Netflix wants to feed your binge with personalised, AI-powered trailers

Researchers at Netflix are experimenting with using AI to create personalised trailers for its growing library of content. I don’t know about you, but it will already take me years to get through my existing backlog. The current amount of content is staggering. Netflix has distribution rights from studios around the world and reinvests its profits into creating lauded original content such as ‘Stranger Things’ and ‘Orange Is The New Black’ which cannot be found...

6 December 2017 | Entertainment

Research: AI mimics the human brain’s subconscious

ai brain research huawei artificial intelligence

The true extent of subconscious decisions made by the human brain has drawn parallels to artificial intelligence. Huawei commissioned the research and found the average person is unaware of 99.68 percent of their decisions. Approximately 35,000 decisions are made per day by the human brain although, on average, respondents believe they only make around 111. “The research shows how human intelligence works just like Artificial Intelligence, operating in the background to empower us in...

5 December 2017 | Research

‘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

Editorial: Facebook excluding the EU from AI advancement heralds a trend

EU regulations have forced Facebook to exclude citizens of member states from its new AI-powered suicide prevention tool, and it heralds a worrying trend. Facebook’s new suicide prevention tool aims to use pattern recognition to detect posts or live videos where someone might be expressing thoughts of suicide, and to help respond to reports faster. In a post announcing the feature, Facebook wrote: “We are starting to roll out artificial intelligence outside the US to help identify...

28 November 2017 | Regulation

BMW envisions AI-powered electric bike lanes

BMW has set forth its vision for the future of transport beyond driverless cars — an AI-powered bike lane for electric bikes. If you live in a major city, you will be all too familiar with traffic. Many are switching to alternative methods, such as cycling, but many feel vulnerable. Electric bikes are opening cycling to more people who may not be in the peak of their fitness or live in hilly areas where even long-term cyclists may struggle. These bikes are often faster than many people...

23 November 2017 | Smart Cities

Budget: UK to boost ‘industries of the future’ funding – including AI, IoT, and driverless cars

The latest budget from the UK government increases financial support for the ‘industries of the future’ which includes AI, IoT, and driverless cars. As the UK prepares to depart the EU, the Chancellor of the Exchequer is boosting funding of industries where the UK is already emerging a leader to help solidify its position on the world stage. £75 million will be set aside for artificial intelligence to build on the existing success stories from the likes of Cambridge-based DeepMind...

20 November 2017 | Funding

DeepHeart uses consumer wearables to detect sleep apnea and hypertension – diabetes is the next target

deepheart cardiogram ai artificial intelligence health healthcare

DeepHeart, an AI for cardiac health, is using consumer wearables to reduce the number of people with hypertension and sleep apnea who go undetected. According to the World Health Organisation, 1.1 billion people have chronic high blood pressure — known as hypertension. Of these individuals, one in five are undiagnosed. Meanwhile, sleep apnea — where disturbances are caused by having one or more pauses in breathing or shallow breaths while you sleep — is a problem with around 24...

14 November 2017 | Healthcare

UK AI chipmaker Graphcore raises millions from Silicon Valley investor

graphcore ai

Graphcore, an ambitious UK startup building dedicated AI chips, has raised millions in a new round of funding from one of Silicon Valley’s top investors. Sequoia Capital has previously invested in companies such as Apple, Google, and WhatsApp. The investor has now led a $50m (£38.2m) funding round in Graphcore — which has its headquarters in Bristol, UK. Dedicated AI chips are set to boom in the coming years with implementation in smartphones, connected vehicles, IoT devices, and...

13 November 2017 | Funding

Researchers call for ‘global stand’ against AI militarisation

Researchers want to prevent AI from being militarised in an open letter sent to governments calling for a “firm global stand” against it becoming weaponised. Humans will find any possible way to use advancements for destructive purposes. The obvious example, and one that will hopefully be remembered by global powers as they make their decisions, is that of the nuclear bomb. AI could become the ‘nuclear arms race’ of the 21st century as nations compete to prove their supremacy....

7 November 2017 | Ethics

GP at Hand: AI enables the world’s first 24/7 free healthcare service

AI is a key enabler in the launch of GP at Hand, a free NHS service from babylon health which provides 24/7 access to healthcare from a mobile app. GP at Hand aims to reduce the burden on GPs while also cutting the waiting time it takes for a patient to see a doctor from the current average of two weeks, to just a matter of minutes. Dr Howard Freeman MBE, senior GP said: “GP at Hand is a window into what the NHS of the future will look like. When innovative NHS GPs embrace babylon...

6 November 2017 | Healthcare