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Alexa’s Shocking Suggestion

A mother took to Twitter to complain that Alexa had suggested to her 10-year-old daughter that she play a game that involves touching the prongs of a live plug with a penny! Playing The mother, Kristin Livdahl (of Minnesota,…
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World’s First “Living Robots” Can Now Reproduce

US-based scientists have reported creating “living robots” that can now re-produce. Next Step From Last Year Last year, a team of US scientists reported creating ‘living robots’ which were actually bundles of stem cells from African…
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Featured Article : Why is Data Science … Big?

In this article we look at what data science is, and what is driving its growth and value to businesses and organisations worldwide. Data Science Data science uses multiple disciplines, scientific methods, and processes (e.g. domain expertise,…
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AI Designs, er, AI Chips … Better Than Humans, Says Google

AI can now design AI chips hundreds of times faster (and better) than humans. Where will this lead? A recent research paper has described how a deep reinforcement learning approach to chip ‘floorplanning’ has led to AI generating…
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AI Keystroke Spy Tools

With AI recently in the spotlight in Europe over the need to regulate over some ‘unacceptable use’, some experts are warning of the threat of AI keystroke reading spy tools. Possibilities Companies like TypingDNA developing AI biometric…
Business Intelligence

Tech Insight – Business Intelligence

In this article we look at ‘business intelligence’, how it can be obtained, and why it’s important. Business Intelligence Business Intelligence refers to how a company/organisation can use its historical data to improving strategic…
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EU To Ban “Unacceptable” Use of AI

Following last week’s leak of proposed new rules about the use of AI systems, The European Commission looks likely to ban some “unacceptable” usage of AI in Europe. The Leak and the Letter This latest announcement that the European…
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MEPs Seek Ban On Public Biometric Surveillance

Following the recent leak of an EU draft of rules for applying to AI, 40 MEPs have called for a ban on the use of facial recognition and other types of biometric surveillance in public places. Draft Rules The leaked draft rules by EU…
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Android Stack Scanner Can Organise Your Documents

Google is launching its ‘Stack’ app for Android, an AI-based scanner that also names and categorises the documents it scans. The Technology The Stack app is a result of collaborative work between Area 120, Google’s in-house…
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Live : Teams Transcriptions

Microsoft has announced the launch of an AI-powered live transcription tool for Teams which provides a written record of the spoken text that occurs during a meeting. How It Works The live transcription tool identifies each speaker and…
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AI ‘LitterCam’ Target Motorists Who Throw Rubbish From Cars

The first UK pilot scheme using CCTV to specifically target motorists who throw litter from their cars will shortly begin in Maidstone, Kent. LitterCam The Maidstone Borough Council is enlisting the help of LitterCam technology, which…
Recruitment

AI and Automation in Recruitment

With AI already revolutionising recruitment, we take a look at the benefits (and challenges) and the future direction of AI for both recruiters and applicants. Attracting the Best Talent One of the big challenges facing the recruitment…

Amazon AI Cameras Prompt “Mobile Surveillance” Privacy Row

The fact that Amazon has started using AI-powered cameras in delivery vans that constantly record footage of drivers has led to accusations of mobile corporate surveillance. Cameras The Driveri combined video recording and AI cameras…
Artificial Intelligence

AI in 2021 For Small Businesses

In this article, we look at some of the ways that SMEs can access and use AI to improve efficiency and add value. SMEs Optimistic About AI Contrary to a popular belief that AI may still be a little ‘pie in the sky’ for many SMEs,…
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AI COVID Cough Detector

MIT research has used an AI model trained on cough sounds to detect an early stage COVID cough. Identifies Cough Pattern Those who catch COVID-19 but remain largely or completely asymptomatic (and therefore do not get a test) are proving…
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AI Image Captioning Gives More Accurate Descriptions Than Humans

Microsoft has announced that in tests, its new, AI-based, automatic image captioning technology is better than humans at describing photos and images. Part of Azure AI The new automatic image captioning model is available via Microsoft’s…
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‘Hum to Search’ Songfinder

Google has introduced a new feature to its search that enables it to identify a song that a user hums or whistles. What’s This Song? Serving the same basic purpose a the Shazam app, for example, users can now ask the Google app, Google…
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Facial Recognition, Facial Authentication and the Future

Facial Recognition and facial authentication sound similar but there are distinct differences and this article takes a broad a look at how both are playing more of a role in our lives going forward. So firstly, what's the difference? Facial…
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Ensure What You See Is Real

With the internet and particularly social media awash with pictures, videos, news, and other content which may not be all that it seems, here is a guide to spotting fake news and content. Misinformation There are a number of sources and…
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AI, Data Protection & The ICO

The Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) has published guidelines to help clarify how data protection principles apply to AI projects. The Document The guidance document (now a pdf available online on the ICO website) was produced…
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Face Masks Beat Facial Recognition

New research has shown that even the most advanced facial recognition algorithms can only identify as little as 50 per cent of faces when masks are worn. Test Although necessary in the pandemic, mask-wearing appears to be posing a serious…
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Facial Recognition, Photo Identity and Privacy Protection

With phone cameras, surveillance cameras with facial recognition seemingly everywhere and the world entering a new phase of social change, many people are looking at how they can take simple steps to retain and protect their privacy rights. Faces Enshrined…
woman-wearing-face-maskAnna Shvets
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Are Masks A Challenge To Facial Recognition Technology?

As questions about the continued use of potentially unreliable and unregulated live facial recognition (LFR) technology continue. Masks used to protect against the spread of coronavirus may be presenting a further challenge to the technology. Questions…
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Facial Recognition and Super Computers Help in COVID-19 Fight

Technology is playing an important role in fighting the COVID-19 pandemic with adapted facial recognition cameras and super-computers now joining the battle to help beat the virus. Adapted Facial Recognition Facial recognition camera…
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AI Skills Course Available

A free, basic AI skills course, funded by Finland’s Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment (MEAE), is being made available to citizens across the EU’s 27 member states.  Success in Finland The decision by the Finnish government…
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AI, Supercomputers … and Storms Dennis & Ciara

The disruption and damage caused by weather events affect businesses across the UK but having the benefit of early and detailed insights provided a by a new supercomputer system could enable businesses, organisations, agencies, local authorities…
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Amazon Offering Custom ‘Brand Voice’ to Replace Default Alexa Voice

Amazon’s AWS is offering a new ‘Brand Voice’ capability to companies which enables them to create their own custom voice for Alexa that replaces the default voice with one that reflects their “persona”, such as the voice of Colonel…
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Police Images of Serious Offenders Reportedly Shared With Private Landlord For Facial Recognition Trial

There have been calls for government intervention after it was alleged that South Yorkshire Police shared its images of serious offenders with a private landlord (Meadowhall shopping centre in Sheffield) as part of a live facial recognition…
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EU Considers Ban on Facial Recognition

It has been reported that the European Commission is considering a ban on the use of facial recognition in public spaces for up to five years while new regulations for its use are put in place. Document The reports of a possible…
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AI Better at Breast Cancer Detection Than Doctors

Researchers at Good Health have created an AI program which, in tests, has proven to be more accurate at detecting and diagnosing breast cancer than expert human radiologists. Trained The AI software, which was developed by…
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Google Announces New ‘Teachable Machine 2.0’ No-Code Machine Learning Model Generator

Two years on from its first incarnation, Google has announced the introduction of its ‘Teachable Machine 2.0’, a no-code custom machine learning model generating platform that can be used by anyone and requires no coding experience. First…
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Microsoft Beats Amazon to $10 Billion AI Defence Contract for ‘Jedi’

After a long and difficult bidding process, Amazon has lost out to Microsoft in the battle to win a $10bn (£8bn) US Defence Department AI and Cloud computing contract. For ‘Jedi’ The contract was for the Joint Enterprise Defence…
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AI and the Fake News War

In a “post-truth” era, AI is one of the many protective tools and weapons involved in the battles that make up the current, ongoing “fake news” war. Fake News Fake news has become widespread in recent years, most prominently with…
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AI and Facial Analysis Job Interviews

Reports of the first job interviews conducted in the UK using Artificial Intelligence and facial analysis technology have been met with mixed reactions. The Software The AI and facial analysis technology used for the interviews comes…
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Deepfake Ransomware – A Worrying Threat

Multinational IT security company ‘Trend Micro’ has highlighted the future threat of cybercriminals making and posting (or threatening to post) malicious ‘deep fake’ videos online in order to cause damage to reputations and/or to extract…
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Autonomous AI Cyber Weapons Inevitable Says Security Research Expert

Speaking at a recent CloudSec event in London, Trend Micro’s vice-president of security research, Rik Ferguson said that AI cyberattacks operated autonomously are an inevitable threat that security professionals must adapt to tackling. If…
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AI Destined For McDonald’s Drive-Throughs

The acquisition of AI voice recognition start-up Apprente by the McDonalds franchise gives the restaurant chain its own Silicon Valley technology division and promises an automated ordering system for drive-throughs, self-order interfaces and…
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AI Mimics CEO’s Voice To Steal £201,000

A recent Wall Street Journal report has highlighted how, in March this year, a group of hackers were able to use AI software to mimic an energy company CEO’s voice in order to steal £201,000. What Happened? Reports indicate that the…
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Record Levels of Investment in UK AI

A Tech Nation Report has shown that AI investment in the UK reached record levels in the first six months of the year making it the third biggest market in the world for AI investment, just behind the US and China. Surge Crunchbase figures…
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Four-Year Lifespan For Self-Driving Cars

As large car manufacturers seek to reinvent themselves as ‘mobility companies’ in an effort to compete for global leadership in the growing autonomous driving sector, a Ford Executive has predicted that self-driving cars will only…
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Grammar Correction Capabilities For Gmail and G Suite

Google has announced that it is rolling out new real-time, AI-powered spelling and grammar correction capabilities for G Suite users and personal Gmail accounts. Real-Time, As-You-Type The real-time, as-you-type spelling autocorrection…
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Facial Recognition at King’s Cross Prompts ICO Investigation

The UK’s data protection watchdog (the Information Commissioner’s Office  i.e. the ICO) has said that it will be investigating the use of facial recognition cameras at King’s Cross by Property Development Company Argent. What…
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Brain Implants That Link Humans To Computers

Head of SpaceX and Tesla, Elon Musk, has announced that human brain implants that can link directly to devices could be a reality within a year. Neuralink The implanted brain-computer interface (BCI) that Mr Musk talked about recently…
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MPs Call To Stop Police Facial Recognition

Following criticism of the Police use of facial recognition technology in terms of privacy, accuracy, bias, and management of the image database, the House of Commons Science and Technology Committee has called for a temporary halt in the use…
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‘Mobile-Sensing System’ Could Evaluate Your Workplace Performance

A newly developed ‘Mobile-Sensing System’ that uses a combination of smartphone, fitness bracelet, app and cloud-based machine learning algorithms can track and rank the workplace performance of employees with 80% accuracy. Based On…
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Facial Recognition Glasses For Covert Surveillance

The “iFalcon Face Control” AR glasses that incorporate an 8-megapixel camera in the frame and NNTC facial recognition technology (due to go on sale next year) are reported to have already been deployed into several security operations. US…
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Revenue Risk To UK Companies Too Slow To Adopt AI

Research from the McKinsey Global Institute shows that UK companies could lose 20% of their cash flow if they are too slow to invest in and adopt Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools. Could Miss Out Even though the report highlighted the…
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New AI Feature For Microsoft Word Online To Improve Your Writing

The new ‘Ideas’ feature, an AI-powered editor in the cloud for Microsoft Word is intended to provide intelligent suggestions to make your writing more concise, readable, and inclusive. Ideas The new ‘Ideas’ feature, which is already…
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Robot Programmed to Carry Out Unbiased Job Interviews

TNG and Furhat Robotics in Sweden have developed a social, unbiased recruitment robot called “Tengai” that can be used to conduct job interviews with human candidates. Existing Robot, Modified The robot, ‘Furhat’, was developed…
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Chatbot Supports Students

Lancaster University has announced that it has launched a chatbot “companion” for students which allows them to ask almost any question about their university experience, from student life, and welfare, to academic studies and more. Ask…
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ICO Investigation Into Police Use of Facial Recognition Technology

ICO head Elizabeth Dunham is reported to have launched a formal investigation into how police forces use facial recognition technology (FRT) after high failure rates, misidentifications and worries about legality, bias, and privacy. Concerns…
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Facial Recognition For Border Control

It has been reported that the UK Home Office will soon be using biometric facial recognition technology in a smartphone app to match a user’s selfie against the image read from a user’s passport chip as a means of self-service identity verification…
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Are You On The Wrong Side Of An Algorithm?

Research carried out in Australia by US data experts have highlighted the possible dangers of a future where, by default, many of us could fall foul of unchecked big-data and automated algorithmic decision-making. Travels Yield Insights After…