IBM Puts Executive on Leave After Charges

By Dena Cassella October 19, 2009

IBM Corp. has placed a top executive on leave after he was charged in an insider trading scandal for allegedly leaking secrets about IBM’s earnings and financial dealings with corporate partners.

The company says Robert Moffat, a senior vice president and cost-cutting maven who was considered a top candidate to succeed CEO Sam Palmisano, no longer serves as an officer of the company. A woman who answered the phone at Moffat’s home in Connecticut said he would not comment.

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Rodney Adkins, who has been senior vice president in charge of development and manufacturing, was tapped to assume Moffat’s position on an acting basis. That gives him oversight over IBM’s mainframes and computer servers.

Adkins is the highest-ranking black executive IBM has ever had.

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IBM seeks ‘national dialogue’ on the role of technology in society

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IBM, which recently announced it will no longer develop facial recognition software, wants to stimulate discussions on the role of technology in society.

In an interview with Digital Trends Live, Jason Kelley, IBM's general manager for Blockchain Services discussed the reason behind the company's decision to stop development of facial recognition.

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IBM will no longer develop or research facial recognition tech

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IBM CEO Arvind Krishna says the company will no longer develop or offer general-purpose facial recognition or analysis software. In a June 8 letter addressed to Congress and written in support of the Justice in Policing Act of 2020, Krishna advocates for new reforms that support the responsible use of technology -- and combat systematic racial injustice and police misconduct.

“IBM firmly opposes and will not condone uses of any technology, including facial recognition technology offered by other vendors, for mass surveillance, racial profiling, violations of basic human rights and freedoms, or any purpose which is not consistent with our values and Principles of Trust and Transparency,” wrote Krishna in the letter.

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The best VR headsets for 2024

Fionna Ahomuoh using the Meta Quest 3 VR headset.

Virtual reality is finally crossing a threshold when everyone should be taking a closer look. As the number of VR headsets increases, getting the best one is important so you can truly appreciate what's possible. The challenge is finding the system that's right for you at a price you feel comfortable with.

Meta, HTC Vive, Sony, and Pimax stand out as the most popular and most active virtual reality brands. There's little doubt the $3,500 Apple Vision Pro is an impressive mixed-reality headset. However, there are plenty of other XR and VR headsets that are much more affordable than the Vision Pro and deliver a great, immersive experience for gaming, 3D movies, and even productivity. It's a good idea to check out all the options, and we've collected the very best here to make it easy to find the perfect VR headset for you.