China plans new era of sea power with unmanned AI submarines

China is planning to upgrade its naval power with unmanned AI submarines that aim to provide an edge over the fleets of their global counterparts. A report by the South China Post on Sunday revealed Beijing’s plans to build the automated subs by the early 2020s in response to unmanned weapons being developed in the US. The subs will be able to patrol areas in the South China Sea and Pacific Ocean that are home to disputed military bases. While the expected cost of the submarines has not...

23 July 2018 | China

Scientists pledge not to build AIs which kill without oversight

Thousands of scientists have signed a pledge not to have any role in building AIs which have the ability to kill without human oversight. When many think of AI, they at least give some passing thought of rogue AIs seen in sci-fi movies such as the infamous Skynet in Terminator. In an ideal world, AI would never be used in any military capacity. However, it was almost certainly be developed one way or another because of the advantage it would provide to an adversary without similar...

18 July 2018 | Ethics

UNICRI AI and Robotics Centre: AI will transform our world

Irakli Beridze un unicri ai expo

Speaking at AI Expo in Amsterdam, Irakli Beridze from the AI and Robotics Centre at UNICRI provided his thoughts on how AI will transform our world. Irakli started with a positive note that’s easily forgotten: never has the world been more safe, connected, and prosperous. “We have developed technologies which have the potential to solve problems we never thought were possible,” says Beridze. “Most of them are related to the UN’s sustainable development goals.” World-Changing...

2 July 2018 | Ethics

Amazon is next to face employee protest over government contracts

amazon government protest contract surveillance face recognition

Mere days after Google and Microsoft staff protested their employers’ controversial government contracts, Amazon is facing its own internal revolt. Amazon employees are not all too pleased with their company’s sale of facial recognition software and other services to US government bodies. Much like Google and Microsoft’s employees, who demanded their respective companies never undertake work that may cause social or physical harm, a similar letter was posted on Amazon’s internal...

22 June 2018 | Amazon

Don’t Be Evil: Google publishes its AI ethical principles following backlash

google ai ethical principles dont be evil

Following the backlash over its Project Maven plans to develop AI for the US military, Google has since withdrawn and published its ethical principles. Project Maven was Google’s collaboration with the US Department of Defense. In March, leaks indicated that Google supplied AI technology to the Pentagon to help analyse drone footage. The following month, over 4,000 employees signed a petition demanding that Google's management cease work on Project Maven and promise to never again...

8 June 2018 | Ethics

DSTL will run Ministry of Defence’s AI research lab

UK Defence Secretary Gavin Williamson has announced the creation of an AI research lab based at the Defence Science and Technology Laboratory (DSTL) in Porton Down, as part of an initiative by the Ministry of Defence. The lab will focus on advancing the use of AI for defence purposes to ensure the UK remains able to counter evolving threats. Dstl currently delivers more than £20 million of AI research. Specific focuses of the new facility will include autonomous vehicles, countering fake...

29 May 2018 | Government

Experts warn AI poses a ‘clear and present danger’

A report by leading experts calls on governments and businesses to address the “clear and present danger” posed by unregulated AI. The foreboding report is titled ‘The Malicious Use Of Artificial Intelligence’ and was co-authored by experts from Oxford University, The Centre For The Study of Existential Risk, the Electronic Frontier Foundation, and more. Three primary areas of risk were identified: Digital security — The risk of AI being used for increasing the scale and efficiency...

21 February 2018 | Ethics

‘Robot Ethics Charter’ drawn up — as report claims US at risk of losing AI arms race

ai arms race robot ethics charter

An ethics charter has been drawn up to “regulate the relationship between humans and robots” as a report claims the US is at risk of losing the AI arms race. Starting with the charter, Andrey Neznamov — head of Russian robot research centre, Robopravo — drew it up in response to fears machines possessing AI could lead to the "destruction of humanity" if they’re not sufficiently regulated. To some, including Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg, these fears are overblown and...

30 November 2017 | Ethics