall behind China in the AI race. Most supported maintaining export bans on advanced AI chips to adversarial nations like China. OpenAI, Anthropic, and Google also called for protecting the Copyright Acts fair use provision, which allows AI labs to train models on publicly available data. Still, some comments signaled a more nuanced view of risk. Anthropic urged the government to create mechanisms for assessing whether private-sector models could pose national security threats, and suggested opening dedicated communication channels between intelligence agencies and major AI labs. Interestingly, OpenAI seems to favor a ban on models from Chinese startup DeepSeek, citing national security concerns similar to those that led to the U.S. ban on Huawei equipment. DeepSeek faces requirements under Chinese law to comply with demands for user data and uses it to train more capable systems for the CCPs use, the company said. While an AI Action Plan may be written, companies arent expecting strict safety regulations to followespecially under the current administration and Congress. Yet as AI systems grow more powerful, so do the risks of unregulated misuse, potentially on a large scale. And as Wendy Gonzalez, CEO of the AI training data company Sama, points out, a lack of guardrails may actually be bad for business in the long run. The comparison to vehicle safety standards is a good example, she tells Fast Company. Just as we don’t view seatbelts as over-regulation that stifles automotive innovation, thoughtful AI guardrails protect stakeholders while enabling progress. Superhuman is a case study in the right way to integrate AI into apps Much of the post-ChatGPT AI boom has focused on models themselvesbut increasingly, the spotlight is shifting to how AI is applied and experienced in real-world apps. Someapps are entirely new, made possible only by generative AI. Others, like Superhuman, stand out for how thoughtfully theyve integrated the technology into existing products. Superhuman has been around since 2014, and the addition of AI features hasnt changed Superhumans spare and sleek design very much. Its creators have integrated AI features in a purposeful and understated way. Superhuman founder and CEO Rahul Vohra gave me a run-through of some of the newer AI features when we met at the HumanX conference last week. The AI works like a behind-the-scenes assistant, aware of the context and content of your inbox. For long or complex threads, it precomputes summaries. It can draft replies in your writing style, prompt you to respond to urgent or high-priority messages, and learn contacts communication patterns to time your replies for maximum visibility. It also helps organize your inbox by automatically routing less important emailslike marketing, social updates, or cold pitchesinto separate folders. Vohra claims Superhuman can save users up to four hours per week. One internal study by a major consulting firm found it saved partners 3.3 hours weekly, sped up response times by 3.6 hours, and increased email throughput by 60%. At $30$40 a month, Superhuman isnt cheap. But for professionals overwhelmed by email, its AI-powered productivity boost may be worth the price. More AI coverage from Fast Company: The most innovative companies in artificial intelligence for 2025 AI data centers run hot. These lightweight motors keep them cool with less power Hollywood warns about AI industrys push to change copyright law The rise of the AI manager Want exclusive reporting and trend analysis on technology, business innovation, future of work, and design? Sign up for Fast Company Premium.
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The chronicle of the polygonal failure known as the Cybertruck continues as Tesla issues a new physical recall that covers all 2024 and 2025 models built between November 13, 2023 and February 27, 2024. In the announcement, Elon Musks company says that the stainless steel panel of the cantrail assembly may delaminate at the adhesive joint, which may cause the panel to separate from the vehicle. The cantrail is the portion of the roof that joins the pillars that form the vehicle’s roof structure. Tesla adds that, if the cantrail panel separates from the vehicle while in drive, it could create a road hazard for following motorists and increase the risk of injury or a collision. The company claims that it will replace the cantrail assembly with one that meets durability testing requirements. Why the one now in place doesnt meet durability testing requirements is anyones guess, but Tesla is well known for using components that dont meet durability testing, like when it implemented touchscreens in its Model S in 2012. Tesla sourced screens and electronics that were not graded for cars, so they failed. We also know that the Cybertrucks design is so bad that it has affected the companys ability to manufacture it properly, as Musk himself has admitted. But this is just shoddy craftsmanship. The Cybertruck has been plagued with a seemingly endless litany of construction quality problems, which we have compiled here. And for those keeping tabs and watching Teslas stock sink into oblivion, this recall shows that Tesla has sold far fewer than Musk would like you to believe. A punch-on-the-face contrast to what Musk was selling in the companys October 2023 investors call: The demand is off the charts, he gleefully told them. We have over 1 million people who have reserved the car. Here is the definitive and constantly updated timeline of all Musk’s Cybermucks. Or as complete as I could make it, because Im sure Im missing some specific problems from some owner in the Cybertruck Owner Club forum. Ill continue to update the list as new issues appear. November 21, 2019 Elon Musk unveils the Cybertruck for the first time. He claims its windows are made of Armor Glass, a bulletproof material that wont even dent when you hit it, even at close range with a steel ball. Seconds later, two windows break in a live demonstration. Musk claims it will reach customers in late 2021 starting at $39,900. August 8, 2021 Tesla announces it wont be able to get the Cybertruck out in 2021 due to production problems. The company says it will be pushing the date to early 2022. January 31, 2022 Once again, Musk announces that Cybertruck production is delayed again to late 2022 due to various design and manufacturing challenges. November 1, 2022 Unsurprisingly, Tesla says it wont be able to meet its late 2022 release window, pushing the release once again to the end of 2023, with early production in mid-2023. Were in the final lap for Cybertruck, Musk says on a financial conference call. January 24, 2023 In an interview with Fast Company, industry experts say they doubt that the Cybertrucks design will allow the company to produce it in any significant numbers. Adrian Clarkea professional car designer who now writes design critiques for The Autopianand others in the industry believe its having and will have lots of problems: As soon as we saw [the Cybertruck], everyone I know in the industry started laughing. We just thought there is no way theyre gonna be able to get that into production, he says. Clarke believes its going to be extremely hard to make those dead straight panels. July 20, 2023 The first production prototype of the Cybertruck rolls off the production line at the Giga Texas factory, and eagle-eyed auto industry experts immediately spot one major quality mishap: the front and back passenger doors dont align. Misalignment like this is not new to Teslas, but Elon Musk vowed to eliminate the problem back in 2021. These problems will continue in models through the entire production run. Also, during a May 2023 shareholder meeting, Musk insisted that the Cybertruck would be built as an exoskeleton, a solid steel skin design that would act as the structurelike an arthropod havemaking the car virtually indestructible. But car and manufacturing experts Cory Steuben pointed out on the famous automotive video blog Munro Live, that the Cybertruck clearly does not have an exoskeleton. According to him, the Cybertrucks assembly line pictures clearly show a regular unibody chassis, just like the one you would find on an old Honda Ridgeline or a Model Y, with its flat panels just acting as your usual body. August 24, 2023 Its official. The Cybertrucks coming out of Teslas Texa factory are not good enough, according to Musk. The CEO writes a leaked internal email to Tesla employees, revealing his concerns in categorical terms: Due to the nature of Cybertruck, which is made of bright metal with mostly straight edges, any dimensional variation shows up like a sore thumb. December 1, 2023 Remember the promised $39,900 starting price tag? It was wrong. The real starting point is officially announced: $60,990. January 25, 2024 Reports of the locking differential feature being inoperational appear, displaying a “Coming Soon” message during use according to The Drive. February 2, 2024 Tesla issues an over-the-air software update recall for 2.2 million vehicles, including the Cybertruck, due to the font size of the ABS, brake, and park indicators being too small, which could increase the risk of a collision. February 22, 2024 New Cybertruck owners report rust and corrosion on the allegedly stainless-steel body of the truck, especially in vehicles exposed to rain. This was one of the biggest selling points that Musk touted when he announced the truck. February 28, 2024 Multiple owners report seeing 25 critical system errors within a few days of using the truck, including warnings from the high-voltage system, critical steering issue system malfunctions, and loss of system redundancy that alerted drivers that the vehicle may suddenly lose electrical power, steering, and propulsion, and may be unable to apply the parking brake. There were also alerts for degraded adaptive drive control plus automatically disabled traction, lane departure avoidance, and stability controls. Some users also report door latches that dont work. March 12, 2024 Add another link to Elon Musks long chain of broken promises: He previously announced a futuristic optional camping tent that matched the polygonal shiny looks of the car but that sleek render of the future turned out to be a sad hodgepodge of flaccid fabric in real life. March 13, 2024 The Cybertruck Owners Club forum is now flowing with multitude of reported problems. Owner “cyberstank” reports how they took delivery on March 13, made it one mile down road, started getting steering error, flashing red screen, pulled off the side of highway. Now the truck is dead and Im waiting for a tow truck. Dealer couldnt do anything for me. It was great for 5 minutes. I tried everything, restarting, screen is stuck black and keeps beeping. Their message finishes with: Tesla really rushed these trucks out, what a nightmare. March 26, 2024 One owner reports problems with the Cybertrucks autopilot system: I encountered a truck on the other side of a two-lane highway. My Cybertruck suddenly made a hard brake stop when we both had a clear wide enough space between us. Luckily there is no vehicle at the back as it would have been a definite collision. In the same thread, others report similar problems but, to be fair, users report this happens with other Tesla models. April 1, 2024 Owners all over the internet show the effects of the Cyberguillotine: Tesla didnt include anti-pinch sensors for the Cybertruck’s frunk, which could cause severe injuries or amputations if fingers get caught. The truck will slice the hell out of your fingersor any body appendagethat gets too near to its closing front hood. (It happens with its doors too.) April 9, 2024 Apparently, the Cybertrucks allegedly bullet-proof and indestructible, so-called Armor Glass cant stand hail, as this Redditor shows. The cost for the repair, according to the owner? Just got an estimate of $2,326.75 via app service request. April 15, 2024 Tesla halts all Cybertruck deliveries after owners report a problem with the accelerator pedal, which could become stuck down, due to lubricant residue causing the pedal cover to shift and become lodged in place. April 19, 2024 Tesla physically recalls all its Cybertrucks. The recall notice states: The accelerator pedal can become stuck, sending the truck accelerating beyond control, making it a danger to everyone on the road. June 25, 2024 Tesla is forced to recall its Cybertruck for the fourth time in the US due to issues with trim pieces that can come loose and front windshield wipers that can fail. The problems announced by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration affect over 11,000 trucks. One issue involves the windshield wiper motor controller receiving too much electrical current. Thi can cause wipers to fail and reduce visibility, posing a crash risk. Tesla will replace the wiper motor for free and must notify all owners by letter by August 18. The other recall concerns a trim piece along the truck bed that may come loose and become a hazard for other drivers. Tesla will fix this issue by replacing or reworking the trim piece and will notify owners on the same date. March 20, 2025 Tesla issues a new physical recall that covers all 2024 and 2025 models built between November 13, 2023 and February 27, 2024: About 46,000 units, most of the Cybertrucks ever shipped. A stainless steel may fall because it doesnt meet durability testing requirements,, causing a risk of injury or collision.
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