ChatGPT

SS&C Blue Prism’s VP of sales for the ***, Ireland and Benelux, Mark Lockett, discusses the firm’s latest developments, customer challenges and how to get the most out of intelligent automation tools. Can you tell us a little bit about SS&C Blue Prism and what it does? SS&C Blue Prism is a specialist in the field of Intelligent Automation, providing products and solutions that change the way in which our customers deliver the work they undertake. We talk about automation augmenting the workforce, and we can do that by using a digital workforce that brings additional capacity to your human workforce. The rationale being we get a digital worker to do those repetitive, high volume, low value added tasks, and we then allow your employees to focus on the value add that they can bring. Intelligent Automation is really looking at the whole cycle of how to deliver the required work through the most efficient channel. That could include orchestration using business process management capabilities. It could also look at process identification through Blue Prism Process Intelligence technologies, where we’re trying to identify those tasks that lend themselves to be automated by technology. The dual effect of automation and orchestration of tasks that customers have to do day in, day out is where SS&C Blue Prism brings most value to its customers. A digital workforce could be aimed at improving an HR onboarding process, improving your finance ******* end close process or transferring information from an outpatient system to an electronic patient record system and vice versa.The use cases are many and varied but the principle ******** the same; use the right channel to deliver the work effort. The beauty of a digital workforce comes in the ability to flex work demands as and when necessary. What have been the latest developments at the company? We’ve been putting a lot of our time, effort and resources into our Next Gen platform. That’s our cloud-native platform that provides access to intelligent automation capabilities, delivered in a way that suits our customers best. It helps customers enjoy the benefits of the cloud while keeping the work where it needs to be. With this hybrid deployment, Next Gen allows customers to take advantage of using the cloud, while having a self-hosted digital workforce that operates behind the customer’s firewall, on their own secure infrastructure – meaning no sensitive data leaves their network. For many customers that operate in highly regulated industries, that really does drive the opportunity for us to enhance the way we can deliver that through the Next Gen platform. And Next Gen also brings together, in a single repository, all the capabilities that allow us to improve the business processes that we’re undertaking on behalf of our customers. Also, I think we’d have been living under a rock if we hadn’t appreciated the fact that Gen AI is really where the market is pivoting. We’re heavily looking into understanding how we can use that technology to really change the way that we work. We’ve introduced capabilities that allow us to integrate with a variety of large language models so our customers can adopt Gen AI. And the way in which we consider that is by using this concept that Gen AI is the capability, which is effectively the brain that allows you to have the emotional, considered response, and the digital workers are the arms and legs that deliver that work. So the brain, the Gen AI, does the thinking, and then the digital workforce does the actual doing. When Gen AI is wrapped into Intelligent Automation processes, it means it’s fully auditable and secure. With many customers hesitant to fully ***** into using Gen AI due to security concerns, the combination is compelling. That’s something that our customers are really excited about in terms of driving use of Gen AI. And we’re seeing that in a number of places now where we’re looking at Gen AI to manage those customer facing interactions, manage those employee interactions, manage those supplier interactions. They have that ability to respond to any of those queries through a variety of channels, be that telephone, email or chat capability, then Gen AI can pick up and author the response, ********* by the automation platform. I speak to a lot of end users and the main thing they say about AI, because it’s so topical right now, is they think they should be utilising it. The problem for many though, is they don’t know how and why. They’re worried that they’re going to be left behind if they don’t get on board with it but maybe it’s not even suitable for them. I couldn’t agree more. I think for a lot of our customers, and a lot of customer conversations you have, there is this view that we’ve got to do something. We’ve got to have a budget. And invariably there are budgets around for Gen AI. A lot of that is in pilot phase right now. And if you look at some of the evidence in support of it, they haven’t necessarily gone that well. Part of the problem is that for many they are actually considering Gen AI without thinking of the business problem that they’re trying to solve. We know we’ve got this new shiny bit of kit and that we should be using it. How to use it and what to do with it is almost a secondary consideration. The conversation that we really try to move to with the customer is ‘what is the problem that you’re trying to solve? What is the customer issue that you’re trying to solve?’ And we’re certainly seeing that through three main lenses in terms of that use case for Gen AI. The customer interaction, the employee interaction, or the citizen interaction, if it’s a member of the public. We’re seeing some really interesting things right now about how we are supporting our Gen AI partners, because most of what we are doing is facilitating the use of a third party large language model. We are effectively providing the framework by which our partners can interact with the customer and solve the customer problem. What kind of trends have you seen developing in Intelligent Automation recently? There are a number of things that our customers talk to us about. One of the things we’ve already spoken about, and that is this notion of Gen AI. We’ve got to do it. What are we going to do? How are we going to do it? We need to use Gen AI, and we need to automate it. And there are a number of pilot initiatives that we see because of that. There’s been so much hype around the business value of Gen AI that I think it’s quite scary for some. There was a recent industry report by McKinsey that talked about a $4.4 trillion market opportunity with Gen AI. There are some absolutely unbelievable numbers that are thrown out about that. I think the reality of that is slightly more considered. And I think it’s not just about how we can change the way we work. It’s really about how can I get a better outcome for the stakeholder, whomever that may be, by deploying Gen AI with automation? So that’s one of the first trends. The second thing that’s really interesting is our customers that have adopted process automation. They’ve used digital workers to either reduce existing costs or improve productivity. So they’ve used it initially as an opportunity for maybe a bit of cost control around improving and automating some processes. But that now is taking them to the next level, which is looking at how to use process intelligence to really identify further process enhancements that they can make. We’re talking about targeting huge organisational objectives through the use of Intelligent Automation, such as growth, customer satisfaction, or employee satisfaction, to name just a few. I think many companies have taken the low hanging fruit by automation, and now they are investing in those technologies around process identification so they can actually be sure that what they’re automating are the right things and delivering value. But are we? Are we leaving things uncovered by not using the process intelligence in support of the business operation? That is becoming more of a story that our customers are really getting into, and we’ve had a number of deployments where customers have done those initial automation activities, and are now looking to take it to the next level. The third thing we see more of is this co-existence with Microsoft Power applications. We’re seeing customers adopting those capabilities alongside technologies such as ours, and actually coexisting together in support. We see that more and more, and I think that’s a trend that many customers recognise in terms of the way that they’re working. It’s not just a one size fits all approach. What is the most appropriate technology? What are your customers biggest challenges? And how can Intelligent Automation help them deal with those? The number one challenge is cost control. How do we manage in a market of rising prices? How do we make sure that we’re getting value for money from the automation? We continue to advocate and demonstrate the value that automation is bringing. Be really structured in terms of how you are assessing the benefit that the automation is bringing, because you are accounting for that spend, you’ve got to prove that it’s worthwhile. For example, what’s the impact on FTE savings? What’s the volume of automations that I’m delivering? What’s the average cost of an employee that’s doing that work? Multiply one by the other and that’s my FTE saving that goes into the business case. So actual cost control, but measured in the term of the business efficiency that I get as a consequence of it. But, where the magic happens is being able to demonstrate what those extra hours have enabled you to do. Have you been able to launch better, quicker products? Have you improved employee satisfaction? Cost factors are always important, but customers must look beyond this to make full use of automation. Many, if not most, of our customers have their own centres of excellence that need to be able to demonstrate a value to the business. So that’s the number one conversation we get with our customers. How do we continue to justify the investment in the technology? What advice would you give to any companies thinking about implementing Intelligent Automation? For any customer considering introducing Intelligent Automation, what is the problem that you’re looking to solve? That’s the crux of the matter. And often you find that customers will look to technologies such as ours, where they know they have a challenge with existing technology estate. They’ve got a high degree of technology debt in their IT estate, and one of the ways that they can overcome some of those limitations is by adopting Intelligent Automation. So think about the problem that you’re trying to solve, and in order to do that, we need to get a really good understanding of what the actual business processes look like. Or, more importantly, what you think those business processes look like, because often what you think they look like and what they actually look like are very different. That’s where things like process intelligence come in to support that. So what is the problem that you’re looking to solve? The next thing that needs to be considered is how do you plan to support that moving forward? Because where our customers have continual investment in the technology and the development of the solution capability, they need to then start being advocates for automation technologies within the business. And once you are doing that, then you are the ones that are effectively going to other parts of the business and trying to identify those automation use cases. Our really successful customers are the ones that have got an internal champion who is going out to other parts of the business, because for many areas of the business, this is quite a well kept secret. So helping people understand what this technology can deliver by way of automation and streamlining process, and improvement of process because it’s not that widely understood. We often find that when employees realise what benefits it brings to their team, demand for those internal champions becomes huge. For some people, this notion of Intelligent Automation with digital workers has got this sort of Metal Mickey ******-type notion, and we’re not talking about that at all. You’re talking about using computers to emulate human interactions and, using Gen AI, they’re then emulating the human interaction that goes with it. So it becomes really quite powerful, but you’ve got to think about how you’re going to sustain that. What does a centre of excellence look like? What have I got by way of developers that can write the automations? What have I then got, by way of business analysts, that can then help us support and find the automations that we need? Think about what the initial use cases could look like. A business case on the whole is very easy to write. Where the challenge comes is how do I then sustain and grow the automation footprint? And the customers that are doing it really successfully are either partnering with someone who continues to deliver that function for them, or they’re bringing together their own centre of excellence in house, and they are then tasked with being the champions for further deployment. What plans does SS&C Blue Prism have for the year ahead? It’s something we’ve already touched upon. We are absolutely focused on transitioning our customers to the Next Gen capability, and embracing the technology opportunity that comes with that is something that customers have really input into the the development roadmap for the technology, and how we are moving with that technology. Our customers are really looking at when is the optimum opportunity for them to deploy Next Gen. That’s going to be a focus in the short to medium term. And the benefit that offers to our customers is really exciting, particularly when you’re talking about a global customer, where they have operations in a variety of geographies. And actually by having that central automation capability you can deploy the actual workers within each of the regions. That gives you a real step change in terms of the efficiency of automation and the ease by which you monitor and manage those automations as well. And then, as others are also encountering, the whole value that Gen AI brings, again, we have got a lot of focus on that. We’ve got a number of customers that are doing some really interesting things. We’ve just been successful with a customer project – a public sector body that is looking at the way they transform the citizen experience – and Gen AI has a huge part to play in that. We see that as something that will continue to improve over time. 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 Mark Lockett, SS&C Blue Prism: Enhancing human capabilities with digital workforces appeared first on AI News. View the full article

Beam has deployed the world’s first AI-driven autonomous underwater vehicle for offshore wind farm inspections. The technology has already proved its mettle by inspecting jacket structures at Scotland’s largest offshore wind farm, Seagreen—a ****** venture between SSE Renewables, TotalEnergies, and PTTEP. The AI-powered vehicle represents a significant leap forward in marine technology and underwater robotics. Capable of conducting complex underwater inspections without human intervention, it promises to dramatically enhance efficiency and slash costs associated with underwater surveys and inspections. Traditionally, offshore wind site inspections have been manual, labour-intensive processes. Beam’s autonomous solution offers a ******** departure from this approach, enabling data to be streamed directly back to shore. This shift allows offshore workers to concentrate on more intricate tasks while reducing inspection timelines by up to 50%, resulting in substantial operational cost savings. Brian Allen, CEO of Beam, said: “We are very proud to have succeeded in deploying the world’s first autonomous underwater vehicle driven by AI. Automation can revolutionise how we carry out inspection and maintenance of offshore wind farms, helping to reduce both costs and timelines.” Beyond improved efficiency, Beam’s technology elevates the quality of inspection data and facilitates the creation of 3D reconstructions of assets alongside visual data. This deployment marks a crucial step in Beam’s roadmap for autonomous technology, with plans to extend this AI-driven solution across its fleet of DP2 vessels, ROVs, and autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs) throughout 2025 and 2026. “Looking ahead to the future, the potential of this technology is huge for the industry, and success in these initial projects is vital for us to progress and realise this vision. This wouldn’t be possible without forward-thinking customers like SSE Renewables who are willing to go on the journey with us,” explained Allen. The Seagreen wind farm, operational since October 2023, is the world’s deepest fixed-bottom offshore wind farm. Beam’s project at Seagreen has provided crucial insights into the potential of autonomous technology for large offshore wind superstructures. The data collected by the AI-driven vehicle will support ongoing operational reliability at the site, offering valuable information on areas such as marine growth and potential erosion at the foundations. Matthew Henderson, Technical Asset Manager – Substructure and Asset Lifecycle at SSE Renewables, commented: “At SSE, we have a mantra that ‘if it’s not safe, we don’t do it.’ Beam’s technology demonstrates that autonomous inspections can reduce the personnel we need to send offshore for planned inspections, while speeding up planned works and collecting rich data-sets to inform asset integrity planning. “As we move further offshore, and into deeper waters, the ability to collect high-quality inspection data in a low-risk manner is imperative to us delivering our Net Zero Acceleration Programme.” As Beam prepares to roll out its AI-driven inspection technology across its fleet in 2025 and 2026, this deployment aligns with the company’s mission to revolutionise offshore wind operations by making them more efficient and cost-effective—further supporting the global energy transition. The success of this AI-powered underwater vehicle at Seagreen wind farm not only demonstrates the potential of autonomous technology in offshore wind inspections but also sets a new standard for safety, efficiency, and data quality in the industry. Such innovations will play a crucial role in ensuring the sustainability and cost-effectiveness of offshore wind energy. See also: Hugging Face is launching an open robotics project 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-powered underwater vehicle transforms offshore wind inspections appeared first on AI News. View the full article

As AI applications evolve, they place greater demands on network infrastructure, particularly in terms of latency and connectivity. Supporting large-scale AI deployments introduces new issues, and analysts predict that AI-related traffic will soon account for a major portion of total network traffic. The industry must be prepared to handle this surge effectively. F5 is adapting its solutions to manage the complexity of AI workloads, and its technology now includes real-time processing of multimodal data. Kunal Anand, Chief Technology and AI Officer at F5 (Source – F5) AI presents both opportunities and risks in security, as it has the capability to enhance protection while also enabling AI-driven cyber threats. Collaboration among hyperscalers, telcos, and technology companies is critical for establishing AI-optimised networks. Collaboration and innovation continue to change the AI networking landscape, and F5 is dedicated to driving progress in this area. Ahead of AI & Big Data Expo Europe, Kunal Anand, Chief Technology and AI Officer at F5, discusses the company’s role and initiatives to stay at the forefront of AI-enabled networking solutions. AI News: As AI applications evolve, the demands on network infrastructure are becoming more complex. What key challenges does the industry face regarding latency and connectivity in supporting large-scale AI deployments? Anand: F5 discovered that AI has drastically transformed application architectures. Some companies are investing billions of dollars in AI factories – massive GPU clusters – while others prefer cloud-based solutions or small language models (SLMs) as less expensive alternatives. Network architectures are evolving to address these challenges. AI factories operate on distinct networking stacks, like InfiniBand with specific GPUs like the H100s or NVIDIA’s upcoming Blackwell series. At the same time, cloud-based technologies and GPU clouds are advancing. A major trend is data gravity, where organisations’ data is locked in specific environments. This has driven the evolution of multi-cloud architectures, allowing workloads to link with data across environments for retrieval-augmented generation (RAG). As RAG demands rise, organisations face higher latency because of limited resources, whether from heavily used data stores or limited sets of GPU servers. AI News: As analysts predict AI-related traffic will soon make up a significant portion of network traffic. What unique challenges does this influx of AI-generated traffic pose for existing network infrastructure, and how do you see the industry preparing for it? Anand: F5 believes that by the end of the decade, most applications will be AI-powered or AI-driven, necessitating augmentation across the network services chain. These applications will use APIs to communicate with AI factories and third-party services, access data for RAG, and potentially expose their own APIs. Essentially, APIs will be the glue holding this ecosystem together, as analysts have suggested. Looking ahead, AI-related traffic is expected to dominate network traffic as AI becomes increasingly integrated into applications and APIs. As AI becomes central to practically all applications, AI-related traffic will naturally increase. AI News: With AI applications becoming more complex and processing multimodal data in real time, how is F5 adapting its solutions to ensure networks can efficiently manage these dynamic workloads? Anand: F5 looks at this from many angles. In the case of RAG, when data – whether images, binary streams, or text – must be retrieved from a data storage, the method is the same regardless of data format. Customers often want quick Layer 4 load balancing, traffic management, and steering capabilities, all of which F5 excels at. The company provides organisations with load balancing, traffic management, and security services, guaranteeing RAG has efficient data access. F5 has also enabled load balancing among AI factories. In some cases, large organisations manage massive GPU clusters with tens of thousands of GPUs. Since AI workloads are unpredictable, these GPUs may be available or unavailable depending on the workload. F5 ensures efficient traffic routing, mitigating the unpredictability of AI workloads. F5 improves performance, increases throughput, and adds security capabilities for organisations building AI factories and clusters. AI News: As AI enhances security while also posing AI-driven cyber threats, what approaches is F5 taking to strengthen network security and resilience against these evolving challenges? Anand: There are many different AI-related challenges on the way. Attackers are already employing AI to generate new payloads, find loopholes, and launch unique attacks. For example, ChatGPT and visual transformers have the ability to break CAPTCHAs, especially interactive ones. Recent demonstrations have shown the sophistication of these attacks. As seen in past security patterns, every time attackers gain an advantage with new technology, defenders must rise to the challenge. This often necessitates reconsidering security models, like shifting from “allow everything, deny some” to “allow some, deny everything.” Many organisations are exploring solutions to combat AI-driven threats. F5 is making big investments to keep ahead of AI-driven threats. As part of its F5 intelligence programme, the company is developing, training, and deploying models, which are supported by its AI Center of Excellence. Earlier this year, F5 launched an AI data fabric, with a team dedicated to developing models that serve the entire business, from policy creation to insight delivery. F5 feels it is well placed to face these rising issues. AI News: What role do partnerships play in developing the next generation of AI-optimised networks, especially between hyperscalers, telcos, and tech companies? Anand: Partnerships are important for AI development. The AI stack is complex and involves several components, including electricity, data centres, hardware, servers, GPUs, memory, computational power, and a networking stack, all of which must function together. It is unusual for a single organisation to oversee everything from start to finish. F5 focuses on establishing and maintaining the necessary partnerships in computation, networking, and storage to support AI. AI News: How does F5 view its role in advancing AI networking, and what initiatives are you focusing on to stay at the forefront of AI-enabled networking solutions? Anand: F5 is committed to developing its technology platform. The AI Data Fabric, launched earlier this year, will work with the AI Center of Excellence to prepare the organisation for the future. F5 is also forming strong partnerships, with announcements to come. The company is excited about its work and the rapid pace of global change. F5’s unique vantage point – processing worldwide traffic – enables it to correlate data insights with industry trends. F5 also intends to be more forthcoming about its research and models, with some open-source contributions coming soon. Overall, F5 is incredibly optimistic about the future. The transformative impact of AI is remarkable, and it is an exciting time to be part of this shift. (Image by Lucent_Designs_dinoson20) 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 Kunal Anand, F5: Shaping AI-optimised networks and enhancing security appeared first on AI News. View the full article

Alibaba Cloud has open-sourced more than 100 of its newly-launched AI models, collectively known as Qwen 2.5. The announcement was made during the company’s annual Apsara Conference. The cloud computing arm of Alibaba Group has also unveiled a revamped full-stack infrastructure designed to meet the surging demand for robust AI computing. This new infrastructure encompasses innovative cloud products and services that enhance computing, networking, and data centre architecture, all aimed at supporting the development and wide-ranging applications of AI models. Eddie Wu, Chairman and CEO of Alibaba Cloud Intelligence, said: “Alibaba Cloud is investing, with unprecedented intensity, in the research and development of AI technology and the building of its global infrastructure. We aim to establish an AI infrastructure of the future to serve our global customers and unlock their business potential.” The newly-released Qwen 2.5 models range from 0.5 to 72 billion parameters in size and boast enhanced knowledge and stronger capabilities in maths and coding. Supporting over 29 languages, these models cater to a wide array of AI applications both at the edge and in the cloud across various sectors, from automotive and gaming to scientific research. Alibaba Cloud’s open-source AI models gain traction Since its debut in April 2023, the Qwen model series has garnered significant traction, surpassing 40 million downloads across platforms such as Hugging Face and ModelScope. These models have also inspired the creation of over 50,000 derivative models on Hugging Face alone. Jingren Zhou, CTO of Alibaba Cloud Intelligence, commented: “This initiative is set to empower developers and corporations of all sizes, enhancing their ability to leverage AI technologies and further stimulating the growth of the open-source community.” In addition to the open-source models, Alibaba Cloud announced an upgrade to its proprietary flagship model, Qwen-Max. The enhanced version reportedly demonstrates performance on par with other state-of-the-art models in areas such as language comprehension, reasoning, mathematics, and coding. The company has also expanded its multimodal capabilities with a new text-to-video model as part of its Tongyi Wanxiang large model family. This model can generate high-quality videos in various visual styles, from realistic scenes to 3D animation, based on ******** and English text instructions. Furthermore, Alibaba Cloud introduced Qwen2-VL, an updated vision language model capable of comprehending videos lasting over 20 minutes and supporting video-based question-answering. The company also launched an AI Developer, a Qwen-powered AI assistant designed to support programmers in automating tasks such as requirement analysis, code programming, and bug identification and fixing. To support these AI advancements, Alibaba Cloud has announced several infrastructure upgrades, including: CUBE DC 5.0, a next-generation data centre architecture that increases energy and operational efficiency. Alibaba Cloud Open Lake, a solution to maximise data utility for generative AI applications. PAI AI Scheduler, a proprietary cloud-native scheduling engine for enhanced computing resource management. DMS: OneMeta+OneOps, a platform for unified management of metadata across multiple cloud environments. 9th Generation Enterprise Elastic Compute Service (ECS) instance, offering improved performance for various applications. These updates from Alibaba Cloud – including the release of over 100 open-source models – aim to provide comprehensive support for customers and partners to maximise the benefits of the latest technology in building more efficient, sustainable, and inclusive AI applications. (Image Source: www.alibabagroup.com) See also: Tech industry giants urge EU to streamline AI 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 Alibaba Cloud unleashes over 100 open-source AI models appeared first on AI News. View the full article

Meta has spearheaded an open letter calling for urgent reform of AI regulations in the EU. The letter, which garnered support from over 50 prominent companies – including Ericsson, SAP, and Spotify – was published as an advert in the Financial Times. The collective voice of these industry leaders highlights a pressing issue: Europe’s bureaucratic approach to AI regulation may be stifling innovation and causing the region to lag behind its global counterparts. “Europe has become less competitive and less innovative compared to other regions and it now risks falling further behind in the AI era due to inconsistent regulatory decision making,” the letter states, painting a stark picture of the continent’s current position in the AI race. The signatories emphasise two key areas of concern. Firstly, they point to the development of ‘open’ models, which are freely available for use, modification, and further development. These models are lauded for their potential to “multiply the benefits and spread social and economic opportunity” while simultaneously bolstering sovereignty and control. Secondly, the letter underscores the importance of ‘multimodal’ models, which integrate text, images, and speech capabilities. The signatories argue that the leap from text-only to multimodal models is akin to “the difference between having only one sense and having all five of them”. They assert that these advanced models could significantly boost productivity, drive scientific research, and inject hundreds of billions of euros into the ********* economy. However, the crux of the matter ***** in the regulatory landscape. The letter expresses frustration with the uncertainty surrounding data usage for AI model training, stemming from interventions by ********* Data Protection Authorities. This ambiguity, they argue, could result in Large Language Models (LLMs) lacking crucial Europe-specific training data. To address these challenges, the signatories call for “harmonised, consistent, quick and clear decisions under EU data regulations that enable ********* data to be used in AI training for the benefit of Europeans”. They stress the need for “decisive action” to unlock Europe’s potential for creativity, ingenuity, and entrepreneurship, which they believe is essential for the region’s prosperity and technological leadership. A copy of the letter can be found below: While the letter acknowledges the importance of consumer protection, it also highlights the delicate balance regulators must strike to avoid hindering commercial progress. The ********* Commission’s approach to regulation has often been criticised for its perceived heavy-handedness, and this latest appeal from industry leaders adds weight to growing concerns about the region’s global competitiveness in the AI sector. The pressure is rapidly mounting on ********* policymakers to create a regulatory environment that fosters innovation while maintaining appropriate safeguards. The coming months will likely see intensified dialogue between industry stakeholders and regulators as they grapple with these complex issues that will shape the future of AI development in Europe. (Photo by Sara Kurfeß) See also: SolarWinds: IT professionals want stronger AI regulation 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 Tech industry giants urge EU to streamline AI regulations appeared first on AI News. View the full article

A new survey from SolarWinds has unveiled a resounding call for increased government oversight of AI, with 88% of IT professionals advocating for stronger regulation. The study, which polled nearly 700 IT experts, highlights security as the paramount concern. An overwhelming 72% of respondents emphasised the critical need for measures to secure infrastructure. Privacy follows closely behind, with 64% of IT professionals urging for more robust rules to protect sensitive information. Rob Johnson, VP and Global Head of Solutions Engineering at SolarWinds, commented: “It is understandable that IT leaders are approaching AI with caution. As technology rapidly evolves, it naturally presents challenges typical of any emerging innovation. “Security and privacy remain at the forefront, with ongoing scrutiny by regulatory bodies. However, it is incumbent upon organisations to take proactive measures by enhancing data hygiene, enforcing robust AI ethics and assembling the right teams to lead these efforts. This proactive stance not only helps with compliance with evolving regulations but also maximises the potential of AI.” The survey’s findings come at a pivotal moment, coinciding with the implementation of the EU’s AI Act. In the ***, the new Labour government recently proposed its own AI legislation during the latest King’s speech, signalling a growing recognition of the need for regulatory frameworks. In the US, the California State Assembly passed a controversial AI safety bill last month. Beyond security and privacy, the survey reveals a broader spectrum of concerns amongst IT professionals. A majority (55%) believe government intervention is crucial to stem the tide of AI-generated misinformation. Additionally, half of the respondents support regulations aimed at ensuring transparency and ethical practices in AI development. Challenges extend beyond AI regulation However, the challenges facing AI adoption extend beyond regulatory concerns. The survey uncovers a troubling lack of trust in data quality—a cornerstone of successful AI implementation. Only 38% of respondents consider themselves ‘very trusting’ of the data quality and training used in AI systems. This scepticism is not unfounded, as 40% of IT leaders who have encountered issues with AI attribute these problems to algorithmic errors stemming from insufficient or biased data. Consequently, data quality emerges as the second most significant barrier to AI adoption (16%), trailing only behind security and privacy risks. This finding underscores the critical importance of robust, unbiased datasets in driving AI success. “High-quality data is the cornerstone of accurate and reliable AI models, which in turn drive better decision-making and outcomes,” adds Johnson. “Trustworthy data builds confidence in AI among IT professionals, accelerating the broader adoption and integration of AI technologies.” The survey also sheds light on widespread concerns about database readiness. Less than half (43%) of IT professionals express confidence in their company’s ability to meet the increasing data demands of AI. This lack of preparedness is further exacerbated by the perception that organisations are not moving swiftly enough to implement AI, with 46% of respondents citing ongoing data quality challenges as a contributing factor. As AI continues to reshape the technological landscape, the findings of this SolarWinds survey serve as a clarion call for both stronger regulation and improved data practices. The message from IT professionals is clear: while AI holds immense promise, its successful integration hinges on addressing critical concerns around security, privacy, and data quality. (Photo by Kelly Sikkema) See also: Whitepaper dispels fears of AI-induced job losses 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 SolarWinds: IT professionals want stronger AI regulation appeared first on AI News. View the full article

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is code or technologies that perform complex calculations, an area that encompasses simulations, data processing and analytics. AI has increasingly grown in importance, becoming a game changer in many industries, including healthcare, education and finance. The use of AI has been proven to double levels of effectiveness, efficiency and accuracy in many processes, and reduced cost in different market sectors. AI’s impact is being felt across the globe, so, it is important we understand the effects of AI on society and our daily lives. Better understanding of AI and all that it does and can mean can be gained from well-researched AI books. Books on AI provide insights into the use and applications of AI. They describe the advancement of AI since its inception and how it has shaped society so far. In this article, we will be examining recommended best books on AI that focus on the societal implications. For those who don’t have time to read entire books, book summary apps like Headway will be of help. Book 1: “Superintelligence: Paths, Dangers, Strategies” by Nick Bostrom Nick Bostrom is a Swedish philosopher with a background in computational neuroscience, logic and AI safety. In his book, Superintelligence, he talks about how AI can surpass our current definitions of intelligence and the possibilities that might ensue. Bostrom also talks about the possible risks to humanity if superintelligence is not managed properly, stating AI can easily become a threat to the entire human race if we exercise no control over the technology. Bostrom offers strategies that might curb existential risks, talks about how Al can be aligned with human values to reduce those risks and suggests teaching AI human values. Superintelligence is recommended for anyone who is interested in knowing and understanding the implications of AI on humanity’s future. Book 2: “AI Superpowers: China, Silicon Valley, and the New World Order” by Kai-*** Lee AI expert Kai-*** Lee’s book, AI Superpowers: China, Silicon Valley, and the New World Order, examines the AI revolution and its impact so far, focusing on China and the USA. He concentrates on the competition between these two countries in AI and the various contributions to the advancement of the technology made by each. He highlights China’s advantage, thanks in part to its larger population. China’s significant investment so far in AI is discussed, and its chances of becoming a global leader in AI. Lee believes that cooperation between the countries will help shape the future of global power dynamics and therefore the economic development of the world. In thes book, Lee states AI has the ability to transform economies by creating new job opportunities with massive impact on all sectors. If you are interested in knowing the geo-political and economic impacts of AI, this is one of the best books out there. Book 3: “Life 3.0: Being Human in the Age of Artificial Intelligence” by Max Tegmark Max Tegmark’s Life 3.0 explores the concept of humans living in a world that is heavily influenced by AI. In the book, he talks about the concept of Life 3.0, a future where human existence and society will be shaped by AI. It focuses on many aspects of humanity including identity and creativity. Tegmark envisions a time where AI has the ability to reshape human existence. He also emphasises the need to follow ethical principles to ensure the safety and preservation of human life. Life 3.0 is a thought-provoking book that challenges readers to think deeply about the choices humanity may face as we progress into the AI era. It’s one of the best books to read if you are interested in the ethical and philosophical discussions surrounding AI. Book 4: “The Fourth Industrial Revolution” by Klaus Schwab Klaus Martin Schwab is a ******* economist, mechanical engineer and founder of the World Economic Forum (WEF). He argues that machines are becoming smarter with every advance in technology and supports his arguments with evidence from previous revolutions in thinking and industry. He explains that the current age – the fourth industrial revolution – is building on the third: with far-reaching consequences. He states use of AI in technological advancement is crucial and that cybernetics can be used by AIs to change and shape the technological advances coming down the line towards us all. This book is perfect if you are interested in AI-driven advancements in the fields of digital and technological growth. With this book, the role AI will play in the next phases of technological advancement will be better understood. Book 5: “Weapons of Math Destruction: How Big Data Increases Inequality and Threatens Democracy” by Cathy O’Neil Cathy O’Neil’s book emphasises the harm that defective mathematical algorithms cause in judging human behaviour and character. The continual use of maths algorithms promotes harmful results and creates inequality. An example given in the book is of research that proved bias in voting choices caused by results from different search engines. Similar examination is given to research that focused Facebook, where, by making newsfeeds appear on users’ timelines, political preferences could be affected. This book is best suited for readers who want to adventure in the darker sides of AI that wouldn’t regularly be seen in mainstream news outlets. Book 6: “The Age of Em: Work, Love, and Life when Robots Rule the Earth” by Robin Hanson An associate professor of economics at George Mason University and a former researcher at the Future of Humanity Institute of Oxford University, Robin Hanson paints an imaginative picture of emulated human brains designed for robots. What if humans copied or “emulated” their brains and emotions and gave them to robots? He argues that humans who become “Ems” (emulations) will become more dominant in the future workplace because of their higher productivity. An intriguing book for fans of technology and those who love intelligent predictions of possible futures. Book 7: “Architects of Intelligence: The truth about AI from the people building it” by Martin Ford This book was drawn from interviews with AI experts and examines the struggles and possibilities of AI-driven industry. If you want insights from people actively shaping the world, this book is right for you! CONCLUSION These books all have their unique perspectives but all point to one thing – the advantages of AI of today will have significant societal and technological impact. These books will give the reader glimpses into possible futures, with the effects of AI becoming more apparent over time. For better insight into all aspects of AI, these books are the boosts you need to expand your knowledge. AI is advancing quickly, and these authors are some of the most respected in the field. Learn from the best with these choice reads. The post Non-fiction books that explore AI’s impact on society appeared first on AI News. View the full article

A singer from the ******* States has been accused of manipulating music streaming platforms using AI technologies and bots to fraudulently inflate his stream statistics and earn millions of dollars in royalties. Michael Smith, 52, from North Carolina, faces charges of wire ******, *********** to commit wire ****** and money laundering. According to the BBC, authorities allege that this is the first time AI has been used to allow such a large-scale streaming scam. U.S. Attorney Damian Williams emphasised the scope of the ******, claiming that Smith took millions of dollars in royalties that should have gone to real musicians, songwriters and rights holders. The accusations stem from an unsealed indictment alleging that Smith distributed hundreds of thousands of AI-generated songs across multiple streaming platforms. To avoid detection, automated bots streamed the tracks—sometimes up to 10,000 at a time. Smith allegedly earned more than $10 million in ******** royalties over several years. The FBI played a crucial role in the investigation. The agency’s acting assistant director, Christie M. Curtis, explained that the agency was dedicated to tracking down those who misuse technology to rob people of their earnings while simultaneously undermining the efforts of real artists. According to the indictment, Smith began working with the CEO of an undisclosed AI music firm around 2018. This co-conspirator allegedly provided Smith with thousands of AI-generated tracks each month. In exchange, Smith offered metadata such as song titles and artist names, and offered a share of streaming earnings. One email exchange between Smith and the unnamed CEO in March 2019 demonstrates how the plot took shape. The executive stated, “Keep in mind what we’re doing musically here…this is not ‘music,’ [but] ‘instant music’).” The email emphasises the operation’s intentional nature, as well as the use of AI to generate large amounts of content with minimal effort. According to the indictment, the technology improved over time, making it ******* for streaming platforms to detect fraudulent streams. In another email dated February, Smith boasted that his AI-generated tracks had accumulated over 4 billion streams and $12 million in royalties since 2019. If convicted, Smith faces significant prison time for the charges brought against him. The Smith case is not the only one involving bogus music streaming royalties. Earlier this year, a Danish man received an 18-month term for a similar plan. Music streaming platforms like Spotify, Apple Music and YouTube forbid bots and artificial streams from being used to boost royalties. Such behaviour is disruptive and ********, and platforms have taken steps to combat it through policy changes. For instance, if artificial streams are detected, Spotify charges the label or distributor and music can earn royalties only if it meets certain criteria. Nevertheless, the proliferation of AI-generated music continues to disrupt the music industry. Musicians and record companies ***** they will lose revenue and recognition due to AI tools capable of creating music, text and images. Such tools reportedly sometimes use content that musicians and other creators have posted on the internet, raising questions about copyright infringement. Tension came to a head in 2023 when a track that mimicked the voices of popular artists Drake and The Weeknd went viral, prompting streaming platforms to remove it. Earlier this year, several high-profile musicians, including Billie Eilish, Elvis Costello and Aerosmith, signed an open letter urging the music industry to address the “predatory” use of AI to generate content. (Photo by ******* palacio) See also: Whitepaper dispels fears of AI-induced job losses 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 and bots allegedly used to fraudulently boost music streams appeared first on AI News. View the full article

Walmart and Amazon are harnessing AI to drive retail transformation with new consumer experiences and enhanced operational efficiency. According to analytics firm GlobalData, Walmart is focusing on augmented reality and AI-enhanced store management. Amazon, meanwhile, is leading advancements in customer personalisation and autonomous systems. Kiran Raj, Practice Head of Disruptive Tech at GlobalData, notes: “Walmart and Amazon are no longer competing for market share alone. Their AI strategies are reshaping the entire retail ecosystem—from Walmart’s blend of digital and physical shopping experiences to Amazon’s operational automation.” GlobalData’s Disruptor Intelligence Center, utilising its Technology Foresights tool, has identified the strategic focus of these retail titans based on their patent filings. Walmart has submitted over 3,000 AI-related patents, with 20% of these in the last three years, indicating a swift evolution in its AI capabilities. In contrast, Amazon boasts more than 9,000 patents; half of which were filed during the same timeframe, underpinning its leadership in AI-driven retail innovations. AI-powered retail transformation Walmart is deploying AI-driven solutions like in-store product recognition while making notable strides in AR applications, including virtual try-ons. The company’s progress in smart warehouses and image-based transactions denotes a shift towards fully automated retail, enhancing both speed and precision in customer service. Amazon stands out with its extensive deployment of AI in customer personalisation and autonomous systems. By harnessing technologies such as Autonomous Network Virtualisation and Automated VNF Deployment, the company is advancing its operational infrastructure and aiming to set new standards in network efficiency and data management. Walmart’s development of intelligent voice assistants and automated store surveillance emphasises its aim to provide a seamless and secure shopping experience. Concurrently, Amazon’s progress in AI for coding and surveillance is pushing the boundaries of enterprise AI applications and enhancing security capabilities. “Walmart and Amazon’s aggressive innovation strategies not only strengthen their market positions but also set a blueprint for the future of the retail sector,” Raj explains. “As these two giants continue to push the boundaries of retail AI, the broader industry can expect ripple effects in supply chain innovation, customer loyalty programmes, and operational scalability—setting the stage for a new era of consumer engagement.” (Photo by Marques Thomas) See also: Whitepaper dispels fears of AI-induced job losses 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 Walmart and Amazon drive retail transformation with AI appeared first on AI News. View the full article

In the past year, we’ve seen remarkable achievements across AI-assisted ******* diagnosis as more and more clinicians test, use and integrate AI companions into daily practice. Skin ******* is no exception, and we expect AI diagnostic tools to be widely implemented across this clinical arena in the future. What does AI assistance look like for skin *******? A 2024 study led by researchers at Stanford Medicine compared the performance of clinicians diagnosing at least one skin ******* with and without deep learning-based AI assistance. In an experimental environment, clinicians without AI assistance achieved an average sensitivity of 74.8% while for AI-assisted clinicians, sensitivity was around 81.1%. What’s intriguing is AI helped medical professionals at all levels, with the largest improvement seen among non-dermatologists. AI for skin ******* can impact behaviour change ******* is on the rise among younger people. According to a study published in BMJ Oncology, the number of under-50s worldwide being diagnosed with ******* has risen by nearly 80% in three decades. And, over the last decade melanoma skin ******* incidence rates have increased by almost two-fifths (38%) with Spain seeing a steady incidence increase of 2.4% during this time. If detected early enough, skin ******* is easily treated and prognosis is very good. But busy lives and competing concerns mean fewer people are getting checked out, resulting in delays to diagnosis and treatment, which is dramatically changing the survival rates. Those who do, often wait to speak to a doctor. In fact, new research from Bupa, Attitudes Towards Digital Healthcare, indicates only 9% of people would immediately go to get a mole they were concerned about examined by a professional. However, the same research found that if people were able to have a mole assessed by an AI-powered phone app at the time of their choosing, that percentage increases more than threefold (33%). This signifies emerging technology can have a significant impact on positive behaviour change in healthcare and improve clinical outcome of a potentially severe ********. Bupa now offer an at-home dermatology tool At Bupa, we see lots of opportunities to use AI and are exploring its use to enhance patient care, improve operational efficiency, and help our customers to live longer, healthier and happier lives. We know that people want their healthcare partner to be by their side, not just when they are *****, but supporting them constantly to keep them well. That’s why we launched Blua, our digital healthcare service that’s available in over 200 countries. Blua provides access to three lifechanging healthcare innovations that drive convenience and accessibility. They are virtual consultations so that a customer can connect to a health professional from wherever they choose. Digital health programmesthat allow customers to proactively manage their health and remote healthcare services such as prescription delivery and at home monitoring equipment. For customers in Spain, we offer an at-home dermatology assessment service through Blua. How does this work? Customers who’re worried about a skin lesion can take high resolution photos of it using their smartphone. Once taken, the photos are uploaded to Blua and using AI are compared with a database of millions of other images of skin lesions to check for signs of malignancy. The tool’s algorithms are able to discern between 302 different skin pathologies. If the tool suspects that there is a cause for concern it will let the customer know to book a follow up appointment with a doctor so that it can be looked at further and preventative action can be taken if needed. The future of healthcare means early detection Digital healthcare, together with AI, is going to play a crucial role in removing the barriers that stop people from getting health concerns like ****** checked out in a timely manner, promoting positive behaviour change that can save lives. This is why Blua is especially useful in today’s fast-paced world where convenience is paramount and virtual consultations and at home tests will empower individuals to prioritise their health, without the need to sacrifice their time. (Photo by Nsey Benajah) 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’s role in helping to prevent skin ******* through behaviour change appeared first on AI News. View the full article

What was supposed to herald a new era of AI for Apple has instead left many underwhelmed when the tech giant unveiled the iPhone 16 series, its first AI-powered smartphone line-up, which happens to be still in beta testing and expected to take months, if not years, to fully roll out globally. To make matters worse for the Cupertino, California-based smartphone maker, ******** tech giant Huawei launched its new Mate XT smartphone just hours after the former’s event, boasting far more impressive AI features powered by Huawei’s in-house Kylin chips. Huawei’s move showcases its ability to innovate despite facing US sanctions, but it also spells uncertainty for Apple’s market share in Mainland China, one of its most crucial markets. Let’s explore why. Apple and its AI gambit: Worth the hype? The delay in rolling out AI features has led many industry analysts to question whether Apple’s AI push is ready for prime time. “With lots of words like ‘later this year’ and ‘early next year’, the core Apple message for iPhone 16 was: Next year will be better,” Reuters quoted Needham analyst Laura Martin. Apple’s suite of tools, collectively known as Apple Intelligence, has been in development for some time. The company has touted the technology since its developer’s conference in June. However, the software won’t be included in the initial versions of the new iPhones, and many key features won’t arrive until next year. For now, the technology primarily focuses on summarising messages and notifications rather than matching the more advanced capabilities of rival systems. Delayed AI features in iPhone 16 dampen enthusiasm–especially in China In China, the excitement of the launch of the iPhone 16 series on Monday quickly turned to disappointment for many local Apple users when they learned that the AI features would not be immediately available in their language until next year. At the same time, Huawei’s AI assistant, with text summary, translation, and editing functions, and AI-boosted image editing functions, such as trimming unwanted parts of photos, will be readily available once Mate XT goes on ***** later this month. This delay has prompted scepticism about the value proposition of the new iPhones in China, especially given the fierce competition from local rivals like Huawei. “The absence of AI in China is akin to cutting one of Apple’s arms,” one commentator remarked on Weibo, China’s popular microblogging platform. Another user pointedly asked, “With the biggest selling point unavailable, shouldn’t you charge us half the price?” These sentiments reflect a growing frustration among ******** consumers who feel they are not getting the total value of Apple’s latest innovations, according to South China Morning Post. In contrast, Huawei’s new Mate XT, which users can fold three ways like an accordion screen door, has already received more than four million pre-orders, for which no ******** is required, according to the company’s website. According to research firm IDC, the global market for foldable phones was around 4 million units in the second quarter. “Today, we bring you a product everyone can think of but could not make. Our team has been working hard for five years and has never given up,” Huawei executive director Richard Yu said at the launch. On the other hand, Apple has yet to announce an AI partner in China to power Apple Intelligence. This is because the uncertain regulatory landscape in mainland China adds to the complexity of the situation. The country’s Ministry of Industry and Information Technology has approved 188 large language models for public use, none of which are from foreign companies. This raises questions about whether Apple’s AI features will be available in mainland China even when rolled out in other ********-speaking regions. Apple has stated on its website that the launch date of its AI feature in China will depend on the decision of ******** regulators. But Apple has to catch up, and it has to be fast. Apple sales have been dwindling, and the company’s ranking in the world’s second-largest economy has dropped from third to sixth place. This is even though Apple has long experienced robust demand in China, where new iPhone debuts have historically caused a frenzy. The industry took a surprising turn when Shenzhen-based Huawei returned to the high-end smartphone sector last year with the debut of a device powered by a domestically manufactured chip. This defied US sanctions that had cut off access to the global chipset supply chain. The Mate 60 Pro’s debut startled analysts and US officials. In addition, Huawei started offering two-way foldable phones in its inventory, and strong sales in China helped it beat Samsung Electronics as the world’s largest vendor of such phones earlier this year. The delay with Apple Intelligence in China will give competitors like Huawei a window of opportunity to capture market share and establish themselves as leaders in AI-powered smartphones within their home turf. This could make it more challenging for Apple to regain ground once its AI features finally arrive in the country. Ultimately, Apple’s AI ambitions in China represent a high-stakes gamble for the tech giant. While the company’s brand still holds significant appeal, the delayed rollout of AI features and intense competition from resurgent local players like Huawei pose serious challenges. As the smartphone market in China continues to evolve, Apple’s ability to adapt its AI strategy to local conditions may determine its future success in this critical market. (Photo by James Lee) See also: Could an Apple-Meta partnership redefine the AI 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 Has Huawei outsmarted Apple in the AI race? appeared first on AI News. View the full article

Sony Research and AI Singapore (AISG) will collaborate on research for the SEA-LION family of large language models (LLMs). SEA-LION, which stands for Southeast ****** Languages In One Network, aims to improve the accuracy and capability of AI models when processing languages from the region. This is particularly important given the linguistic diversity of Southeast Asia, which is home to over a thousand different languages. “As a global company, diversity and localisation are vital forces,” said Hiroaki Kitano, President of Sony Research. “In Southeast Asia specifically, there are more than a thousand different languages spoken by the citizens of the region. This linguistic diversity underscores the importance of ensuring AI models and tools are designed to support the needs of all populations around the world.” The collaboration will focus on testing and improving the SEA-LION model, with a particular emphasis on Tamil, a language spoken by an estimated 60-85 million people worldwide. Sony Research will leverage its expertise in Indian languages – including Tamil – and its research in speech generation, content analysis, and recognition. “Access to LLMs that address the global landscape of language and culture has been a barrier to driving research and developing new technologies that are representative and equitable for the global populations we serve,” Kitano added. The collaboration is further strengthened by Kitano’s existing ties to the Singaporean technology landscape. He holds positions on numerous advisory councils and boards in the country, including the Advisory Council on the Ethical Use of AI and Data, the Infocomm Media Development Authority (IMDA), the Singapore Economic Development Board (EDB), and the National Research Foundation, Singapore (NRF). “The integration of the SEA-LION model, with its Tamil language capabilities, holds great potential to boost the performance of new solutions,” Teo continued. “We are particularly eager to contribute to the testing and refinement of the SEA-LION models for Tamil and other Southeast ****** languages, while also sharing our expertise and best practices in LLM development. “We look forward to seeing how this collaboration will drive innovation in multilingual AI technologies.” (Photo by James Lee) See also: Whitepaper dispels fears of AI-induced job losses 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 Sony and AI Singapore collaborate on SEA-LION LLMs appeared first on AI News. View the full article

Fears that AI will lead to mass job losses are unfounded, according to a new whitepaper. The report, released by British AI software firm Automated Analytics, found that none of its 5,000 clients across the *** and US reported laying off staff as a result of AI implementation. The whitepaper, titled “Unlocking Data, Unlocking People: Harnessing the Power of AI to Transform Your Business,” launched today at Scale Space White City in London’s White City Innovation District. It argues that AI can actually be a catalyst for growth, rather than a threat to jobs. Despite evidence to the contrary, the study also reveals a lingering ***** of AI among *** business leaders. A YouGov survey commissioned by Automated Analytics found that over half of senior decision-makers still believe AI will eliminate more jobs than it creates. Only 17% believe AI will create more jobs than it eliminates. This hesitancy, the report warns, could have serious consequences for the *** economy. As US firms increasingly embrace AI, British businesses risk being left behind. Mark Taylor, CEO of Automated Analytics, argues that the *** needs to shift its focus from regulation to innovation in order to remain competitive. “AI is not about replacing jobs; it’s about enhancing productivity and creating new opportunities,” says Taylor. “Our whitepaper provides concrete examples of how AI can drive growth, efficiency, and competitiveness. The *** cannot afford to lag behind in this critical area.” The whitepaper highlights several case studies demonstrating the positive impact of AI on businesses: British Gas’ Dyno-Rod: AI helped to halve the number of service calls by improving understanding of customer journeys, providing franchise operations with 100% visibility. Pizza Hut (US): Restaurant Management Group, the fourth-largest US franchisee, used AI to reduce recruitment costs by $1 million and increase hires by 42%. Fourth (***): The hospitality recruitment firm saw a 220% increase in candidate flow and a drastic reduction in cost-per-application within 30 days of implementing its AI-driven TalentTrack software. Taylor also expressed concern over the cultural differences between the US and *** in embracing new technologies. “The US is leading the charge in AI adoption, while the *** ******** overly focused on regulation. This whitepaper demonstrates that many fears surrounding AI are unfounded and that it can play a crucial role in driving the ***’s economic growth.” The whitepaper serves as a call to action for *** businesses to embrace AI as a vital tool for driving innovation and competitiveness in the global market. While it’s clear that businesses must adopt AI responsibly, the whitepaper should help to dispel fears of mass job losses. A copy of the whitepaper can be found here (registration required.) (Photo by Ruthson Zimmerman) See also: *** signs AI safety treaty to protect human rights and democracy 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 Whitepaper dispels fears of AI-induced job losses appeared first on AI News. View the full article

The term AI winter refers to a ******* of funding cuts in AI research and development, often following overhyped expectations that fail to deliver. With recent generative AI systems falling short of investor promises — from OpenAI’s GPT-4o to Google’s AI-powered overviews — this pattern feels all too familiar today. Search Engine Land reported that AI winters have historically followed cycles of excitement and disappointment. The first of these, in the 1970s, occurred due to the underwhelming results from ambitious projects aiming to achieve machine translation and speech recognition. Given that there was insufficient computing power, and the expectations of what computers could achieve in the field were unrealistic, funding was frozen. The expert systems in the 1980s showed promise, but the second AI winter occurred when these systems ******* to handle unexpected inputs. The decline of LISP machines, and the ******** of Japan’s Fifth Generation project, were additional factors that contributed to the slowdown. Many researchers distanced themselves from AI, opting to call their work informatics or machine learning, to avoid the negative stigma. AI’s resilience through winters AI pushed through the 1990s, albeit slowly and painfully, and was mostly impractical. Even though IBM Watson was supposed to revolutionise the way humans treat illnesses, its implementation in real-world medical practices encountered challenges at every turn. The AI machine was unable to interpret doctors’ notes, and cater to local population needs. In other words, AI was exposed in delicate situations requiring a delicate approach. AI research and funding surged again in the early 2000s with advances in machine learning, and big data. However, AI’s reputation, tainted by past failures, led many to rebrand AI technologies. Terms like blockchain, autonomous vehicles, and voice-command devices gained investor interest, only for most to fade when they ******* to meet inflated expectations. Lessons from past AI winters Each AI winter follows a familiar sequence: expectations lead to hype, followed by disappointments in technology, and finances. AI researchers retreat from the field, and dedicate themselves to more focused projects. However, these projects do not support the development of long-term research, favouring short-term efforts, and making everyone reconsider AI’s potential. Not only does this have an undesirable impact on the technology, but it also influences the workforce, whose talents eventually deem the technology unsustainable. Some life-changing projects are also abandoned. Yet, these periods provide valuable lessons. They remind us to be realistic about AI’s capabilities, focus on foundational research, and communicate transparently with investors, and the public. Are we headed toward another AI winter? After an explosive 2023, the pace of AI progress appears to have slowed; breakthroughs in generative AI are becoming less frequent. Investor calls have seen fewer mentions of AI, and companies struggle to realise the productivity gains initially promised by tools like ChatGPT. The use of generative AI models is limited due to difficulties, such as the presence of hallucinations, and a lack of true understanding. Moreover, when discussing real-world applications, the spread of AI-generated content, and numerous problematic aspects concerning data usage, also present problems that may slow progress. However, it may be possible to avoid a full-blown AI winter. Open-source models are catching up quickly to closed alternatives and companies are shifting toward implementing different applications across industries. Monetary investments have not stopped either, particularly in the case of Perplexity, where a niche in the search space might have been found despite general scepticism toward the company’s claims. The future of AI and its impact on businesses It is difficult to say with certainty what will happen with AI in the future. On the one hand, progress will likely continue, and better AI systems will be developed, with improved productivity rates for the search marketing industry. On the other hand, if the technology is unable to address the current issues — including the ethics of AI’s existence, the safety of the data used, and the accuracy of the systems — falling confidence in AI may result in a reduction of investments and, consequently, a more substantial industry slowdown. In either case, businesses will need authenticity, trust, and a strategic approach to adopt AI. Search marketers, and AI professionals, must be well-informed and understand the limits of AI tools. They should apply them responsibly, and experiment with them cautiously in search of productivity gains, while avoiding the trap of relying too heavily on an emerging technology. (Photo by Filip Bunkens) See also: OpenAI co-founder’s ‘Safe AI’ startup secures $1bn, hits $5bn valuation. 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 winter: A cycle of hype, disappointment, and recovery appeared first on AI News. View the full article

Just three months after its inception, Safe Superintelligence (SSI), a new AI startup founded by OpenAI co-founder Ilya Sutskever, has raised $1 billion in funding. Led by venture capital firms Sequoia and Andreessen Horowitz, the latest investment round values the company at approximately $5 billion, according to a Financial Times report. Sutskever, who left OpenAI in May this year following a ******* attempt to oust CEO Sam Altman, established SSI to develop ‘safe’ AI models. The company’s mission is to create AI systems that are both highly capable and aligned with human interests. ‘We’ve identified a new mountain to climb that is slightly different from what I was working on previously. We’re not trying to go down the same path faster. If you do something different, it becomes possible for you to do something special, Sutskever told the Financial Times. The substantial funding will be used to acquire computing resources necessary for AI model development and to expand SSI’s current team of 10 employees. The company actively recruits and offers positions in Palo Alto, California, and Tel Aviv, *******. With its focus on safety and alignment, SSI’s approach differs from that of other AI companies. Take firms like OpenAI, Anthropic, and Elon Musk’s xAI, which are all developing AI models for various consumer and business applications. SSI, on the other hand, is focusing solely on creating what it calls a ‘straight shot to safe superintelligence’. Daniel ******, SSI’s chief executive, emphasised the importance of this focused approach in a statement to Reuters: “It’s important for us to be surrounded by investors who understand, respect and support our mission, which is to make a straight shot to safe superintelligence and in particular to spend a couple of years doing R&D on our product before bringing it to market.” It is also interesting to point out that despite not having a product yet, the company’s significant valuation and funding highlight the intense interest and investment in safe AI research. This is amid growing concerns about the potential risks associated with increasingly powerful AI systems. Even Sutskever’s departure from OpenAI was reportedly due to disagreements over the company’s direction and the pace of AI development. At OpenAI, he led the ‘alignment’ team, which focused on ensuring that advanced AI systems would act in humanity’s best interests. What is clear, however, is that the formation of SSI and its rapid funding success reflect a broader trend in the AI industry towards addressing safety concerns alongside capability advancements. This approach aligns with calls from AI researchers and ethicists for more responsible development of artificial intelligence. Today, SSI joins a competitive field of well-funded AI companies. OpenAI is reportedly in talks to raise funds at a valuation exceeding $100 billion, while Anthropic and xAI were recently valued at around $20 billion. However, the crowded market did not dim SSI’s unique focus on safety or its high-profile founding team, both of which have clearly resonated with investors. “We are assembling a lean, cracked team of the world’s best engineers and researchers dedicated to focusing on SSI and nothing else. We offer an opportunity to do your life’s work and help solve our age’s most important technical challenge,” the company’s website states. For now, the company’s progress will be closely watched by both the tech industry and those concerned with the ethical implications of AI development. See also: OpenAI hit by leadership exodus as three key figures depart 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 co-founder’s Safe Superintelligence Inc secures $1B appeared first on AI News. View the full article

Google DeepMind has unveiled an AI system called AlphaProteo that can design novel proteins that successfully bind to target molecules, potentially revolutionising ***** design and ******** research. AlphaProteo can generate new protein binders for diverse target proteins, including VEGF-A, which is associated with ******* and diabetes complications. Notably, this is the first time an AI tool has successfully designed a protein binder for VEGF-A. The system’s performance is particularly impressive, achieving higher experimental success rates and binding affinities that are up to 300 times better than existing methods across seven target proteins tested: (Credit: Google DeepMind) Trained on vast amounts of protein data from the Protein Data Bank and over 100 million predicted structures from AlphaFold, AlphaProteo has learned the intricacies of molecular binding. Given the structure of a target molecule and preferred binding locations, the system generates a candidate protein designed to bind at those specific sites. To validate AlphaProteo’s capabilities, the team designed binders for a diverse range of target proteins, including viral proteins involved in infection and proteins associated with *******, inflammation, and autoimmune *********. The results were promising, with high binding success rates and best-in-class binding strengths observed across the board. For instance, when targeting the viral protein BHRF1, 88% of AlphaProteo’s candidate molecules bound successfully in wet lab testing. On average, AlphaProteo binders exhibited 10 times stronger binding than the best existing design methods across the targets tested. The system’s performance suggests it could significantly reduce the time required for initial experiments involving protein binders across a wide range of applications. However, the team acknowledges that AlphaProteo has limitations, as it was unable to design successful binders against TNFɑ (a protein associated with autoimmune ********* like rheumatoid arthritis.) To ensure responsible development, Google DeepMind is collaborating with external experts to inform their phased approach to sharing this work and contributing to community efforts in developing best practices—including the NTI’s new AI Bio Forum. As the technology evolves, the team plans to work with the scientific community to leverage AlphaProteo on impactful biology problems and understand its limitations. They are also exploring ***** design applications at Isomorphic Labs. While AlphaProteo represents a significant step forward in protein design, achieving strong binding is typically just the first step in designing proteins for practical applications. There remain many bioengineering challenges to overcome in the research and development process. Nevertheless, Google DeepMind’s advancement holds tremendous potential for accelerating progress across a broad spectrum of research, including ***** development, cell and tissue imaging, ******** understanding and diagnosis, and even crop resistance to pests. You can find the full AlphaProteo whitepaper here (PDF) See also: Paige and Microsoft unveil next-gen AI models for ******* diagnosis 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 AlphaProteo: Google DeepMind unveils protein design system appeared first on AI News. View the full article

With artificial intelligence continuing to permeate a growing number of sectors, there is no telling what this market will be worth in the next decade or so. Amid this expansion, AI assistants have particularly experienced huge growth, both in terms of their scope of operation and the monetary value they generate. To elaborate, AI assistants have evolved into sophisticated systems capable of understanding context, predicting user needs and even engaging in complex problem-solving tasks — thanks to the developments that have taken place in domains such as natural language processing (NLP), machine learning (ML) and data analytics. The global AI market, valued at over $196 billion in 2024, is projected to grow by more than 13 times in the next six years. In this broader landscape, the market for intelligent virtual assistants (IVAs) has witnessed its own remarkable expansion, valued at around $3.24 billion in 2023 and expected to grow at a CAGR of 24.0% through to 2032. Global corporate and private investment into AI tech (source: Stanford Education) These numbers are not unfounded, as recent technological breakthroughs have significantly enhanced the capabilities of AI assistants. For instance, advancements in NLP have facilitated more human-like interactions, while improved integration across platforms has made various AI-driven tools indispensable for a wide range of tasks. The rise of generative AI technologies, helmed by platforms like ChatGPT, Perplexity and Claude have pushed the boundaries of what is possible — especially when it comes to devising AI assistants capable of producing personalised content and automating complex tasks with unprecedented efficiency. Problems and solutions. Exploring the rise of niche AI solutions Despite the aforementioned advancements made by AI recently, one can see that several key limitations still exist that prevent general-use AI systems from achieving widespread adoption. The complexity of human language, the nuances of context and the vast breadth of knowledge required for truly universal understanding continue to pose significant challenges. Concerns about data privacy, ethical considerations and the potential for bias remain important issues that require ongoing attention and refinement. As a result, a fascinating opportunity has emerged in the realm of niche AI applications. Specialised agents, designed to excel in specific domains, are proving to be an ideal use-case for current AI capabilities. By focusing on a limited information pool and set of task, these assistants are able to leverage the strengths of existing AI tech while bypassing many of the bottlenecks stifling its current limitations. One compelling example of such an agent is CARA. Developed by CARV, CARA is a modular data layer for gaming and AI that acts as a personalised assistant, enabling users to navigate its ecosystem seamlessly. The ecosystem includes a play & social network, various Web3 wallets, IDs, TON-based games and several social networking platforms. Earlier this year, CARV was able to successfully raise $10 million via a Series A funding round led by Tribe Capital and IOSG Ventures. It has enabled 9000+ games and AI companies across Web2 & Web3 such as Electronic Arts, Netmarble, AliCloud to leverage data as a commodity in ways unique to their business needs — from NPC training, user and understanding to anti-sybil mechanisms. By leveraging the vast amounts of knowledge contained in the network, CARA allows users to make inquiries about the various aspects of the protocol, take part in various activities on ‘CARV Play’ and keep tabs on the recent cryptocurrency trends permeating the market. By analyzing a player’s game data and other associated info (including CARV platform data and Web3 information), CARA can provide tailored recommendations for games, activities and projects that a user may be interested in. It also streamlines user interactions by understanding and executing intent-based commands, thereby simplifying processes like ID binding and game onboarding. Lastly, as part of its growing feature set, CARA will soon be able to help users discover their eligibility for various airdrops (in the CARV ecosystem) and assist them in sourcing/participating in different reward-based events. Looking ahead As the realm of AI tech continues to blossom, there is ample data to suggest that in the near future, we might witness the emergence of niche AI assistants in various industries. The strategic importance of incorporating these AI offerings into existing corporate structures has never been more evident, with 83% of companies prioritising it in their business strategies. AI use cases across different industries (source: Stanford Education) This focus is expected to lead to substantial revenue generation, with estimates suggesting AI could contribute over $15 trillion to the global economy by 2030. The AI-powered personal assistants market, valued at $108.60 billion in 2023, is projected to reach $242.30 billion by 2030, suggesting that these tools will play a crucial role in bridging the gap between current AI capabilities and the needs of specific user groups. The post Here’s how niche AI assistants are helping unlock the technology’s true capabilities appeared first on AI News. View the full article

The *** has signed a landmark AI safety treaty aimed at protecting human rights, democracy, and the rule of law from potential threats posed by the technology. Lord Chancellor Shabana Mahmood signed the Council of Europe’s AI convention today as part of a ******* global approach to managing the risks and opportunities. “Artificial intelligence has the capacity to radically improve the responsiveness and effectiveness of public services, and turbocharge economic growth,” said Lord Chancellor Mahmood. “However, we must not let AI shape us—we must shape AI. This convention is a major step to ensuring that these new technologies can be harnessed without eroding our oldest values, like human rights and the rule of law.” The treaty acknowledges the potential benefits of AI – such as its ability to boost productivity and improve healthcare – whilst simultaneously addressing concerns surrounding misinformation, algorithmic bias, and data privacy. It will compel signatory nations to monitor AI development, implement strict regulations, and actively combat any misuse of the technology that could harm public services or individuals. Keiron Holyome, VP UKI & Emerging Markets at BlackBerry, commented: “To truly outrun cybercriminals and maintain a defensive advantage, robust frameworks for AI governance and ethical standards must be established, ensuring responsible use and mitigating risks. “The first legally binding international AI treaty is another step towards such recommendations for both AI caution and applications for good. Collaboration between governments, industry leaders, and academia will be increasingly essential for sharing knowledge, developing best practices, and responding to emerging threats collectively.” Crucially, the convention acts as a framework to enhance existing legislation in the ***. For example, aspects of the Online Safety Act will be bolstered to better address the risk of AI systems using biased data to generate unfair outcomes. The agreement focuses on three key safeguards: Protecting human rights: Ensuring individuals’ data is used responsibly, their privacy is respected, and AI systems are free from discrimination. Protecting democracy: Requiring countries to take proactive steps to prevent AI from being used to undermine public institutions and democratic processes. Protecting the rule of law: Placing an obligation on signatory countries to establish robust AI-specific regulations, shield their citizens from potential harm, and ensure responsible AI deployment. While the convention initially focuses on Council of Europe members, other nations – including the US and Australia – are being invited to join this international effort to ensure responsible AI development and deployment. Peter Kyle, Secretary of State for Science, Innovation, and Technology, commented: “AI holds the potential to be the driving force behind new economic growth, a productivity revolution and true transformation in our public services, but that ambition can only be achieved if people have ****** and trust in the innovations which will bring about that change. “The convention we’ve signed today alongside global partners will be key to that effort. Once in force, it will further enhance protections for human rights, rule of law, and democracy—strengthening our own domestic approach to the technology while furthering the global cause of safe, secure, and responsible AI.” The *** Government has pledged to collaborate closely with domestic regulators, devolved administrations, and local authorities to ensure seamless implementation of the treaty’s requirements once it is ratified. The signing of the convention builds on the ***’s previous efforts in responsible AI by hosting the AI Safety Summit and co-hosting the AI Seoul Summit, as well as establishing the world’s first AI Safety Institute. See also: *** adjusts AI strategy to navigate budget constraints 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 *** signs AI safety treaty to protect human rights and democracy appeared first on AI News. View the full article

NVIDIA has seen its share price plummet following a report of intensified scrutiny from US authorities over potential breaches of competition law. During the regular trading session on Tuesday, NVIDIA’s share price experienced a near-10% drop. The fall wiped £212 billion from its market value, marking the largest single-day loss for a US company in history. While the wider market experienced a sell-off fueled by concerns over weak US manufacturing data, NVIDIA was hit particularly hard after Bloomberg reported that the US Department of Justice issued subpoenas to NVIDIA and other tech firms. Officials are reportedly concerned that NVIDIA’s business practices may be hindering client flexibility in switching to alternative semiconductor suppliers. Additionally, there are concerns about potential penalties imposed on buyers who opt not to exclusively utilise NVIDIA’s AI chips. Such actions would represent an escalation of the ongoing US antitrust investigation, bringing the government a step closer to formally charging NVIDIA. In response, NVIDIA asserted its belief that its success is based “on merit, as reflected in our benchmark results and value to customers, who can choose whatever solution is best for them.” This latest downturn adds to the recent volatility experienced by NVIDIA and other AI-related stocks, such as Google, Apple, and Amazon. Investors are grappling with uncertainty surrounding the timeline for tangible benefits and concrete returns from the much-touted AI revolution. Analysts suggest that investors are seeking greater clarity on the trajectory of ****** margins as production of NVIDIA’s new Blackwell chip increases. Furthermore, they are eager for more concrete evidence that AI is delivering tangible returns for customers. After a 9.5% decline on Tuesday alone and a 14% drop since last week’s earnings report, NVIDIA’s stock has shown marginal signs of recovery in today’s trading session, registering a modest 0.64% increase at the time of writing. Looking ahead, NVIDIA will need to convince investors of its growth potential not only for 2025 but also for 2026. While Wall Street currently focuses on Blackwell chip shipments, there is increasing interest in the company’s next-generation chip offering. (Photo by Sebastian Molina) See also: xAI breaks records with ‘Colossus’ AI training system 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’s share price nosedives as antitrust clouds gather appeared first on AI News. View the full article

Regardless of the hype cycle, AI is no longer a distant dream but a tangible reality. For decades, way before generative AI, this technology played a critical role in transforming industries and reshaping the way we do business. However, amid the buzz and excitement, shifting your focus from the hype to the practical implementation of AI is critical for any successful deployment of this technology within your projects. The following is a short excerpt summarising a segment of an episode from the AI Geeks Podcast between the veteran, serial technology entrepreneur (Silicon Valley, Europe and Asia) Henry Nash, and the London-based serial tech entrepreneur Tim El-Sheikh (AI Geeks founder and host): Understanding the real cost of AI The debate often revolves around the integration of AI into our environment and the tools required for it. While these aspects are indeed important, the long-term cost of running and maintaining AI in production is a crucial factor that will determine the success of your AI strategy. The real winners in this AI race will be those who can strike the best balance between accuracy, trustworthiness, and cost-effectiveness while maintaining an optimal aperture for the flow of information. From science experiments to real-world applications The fascination with large language models (LLMs) and their capabilities often leads to overlooking the real-world applications of AI. Teams should focus on how they can use AI to perform valuable work and accelerate businesses by augmenting their people and processes. The hype cycles around AI often present it as a magic solution that will replace all existing systems and processes, which is far from reality. The real challenge ***** in making AI practical and achieving a reasonable return on investment (ROI). In simple terms, you should treat AI as a journey, not as a product. It’s nothing like building a website or an app, it’s much more complex in most scenarios and, thus, costs significantly more to deploy and manage. The future of AI is ethical implementation and skill augmentation of people, not replacement The typical, “tech-bro” AI hype often revolves around the idea of replacing workers. However, as mentioned above, the real value of AI ***** in augmenting human capabilities, not replacing them. For instance, in the HR sector, AI can handle the mundane questions that HR personnel get asked every day, freeing them up to focus on more strategic HR management and worker ********. This approach not only enhances productivity but also respects the value of human roles and expertise, as demonstrated by Tim’s company Nebuli.com and their Nano for Teams enterprise generative AI ecosystem for HR and other departments. To achieve a reasonable ROI, your deployment must involve identifying and pinpointing the right areas where AI can help and putting your efforts into those. The true value of AI is achieved by building an ecosystem that helps people (i.e. employees, decision-makers, and end users) become better, happier, more productive, and more data-driven, empowered by a culture of collective innovation, creativity, and agility. It is about human-machine intelligence, not just machine intelligence! Listen to the full, two-hour discussion covering the above point in more detail, with a segment about quantum computing as the potential upcoming star of the tech world. You can listen for free via AIGeeks.com. 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 Shifting from AI hype to practical, ethical, and sustainable implementation appeared first on AI News. View the full article

Elon Musk’s xAI has unveiled its record-breaking AI training system, dubbed ‘Colossus’. Musk revealed that the xAI team had successfully brought the Colossus 100k H100 training cluster online after a 122-day process. Not content with its existing capabilities, Musk stated, “over the next couple of months, it will double in size, bringing it to 200k (50k H200s).” Colossus’ processing power could potentially accelerate breakthroughs in various AI applications, from natural language processing to complex problem-solving algorithms. However, the unveiling of Colossus also reignites discussions about the concentration of AI power among a handful of tech giants and well-funded startups. As companies like xAI push the boundaries of what’s possible in AI training, concerns about the accessibility of such advanced technologies to smaller organisations and researchers may come to the forefront. As the AI arms race continues to heat up, all eyes will be on xAI and its competitors to see how they leverage these increasingly powerful systems. With Colossus, Musk and his team have thrown down the gauntlet and issued a challenge to rivals to match or exceed their efforts. See also: Amazon partners with Anthropic to enhance Alexa 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 xAI breaks records with ‘Colossus’ AI training system appeared first on AI News. View the full article

The new *** Government is developing an AI strategy that prioritises public sector adoption over direct industry investment, as part of broader cost-cutting measures ahead of the autumn budget. Since taking office, the government has been reviewing AI-related expenditures and has already cancelled £1.3 billion worth of investments in related technologies proposed by the previous administration—including an £800 million investment for a supercomputer at the University of Edinburgh. While £1.3 billion represents a relatively small amount in the broader AI landscape, the decision has faced criticism from some industry leaders, who interpret it as a sign of diminishing interest in supporting innovation. In contrast, the French government has recently dedicated €2.5 billion (£2.1 billion) to developing AI technology domestically. Additionally, there are unconfirmed reports suggesting that the French government abandoned plans to establish its AI Safety Institute in its San Francisco office. This office was expected to open this summer, with potential employees earning over $100,000 (£76,245). According to a source familiar with the Department for Science, Innovation, and Technology (DSIT), this shift in focus may be part of an effort to distinguish the new government’s policy from that of its predecessor. Tech minister Peter Kyle has also dismissed one of the co-founders of the AI Safety Institute, Nitarshan Rajkumar, from his position as a senior policy advisor. While new governments often rely on their own advisors, this development has raised questions among some industry experts. The government is enlisting the help of Matt Clifford, a tech entrepreneur who organised last year’s AI Safety Summit, to draft a new strategy. The plan is due to be presented in September, ahead of the government’s autumn budget. A government spokesperson stated that it continues to see AI’s transformative potential and that it ******** committed to finding ways to ensure that the technology can be harnessed to boost growth and create opportunities across the ***. According to tech minister Kyle, the government will focus on promoting the increased adoption of this processing method in the public sector to reduce costs. This will come at the expense of scaling back its direct investments in industry. Last November, Britain hosted the world’s first AI Safety Summit, which attracted global leaders and tech industry figures. The event was a wake-up call to balance the approach to AI’s risks and benefits. The DSIT has started hiring economists to model the impact of AI applications across the ***. At a meeting held in Downing Street, Clifford met with a number of major venture capitalists and tech companies to discuss the government’s AI strategy. The conversation was dominated by how AI can help improve public services, how it could be used to support university spin-out companies, and how it can facilitate start-ups hiring from overseas. The government maintains that difficult decisions are necessary to address a £22 billion deficit in public finances left by the previous administration. While tech minister Kyle has spoken of a “bold approach” to AI, some industry participants express concerns about a potential scaling back of ambitions in this area. (Photo by Chris Boland) See also: *** backs smaller AI projects while scrapping major investments 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 *** adjusts AI strategy to navigate budget constraints appeared first on AI News. View the full article

Amazon is gearing up to roll out a revamped version of its Alexa voice assistant, which is expected to be available this October, right before the US shopping rush. Internally referred to as “Remarkable,” the new technology will be powered by Anthropic’s Claude AI models. Sources close to the matter have indicated that this shift occurred due to the underperformance of Amazon’s in-house software. The enhanced Alexa will operate using advanced generative AI to handle more complex queries. Amazon plans to offer the new Alexa as a subscription service, priced between $5 and $10 per month, while the classic version of Alexa will remain free. This approach marks a significant change for Amazon and suggests that the company aims to turn this voice assistant into a profitable venture after years of limited success in generating revenue through this platform. Amazon’s decision to quickly adopt an external model, Claude, indicates a strategic shift. Amazon typically prefers to build everything in-house to minimise its dependence on third-party vendors, thereby avoiding external influences on customer behaviour and business strategies, as well as external influences on who controls data. However, it seems that Amazon’s traditional strategy does not provide the massive AI capability needed, or perhaps Amazon has realised the need for more powerful AI. It is also worth noting that the involved AI developer, OpenAI, is affiliated with major technology companies like Apple and Microsoft in developing AI technologies. The launch of the “Remarkable” Alexa is anticipated during Amazon’s annual devices and services event in September, though the company has not confirmed the exact date. This event will also mark the first public appearance of Panos Panay, the new head of Amazon’s devices division, who has taken over from long-time executive David Limp. The updated version of Alexa would be a more interactive and intuitive assistant, as the new functionality would stem from its conversational mode. The assistant is envisioned to do more than just recognise patterns in people’s speech; it would be able to hold conversations built on previous interactions. The most likely features include personalised shopping advice, news aggregation, and more advanced home automation. As for whether customers would pay for Alexa, this likely depends on the final set of available features. The issue might be particularly pressing for Amazon, given that customers already pay for Prime membership. The future for Alexa is quite ambitious, but it also bears significant risks. For the new version to be successful, internal performance benchmarks must be met. While estimates for “Remarkable” Alexa suggest that even a small percentage of current users paying for the premium version could become a substantial income stream for Amazon, the likelihood of achieving the expected outcomes ******** uncertain. However, Amazon’s partnership with Anthropic is currently under regulatory review, largely due to an investigation by the ***’s antitrust regulator. The impending upgrade announcement and the regulator’s response could significantly influence the company’s future activities. Amazon’s initiative to adopt an AI solution developed by Anthropic marks a significant shift for the company, which previously focused on developing its proprietary technology. At this point, it is possible to view this move as part of the general trend in the industry to turn to partnerships regarding AI development to enhance the competitiveness of products. See also: Amazon strives to outpace Nvidia with cheaper, faster AI chips 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 Amazon partners with Anthropic to enhance Alexa appeared first on AI News. View the full article

IDC has revised its global smartphone shipments forecast 2024, projecting a 5.8% year-on-year (YoY) growth to 1.23 billion units. The market intelligence firm’s optimistic outlook is driven by strong growth in affordable Android devices across emerging markets and substantial interest in generative AI-capable smartphones in premium segments. IDC’s senior research director, Nabila Popal, noted that Android devices are expected to see growth rates nine times faster than iOS at 7.1% compared to 0.8%. This disparity is attributed to increasing competition for Apple in China and a higher comparison base year for the iPhone maker. However, the forecast suggests potential upside for iOS, depending on the reception of GenAI features in the upcoming iPhone 16 and Apple’s ability to establish local AI partnerships in China. IDC anticipates an improved trajectory for iOS in 2025, with 4% YoY growth expected due to the anticipated momentum of Apple Intelligence. The report highlights the rapid adoption of GenAI smartphones, forecasting a 344% growth in this segment to capture 18% of the total market by the end of 2024. IDC research director Anthony Scarsella pointed out that most flagship models will likely incorporate some on-device GenAI features. “Although GenAI smartphones are relatively new in the market, premium flagships will continue to adopt GenAI features to help separate them from the pack,” said Anthony Scarsella, research director for IDC’s Worldwide Quarterly Mobile Phone Tracker. Notably, the average selling price for GenAI-capable smartphones is expected to be more than double that of non-GenAI devices, further driving the premiumisation trend in the industry. The smartphone market’s recovery comes after a challenging *******. IDC’s data shows 12% growth in the first quarter of 2024, followed by 9% growth in the second quarter. This positive trend has bolstered confidence in the industry’s performance for the latter half of the year. Even the latest Canalys research revealed that the worldwide smartphone market grew strongly in the second quarter of 2024, with shipments reaching 288.9 million units. “The market has grown for three consecutive quarters, driven by product innovation initiatives and improvements in business conditions,” Canalys stated. Mirroring IDC’s data, Canalys noted that despite a modest 1% shipment increase, Samsung held onto pole position with 53.5 million units shipped. Meanwhile, Apple held second place with 45.6 million units, bolstered by solid momentum in North America and APAC’s emerging markets. China’s Xiaomi, with its competitive product offerings, followed closely with shipments of 42.3 million units to achieve a market share of 15%. “Greater China’s growth trajectory now mirrors global markets, driven by improved macroeconomic conditions and renewed business confidence among channel and smartphone brands,” the report stated. Like elsewhere, the ******** domestic market will see local ******** brands use GenAI features to stand out in the premium segment, aiming to capture rising high-end spending and apply successful strategies worldwide. “Samsung will inevitably focus on integrating its Galaxy ecosystem to create strong value propositions for consumers via its flagship offerings with exclusive GenAI features,” Canalys Senior Analyst Sanyam Chaurasia said. Apple will look to accelerate replacement demand in these markets via its AI strategy, with hybrid models, enhanced privacy and personalised Siri features.” Even Canalys doesn’t foresee the smartphone market seeing double-digit growth in 2024 despite the seasonal demand in the year’s second half. Overall, the global technology market analyst firm anticipates the smartphone market to grow in the mid-single digits in 2024, driven by recovering inventory levels, eased import restrictions, and a better economic climate. (Photo by Samuel Angor) See also: Arm unveils new AI designs and software for smartphones 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 IDC: GenAI smartphones to drive global shipment growth in 2024 appeared first on AI News. View the full article

Is there a problem nowadays that AI cannot solve? In all honesty, there are not many it seems. By using algorithms and ploughing through copious amounts of data and applying learnings absorbed from them, AI can spot patterns and build instruction manual-like approaches to tackle certain tasks. And, like human beings do, AI learns from experiences, so that it can apply a better approach should the same task arise again. While there is still a long way for AI to go and a lot to learn, many companies and individuals are already turning to AI to assist them with tasks that a human being is capable of doing, albeit a lot slower and potentially with more errors. Many businesses are beginning to implement AI assisted services to streamline processes in the attempt to boost overall productivity by applying more focus and resources in more critical areas, while letting AI take on more of the work in the less critical departments. Customer response is a good example of a service where AI can help customers solve their issues quicker. By creating AI-led responses, whether on the phone, email, or messaging on a website, businesses can also save money on staffing costs, which allows them to apply funding in other areas of the business. Partner with AI from the beginning It is not just larger businesses that can benefit massively from AI assistance. Freelancers or groups looking to start a small business have a dedicated business partner from the early makings in the form of AI. Whether it is a product or service that is being provided, AI can help get your idea off the ground in no time at all. The first step for most business ventures is to create a website, and this is something that can be outsourced right away to AI. Your AI business partner is initially assigned as your AI website builder and can achieve this in impressive time. By communicating to your AI business partner what your business is, and any website preferences or keywords related to the operation, your AI business partner will get to work creating a unique website that will represent the commands and direction given. Voila! You immediately have a presence in the industry you are operating in. Of course, AI also knows the value of teamwork, and is happy for you to apply any finishing touches or edits to the website. Streamline processes from day one! For any business owner, the main ambition is to be successful by achieving any goals set. In the past, those objectives might have taken longer to achieve, due to all the manual work that had to be completed. Nowadays, business owners have the right to be hugely ambitious from day one due to the influence of AI. From building a website presence, AI can continue to assist you with administration, accounting, and many other aspects depending on what industry you are working in. In essence, AI acts as a virtual assistant, a tool that helps streamline key operational processes to optimise productivity in the workplace. Administration AI has not evolved to take over jobs from humans, despite what I, ****** depicted. It is there to aid us in our daily operations. Keeping employee and client records as well as archiving past work ******** a day-to-day process for any business. On the admin front, there are many ways to use the capabilities of AI to your advantage. Mundane tasks such as maintaining calendars to send appropriate reminders for meetings can be managed by AI. From any meetings, notes can be taken by the ever-developing voice-to-text software recognition system. And should you need to reach out to a customer base, AI can even act as a customer service-type response system, sending out emails or messages that takes into account the needs of a customer based on set commands clicked on or audibly given. AI’s ability to recognise patterns extremely quickly and organise them is a highly beneficial tool for administrative tasks that are often quite set and regular. Accounting Another extremely key aspect of business is the accounting. Whether you are a freelancer sending invoices to clients, or a larger entity employing people on a payroll, ensuring the cashflow is generated through punctual invoicing is essential. Here is where AI can also take some of the labour off your shoulders. Tools nowadays can organise accounts and categorise certain transactions, expenses, or anything else related to the accounting side in a user-friendly manner, saving you precious time. Another fundamental part of business is tax. Although often quite tricky, AI can navigate any complexities to analyse, organise, and send any required data to ensure you remain the right side of the tax authorities. With this and other operational-related stress off your plate, you have the time and energy to really grow your business. The post How AI can help your business get off to a flyer appeared first on AI News. View the full article