In response to Cody Combs's op-ed What the outrage over Google’s AI Olympics ad is really about (August 5): Google had a great idea to combine a young girl's running aspirations with an inspirational Olympic star. Combs says that "in a conversational manner, a father simply asks Google to help his daughter write a letter" to Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone, a US track star and Olympic medallist.
I take issue with the word "helps". If AI's purpose is to "help" the girl write a letter, it would suggest only phrases, key words, or ideas that she could develop on her own, such as answers to these questions. Doing the entire letter for her (as Gemini AI did in the ad) is writing it, not helping her write it.
I agree with Combs that "perspective is needed before we start dismissing AI tools as dehumanising and job killing." As a teacher, my five-decade perspective on writing tools informs me that AI promoters are tricking us by their claim to "help" writers.
Also, Gemini 's AI response is subtle: "Here's a draft to get you started." But it's not a "draft" since the entire letter is completely finished for her. The chances are great that the girl will follow her father's lead and she'll copy and send it. Unfortunately, the girl, her father, and other promoters of AI fail to realise this one important point: effective letter writing is always personal, never generic.
Janet Larsen Roberts, Abu Dhabi
Student protest and the value of all human life
In reference to Taniya Dutta's report Sheikh Hasina: Bangladeshi PM resigns and flees country (August 5): We have seen similar situations play out in history – former Pakistani president Pervez Musharraf's power ended also due to students killed at Lal Masjid. Now, most recently, Sheikh Hasina's reign has ended in Bangladesh due to, in part, students killed while protesting against the quota system, and other state issues. In witnessing all the political turmoil in the world, I wish the value of human life in every country was truly respected at all levels, without any kind of discrimination, violence or bloodshed.
Khalid Mustafa, Islamabad, Pakistan
Food safety protocols must be taken seriously
I am writing to bring to your attention an incident at a hotel in Business Bay, Dubai two weekends ago. As a long-time vegan with severe allergies to animal products, I experienced food poisoning after being misinformed about the contents of my meal by the hotel's chef.
Despite clearly communicating my dietary restrictions, I was assured that certain dishes were plant-based and vegan-friendly. However, these items actually contained chicken and beef. I had informed the chef that I will get extremely sick if the food isn't as per the dietary restrictions and he confirmed the dishes were vegan. The consequences for me were severe, resulting in food poisoning that required hospital treatment.
Upon reporting this incident to the hotel management, I was met with a concerning lack of accountability.
Even after reviewing CCTV footage that corroborated my account of the chef's erroneous allergen verification, both the general manager and the restaurant's operations manager refused to accept responsibility. I believe this incident raises important questions about food safety protocol, staff training and corporate responsibility in the hospitality industry.
Omar Mendes, Dubai
What can victims do?
Always use only regulated platforms
Stop all transactions and communication on suspicion
Save all evidence (screenshots, chat logs, transaction IDs)
Report to local authorities
Warn others to prevent further harm
Courtesy: Crystal Intelligence
Sole survivors
- Cecelia Crocker was on board Northwest Airlines Flight 255 in 1987 when it crashed in Detroit, killing 154 people, including her parents and brother. The plane had hit a light pole on take off
- George Lamson Jr, from Minnesota, was on a Galaxy Airlines flight that crashed in Reno in 1985, killing 68 people. His entire seat was launched out of the plane
- Bahia Bakari, then 12, survived when a Yemenia Airways flight crashed near the Comoros in 2009, killing 152. She was found clinging to wreckage after floating in the ocean for 13 hours.
- Jim Polehinke was the co-pilot and sole survivor of a 2006 Comair flight that crashed in Lexington, Kentucky, killing 49.
All you need to know about Formula E in Saudi Arabia
What The Saudia Ad Diriyah E-Prix
When Saturday
Where Diriyah in Saudi Arabia
What time Qualifying takes place from 11.50am UAE time through until the Super Pole session, which is due to end at 12.55pm. The race, which will last for 45 minutes, starts at 4.05pm.
Who is competing There are 22 drivers, from 11 teams, on the grid, with each vehicle run solely on electronic power.
The specs
Engine: 5.0-litre V8
Power: 480hp at 7,250rpm
Torque: 566Nm at 4,600rpm
Transmission: 10-speed auto
Fuel consumption: L/100km
Price: Dh306,495
On sale: now
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%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EDirector%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Omar%20Hilal%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EStars%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Muhammad%20Farrag%2C%20Bayoumi%20Fouad%2C%20Nelly%20Karim%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ERating%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%204%2F5%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
THE SPECS
2020 Toyota Corolla Hybrid LE
Engine: 1.8 litre combined with 16-volt electric motors
Transmission: Automatic with manual shifting mode
Power: 121hp
Torque: 142Nm
Price: Dh95,900
10 tips for entry-level job seekers
- Have an up-to-date, professional LinkedIn profile. If you don’t have a LinkedIn account, set one up today. Avoid poor-quality profile pictures with distracting backgrounds. Include a professional summary and begin to grow your network.
- Keep track of the job trends in your sector through the news. Apply for job alerts at your dream organisations and the types of jobs you want – LinkedIn uses AI to share similar relevant jobs based on your selections.
- Double check that you’ve highlighted relevant skills on your resume and LinkedIn profile.
- For most entry-level jobs, your resume will first be filtered by an applicant tracking system for keywords. Look closely at the description of the job you are applying for and mirror the language as much as possible (while being honest and accurate about your skills and experience).
- Keep your CV professional and in a simple format – make sure you tailor your cover letter and application to the company and role.
- Go online and look for details on job specifications for your target position. Make a list of skills required and set yourself some learning goals to tick off all the necessary skills one by one.
- Don’t be afraid to reach outside your immediate friends and family to other acquaintances and let them know you are looking for new opportunities.
- Make sure you’ve set your LinkedIn profile to signal that you are “open to opportunities”. Also be sure to use LinkedIn to search for people who are still actively hiring by searching for those that have the headline “I’m hiring” or “We’re hiring” in their profile.
- Prepare for online interviews using mock interview tools. Even before landing interviews, it can be useful to start practising.
- Be professional and patient. Always be professional with whoever you are interacting with throughout your search process, this will be remembered. You need to be patient, dedicated and not give up on your search. Candidates need to make sure they are following up appropriately for roles they have applied.
Arda Atalay, head of Mena private sector at LinkedIn Talent Solutions, Rudy Bier, managing partner of Kinetic Business Solutions and Ben Kinerman Daltrey, co-founder of KinFitz
