Sony is working on an AI-powered taxi system

Sony is leading an alliance of taxi companies to create an AI-powered hailing system. While Uber brought us on-demand taxi rides at the press of a button, Sony wants to use AI to further improve on the model. By studying conditions such as traffic, weather, and current events — taxis can be dispatched automatically where needed. One example, which many of us will have experienced, is the frustration of getting transport home after a concert. Sony’s algorithm would ensure a fleet of...

20 February 2018 | Connected Cars

Leaders warn NATO is unprepared for AI warfare

Current and former European leaders gathered at the Munich Security Conference to warn that NATO is unprepared for AI warfare. AI is set to revolutionise many industries and will bring a range of benefits to citizens and businesses around the world. Concerns about job losses have been prevalent, but AI’s inevitable use in a military capacity has been less discussed. Kersti Kaljulaid, President of Estonia, believes there is a 50 percent chance an AI system capable of launching a lethal...

16 February 2018 | Ethics

Home Office unveils AI tool for tackling extremist content

Following impatience with technology leaders in delivering measures to fight the spread of extremist content, the Home Office has unveiled its own AI tool for detecting it with impressive accuracy. The UK government has long called on tech giants to ensure any extremist content is removed from their platforms quickly. A report from the Home Affairs Committee slammed the likes of Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube for "consciously failing" to remove terrorist propaganda. Most law-abiding...

13 February 2018 | Ethics

AI defeats humans in predicting forex

Another day brings another story of AI beating humans. This time, AI has shown its ability to forecast exchange rates more accurately than we can. Nikkei has organised its ‘dollar-yen derby’ for over three decades. Readers and analysts try to predict the exchange rate for the following month. However, a new competitor has entered the ring. An AI developed by the Nikkei Group was able to deliver the most accurate forecast for the year-end exchange rate. Impressively, it beat around 400...

1 February 2018 | Research

Emtech China: Warnings of AI causing job losses continue

This year’s EmTech China conference in Beijing was filled with exciting insights at where AI is heading, but it also carried the usual warnings of potential job losses. The three-day event is organised by MIT Technology Review and features some of the world’s most talented experts. In the past, we’ve heard from the likes of Elon Musk saying AI will mean a ‘universal basic income’ will become necessary as more jobs become automated. Others counter this argument by claiming AI...

29 January 2018 | Government

Morality algorithm proves AI can also be friendly

We’re used to seeing headlines of AI beating us at our own games in adversarial roles, but a new study has proven they can also excel when it comes to cooperation and compromise. The study, from an international team of computer scientists, found AI can be programmed with a higher degree of morality than humans. The researchers set out to build a new type of algorithm for playing games which requires working together rather than simply winning at all cost. Jacob Crandall, BYU Computer...

22 January 2018 | Ethics

Report: AI will increase the wealth inequality between the rich and poor

Artificial intelligence advancements will increase the disparity of wealth between the rich and poor, according to a new report. The report titled "Artificial Intelligence and Its Implications for Income Distribution and Unemployment" was presented last month through the National Bureau of Economic Research. Economists Anton Korinek (Johns Hopkins University) and Joseph E. Stiglitz (Columbia University) believe economic inequality “is one of the main challenges posed by the proliferation of...

11 January 2018 | Government

Constable Alexa: Police consider using Amazon’s AI to fight crime

Lancashire Constabulary considers using Amazon’s popular voice assistant, Alexa, in a bid to improve efficiency and fight crime. Users would be able to report crimes using the assistant on supported device, or have warnings about local issues spoken to them. For example, a spate of car thefts in the area could prompt an alert to neighbours to be more vigilant of people acting suspiciously around vehicles. In the event of a developing situation, such as a suspect fleeing from a scene on...

4 January 2018 | Government

Huawei and Baidu form alliance to lead in AI-powered smartphones

Huawei and Baidu have formed an alliance with the intention of sharing their expertise to lead the new generation of AI-powered smartphones. Many flagship smartphones are launching with dedicated AI chips — including, of course, Huawei’s very own Mate 10. Over the course of the next year, we expect these chips to be available in most high-end devices. Research firm Counterpoint Technology forecasts that more than half a billion smartphones that will be shipped around the world in 2020...

21 December 2017 | Smartphones

AI legend Andrew Ng wants to revolutionise manufacturing with Landing.ai

Andrew Ng co-founded Google Brain and led Baidu’s AI group, and now he’s launching a startup initially focused on using AI to revolutionise manufacturing. The new startup, Landing.ai, chose this industry to begin with as “it is through manufacturing that human creativity goes beyond pixels on a display to become physical objects. By bringing AI to manufacturing, we will deliver a digital transformation to the physical world.” Ng believes AI technology is well suited to addressing...

14 December 2017 | Manufacturing