A new month means a new issue of InsideAI. And this August, we’re diving into both the good and bad of artificial intelligence.
As we all know, AI has plenty of applications that are changing lives for the better (check the second news story), and some even save lives (like the AI lifeguard!). But if the technology falls into the wrong hands, it’s anyone’s guess what we’ll see.
Take a recent story from China as the perfect example. There’s no end of ethical questions arising from what they’re doing…
Get the full story right below.
AI Reads Minds In China
We know that China is a surveillance state. But do you know the lengths they go to in order to keep an ear to the ground? Recently, authorities claimed they use artificial intelligence to read minds, analyzing the facial expressions and brain waves of Communist Party members to rate their loyalty to the country and government.
But their pride in the solution didn’t last long. Shortly after the information went public, all photos and recordings showcasing the AI mysteriously disappeared.
Source: Telegraph
AI Translates Thoughts Into Statements
A company called Synchron has just created a groundbreaking new device, the device Elon Musk’s Neuralink has been trying to build for years. The innovation is a 1.5-inch-long brain implant used by a patient with ALS in New York and four other Australians.
The device allows people who’ve lost the ability to move and talk to connect to the internet and communicate via it. The patients simply need to think, and the implant will translate their thoughts into messages or perform a task like buying something online.
Source: Bloomberg
Chess Robot Attacks Young Child
Who would have thought chess could be a dangerous sport? Let alone a sport that could result in a broken finger! Yet that’s what happened during a chess competition in Moscow where a robot was playing against a young boy.
The game was progressing like any other until the machine grabbed the 7-year-old‘s finger out of the blue. The robotic arm had the finger in its grasp for some time before the boy was eventually rescued. You can watch the entire incident unfold in the video below.
Source: The Telegraph
AI Lifeguard On Japanese Shores
Beach season in Japan is in full swing, with sunbathers and surfers flocking to the beaches and enjoying the weather in record numbers. And on a beach called Yuigahama, located in the town of Kamakura, the lifeguards are testing out an advanced AI-based support system.
The program can detect dangerous currents, the leading cause of drowning, and identify whether someone is swimming nearby. If so, it sends a warning signal to the lifeguards’ smartwatches, alerting them to the risk.
Source: The Guardian
Ads Created By AI
AI-generated art has boomed in popularity lately thanks to its uniqueness and slight weirdness (check Bits&Bytes for more detail). And recently, AI-generate art found a new use. An advertising agency called ‘10 Days’ (known for its unconventional approach to projects) has started using artificial intelligence to redesign advertisements for the likes of Gucci, KFC, Uber, and Ray-Ban.
The quality of the design isn’t the only breakthrough. The program’s speed is awe-inspiring, taking just a few minutes to create each ad. See some of the results below (with more on the company’s website).
Source: Design Taxi
Artificial Intelligence Verifies Wikipedia
Wikipedia is one of the most recognizable sources of information in the world. The thing is, it’s created by internauts, so its credibility can be doubtful. Of course, articles are checked by volunteers. Still, in the face of more than 17,000 contributions, there’s often a lack of person-power to verify all the information.
But now, Meta has helped solve the headache by developing an AI model that can scan the articles and analyze a citation’s trustworthiness.
Source: Engadget
Thanks for joining us for another edition of InsideAI. If you want to stay up-to-date with the latest AI news, sign up for the newsletter here.
