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Monday, October 06, 2025

6: Electric Vehicles

Sam Altman Says the GPT-5 Haters Got It All Wrong OpenAI's CEO explains that its large language model has been misunderstood—and that he's changed his attitude to AGI. ......... OpenAI’s August launch of its GPT-5 large language model was somewhat of a disaster. There were glitches during the livestream, with the model generating charts with obviously inaccurate numbers. In a Reddit AMA with OpenAI employees, users complained that the new model wasn’t friendly, and called for the company to restore the previous version. Most of all, critics griped that GPT-5 fell short of the stratospheric expectations that OpenAI has been juicing for years. Promised as a game changer, GPT-5 might have indeed played the game better. But it was still the same game.

How the US got left behind in the global electric car race sales of battery cars topped 1.2 million last year, more than five times the number just four years earlier. Hybrid sales have jumped by a factor of three. ....... in updates to investors this week, General Motors, Ford, Tesla and other companies all reported record electric sales over the past three months. ......... But analysts say the boom was caused by a dash to buy before the end of a government subsidy that helped knock as much as $7,500 (£5,588) off the price of certain battery electric, plug-in hybrid or fuel cell vehicles. ........... Electric cars have become more affordable in the US in recent years - but they still cost more than comparable petrol-powered vehicles.

The Trump Gaza Plan Could Work, With or Without Hamas An expanded role for the international community means more countries have "skin in the game," one Arab diplomat said......... “The ‘conflict,’” they said, “has been going on for decades. The ‘war’ is a different question.” The official then predicted this latest fight between Israel and the Palestinian militants of Hamas would last three to six months. It was the longest timeframe anyone gave me, and it wasn’t remotely pessimistic enough. ........... In the two years since, everyone from government officials in Western capitals to displaced Palestinians in Gaza have had their hopes of ending the war repeatedly dashed. But that has changed over the past few days as the world has digested the basics of President Donald Trump’s peace proposal for Gaza. Hamas’ announcement Friday that it was prepared to free the remaining Israeli hostages, though it wants to negotiate other parts of the plan, added to rising hopes. .............

Officials, analysts and other Middle East watchers tell me the Trump plan has a solid chance at success.

............. After the Hamas offer to free the hostages Friday, Trump indicated he was open to talking and turned his demands to Israel, saying on social media, “Israel must immediately stop the bombing of Gaza, so that we can get the Hostages out safely and quickly!” ............ The 20-point plan’s contents and structure offer even skeptics of Trump’s peacemaking efforts a reason to consider optimism. Palestinians in Gaza, as well as veteran policymakers, are particularly desperate to see an immediate ceasefire take hold as demanded by the proposal. ..........

Yes, the U.S. president has made it clear he wants a Nobel Peace Prize.

............ According to the proposal, “a Trump economic development plan to rebuild and energize Gaza will be created by convening a panel of experts who have helped birth some of the thriving modern miracle cities in the Middle East.” Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner, who has billions of dollars in investment partnerships tied to the region, is one of the architects of the peace proposal. The plan also calls for “a special economic zone” to be established in Gaza. ........... It may sound strange that such people are cheered by the prospect of what is arguably government corruption. But with the body count in Gaza well over 65,000, not to mention the suffering of Israeli hostages and families of fallen Israeli troops, some current and former U.S. officials are willing to take advantage of Trump’s deal-loving, transactional worldview. ............ The proposal envisions a future technocratic administration for Gaza that includes Palestinians and experts from other countries. That body would be overseen by the “Board of Peace” that, while, chaired by Trump, will include other heads of state. Former British Prime Minister Tony Blair is also expected to play a key role. ........ Many officials and analysts are wary because the proposal doesn’t explicitly lay out a path to create a Palestinian state. ......... Although Israel has severely weakened Hamas and decapitated much of its leadership, the group has recruited thousands of new members. .......... The proposal offers Hamas members amnesty if they disarm and “commit to peaceful co-existence.” Those militants who wish to leave will be allowed to go into exile. Under the plan, the group will have no role in governing Gaza. ......... This means Israel can fight Hamas in parts of Gaza while leaving other areas to rebuild and that sections of the overall plan can start to be put into motion, perhaps in anticipation of an eventual Hamas surrender. And if Palestinians see areas of Gaza become safe havens, that could further encourage them to turn on Hamas. .......... No less than Antony Blinken, the secretary of State during the Biden administration, said on a Tuesday podcast that this clause is “grounds for optimism.” ............ Blinken, who also asserted that the Trump plan was similar to one crafted under President Joe Biden.

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