Google CEO Sundar Pichai spoke at the World Economic Forum in Davos about the impacts of technology and how artificial intelligence and quantum computers can change human lives. Pichai said that even though there were risks with artificial technology, the biggest risk was to not work on it and make AI better.

Google CEO speaks on artificial intelligence at WEF in Davos

Google CEO Sundar Pichai on January 20 called for a balanced approach to regulating artificial intelligence, telling a European audience that the technology brings benefits but also "negative consequences." Sundar Pichai's comments come as lawmakers and governments seriously consider putting limits on how artificial intelligence is used.

Google CEO calls for artificial intelligence regulation

The chief executive of Google parent company Alphabet on Monday backed an EU proposal to temporarily ban facial-recognition technology because of the possibility that it could be used for nefarious purposes.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/alphabet-googles-parent-company-now-a-1-trillion-enterprise-fourth-us-company-to-achieve-this-feat-274982">Also Read: Google's parent company now a $1 trillion enterprise</a>

"I think it is important that governments and regulations tackle it sooner rather than later and gives a framework for it," Sundar Pichai told a conference in Brussels organised by think tank Bruegel.

The European Commission, which acts as the EU executive, is taking a tougher line on artificial intelligence (AI) than the United States that would strengthen existing regulations on privacy and data rights, according to an 18-page proposal paper seen by Reuters.

Part of this includes a moratorium of up to five years on using facial recognition technology in public areas, to give the EU time to work out how to prevent abuses, the paper said.

"It can be immediate but maybe there's a waiting period before we really think about how it's being used," Pichai said. "It's up to governments to charter the course" for the use of such technology.

Pichai urged regulators to take a "proportionate approach" when drafting rules, days before the Commission is due to publish proposals on the issue.

Regulators are grappling with ways to govern AI, encouraging innovation while trying to curb potential misuse, as companies and law enforcement agencies increasingly adopt the technology.

There was no question AI needs to be regulated, Pichai said, but rulemakers should tread carefully.

"Sensible regulation must also take a proportionate approach, balancing potential harms with social opportunities. This is especially true in areas that are high risk and high value," he said.

Regulators should tailor rules according to different sectors, Pichai said, citing medical devices and self-driving cars as examples that require different rules.

He urged governments to align their rules and agree on core values.

Earlier this month, the US&nbsp;government published regulatory guidelines on AI aimed at limiting authorities' overreach, and urged Europe to avoid an aggressive approach.

Pichai said it was important to be clear-eyed about what could go wrong with AI, and that while it promised huge benefits there were real concerns about potential negative consequences.

One area of concern is so-called "deepfakes" - video or audio clips that have been manipulated using AI and which potentially could be created of any individual, saying anything in any setting.

Pichai said Google had released open datasets to help the research community build better tools to detect such fakes.

The world's most popular internet search engine said last month that Google Cloud was not offering general-purpose facial-recognition application programming interfaces (APIs) while it establishes policy and technical safeguards.

The chief executive of Google parent company Alphabet on Monday backed an EU proposal to temporarily ban facial-recognition technology because of the possibility that it could be used for nefarious purposes.

The chief executive of Google parent company Alphabet on Monday backed an EU proposal to temporarily ban facial-recognition technology because of the possibility that it could be used for nefarious purposes. Also Read: Google's parent company now a $1 trillion enterprise "I think it is important that governments and regulations tackle it sooner rather than later and gives a framework for it," Sundar Pichai told a conference in Brussels organised by think tank Bruegel. The European Commission, which acts as the EU executive, is taking a tougher line on artificial intelligence (AI) than the United States that would strengthen existing regulations on privacy and data rights, according to an 18-page proposal paper seen by Reuters. Part of this includes a moratorium of up to five years on using facial recognition technology in public areas, to give the EU time to work out how to prevent abuses, the paper said. "It can be immediate but maybe there's a waiting period before we really think about how it's being used," Pichai said. "It's up to governments to charter the course" for the use of such technology. Pichai urged regulators to take a "proportionate approach" when drafting rules, days before the Commission is due to publish proposals on the issue. Regulators are grappling with ways to govern AI, encouraging innovation while trying to curb potential misuse, as companies and law enforcement agencies increasingly adopt the technology. There was no question AI needs to be regulated, Pichai said, but rulemakers should tread carefully. "Sensible regulation must also take a proportionate approach, balancing potential harms with social opportunities. This is especially true in areas that are high risk and high value," he said. Regulators should tailor rules according to different sectors, Pichai said, citing medical devices and self-driving cars as examples that require different rules. He urged governments to align their rules and agree on core values. Earlier this month, the US government published regulatory guidelines on AI aimed at limiting authorities' overreach, and urged Europe to avoid an aggressive approach. Pichai said it was important to be clear-eyed about what could go wrong with AI, and that while it promised huge benefits there were real concerns about potential negative consequences. One area of concern is so-called "deepfakes" - video or audio clips that have been manipulated using AI and which potentially could be created of any individual, saying anything in any setting. Pichai said Google had released open datasets to help the research community build better tools to detect such fakes. The world's most popular internet search engine said last month that Google Cloud was not offering general-purpose facial-recognition application programming interfaces (APIs) while it establishes policy and technical safeguards.

No question artificial intelligence needs to be regulated: Sundar Pichai

Artificial Intelligence has almost taken over the world. It is everywhere, from our social media&nbsp;news feeds to now the company hiring process.&nbsp;

But as AI is becoming popular in&nbsp;the hiring process, the effort to beat the machine&nbsp;has&nbsp;opened opportunities for business.

In South Korea, people have converted this opportunity into a booming business where they teach job applicants ways with they can tackle&nbsp;these AI bots.

These consultants also teach applicants&nbsp;how to maintain composure and positive facial expressions to score more points.

An AI solution business consultant,&nbsp;Park Seong-jung said,&nbsp;he held 48 lectures to demonstrate AI interview solutions in 2019, in which over 700 university students, graduates and lecturers joined in 2019.

"AI is becoming a trend. South Korea also has a serious youth unemployment problem and competition among students is very fierce. We help students overcome and succeed in AI interviews by preparing them for job analysis, introducing themselves, and gamification," said Park.

"Gamification" in this case refers to analysing a job candidate's personality and adaptability, by putting them through a gruelling segment fairly late in the interview process.

But, the applicants who have to sit through these AI interviews are not very happy about it. Applicants fear the additional expense of joining institutes&nbsp;and workload to prepare for AI interviews.

"I'll need to sign up for cram schools for the AI interview. So, I feel like the conventional interviews with people are better," said 26-year-old job seeker Yoo Wan-jae.

AI is already widely used by many companies' human resources departments to help in selecting candidates, ranging from spotting plagiarism in resumes to checking how candidates react in certain situations.

But more companies are now applying AI to the hiring process.

Top South Korean conglomerates including SK Innovation and Hyundai Engineering &amp; Construction are among a growing number of employers deploying artificial intelligence in hiring.

Nearly a quarter of the top 131 corporations currently use or plan to use AI in hiring, according to the Korea Economic Research Institute.

(With inputs from Reuters)

&nbsp;

Artificial Intelligence has almost taken over the world. It is everywhere, from our social media news feeds to now the company hiring process. But as AI is becoming popular in the hiring process, the effort to beat the machine has opened opportunities for business.

Artificial Intelligence has almost taken over the world. It is everywhere, from our social media news feeds to now the company hiring process. But as AI is becoming popular in the hiring process, the effort to beat the machine has opened opportunities for business. In South Korea, people have converted this opportunity into a booming business where they teach job applicants ways with they can tackle these AI bots. These consultants also teach applicants how to maintain composure and positive facial expressions to score more points. An AI solution business consultant, Park Seong-jung said, he held 48 lectures to demonstrate AI interview solutions in 2019, in which over 700 university students, graduates and lecturers joined in 2019. "AI is becoming a trend. South Korea also has a serious youth unemployment problem and competition among students is very fierce. We help students overcome and succeed in AI interviews by preparing them for job analysis, introducing themselves, and gamification," said Park. "Gamification" in this case refers to analysing a job candidate's personality and adaptability, by putting them through a gruelling segment fairly late in the interview process. But, the applicants who have to sit through these AI interviews are not very happy about it. Applicants fear the additional expense of joining institutes and workload to prepare for AI interviews. "I'll need to sign up for cram schools for the AI interview. So, I feel like the conventional interviews with people are better," said 26-year-old job seeker Yoo Wan-jae. AI is already widely used by many companies' human resources departments to help in selecting candidates, ranging from spotting plagiarism in resumes to checking how candidates react in certain situations. But more companies are now applying AI to the hiring process. Top South Korean conglomerates including SK Innovation and Hyundai Engineering & Construction are among a growing number of employers deploying artificial intelligence in hiring. Nearly a quarter of the top 131 corporations currently use or plan to use AI in hiring, according to the Korea Economic Research Institute. (With inputs from Reuters)

South Korea: How job applicants are learning to beat AI hiring bots and land a job

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/justice-sharad-arvind-bobde-47th-chief-justice-of-india-who-advocates-use-of-artificial-intelligence-in-courts-262959">Chief Justice of India</a>, Sharad Arvind Bobde on Saturday hinted at the possibility of Artificial Intelligence being developed for the court system while making it clear that it will never replace human discretion.

Speaking at an event here, Bobde said, "We have a possibility of developing <a href="https://www.wionews.com/business-economy/technology-trends-of-2020-what-to-expect-272723">Artificial Intelligence</a> for the court system. Only for the purpose of ensuring that the undue delay in justice is prevented."

"I must make it clear at the outset as there are times when even judges have asked this. AI is not going to replace human judges or human discretion", he added. 
Sharing more details of his vision, he stated, "It is only the repetitive, mathematical and mechanical parts of the judgments for which help can be taken from the system...we are exploring the possibility of implementing it."

Bobde stressed on the requirement of developing AI for the judiciary while outlining the number of pending cases in different courts.

"Some people are in jail for 10-15 years and we are not in a position to deal with their appeals. The high court's and <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/supreme-court-asks-centre-to-look-into-pil-against-rbis-decision-on-banknotes-defaced-by-separatists-in-kashmir-272708">Supreme Court </a>take so long and ultimately the courts feel that it is just to release them on bail", he said.

Bobde also endorsed employing every talent and skill to ensure the delivery of justice in a reasonable time.

"We must employ every talent, every skill we possess to ensure that justice is received within a reasonable time. Delay in justice can't be a reason for anybody to take <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/justice-must-never-take-the-form-of-revenge-cji-sa-bobde-266822">the law into their hands</a>. But it's very important for us as courts to ensure there's no undue delay in justice", he said.

CJI Bobde also highlighted the need for pre-litigation mediation and said, "Pre-litigation mediation is the need of the hour especially in the backdrop of a significant pendency that the courts are tackling with. There are innumerable areas where pre-litigation mediation could solve the problem."

He also stressed that the position of a judge is very unique under the constitution and they have to deal with a variety of problems.

"The foundation of civilisation rests on the law. Judicial officers have to deal with a variety of problems...Judges without adequate knowledge, skills and experience may cause distortion, delay and miscarriage of justice", he said.

Earlier in the day, Chief Justice of India Bobde inaugurated the phase-1 of the new building of the Karnataka Judicial Academy on Crescent Road in Bengaluru. 
The new building has three floors, besides, the ground floor and two basement floors.

Chief Justice of India, Sharad Arvind Bobde on Saturday hinted at the possibility of Artificial Intelligence being developed for the court system while making it clear that it will never replace human discretion.

Chief Justice of India, Sharad Arvind Bobde on Saturday hinted at the possibility of Artificial Intelligence being developed for the court system while making it clear that it will never replace human discretion. Speaking at an event here, Bobde said, "We have a possibility of developing Artificial Intelligence for the court system. Only for the purpose of ensuring that the undue delay in justice is prevented." "I must make it clear at the outset as there are times when even judges have asked this. AI is not going to replace human judges or human discretion", he added. Sharing more details of his vision, he stated, "It is only the repetitive, mathematical and mechanical parts of the judgments for which help can be taken from the system...we are exploring the possibility of implementing it." Bobde stressed on the requirement of developing AI for the judiciary while outlining the number of pending cases in different courts. "Some people are in jail for 10-15 years and we are not in a position to deal with their appeals. The high court's and Supreme Court take so long and ultimately the courts feel that it is just to release them on bail", he said. Bobde also endorsed employing every talent and skill to ensure the delivery of justice in a reasonable time. "We must employ every talent, every skill we possess to ensure that justice is received within a reasonable time. Delay in justice can't be a reason for anybody to take the law into their hands. But it's very important for us as courts to ensure there's no undue delay in justice", he said. CJI Bobde also highlighted the need for pre-litigation mediation and said, "Pre-litigation mediation is the need of the hour especially in the backdrop of a significant pendency that the courts are tackling with. There are innumerable areas where pre-litigation mediation could solve the problem." He also stressed that the position of a judge is very unique under the constitution and they have to deal with a variety of problems. "The foundation of civilisation rests on the law. Judicial officers have to deal with a variety of problems...Judges without adequate knowledge, skills and experience may cause distortion, delay and miscarriage of justice", he said. Earlier in the day, Chief Justice of India Bobde inaugurated the phase-1 of the new building of the Karnataka Judicial Academy on Crescent Road in Bengaluru. The new building has three floors, besides, the ground floor and two basement floors.

We have possibility of developing Artificial Intelligence for court system: CJI Bobde

A Google artificial intelligence system proved as good as expert radiologists at detecting which women had breast cancer based on screening mammograms and showed promise at reducing errors, researchers in the United States and Britain reported.

The study, published in the journal Nature on Wednesday, is the latest to show that artificial intelligence (AI) has the potential to improve the accuracy of screening for breast cancer, which affects one in eight women globally.

Radiologists miss about 20% of breast cancers in mammograms, the American Cancer Society says, and half of all women who get the screenings over a 10-year period have a false-positive result.

The findings of the study, developed with Alphabet Inc's&nbsp;DeepMind AI unit, which merged with Google Health in September, represent a major advance in the potential for the early detection of breast cancer, Mozziyar Etemadi, one of its co-authors from Northwestern Medicine in Chicago, said.

The team, which included researchers at Imperial College London and Britain's National Health Service, trained the system to identify breast cancers on tens of thousands of mammograms.

They then compared the system's performance with the actual results from a set of 25,856 mammograms in the United Kingdom and 3,097 from the United States.

The study showed the AI system could identify cancers with a similar degree of accuracy to expert radiologists, while reducing the number of false positive results by 5.7 per cent in the US-based group and by 1.2 per cent in the British-based group.

It also cut the number of false negatives, where tests are wrongly classified as normal, by 9.4 per cent in the US&nbsp;group, and by 2.7% in the British group.

These differences reflect the ways in which mammograms are read. In the United States, only one radiologist reads the results and the tests are done every one to two years. In Britain, the tests are done every three years, and each is read by two radiologists. When they disagree, a third is consulted.

'Subtle cues'

In a separate test, the group pitted the AI system against six radiologists and found it outperformed them at accurately detecting breast cancers.

Connie Lehman, chief of the breast imaging department at Harvard's Massachusetts General Hospital, said the results are in line with findings from several groups using AI to improve cancer detection in mammograms, including her own work.

The notion of using computers to improve cancer diagnostics is decades old, and computer-aided detection (CAD) systems are commonplace in mammography clinics, yet CAD programs have not improved performance in clinical practice.

The issue, Lehman said, is that current CAD programs were trained to identify things human radiologists can see, whereas with AI, computers learn to spot cancers based on the actual results of thousands of mammograms.

This has the potential to "exceed human capacity to identify subtle cues that the human eye and brain aren't able to perceive," Lehman added.

Although computers have not been "super helpful" so far, "what we've shown at least in tens of thousands of mammograms is the tool can actually make a very well-informed decision," Etemadi said.

The study has some limitations. Most of the tests were done using the same type of imaging equipment, and the US group contained a lot of patients with confirmed breast cancers.

Crucially, the team has yet to show the tool improves patient care, said Dr Lisa Watanabe, chief medical officer of CureMetrix, whose AI mammogram program won US approval last year.

"AI software is only helpful if it actually moves the dial for the radiologist," she said.

Etemadi agreed that those studies are needed, as is regulatory approval, a process that could take several years.

A Google artificial intelligence system proved as good as expert radiologists at detecting which women had breast cancer based on screening mammograms and showed promise at reducing errors, researchers in the United States and Britain reported.

A Google artificial intelligence system proved as good as expert radiologists at detecting which women had breast cancer based on screening mammograms and showed promise at reducing errors, researchers in the United States and Britain reported. The study, published in the journal Nature on Wednesday, is the latest to show that artificial intelligence (AI) has the potential to improve the accuracy of screening for breast cancer, which affects one in eight women globally. Radiologists miss about 20% of breast cancers in mammograms, the American Cancer Society says, and half of all women who get the screenings over a 10-year period have a false-positive result. The findings of the study, developed with Alphabet Inc's DeepMind AI unit, which merged with Google Health in September, represent a major advance in the potential for the early detection of breast cancer, Mozziyar Etemadi, one of its co-authors from Northwestern Medicine in Chicago, said. The team, which included researchers at Imperial College London and Britain's National Health Service, trained the system to identify breast cancers on tens of thousands of mammograms. They then compared the system's performance with the actual results from a set of 25,856 mammograms in the United Kingdom and 3,097 from the United States. The study showed the AI system could identify cancers with a similar degree of accuracy to expert radiologists, while reducing the number of false positive results by 5.7 per cent in the US-based group and by 1.2 per cent in the British-based group. It also cut the number of false negatives, where tests are wrongly classified as normal, by 9.4 per cent in the US group, and by 2.7% in the British group. These differences reflect the ways in which mammograms are read. In the United States, only one radiologist reads the results and the tests are done every one to two years. In Britain, the tests are done every three years, and each is read by two radiologists. When they disagree, a third is consulted. 'Subtle cues' In a separate test, the group pitted the AI system against six radiologists and found it outperformed them at accurately detecting breast cancers. Connie Lehman, chief of the breast imaging department at Harvard's Massachusetts General Hospital, said the results are in line with findings from several groups using AI to improve cancer detection in mammograms, including her own work. The notion of using computers to improve cancer diagnostics is decades old, and computer-aided detection (CAD) systems are commonplace in mammography clinics, yet CAD programs have not improved performance in clinical practice. The issue, Lehman said, is that current CAD programs were trained to identify things human radiologists can see, whereas with AI, computers learn to spot cancers based on the actual results of thousands of mammograms. This has the potential to "exceed human capacity to identify subtle cues that the human eye and brain aren't able to perceive," Lehman added. Although computers have not been "super helpful" so far, "what we've shown at least in tens of thousands of mammograms is the tool can actually make a very well-informed decision," Etemadi said. The study has some limitations. Most of the tests were done using the same type of imaging equipment, and the US group contained a lot of patients with confirmed breast cancers. Crucially, the team has yet to show the tool improves patient care, said Dr Lisa Watanabe, chief medical officer of CureMetrix, whose AI mammogram program won US approval last year. "AI software is only helpful if it actually moves the dial for the radiologist," she said. Etemadi agreed that those studies are needed, as is regulatory approval, a process that could take several years.

Study finds Google system could improve breast cancer detection

Innovations hit the market every year, some of them flourish, others perish. 2019 too witnessed the rise of many new technologies. As the year wraps up, WION brings you the top 5 tech trends of the year.&nbsp;

Robotics

Robots never cease to surprise us. We've seen them in various shapes and sizes. Resembling and behaving like humans, these robots are blurring the line between man and machine.&nbsp;

This year, the robotics industry grew by leaps and bounds. For instance, we now have a robot priest that delivers spiritual discourse at a 400-year-old Buddhist temple in Japan.&nbsp;

Mindar, the humanoid robot has been modelled after the Buddhist deity of mercy.

The bot has a tiny video camera installed in the left eye. Its clasps its hands together in prayer and speaks in soothing tones.

Ever thought that a robot can do something like this? But with Atlas, all kinds of stunts are possible. Somersaults, a short headstand, a 360-degree spinning jump and other acrobatic movements - it doesn’t lose its balance.

In the near future, we might see robots like Atlas train human athletes. Who knows?&nbsp;

Robots are doing stuff that was once limited to sci-fi movies and we can’t wait to see what the future holds.&nbsp;

<img alt="robots" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="c7da6124-2533-4f1b-ac66-46d3a9ab76ea" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/robot.jpg" />

5G

The world is talking about super-fast internet speeds and the next-gen 5G network promised exactly that. It can provide speeds at least 20 times faster than 4G.&nbsp;

It is so fast that users can download a high-definition movie in a matter of seconds.

Countries such as South Korea and China have already rolled out 5G networks, others are expected to join the race soon.

5G is expected to define industries such as telemedicine and automobiles in the years to come.

3D printing

3D printing has been around for years, but in 2019 it emerged as a leading trend.

The technology can now be used to make various things, even things that were once impossible without human intervention. 3D printers can be used to print food, houses, clothes, jewellery and even automobile parts.&nbsp;
<img alt="A 3D print shown at Tel Aviv University." data-caption="A 3D print shown at Tel Aviv University." data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="057b8cb6-18d2-484c-95d0-970ade57da8e" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/3d%20print.jpg" />
Artificial intelligence

AI is all around us and during 2019 we witnessed a dramatic rise in AI applications. Houses became smarter, many autonomous vehicles hit the roads, cars managed to take off and fly like airplanes and other sectors such as retail and healthcare also reaped the benefits.

Prosthetics

Prosthetics progressed dramatically in the last one year. Connected technologies are enabling manufacturers and researchers to obliterate the gap between prosthetics and human body parts.

Apart from lighter, more comfortable and affordable artificial limbs, we are moving towards a future where we will see brain-controlled prosthetics.

The new-age technology has come a long way and it’s likely to go mainstream in the near future.

These tech trends redefined our lives in many ways. What remains to be seen is how far these innovations go in 2020.

Innovations hit the market every year, some of them flourish, others perish. 2019 too witnessed the rise of many new technologies. As the year wraps up, WION brings you the top 5 tech trends of the year.

Innovations hit the market every year, some of them flourish, others perish. 2019 too witnessed the rise of many new technologies. As the year wraps up, WION brings you the top 5 tech trends of the year. Robotics Robots never cease to surprise us. We've seen them in various shapes and sizes. Resembling and behaving like humans, these robots are blurring the line between man and machine. This year, the robotics industry grew by leaps and bounds. For instance, we now have a robot priest that delivers spiritual discourse at a 400-year-old Buddhist temple in Japan. Mindar, the humanoid robot has been modelled after the Buddhist deity of mercy. The bot has a tiny video camera installed in the left eye. Its clasps its hands together in prayer and speaks in soothing tones. Ever thought that a robot can do something like this? But with Atlas, all kinds of stunts are possible. Somersaults, a short headstand, a 360-degree spinning jump and other acrobatic movements - it doesn’t lose its balance. In the near future, we might see robots like Atlas train human athletes. Who knows? Robots are doing stuff that was once limited to sci-fi movies and we can’t wait to see what the future holds. 5G The world is talking about super-fast internet speeds and the next-gen 5G network promised exactly that. It can provide speeds at least 20 times faster than 4G. It is so fast that users can download a high-definition movie in a matter of seconds. Countries such as South Korea and China have already rolled out 5G networks, others are expected to join the race soon. 5G is expected to define industries such as telemedicine and automobiles in the years to come. 3D printing 3D printing has been around for years, but in 2019 it emerged as a leading trend. The technology can now be used to make various things, even things that were once impossible without human intervention. 3D printers can be used to print food, houses, clothes, jewellery and even automobile parts. Artificial intelligence AI is all around us and during 2019 we witnessed a dramatic rise in AI applications. Houses became smarter, many autonomous vehicles hit the roads, cars managed to take off and fly like airplanes and other sectors such as retail and healthcare also reaped the benefits. Prosthetics Prosthetics progressed dramatically in the last one year. Connected technologies are enabling manufacturers and researchers to obliterate the gap between prosthetics and human body parts. Apart from lighter, more comfortable and affordable artificial limbs, we are moving towards a future where we will see brain-controlled prosthetics. The new-age technology has come a long way and it’s likely to go mainstream in the near future. These tech trends redefined our lives in many ways. What remains to be seen is how far these innovations go in 2020.

Yearender 2019: Top 5 tech trends of the year

According to a US government study, <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/china-bans-fake-news-created-with-ai-bots-265404">facial recognition systems</a> can produce inaccurate results, especially for non-whites.

The study by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) identified "false positives rates" for Asian and African American. It also found that African-American females are more likely to be misidentified.

NIST said it tested 189 algorithms from 99 developers including companies like Microsoft, however, tech giants Facebook, Amazon, Apple and Google did not submit their profile for scrutiny. The study found "false positives" where an individual is mistakenly identified and "false negatives" in which the algorithm fails to match face in the database.

The revelations come even as facial recognition technologoy is being increasingly deployed&nbsp;by police in the US to identify criminal suspects and is&nbsp;also used in airport security, banking, online retail and in mobile unlocking systems.

It said Microsoft had almost ten times more "false positives" for women of colour than men of colour in one-to-many tests.

The study said it found American-Indian category showed the highest rate of "false positives" with black women likely to be falsely identified almost 35 per cent of the time. It said &nbsp;"false positives" rates for Asians and African-Americans was as much as hundred times higher than for whites.

According to a US government study, facial recognition systems can produce inaccurate results, especially for non-whites. The study by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) identified "false positives rates" for Asian and African American.

According to a US government study, facial recognition systems can produce inaccurate results, especially for non-whites. The study by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) identified "false positives rates" for Asian and African American. It also found that African-American females are more likely to be misidentified. NIST said it tested 189 algorithms from 99 developers including companies like Microsoft, however, tech giants Facebook, Amazon, Apple and Google did not submit their profile for scrutiny. The study found "false positives" where an individual is mistakenly identified and "false negatives" in which the algorithm fails to match face in the database. The revelations come even as facial recognition technologoy is being increasingly deployed by police in the US to identify criminal suspects and is also used in airport security, banking, online retail and in mobile unlocking systems. It said Microsoft had almost ten times more "false positives" for women of colour than men of colour in one-to-many tests. The study said it found American-Indian category showed the highest rate of "false positives" with black women likely to be falsely identified almost 35 per cent of the time. It said "false positives" rates for Asians and African-Americans was as much as hundred times higher than for whites.

Racial bias found in facial recognition tools: US government study

Weeks after his billion-dollar bailout of WeWork, <a href="https://www.wionews.com/business-economy/softbanks-oyo-reveals-over-330-million-annual-loss-revenue-surges-valuation-report-264451">SoftBank</a> Group Corp's founder and CEO Masayoshi Son reiterated his belief in an instinct-led investing style, in a discussion with Alibaba Group Holding Inc's co-founder Jack Ma.

SoftBank owns 26 per cent&nbsp;of China's Alibaba, with its origin in a $20 million investment in 2000, and the stake is now worth more than the Japanese firm's market capitalization.

Son on Friday said the decision to invest in Alibaba was driven by a gut feeling.

Other entrepreneurs Son met at that time "did not have true belief in their heart. I can feel," Son said. "We are the same animal. We are both a little crazy," he said of long-time ally Ma.

Ma said Son initially tried to invest $50 million in the e-commerce firm, but that he declined saying it was too large a sum - part of a pattern of offering big cheques to company founders that continued with WeWork co-founder Adam Neumann.

Son's comments come weeks after he was forced to bail out office-sharing startup WeWork when Neumann's level of control over his firm and hard-partying ways chilled investor appetite and crashed plans for an initial public offering (IPO).

Son last month said he misjudged Neumann's character after <a href="https://www.wionews.com/business-economy/wework-plans-to-lay-off-4000-staff-report-258004">WeWork </a>formally The We Company and other sputtering bets saw his $100 billion Vision Fund report an $8.9 billion second-quarter operating loss.

The conversation at Tokyo University between two of Asia's most prominent tech entrepreneurs comes at a point of divergence in their careers, with 55-year-old Ma retiring as Alibaba's executive chairman in September and Son pledging to spend his sixth decade at the helm of his investment juggernaut.

Domestically, SoftBank hopes to drive commercialization of the emerging field of artificial intelligence (AI), announcing on Friday it will spend 20 billion yen ($184 million) over 10 years funding an AI research institute with Tokyo University.

Son "probably has the biggest guts in the world on doing investment," Ma told attendees to the conference.

"Too much guts, sometimes I lose a lot of money," Son responded.

With the highly leveraged SoftBank trying to raise funds for a second megafund in which it is currently the only investor, its stake in Alibaba is one possible source of funds.

"In my view, I have not achieved anything yet," Son said. "I'm still a challenger and every day I'm still fighting."

That approach contrasts with Ma, who stepped back from running Alibaba to focus on philanthropy.

Weeks after his billion-dollar bailout of WeWork, SoftBank Group Corp's founder and CEO Masayoshi Son reiterated his belief in an instinct-led investing style, in a discussion with Alibaba Group Holding Inc's co-founder Jack Ma.

Weeks after his billion-dollar bailout of WeWork, SoftBank Group Corp's founder and CEO Masayoshi Son reiterated his belief in an instinct-led investing style, in a discussion with Alibaba Group Holding Inc's co-founder Jack Ma. SoftBank owns 26 per cent of China's Alibaba, with its origin in a $20 million investment in 2000, and the stake is now worth more than the Japanese firm's market capitalization. Son on Friday said the decision to invest in Alibaba was driven by a gut feeling. Other entrepreneurs Son met at that time "did not have true belief in their heart. I can feel," Son said. "We are the same animal. We are both a little crazy," he said of long-time ally Ma. Ma said Son initially tried to invest $50 million in the e-commerce firm, but that he declined saying it was too large a sum - part of a pattern of offering big cheques to company founders that continued with WeWork co-founder Adam Neumann. Son's comments come weeks after he was forced to bail out office-sharing startup WeWork when Neumann's level of control over his firm and hard-partying ways chilled investor appetite and crashed plans for an initial public offering (IPO). Son last month said he misjudged Neumann's character after WeWork formally The We Company and other sputtering bets saw his $100 billion Vision Fund report an $8.9 billion second-quarter operating loss. The conversation at Tokyo University between two of Asia's most prominent tech entrepreneurs comes at a point of divergence in their careers, with 55-year-old Ma retiring as Alibaba's executive chairman in September and Son pledging to spend his sixth decade at the helm of his investment juggernaut. Domestically, SoftBank hopes to drive commercialization of the emerging field of artificial intelligence (AI), announcing on Friday it will spend 20 billion yen ($184 million) over 10 years funding an AI research institute with Tokyo University. Son "probably has the biggest guts in the world on doing investment," Ma told attendees to the conference. "Too much guts, sometimes I lose a lot of money," Son responded. With the highly leveraged SoftBank trying to raise funds for a second megafund in which it is currently the only investor, its stake in Alibaba is one possible source of funds. "In my view, I have not achieved anything yet," Son said. "I'm still a challenger and every day I'm still fighting." That approach contrasts with Ma, who stepped back from running Alibaba to focus on philanthropy.

SoftBank's Son sticks with gut-led investing in chat with Alibaba's Ma

China has issued new rules banning online video and audio providers from using artificial intelligence (AI) and virtual reality technologies to produce "fake news.

China has issued new rules banning online video and audio providers from using artificial intelligence (AI) and virtual reality technologies to produce "fake news." The regulation published Friday by China's cyberspace authority said that both providers and users of online video news and audio services are "not allowed" to use new technologies such as deep learning and virtual reality to create, distribute and broadcast "fake news." "Fake news" has been generalised to mean anything from a mistake to a parody or a deliberate misinterpretation of facts. The rules come into effect on January 1, 2020. Failure to follow them could be considered a criminal offence, the Cyberspace Administration of China (CAC) said, without offering details on punishments. The rules require videos and audio tracks produced using AI or virtual reality technologies to carry clear labels warning users. The regulations particularly stressed the dangers of "deepfakes," or technology that manipulates videos to appear genuine but which depict events or speech that never happened. Deepfake technologies could "disrupt social order and violate people’s interests, creating political risks and bringing a negative impact to national security and social stability," the cyberspace authority warned. Concerns over deepfakes have grown since the 2016 US election campaign which saw wide use of online disinformation, according to US investigations. China's top legislative body said earlier this year it was considering making deepfake technology illegal. A Chinese face-swapping app Zao, which allows users to convincingly superimpose their own likeness over characters in movies or TV shows, led to a heated debate on the abuses of deepfake technologies in September.

China bans 'fake news' created with artificial intelligence, bots

Where is India in the Artificial Intelligence race? What should India do to be future-ready?

On WION Edit, we will explore these questions.

At the outset, we want to say opposing innovation and science is both silly and futile as Artificial Intelligence is inevitable.

We must equip ourselves for the shift. We would like to highlight an unfortunate contrast here.

Indians have been excellent at Artificial Intelligence, but not India.&nbsp;

Spending on AI has improved in sectors like financial services, high tech, automotive and assembly. But this is far from enough. India's workforce isn't skilled to make the transition.

The vast sections of graduate and post-graduate degree holders view AI as a fantastic idea rather than a realistic one. This utter lack of urgency will prove to be costly.

According to a study by EY and Nasscom, in just 3 years from now, 46 per cent of the workforce will be engaged in entirely new jobs that do not even exist today.

India runs the risk of a huge disruption. Forget AI, the labour force in India is not skilled enough even for conventional jobs in the market..

Job profiles are changing rapidly. If India's young workers are not skilled with relevant technologies, then the jobs data will only look worse by 2022. And don't blame the big business if such a thing happens. Firms will shift to artificial intelligence to cut costs and synergise their functioning.

The workforce has to catch up. Technical education in schools must be enhanced. It's not enough to teach just programming languages like 'Fortran' or 'C' or 'Java'.

Ask yourself this question, how many Indian students use a graphic user interface to visualise materials or chemical structure. India's education system has not evolved. It's just a good old textbook.

That's where the government comes in, revamp education, reskill the workforce. The corporate sector will have to pitch in.

Indians do some of the most difficult research and analysis in computation, coding and theoretical computer science. But for most Indians, the greatest technological break-through over the last 3 decades has been the access to a smartphone!

This divide needs to be corrected if we have to ride the Artificial Intelligence tide and make no mistake, we have to, saying no to evolution is not an option. Preparing for it is.&nbsp; 
&nbsp;

(Disclaimer: WION Edit is the channel's take on the big events of the world)

Where is India in the Artificial Intelligence race? What should India do to be future-ready? On WION Edit, we will explore these questions. At the outset, we want to say opposing innovation and science is both silly and futile as Artificial Intelligence is inevitable.

Where is India in the Artificial Intelligence race? What should India do to be future-ready? On WION Edit, we will explore these questions. At the outset, we want to say opposing innovation and science is both silly and futile as Artificial Intelligence is inevitable. We must equip ourselves for the shift. We would like to highlight an unfortunate contrast here. Indians have been excellent at Artificial Intelligence, but not India. Spending on AI has improved in sectors like financial services, high tech, automotive and assembly. But this is far from enough. India's workforce isn't skilled to make the transition. The vast sections of graduate and post-graduate degree holders view AI as a fantastic idea rather than a realistic one. This utter lack of urgency will prove to be costly. According to a study by EY and Nasscom, in just 3 years from now, 46 per cent of the workforce will be engaged in entirely new jobs that do not even exist today. India runs the risk of a huge disruption. Forget AI, the labour force in India is not skilled enough even for conventional jobs in the market.. Job profiles are changing rapidly. If India's young workers are not skilled with relevant technologies, then the jobs data will only look worse by 2022. And don't blame the big business if such a thing happens. Firms will shift to artificial intelligence to cut costs and synergise their functioning. The workforce has to catch up. Technical education in schools must be enhanced. It's not enough to teach just programming languages like 'Fortran' or 'C' or 'Java'. Ask yourself this question, how many Indian students use a graphic user interface to visualise materials or chemical structure. India's education system has not evolved. It's just a good old textbook. That's where the government comes in, revamp education, reskill the workforce. The corporate sector will have to pitch in. Indians do some of the most difficult research and analysis in computation, coding and theoretical computer science. But for most Indians, the greatest technological break-through over the last 3 decades has been the access to a smartphone! This divide needs to be corrected if we have to ride the Artificial Intelligence tide and make no mistake, we have to, saying no to evolution is not an option. Preparing for it is. (Disclaimer: WION Edit is the channel's take on the big events of the world)

WION Edit: Will Artificial Intelligence lead to job losses?

What Should India Do To Adapt To The Artificial Intelligence Transition?

WION Edit: To ride the artificial intelligence, India must skill its students & workers

Germany and India are likely to sign agreements including a partnership on the use of artificial intelligence in farming during a three-day visit to New Delhi by Chancellor Angela Merkel that begins on Thursday, the German ambassador said.

Merkel will be accompanied by several cabinet colleagues and a business delegation, ambassador Walter J. Lindner told reporters.

Merkel and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi are expected to discuss trade, investment, regional security and climate change.

Both countries could sign agreements in areas such as artificial intelligence and green urban mobility, Lindner said.

"This time, the focus will be on economic and trade relations, innovation and digitalisation, and climate protection and sustainable development," Merkel said in a message ahead of the visit released by the Indian embassy in Berlin.

Bilateral trade between the two countries rose to $24.06 billion in the 2018/19 fiscal year ending in March from $22 billion the previous year, while German companies have invested nearly $12 billion in India since 2000.

Germany is India's largest trading partner in Europe and more than 1,700 German companies are operating in India.

Germany and India are likely to sign agreements including a partnership on the use of artificial intelligence in farming during a three-day visit to New Delhi by Chancellor Angela Merkel that begins on Thursday, the German ambassador said.

Germany and India are likely to sign agreements including a partnership on the use of artificial intelligence in farming during a three-day visit to New Delhi by Chancellor Angela Merkel that begins on Thursday, the German ambassador said. Merkel will be accompanied by several cabinet colleagues and a business delegation, ambassador Walter J. Lindner told reporters. Merkel and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi are expected to discuss trade, investment, regional security and climate change. Both countries could sign agreements in areas such as artificial intelligence and green urban mobility, Lindner said. "This time, the focus will be on economic and trade relations, innovation and digitalisation, and climate protection and sustainable development," Merkel said in a message ahead of the visit released by the Indian embassy in Berlin. Bilateral trade between the two countries rose to $24.06 billion in the 2018/19 fiscal year ending in March from $22 billion the previous year, while German companies have invested nearly $12 billion in India since 2000. Germany is India's largest trading partner in Europe and more than 1,700 German companies are operating in India.

India and Germany likely to sign agreement on artificial intelligence

Beijing will use facial recognition tools to speed up security checks in the city's overcrowded metro, using a 'credit system' to sort passengers into different channels, state-run media reported on Wednesday.

Long queues and commuters arguing with staff over slow security procedures are common sites during rush hour in the metro system of the 20 million-strong metropolis.

The city plans to install cameras that will scan the faces of passengers as they enter a subway station and sort them into different security channels, said Zhan Minghui, director of the Beijing Rail Traffic Control Center.

He said the plan involves creating a "passenger credit system," and individuals on a "white list" will be offered expedited security clearance, Beijing Youth Daily reported.

Those who receive "abnormal feedback" after their faces are scanned will be subjected to extra checks.

Zhan did not offer details on the criteria used to sort passengers or what could trigger that type of feedback.

"The technique aims to improve the efficiency of security checks and includes both body checks and luggage screening when large numbers of passengers enter the station," he told an urban transportation forum in Beijing on Tuesday.

The Beijing subway in May said it has started "deducting credit points" from passengers who eat in railway carriages.

The city's subway system currently handles over 12 million trips on a workday and the number is expected to increase to 17 million trips by 2022.

Zhan did not offer a timetable for rolling out the technology.

Facial recognition is gaining traction across China, where it is being used for everything from supermarket checkouts to surveillance.

While researchers have warned of the privacy risks associated with gathering facial recognition data, consumers have widely embraced the technology.

The Universal Studios amusement park under construction in Beijing recently said it will admit visitors without a ticket, thanks to cameras that will scan their faces to determine if they paid for an entry.

Beijing will use facial recognition tools to speed up security checks in the city's overcrowded metro, using a 'credit system' to sort passengers into different channels, state-run media reported on Wednesday.

Beijing will use facial recognition tools to speed up security checks in the city's overcrowded metro, using a 'credit system' to sort passengers into different channels, state-run media reported on Wednesday. Long queues and commuters arguing with staff over slow security procedures are common sites during rush hour in the metro system of the 20 million-strong metropolis. The city plans to install cameras that will scan the faces of passengers as they enter a subway station and sort them into different security channels, said Zhan Minghui, director of the Beijing Rail Traffic Control Center. He said the plan involves creating a "passenger credit system," and individuals on a "white list" will be offered expedited security clearance, Beijing Youth Daily reported. Those who receive "abnormal feedback" after their faces are scanned will be subjected to extra checks. Zhan did not offer details on the criteria used to sort passengers or what could trigger that type of feedback. "The technique aims to improve the efficiency of security checks and includes both body checks and luggage screening when large numbers of passengers enter the station," he told an urban transportation forum in Beijing on Tuesday. The Beijing subway in May said it has started "deducting credit points" from passengers who eat in railway carriages. The city's subway system currently handles over 12 million trips on a workday and the number is expected to increase to 17 million trips by 2022. Zhan did not offer a timetable for rolling out the technology. Facial recognition is gaining traction across China, where it is being used for everything from supermarket checkouts to surveillance. While researchers have warned of the privacy risks associated with gathering facial recognition data, consumers have widely embraced the technology. The Universal Studios amusement park under construction in Beijing recently said it will admit visitors without a ticket, thanks to cameras that will scan their faces to determine if they paid for an entry.

Now, China eyes facial recognition tech for metro security

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday urged business leaders and technocrats to build a `bridge` between the artificial intelligence (AI) and human intentions, while stating that his government is using technology to effectively deliver the benefits of welfare schemes to targeted groups.

Addressing a gathering of several top business leaders including Ratan Tata, Prime Minister Modi said technology should be used to uplift the life of the poor and the marginalised sections of the society in the country.

"There should not be a debate on the dangers of artificial intelligence, but there should debate as to when the robot will be smarter than the human. There should be a debate as to how a bridge can be made between artificial intelligence and human intentions," said he.

Prime Minister Modi said that a section of people are working to project technology as anti-people and asserted that technology only benefits humanity if it is used with good intentions.

"There is a major attempt to demoralise technology. An environment of fear is being built. In the context of India, technology is being projected as a challenge for our demographic dividend," he said.

He said, "Technology unites, not divides. It is a multiplier of talent force, not a threat. Technology makes a bridge between aspirations and achievements and between demand and delivery. Technology is a strong medium to realise the dream of Sabka Sath, Sabka Vikas."

Asserting that his government has been using technology to smoothly deliver government schemes on the ground, the Prime Minister said the Centre used several modern technologies including AI, digital mapping, real-time monitoring, and data intelligence to distribute eight crores new LPG connections under Ujjawal Scheme within three years time to the targeted beneficiaries.

"We first located 17,000 LPG distribution centres through data intelligence and set up 10,000 new centres in a very short span of time. We also took the help of space technology," he said.

The Prime Minister also outlined that his government has used technology to remove silos amongst government departments and build a bridge between supply system and demand, through innovative ideas like Government e-market Place. Prime Minister Modi was speaking on the occasion of the unveiling of the book titled `Bridgital Nation,` which he termed as a `visionary document.`&nbsp;

The book has been written by N Chandrasekaran and Roopa Purushothanman and focuses on tackling the problem of a gap between demand and supply through technology.

According to a press release issued by the PIB, several diplomats including Ambassadors of the US, the UK and China, Secretaries of several ministries, representatives of industry bodies including CII, FICCI and NASSCOM, senior journalists Smita Prakash, Rajat Sharma, Navika Kumar, Rajkamal Jha, and Sudhir Chaudhary were present on the occasion.&nbsp;

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday urged business leaders and technocrats to build a `bridge` between the artificial intelligence (AI) and human intentions, while stating that his government is using technology to effectively deliver the benefits of welfare schemes to targeted groups.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday urged business leaders and technocrats to build a `bridge` between the artificial intelligence (AI) and human intentions, while stating that his government is using technology to effectively deliver the benefits of welfare schemes to targeted groups. Addressing a gathering of several top business leaders including Ratan Tata, Prime Minister Modi said technology should be used to uplift the life of the poor and the marginalised sections of the society in the country. "There should not be a debate on the dangers of artificial intelligence, but there should debate as to when the robot will be smarter than the human. There should be a debate as to how a bridge can be made between artificial intelligence and human intentions," said he. Prime Minister Modi said that a section of people are working to project technology as anti-people and asserted that technology only benefits humanity if it is used with good intentions. "There is a major attempt to demoralise technology. An environment of fear is being built. In the context of India, technology is being projected as a challenge for our demographic dividend," he said. He said, "Technology unites, not divides. It is a multiplier of talent force, not a threat. Technology makes a bridge between aspirations and achievements and between demand and delivery. Technology is a strong medium to realise the dream of Sabka Sath, Sabka Vikas." Asserting that his government has been using technology to smoothly deliver government schemes on the ground, the Prime Minister said the Centre used several modern technologies including AI, digital mapping, real-time monitoring, and data intelligence to distribute eight crores new LPG connections under Ujjawal Scheme within three years time to the targeted beneficiaries. "We first located 17,000 LPG distribution centres through data intelligence and set up 10,000 new centres in a very short span of time. We also took the help of space technology," he said. The Prime Minister also outlined that his government has used technology to remove silos amongst government departments and build a bridge between supply system and demand, through innovative ideas like Government e-market Place. Prime Minister Modi was speaking on the occasion of the unveiling of the book titled `Bridgital Nation,` which he termed as a `visionary document.` The book has been written by N Chandrasekaran and Roopa Purushothanman and focuses on tackling the problem of a gap between demand and supply through technology. According to a press release issued by the PIB, several diplomats including Ambassadors of the US, the UK and China, Secretaries of several ministries, representatives of industry bodies including CII, FICCI and NASSCOM, senior journalists Smita Prakash, Rajat Sharma, Navika Kumar, Rajkamal Jha, and Sudhir Chaudhary were present on the occasion.

Build a bridge between artificial intelligence and human intentions: PM Modi urges technocrats

How viral Chinese app is using deepfake tech to morph faces triggering privacy concerns

Jack Ma believes artificial intelligence poses no threat to humanity, but <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/elon-musk-tries-off-hand-humour-again-compares-queen-elizabeth-ii-to-teletubbies-240678">Elon Musk</a> called that "famous last words" as the billionaire tech tycoons faced off Thursday in an occasionally animated debate on futurism in Shanghai.

The <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/jack-mas-669-advice-to-alibaba-employees-have-sex-six-times-in-six-days-218815">Chinese co-founder of Alibaba</a> and the maverick industrialist behind <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/elon-musk-tries-off-hand-humour-again-compares-queen-elizabeth-ii-to-teletubbies-240678">Tesla and SpaceX</a> frequently pulled pained expressions and raised eyebrows as they kicked off an AI conference with a dialogue that challenged attendees to keep up, veering from technology to Mars, death, and jobs.

However, the hot topic in the hour-long talk was AI, which has provoked increasing concern among scientists such as late British cosmologist Stephen Hawking who warned that it will eventually turn on and "annihilate" humanity.

"Computers may be clever, but human beings are much smarter," Ma said. "We invented the computer -- I've never seen the computer invent a human being."&nbsp;

While insisting that he is "not a tech guy," the e-commerce mogul added,&nbsp;"I think AI can help us understand humans better. I don't think it's a threat."&nbsp;

Musk countered,&nbsp;"I don't know man, that's like, famous last words."&nbsp;

Watch: Artificial Intelligence Influences Dating Apps

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He said the "rate of advancement of computers, in general, is insane", sketching out a vision in which super-fast, artificially intelligent devices eventually tire of dealing with dumb, slow humans.

"The computer will just get impatient if nothing else. It will be like talking to a tree," Musk said.

Mankind's hope lies in "going along for the ride" by harnessing some of that computing power, Musk said, as he offered an unabashed plug for his Neuralink Corporation.

Neuralink aims to develop implantable brain-machine interface devices, which conjures images of "The Matrix", whose characters download software to their brains that instantly turns them into martial arts masters.

"Right now we are already a cyborg because we are so well-integrated with our phones and our computers," said Musk, 48.

"The phone is like an extension of yourself. If you forget your phone, its like a missing limb."

But humanity will also have more leisure time in the future as AI takes on much of the burden of transporting, feeding, and thinking for earthlings, said Ma.

"People could work as little as three days a week, four hours a day with the help of technology advances," he said.

Ma, 54, who steps down next month as head of <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/12-hours-a-day-6-days-a-week-work-schedule-blessing-for-youngsters-jack-ma-210791">Alibaba Group</a>, questioned Musk's push to develop spacecraft that could help us colonise Mars.

"We need a hero like you, but we need more heroes like us improving things on earth," Ma said.

Musk countered that we must master interplanetary travel in case the earth becomes uninhabitable.

Scientists like Hawking have said the same, citing the risk of nuclear war, a devastating virus, global warming or asteroid collision.

But not to worry: both agreed that human mortality is a good thing as each generation brings new ideas to the global challenges we face.

"It's great to die," Ma said, with Musk adding: "That's probably true." &nbsp;

Jack Ma believes artificial intelligence poses no threat to humanity, but Elon Musk called that "famous last words" as the billionaire tech tycoons faced off Thursday in an occasionally animated debate on futurism in Shanghai.

Jack Ma believes artificial intelligence poses no threat to humanity, but Elon Musk called that "famous last words" as the billionaire tech tycoons faced off Thursday in an occasionally animated debate on futurism in Shanghai. The Chinese co-founder of Alibaba and the maverick industrialist behind Tesla and SpaceX frequently pulled pained expressions and raised eyebrows as they kicked off an AI conference with a dialogue that challenged attendees to keep up, veering from technology to Mars, death, and jobs. However, the hot topic in the hour-long talk was AI, which has provoked increasing concern among scientists such as late British cosmologist Stephen Hawking who warned that it will eventually turn on and "annihilate" humanity. "Computers may be clever, but human beings are much smarter," Ma said. "We invented the computer -- I've never seen the computer invent a human being." While insisting that he is "not a tech guy," the e-commerce mogul added, "I think AI can help us understand humans better. I don't think it's a threat." Musk countered, "I don't know man, that's like, famous last words." Watch: Artificial Intelligence Influences Dating Apps × He said the "rate of advancement of computers, in general, is insane", sketching out a vision in which super-fast, artificially intelligent devices eventually tire of dealing with dumb, slow humans. "The computer will just get impatient if nothing else. It will be like talking to a tree," Musk said. Mankind's hope lies in "going along for the ride" by harnessing some of that computing power, Musk said, as he offered an unabashed plug for his Neuralink Corporation. Neuralink aims to develop implantable brain-machine interface devices, which conjures images of "The Matrix", whose characters download software to their brains that instantly turns them into martial arts masters. "Right now we are already a cyborg because we are so well-integrated with our phones and our computers," said Musk, 48. "The phone is like an extension of yourself. If you forget your phone, its like a missing limb." But humanity will also have more leisure time in the future as AI takes on much of the burden of transporting, feeding, and thinking for earthlings, said Ma. "People could work as little as three days a week, four hours a day with the help of technology advances," he said. Ma, 54, who steps down next month as head of Alibaba Group, questioned Musk's push to develop spacecraft that could help us colonise Mars. "We need a hero like you, but we need more heroes like us improving things on earth," Ma said. Musk countered that we must master interplanetary travel in case the earth becomes uninhabitable. Scientists like Hawking have said the same, citing the risk of nuclear war, a devastating virus, global warming or asteroid collision. But not to worry: both agreed that human mortality is a good thing as each generation brings new ideas to the global challenges we face. "It's great to die," Ma said, with Musk adding: "That's probably true."

Watch: Jack Ma vs Elon Musk — Tech tycoons spar on future of Artificial Intelligence

Amazon, Microsoft and Intel are among leading tech companies putting the world at risk through <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/artificial-intelligence-to-help-curb-cyber-bullying-on-instagram-with-pop-up-warning-234138">killer robot development</a>, according to a report that surveyed major players from the sector about their stance on lethal autonomous weapons.

Dutch NGO Pax ranked 50 companies by three criteria: whether they were developing technology that could be relevant to deadly <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/israels-tanks-of-the-future-prototype-features-artificial-intelligence-240925">artificial intelligence </a>(AI), whether they were working on related military projects, and if they had committed to abstaining from contributing in the future.

"Why are companies like Microsoft and Amazon not denying that they're currently developing these highly controversial weapons, which could decide to kill people without direct human involvement?" said Frank Slijper, lead author of the report published this week.

The use of AI to allow weapon systems to autonomously select and attack targets has sparked ethical debates in recent years, with critics warning they would jeopardize international security and herald a third revolution in warfare after gunpowder and the atomic bomb.

A panel of government experts debated policy options regarding lethal autonomous weapons at a meeting of the United Nations Convention on Certain Conventional Weapons in Geneva on Wednesday.&nbsp;

Google, which last year published guiding principles eschewing AI for use in weapons systems, was among seven companies found to be engaging in "best practice" in the analysis that spanned 12 countries, as was Japan's Softbank, best known for its humanoid Pepper robot.

Twenty-two companies were of "medium concern," while 21 fell into a "high concern" category, notably Amazon and Microsoft who are both bidding for a $10 billion Pentagon contract to provide the cloud infrastructure for the US military.

Others in the "high concern" group include Palantir, a company with roots in a CIA-backed venture capital organization that was awarded an $800 million contract to develop an AI system "that can help soldiers analyse a combat zone in real-time."

"Autonomous weapons will inevitably become scalable weapons of mass destruction, because if the human is not in the loop, then a single person can launch a million weapons or a hundred million weapons," Stuart Russell, a computer science professor at the University of California, Berkeley told AFP on Wednesday.

"The fact is that autonomous weapons are going to be developed by corporations, and in terms of a campaign to prevent autonomous weapons from becoming widespread, they can play a very big role," he added.

The development of AI for military purposes has triggered debates and protest within the industry: last year Google declined to renew a Pentagon contract called Project Maven, which used machine learning to distinguish people and objects in drone videos.

It also dropped out of the running for Joint Enterprise Defense Infrastructure (JEDI), the cloud contract that Amazon and Microsoft are hoping to bag.

The report noted that Microsoft employees had also voiced their opposition to a US Army contract for an augmented reality headset, HoloLens, that aims at "increasing lethality" on the battlefield.

What they might look like

According to Russell,&nbsp;"anything that's currently a weapon, people are working on autonomous versions, whether it's tanks, fighter aircraft, or submarines."

Israel's Harpy is an autonomous drone that already exists, "loitering" in a target area and selecting sites to hit.

More worrying still are new categories of autonomous weapons that don't yet exist — these could include armed mini-drones like those featured in the 2017 short film "Slaughterbots."

"With that type of weapon, you could send a million of them in a container or cargo aircraft — so they have a destructive capacity of a nuclear bomb but leave all the buildings behind," said Russell.

Using facial recognition technology, the drones could "wipe out one ethnic group or one gender, or using social media information you could wipe out all people with a political view."

The European Union in April published guidelines for how companies and governments should develop AI, including the need for human oversight, working towards societal and environmental wellbeing in a non-discriminatory way, and respecting privacy.

Russell argued it was essential to take the next step in the form of an international ban on lethal AI, that could be summarized as "machines that can decide to kill humans&nbsp;shall not be developed, deployed, or used."

Amazon, Microsoft and Intel are among leading tech companies putting the world at risk through killer robot development, according to a report that surveyed major players from the sector about their stance on lethal autonomous weapons.

Amazon, Microsoft and Intel are among leading tech companies putting the world at risk through killer robot development, according to a report that surveyed major players from the sector about their stance on lethal autonomous weapons. Dutch NGO Pax ranked 50 companies by three criteria: whether they were developing technology that could be relevant to deadly artificial intelligence (AI), whether they were working on related military projects, and if they had committed to abstaining from contributing in the future. "Why are companies like Microsoft and Amazon not denying that they're currently developing these highly controversial weapons, which could decide to kill people without direct human involvement?" said Frank Slijper, lead author of the report published this week. The use of AI to allow weapon systems to autonomously select and attack targets has sparked ethical debates in recent years, with critics warning they would jeopardize international security and herald a third revolution in warfare after gunpowder and the atomic bomb. A panel of government experts debated policy options regarding lethal autonomous weapons at a meeting of the United Nations Convention on Certain Conventional Weapons in Geneva on Wednesday. Google, which last year published guiding principles eschewing AI for use in weapons systems, was among seven companies found to be engaging in "best practice" in the analysis that spanned 12 countries, as was Japan's Softbank, best known for its humanoid Pepper robot. Twenty-two companies were of "medium concern," while 21 fell into a "high concern" category, notably Amazon and Microsoft who are both bidding for a $10 billion Pentagon contract to provide the cloud infrastructure for the US military. Others in the "high concern" group include Palantir, a company with roots in a CIA-backed venture capital organization that was awarded an $800 million contract to develop an AI system "that can help soldiers analyse a combat zone in real-time." "Autonomous weapons will inevitably become scalable weapons of mass destruction, because if the human is not in the loop, then a single person can launch a million weapons or a hundred million weapons," Stuart Russell, a computer science professor at the University of California, Berkeley told AFP on Wednesday. "The fact is that autonomous weapons are going to be developed by corporations, and in terms of a campaign to prevent autonomous weapons from becoming widespread, they can play a very big role," he added. The development of AI for military purposes has triggered debates and protest within the industry: last year Google declined to renew a Pentagon contract called Project Maven, which used machine learning to distinguish people and objects in drone videos. It also dropped out of the running for Joint Enterprise Defense Infrastructure (JEDI), the cloud contract that Amazon and Microsoft are hoping to bag. The report noted that Microsoft employees had also voiced their opposition to a US Army contract for an augmented reality headset, HoloLens, that aims at "increasing lethality" on the battlefield. What they might look like According to Russell, "anything that's currently a weapon, people are working on autonomous versions, whether it's tanks, fighter aircraft, or submarines." Israel's Harpy is an autonomous drone that already exists, "loitering" in a target area and selecting sites to hit. More worrying still are new categories of autonomous weapons that don't yet exist — these could include armed mini-drones like those featured in the 2017 short film "Slaughterbots." "With that type of weapon, you could send a million of them in a container or cargo aircraft — so they have a destructive capacity of a nuclear bomb but leave all the buildings behind," said Russell. Using facial recognition technology, the drones could "wipe out one ethnic group or one gender, or using social media information you could wipe out all people with a political view." The European Union in April published guidelines for how companies and governments should develop AI, including the need for human oversight, working towards societal and environmental wellbeing in a non-discriminatory way, and respecting privacy. Russell argued it was essential to take the next step in the form of an international ban on lethal AI, that could be summarized as "machines that can decide to kill humans shall not be developed, deployed, or used."

Amazon, Microsoft, putting the world at risk of killer artificial intelligence: Study

Is a peek into the future worth your privacy in the present? That concern was pushed to the spotlight this week with the resurgence of a smartphone app that uses artificial intelligence to transform your current face into your younger and older selves. People raised fears on Twitter and other social media sites that on iPhones, FaceApp would be able to see and upload all your photos, including screenshots with sensitive financial or health information or photos of children with the names of their schools in the background. That's not actually true, but the scuttle serves as a good reminder to think twice before downloading new apps. Even large, mainstream apps routinely collect user data.

Myths and risks seen in FaceApp use

Instagram on Monday announced new features aimed at curbing <a href="https://www.wionews.com/business-economy/instagram-in-trouble-as-nearly-50-million-users-data-gets-leaked-online-220423">online bullying on its platform</a>, including a warning to people as they are preparing to post abusive remarks.

"It's our responsibility to create a safe environment on Instagram," said a statement from Adam Mosseri, head of the visually focused social platform owned by Facebook.

"This has been an important priority for us for some time, and we are continuing to invest in better understanding and tackling this problem."

One new tool being rolled out is a warning generated by<a href="https://www.wionews.com/business-economy/instagram-now-lets-you-check-your-obsession-for-the-platform-with-its-new-your-activity-feature-177504"> artificial intelligence to notify users</a> their comment may be considered offensive before it is posted.

"This intervention gives people a chance to reflect and undo their comment and prevents the recipient from receiving the harmful comment notification," Mosseri said.&nbsp;

"From early tests of this feature, we have found that it encourages some people to undo their comment and share something less hurtful once they have had a chance to reflect."

Another new tool is aimed at limiting the spread of abusive comments on a user's feed.

"We've heard from young people in our community that they're reluctant to block, unfollow, or report their bully because it could escalate the situation, especially if they interact with their bully in real life," Mosseri commented.

A new feature called "restrict" that is being tested will make posts from an offending person visible only to that person.

"You can choose to make a restricted person's comments visible to others by approving their comments," Mosseri added.

"Restricted people won't be able to see when you're active on Instagram or when you've read their direct messages."

The move by Instagram is the latest in a series of actions on cyberbullying by social networks to deal with hate speech and abusive conduct which can be especially harmful to young users.

Instagram on Monday announced new features aimed at curbing online bullying on its platform, including a warning to people as they are preparing to post abusive remarks.

Instagram on Monday announced new features aimed at curbing online bullying on its platform, including a warning to people as they are preparing to post abusive remarks. "It's our responsibility to create a safe environment on Instagram," said a statement from Adam Mosseri, head of the visually focused social platform owned by Facebook. "This has been an important priority for us for some time, and we are continuing to invest in better understanding and tackling this problem." One new tool being rolled out is a warning generated by artificial intelligence to notify users their comment may be considered offensive before it is posted. "This intervention gives people a chance to reflect and undo their comment and prevents the recipient from receiving the harmful comment notification," Mosseri said. "From early tests of this feature, we have found that it encourages some people to undo their comment and share something less hurtful once they have had a chance to reflect." Another new tool is aimed at limiting the spread of abusive comments on a user's feed. "We've heard from young people in our community that they're reluctant to block, unfollow, or report their bully because it could escalate the situation, especially if they interact with their bully in real life," Mosseri commented. A new feature called "restrict" that is being tested will make posts from an offending person visible only to that person. "You can choose to make a restricted person's comments visible to others by approving their comments," Mosseri added. "Restricted people won't be able to see when you're active on Instagram or when you've read their direct messages." The move by Instagram is the latest in a series of actions on cyberbullying by social networks to deal with hate speech and abusive conduct which can be especially harmful to young users.

Artificial Intelligence to help curb cyber bullying on Instagram with pop-up warning

A new Microsoft study, in collaboration with IDC Asia/Pacific, points toward a boom in <a href="https://www.wionews.com/opinions/artificial-intelligence-holds-tremendous-potential-to-transform-education-212578">Artificial Intelligence in India</a>, as a result of which innovations and organisational productivity are likely to go up in the coming years.&nbsp;

Artificial Intelligence is expected to double the rate of innovations in organisations by 2021 in India, the study said.

The research added that the rise of AI doesn't necessarily mean people will be out of work for the want of new technological skills, rather entrepreneurship and initiative-taking will be paramount to the effective implementation of AI.

"It does not necessarily mean an acute need for technological skills. The top future skills identified by business leaders include a very important soft skill needed to create new AI-led innovations – entrepreneurship and initiative taking," said Dr Rohini Srivathsa, National Technology Officer, Microsoft India whose findings were released and published on Microsoft's website.&nbsp;

The research furthered that to adapt to the fast-paced and rapidly changing "digital-first" world, organisations will need to be "fast adopters of best-in-class technology, including AI". "The jobs of today will not be the jobs of tomorrow," it stated.

Digital talent will also need to be invested in. For all of this, an investment in human capital could not be discounted. "Business leaders must have the urgency to invest in workers’ training, as AI cannot progress without skilled individuals," the research stated.

However, the study noted that "there is a necessity for workers to reskill and upskill to remain relevant and play a part in the workforce of tomorrow".&nbsp;

"Business leaders will need to drive cultural transformation within their organizations that values experimentation, agility, proactiveness and a growth mindset," the study read.

However, on surveying workers and business leaders, it was exhibited that they felt that "cultural traits and behaviours that contribute to AI adoption are not being demonstrated today".

A new Microsoft study, in collaboration with IDC Asia/Pacific, points toward a boom in Artificial Intelligence in India, as a result of which innovations and organisational productivity are likely to go up in the coming years.

A new Microsoft study, in collaboration with IDC Asia/Pacific, points toward a boom in Artificial Intelligence in India, as a result of which innovations and organisational productivity are likely to go up in the coming years. Artificial Intelligence is expected to double the rate of innovations in organisations by 2021 in India, the study said. The research added that the rise of AI doesn't necessarily mean people will be out of work for the want of new technological skills, rather entrepreneurship and initiative-taking will be paramount to the effective implementation of AI. "It does not necessarily mean an acute need for technological skills. The top future skills identified by business leaders include a very important soft skill needed to create new AI-led innovations – entrepreneurship and initiative taking," said Dr Rohini Srivathsa, National Technology Officer, Microsoft India whose findings were released and published on Microsoft's website. The research furthered that to adapt to the fast-paced and rapidly changing "digital-first" world, organisations will need to be "fast adopters of best-in-class technology, including AI". "The jobs of today will not be the jobs of tomorrow," it stated. Digital talent will also need to be invested in. For all of this, an investment in human capital could not be discounted. "Business leaders must have the urgency to invest in workers’ training, as AI cannot progress without skilled individuals," the research stated. However, the study noted that "there is a necessity for workers to reskill and upskill to remain relevant and play a part in the workforce of tomorrow". "Business leaders will need to drive cultural transformation within their organizations that values experimentation, agility, proactiveness and a growth mindset," the study read. However, on surveying workers and business leaders, it was exhibited that they felt that "cultural traits and behaviours that contribute to AI adoption are not being demonstrated today".

Rise of AI in India: Digital world will still need investment in human capital, says study

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is all around us. From digital assistants to algorithms that suggest what music to listen to, are all now a part of our everyday lives.

While soon we may travel in self-driven cars, the area where AI is poised to most profoundly affect our lives is education. It is no surprise, therefore, that the education sector is witnessing remarkable uses of AI-based technologies.&nbsp;

For instance, AI-powered teaching assistants can take over time-consuming tasks like grading and record-keeping. This technology would also allow a student to enjoy continuous and individually customised inputs that would be required at her/his stage of learning.&nbsp;

It could also help flag issues at an early stage as well as assist in the feedback process between the teacher and students - thereby enabling healthy and relevant communication.&nbsp;

Students would get access to relevant additional tools and teachers would be able to know the efficacy of different pedagogies quickly.

AI would not just hold teachers accountable, but also strengthen best teaching practices. Current systems have the ability to analyse when a large group of students makes a mistake in a question. This can be expected to improve to the point where AI could provide live hints or suggest corrective action in a customised manner.&nbsp;

With such technology, students would be able to learn from anywhere and anytime, receive individual input and maybe have access to elements of a traditional classroom.

Another upcoming innovation is the use of blockchain technology. Its use in universities could remarkably alter how evaluations and credits are maintained and transferred - both within and across institutions.&nbsp;

Academic research within universities would also see increased protection and their due share of recognition. This would incentivise academicians to pursue research work without worrying about administrative hassles. We can expect a true revolution in academic research.

 
AI helps to inspire continuous, self-directed learning. One impact of AI-assisted learning is that the gap between traditional schoolroom education and online/self-directed learning can become blurred. AI tutors can enable students to choose the most effective tools and resources from among the multitude of options available out there.&nbsp;

The best effect of the personal AI tutor is that he could usher in a completely new mentality of continuous, self-directed learning in which all will remain students throughout their lives, whether they are in a classroom or not.

There is little doubt that there are new opportunities to set up education startups. AI is creating new opportunities for first-generation entrepreneurs in all segments like affordable health care, robot-assisted surgery, preliminary diagnosis, analysis of the history of a patient to cure, etc.&nbsp; 
 
In the same manner, AI is helping the education domain as well. In future, we will be able to educate our children through 360-degree learning, explanation in dimensions more than 3D - industrial training in a manufacturing company in Germany can be imparted by sitting in India. &nbsp;

Real-time action through robots with the help of augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR) would be commonplace. The learning tools available today for English, Maths, Geography through Knowji, Splash Math, Oddizzi and others are applications of AI only.&nbsp;

Engagement of students is the key challenge for every educator and they always trying to find new ways of engagement for students.&nbsp;

AI, AR, VR, ML would be able to help us to face this challenge. We have seen students, who are more inclined towards videos rather than textbooks and so every second organisation is creating video content or acquiring startups working on the new trends of education.&nbsp;

Even traditional organisations RIL, Tata, &nbsp;Microsoft, Google and others have entered into AI-based education platforms.&nbsp;

To illustrate, RIL has acquired Embibe, Microsoft has taken Flipgrid and Google acquired Workbench to utilise the power of artificial intelligence. Thus, it is more than evident that AI will dominate the future in all walks of life. 
 
(This article was originally published on The DNA. Read the <a href="https://www.dnaindia.com/analysis/column-ai-holds-tremendous-potential-to-transform-education-2741846">original article</a>)

(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL.)&nbsp; 
&nbsp;

&nbsp;

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is all around us. From digital assistants to algorithms that suggest what music to listen to, are all now a part of our everyday lives.

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is all around us. From digital assistants to algorithms that suggest what music to listen to, are all now a part of our everyday lives. While soon we may travel in self-driven cars, the area where AI is poised to most profoundly affect our lives is education. It is no surprise, therefore, that the education sector is witnessing remarkable uses of AI-based technologies. For instance, AI-powered teaching assistants can take over time-consuming tasks like grading and record-keeping. This technology would also allow a student to enjoy continuous and individually customised inputs that would be required at her/his stage of learning. It could also help flag issues at an early stage as well as assist in the feedback process between the teacher and students - thereby enabling healthy and relevant communication. Students would get access to relevant additional tools and teachers would be able to know the efficacy of different pedagogies quickly. AI would not just hold teachers accountable, but also strengthen best teaching practices. Current systems have the ability to analyse when a large group of students makes a mistake in a question. This can be expected to improve to the point where AI could provide live hints or suggest corrective action in a customised manner. With such technology, students would be able to learn from anywhere and anytime, receive individual input and maybe have access to elements of a traditional classroom. Another upcoming innovation is the use of blockchain technology. Its use in universities could remarkably alter how evaluations and credits are maintained and transferred - both within and across institutions. Academic research within universities would also see increased protection and their due share of recognition. This would incentivise academicians to pursue research work without worrying about administrative hassles. We can expect a true revolution in academic research. AI helps to inspire continuous, self-directed learning. One impact of AI-assisted learning is that the gap between traditional schoolroom education and online/self-directed learning can become blurred. AI tutors can enable students to choose the most effective tools and resources from among the multitude of options available out there. The best effect of the personal AI tutor is that he could usher in a completely new mentality of continuous, self-directed learning in which all will remain students throughout their lives, whether they are in a classroom or not. There is little doubt that there are new opportunities to set up education startups. AI is creating new opportunities for first-generation entrepreneurs in all segments like affordable health care, robot-assisted surgery, preliminary diagnosis, analysis of the history of a patient to cure, etc. In the same manner, AI is helping the education domain as well. In future, we will be able to educate our children through 360-degree learning, explanation in dimensions more than 3D - industrial training in a manufacturing company in Germany can be imparted by sitting in India. Real-time action through robots with the help of augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR) would be commonplace. The learning tools available today for English, Maths, Geography through Knowji, Splash Math, Oddizzi and others are applications of AI only. Engagement of students is the key challenge for every educator and they always trying to find new ways of engagement for students. AI, AR, VR, ML would be able to help us to face this challenge. We have seen students, who are more inclined towards videos rather than textbooks and so every second organisation is creating video content or acquiring startups working on the new trends of education. Even traditional organisations RIL, Tata, Microsoft, Google and others have entered into AI-based education platforms. To illustrate, RIL has acquired Embibe, Microsoft has taken Flipgrid and Google acquired Workbench to utilise the power of artificial intelligence. Thus, it is more than evident that AI will dominate the future in all walks of life. (This article was originally published on The DNA. Read the original article) (Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL.)

Artificial Intelligence holds tremendous potential to transform education

Chinese authorities are using a vast system of facial recognition technology to<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/criticising-uighur-policy-could-hit-economic-relations-china-to-turkey-200550"> track its Uighur Muslim minority</a> across the country, according to a story in the New York Times.

Beijing has already attracted widespread criticism for its<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/show-us-video-information-of-missing-relatives-activists-lash-out-at-china-196893"> treatment of Uighurs</a> in the northwest region of Xinjiang, where up to one million members of mostly Muslim Turkic-speaking minority groups are held in internment camps, according to estimates cited by a UN panel.

But according to a Times article on Sunday, facial recognition technology - integrated into China’s huge networks of surveillance cameras - has been programmed to look exclusively for Uighurs based on their appearance and keep records of their movements across China.

Police are now reportedly using artificial intelligence (AI) technology to target Uighurs outside Xinjiang, including in wealthy cities like Hangzhou and Wenzhou. The newspaper claims one central city scanned whether residents were Uighurs 500,000 times in one month alone.

Beijing announced a plan in 2017 to become the world leader in the AI industry. But there have been concerns in the international community that new smart technology is being used for heavy police surveillance in recent years after violent inter-ethnic tensions.

The Times cites experts who say this is the first known example of a government intentionally using AI for racial profiling, with appetite for the new systems growing in cities across the country.

In the central province of Shaanxi, authorities reportedly "aimed to acquire a smart camera system last year that 'should support facial recognition to identify Uighur/non-Uighur attributes'."

The Times says China's Ministry of Public Security did not respond to a faxed request for comment.

China denies the accounts of mass detention in Xinjiang, saying it is running educational training centres as part of a fight against Islamic extremism in the region.

Chinese authorities are using a vast system of facial recognition technology to track its Uighur Muslim minority across the country, according to a story in the New York Times.

Chinese authorities are using a vast system of facial recognition technology to track its Uighur Muslim minority across the country, according to a story in the New York Times. Beijing has already attracted widespread criticism for its treatment of Uighurs in the northwest region of Xinjiang, where up to one million members of mostly Muslim Turkic-speaking minority groups are held in internment camps, according to estimates cited by a UN panel. But according to a Times article on Sunday, facial recognition technology - integrated into China’s huge networks of surveillance cameras - has been programmed to look exclusively for Uighurs based on their appearance and keep records of their movements across China. Police are now reportedly using artificial intelligence (AI) technology to target Uighurs outside Xinjiang, including in wealthy cities like Hangzhou and Wenzhou. The newspaper claims one central city scanned whether residents were Uighurs 500,000 times in one month alone. Beijing announced a plan in 2017 to become the world leader in the AI industry. But there have been concerns in the international community that new smart technology is being used for heavy police surveillance in recent years after violent inter-ethnic tensions. The Times cites experts who say this is the first known example of a government intentionally using AI for racial profiling, with appetite for the new systems growing in cities across the country. In the central province of Shaanxi, authorities reportedly "aimed to acquire a smart camera system last year that 'should support facial recognition to identify Uighur/non-Uighur attributes'." The Times says China's Ministry of Public Security did not respond to a faxed request for comment. China denies the accounts of mass detention in Xinjiang, saying it is running educational training centres as part of a fight against Islamic extremism in the region.

China using AI to identify Uighurs across the country: Reports

The <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/european-unions-tusk-considering-flexible-brexit-extension-up-to-one-year-senior-official-208089">European Union</a> presented ethics guidelines Monday as it seeks to promote its own Artificial Intelligence (AI) sector, which has fallen behind developments in China and the United States.

The European Commission, the bloc's executive arm, unveiled a framework aimed at boosting trust in AI by ensuring, for example, data about EU citizens are not used to harm them.

"Ethical AI is a win-win proposition that can become a competitive advantage for Europe: being a leader of human-centric AI that people can trust," Commission Vice President Andrus Ansip said.

The guidelines list seven key requirements for "trustworthy AI" established by independent experts consulted by the Commission.

Among them is one ensuring that data about citizens will not be used to harm them or to discriminate against them.

The measures also call for mechanisms to ensure accountability for AI systems and for AI algorithms to be secure and reliable enough to deal with errors or inconsistencies. &nbsp;

The Commission now aims to launch a pilot phase in which industry, research and public authorities test the list of key requirements.&nbsp;

It will also involve companies from other countries and international organisations.

The Commission aims to improve cooperation with "like-minded partners" such as Japan, Canada or Singapore and continue working with the G7 and G20 groups of leading economies.&nbsp;

The updated guidelines flow from the Commission's AI strategy unveiled in April last year, which aimed to bring public and private investment in the sector to at least 20 billion euros annually over the next decade.

Europe is trying to catch up with both the US and China.&nbsp;

A study published last month showed that China is poised to overtake the United States in artificial intelligence with a surge in academic research on the key technology.

A burgeoning sector, AI is already used to recognise people in photos, filter unwanted content from online platforms and enable cars to drive themselves.

The European Union presented ethics guidelines Monday as it seeks to promote its own Artificial Intelligence (AI) sector, which has fallen behind developments in China and the United States.

The European Union presented ethics guidelines Monday as it seeks to promote its own Artificial Intelligence (AI) sector, which has fallen behind developments in China and the United States. The European Commission, the bloc's executive arm, unveiled a framework aimed at boosting trust in AI by ensuring, for example, data about EU citizens are not used to harm them. "Ethical AI is a win-win proposition that can become a competitive advantage for Europe: being a leader of human-centric AI that people can trust," Commission Vice President Andrus Ansip said. The guidelines list seven key requirements for "trustworthy AI" established by independent experts consulted by the Commission. Among them is one ensuring that data about citizens will not be used to harm them or to discriminate against them. The measures also call for mechanisms to ensure accountability for AI systems and for AI algorithms to be secure and reliable enough to deal with errors or inconsistencies. The Commission now aims to launch a pilot phase in which industry, research and public authorities test the list of key requirements. It will also involve companies from other countries and international organisations. The Commission aims to improve cooperation with "like-minded partners" such as Japan, Canada or Singapore and continue working with the G7 and G20 groups of leading economies. The updated guidelines flow from the Commission's AI strategy unveiled in April last year, which aimed to bring public and private investment in the sector to at least 20 billion euros annually over the next decade. Europe is trying to catch up with both the US and China. A study published last month showed that China is poised to overtake the United States in artificial intelligence with a surge in academic research on the key technology. A burgeoning sector, AI is already used to recognise people in photos, filter unwanted content from online platforms and enable cars to drive themselves.

European Union unveils ethics guidelines for Artificial Intelligence

Google on Thursday confirmed that it has disbanded a recently assembled artificial intelligence ethics advisory panel in the face of controversy over its membership.

The end of the Advanced Technology External Advisory Council (ATEAC) came just days after a group of Google employees launched a public campaign against having the president of the conservative think-tank Heritage Foundation among its members.

Another member of the board had already resigned, and the inclusion of a drone company executive had rekindled concerns about potential military uses of artificial intelligence, according to Vox news website, which first reported on the council being disbanded.

"It's become clear that in the current environment, ATEAC can't function as we wanted," Google told AFP.

"So we're ending the council and going back to the drawing board."

Google added that it would seek alternative ways to gather outside input regarding responsible use of artificial intelligence.

Keeping AI unbiased

A petition published online called on Google to cull the Heritage Foundation's Kay Coles James from the council formed a week ago, due to her history of being "vocally anti-trans, anti-LGBTQ and anti-immigrant."

"In selecting James, Google is making clear that its version of 'ethics' values proximity to power over the wellbeing of trans people, other LGBTQ people and immigrants," read a statement posted on Medium by a group identifying itself as Googlers Against Transphobia.

Positions expressed by James contradict Google's stated values and, if infused into artificial intelligence, could build discrimination into super-smart machines, according to the post.

The group said that reasoning for James being added to the panel has been given as an effort to have a diversity of thought.

As of late Thursday, the online petition showed more than 2,300 signatures from academics, Google employees and others, including technology industry peers.

The controversy comes as the world grapples with balancing potential benefits of artificial intelligence with risks it could be used against people or even, if given a mind of its own, turn on its creators.

Google chief Sundar Pichai said in an interview published late last year that tech companies building AI should factor in ethics early in the process to make certain artificial intelligence with "agency of its own" doesn't hurt people.

The California-based internet giant is a leader in the development of AI, competing in the smart software race with firms such as Amazon, Apple, Facebook, IBM and Microsoft.

Last year, Google published a set of internal AI principles, the first being that AI should be socially beneficial.

Google vowed not to design or deploy AI for use in weapons, surveillance outside of international norms or in technology aimed at violating human rights.

The company noted that it would continue to work with the military or governments in areas such as cybersecurity, training, recruitment, health care and search-and-rescue.AI is already used to recognize people in photos, filter unwanted content from online platforms and enable cars to drive themselves.

Google on Thursday confirmed that it has disbanded a recently assembled artificial intelligence ethics advisory panel in the face of controversy over its membership.

Google on Thursday confirmed that it has disbanded a recently assembled artificial intelligence ethics advisory panel in the face of controversy over its membership. The end of the Advanced Technology External Advisory Council (ATEAC) came just days after a group of Google employees launched a public campaign against having the president of the conservative think-tank Heritage Foundation among its members. Another member of the board had already resigned, and the inclusion of a drone company executive had rekindled concerns about potential military uses of artificial intelligence, according to Vox news website, which first reported on the council being disbanded. "It's become clear that in the current environment, ATEAC can't function as we wanted," Google told AFP. "So we're ending the council and going back to the drawing board." Google added that it would seek alternative ways to gather outside input regarding responsible use of artificial intelligence. Keeping AI unbiased A petition published online called on Google to cull the Heritage Foundation's Kay Coles James from the council formed a week ago, due to her history of being "vocally anti-trans, anti-LGBTQ and anti-immigrant." "In selecting James, Google is making clear that its version of 'ethics' values proximity to power over the wellbeing of trans people, other LGBTQ people and immigrants," read a statement posted on Medium by a group identifying itself as Googlers Against Transphobia. Positions expressed by James contradict Google's stated values and, if infused into artificial intelligence, could build discrimination into super-smart machines, according to the post. The group said that reasoning for James being added to the panel has been given as an effort to have a diversity of thought. As of late Thursday, the online petition showed more than 2,300 signatures from academics, Google employees and others, including technology industry peers. The controversy comes as the world grapples with balancing potential benefits of artificial intelligence with risks it could be used against people or even, if given a mind of its own, turn on its creators. Google chief Sundar Pichai said in an interview published late last year that tech companies building AI should factor in ethics early in the process to make certain artificial intelligence with "agency of its own" doesn't hurt people. The California-based internet giant is a leader in the development of AI, competing in the smart software race with firms such as Amazon, Apple, Facebook, IBM and Microsoft. Last year, Google published a set of internal AI principles, the first being that AI should be socially beneficial. Google vowed not to design or deploy AI for use in weapons, surveillance outside of international norms or in technology aimed at violating human rights. The company noted that it would continue to work with the military or governments in areas such as cybersecurity, training, recruitment, health care and search-and-rescue.AI is already used to recognize people in photos, filter unwanted content from online platforms and enable cars to drive themselves.

Google disbands artificial intelligence ethics board amid controversy over its membership

In a first, Google celebrated renowned German musician Johann Christian Bach with an AI-powered doodle.

Made in partnership with the Google Magenta and Google PAIR teams, the doodle, powered by artificial intelligence (AI), is an interactive experience encouraging netizens to compose a two-measure melody of their choice.

With the press of a button that is located at the bottom right corner, the doodle uses machine learning to harmonise the custom melody into Bach's signature music style.

Bach was born and raised in the German town of Eisenach in a large musical family. His father played multiple instruments and worked as director of the town`s musicians, while his eldest brother was also a musician.

Primarily known as an exceptional organist during his lifetime, Bach also understood how to build and repair the complex inner mechanisms of pipe organs, a feature that has been incorporated into the interactive doodle.

Bach's reputation soared following the 19th century "Bach revival," as the music world gained a new appreciation for his innovative use of four-part harmony, modulations of key, and mastery of counterpoint and fugue.

In a first, Google celebrated renowned German musician Johann Christian Bach with an AI-powered doodle. Made in partnership with the Google Magenta and Google PAIR teams, the doodle, powered by artificial intelligence (AI), is an interactive experience encouraging netizens to compose a two-measure melody of their choice.

In a first, Google celebrated renowned German musician Johann Christian Bach with an AI-powered doodle. Made in partnership with the Google Magenta and Google PAIR teams, the doodle, powered by artificial intelligence (AI), is an interactive experience encouraging netizens to compose a two-measure melody of their choice. With the press of a button that is located at the bottom right corner, the doodle uses machine learning to harmonise the custom melody into Bach's signature music style. Bach was born and raised in the German town of Eisenach in a large musical family. His father played multiple instruments and worked as director of the town`s musicians, while his eldest brother was also a musician. Primarily known as an exceptional organist during his lifetime, Bach also understood how to build and repair the complex inner mechanisms of pipe organs, a feature that has been incorporated into the interactive doodle. Bach's reputation soared following the 19th century "Bach revival," as the music world gained a new appreciation for his innovative use of four-part harmony, modulations of key, and mastery of counterpoint and fugue.

Google celebrates musician Johann Christian Bach with AI-powered doodle

Tattooed models in mustard robes replaced the usual grey-suited bankers at Nordea Bank's Copenhagen headquarters recently, as the Danish bank strutted out its latest attempt to woo young talent.

Hosting a fashion show is just one-way companies like Nordea, the largest financial group in Nordic countries, are trying to attract twentysomething and thirtysomething employees. As financial services have moved online, banks have to battle with tech giants like Google and Amazon, which boast offices with features like massage rooms, to sign up tech-savvy millennials skilled in areas like artificial intelligence and programming.

"Banks today are not really banks like they were years ago," Danske Bank's head of real estate, Christian Ronn Osteraas, said in an interview. "Banks are more and more IT companies, so the fact that we compete for the same talents also means that we have to offer the same or better physical benefits and services."

Workplace ambience is becoming increasingly crucial for banks in the quest for talent among youth who care about the environment and not just a juicy paycheck.

"Seventy-seven per cent of millennials say that the workspace is more important than salary," said chief operating officer Troels Bjerg at ISS, a top facility services firm whose customers include most of Europe's 25 biggest banks.

Chief executives see attracting and retaining talent as their No. 1 challenge, according to data from ISS World, a Danish provider of facilities management, security, catering and other support services to companies globally.

"It has moved from being on the janitor's agenda to the CEO's agenda," Bjerg said.

That start-up feeling

Nordea is also looking at places like Disney and Silicon Valley for inspiration to shed banking's dusty image.

"It is important that you have something you can talk about when you get home," said Trine Thorn, Nordea's head of workplace management in Denmark. "We have to create something attractive and different. I want to have this start-up feeling."

At Danske Bank in Vilnius, Lithuania's capital where it has 700 IT employees, you can nap in a booth in 'The Library' relaxation area or challenge colleagues at ping pong or PlayStation in another room.

Danske's shared services centre in Vilnius will stay when the bank pulls out of the Baltic countries and Russia in the wake of one of the largest-ever money laundering scandals.

Video games and flexible seating may not suit everyone, though.

"Everybody wants an inspiring workplace and the challenge might be that millennials have been highlighted so much lately," Osteraas of Danske said. "It is important to attract talents of the future, but it should not remove focus from other types of employees."

From cleaner to experience manager

Nordea has been working closely with ISS to create a workplace that feels both like a bank and a tech start-up.

ISS, mainly known for its cleaning and catering services, said its new business for workplace experiences has been one of its fastest-growing areas in recent years. "Experience managers" create initiatives like a pop-up car wash in an office parking lot or a tour around the company to support knowledge sharing.

"My role is to help create a culture that's more relevant to generation Z," said Dino Portelli, an ISS experience manager contracted by a big global bank in New York.

Portelli is behind initiatives like a shuttle bus to the bank's remote site, with a host onboard who can help employees book a meeting room, provide replacement pantyhose if needed, or pre-order coffee to be ready upon arrival.

"Banks are very corporate, but here it feels like you are in a Google (office)," he said of the site, which also includes a manicure salon and works with a local farm to supply greens.

"They arrive in their suits on Monday. By Wednesday they're in slacks. And by Friday they're playing ping-pong."

Tattooed models in mustard robes replaced the usual grey-suited bankers at Nordea Bank's Copenhagen headquarters recently, as the Danish bank strutted out its latest attempt to woo young talent.

Tattooed models in mustard robes replaced the usual grey-suited bankers at Nordea Bank's Copenhagen headquarters recently, as the Danish bank strutted out its latest attempt to woo young talent. Hosting a fashion show is just one-way companies like Nordea, the largest financial group in Nordic countries, are trying to attract twentysomething and thirtysomething employees. As financial services have moved online, banks have to battle with tech giants like Google and Amazon, which boast offices with features like massage rooms, to sign up tech-savvy millennials skilled in areas like artificial intelligence and programming. "Banks today are not really banks like they were years ago," Danske Bank's head of real estate, Christian Ronn Osteraas, said in an interview. "Banks are more and more IT companies, so the fact that we compete for the same talents also means that we have to offer the same or better physical benefits and services." Workplace ambience is becoming increasingly crucial for banks in the quest for talent among youth who care about the environment and not just a juicy paycheck. "Seventy-seven per cent of millennials say that the workspace is more important than salary," said chief operating officer Troels Bjerg at ISS, a top facility services firm whose customers include most of Europe's 25 biggest banks. Chief executives see attracting and retaining talent as their No. 1 challenge, according to data from ISS World, a Danish provider of facilities management, security, catering and other support services to companies globally. "It has moved from being on the janitor's agenda to the CEO's agenda," Bjerg said. That start-up feeling Nordea is also looking at places like Disney and Silicon Valley for inspiration to shed banking's dusty image. "It is important that you have something you can talk about when you get home," said Trine Thorn, Nordea's head of workplace management in Denmark. "We have to create something attractive and different. I want to have this start-up feeling." At Danske Bank in Vilnius, Lithuania's capital where it has 700 IT employees, you can nap in a booth in 'The Library' relaxation area or challenge colleagues at ping pong or PlayStation in another room. Danske's shared services centre in Vilnius will stay when the bank pulls out of the Baltic countries and Russia in the wake of one of the largest-ever money laundering scandals. Video games and flexible seating may not suit everyone, though. "Everybody wants an inspiring workplace and the challenge might be that millennials have been highlighted so much lately," Osteraas of Danske said. "It is important to attract talents of the future, but it should not remove focus from other types of employees." From cleaner to experience manager Nordea has been working closely with ISS to create a workplace that feels both like a bank and a tech start-up. ISS, mainly known for its cleaning and catering services, said its new business for workplace experiences has been one of its fastest-growing areas in recent years. "Experience managers" create initiatives like a pop-up car wash in an office parking lot or a tour around the company to support knowledge sharing. "My role is to help create a culture that's more relevant to generation Z," said Dino Portelli, an ISS experience manager contracted by a big global bank in New York. Portelli is behind initiatives like a shuttle bus to the bank's remote site, with a host onboard who can help employees book a meeting room, provide replacement pantyhose if needed, or pre-order coffee to be ready upon arrival. "Banks are very corporate, but here it feels like you are in a Google (office)," he said of the site, which also includes a manicure salon and works with a local farm to supply greens. "They arrive in their suits on Monday. By Wednesday they're in slacks. And by Friday they're playing ping-pong."

Denmark: To lure young talent, banks mimic tech workspaces

China's state-owned TV channel Xinhua unveiled the world's first female Artificial Intelligence(AI) news anchor, adding another feather to its tech-savvy image.

The AI anchor has been developed by state-run news agency Xinhua in collaboration with tech firm Sogou Inc.

The AI robot anchor, Xin Xiaoment, can mimic human facial expressions and mannerisms while reading reports.

The AI anchor will make her professional debut during the upcoming two sessions Political meetings of China's nations legislature in March.

According to a report, Xinhua has also developed an improved male anchor called "Xin Xiaohao". This upgraded version will be able to stand up and gesticulate and has more natural mouth movements.&nbsp;

In November 2018, China introduced the world's first artificially intelligent male anchor in the World Internet Conference in the eastern Chinese town of Wuzhen.

The anchor, Qiu Hao was modelled on real-life Chinese news reader Qiu Hao who and sported a black suit and red tie, is part of a major push by China to advance its prowess in AI technology, from surveillance equipment to self-driving cars.

(With inputs from agencies)

China's state-owned TV channel Xinhua unveiled the world's first female Artificial Intelligence(AI) news anchor, adding another feather to its tech-savvy image. The AI anchor has been developed by state-run news agency Xinhua in collaboration with tech firm Sogou Inc.

China's state-owned TV channel Xinhua unveiled the world's first female Artificial Intelligence(AI) news anchor, adding another feather to its tech-savvy image. The AI anchor has been developed by state-run news agency Xinhua in collaboration with tech firm Sogou Inc. The AI robot anchor, Xin Xiaoment, can mimic human facial expressions and mannerisms while reading reports. The AI anchor will make her professional debut during the upcoming two sessions Political meetings of China's nations legislature in March. According to a report, Xinhua has also developed an improved male anchor called "Xin Xiaohao". This upgraded version will be able to stand up and gesticulate and has more natural mouth movements. In November 2018, China introduced the world's first artificially intelligent male anchor in the World Internet Conference in the eastern Chinese town of Wuzhen. The anchor, Qiu Hao was modelled on real-life Chinese news reader Qiu Hao who and sported a black suit and red tie, is part of a major push by China to advance its prowess in AI technology, from surveillance equipment to self-driving cars. (With inputs from agencies)

China unveils world's first female 'Artificial Intelligence' news anchor

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/dont-fight-in-front-of-the-kids-pope-francis-190061">Pope Francis</a> debated the potential threats artificial intelligence poses to humanity with the head of Microsoft on Wednesday, ahead of a robotics summit at the Vatican, it said.

"In the wrong hands, every instrument can become a weapon if the organisational power of humanity cannot keep up with the technology itself," Microsoft head Brad Smith said in an interview ahead of the papal meeting.

With Francis he discussed "artificial intelligence at the service of the common good and activities aimed at bridging the digital divide that still persists at the global level," the Vatican said.

The pontiff had urged world leaders gathered in Davos last year to ensure that AI "contribute(s) to the service of humanity and to the protection of our common home, rather than to the contrary".

Smith told the Vatican's L'Osservatore Romano newspaper that "in order to ensure people have confidence in technology, we must think beyond the technology itself".

"We need strong ethical principles, new evolved laws, the training of people with new skills and even labour market reforms".

Microsoft and the Vatican's Pontifical Academy for Life launched an international prize on ethics in artificial intelligence (AI), the academy said.

It will go to the best doctoral dissertation between September 2018 and October 2019 on AI at the service of humanity.

"AI will have an impact on every area of society and will not be created by or used by the technology sector alone. That's why the world must come together to face these problems with a sense of shared responsibility," Smith said.

His visit came ahead of a summit on "Robo-ethics: Humans, Machines and Health" at the Vatican on February 25 and 26.

The workshop will focus on the use of robots and artificial intelligence, specifically in medicine and health care, and how they are having an ever-increasing impact on human lives, relationships, communities and creation.

It will be followed in 2020 by a plenary assembly on artificial intelligence.

Pope Francis debated the potential threats artificial intelligence poses to humanity with the head of Microsoft on Wednesday, ahead of a robotics summit at the Vatican, it said.

Pope Francis debated the potential threats artificial intelligence poses to humanity with the head of Microsoft on Wednesday, ahead of a robotics summit at the Vatican, it said. "In the wrong hands, every instrument can become a weapon if the organisational power of humanity cannot keep up with the technology itself," Microsoft head Brad Smith said in an interview ahead of the papal meeting. With Francis he discussed "artificial intelligence at the service of the common good and activities aimed at bridging the digital divide that still persists at the global level," the Vatican said. The pontiff had urged world leaders gathered in Davos last year to ensure that AI "contribute(s) to the service of humanity and to the protection of our common home, rather than to the contrary". Smith told the Vatican's L'Osservatore Romano newspaper that "in order to ensure people have confidence in technology, we must think beyond the technology itself". "We need strong ethical principles, new evolved laws, the training of people with new skills and even labour market reforms". Microsoft and the Vatican's Pontifical Academy for Life launched an international prize on ethics in artificial intelligence (AI), the academy said. It will go to the best doctoral dissertation between September 2018 and October 2019 on AI at the service of humanity. "AI will have an impact on every area of society and will not be created by or used by the technology sector alone. That's why the world must come together to face these problems with a sense of shared responsibility," Smith said. His visit came ahead of a summit on "Robo-ethics: Humans, Machines and Health" at the Vatican on February 25 and 26. The workshop will focus on the use of robots and artificial intelligence, specifically in medicine and health care, and how they are having an ever-increasing impact on human lives, relationships, communities and creation. It will be followed in 2020 by a plenary assembly on artificial intelligence.

Pope Francis, Microsoft chief Brad Smith discuss ethics of artificial intelligence

Can robots be creative? British gallery owner Aidan Meller hopes to go some way towards answering that question with Ai-Da, who her makers say will be able to draw people from sight with a pencil in her bionic hand.

Meller is overseeing the final stages of her construction by engineers at Cornwall-based Engineered Arts.

He calls Ai-Da - named after British mathematician and computer pioneer Ada Lovelace - the world's first "AI ultra-realistic robot artist", and his ambition is for her to perform like her human equivalents.

"She's going to actually be drawing and we're hoping to then build technology for her to paint," Meller said after seeing Ai-Da's prosthetic head being carefully brought to life by specialists individually attaching hairs to form her eyebrows.

"But also as a performance artist she'll be able to engage with audiences and actually get messages across; asking those questions about technology today."

Her skeletal robotic head may stand disembodied on a workbench, but her movements are very much alive.

Cameras in each of her eyeballs recognise human features - she will make eye contact and follow you around the room, opening and closing her mouth as you do. Get too close and she'll back away, blinking, as if in shock.

Ai-Da's makers say she will have a "RoboThespian" body with expressive movements and she will talk and answer questions.

"There's AI (artificial intelligence) running in the computer vision that allows the robot to track faces to recognise facial features and to mimic your expression," said Marcus Hold, Design &amp; Production Engineer at Engineered Arts.

Ai-Da's makers are using "Mesmer" life-like robot technology for her head, and once finished she will have a mixed-race appearance with long dark hair, silicone skin and 3D printed teeth and gums.

"(Mesmer) brings together the development of software mechanics and electronics to produce a lifelike face with lifelike gestures in a small human sized package," Hold said.

Ai-Da will present her inaugural exhibition "Unsecured Futures" in May at the University of Oxford, and her sketches will go on display in London in November.

Can robots be creative? British gallery owner Aidan Meller hopes to go some way towards answering that question with Ai-Da, who her makers say will be able to draw people from sight with a pencil in her bionic hand.

Can robots be creative? British gallery owner Aidan Meller hopes to go some way towards answering that question with Ai-Da, who her makers say will be able to draw people from sight with a pencil in her bionic hand. Meller is overseeing the final stages of her construction by engineers at Cornwall-based Engineered Arts. He calls Ai-Da - named after British mathematician and computer pioneer Ada Lovelace - the world's first "AI ultra-realistic robot artist", and his ambition is for her to perform like her human equivalents. "She's going to actually be drawing and we're hoping to then build technology for her to paint," Meller said after seeing Ai-Da's prosthetic head being carefully brought to life by specialists individually attaching hairs to form her eyebrows. "But also as a performance artist she'll be able to engage with audiences and actually get messages across; asking those questions about technology today." Her skeletal robotic head may stand disembodied on a workbench, but her movements are very much alive. Cameras in each of her eyeballs recognise human features - she will make eye contact and follow you around the room, opening and closing her mouth as you do. Get too close and she'll back away, blinking, as if in shock. Ai-Da's makers say she will have a "RoboThespian" body with expressive movements and she will talk and answer questions. "There's AI (artificial intelligence) running in the computer vision that allows the robot to track faces to recognise facial features and to mimic your expression," said Marcus Hold, Design & Production Engineer at Engineered Arts. Ai-Da's makers are using "Mesmer" life-like robot technology for her head, and once finished she will have a mixed-race appearance with long dark hair, silicone skin and 3D printed teeth and gums. "(Mesmer) brings together the development of software mechanics and electronics to produce a lifelike face with lifelike gestures in a small human sized package," Hold said. Ai-Da will present her inaugural exhibition "Unsecured Futures" in May at the University of Oxford, and her sketches will go on display in London in November.

The new Picasso? Meet Ai-Da the robot artist

The new Da Vinci? Meet Ai-Da the robot artist

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