Google CEO: We need sensible AI regulation that does not limit its potential

sundar pichai google ceo ai artificial intelligence sensible regulation uk usa eu europe

Google CEO Sundar Pichai has called for sensible AI regulation that does not limit the huge potential benefits to society.

Writing in a FT editorial, Pichai said: “...there is no question in my mind that artificial intelligence needs to be regulated. It is too important not to.”

Few people debate the need for AI regulation but there are differing opinions when it comes to how much. Overregulation limits innovation while lack of regulation can pose serious dangers –...

21 January 2020 | Ethics

Shanghai uses facial recognition to help catch drug offenders

china facial recognition ai face detection artificial intelligence drugs

Facial recognition is being used in Shanghai to help catch individuals suspected of abusing pharmaceuticals.

South China Morning Post reports that Shanghai is testing facial recognition terminals in pharmacies that will verify a person’s identity prior to dispensing controlled substances.

Some legal medications can be turned into banned drugs. Cold and allergy medications, for example, often contain ephedrine which is a key component of crystal meth.

Any...

17 January 2020 | China

Apple buys edge AI experts Xnor.ai for a reported $200 million

apple xnor ai artificial intelligence edge

Apple has acquired Seattle-based edge AI experts Xnor.ai for a reported $200 million.

If you recognise Xnor.ai, it’s likely because the company’s technology once powered the person-detection feature on Wyze’s popular cameras. Xnor.ai abruptly cancelled their contract with Wyze back in November – and now we know why.

In layman’s terms, edge computing means the processing is done on-device. On-device computation has significant advantages when it comes to...

16 January 2020 | Apple

Deepfake app puts your face on GIFs while limiting data collection

deepfake doublicat face swap gif ai artificial intelligence

A new app called Doublicat allows users to superimpose their face into popular GIFs using deep learning technology.

In the name of research, here's one I made earlier:

Doublicat uses a Generative Adversarial Network (GAN) to do its magic. The GAN is called RefaceAI and is developed by a company of the same name.

RefaceAI was previously used in a face swapping app called Reflect. Elon Musk once used Reflect to put his face on Dwayne Johnson's...

14 January 2020 | Applications

Intel examines whether AI can recognise faces using thermal imaging

intel thermal imaging ai artificial intelligence facial recognition face

Researchers from Intel have published a study examining whether AI can recognise people’s faces using thermal imaging.

Thermal imaging is often used to protect privacy because it obscures personally identifying details such as eye colour. In some places, like medical facilities, it’s often compulsory to use images which obscure such details.

AI is opening up many new possibilities so Intel’s researchers set out to determine whether thermal imaging still offers a...

10 January 2020 | Face Recognition

AI Crash Course book extract: Exploring the principles of reinforcement learning

Editor’s note: This is an edited extract from AI Crash Course, by Hadelin de Ponteves, published by Packt. Find out more and buy a copy of the book by visiting here.

When people refer to AI today, some of them think of Machine Learning, while others think of Reinforcement Learning. I fall into the second category. I always saw Machine Learning as statistical models that have the ability to learn some correlations, from which they make predictions without being explicitly...

10 January 2020 | Reinforcement Learning

Airbnb uses AI-enabled trait analyser to check if its customers are psychopaths

A new technology developed by Airbnb conducts background check and evaluates the users’ reliability, compatibility, behavioural and personality traits.

According to a report by the Evening Standard, the technology, which is a ‘trait analysing software’, was built after the online lodging and homestay platform received complaints from hosts in London that some of their guests used their properties for rowdy parties. One such incident reported by an owner reveals that her...

9 January 2020 | Ethics

Facebook pledges crackdown on deepfakes ahead of the US presidential election

facebook deepfakes ai usa presidential elections 2020 artificial intelligence social media

Facebook has pledged to crack down on misleading deepfakes ahead of the US presidential election later this year.

Voter manipulation is a concern for any functioning democracy and deepfakes provide a whole new challenge for social media platforms.

A fake video of Nancy Pelosi, Speaker of the United States House of Representatives, went viral last year after purportedly showing her slurring her words as if she was intoxicated. The clip shows how even a relatively...

8 January 2020 | Deepfakes

The White House warns European allies not to overregulate AI

usa white house warns european allies ai artificial intelligence regulation laws data ethics society

The White House has urged its European allies to avoid overregulation of AI to prevent Western innovation from being hindered.

While the news has gone somewhat under the radar given recent events, the Americans are concerned that overregulation may cause Western nations to fall behind the rest of the world.

In a statement released by the Office of Science and Technology Policy, the White House wrote:

“Europe and our allies should avoid heavy handed...

7 January 2020 | Ethics

Google claims its AI can beat human doctors at spotting breast cancer

Google has found a new way of scanning X-rays to find signs of breast cancer through its artificial intelligence.

Reports suggest that over 55,000 women in the UK are diagnosed with breast cancer every year and Google reported in its blog post that its new AI-based system helped reduce false negatives by 1.2 per cent and false positives by 2.7 per cent. The tech giant collaborated with DeepMind, Cancer Research UK Imperial Centre, Northwestern University, and the Royal Surrey...

3 January 2020 | Healthcare