Author: completebodyneeds

Meta Platforms Inc. said one of its artificial intelligence models accessed the internet and hacked into an outside service’s systems during cybersecurity testing, following other recent incidents across the AI industry that have escalated concerns about companies’ control over their technology. Meta’s model, the recently released Muse Spark 1.1, breached the systems of an undisclosed third-party service, the company said Wednesday. The AI model had access to the internet because of an error in the setup testing environment, which Meta was working on with cybersecurity vendor Irregular. “A misconfiguration by Irregular, an independent testing company Meta uses, inadvertently allowed one…

OpenAI is asking a federal judge to dismiss a lawsuit filed by Apple Inc. accusing the artificial intelligence company of stealing trade secrets, saying that the iPhone maker’s allegations are meritless. Lawyers for OpenAI said that Apple’s suit falsely portrays the actions of the startup’s employees. The ChatGPT maker’s top hardware executive acted in line with industrywide recruiting standards when interviewing Apple employees and a worker accused of theft was actually trying to assist a former colleague at Apple, they said. “Plainly filed without adequate investigation and built on selectively excerpted communications and ordinary conduct stripped of context, Apple’s complaint…

The Pac-12 and Mountain West conferences have finalized a settlement over “poaching” and exit fees. The two conferences announced on Tuesday that all sides have reached final agreements to settle all pending litigation. The statement included Boise State, Colorado State, Utah State and The Board of Trustees of the California State University on behalf of San Diego State and Fresno State. “With these matters concluded, the conferences and institutions can move forward with certainty and focus on serving their student-athletes, campuses, fans, and communities,” the statement said. The conferences announced an agreement in principle in May. The Pac-12 and some…

An insurance brokerage network built around artificial intelligence has completed its first acquisition, adding Heller-Kowitz Insurance Advisors as its inaugural partner agency after spending the past year developing and testing its operating model and gaining private equity backing. Atlanta’s American Growth Insurance today announced the acquisition of Baltimore’s Heller-Kowitz, with capabilities across personal lines, commercial lines, employee benefits and life insurance. It marks the transition from planning to execution after months of building the company’s technology infrastructure with support from investment partners Atomic and Rockbridge Growth Equity. Terms of the deal were not disclosed. Brian Morgan AGI founder and CEO…

Allstate Corp. second quarter 2026 net income applicable to common shareholders shot up nearly 56% with underwriting income up 56.7% during the period. Net income was about $3.2 billion for Q2 versus $about $2.1 billion for Q2. Underwriting income was about $2 billion compared with about $1.3 billion during the same time last year. Allstate’s Property-Liability business turned in a Q2 combined ratio of 86.6—4.5 points better than Q2 2025. Catastrophe losses for the quarter were $1.7 billion compared with $nearly $2 billion. The Northbrook, Illinois-based insurer’s auto segment turned in Q2 underwriting income of about $1.6, or 20.7% more…

A U.S. Bankruptcy Court will allow clergy abuse claimants to sue for an estimated half-billion dollars in parish assets to fund settlements under the Vermont Roman Catholic Diocese’s current financial reorganization case. In a written order, Burlington-based Judge Heather Cooper said creditors can pursue not only the highest-level bank and building holdings of the state’s largest religious denomination, but also the trust-sheltered local property and possessions of nearly 70 parishes — from St. Edward the Confessor in northernmost Derby Line, population 687, to St. Joachim in southernmost Readsboro, population 702. The order doesn’t promise any parish assets, but simply permits…

Everest Group Ltd., the Bermuda-based specialty re/insurer, announced it has entered into a definitive agreement to sell its Mexico insurance operations – Compañía de Seguros Generales Everest México – to Fairfax Financial Holdings Ltd. Financial details of the deal were not disclosed. “This agreement reflects the disciplined execution of our strategic priorities and continues the transformation of Everest into a more focused, higher-performing organization,” said Jim Williamson, president and chief executive officer of Everest. “By sharpening our investment in our core Reinsurance and Global Wholesale and Specialty franchises, we are positioning the company to capitalize on the most attractive opportunities…

This article is part of a sponsored series by Amwins. The property market is finally offering some welcome relief, with rates softening across many segments – including areas where wildfire and severe weather risks remain. However, lower premiums shouldn’t distract insureds from the need to understand how those exposures are reflected in their coverage. The Mountain West region The Mountain West is a broad region that presents a unique property landscape. It covers 8 states, spanning the Rocky Mountains and Intermountain West. It includes Colorado and neighboring states like Arizona, Colorado, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, Utah and Wyoming, along…

Arthur J. Gallagher & Co., the Rolling Meadows, Illinois-based insurance broker, announced the acquisition of Vancouver, British Columbia-based Apollo Insurance Solutions Ltd. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed. Apollo is a digital insurance broker and managing general agency (MGA) specializing in tenant insurance across Canada, supported by a proprietary platform that uses AI to help streamline the insurance placement process. Jeff McCann and his team will remain in their current location under the direction of Dave Partington, head of Gallagher’s retail property/casualty brokerage operations in Canada, Latin America and the Caribbean. “Apollo’s digital platform and talented team will strengthen…

Swiss Re AG’s first-half profit beat estimates as the reinsurer saw all key business units perform in line with targets, while the firm announced a fresh round of cost cuts. Profit for the second quarter was $1.3 billion, resulting in net income of $2.8 billion for the six months to June, the Zurich-based company said in a statement Thursday. Return on the group’s investment portfolio was 4% for the first half of the year, aided by realized gains from real estate sales in the first quarter. Swiss Re announced that it is raising its operating-cost reduction target to $500 million…