ChatGPT

Microsoft has officially released its latest language model, Phi-4, on the AI repository Hugging Face. The model is available under the permissive MIT licence, allowing broad usage for developers, researchers, and businesses alike—a significant step for democratising AI innovations. Unveiled in December 2024, Phi-4 has been drawing attention for its cutting-edge capabilities despite its compact size. Its release on Hugging Face opens the door for even wider adoption, highlighting that powerful models don’t always require massive infrastructure costs. From Azure to open access Although Microsoft initially announced Phi-4 last month, its availability was confined to Azure AI Foundry—the company’s development platform aimed at building AI-driven solutions. This exclusivity created a stir among the AI community, with many eager to get their hands on the model. Microsoft’s AI Principal Research Engineer, Shital Shah, addressed the demand on X: “We have been completely amazed by the response to phi-4 release. A lot of folks had been asking us for weight release. Few even uploaded bootlegged phi-4 weights on Hugging Face. Well, wait no more. We are releasing today official phi-4 model on Hugging Face!” The official release eliminates the need for unauthorised or “bootlegged” versions, providing a legitimate channel for developers keen to explore Phi-4’s potential. Why Phi-4 matters Phi-4 isn’t just another entry in Microsoft’s AI portfolio—it represents an evolution in the conversation about AI efficiency and accessibility. At a time when colossal models like GPT-4 dominate discussions due to their expansive capabilities, Phi-4 offers something revolutionary: big performance in a small package. Key benefits of Phi-4 include: Compact size and energy efficiency Phi-4’s lightweight architecture allows it to operate effectively on consumer-grade hardware, eliminating the need for expensive server infrastructure. Its compact form also translates to significantly reduced energy usage, which aligns well with the tech industry’s growing emphasis on sustainability and green computing. Excels in advanced mathematical reasoning Phi-4 shines in tasks demanding mathematical reasoning, a capability measured by its score of 80.4 on the challenging MATH benchmark. This performance outpaces many comparable and even larger models, positioning Phi-4 as a strong contender for industries such as finance, engineering, and data analytics. Specialised applications Training on curated datasets has made Phi-4 highly accurate for domain-specific uses. From auto-filling forms to generating tailored content, it’s particularly valuable in industries like healthcare and customer service, where compliance, speed, and accuracy are critical. Enhanced safety features By leveraging Azure AI’s Content Safety tools, Phi-4 incorporates mechanisms like prompt shields and protected material detection to mitigate risks associated with adversarial prompts, making it safer to deploy in live environments. Making AI accessible to mid-sized businesses Sustainability and security are vital, but so is cost-effectiveness. Phi-4’s capability to deliver high performance without the need for large computational resources makes it a viable choice for mid-sized enterprises eager to adopt AI solutions. This could lower barriers for businesses seeking to automate operations or enhance productivity. Innovative training techniques The model’s training process combines synthetic datasets and curated organic data, boosting Phi-4’s effectiveness while addressing common challenges with data availability. This methodology could set the stage for future advances in model development, balancing scalability with precision. Model for the masses Phi-4’s launch with an MIT licence signifies more than just access—it represents a shift in how AI technologies are developed and shared. The permissive nature of this licence allows developers to use, modify, and redistribute Phi-4 with few restrictions, fostering further innovation. This move also reflects broader trends in the AI field: a deliberate effort to democratise access to powerful models, enabling smaller organisations and independent developers to benefit from advanced technologies that were previously the preserve of tech giants or highly funded research labs. As AI adoption becomes increasingly central across sectors, the demand for efficient, adaptable, and affordable AI models continues to climb. Phi-4 is positioned for this next phase of AI proliferation by offering impressive performance at reduced costs. It could catalyse growth particularly in industries like healthcare, where streamlined and precise computational tools make life-changing benefits possible. At the same time, Phi-4 highlights the viability of a more sustainable AI future. By showing that smaller AI models can excel in practical applications while consuming fewer resources, Microsoft opens the door for environmentally-conscious advancements in machine learning. Smaller, more efficient models are proving that size isn’t everything in AI—and the era of resource-intensive giants dominating the field may be giving way to a more diverse, inclusive, and innovative ecosystem. See also: NVIDIA advances AI frontiers with CES 2025 announcements Want to learn more about AI and big data from industry leaders? Check out AI & Big Data Expo taking place in Amsterdam, California, and London. The comprehensive event is co-located with other leading events including Intelligent Automation Conference, BlockX, Digital Transformation Week, and Cyber Security & Cloud Expo. Explore other upcoming enterprise technology events and webinars powered by TechForge here. The post Microsoft releases Phi-4 language model on Hugging Face appeared first on AI News. View the full article

AI and Big Data Expo Global is under four weeks away. Set to take place at the Olympia, London, on 5-6 February 2025, this must-attend artificial intelligence and big data event is for professionals from all industries looking to learn more about the newest technology solutions. Key highlights: Headline speakers: The event boasts a stellar line-up of more than 150 speakers from leading global organisations including NVIDIA, LinkedIn, Unilever, Sainsbury’s, Co-op, Salesforce, BT Group, Meta, Lloyds Banking Group, Philips, The Economist, Jaguar Land Rover, and many others. These industry leaders will share their expertise and visions on how AI and Big Data are shaping the future across various sectors. Industry-leading agenda including: Strategic insights into the convergence of machine learning, natural language processing, and neural architectures shaping AI’s future. Explore how AI is transforming businesses globally, beyond just augmenting intelligence. Understand how AI impacts work, organisational culture, trust, and leadership. Examine AI’s effect on skills, human-AI collaboration, and the workplace experience. Empower your organisation to navigate the AI transformation journey. Dive into advanced analytics and AI for smarter, data-driven business decisions. Networking opportunities: With more than 7,000 attendees expected, the AI and Big Data Expo offers opportunities for networking, including the Networking drinks on Day 1 of the event. Plus, utilise our AI-powered matchmaking tool to connect with potential collaborators, clients and thought leaders from around the globe. Co-located shows: Gain access to nine co-located events, covering a wide range of technological innovations and trends. This multi-event format ensures attendees can explore the intersection of AI, big data and other emerging technologies. Exhibition floor: Discover the latest innovations from more than 150 industry-leading solution providers, including Salesforce, Experian, Edge Impulse, Snowflake, Coursera and more. The exhibition floor is your gateway to seeing cutting-edge products and services first-hand, offering solutions that can transform your business. In today’s landscape, AI isn’t just a tool—it’s a strategic imperative. Executives and senior employees need to stay ahead of emerging trends to drive innovation, efficiency, and growth across their organisations. Discover how AI can transform your business! Dive deep into cutting-edge sessions covering everything from AI ethics and infrastructure to human-AI collaboration and revolutionary use cases. Register today: Don’t miss your chance to attend this world-leading event and elevate your AI expertise. Secure your pass today by visiting our registration page. About AI & Big Data Expo: The AI and Big Data Expo is part of TechEx—the leading technology event: [Hidden Content]. Prepare for two days of unrivalled access to the trends and innovations shaping the future of AI, automation, and big data. Plus, gain access to nine co-located events all under the TechEx Events Series. Don’t miss out! We look forward to welcoming you to the AI & Big Data Expo Global in London! The post AI and Big Data Expo Global: Less than 4 weeks to go! appeared first on AI News. View the full article

Singapore-based Firmus Technologies has been recognised with the Asia Pacific Data Centre Project of the Year award for its AI Factory facility. The facility stands out for its advanced infrastructure and focus on energy efficiency, reflecting broader efforts to meet the rising demands of AI computing sustainably. The AI Factory is part of Firmus’s ongoing initiative to transform existing ST Telemedia Global Data Centres (STT GDC) into GPU-powered AI computing platforms. The redesigned centres are equipped with state-of-the-art hardware and efficient cooling systems, enabling them to meet both enterprise and research needs with improved energy performance metrics. As artificial intelligence continues to need more power, energy efficiency has become a major issue. Firmus has addressed the issue for nearly a decade with its AI Factory platform, which combines advanced immersion cooling technology with dependable design, build, and operation services. The company states its platform has several significant advantages, including: Energy efficiency: 45% more FLOP per utility picoJoule than traditional data centres, Cost-effectiveness: Up to 30% cheaper total cost of ownership (TCO) than direct-to-chip cooling platforms, Scalability and sustainability: Supports high-density AI workloads while reducing environmental effects, Global expertise: A track record in building and operating immersion-cooled data centres in Singapore and Australia. The deployment of the AI Factory in Singapore shows how innovative approaches to data centre infrastructure can address the energy demands of AI. The project highlights a potential pathway for sustainable AI development by achieving a pPUE of 1.02 and a reduction in energy consumption of 45%. The achievement aligns with Singapore’s National AI Strategy 2.0, which emphasises sustainable growth in AI and data centre innovation. Tim Rosenfield, co-CEO of Firmus Technologies, explained the broader vision behind the project, noting that it’s about balancing AI growth with sustainability. “By rethinking data centre design, we have created a platform that supports the growth of AI while promoting environmental sustainability. If we can do it in Singapore, where space is constrained and the humid climate is against us, we can do it anywhere,” he said. Firmus has recently changed its leadership team, adding Dr. Daniel Kearney as chief technology officer. Previously AWS’s Head of Technology for the ASEAN Enterprise business, Kearney leads the engineering team at Firmus. He pointed out how sustainable AI infrastructure is becoming essential as AI technologies expand. “This win against established data centre players recognises the importance of technology like ours in meeting the growth of AI and the energy challenges it brings,” he said. The company has been advancing its work through the Sustainable Metal Cloud (SMC), an initiative aimed at improving the efficiency and sustainability of AI infrastructure. Recent updates from Firmus include: Power efficiency benchmarks: Firmus became the first to publish comprehensive power consumption data alongside performance results for the MLPerf Training benchmark, Policy contributions: Insights from Tim Rosenfield contributed to the Tony Blair Institute for Global Change’s policy agenda on managing the energy demands of the AI sector, Industry discussions: At ATxSG24, Firmus’s Chairman, Edward Pretty, joined a panel featuring organisations like NVIDIA, the World Bank, and Alibaba Cloud to explore the balance between sustainability and the computational needs of AI, Hypercube expansion: Firmus’s team of 700 is installing the first fleet of Sustainable AI Factories, known as HyperCubes in multiple regions. Engagement at NVIDIA GTC 2024: The company participated in two panels at NVIDIA’s GTC event, discussing sustainable AI infrastructure alongside partners like NVIDIA, Deloitte, and WEKA. See also: The AI revolution: Reshaping data centres and the digital landscape Want to learn more about AI and big data from industry leaders? Check out AI & Big Data Expo taking place in Amsterdam, California, and London. The comprehensive event is co-located with other leading events including Intelligent Automation Conference, BlockX, Digital Transformation Week, and Cyber Security & Cloud Expo. Explore other upcoming enterprise technology events and webinars powered by TechForge here. The post Singapore-based Firmus wins recognition for AI data centre design appeared first on AI News. View the full article

NVIDIA CEO and founder Jensen Huang took the stage for a keynote at CES 2025 to outline the company’s vision for the future of AI in gaming, autonomous vehicles (AVs), robotics, and more. “AI has been advancing at an incredible pace,” Huang said. “It started with perception AI — understanding images, words, and sounds. Then generative AI — creating text, images, and sound. Now, we’re entering the era of ‘physical AI,’ AI that can perceive, reason, plan, and act.” With NVIDIA’s platforms and GPUs at the core, Huang explained how the company continues to fuel breakthroughs across multiple industries while unveiling innovations such as the Cosmos platform, next-gen GeForce RTX 50 Series GPUs, and compact AI supercomputer Project DIGITS. RTX 50 series: “The GPU is a beast” One of the most significant announcements during CES 2025 was the introduction of the GeForce RTX 50 Series, powered by NVIDIA Blackwell architecture. Huang debuted the flagship RTX 5090 GPU, boasting 92 billion transistors and achieving an impressive 3,352 trillion AI operations per second (TOPS). “GeForce enabled AI to reach the masses, and now AI is coming home to GeForce,” said Huang. Holding the blacked-out GPU, Huang called it “a beast,” highlighting its advanced features, including dual cooling fans and its ability to leverage AI for revolutionary real-time graphics. Set for a staggered release in early 2025, the RTX 50 Series includes the flagship RTX 5090 and RTX 5080 (available 30 January), followed by the RTX 5070 Ti and RTX 5070 (February). Laptop GPUs join the lineup in March. In addition, NVIDIA introduced DLSS 4 – featuring ‘Multi-Frame Generation’ technology – which boosts gaming performance up to eightfold by generating three additional frames for every frame rendered. Other advancements, such as RTX Neural Shaders and RTX Mega Geometry, promise heightened realism in video games, including precise face and hair rendering using generative AI. Cosmos: Ushering in physical AI NVIDIA took another step forward with the Cosmos platform at CES 2025, which Huang described as a “game-changer” for robotics, industrial AI, and AVs. Much like the impact of large language models on generative AI, Cosmos represents a new frontier for AI applications in robotics and autonomous systems. “The ChatGPT moment for general robotics is just around the corner,” Huang declared. Cosmos integrates generative models, tokenisers, and video processing frameworks to enable robots and vehicles to simulate potential outcomes and predict optimal actions. By ingesting text, image, and video prompts, Cosmos can generate “virtual world states,” tailored for complex robotics and AV use cases involving real-world environments and lighting. Top robotics and automotive leaders – including XPENG, Hyundai Motor Group, and Uber – are among the first to adopt Cosmos, which is available on GitHub via an open licence. Pras Velagapudi, CTO at Agility, comments: “Data scarcity and variability are key challenges to successful learning in robot environments. Cosmos’ text-, image- and video-to-world capabilities allow us to generate and augment photorealistic scenarios for a variety of tasks that we can use to train models without needing as much expensive, real-world data capture.” Empowering developers with AI models NVIDIA also unveiled new AI foundation models for RTX PCs, which aim to supercharge content creation, productivity, and enterprise applications. These models, presented as NVIDIA NIM (Neural Interaction Model) microservices, are designed to integrate with the RTX 50 Series hardware. Huang emphasised the accessibility of these tools: “These AI models run in every single cloud because NVIDIA GPUs are now available in every cloud.” NVIDIA is doubling down on its push to equip developers with advanced tools for building AI-driven solutions. The company introduced AI Blueprints: pre-configured tools for crafting agents tailored to specific enterprise needs, such as content generation, fraud detection, and video management. “They are completely open source, so you could take it and modify the blueprints,” explains Huang. Huang also announced the release of Llama Nemotron, designed for developers to build and deploy powerful AI agents. Ahmad Al-Dahle, VP and Head of GenAI at Meta, said: “Agentic AI is the next frontier of AI development, and delivering on this opportunity requires full-stack optimisation across a system of LLMs to deliver efficient, accurate AI agents. “Through our collaboration with NVIDIA and our shared commitment to open models, the NVIDIA Llama Nemotron family built on Llama can help enterprises quickly create their own custom AI agents.” Philipp Herzig, Chief AI Officer at SAP, added: “AI agents that collaborate to solve complex tasks across multiple lines of the business will unlock a whole new level of enterprise productivity beyond today’s generative AI scenarios. “Through SAP’s Joule, hundreds of millions of enterprise users will interact with these agents to accomplish their goals faster than ever before. NVIDIA’s new open Llama Nemotron model family will foster the development of multiple specialised AI agents to transform business processes.” Safer and smarter autonomous vehicles NVIDIA’s announcements extended to the automotive industry, where its DRIVE Hyperion AV platform is fostering a safer and smarter future for AVs. Built on the new NVIDIA AGX Thor system-on-a-chip (SoC), the platform allows vehicles to achieve next-level functional safety and autonomous capabilities using generative AI models. “The autonomous vehicle revolution is here,” Huang said. “Building autonomous vehicles, like all robots, requires three computers: NVIDIA DGX to train AI models, Omniverse to test-drive and generate synthetic data, and DRIVE AGX, a supercomputer in the car.” Huang explained that synthetic data is critical for AV development, as it dramatically enhances real-world datasets. NVIDIA’s AI data factories – powered by Omniverse and Cosmos platforms – generate synthetic driving scenarios, increasing the effectiveness of training data exponentially. Toyota, the world’s largest automaker, is committed to using NVIDIA DRIVE AGX Orin and the safety-certified NVIDIA DriveOS to develop its next-generation vehicles. Heavyweights such as JLR, Mercedes-Benz, and Volvo Cars have also adopted DRIVE Hyperion. Project DIGITS: Compact AI supercomputer Huang concluded his NVIDIA keynote at CES 2025 with a final “one more thing” announcement: Project DIGITS, NVIDIA’s smallest yet most powerful AI supercomputer, powered by the cutting-edge GB10 Grace Blackwell Superchip. “This is NVIDIA’s latest AI supercomputer,” Huang declared, revealing its compact size, claiming it’s portable enough to “practically fit in a pocket.” Project DIGITS enables developers and engineers to train and deploy AI models directly from their desks, providing the full power of NVIDIA’s AI stack in a compact form. Set to launch in May, Project DIGITS represents NVIDIA’s push to make AI supercomputing accessible to individuals as well as organisations. Vision for tomorrow Reflecting on NVIDIA’s journey since inventing the programmable GPU in 1999, Huang described the past 12 years of AI-driven change as transformative. “Every single layer of the technology stack has been fundamentally transformed,” he said. With advancements spanning gaming, AI-driven agents, robotics, and autonomous vehicles, Huang foresees an exciting future. “All of the enabling technologies I’ve talked about today will lead to surprising breakthroughs in general robotics and AI over the coming years,” Huang concludes. (Image Credit: NVIDIA) See also: Sam Altman, OpenAI: ‘Lucky and humbling’ to work towards superintelligence Want to learn more about AI and big data from industry leaders? Check out AI & Big Data Expo taking place in Amsterdam, California, and London. The comprehensive event is co-located with other leading events including Intelligent Automation Conference, BlockX, Digital Transformation Week, and Cyber Security & Cloud Expo. Explore other upcoming enterprise technology events and webinars powered by TechForge here. The post NVIDIA advances AI frontiers with CES 2025 announcements appeared first on AI News. View the full article

Sam Altman, CEO and co-founder of OpenAI, has shared candid reflections on the company’s journey as it aims to achieve superintelligence. With ChatGPT recently marking its second anniversary, Altman outlines OpenAI’s achievements, ongoing challenges, and vision for the future of AI. “The second birthday of ChatGPT was only a little over a month ago, and now we have transitioned into the next paradigm of models that can do complex reasoning,” Altman reflects. A bold mission to achieve AGI and superintelligence OpenAI was founded in 2015 with a clear, albeit bold, mission: to develop AGI and ensure it benefits all of humanity. Altman and the founding team believed AGI could become “the most impactful technology in human history.” Yet, he recalls, the world wasn’t particularly interested in their quest back then. “At the time, very few people cared, and if they did, it was mostly because they thought we had no chance of success,” Altman explains. Fast forward to 2022, OpenAI was still a relatively quiet research facility testing what was then referred to as ‘Chat With GPT-3.5.’ Developers had been exploring the capabilities of its API, and the excitement sparked the idea of launching a user-ready demo. This demo led to the creation of ChatGPT, which Altman acknowledges benefited from “mercifully” better branding than its initial name. When it launched on 30 November 2022, ChatGPT proved to be a tipping point. “The launch of ChatGPT kicked off a growth curve like nothing we have ever seen—in our company, our industry, and the world broadly,” he says OpenAI has since witnessed an evolution marked by staggering interest, not just in its tools but in the broader possibilities of AI. Building at breakneck speed Altman admits that scaling OpenAI into a global tech powerhouse came with significant challenges. “In the last two years, we had to build an entire company, almost from scratch, around this new technology,” he notes, adding, “There is no way to train people for this except by doing it.” Operating in uncharted waters, the OpenAI team often faced ambiguity—making decisions on the fly and dealing with the inevitable missteps. “Building up a company at such high velocity with so little training is a messy process,” Altman explains. “It’s often two steps forward, one step back (and sometimes, one step forward and two steps back).” Yet, despite the chaos, Altman credits the team’s resilience and ability to adapt. OpenAI now boasts over 300 million weekly active users, a sharp increase from the 100 million reported just a year ago. Much of this success lies in the organisation’s ethos of learning by doing, combined with a commitment to putting “technology out into the world that people genuinely seem to love and that solves real problems.” ‘A big failure of governance’ Of course, the journey so far hasn’t been without turmoil. Altman recounts a particularly difficult chapter from November 2023 when he was suddenly ousted as CEO, briefly recruited by Microsoft, only to be reinstated by OpenAI days later amid industry backlash and staff protests. Speaking openly, Altman highlights the need for better governance structures in organisations tackling critical technologies like AI. “The whole event was, in my opinion, a big failure of governance by well-meaning people, myself included,” he admits. “Looking back, I certainly wish I had done things differently, and I’d like to believe I’m a better, more thoughtful leader today than I was a year ago.” The episode served as a stark reminder of the complexity of managing rapid growth and the stakes involved in AI development. It also drove OpenAI to forge new governance structures “that enable us to pursue our mission of ensuring that AGI benefits all of humanity.” Altman expressed deep gratitude for the support OpenAI received during the crisis from employees, partners, and customers. “My biggest takeaway is how much I have to be thankful for and how many people I owe gratitude towards,” he emphasises. Pivoting towards superintelligence Looking forward, Altman says OpenAI is beginning to aim beyond AGI towards the development of “superintelligence”—AI systems that far surpass human cognitive capabilities. “We are now confident we know how to build AGI as we have traditionally understood it,” Altman shares. OpenAI predicts that by the end of this year, AI agents will significantly “join the workforce,” revolutionising industries with smarter automation and companion systems. Achieving superintelligence would be especially transformative for society, with the potential to accelerate scientific discoveries, but also poses the most significant dangers. “We believe in the importance of being world leaders on safety and alignment research … OpenAI cannot be a normal company,” he notes, underscoring the need to approach innovation responsibly. OpenAI’s strategy includes gradually introducing breakthroughs into the world, allowing for society to adapt alongside AI’s rapid evolution. “Iteratively putting great tools in the hands of people leads to great, broadly-distributed outcomes,” Altman argues. Reflecting on the organisation’s trajectory, Altman admits OpenAI’s path has been defined by both extraordinary breakthroughs and significant challenges—from scaling teams to navigating public scrutiny. “Nine years ago, we really had no idea what we were eventually going to become; even now, we only sort of know,” he says. What remains clear is his unwavering commitment to OpenAI’s vision. “Our vision won’t change; our tactics will continue to evolve,” Altman claims, attributing the company’s remarkable progress to the team’s willingness to rethink processes and embrace challenges. As AI continues to reshape industries and daily life, Altman’s central message is evident: While the journey has been anything but smooth, OpenAI is steadfast in its mission to unlock the benefits of AI for all. “How lucky and humbling it is to be able to play a role in this work,” Altman concludes. See also: OpenAI funds $1 million study on AI and morality at Duke University Want to learn more about AI and big data from industry leaders? Check out AI & Big Data Expo taking place in Amsterdam, California, and London. The comprehensive event is co-located with other leading events including Intelligent Automation Conference, BlockX, Digital Transformation Week, and Cyber Security & Cloud Expo. Explore other upcoming enterprise technology events and webinars powered by TechForge here. The post Sam Altman, OpenAI: ‘Lucky and humbling’ to work towards superintelligence appeared first on AI News. View the full article For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

Video surveillance has come a long way from simple CCTV setups. Today’s businesses demand more – smarter analytics, enhanced security, and seamless scalability. As organisations adopt AI and automation across their operations, video management systems (VMS) face new challenges: How to keep video surveillance scalable and easy to manage? Can AI analytics like face recognition or behaviour detection be integrated without breaking the budget? Is my current system prepared for modern security risks? These questions are not hypothetical. They represent real obstacles businesses face when managing video surveillance systems. Solving them requires innovative thinking, flexible tools, and a smarter approach to how systems are designed and operated. The Shift to Smarter Surveillance Traditional video surveillance systems often fail to meet the needs of dynamic, modern environments. Whether it’s a retail chain looking to analyse customer behaviour or a factory monitoring equipment safety, the tools of yesterday aren’t enough to address today’s demands. The shift towards smarter surveillance involves integrating modular, AI-driven systems that: Adapt to your specific needs, Automate tedious tasks like footage analysis, Offer advanced analytics, like emotion detection or license plate recognition, Remain accessible to both tech-savvy professionals and beginners. This isn’t just a technical shift; it’s a shift in mindset. Businesses now see surveillance not only as a security measure but as a strategic tool for operational insight. Meet Xeoma: The modular approach to smarter surveillance At the forefront of this smarter surveillance revolution is Xeoma, a modular, AI-powered video surveillance software that provides various solutions to challenges of modern businesses: Modularity for customisation. Xeoma’s plug-and-play structure allows businesses to tailor their surveillance systems. Whether you need facial recognition, vehicle detection, or heatmaps of customer activity, Xeoma makes it easy to add or remove modules as needed. AI-powered analytics: Xeoma offers cutting-edge features like: Object recognition: Detect and classify objects like people, animals, and vehicles, Voice-to-text: Transcribe spoken words into text, Fire detection: Detect the presence of fire or smoke, Licence plate recognition: Automatically read and record vehicle licence plates, Age and gender recognition: Determine the age range and gender of individuals. Ease of use: Unlike many systems with steep learning curves, Xeoma is designed to be user-friendly. Its intuitive interface ensures that even non-technical users can quickly set up and operate the software. Seamless integration: Xeoma integrates with IoT devices, access control systems, and other third-party tools, making it an ideal choice for businesses looking to enhance their existing setups. Cost efficiency: With Xeoma, you only pay once thanks to the lifetime licences. The pricing structure ensures that businesses of all sizes, from startups to enterprises, can find a solution that fits their budgets. Unlimited scalability: Xeoma has no limitations in number of cameras it can work with. Either the system has tens, hundreds or thousands of cameras – Xeoma will handle them all Encrypted communication: Xeoma uses secure communication protocols (HTTPS, SSL/TLS) to encrypt data transmitted between the server, cameras, and clients. The prevents unauthorised access during data transmission. Xeoma’s flexible design and robust features allow it to be tailored to a wide range of scenarios, empowering organisations to meet their unique challenges while staying efficient, secure, and scalable. How Xeoma benefits your business: Scenarios Xeoma isn’t just a tool for security – it’s a versatile platform that adapts to your environment, whether you run a small retail store, manage a factory floor, or oversee an entire urban surveillance network. Retail: Elevating customer experience Picture this: You manage a busy store where you need to understand peak traffic hours and monitor for shoplifting. With Xeoma one can: Deploy AI-based ‘face recognition’ to discreetly flag known shoplifters or VIP customers to enhance service, Use ‘visitors counter’ and ‘crowd detector’ to identify when foot traffic is highest and allocate staff accordingly, Analyse heatmaps to see which areas of the store attract the most attention, optimising product placement, Add ‘unique visitors counter’ module to your system to group people by frequency of attendance. At the same time, age and gender recognition will assist you in tailoring your promo more accurately, Enhance the results of your marketing efforts with eye tracking by getting insights into human psychology. Manufacturing: Ensuring workplace safety On a bustling factory floor, every second matters, and safety is critical. Xeoma can help by: Detecting if workers are in restricted zones using ‘cross-line detector,’ Monitoring compliance with safety protocols with helmet and mask detectors. Sending real-time alerts to supervisors about potential hazards, like machinery malfunctions or unauthorised access, via a plethora of means from push notifications to personalised alerts, Elevating trust and satisfaction levels with timelapse and streaming to YouTube. Urban surveillance: Protecting communities If you’re part of a city planning team or law enforcement agency, Xeoma scales effortlessly to monitor entire districts: Use licence plate recognition to track vehicles entering and exiting restricted areas, Automate responses to emergencies, from traffic incidents and rule violations (for example, speeding, passing on red traffic light or ******** parking detectors) to public safety threats, Identify suspicious behaviour in crowded public spaces using ‘loitering detector,’ Detect graffiti and ads that have prohibited words like “drugs” with text recognition, Recognise faces to find wanted or missing people with face identification. Education: Safeguarding schools For schools and universities, safety is a top priority. Xeoma provides: AI alerts with ‘detector of abandoned objects’ and ‘sound detector’ for detecting unattended bags or abnormal behaviour, ensuring quick response times, Smoke and fire detection that allows you to prevent or promptly respond to the body of fire. Smart automated verification with ‘smart-card reader’ and ‘face ID’ that help to avoid the penetration by unauthorised persons, Integration with existing access control systems via API or HTTP protocol for a seamless security solution, Live streaming to your educational entity website or YouTube can enhance parental engagement or build a positive image, while eye tracking serves as an effective anti-cheat solution in monitoring systems. Hospitality: Enhancing guest experiences In the hospitality industry, guest satisfaction is everything. Xeoma helps you: • Monitor entrances and exits with access control integration for smooth check-ins and check-outs, • Use ’emotion detector’ to gauge customer satisfaction in common areas, • Ensure staff compliance with protocols to maintain service quality with ‘voice-to-text’ module. Conclusion: Connecting Xeoma to your vision Every business has its unique challenges, and Xeoma’s versatility means it can be the solution you need to overcome yours. Imagine running a business where: Your team has actionable insights at their fingertips, Potential threats are flagged before they escalate, Your surveillance system doesn’t just protect – it empowers decision-making and growth. Xeoma isn’t just about surveillance; it’s about giving you peace of mind, actionable intelligence, and the flexibility to focus on what matters most – your people, your customers, and your vision for the future. Whether you’re securing a retail space, safeguarding a factory, or protecting an entire community, Xeoma’s modular, AI-powered platform adapts to your goals and grows alongside you. Ready to see how Xeoma can transform your video surveillance strategy? Explore a free demo and start building your ideal system today. The post Rethinking video surveillance: The case for smarter, more flexible solutions appeared first on AI News. View the full article For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

OpenAI is awarding a $1 million grant to a Duke University research team to look at how AI could predict human moral judgments. The initiative highlights the growing focus on the intersection of technology and ethics, and raises critical questions: Can AI handle the complexities of morality, or should ethical decisions remain the domain of humans? Duke University’s Moral Attitudes and Decisions Lab (MADLAB), led by ethics professor Walter Sinnott-Armstrong and co-investigator Jana Schaich Borg, is in charge of the “Making Moral AI” project. The team envisions a “moral GPS,” a tool that could guide ethical decision-making. Its research spans diverse fields, including computer science, philosophy, psychology, and neuroscience, to understand how moral attitudes and decisions are formed and how AI can contribute to the process. The role of AI in morality MADLAB’s work examines how AI might predict or influence moral judgments. Imagine an algorithm assessing ethical dilemmas, such as deciding between two unfavourable outcomes in autonomous vehicles or providing guidance on ethical business practices. Such scenarios underscore AI’s potential but also raise fundamental questions: Who determines the moral framework guiding these types of tools, and should AI be trusted to make decisions with ethical implications? OpenAI’s vision The grant supports the development of algorithms that forecast human moral judgments in areas such as medical, law, and business, which frequently involve complex ethical trade-offs. While promising, AI still struggles to grasp the emotional and cultural nuances of morality. Current systems excel at recognising patterns but lack the deeper understanding required for ethical reasoning. Another concern is how this technology might be applied. While AI could assist in life-saving decisions, its use in defence strategies or surveillance introduces moral dilemmas. Can unethical AI actions be justified if they serve national interests or align with societal goals? These questions emphasise the difficulties of embedding morality into AI systems. Challenges and opportunities Integrating ethics into AI is a formidable challenge that requires collaboration across disciplines. Morality is not universal; it is shaped by cultural, personal, and societal values, making it difficult to encode into algorithms. Additionally, without safeguards such as transparency and accountability, there is a risk of perpetuating biases or enabling harmful applications. OpenAI’s investment in Duke’s research marks at step toward understanding the role of AI in ethical decision-making. However, the journey is far from over. Developers and policymakers must work together to ensure that AI tools align with social values, and emphasise fairness and inclusivity while addressing biases and unintended consequences. As AI becomes more integral to decision-making, its ethical implications demand attention. Projects like “Making Moral AI” offer a starting point for navigating a complex landscape, balancing innovation with responsibility in order to shape a future where technology serves the greater good. (Photo by Unsplash) See also: AI governance: Analysing emerging global regulations Want to learn more about AI and big data from industry leaders? Check out AI & Big Data Expo taking place in Amsterdam, California, and London. The comprehensive event is co-located with other leading events including Intelligent Automation Conference, BlockX, Digital Transformation Week, and Cyber Security & Cloud Expo. Explore other upcoming enterprise technology events and webinars powered by TechForge here. The post OpenAI funds $1 million study on AI and morality at Duke University appeared first on AI News. View the full article

The emerging US-China Artificial General Intelligence (AGI) rivalry could face a major policy transformation, as the US-China Economic and Security Review Commission (USCC) recommends a Manhattan Project-style initiative and restrictions on humanoid robots in its latest report to Congress. Released in November 2024, the Commission’s annual report outlined 32 recommendations that could fundamentally alter how the two countries interact, with artificial intelligence taking centre stage in a new chapter of strategic rivalry. US-China: the AGI moonshot and critical tech controls At the heart of the report lies an ambitious proposal: establishing a government-backed programme to develop AGI – AI systems that could match and potentially exceed human cognitive abilities. However, the recommendation is just one piece of a larger technological puzzle, including export controls, investment screening, and new trade policies to preserve US technological advantages. The proposed AGI initiative would provide multi-year contracts to leading AI companies, cloud providers, and data centre operators. It would be backed by the Defense Department’s highest priority, “DX Rating” – a designation typically reserved for critical national security projects. This level of government involvement in AI development mirrors the urgency seen in previous technological races. It raises crucial questions about the role of state intervention in an industry primarily driven by private sector innovation. The Commission’s tech-focused recommendations extend beyond AI. Notable proposals include restricting imports of ********-made autonomous humanoid robots with advanced dexterity, locomotion, and intelligence capabilities. The report also targets energy infrastructure products with remote monitoring capabilities, reflecting growing concerns about connected technologies in critical infrastructure. The report builds on existing export controls in the semiconductor space by recommending stronger oversight of technology transfers and investment flows. This comes as China continues to build domestic chip-making capabilities despite international restrictions. The Commission suggests creating an Outbound Investment Office that prevents US capital and expertise from advancing China’s technological capabilities in sensitive sectors. Reshaping trade relations and investment flows Perhaps most significantly, the report recommends eliminating China’s Permanent Normal Trade Relations (PNTR) status—a move that could reshape the technology supply chain and trade flows that have defined the global tech industry for decades. This recommendation acknowledges how deeply intertwined the US and ******** tech ecosystems have become, while suggesting that this interdependence may now pose more risks than benefits. Data transparency is another key theme, with recommendations for expanded reporting requirements on investments and technology transfers. The Commission calls for better tracking of investments flowing through offshore entities, addressing a significant blind-spot in current oversight mechanisms. The report’s release comes at a critical juncture in technological development. China’s push for self-sufficiency in vital technologies and its “new quality productive forces” initiative demonstrates Beijing’s determination to lead in next-generation technologies. Meanwhile, AI capabilities and quantum computing breakthroughs have raised the stakes in technology competition. However, the Commission’s recommendations face practical challenges. Achieving AGI remains a complex scientific challenge that may not yield quick results, regardless of funding levels. Additionally, restrictions on technology transfers and investment could have unintended consequences for global innovation networks that have historically benefited both nations. If these recommendations are implemented, the tech industry may need to navigate an increasingly complex regulatory landscape. Companies would face new compliance requirements for international investments, technology transfers, and collaborative research projects. Challenges and future implications The effectiveness of the proposed measures will likely depend on coordination with allies and partners who share similar technological capabilities and concerns. The report acknowledges this by recommending multilateral approaches to export controls and investment screening. US-China technological competition has entered a new phase where government policy may play a more direct role in shaping development. Whether this approach accelerates or hinders innovation remains to be seen, but the tech industry should prepare for increased scrutiny and regulation of international technological collaboration. (Photo by Nathan Bingle) See also: ******** firms use cloud loophole to access US AI tech Want to learn more about AI and big data from industry leaders? Check out AI & Big Data Expo taking place in Amsterdam, California, and London. The comprehensive event is co-located with other leading events including Intelligent Automation Conference, BlockX, Digital Transformation Week, and Cyber Security & Cloud Expo. Explore other upcoming enterprise technology events and webinars powered by TechForge here. The post Manhattan Project 2.0? US eyes AGI breakthrough in escalating China rivalry appeared first on AI News. View the full article

When devices, networks, and AI work together seamlessly, it creates a smarter, more connected ecosystem. This isn’t a distant dream; it’s a reality rapidly emerging as blockchain, IoT, and AI come together. These technologies are no longer working in isolation – they form a trio that redefines how industries could function. David Palmer, chief product officer of Pairpoint by Vodafone, captures this shift: “Blockchain is providing trust. It gave us tokenisation, it gave us smart contracts, and it gave us a new way of automating, which is now spilling over into the wider business landscape.” Building trust with blockchain At its core, blockchain has matured from experimental concepts to practical tools for industries. Its early potential is now manifest in real-world applications like supply chain management and decentralised finance (DeFi). Blockchain not only ensures trust through transparency but lets organisations streamline operations and gain new efficiencies. Palmer described blockchain’s evolution: “It’s been years in the past where we’ve done a lot of proof of concepts, we’ve done a lot of training. It’s been a lot of headlines. But today I really want to explore how blockchain and IoT and AI can work together to really be a part of the new business digital infrastructure that’s emerging.” IoT’s expanding role in data generation IoT devices have become omnipresent, embedded in everything from cars and drones to household sensors. Experts expect that by 2030, there will be around 30 billion IoT devices worldwide. These devices generate massive amounts of data, which AI systems capitalise on to provide actionable insights. According to Palmer, “By 2030, we’re expecting over 30 billion IoT devices. These are cars, drones, cabinets, sensors, all woven into the business process and business industry.” But IoT isn’t just about data collection. It introduces the concept of the “economy of things,” where devices transact autonomously. To make this work, however, these devices need secure and reliable connectivity – a role blockchain is uniquely equipped to fulfil. AI’s appetite for reliable data AI thrives on data, but the quality and security of that data are paramount. Public datasets have reached their limits, pushing businesses to tap into proprietary data generated by IoT devices. This creates a two-way relationship: IoT devices supply data for AI, while AI enhances these devices with real-time intelligence. Palmer emphasises the importance of data trustworthiness in this ecosystem: “You need an identity which gives you origin of data. So we know the data is coming from a certain source, is signed, but then we also need to trust the AI that’s coming back.” Blockchain plays an impartant role in ensuring trust. It guarantees the legitimacy of both the data given to AI systems and the intelligence delivered back to IoT devices through verified digital identities and cryptographic signing. Digital wallets and the adoption of blockchain Digital wallets are becoming a cornerstone of this evolving ecosystem. Their global numbers are expected to grow from 4 billion today to 5.6 billion by 2030. Unlike traditional wallets, blockchain-enabled wallets go beyond cryptocurrencies, supporting functionalities like account abstraction and integration with tools like WalletConnect. One breakthrough is the integration of tokenised bank deposits. These bridge traditional banking with blockchain, encouraging businesses to use blockchain for their transaction needs. As a result, blockchain is making its way into broader business applications. Finance meets IoT The integration of finance into IoT devices is another forward step. Using smart contracts and AI, devices as disparate as cars and drones can now handle payments autonomously. Toll payments, EV charging, and retail purchases are just the beginning of this embedded finance ecosystem. Palmer illustrated the potential: “By linking EV chargers and vehicles to blockchain, you can then relate that to their payment credential and their payment preferences. And then you can have a peer-to-peer transaction.” The same principle applies to energy grids, where vehicles can sell energy during peak times and recharge during off-peak hours, thereby enhancing sustainability. Decentralised infrastructure networks Another interesting development is the rise of decentralised physical infrastructure networks (DePIN). These networks allow shared or tokenised resources to create community-driven infrastructures. For instance, protocols like Render pool GPU resources for gaming, while Filecoin decentralises storage. According to Palmer, “It’s about how communities can build specific AI and specific connectivity infrastructure, specific payments infrastructure for their businesses.” Blockchain and the role of CBDCs Governments are also noting blockchain’s potential. Central Bank Digital Currencies (CBDCs) are being explored as a way to integrate blockchain into macroeconomic policies, such as managing money supply and redistributing income. Tokenised deposits further extend blockchain’s role by digitising traditional monetary systems. With CBDCs and tokenised deposits, blockchain is moving beyond niche applications to become an important part of financial ecosystems worldwide. The metaverse and its evolution The metaverse, once a far-off concept, is rapidly evolving. Innovations like AI-enabled smart glasses change how users interact with immersive digital content. Palmer noted: “This year, the introduction of the glasses by Meta […] allow you to […] access your content but also have access to AI agents.” AI robots are also adding a new dimension to the metaverse by bridging virtual and physical experiences. These same technologies and methods open up opportunities in a variety of industries, including manufacturing and healthcare. A seamless digital ecosystem The convergence of blockchain, IoT, and AI marks a turning point in digital transformation. Blockchain ensures trust, IoT generates data, and AI delivers intelligence. Together, these technologies promise to create a digital operating system capable of reshaping industries and economies by 2030. Palmer concludes, “If we can link billions of devices to blockchain and AI through secure infrastructure, we unlock the potential of a truly interconnected digital economy.” See also: AI meets blockchain and decentralised data Want to learn more about AI and big data from industry leaders? Check out AI & Big Data Expo taking place in Amsterdam, California, and London. The comprehensive event is co-located with other leading events including Intelligent Automation Conference, BlockX, Digital Transformation Week, and Cyber Security & Cloud Expo. Explore other upcoming enterprise technology events and webinars powered by TechForge here. The post How blockchain, IoT, and AI are shaping the future of digital transformation appeared first on AI News. View the full article

As we approach a new year filled with potential, the landscape of technology, particularly artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML), is on the brink of significant transformation. Manish Jethwa, CTO at Ordnance Survey (OS), the national mapping agency for Great Britain, offers an insightful glimpse into what we can expect from these advancements and their implications for the geospatial sector. Breaking Down Barriers with AI Looking ahead, Jethwa anticipates continued significant advancements in AI and machine learning, particularly with the push towards Gen AI. According to him, the integration of large language models (LLMs) with more sophisticated agents will not only perform complex tasks on behalf of users but also further reduce barriers to interaction. This shift, especially in the geospatial field, means that translating natural language into precise data queries will become more seamless, ultimately making geospatial datasets more accessible, mainstream, and user-friendly. Training for Complex Tasks Beyond LLMs, Jethwa is optimistic about progress in the broader category of machine learning, driven by greater access to graphics processing units for training. He says: “At Ordnance Survey (OS), we’ll leverage this capability to train models for specific, complex tasks such as automatic feature extraction from imagery. “With an increasing volume of data generated automatically, hopefully next year will also bring innovative tools and techniques to validate data, ensuring it can be confidently utilised for its intended use.” He underscores the importance of not only pursuing new capabilities but also ensuring that these tools are integrated responsibly into workflows, focusing on quality and risk management. The Ethical Frontier The rapid evolution of AI brings with it an urgent need for ethical considerations. Jethwa explains: “I would like to see a greater emphasis on ethical AI and responsible technology development,” including creating AI systems that are “transparent, fair, and unbiased” while also considering their environmental and societal impact. This focus on ethics is encapsulated in OS’s Responsible AI Charter, which guides their approach to integrating new techniques safely. Moreover, Jethwa highlights the role of workforce development in successful transformations. He believes organisations must commit to “retraining and upskilling employees to prepare them for the impact of AI and digital transformation.” This is vital to ensure that in the pursuit of enhanced efficiency, companies do not “lose the personality, creativity, and emotion that we bring as humans into the workplace.” Embracing Change While Managing Risks Despite the promise of technological advancements, obstacles remain in the journey toward digital transformation. Jethwa notes that challenges such as “cultural resistance and rapid successive changes leading to change fatigue will likely persist.” He advocates for a careful balance between adopting new technologies and addressing the human elements of transformation processes. As AI continues to influence various aspects of business, from decision-making to risk management, the issue of cybersecurity also looms large. Jethwa points out that “cybersecurity threats being powered by AI are becoming more sophisticated,” urging companies to develop comprehensive strategies that cover everything from data storage to analysis documentation. The Imperative to Progress In an evolving landscape, organisations that stagnate risk falling behind their competitors. Jethwa explains: “Companies that fail to keep up open themselves up to risks, such as changing customer expectations as well as attracting and retaining talent.” He also emphasises the need for a “clear vision of future goals, effective communication of progress, and celebrating milestones to sustain momentum” in digital transformation initiatives. As we move into a new year filled with promise, the future of AI and geospatial technology holds transformative power – but it must be used responsibly. The path that lies ahead in 2025 requires vigilance, an unwavering commitment to ethical practices and a human touch in order to drive successful innovation. (Photos by Annie Spratt and Ordnance Survey) Want to learn more about AI and big data from industry leaders? Check out AI & Big Data Expo taking place in Amsterdam, California, and London. The comprehensive event is co-located with other leading events including Intelligent Automation Conference, BlockX, Digital Transformation Week, and Cyber Security & Cloud Expo. Explore other upcoming enterprise technology events and webinars powered by TechForge here. The post Ordnance Survey: Navigating the role of AI and ethical considerations in geospatial technology appeared first on AI News. View the full article

Governments are scrambling to establish regulations to govern AI, citing numerous concerns over data privacy, bias, safety, and more. AI News caught up with Nerijus Šveistys, Senior Legal Counsel at Oxylabs, to understand the state of play when it comes to AI regulation and its potential implications for industries, businesses, and innovation. “The ***** of the last few years appears to have sparked a push to establish regulatory frameworks for AI governance,” explains Šveistys. “This is a natural development, as the rise of AI seems to pose issues in data privacy and protection, bias and discrimination, safety, intellectual property, and other legal areas, as well as ethics that need to be addressed.” Regions diverge in regulatory strategy The European Union’s AI Act has, unsurprisingly, positioned the region with a strict, centralised approach. The regulation, which came into force this year, is set to be fully effective by 2026. Šveistys pointed out that the EU has acted relatively swiftly compared to other jurisdictions: “The main difference we can see is the comparative quickness with which the EU has released a uniform regulation to govern the use of all types of AI.” Meanwhile, other regions have opted for more piecemeal approaches. China, for instance, has been implementing regulations specific to certain AI technologies in a phased-out manner. According to Šveistys, China began regulating AI models as early as 2021. “In 2021, they introduced regulation on recommendation algorithms, which [had] increased their capabilities in digital advertising. It was followed by regulations on deep synthesis models or, in common terms, deepfakes and content generation in 2022,” he said. “Then, in 2023, regulation on generative AI models was introduced as these models were making a splash in commercial usage.” The US, in contrast, remains relatively uncoordinated in its approach. Federal-level regulations are yet to be enacted, with efforts mostly emerging at the state level. “There are proposed regulations at the state level, such as the so-called California AI Act, but even if they come into power, it may still take some time before they do,” Šveistys noted. This delay in implementing unified AI regulations in the US has raised questions about the extent to which business pushback may be contributing to the slow rollout. Šveistys said that while lobbyist pressure is a known factor, it’s not the only potential reason. “There was pushback to the EU AI Act, too, which was nevertheless introduced. Thus, it is not clear whether the delay in the US is only due to lobbyism or other obstacles in the legislation enactment process,” explains Šveistys. “It might also be because some still see AI as a futuristic concern, not fully appreciating the extent to which it is already a legal issue of today.” Balancing innovation and safety Differentiated regulatory approaches could affect the pace of innovation and business competitiveness across regions. Europe’s regulatory framework, though more stringent, aims to ensure consumer protection and ethical adherence—something that less-regulated environments may lack. “More rigid regulatory frameworks may impose compliance costs for businesses in the AI field and stifle competitiveness and innovation. On the other hand, they bring the benefits of protecting consumers and adhering to certain ethical norms,” comments Šveistys. This trade-off is especially pronounced in AI-related sectors such as targeted advertising, where algorithmic bias is increasingly scrutinised. AI governance often extends beyond laws that specifically target AI, incorporating related legal areas like those governing data collection and privacy. For example, the EU AI Act also regulates the use of AI in physical devices, such as elevators. “Additionally, all businesses that collect data for advertisement are potentially affected as AI regulation can also cover algorithmic bias in targeted advertising,” emphasises Šveistys. Impact on related industries One industry that is deeply intertwined with AI developments is web scraping. Typically used for collecting publicly available data, web scraping is undergoing an AI-driven evolution. “From data collection, validation, analysis, or overcoming anti-scraping measures, there is a lot of potential for AI to massively improve the efficiency, accuracy, and adaptability of web scraping operations,” said Šveistys. However, as AI regulation and related laws tighten, web scraping companies will face greater scrutiny. “AI regulations may also bring the spotlight on certain areas of law that were always very relevant to the web scraping industry, such as privacy or copyright laws,” Šveistys added. “At the end of the day, scraping content protected by such laws without proper authorisation could always lead to legal issues, and now so can using AI this way.” Copyright battles and legal precedents The implications of AI regulation are also playing out on a broader legal stage, particularly in cases involving generative AI tools. High-profile lawsuits have been launched against AI giants like OpenAI and its primary backer, Microsoft, by authors, artists, and musicians who claim their copyrighted materials were used to train AI systems without proper permission. “These cases are pivotal in determining the legal boundaries of using copyrighted material for AI development and establishing legal precedents for protecting intellectual property in the digital age,” said Šveistys. While these lawsuits could take years to resolve, their outcomes may fundamentally shape the future of AI development. So, what can businesses do now as the regulatory and legal landscape continues to evolve? “Speaking about the specific cases of using copyrighted material for AI training, businesses should approach this the same way as any web-scraping activity – that is, evaluate the specific data they wish to collect with the help of a legal expert in the field,” recommends Šveistys. “It is important to recognise that the AI legal landscape is very new and rapidly evolving, with not many precedents in place to refer to as of yet. Hence, continuous monitoring and adaptation of your AI usage are crucial.” Just this week, the *** Government made headlines with its announcement of a consultation on the use of copyrighted material for training AI models. Under the proposals, tech firms could be permitted to use copyrighted material unless owners have specifically opted out. Despite the diversity of approaches globally, the AI regulatory push marks a significant moment for technological governance. Whether through the EU’s comprehensive model, China’s step-by-step strategy, or narrower, state-level initiatives like in the US, businesses worldwide must navigate a complex, evolving framework. The challenge ahead will be striking the right balance between fostering innovation and mitigating risks, ensuring that AI remains a force for good while avoiding potential harms. (Photo by Nathan Bingle) See also: Anthropic urges AI regulation to avoid catastrophes Want to learn more about AI and big data from industry leaders? Check out AI & Big Data Expo taking place in Amsterdam, California, and London. The comprehensive event is co-located with other leading events including Intelligent Automation Conference, BlockX, Digital Transformation Week, and Cyber Security & Cloud Expo. Explore other upcoming enterprise technology events and webinars powered by TechForge here. The post AI governance: Analysing emerging global regulations appeared first on AI News. View the full article

In a world where artificial intelligence is becoming omnipresent, it’s fascinating to think about the prospect of AI-powered robots and digital avatars that can experience emotions, similar to humans. AI models lack consciousness and they don’t have the capacity to feel emotions, but what possibilities might arise if that were to change? The birth of emotional AI The prospect of an AI system embracing those first sparks of emotion is perhaps not as far-fetched as one might think. Already, AI systems have some ability to gauge people’s emotions, and increasingly they’re also able to replicate those feelings in their interactions with humans. It still requires a leap of faith to imagine an AI that could feel genuine emotions, but if it ever becomes possible, we’d imagine that they’ll be somewhat basic at first, similar to those of a child. Perhaps, an AI system might be able to feel joy at successfully completing a task, or maybe even confusion when presented with a challenge it doesn’t know how to solve. From there, it’s not difficult to envision that feeling of confusion evolving to one of frustration at its repeated failures to tackle the problem in question. And as this system evolves further, perhaps its emotional spectrum might expand to even feel a tinge of sadness or regret. Should AI ever be able to feel such emotions, it wouldn’t be long before they could express more nuanced feelings, like excitement, impatience, and empathy for humans and other AIs. For instance, in a scenario where an AI system acquires a new skill or solves a new kind of problem, it might be able to experience a degree of satisfaction in success. This is similar to how humans feel when they solve a particularly taxing challenge, like a complex jigsaw puzzle, or when they do something for the first time, like driving a car. Empathy as a motivator As AI’s ability to feel emotion evolves, it would become increasingly complex, progressing to a stage where it can even feel empathy for others. Empathy is one of the most complex human emotions, involving understanding and sharing the feelings of someone else. If AI can experience such feelings, they may inspire it to become more helpful, similar to how humans are sometimes motivated to help someone less fortunate. An AI that’s designed to assist human doctors might feel sad for someone who is afflicted by a mysterious illness. The feelings might push it to try harder to find a diagnosis for the rare disease that person is suffering from. If it gets it right, the AI might feel an overwhelming sense of accomplishment at doing so, knowing that the afflicted patient will be able to receive the treatment they need. Or we can consider an AI system that’s built to detect changes to an environment. If such a system were to recognise a substantial increase in pollution in a certain area, it might feel disappointed or even saddened by such a discovery. But like with humans, the feelings might also inspire the AI to find ways to prevent this new source of pollution, perhaps by inventing a more efficient way to recycle or dispose of the toxic substance responsible. In a similar way, an AI system that encounters numerous errors in a dataset might be compelled to refine its algorithm to reduce the number of errors. This would also have a direct impact on human-to-AI interactions. It’s not hard to imagine that an AI-powered customer service bot that feels empathy for a customer might be willing to go the extra mile to help resolve that person’s problem. Or alternatively, we might get AI teachers with a better understanding of their students’ emotions, which can then adapt teaching methods appropriately. Empathetic AI could transform the way we treat people with mental health issues. The concept of a digital therapist is not new, but if a digital therapist can better relate to their patients on an emotional level, it can figure out how best to support them. Is this even possible? Surprisingly, we may not be that far off. AI systems like Antix are already capable of expressing artificial empathy. It’s a platform for creating digital humans that are programmed to respond sympathetically when they recognise feelings of frustration, anger or upset in the people they interact with. Its digital humans can detect people’s emotions based on their speech, the kinds of words they use, intonation, and body language. The ability of Antix’s digital humans to understand emotion is partly based on the way they are trained. Each digital human is a unique non-fungible token or NFT that learns over time from its users, gaining more knowledge and evolving so it can adapt its interactions in response to an individual’s behaviour or preferences. Because digital humans can recognise emotions and replicate them, they have the potential to deliver more profound and meaningful experiences. Antix utilises the Unreal Engine 5 platform to give its creations a more realistic appearance. Creators can alter almost every aspect of their digital humans, including the voice and appearance, with the ability to edit skin tone, eye colour, and small details like eyebrows and facial hair. What sets Antix apart from other AI platforms is that users can customise the behaviour of their digital humans, to provide the most appropriate emotional response in different scenarios. Thus, digital humans can respond with an appropriate tone of voice, making the right gestures and expressions when they’re required to feel sad, for example, before transforming in an instant to express excitement, happiness, or joy. AI is getting real Emotional AI systems are a work in progress, and the result will be digital humans that feel more lifelike in any scenario where they can be useful. The CEO of Zoom has talked about the emergence of AI-powered digital twins that can participate in video calls on their user’s behalf, allowing the user to be in two places at once, so to speak. If the digital human version of your boss can express empathy, satisfaction, excitement and anger, the concept would be more effective, fostering a more realistic connection, even if the real boss isn’t present in their physical form. A customer service-focused digital human that’s able to empathise with callers will likely have a tremendous impact on customer satisfaction, and a sympathetic digital teacher might find ways to elicit more positive responses from its students, accelerating the speed at which they learn. With digital humans capable of expressing emotions, the potential for more realistic, lifelike, and immersive experiences is almost limitless, and it will result in more rewarding and beneficial interactions with AI systems. The post What might happen if AI can feel emotions? appeared first on AI News. View the full article

The *** Government wants to prove that AI is being deployed responsibly within public services to speed up decision-making, reduce backlogs, and enhance support for citizens. New records, part of the Algorithmic Transparency Recording Standard (ATRS), were published this week to shed light on the AI tools being used and set a benchmark for transparency and accountability in the integration of technology in public service delivery. The initiative is part of the government’s broader strategy to embrace technology to improve outcomes, echoing commitments outlined in the “Plan for Change” to modernise public services and drive economic growth through innovative solutions. The power of AI for modernisation Among the published records, the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office is leveraging AI to provide faster responses to Britons seeking assistance overseas. Similarly, the Ministry of Justice is utilising algorithms to help researchers gain a deeper understanding of how individuals interact with the justice system, while other departments are deploying AI to enhance job advertisements. The ATRS aims to document how such algorithmic tools are utilised and ensure their responsible application. By doing so, the government hopes to strengthen public trust in these innovations while encouraging their continued adoption across sectors. Speaking on the government’s approach, Science Secretary Peter Kyle remarked: “Technology has huge potential to transform public services for the better; we will put it to use to cut backlogs, save money, and improve outcomes for citizens across the country. Transparency in how and why the public sector is using algorithmic tools is crucial to ensure that they are trusted and effective. That is why we will continue to take bold steps like releasing these records to make sure everyone is clear on how we are applying and trialling technology as we use it to bring public services back from the brink.” Specifically, the Department for Business and Trade has highlighted its algorithmic tool designed to predict which companies are likely to export goods internationally. The AI-driven approach allows officials to target support towards high-growth potential businesses, enabling them to reach global markets faster. Previously reliant on time-consuming manual methods to analyse the more than five million companies registered on Companies House, this advancement ensures better allocation of resources and expedited assistance. Business Secretary Jonathan Reynolds said: “Our Plan for Change will deliver economic growth, and for that to succeed, we need to support companies across the *** to realise their full potential when it comes to exporting around the globe. Our use of AI plays a vital and growing role in that mission, allowing high-growth businesses to maximise the export opportunities available to them, while ensuring that we are using taxpayers’ money responsibly and efficiently in delivering economic stability.” Establishing clear guidelines for AI in public services To bolster public trust, new guidelines have been announced to clarify the scope of algorithmic transparency records. Central government organisations will need to publish a record for any algorithmic tool that interacts directly with citizens or plays a significant role in decision-making about individuals. Limited exceptions, such as those concerning national security, apply. These records will be published once tools are piloted publicly or have become operational. They will detail the data used to train AI models, the underlying technologies, and the measures implemented to mitigate risks. Importantly, the records also seek to confirm that – while AI tools are used to accelerate decision-making processes – human oversight remains integral, with trained staff responsible for final decisions. Dr Antonio Espingardeiro, a member of IEEE and an expert in software and robotics, commented: “AI has the potential to radically transform the public sector. In recent years, we have seen AI become a credible part of everyday public services. As it becomes more sophisticated, AI can conduct data-heavy tasks traditionally undertaken by humans. It can analyse vast quantities of information and, when coupled with machine learning, search through records and infer patterns or anomalies in data that would otherwise take decades for humans to analyse. With this announcement, the *** government has acknowledged AI’s potential and proven that technology investment is essential to improving outcomes and the delivery of vital services. Over time, machine learning and generative AI (GenAI) could bring substantial value to the public system. With increased adoption, we will soon be able to deliver the scalability that the public sector needs and relieve the pressures and workloads placed on staff.” Eleanor Watson, also a member of IEEE and an AI ethics engineer affiliated with Singularity University, added: “With AI growing more rapidly than ever before, and already being tested and employed in education, healthcare, transportation, finance, data security, and more, the government, tech leaders, and academia should work together to establish standards and regulations for safe and responsible development of AI-based systems. This way, AI can be used to its full potential as indicated with this latest announcement. Data privacy is probably the most critical ethical consideration, requiring informed consent, data anonymisation, strict access controls, secure storage, and compliance. New techniques such as homomorphic encryption, zero-knowledge proofs, federated learning, and part-trained models can help models to make use of our personal data in an encrypted form.” Transparency remains a key tenet of the *** Government’s AI strategy. This announcement follows a recent statement by Pat McFadden, Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, who affirmed that the benefits of technology – particularly AI – must span both public and private sectors and be used to modernise government. As the Science Secretary’s department solidifies government efforts to create a “digital centre,” it marks a major step forward in boosting the responsible and effective use of AI across the ***’s public sector. The ATRS records offer a valuable template for how governments worldwide can deploy AI systems to maximise efficiency, grow transparency, and balance the need for innovation with ethical considerations. (Photo by Shreyas Sane) See also: MHRA pilots ‘AI Airlock’ to accelerate healthcare adoption Want to learn more about AI and big data from industry leaders? Check out AI & Big Data Expo taking place in Amsterdam, California, and London. The comprehensive event is co-located with other leading events including Intelligent Automation Conference, BlockX, Digital Transformation Week, and Cyber Security & Cloud Expo. Explore other upcoming enterprise technology events and webinars powered by TechForge here. The post *** wants to prove AI can modernise public services responsibly appeared first on AI News. View the full article

Amazon has announced an additional $4 billion investment in Anthropic, bringing the company’s total commitment to $8 billion, part of its expanding artificial intelligence strategy. The investment was announced on November 22, 2024 and strengthens Amazon’s position in the AI sector, building on its established cloud computing services in the form of AWS. While maintaining Amazon’s ********* stake in Anthropic, the investment represents a significant development in the company’s approach to AI technology and cloud infrastructure. The expanded collaboration goes beyond mere financial investment. Anthropic has now designated AWS as its “primary training partner” for AI model development, in addition to Amazon’s role as a primary cloud provider. Amazon’s investment will see Anthropic utilizing AWS Trainium and Inferentia chips for training and on which to deploy its future foundational models, including any updates to the flagship Claude AI system. AWS’s competitive edge The continuing partnership provides Amazon with several strategic advantages in the competitive cloud computing and AI services market: Hardware innovation: The commitment to use AWS Trainium and Inferentia chips for Anthropic’s advanced AI models validates Amazon’s investment in custom AI chips and positions AWS as a serious competitor to NVIDIA in the AI infrastructure space. Cloud service enhancement: AWS customers will receive early access to fine-tuning capabilities for data processed by Anthropic models. This benefit alone could attract more enterprises to Amazon’s cloud platform. Model performance: Claude 3.5 Sonnet, Anthropic’s latest model available through Amazon Bedrock, has demonstrated exceptional performance in agentic coding tasks, according to Anthropic. Amazon’s multi-faceted AI strategy While the increased investment in Anthropic is impressive in monetary terms, it represents just one component of Amazon’s broader AI strategy. The company appears to be pursuing a multi-pronged approach: External partnerships: The Anthropic investment provides immediate access to cutting-edge AI capabilities from third-parties. Internal development: Amazon continues to develop its own AI models and capabilities. Infrastructure development: Ongoing investment in AI-specific hardware like Trainium chips demonstrates a commitment to building AI-focussed infrastructure. The expanded partnership signals Amazon’s long-term commitment to AI development yet retains flexibility thanks to its ********* stakeholding. This approach allows Amazon to benefit from Anthropic’s innovations while preserving the ability to pursue other partnerships with external AI companies and continue internal development initiatives. The investment reinforces the growing trend where major tech companies seek strategic AI partnerships rather than relying solely on internal development. It also highlights the important role of cloud infrastructure in the AI industry’s growth. AWS has positioned itself as a suitable platform for AI model training and deployment. The post Amazon stakes $4bn more in Anthropic–the next tech arms race? appeared first on AI News. View the full article

CrowdStrike commissioned a survey of 1,022 cybersecurity professionals worldwide to assess their views on generative AI (GenAI) adoption and its implications. The findings reveal enthusiasm for GenAI’s potential to bolster defences against increasingly sophisticated threats, but also trepidation over risks such as data exposure and attacks on GenAI systems. While much has been speculated about the transformative impact of GenAI, the survey’s results paint a clearer picture of how practitioners are thinking about its role in cybersecurity. According to the report, “We’re entering the era of GenAI in cybersecurity.” However, as organisations adopt this promising technology, their success will hinge on ensuring the safe, responsible, and industry-specific deployment of GenAI tools. CrowdStrike’s research reveals five pivotal findings that shape the current state of GenAI in cybersecurity: Platform-based GenAI is favoured 80% of respondents indicated a preference for GenAI delivered through integrated cybersecurity platforms rather than standalone tools. Seamless integration is cited as a crucial factor, with many preferring tools that work cohesively with existing systems. “GenAI’s value is linked to how well it works within the broader technology ecosystem,” the report states. Moreover, almost two-thirds (63%) of those surveyed expressed willingness to switch security vendors to access GenAI capabilities from competitors. The survey underscores the industry’s readiness for unified platforms that streamline operations and reduce the complexity of adopting new point solutions. GenAI built by cybersecurity experts is a must Security teams believe GenAI tools should be specifically designed for cybersecurity, not general-purpose systems. 83% of respondents reported they would not trust tools that provide “unsuitable or ill-advised security guidance.” Breach prevention remains a key motivator, with 74% stating they had faced breaches within the past 18 months or were concerned about vulnerabilities. Respondents prioritised tools from vendors with proven expertise in cybersecurity, incident response, and threat intelligence over suppliers with broad AI leadership alone. As CrowdStrike summarised, “The emphasis on breach prevention and vendor expertise suggests security teams would avoid domain-agnostic GenAI tools.” Augmentation, not replacement Despite growing fears of automation replacing jobs in many industries, the survey’s findings indicate minimal concerns about job displacement in cybersecurity. Instead, respondents expect GenAI to empower security analysts by automating repetitive tasks, reducing burnout, onboarding new personnel faster, and accelerating decision-making. GenAI’s potential for augmenting analysts’ workflows was underscored by its most requested applications: threat intelligence analysis, assistance with investigations, and automated response mechanisms. As noted in the report, “Respondents overwhelmingly believe GenAI will ultimately optimise the analyst experience, not replace human labour.” ROI outweighs cost concerns For organisations evaluating GenAI investments, measurable return on investment (ROI) is the paramount concern, ahead of licensing costs or pricing model confusion. Respondents expect platform-led GenAI deployments to deliver faster results, thanks to cost savings from reduced tool management burdens, streamlined training, and fewer security incidents. According to the survey data, the expected ROI breakdown includes 31% from cost optimisation and more efficient tools, 30% from fewer incidents, and 26% from reduced management time. Security leaders are clearly focused on ensuring the financial justification for GenAI investments. Guardrails and safety are crucial GenAI adoption is tempered by concerns around safety and privacy, with 87% of organisations either implementing or planning new security policies to oversee GenAI use. Key risks include exposing sensitive data to large language models (LLMs) and adversarial attacks on GenAI tools. Respondents rank safety and privacy controls among their most desired GenAI features, highlighting the need for responsible implementation. Reflecting the cautious optimism of practitioners, only 39% of respondents firmly believed that the rewards of GenAI outweigh its risks. Meanwhile, 40% considered the risks and rewards “comparable.” Current state of GenAI adoption in cybersecurity GenAI adoption remains in its early stages, but interest is growing. 64% of respondents are actively researching or have already invested in GenAI tools, and 69% of those currently evaluating their options plan to make a purchase within the year. Security teams are primarily driven by three concerns: improving attack detection and response, enhancing operational efficiency, and mitigating the impact of staff shortages. Among economic considerations, the top priority is ROI – a sign that security leaders are keen to demonstrate tangible benefits to justify their spending. CrowdStrike emphasises the importance of a platform-based approach, where GenAI is integrated into a unified system. Such platforms enable seamless adoption, measurable benefits, and safety guardrails for responsible usage. According to the report, “The future of GenAI in cybersecurity will be defined by tools that not only advance security but also uphold the highest standards of safety and privacy.” The CrowdStrike survey concludes by affirming that “GenAI is not a silver bullet” but has tremendous potential to improve cybersecurity outcomes. As organisations evaluate its adoption, they will prioritise tools that integrate seamlessly with existing platforms, deliver faster response times, and ensure safety and privacy compliance. With threats becoming more sophisticated, the role of GenAI in enabling security teams to work faster and smarter could prove indispensable. While still in its infancy, GenAI in cybersecurity is poised to shift from early adoption to mainstream deployment, provided organisations and vendors address its risks responsibly. See also: Keys to AI success: Security, sustainability, and overcoming silos Want to learn more about AI and big data from industry leaders? Check out AI & Big Data Expo taking place in Amsterdam, California, and London. The comprehensive event is co-located with other leading events including Intelligent Automation Conference, BlockX, Digital Transformation Week, and Cyber Security & Cloud Expo. Explore other upcoming enterprise technology events and webinars powered by TechForge here. The post CrowdStrike: Cybersecurity pros want safer, specialist GenAI tools appeared first on AI News. View the full article

Privacy laws in the United States are a patchwork at best. More often than not, they miss the mark, leaving most people with little actual privacy. When such laws are enacted, they can seem tailored to protect those in positions of power. Even laws designed to protect crime victims might end up protecting the names of abusive officers by labelling them as victims of crime in cases like resisting arrest or assaulting an officer. Such accusations are often used in cases of excessive force, keeping cops’ names out of the spotlight. For example, a recent New Jersey law emerged from a tragic event in which a government employee faced violence, sparking a legislative response. Known as “Daniel’s Law,” it was created after the personal information of a federal judge’s family was used by a ********* to track them down. Instead of a broader privacy law that could protect all residents of New Jersey, it focused exclusively on safeguarding certain public employees. Under the law, judges, prosecutors, and police officers can request that their personal information (addresses and phone numbers, for example) be scrubbed from public databases. Popular services that people use to look up information, such as Whitepages or Spokeo, must comply. While this sounds like a win for privacy, the protections stop there. The average citizen is still left exposed, with no legal recourse if their personal data is misused or sold. At the centre of the debate is a lawyer who’s taken up the cause of protecting cops’ personal data. He’s suing numerous companies for making this type of information accessible. While noble at first glance, a deeper look raises questions. It transpires that the lawyer’s company has previously collected and monetised personal data. And when a data service responded to his demands by freezing access to some of the firm’s databases, he and his clients cried foul — despite specifically requesting restrictions on how their information could be used. It’s also worth noting how unevenly data protection measures are to be applied. Cops, for instance, frequently rely on the same tools and databases they’re now asking to be restricted. These services have long been used by law enforcement for investigations and running background checks. Yet, when law enforcement data appears in such systems, special treatment is required. A recent anecdote involved a police union leader who was shown a simple property record pulled from an online database. The record displayed basic details like his home address and his property’s square footage — information anyone could find with a few clicks. His reaction was one of shock and anger – an obvious disconnect. For everyday citizens, this level of data exposure is a given. But for law enforcement, it requires a level of granular exclusion that’s not practical. Perhaps everyone, including law enforcement personnel deserves better safeguards against data harvesting and misuse? But what Daniel’s law and later events involving police officers point to is the need for the type of improvements to the way data is treated for all, not just one group of society. Instead of expanding privacy rights to all New Jersey residents, the law carves out exceptions for the powerful — leaving the rest of the population as vulnerable as ever. (Photo by Unsplash) See also: EU AI legislation sparks controversy over data transparency Want to learn more about AI and big data from industry leaders? Check out AI & Big Data Expo taking place in Amsterdam, California, and London. The comprehensive event is co-located with other leading events including Intelligent Automation Conference, BlockX, Digital Transformation Week, and Cyber Security & Cloud Expo. Explore other upcoming enterprise technology events and webinars powered by TechForge here. The post NJ cops demand protections against data brokers appeared first on AI News. View the full article

Artificial intelligence platform provider Clarifai has unveiled a new compute orchestration capability that promises to help enterprises optimise their AI workloads in any computing environment, reduce costs and avoid vendor lock-in. Announced on December 3, 2024, the public preview release lets organisations orchestrate AI workloads through a unified control plane, whether those workloads are running on cloud, on-premises, or in air-gapped infrastructure. The platform can work with any AI model and hardware accelerator including GPUs, CPUs, and TPUs. “Clarifai has always been ahead of the curve, with over a decade of experience supporting large enterprise and mission-critical government needs with the full stack of AI tools to create custom AI workloads,” said Matt Zeiler, founder and CEO of Clarifai. “Now, we’re opening up capabilities we built internally to optimise our compute costs as we scale to serve millions of models simultaneously.” The company claims its platform can reduce compute usage by 3.7x through model packing optimisations while supporting over 1.6 million inference requests per second with 99.9997% reliability. According to Clarifai, the optimisations can potentially cut costs by 60-90%, depending on configuration. Capabilities of the compute orchestration platform include: Cost optimisation through automated resource management, including model packing, dependency simplification, and customisable auto-scaling options that can scale to zero for model replicas and compute nodes, Deployment flexibility on any hardware vendor including cloud, on-premise, air-gapped, and Clarifai SaaS infrastructure, Integration with Clarifai’s AI platform for data labeling, training, evaluation, workflows, and feedback, Security features that allow deployment into customer VPCs or on-premise Kubernetes clusters without requiring open inbound ports, VPC peering, or custom IAM roles. The platform emerged from Clarifai customers’ issues with AI performance and cost. “If we had a way to think about it holistically and look at our on-prem costs compared to our cloud costs, and then be able to orchestrate across environments with a cost basis, that would be incredibly valuable,” noted a customer, as cited in Clarifai’s announcement. The compute orchestration capabilities build on Clarifai’s existing AI platform that, the company says, has processed over 2 billion operations in computer vision, language, and audio AI. The company reports maintaining 99.99%+ uptime and 24/7 availability for critical applications. The compute orchestration capability is currently available in public preview. Organisations interested in testing the platform should contact Clarifai for access. The post New Clarifai tool orchestrates AI across any infrastructure appeared first on AI News. View the full article

Artificial Intelligence and its associated innovations have revamped the global technological landscape, with recent data released by the US government predicting 13% growth in IT-related opportunities over the next six years – potentially adding 667,600 new jobs to the sector. Researchers have stated that by 2034, the AI sector’s cumulative valuation may reach $3.6 trillion across industry. The healthcare sector has already integrated AI-based diagnostic tools, with 38% of today’s major medical providers using the technology. The financial sector is also expecting AI to contribute approximately $15.7 trillion to the global economy by 2030, and the retail industry anticipates anywhere between $400 billion and $660 billion through AI-driven customer experiences annually. It is estimated that approximately 83% of companies now have AI exploration as an agenda item for continued technical growth, especially given its capacity to drive innovation, enhance efficiency, and create sustainable competitive advantage. Decentralising AI’s foundations While AI’s potential is seemingly limitless, its rapid growth has brought a challenge – the centralisation of AI development and data management. As AI systems become more sophisticated, risks like dataset manipulation, biased training models, and opaque decision-making processes threaten to undermine their potential. Different blockchain tech providers have taken steps to decentralise the sector, offering infrastructure frameworks that change how AI systems are developed, trained, and deployed. Space and Time (SXT) has devised a verifiable database that aims to bridge the gap between disparate areas, providing users with transparent, secure development tools that mean AI agents can execute transactions with greater levels data integrity. The platform’s innovation lies in its ability to provide contextual data which AI agents can use for executing trades and purchases in ways that end-users can validate. Another project of note is Chromia. It takes a similar approach, with a focus on creating a decentralised architecture to handle complex, data-intensive AI applications. Speaking about the platform’s capabilities, Yeou Jie Goh, Head of Business Development at Chromia, said: “Our relational blockchain is specifically designed to support AI applications, performing hundreds of read-write operations per transaction and indexing data in real-time. We’re not just building a blockchain; we’re creating the infrastructure for the next generation of AI development.” Chromia wants to lower the barriers to entry for data scientists and machine learning engineers. By providing a SQL-based relational blockchain, the platform makes it easier for technical professionals to build and deploy AI applications on decentralised infrastructure. “Our mission is to position Chromia as the transparency layer of Web3, providing a robust backbone for data integrity across applications,” Goh said. Chromia has already formed partnerships with Elfa AI, Chasm Network, and Stork. Establishing a roadmap for technological sovereignty The synergy between AI and blockchain is more than a fad, rather, a reimagining of AI’s infrastructure. Space and Time, for instance, is working to expand its ecosystem in multiple domains, including AI, DeFi, gaming, and decentralised physical infrastructure networks (DePIN). Its strategy focuses on onboarding developers and building a mainnet that delivers verifiable data to smart contracts and AI agents. Chromia is ambitious, launching a $20 million Data and AI Ecosystem Fund earlier this year. The project’s ‘Asgard Mainnet Upgrade’ with an ‘Extensions’ feature offers users adaptable application use. The implications of AI’s shift toward decentralisation is of significant interest to Nate Holiday, CEO of Space and Time. He predicts that blockchain-based transactions associated with AI agents could grow from the current 3% of the market to 30% in the near future. He said: “Ushering in this inevitable, near-term future is going to require data infrastructure like SXT that provides AI agents with the context that they need to execute trades and purchases in a way that the end user can verify.” Chromia’s Yeou Jie Goh sees the transition not just as a technological innovation but as a means of creating a more transparent, secure, and democratised technological ecosystem. By using blockchain’s inherent strengths – immutability, transparency, and decentralisation – the two companies are working to create intelligent systems that are powerful, accountable, ethical, and aligned with human values. The post A new decentralised AI ecosystem and its implications appeared first on AI News. View the full article

In just a few years, the realm of AI has transcended its initial computational boundaries, emerging as one of the transformative forces of the 21st century, permeating virtually every major economic sector. The global AI market was valued at $638.23 billion during Q4 2024, and is projected to reach a valuation of $3.6 trillion by 2034, largely because AI has the potential to gain widespread adoption in multiple industries. For instance, in healthcare, 38% of all major medical providers use advanced AI diagnostic tools. Similarly, the financial sector has also demonstrated impressive integrations, with AI projected to contribute approx. $15.7 trillion to the global economy by 2030. The retail industry has also set its sights on anywhere between $400 billion and $660 billion annually thanks to AI-driven customer experiences, while the cybersecurity sector is set to register a 23.6% growth rate – by 2027 – because of AI-powered intelligent security technologies. It is estimated that about 83% of companies have already begun considering AI as a strategic priority, recognising its potential to drive innovation, enhance efficiency, and create competitive advantages. Simplifying everyday life with AI With the global tech landscape having transformed over the last couple of years, we are now at a point where AI is starting to automate various mundane and time-consuming everyday tasks. The concept of ‘AI twins’ has gained traction recently, allowing individuals to manage scheduling, respond to emails, conduct research, and handle complex administrative tasks efficiently. These digital companions represent more than just a caricature of a person’s real-world identity; they offer productivity accelerators designed to liberate anyone from repetitive work cycles (thus allowing them to focus on more creative, strategic, or emotionally nuanced tasks). They can also help reduce the cognitive and emotional burden of managing multiple responsibilities, which could otherwise be overwhelming for some. Leading this revolution is Twin Protocol, a platform that seeks to redefine how humans interact with AI, primarily via the creation of secure, dynamic digital representations that can learn, adapt, and evolve alongside their human counterparts. By using the power of trained machine learning algorithms and decentralised ledgers, Twin Protocol allows individuals to develop digital twins that can capture not just information, but individual expertise and personality traits. The platform’s potential spans industries, ranging from healthcare to manufacturing and finance. Imagine possessing the ability to deploy a perpetually-available AI twin that can provide personalised healthcare advice, or a digital representation of a financial advisor offering real-time, context-aware investment strategies. These twins aren’t designed to serve as mere information repositories but as intelligent and dynamic tools capable of understanding context, learning continuously, and providing nuanced, personalised interactions. What sets Twin Protocol apart is its commitment to maintaining individual agency and data privacy. Through its blockchain-based ‘Twin Vault‘, users can retain control over their digital identity, ensuring that personal information remains secure. Thanks to its unique proposition, the platform has attracted several collaborations, including partnerships with SingularityNET and notable figures like Deepak Chopra and Robert Bell (founding member of Kool & the Gang). AI’s potential is still uncharted It is estimated that over the coming decade, AI’s potential could grow hugely, with offerings like Twin Protocol demonstrating next-generation technology, allowing users to explore new concepts like digital twins. From personalised education to industrial optimisation, AI is moving beyond the category of being a tool, becoming a transformative partner capable of extending individual capabilities. AI’s journey and symbiosis is likely to push the boundaries of what’s possible today. Some of the most exciting innovations emanating from the field will lie not in the technology, but in how its potential is applied to other fields. Interesting times are ahead! The post The ongoing AI revolution is reshaping the world, one algorithm at a time appeared first on AI News. View the full article

Google CEO Sundar Pichai has announced the launch of Gemini 2.0, a model that represents the next step in Google’s ambition to revolutionise AI. A year after introducing the Gemini 1.0 model, this major upgrade incorporates enhanced multimodal capabilities, agentic functionality, and innovative user tools designed to push boundaries in AI-driven technology. Leap towards transformational AI Reflecting on Google’s 26-year mission to organise and make the world’s information accessible, Pichai remarked, “If Gemini 1.0 was about organising and understanding information, Gemini 2.0 is about making it much more useful.” Gemini 1.0, released in December 2022, was notable for being Google’s first natively multimodal AI model. The first iteration excelled at understanding and processing text, video, images, audio, and code. Its enhanced 1.5 version became widely embraced by developers for its long-context understanding, enabling applications such as the productivity-focused NotebookLM. Now, with Gemini 2.0, Google aims to accelerate the role of AI as a universal assistant capable of native image and audio generation, better reasoning and planning, and real-world decision-making capabilities. In Pichai’s words, the development represents the dawn of an “agentic era.” “We have been investing in developing more agentic models, meaning they can understand more about the world around you, think multiple steps ahead, and take action on your behalf, with your supervision,” Pichai explained. Gemini 2.0: Core features and availability At the heart of today’s announcement is the experimental release of Gemini 2.0 Flash, the flagship model of Gemini’s second generation. It builds upon the foundations laid by its predecessors while delivering faster response times and advanced performance. Gemini 2.0 Flash supports multimodal inputs and outputs, including the ability to generate native images in conjunction with text and produce steerable text-to-speech multilingual audio. Additionally, users can benefit from native tool integration such as Google Search and even third-party user-defined functions. Developers and businesses will gain access to Gemini 2.0 Flash via the Gemini API in Google AI Studio and Vertex AI, while larger model sizes are scheduled for broader release in January 2024. For global accessibility, the Gemini app now features a chat-optimised version of the 2.0 Flash experimental model. Early adopters can experience this updated assistant on desktop and mobile, with a mobile app rollout imminent. Products such as Google Search are also being enhanced with Gemini 2.0, unlocking the ability to handle complex queries like advanced math problems, coding enquiries, and multimodal questions. Comprehensive suite of AI innovations The launch of Gemini 2.0 comes with compelling new tools that showcase its capabilities. One such feature, Deep Research, functions as an AI research assistant, simplifying the process of investigating complex topics by compiling information into comprehensive reports. Another upgrade enhances Search with Gemini-enabled AI Overviews that tackle intricate, multi-step user queries. The model was trained using Google’s sixth-generation Tensor Processing Units (TPUs), known as Trillium, which Pichai notes “powered 100% of Gemini 2.0 training and inference.” Trillium is now available for external developers, allowing them to benefit from the same infrastructure that supports Google’s own advancements. Pioneering agentic experiences Accompanying Gemini 2.0 are experimental “agentic” prototypes built to explore the future of human-AI collaboration, including: Project Astra: A universal AI assistant First introduced at I/O earlier this year, Project Astra taps into Gemini 2.0’s multimodal understanding to improve real-world AI interactions. Trusted testers have trialled the assistant on Android, offering feedback that has helped refine its multilingual dialogue, memory retention, and integration with Google tools like Search, Lens, and Maps. Astra has also demonstrated near-human conversational latency, with further research underway for its application in wearable technology, such as prototype AI glasses. Project Mariner: Redefining web automation Project Mariner is an experimental web-browsing assistant that uses Gemini 2.0’s ability to reason across text, images, and interactive elements like forms within a browser. In initial tests, it achieved an 83.5% success rate on the WebVoyager benchmark for completing end-to-end web tasks. Early testers using a Chrome extension are helping to refine Mariner’s capabilities while Google evaluates safety measures that ensure the technology remains user-friendly and secure. Jules: A coding agent for developers Jules, an AI-powered assistant built for developers, integrates directly into GitHub workflows to address coding challenges. It can autonomously propose solutions, generate plans, and execute code-based tasks—all under human supervision. This experimental endeavour is part of Google’s long-term goal to create versatile AI agents across various domains. Gaming applications and beyond Extending Gemini 2.0’s reach into virtual environments, Google DeepMind is working with gaming partners like Supercell on intelligent game agents. These experimental AI companions can interpret game actions in real-time, suggest strategies, and even access broader knowledge via Search. Research is also being conducted into how Gemini 2.0’s spatial reasoning could support robotics, opening doors for physical-world applications in the future. Addressing responsibility in AI development As AI capabilities expand, Google emphasises the importance of prioritising safety and ethical considerations. Google claims Gemini 2.0 underwent extensive risk assessments, bolstered by the Responsibility and Safety Committee’s oversight to mitigate potential risks. Additionally, its embedded reasoning abilities allow for advanced “red-teaming,” enabling developers to evaluate security scenarios and optimise safety measures at scale. Google is also exploring safeguards to address user privacy, prevent misuse, and ensure AI agents remain reliable. For instance, Project Mariner is designed to prioritise user instructions while resisting malicious prompt injections, preventing threats like phishing or fraudulent transactions. Meanwhile, privacy controls in Project Astra make it easy for users to manage session data and deletion preferences. Pichai reaffirmed the company’s commitment to responsible development, stating, “We firmly believe that the only way to build AI is to be responsible from the start.” With the Gemini 2.0 Flash release, Google is edging closer to its vision of building a universal assistant capable of transforming interactions across domains. See also: Machine unlearning: Researchers make AI models ‘forget’ data Want to learn more about AI and big data from industry leaders? Check out AI & Big Data Expo taking place in Amsterdam, California, and London. The comprehensive event is co-located with other leading events including Intelligent Automation Conference, BlockX, Digital Transformation Week, and Cyber Security & Cloud Expo. Explore other upcoming enterprise technology events and webinars powered by TechForge here. The post Gemini 2.0: Google ushers in the agentic AI era appeared first on AI News. View the full article

NetApp has shed light on the pressing issues faced by organisations globally as they strive to optimise their strategies for AI success. “2025 is shaping up to be a defining year for AI, as organisations transition from experimentation to scaling their AI capabilities,” said Gabie Boko, NetApp’s Chief Marketing Officer. “Businesses are making significant investments to drive innovation and efficiency, but these efforts will succeed only if global tech executives can address the mounting challenges of data complexity, security, and sustainability.” The findings of NetApp’s latest Data Complexity Report paints a detailed picture of where businesses currently stand on their AI journeys and the key trends that will shape the technology’s future. Cost of transformation Two-thirds of businesses worldwide claim their data is “fully or mostly optimised” for AI purposes, highlighting vast improvements in making data accessible, accurate, and well-documented. Yet, the study reveals that the journey towards AI maturity requires further significant investment. A striking 40% of global technology executives anticipate “unprecedented investment” will be necessary in 2025 just to enhance AI and data management capabilities. While considerable progress has been made, achieving impactful breakthroughs demands an even greater commitment in financial and infrastructural resources. Catching up with AI’s potential might not come cheap, but leaders prepared to invest could reap significant rewards in innovation and efficiency. Data silos impede AI success One of the principal barriers identified in the report is the fragmentation of data. An overwhelming 79% of global tech executives state that unifying their data, reducing silos and ensuring smooth interconnectedness, is key to unlocking AI’s full potential. Companies that have embraced unified data storage are better placed to overcome this hurdle. By connecting data regardless of its type or location (across hybrid multi-cloud environments,) they ensure constant accessibility and minimise fragmentation. The report indicates that organisations prioritising data unification are significantly more likely to meet their AI goals in 2025. Nearly one-third (30%) of businesses failing to prioritise unification foresee missing their targets, compared to just 23% for those placing this at the heart of their strategy. Executives have doubled down on data management and infrastructure as top priorities, increasingly recognising that optimising their capacity to gather, store, and process information is essential for AI maturity. Companies refusing to tackle these data challenges risk falling behind in an intensely competitive global market. Scaling risks of AI As businesses accelerate their AI adoption, the associated risks – particularly around security – are becoming more acute. More than two-fifths (41%) of global tech executives predict a stark rise in security threats by 2025 as AI becomes integral to more facets of their operations. AI’s rapid rise has expanded attack surfaces, exposing data sets to new vulnerabilities and creating unique challenges such as protecting sensitive AI models. Countries leading the AI race, including India, the US, and Japan, are nearly twice as likely to encounter escalating security concerns compared to less AI-advanced nations like Germany, France, and Spain. Increased awareness of AI-driven security challenges is reflected in business priorities. Over half (59%) of global executives name cybersecurity as one of the top stressors confronting organisations today. However, progress is being made. Despite elevated concerns, the report suggests that effective security measures are yielding results. Since 2023, the number of executives ranking cybersecurity and ransomware protection as their top priority has fallen by 17%, signalling optimism in combating these risks effectively. Limiting AI’s environmental costs Beyond security risks, AI’s growth is raising urgent questions of sustainability. Over one-third of global technology executives (34%) predict that AI advancements will drive significant changes to corporate sustainability practices. Meanwhile, 33% foresee new government policies and investments targeting energy usage. The infrastructure powering AI and transforming raw data into business value demands significant energy, counteracting organisational sustainability targets. AI-heavy nations often feel the environmental impact more acutely than their less AI-focused counterparts. While 72% of businesses still prioritise carbon footprint reduction, the report notes a decline from 84% in 2023, pointing to increasing tension between sustainability commitments and the relentless march of innovation. For organisations to scale AI without causing irreparable damage to the planet, maintaining environmental responsibility alongside technological growth will be paramount in coming years. Krish Vitaldevara, SVP and GM at NetApp, commented: “The organisations leading in advanced analytics and AI are those that have unified and well-cataloged data, robust security and compliance for sensitive information, and a clear understanding of how data evolves. “By tackling these challenges, they can drive innovation while ensuring resilience, responsibility, and timely insights in the new AI era.” You can find a full copy of NetApp’s report here (PDF) (Photo by Chunli Ju) See also: New AI training techniques aim to overcome current challenges Want to learn more about AI and big data from industry leaders? Check out AI & Big Data Expo taking place in Amsterdam, California, and London. The comprehensive event is co-located with other leading events including Intelligent Automation Conference, BlockX, Digital Transformation Week, and Cyber Security & Cloud Expo. Explore other upcoming enterprise technology events and webinars powered by TechForge here. The post Keys to AI success: Security, sustainability, and overcoming silos appeared first on AI News. View the full article

Researchers from the Tokyo University of Science (TUS) have developed a method to enable large-scale AI models to selectively “forget” specific classes of data. Progress in AI has provided tools capable of revolutionising various domains, from healthcare to autonomous driving. However, as technology advances, so do its complexities and ethical considerations. The paradigm of large-scale pre-trained AI systems, such as OpenAI’s ChatGPT and CLIP (Contrastive Language–Image Pre-training), has reshaped expectations for machines. These highly generalist models, capable of handling a vast array of tasks with consistent precision, have seen widespread adoption for both professional and personal use. However, such versatility comes at a hefty price. Training and running these models demands prodigious amounts of energy and time, raising sustainability concerns, as well as requiring cutting-edge hardware significantly more expensive than standard computers. Compounding these issues is that generalist tendencies may hinder the efficiency of AI models when applied to specific tasks. For instance, “in practical applications, the classification of all kinds of object classes is rarely required,” explains Associate Professor Go Irie, who led the research. “For example, in an autonomous driving system, it would be sufficient to recognise limited classes of objects such as cars, pedestrians, and traffic signs. “We would not need to recognise food, furniture, or animal species. Retaining classes that do not need to be recognised may decrease overall classification accuracy, as well as cause operational disadvantages such as the waste of computational resources and the risk of information leakage.” A potential solution lies in training models to “forget” redundant or unnecessary information—streamlining their processes to focus solely on what is required. While some existing methods already cater to this need, they tend to assume a “white-box” approach where users have access to a model’s internal architecture and parameters. Oftentimes, however, users get no such visibility. “******-box” AI systems, more common due to commercial and ethical restrictions, conceal their inner mechanisms, rendering traditional forgetting techniques impractical. To address this gap, the research team turned to derivative-free optimisation—an approach that sidesteps reliance on the inaccessible internal workings of a model. Advancing through forgetting The study, set to be presented at the Neural Information Processing Systems (NeurIPS) conference in 2024, introduces a methodology dubbed “******-box forgetting.” The process modifies the input prompts (text instructions fed to models) in iterative rounds to make the AI progressively “forget” certain classes. Associate Professor Irie collaborated on the work with co-authors Yusuke Kuwana and Yuta Goto (both from TUS), alongside Dr Takashi Shibata from NEC Corporation. For their experiments, the researchers targeted CLIP, a vision-language model with image classification abilities. The method they developed is built upon the Covariance Matrix Adaptation Evolution Strategy (CMA-ES), an evolutionary algorithm designed to optimise solutions step-by-step. In this study, CMA-ES was harnessed to evaluate and hone prompts provided to CLIP, ultimately suppressing its ability to classify specific image categories. As the project progressed, challenges arose. Existing optimisation techniques struggled to scale up for larger volumes of targeted categories, leading the team to devise a novel parametrisation strategy known as “latent context sharing.” This approach breaks latent context – a representation of information generated by prompts – into smaller, more manageable pieces. By allocating certain elements to a single token (word or character) while reusing others across multiple tokens, they dramatically reduced the problem’s complexity. Crucially, this made the process computationally tractable even for extensive forgetting applications. Through benchmark tests on multiple image classification datasets, the researchers validated the efficacy of ******-box forgetting—achieving the goal of making CLIP “forget” approximately 40% of target classes without direct access to the AI model’s internal architecture. This research marks the first successful attempt to induce selective forgetting in a ******-box vision-language model, demonstrating promising results. Benefits of helping AI models forget data Beyond its technical ingenuity, this innovation holds significant potential for real-world applications where task-specific precision is paramount. Simplifying models for specialised tasks could make them faster, more resource-efficient, and capable of running on less powerful devices—hastening the adoption of AI in areas previously deemed unfeasible. Another key use lies in image generation, where forgetting entire categories of visual context could prevent models from inadvertently creating undesirable or harmful content, be it offensive material or misinformation. Perhaps most importantly, this method addresses one of AI’s greatest ethical quandaries: privacy. AI models, particularly large-scale ones, are often trained on massive datasets that may inadvertently contain sensitive or outdated information. Requests to remove such data—especially in light of laws advocating for the “Right to be Forgotten”—pose significant challenges. Retraining entire models to exclude problematic data is costly and time-intensive, yet the risks of leaving it unaddressed can have far-reaching consequences. “Retraining a large-scale model consumes enormous amounts of energy,” notes Associate Professor Irie. “‘Selective forgetting,’ or so-called machine unlearning, may provide an efficient solution to this problem.” These privacy-focused applications are especially relevant in high-stakes industries like healthcare and finance, where sensitive data is central to operations. As the global race to advance AI accelerates, the Tokyo University of Science’s ******-box forgetting approach charts an important path forward—not only by making the technology more adaptable and efficient but also by adding significant safeguards for users. While the potential for misuse remains, methods like selective forgetting demonstrate that researchers are proactively addressing both ethical and practical challenges. See also: Why QwQ-32B-Preview is the reasoning AI to watch Want to learn more about AI and big data from industry leaders? Check out AI & Big Data Expo taking place in Amsterdam, California, and London. The comprehensive event is co-located with other leading events including Intelligent Automation Conference, BlockX, Digital Transformation Week, and Cyber Security & Cloud Expo. Explore other upcoming enterprise technology events and webinars powered by TechForge here. The post Machine unlearning: Researchers make AI models ‘forget’ data appeared first on AI News. View the full article

Artificial intelligence entered the market with a splash, driving massive buzz and adoption. But now the pace is faltering. Business leaders still talk the talk about embracing AI, because they want the benefits – McKinsey estimates that GenAI could save companies up to $2.6 trillion across a range of operations. However, they aren’t walking the walk. According to one survey of senior analytics and IT leaders, only 20% of GenAI applications are currently in production. Why the wide gap between interest and reality? The answer is multifaceted. Concerns around security and data privacy, compliance risks, and data management are high-profile, but there’s also anxiety about AI’s lack of transparency and worries about ROI, costs, and skill gaps. In this article, we’ll examine the barriers to AI adoption, and share some measures that business leaders can take to overcome them. Get a handle on data “High-quality data is the cornerstone of accurate and reliable AI models, which in turn drive better decision-making and outcomes,” said Rob Johnson, VP and Global Head of Solutions Engineering at SolarWinds, adding, “Trustworthy data builds confidence in AI among IT professionals, accelerating the broader adoption and integration of AI technologies.” Today, only 43% of IT professionals say they’re confident about their ability to meet AI’s data demands. Given that data is so vital for AI success, it’s not surprising that data challenges are an oft-cited factor in slow AI adoption. The best way to overcome this hurdle is to go back to data basics. Organisations need to build a strong data governance strategy from the ground up, with rigorous controls that enforce data quality and integrity. Take ethics and governance seriously With regulations mushrooming, compliance is already a headache for many organisations. AI only adds new areas of risk, more regulations, and increased ethical governance issues for business leaders to worry about, to the extent that security and compliance risk was the most-cited concern in Cloudera’s State of Enterprise AI and Modern Data Architecture report. While the rise in AI regulations might seem alarming at first, executives should embrace the support that these frameworks offer, as they can give organisations a structure around which to build their own risk controls and ethical guardrails. Developing compliance policies, appointing teams for AI governance, and ensuring that humans retain authority over AI-powered decisions are all important steps in creating a comprehensive system of AI ethics and governance. Reinforce control over security and privacy Security and data privacy concerns loom large for every business, and with good reason. Cisco’s 2024 Data Privacy Benchmark Study revealed that 48% of employees admit to entering non-public company information into GenAI tools (and an unknown number have done so and won’t admit it), leading 27% of organisations to ban the use of such tools. The best way to reduce the risks is to limit access to sensitive data. This involves doubling down on access controls and privilege creep, and keeping data away from publicly-hosted LLMs. Avi Perez, CTO of Pyramid Analytics, explained that his business intelligence software’s AI infrastructure was deliberately built to keep data away from the LLM, sharing only metadata that describes the problem and interfacing with the LLM as the best way for locally-hosted engines to run analysis.”There’s a huge set of issues there. It’s not just about privacy, it’s also about misleading results. So in that framework, data privacy and the issues associated with it are tremendous, in my opinion. They’re a showstopper,” Perez said. With Pyramid’s setup, however, “the LLM generates the recipe, but it does it without ever getting [its] hands on the data, and without doing mathematical operations. […] That eliminates something like 95% of the problem, in terms of data privacy risks.” Boost transparency and explainability Another serious obstacle to AI adoption is a lack of trust in its results. The infamous story of Amazon’s AI-powered hiring tool which discriminated against women has become a cautionary tale that scares many people away from AI. The best way to combat this fear is to increase explainability and transparency. “AI transparency is about clearly explaining the reasoning behind the output, making the decision-making process accessible and comprehensible,” said Adnan Masood, chief AI architect at UST and a Microsoft regional director. “At the end of the day, it’s about eliminating the ****** box mystery of AI and providing insight into the how and why of AI decision-making.”Unfortunately, many executives overlook the importance of transparency. A recent IBM study reported that only 45% of CEOs say they are delivering on capabilities for openness. AI champions need to prioritise the development of rigorous AI governance policies that prevent ****** boxes arising, and invest in explainability tools like SHapley Additive exPlanations (SHAPs), fairness toolkits like Google’s Fairness Indicators, and automated compliance checks like the Institute of Internal Auditors’ AI Auditing Framework. Define clear business value Cost is on the list of AI barriers, as always. The Cloudera survey found that 26% of respondents said AI tools are too expensive, and Gartner included “unclear business value” as a factor in the failure of AI projects. Yet the same Gartner report noted that GenAI had delivered an average revenue increase and cost savings of over 15% among its users, proof that AI can drive financial lift if implemented correctly. This is why it’s crucial to approach AI like every other business project – identify areas that will deliver fast ROI, define the benefits you expect to see, and set specific KPIs so you can prove value.”While there’s a lot that goes into building out an AI strategy and roadmap, a critical first step is to identify the most valuable and transformative AI use cases on which to focus,” said Michael Robinson, Director of Product Marketing at UiPath. Set up effective training programs The skills gap remains a significant roadblock to AI adoption, but it seems that little effort is being made to address the issue. A report from Worklife indicates the initial ***** in AI adoption came from early adopters. Now, it’s down to the laggards, who are inherently sceptical and generally less confident about AI – and any new tech. This makes training crucial. Yet according to Asana’s State of AI at Work study, 82% of participants said their organisations haven’t provided training on using generative AI. There’s no indication that training isn’t working; rather that it isn’t happening as it should. The clear takeaway is to offer comprehensive training in quality prompting and other relevant skills. Encouragingly, the same research shows that even using AI without training increases people’s skills and confidence. So, it’s a good idea to get started with low- and no-code tools that allow employees who are unskilled in AI to learn on the job. The barriers to AI adoption are not insurmountable Although AI adoption has slowed, there’s no indication that it’s in danger in the long term. The many obstacles holding companies back from rolling out AI tools can be overcome without too much trouble. Many of the steps, like reinforcing data quality and ethical governance, should be taken regardless of whether or not AI is under consideration, while other steps taken will pay for themselves in increased revenue and the productivity gains that AI can bring. The post Narrowing the confidence gap for wider AI adoption appeared first on AI News. View the full article

There’s a new contender in the AI space that’s making waves: QwQ-32B-Preview. This so-called “reasoning” AI model is being compared to OpenAI o1, and it’s one of the few you can download under a permissive license. For developers and researchers eager to experiment, that’s a significant bonus. Built by Alibaba’s Qwen team, QwQ-32B-Preview is anything but lightweight. It packs 32.5 billion parameters—think of these as the building blocks of its problem-solving abilities—and can handle prompts of up to 32,000 words; longer than some novels! Tests show it outperforms OpenAI o1-preview and o1-mini on benchmarks like AIME and MATH. For context, AIME uses other AI models to assess performance, while MATH is a collection of word problems. But the model isn’t just about maths problems or logic puzzles. What sets it apart is how it approaches tasks. QwQ-32B-Preview plans ahead, fact-checks its work, and avoids common AI mistakes. Of course, it’s not flawless—Alibaba acknowledges issues like language switching, occasional loops, and difficulties with “common sense” reasoning. Even so, it represents a step toward more intelligent AI systems. QwQ-32B-Preview is accessible: You can run or download it via Hugging Face. However, like other ********-developed AI, it operates within regulatory boundaries. That means it carefully avoids politically sensitive topics to comply with China’s rules, ensuring it aligns with “core socialist values.” Alibaba isn’t alone in this space. Meta’s Llama 3.1 is another open-source option, though it takes a different approach by focusing on generative AI rather than reasoning. While both models are innovative, QwQ-32B-Preview specialises in problem-solving with what the company describes as a human-like approach, putting it in the reasoning category. The competition in AI inside China is intensifying. Companies such as DeepSeek, Shanghai AI Lab, and Kunlun Tech have entered the reasoning AI race, releasing their models at pace. For example, DeepSeek’s r1 claims to outperform OpenAI’s o1 on half of its benchmark tests, particularly in maths and programming. Shanghai AI Lab’s InternThinker takes a structured approach to problem-solving, incorporating steps such as understanding queries, recalling knowledge, planning solutions, and reflecting on its answers. This surge of activity highlights how quickly ******** companies are catching up with US tech giants. Xu Liang, an AI entrepreneur from Hangzhou, summed it up: “OpenAI gave the direction; with research, ******** tech firms are making progress.” The release of QwQ-32B-Preview and its competitors shows how much ground they’re covering. But this goes beyond just catching up. Reasoning AI marks a change in how models are designed and used. Unlike older AI systems that relied on brute force to generate answers, reasoning models like QwQ-32B-Preview aim to mimic human problem-solving. The approach not only makes them more effective for complex tasks but also expands their potential use cases, like tackling advanced maths or providing detailed financial advice. Whether it’s solving puzzles, reasoning through intricate problems, or expanding what open-source AI can achieve, one thing is clear: the evolution of AI is accelerating. Buckle up—this is only the beginning. (Photo by Unsplash) See also: Alibaba Cloud overhauls AI partner initiative Want to learn more about AI and big data from industry leaders? Check out AI & Big Data Expo taking place in Amsterdam, California, and London. The comprehensive event is co-located with other leading events including Intelligent Automation Conference, BlockX, Digital Transformation Week, and Cyber Security & Cloud Expo. Explore other upcoming enterprise technology events and webinars powered by TechForge here. The post Why QwQ-32B-Preview is the reasoning AI to watch appeared first on AI News. View the full article

Layer 1 relational blockchain Chromia unveils its Asgard mainnet upgrade. Includes new extensions that add specialised capabilities to the blockchain. The Oracle Extension has launched with the AI Inference Extension expected early next year. The Chromia blockchain development team has announced the successful completion of its Asgard mainnet upgrade that introduces new features and capabilities for the platform. The new features enhance the overall capacity of the Layer 1 blockchain and add specialised capabilities for users. The Asgard mainnet upgrade includes the launch of Chomia Extensions, expected to support the growth of decentralised finance (DeFi) and AI-enabled applications on the Chromia Network. Announced on November 15, the Chromia team believes the mainnet will redesign how data is organised on the blockchain, changing the development and use of Web 3 applications. The blockchain utilises a modular framework to offer users and developers of decentralised application (dApp) chains, customisable fee structures, and advanced digital assets. The extensions are modular enhancements that enable developers to build additional features on top of the main blockchain, expanding functionality and utility while maintaining the benefits of the existing infrastructure. The Extensions complement the platform’s relational data architecture, modular network design, and gas-free economic model for end users. Chromia launches Oracle Extensions The Oracle Extension]] provides fully on-chain, real-time price feeds that are updated approximately once a second. It provides developers in Chromia’s ecosystem the ability to develop DeFi applications like decentralised exchanges, futures and options platforms, and lending protocols. Ludvig Öberg, VP of the Chromia Platform Unit said he believes the Oracle Extension will help grow the DeFi space on the blockchain. “The Oracle Extension lays the groundwork for an expansion of decentralised finance activity on the Chromia network and the growth of network value.” According to the team statement, the launch of the Oracle Extension purports to bond well with the overall goal of “strengthening connections across the wider cryptocurrency ecosystem.” The company has made recent efforts to integrate native CHR tokens and other Chromia-based tokens with centralised exchanges and cross-chain wallets. Chromia plans to release a public demo of the Oracle Extension, with integrations by DeFi protocols expected soon after. AI Inference Extension to launch early 2025 Chromia has also announced it has plans to launch an AI Inference Extension, expected in Q1 2025. The module will enable developers to execute AI models directly on-chain using Chromia’s decentralised provider network. The project’s recently formed Data and AI Division’s focus is on creating tools to enhance transparency in AI training data and inputs. Speaking about the AI Extension’s planned launch, Yeou Jie, Head of Business Development at Chromia, said their team’s plan is to expand “transparency to AI.” “As the world’s only relational blockchain, Chromia has demonstrated its ability to bring transparency to AI and other data-intensive use cases. The AI Inference Extension will take this a step further, enabling on-chain execution of AI models.” Seen as the first major technical update on Chromia, Asgard mainnet provides a way for the blockchain to support other functions and decentralised applications including AI, gaming, finance, and enterprise use-cases. The post Chromia’s Asgard upgrade launches: “New era for DeFi and AI” appeared first on AI News. View the full article