California Is Set To Join The List Of States Supporting Digital IDs In Apple Wallet - 1

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California Is Set To Join The List Of States Supporting Digital IDs In Apple Wallet

  • Written by Kiara Fabbri Former Tech News Writer
  • Fact-Checked by Justyn Newman Former Lead Cybersecurity Editor

Yesterday, a report by Benjamin Mayo at 9to5Mac revealed that California is set to support digital IDs in Apple’s Wallet app. This development follows Ohio’s recent announcement of its support for the feature. Despite being introduced in 2021 , digital ID adoption in Apple Wallet has been slow, with only five states—Arizona, Colorado, Georgia, Maryland, and Ohio—embracing the technology so far.

The report notes that California’s move comes after the state tested its own digital ID app. According to Mayo, Apple Wallet’s support for digital IDs is currently in private beta testing with DMV employees, who are also working on creating landing pages for the new feature. While an official release date is still pending, this progress signifies a major step towards broader acceptance.

The integration of identification cards into Apple Wallet represents a significant advance in accessibility. Just as digital credit cards simplify payments through an iPhone or Apple Watch, digital IDs can streamline the process of proving one’s identity.

For individuals with disabilities, accessing a physical ID card can pose challenges due to cognitive, visual, or motor difficulties. As Steven Aquino, a Forbes contributor with disabilities, points out , a digital ID in Apple Wallet can be a game-changer. By eliminating the need to carry and present a physical card, it empowers people with disabilities to more easily navigate everyday tasks that require identification.

Aquino remarks, “Depending on one’s needs and tolerance in terms of their condition(s), it can be adventurous to try to dig through a physical wallet and pull out their driver’s license or ID card. Any combination of a person’s cognitive, visual, and/or fine-motor abilities can be put to the test; what is ostensibly a mundane task for an able-bodied person can be a Mt. Everest-sized mountain to climb for a disabled person.”

The expansion of digital IDs into Apple Wallet marks an advancement in technology of convenience. As more states consider adopting this feature, it could contribute to a more streamlined and accessible process for managing identification.

OpenAI Co-founder John Schulman Leaves For Rival Anthropic - 2

Photo by Andrew Neel on Unsplash

OpenAI Co-founder John Schulman Leaves For Rival Anthropic

  • Written by Andrea Miliani Former Tech News Expert
  • Fact-Checked by Justyn Newman Former Lead Cybersecurity Editor

One of OpenAI’s cofounders, John Schulman, announced yesterday that he is quitting the company—after 9 years—to join its rival Anthropic.

“I’ve made the difficult decision to leave OpenAI. This choice stems from my desire to deepen my focus on AI alignment, and to start a new chapter of my career where I can return to hands-on technical work,” wrote Schulman on X . “ I’ve decided to pursue this goal at Anthropic, where I believe I can gain new perspectives and do research alongside people deeply engaged with the topics I’m most interested in.”

Schulman emphasized that OpenAI has been supportive regarding research and that this is a personal decision regarding his professional career. He explained that OpenAI is the only company he has truly ever worked for as he joined right after grad school, and that he is grateful and proud of the company and the team he worked with. He said he believes the company will thrive without him.

Sam Altman, OpenAI’s CEO, publicly replied to his message on the social media platform and thanked Schulman. “You are a brilliant researcher, a deep thinker about product and society, and mostly, you are a great friend to all of us,” wrote Altman, “We will miss you tremendously and make you proud of this place.”

Just two hours after Schulman shared his public announcement, Greg Brockman, President of OpenAI, shared on X that he is taking a sabbatical break. “I’m taking a sabbatical through end of year. First time to relax since co-founding OpenAI 9 years ago. The mission is far from complete; we still have a safe AGI to build.”

I’m taking a sabbatical through end of year. First time to relax since co-founding OpenAI 9 years ago. The mission is far from complete; we still have a safe AGI to build. — Greg Brockman (@gdb) August 6, 2024

According to TechCrunch, out of the 11 founders of OpenAI, there are only three remaining: Brockman, Altman, and Wojciech Zaremba. Schulman is not the first OpenAI talent to leave the company for their competitor Anthropic, Jan Leike, one of OpenAI’s lead safety researchers, did the same just a few months ago, in May .

These recent major changes in the AI startup have made people suspicious and curious about what is truly going on in OpenAI internally. Multiple users have shared different theories and fears on social media and platforms like Reddit .