Microsoft President Brad Smith Quietly Leaves Board of Nonprofit Code.org 4
Longtime Slashdot reader theodp writes: Way back in September 2012, Microsoft President Brad Smith discussed the idea of "producing a crisis" to advance Microsoft's "two-pronged" National Talent Strategy to increase K-12 CS education and the number of H-1B visas. Not long thereafter, the tech-backed nonprofit Code.org (which promotes and provides K-12 CS education and is led by Smith's next-door neighbor) and Mark Zuckerberg's FWD.us PAC (which lobbied for H-1B reform) were born, with Smith on board both. Over the past 10+ years, Smith has played a key role in establishing Code.org's influence in the new K-12 CS education "grassroots" movement, including getting buy-in from three Presidential administrations -- Obama, Trump, and Biden -- as well as the U.S. Dept. of Education and the nation's Governors.
But after recent updates, Code.org's Leadership page now indicates that Smith has quietly left Code.org's Board of Directors and thanks him for his past help and advice. Since November (when archive.org indicates Smith's photo was yanked from Code.org's Leadership page), Smith has been in the news in conjunction with Microsoft's relationship with another Microsoft-bankrolled nonprofit, OpenAI, which has come under scrutiny by the Feds and in the UK. Smith, who noted he and Microsoft helped OpenAI and CEO Sam Altman craft messaging ahead of a White House meeting, announced in a Dec. 8th tweet that Microsoft will be getting a non-voting OpenAI Board seat in connection with Altman's return to power (who that non-voting Microsoft OpenAI board member will be has not been announced).
OpenAI, Microsoft, and Code.org teamed up in December to provide K-12 CS+AI tutorials for this December's AI-themed Hour of Code (the trio has also partnered with Amazon and Google on the Code.org-led TeachAI initiative). And while Smith has left Code.org's Board, Microsoft's influence there will live on as Microsoft CTO Kevin Scott -- credited for forging Microsoft's OpenAI partnership -- remains a Code.org Board member together with execs from other Code.org Platinum Supporters ($3+ million in past 2 years) Google and Amazon.
But after recent updates, Code.org's Leadership page now indicates that Smith has quietly left Code.org's Board of Directors and thanks him for his past help and advice. Since November (when archive.org indicates Smith's photo was yanked from Code.org's Leadership page), Smith has been in the news in conjunction with Microsoft's relationship with another Microsoft-bankrolled nonprofit, OpenAI, which has come under scrutiny by the Feds and in the UK. Smith, who noted he and Microsoft helped OpenAI and CEO Sam Altman craft messaging ahead of a White House meeting, announced in a Dec. 8th tweet that Microsoft will be getting a non-voting OpenAI Board seat in connection with Altman's return to power (who that non-voting Microsoft OpenAI board member will be has not been announced).
OpenAI, Microsoft, and Code.org teamed up in December to provide K-12 CS+AI tutorials for this December's AI-themed Hour of Code (the trio has also partnered with Amazon and Google on the Code.org-led TeachAI initiative). And while Smith has left Code.org's Board, Microsoft's influence there will live on as Microsoft CTO Kevin Scott -- credited for forging Microsoft's OpenAI partnership -- remains a Code.org Board member together with execs from other Code.org Platinum Supporters ($3+ million in past 2 years) Google and Amazon.
"nonprofit" (Score:1)
Yeah, pull the other one
Re:"nonprofit" (Score:4, Funny)
1. "nonprofit"
2. Yeah, pull the other one
3. . . .
4. profit?
"Producing a crisis"? (Score:5, Interesting)
Not a surprising plan, coming from a Microsofty. Most of their business model is based on creating that series of successive crises known as new Windows versions.
Also, they're continuing their EEE drive. They've merely shifted the focus away from squashing potential competitors. Instead they've Embraced education, Extended it into being a publicly funded IT training service, and Extinguished choice and autonomy by brainwashing kids into being the industry's next set of underpaid workers.
Sexist code.org must die (Score:1, Flamebait)
Sexist Code.org must die