In this July 29, 2013 file photo, Aisha Hinds arrives at the CBS, CW and Showtime TCA party in Beverly Hills, Calif. (Photo by Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP, File)
NEW YORK (AP) --
Harriet Tubman hasn't just been chosen to appear on the new $20 bill. She'll also be playing a major role in the WGN America drama series "Underground" for its second season.
She will be portrayed by Aisha Hinds, WGN American announced Wednesday. Hinds has appeared in "Under the Dome," ''True Blood," and "Detroit 1-8-7."
Tubman, herself born a slave, was revered for her grit and perseverance in helping scores of others escape their bondage for freedom during the Civil War.
The series, whose cast also includes Jurnee Smollett-Bell, Aldis Hodge, Alano Miller and Christopher Meloni, depicts the challenges and dangers of the Underground Railroad. It will return for its new 10-episode season early next year.
Suchir Balaji poses for a photo in Hawaii in 2018. Balaji was a former OpenAI engineer and whistleblower who died in November 2024. (Balaji Ramamurthy via AP)
Suchir Balaji, a former OpenAI engineer and whistleblower who helped train the artificial intelligence systems behind ChatGPT and later said he believed those practices violated copyright law, has died, according to his parents and San Francisco officials. He was 26.
Balaji worked at OpenAI for nearly four years before quitting in August. He was well-regarded by colleagues at the San Francisco company, where a co-founder this week called him one of OpenAI's strongest contributors who was essential to developing some of its products.
"We are devastated to learn of this incredibly sad news and our hearts go out to Suchir's loved ones during this difficult time," said a statement from OpenAI.
Balaji was found dead in his San Francisco apartment on Nov. 26 in what police said "appeared to be a suicide. No evidence of foul play was found during the initial investigation." The city's chief medical examiner's office confirmed the manner of death to be suicide.
His parents Poornima Ramarao and Balaji Ramamurthy said they are still seeking answers, describing their son as a "happy, smart and brave young man" who loved to hike and recently returned from a trip with friends.
Balaji grew up in the San Francisco Bay Area and first arrived at the fledgling AI research lab for a 2018 summer internship while studying computer science at the University of California, Berkeley. He returned a few years later to work at OpenAI, where one of his first projects, called WebGPT, helped pave the way for ChatGPT.
"Suchir's contributions to this project were essential, and it wouldn't have succeeded without him," said OpenAI co-founder John Schulman in a social media post memorializing Balaji. Schulman, who recruited Balaji to his team, said what... Read More
