Baidu ends participation in AI alliance as US-China relations deteriorate

Baidu will no longer participate in the Partnership on AI (PAI) alliance amid deteriorating relations between the US and China.

PAI is a US-led alliance which aims to foster the ethical development and deployment of AI technologies. Baidu was the only Chinese member.

The loss of Baidu's expertise and any representation from China is devastating for PAI. Ethical AI development requires global cooperation to set acceptable standards which help to ensure safety while not...

19 June 2020 | Baidu

Amazon uses AI-powered displays to enforce social distancing in warehouses

Amazon has turned to an AI-powered solution to help maintain social distancing in its vast warehouses.

Companies around the world are having to look at new ways of safely continuing business as we adapt to the "new normal" of life with the coronavirus.

Amazon has used its AI expertise to create what it calls the Distance Assistant. Using a time-of-flight sensor, often found in modern smartphones, the AI measures the distance between...

17 June 2020 | Amazon

The EU’s privacy watchdog takes aim at Clearview AI’s facial recognition

The European Data Protection Board (EDPB) believes use of Clearview AI’s controversial facial recognition system would be illegal.

Clearview AI’s facial recognition system is used by over 2,200 law enforcement agencies around the world and even commercial businesses like Best Buy and Macy’s, according to a recent leak.

The EDPB has now ruled that any use of the service by law enforcement in Europe would “likely not be consistent with the EU data protection...

11 June 2020 | Europe

Microsoft’s AI editor publishes stories about its own racist error

Microsoft’s replacement of human editors with artificial intelligence has faced its first big embarrassment.

In late May, Microsoft decided to fire many of its human editors for MSN News and replace them with an AI.

Earlier this week, a news story appeared about Little Mix band member Jade Thirlwall’s experience facing racism. The story appears innocent enough until you realise Microsoft’s AI confused two of the mixed-race band members. The error was quickly...

10 June 2020 | Ethics

UK releases guidelines to help governments accelerate ‘trusted’ AI deployments

The UK has released new guidelines during the World Economic Forum (WEF) to help governments accelerate the deployment of trusted AI solutions.

AI is proving itself to be an important tool in tackling some of the biggest issues the world faces today; including coronavirus and climate change. However, some public distrust remains.

“The current pandemic has shown us more needs to be done to speed up the adoption of trusted AI around the world,” said Kay...

9 June 2020 | Adoption

M3: Alibaba’s AI detects COVID-19 pneumonia in under a minute

M3, a medical web portal backed by Sony, claims Alibaba’s AI technology has allowed it to develop a powerful COVID-19 diagnosis tool.

The AI-powered tool is able to analyse CT scans for signs of COVID-19 infection to help quickly diagnose the novel coronavirus which has caused havoc around the world.

With heroic medical staff under more pressure than ever caring for the huge influx of people suffering with COVID-19 – in addition to all the other ailments they have to...

4 June 2020 | China

The BBC’s virtual assistant is now available for testing in the UK

A virtual assistant from the BBC which aims to cater for Britain’s many dialects is now available for testing.

Even as a Brit, it can often feel like a translation app is needed between Bristolian, Geordie, Mancunian, Brummie, Scottish, Irish, or any of the other regional dialects in the country. For a geographically small country, we’re a diverse bunch – and US-made voice assistants often struggle with even the slightest accent.

The BBC thinks it can do a better...

3 June 2020 | UK

AI uses data from Oura wearables to predict COVID-19 three days early

Researchers have successfully used AI to analyse data from Oura's wearable rings and predict COVID-19 symptoms three days early.

The researchers, from WVU Medicine and the Rockefeller Neuroscience Institute, first announced the potentially groundbreaking project in April.

At the time, the researchers found they could predict COVID-19 symptoms – including fever, cough, and fatigue – up to 24 hours before their onset.

“The holistic and integrated...

2 June 2020 | Healthcare

ACLU sues Clearview AI calling it a ‘nightmare scenario’ for privacy

The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) is suing controversial facial recognition provider Clearview AI over privacy concerns.

“Companies like Clearview will end privacy as we know it, and must be stopped,” said Nathan Freed Wessler, senior staff attorney with the ACLU’s Speech, Privacy, and Technology Project.

“The ACLU is taking its fight to defend privacy rights against the growing threat of this unregulated surveillance technology to the courts, even as we...

29 May 2020 | Adoption

Japan passes bill to build AI-powered ‘super cities’ addressing societal issues

Japan has passed a bill to build “super cities” which address societal issues using emerging technologies such as AI.

The bill, passed on Wednesday, aims to accelerate the sweeping change of regulations across various fields to support the creation of such futuristic cities.

Addressing issues such as depopulation and an aging society will be the focus of the super cities. Technologies including big data and AI will be key to successfully tackling the challenging...

28 May 2020 | Adoption