US adds Chinese AI firms to ban list citing abuses against Muslims in Xinjiang

china usa ai ban list ai companies tech artificial intelligence entity trade war

A collection of Chinese AI and facial recognition firms have been added to a US blacklist citing rights abuses against Muslims in Xinjiang.

28 Chinese firms have been added (PDF) to the “entity list” of the US government which prohibits American companies from continuing any links with them.

The US government said the firms were blacklisted for playing a role in the "implementation of China's campaign of repression, mass arbitrary detention, and high-technology...

8 October 2019 | China

Microsoft study indicates US businesses are slow to adopt AI

A Microsoft survey of business leaders from various nations has found US firms are particularly slow to adopt AI technology.

One standout result of the study is that German, British, Russian, Dutch, Swiss, and Italian business leaders are – on the whole – reporting they’re “actively implementing” AI ahead of the US.

In fact, of business leaders from the countries surveyed, only France was behind the US.

The survey did not include all countries and is...

8 March 2019 | Microsoft

US defense department outlines its AI strategy

Shortly after President Trump issued his vague AI executive order, the US Defense Department outlined a more comprehensive strategy.

"The impact of artificial intelligence will extend across the entire department, spanning from operations and training to recruiting and healthcare,” DoD CIO Dana Deasy said.

A 17-page document outlines how the DoD intends to advance its AI prowess with five key steps:

Delivering AI-enabled capabilities that address key...

14 February 2019 | Government

White House will intervene to ensure the US leads in AI, 5G

The US is planning an intervention that will see it play a role in ensuring the country leads in technologies such as AI and 5G.

In an email to The Hill, an official wrote:

"Within the coming weeks, we could expect to see action designed to preserve American [research and development] leadership in artificial intelligence, 5G, and the first deliverables from the National Quantum Initiative Act.”

The ‘National Quantum Initiative Act’ is a law passed by the...

7 February 2019 | Government

AI is sentencing people based on their ‘risk’ assessment

AI-powered tools for determining the risk of an individual are being used to make incarceration and sentencing decisions.

During the Data for Black Lives conference last weekend, several experts shared how AI is evolving America’s controversial prison system.

America imprisons more people than any other nation. It’s not just a result of the population of the country, the incarceration per head is the highest in the world at ~716 per 100,000 of the national...

22 January 2019 | Law Enforcement

Trump speech ‘DeepFake’ shows a present AI threat

A so-called ‘DeepFake’ video of a Trump speech was broadcast on a Fox-owned Seattle TV network, showing a very present AI threat.

The station, Q13, broadcasted a doctored Trump speech in which he somehow appeared even more orange and pulled amusing faces.

You can see a side-by-side comparison with the original below:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UZLs11uSg-A&feature=youtu.be

Following the broadcast, a Q13 employee was sacked. It’s unclear if...

14 January 2019 | Deep Learning

Baidu is the first Chinese firm to join US-led AI supergroup

Chinese search giant Baidu has become the first company from China to join a US-led AI supergroup focused on advancing industry ethics. The group is called PAI (Partnership on AI) and has been formed amid fears about the potential impacts of artificial intelligence. Such concerns include the potential effect on jobs, discrimination, and the potential loss of life when AI us used in a military capacity. PAI consists of more than 70 academic institutes along with civil groups and technology...

17 October 2018 | China

Study claims AI will spur growth on par with the steam engine

A study predicts AI will spur growth similar to groundbreaking technologies such as the steam engine, for at least the next decade. The simulation run by the McKinsey Global Institute shows artificial intelligence has the possibility to add 1.2 percent to annual gross domestic product growth until at least 2030. For perspective, that represents $13 trillion of additional global economic activity. Such growth is equivalent to other landmark developments such as that of the steam engine. AI is...

6 September 2018 | Government

UNICRI AI and Robotics Centre: AI will transform our world

Irakli Beridze un unicri ai expo

Speaking at AI Expo in Amsterdam, Irakli Beridze from the AI and Robotics Centre at UNICRI provided his thoughts on how AI will transform our world. Irakli started with a positive note that’s easily forgotten: never has the world been more safe, connected, and prosperous. “We have developed technologies which have the potential to solve problems we never thought were possible,” says Beridze. “Most of them are related to the UN’s sustainable development goals.” World-Changing...

2 July 2018 | Ethics

Don’t Be Evil: Google publishes its AI ethical principles following backlash

google ai ethical principles dont be evil

Following the backlash over its Project Maven plans to develop AI for the US military, Google has since withdrawn and published its ethical principles. Project Maven was Google’s collaboration with the US Department of Defense. In March, leaks indicated that Google supplied AI technology to the Pentagon to help analyse drone footage. The following month, over 4,000 employees signed a petition demanding that Google's management cease work on Project Maven and promise to never again...

8 June 2018 | Ethics