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

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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

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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

The White House warns European allies not to overregulate AI

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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

Google’s latest AI project may aid wildlife conservation

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Biologists and conservationists across the world have got their hard drives stuffed with millions of camera trap photos and it’s a time consuming process to go through all the images. Google has therefore announced a new program in partnership with several conservation organisations that simplifies the process by making use of artificial intelligence.

With the launch of Wildlife Insights, an online portal with more than 4.5 million photos dating back to 1990, anyone can access...

18 December 2019 | Google

Palantir took over Project Maven defense contract after Google backed out

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Surveillance firm Palantir took up a Pentagon defense contract known as Project Maven after Google dropped out due to backlash.

Project Maven is a Pentagon initiative aiming to use AI technologies for deploying and monitoring unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs).

Naturally, Google’s involvement with the initiative received plenty of backlash both internally and externally. At least a dozen employees quit Google while many others threatened to walk out if the firm continued...

12 December 2019 | Drones

ELLIS commits €220m in a bid to keep AI talent in Europe

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The European Laboratory for Learning and Intelligent Systems (ELLIS) has announced a new initiative designed to help keep AI talent in the continent.

Retaining AI talent is difficult. AI News has already reported on academia's struggle to keep researchers helping to equip the next generation with AI skills, but it's not just the education industry which is suffering.

The main problem is the limited supply of AI talent, mixed with high demand, is causing eye-wateringly...

11 December 2019 | Europe