Page 29 - bon-dia-aruba-20200330

A29
business/technology Monday 30 March 2020
Detroit auto show canceled, center to be used as hospital

NEW YORK (AP) — The out- disappointed, there is noth-
break of the coronavirus ing more important to us
has dealt a shock to the than the health, safety and
global economy with un- well-being of the citizens of
precedented speed. Fol- Detroit and Michigan, and
lowing are developments we will do what we can to
this weekend related to the support our community's
global economy, the work fight against the corona-
place and the spread of virus outbreak," said NA-
the virus. IAS Executive Director Rod
______ Alberts in a statement re-
AUTO SHOW SCRAPPED: leased late Saturday.
The North American Inter- The Federal Emergency
national Auto Show said Management Agency
that it will cancel its Detroit plans to repurpose TCF
show because of the coro- Center into a temporary
navirus pandemic and the field hospital, according to
center where it is held will NAIAS. A number of con-
likely be repurposed into a vention centers and other
hospital. The Detroit Auto large facilities are being
Show, as it is more com- considered as potential
monly known, is one of the In a Jan. 15, 2019 file photo, signage for automakers Volkswagen, Acura, Chevrolet and Ford, at sites for care as the virus
largest auto shows in North the North American International Auto Show in Detroit. spreads. NAIAS will hold its
America. It was scheduled Associated Press. next annual show in June
to be held in June. Prior to this year, the auto show was traditionally held in January. "Although we are 2021.q

Meet Eric Yuan, the man who made your Zoom meetings possible

By MICHAEL LIEDTKE dle this crisis. Anything else,
AP Business Writer I told our team, that's just a
If you hadn't already heard distraction.
have of Zoom Video Com- Q: Zoom's stock has been
munications, there is a de- soaring while most of the
cent chance you've made market has been plunging.
its acquaintance over the How are you managing
past few weeks. that?
Millions of people are now A: It's good that I am 50
working from home as part now. If you had asked me
of the intensifying fight this question when I was
against the coronavirus 25, I would tell you, "Yes,
outbreak. In addition to us- we are very excited about
ing the video conference the stock price!" But, now,
for work, many are also seriously, I can tell you the
tapping it to hold virtual truth, it don't matter. So the
playdates for their kids and stock is up, it's good for our
virtual happy hours with investors. If it's down, we
friends and family banned keep working hard. I really
from gathering in public do not focus on the stock
places. The crisis has cast a price.
spotlight on Zoom, a com- In this April 18, 2019 file photo, Zoom CEO Eric Yuan attends the opening bell at Nasdaq as his Q: Do you still see personal,
pany founded nine years company holds its IPO in New York. physical interaction as an
ago by its CEO Eric Yuan Associated Press. important element in soci-
after he defected from providing a glimpse at how Q: Do you think we will find A: That is not our intention. ety?
Cisco Systems and took we are going to be work- out that people can be But kids are pretty smart, A: I think for the foresee-
about 40 engineers with ing and living in the future? more productive at home? they always figure out able future, that's abso-
him. He wanted to refine a A: I hope this crisis can A: It's too early to tell new use cases. There are lutely right. We still haven't
concept he first dreamed be over very, very soon, whether it's more produc- some very cool consumer been able to have cool
up during the 1990s as a but one one thing I know tive or less productive, at use cases. For now, I am features like a virtual hug
college student in China, for sure is that companies least for me. I am finding I just telling my team and that you can actually feel.
when he dreaded the will learn this is the way to have even more meetings, reminding myself this is a We talk about that, but we
10-hour train trips to see work. I am pretty sure al- and every day I miss the very critical time because don't have that. Or when
his then-girlfriend, now his most every company will launch time, so I am also we are in a crisis. So we are you drink tea or coffee,
wife. be thinking about it and learning how to adapt to focusing on two things: To with one click you can
Yuan, 50, recently spoke to say, "Hey, maybe working all this working from home. serve our existing custom- digitize a smell. Those fea-
The Associated Press dur- from home makes sense," Q: Zoom primarily has ers and make sure our ser- tures will be available with
ing an interview conduct- and maybe let every em- been used by businesses. vice is always great quality AR (augmented reality)
ed on Zoom. The conver- ployee work from home, Are you discovering new and is always up. The sec- technology, but for now it's
sation has been edited for maybe once a week. Pre- social applications now ond thing is how can we too early. That's why you
clarity and length. viously, a lot of businesses that people are using it to help the local community, have to have the personal
Q: Are these strange times didn't even want to try. virtually hang out too? like the K-12 schools, han- interactions.q