Scientists put a worms mind into a Lego robot to control it, and it worked
WHY THIS MATTERS IN BRIEF The convergence of biological intelligence with robotics will be an area of increasing interest in the future. It’s not something you do every day, put a worms brain into a Lego robot… but then again you’re probably not a scientist. This is the promise...
Soul Machines reveal the secrets behind BabyX, their life like artificial baby
WHY THIS MATTERS IN BRIEF Over time we will all be interacting more and more with AI, as a result companies are trying to “humanise” it. BabyX, the virtual, artificially intelligent creation of Mark Sagar and his company, Soul Machines, who also bought us Ava, a life-like digital avatar that’s...
IBM’s AI wins debates in San Francisco against champion debating team
WHY THIS MATTERS IN BRIEF The art of debating often helps humans learn new things and see topics from new perspectives, so an AI that can debate with humans on a vast range of topics could be incredibly useful. Checkmate is a simple concept. It’s a final, decisive move...
Researchers have read the mind of a “black box” AI using cell biology
WHY THIS MATTERS IN BRIEF As we continue to endeavour to read the mind of today’s so called black box AI’s there may be more than one way to do it, and while turning to biology is unconventional, it works. The deep neural networks that power today’s Artificial Intelligence...
China’s massive and unparalleled “AI in education” experiment has begun
WHY THIS MATTERS IN BRIEF There’s no doubt that China’s AI in education initiative will bring a wide range of benefits and improve educational outcomes, but questions remain about the best way to deploy it. Last year China unveiled their ambitious plan to become the world leader in Artificial Intelligence...
Bin your headphones, Noveto streams sound straight into your ears
WHY THIS MATTERS IN BRIEF Wired headphones get tangled, wireless headphones need charging, so why bother with headphones at all? When Apple introduced the iPhone 7 they removed the headphone jack and spun it as a win for consumers who could now use wireless headphones, obviously preferably Apple branded...
US military and DARPA team up to develop tech to uncover fake news
WHY THIS MATTERS IN BRIEF The advent of powerful AI tools, adaptable neural networks and the democratisation of hi definition rendering have taken fake news to a new level and this program aims to unmask the fakes. We’ve all seen that video where Artificial Intelligence (AI) powered algorithms make it seem like Barack...
General AI, the “holy grail” of AI, demonstrated for the first time
WHY THIS MATTERS IN BRIEF AI’s that can learn quickly, and from very small data sets, will fundamentally change how we train AI’s, their capabilities, and how fast they are deployed into the market. Recently we saw a new “Master algorithm” that could be used to create the first...
AI recruiters are using advanced surveillance like tech to interview job seekers
WHY THIS MATTERS IN BRIEF The same technologies that are helping us catch and profile criminals, or surveil civilians at scale, AI, biometrics, machine vision and so on, are also helping companies find, interview, analyse and categorise job seekers faster and more effectively than ever. Companies, like RBS and...
This AI reads your mind to recreate the faces you’re thinking of
WHY THIS MATTERS IN BRIEF Being able to read someone’s mind leads down two roads. It can either be used as part of a dystopian state apparatus, or to help catch criminals and help people who can’t communicate communicate. It’s frustrating to have a clear mental image of something...
Researchers use AI to turn smartphones into lab grade microscopes
WHY THIS MATTERS IN BRIEF Not everyone has access to a lab grade microscope, and if you’re a doctor in the middle of nowhere that’s an issue that will delay disease diagnosis and potentially put lives at risk, this breakthrough will revolutionise front line medicine. Today we are on...
Revolutionary algorithm will soon let scientists simulate the entire human brain
WHY THIS MATTERS IN BRIEF Today we can simulate 10 percent of the human brain in a supercomputer, but a whole brain simulation would revolutionise neuroscience, unlock the secrets of the brain and lead to new breakthrough cognitive treatments. The renowned physicist Dr. Richard Feynman once said “What I...
Chinese workers are having their emotions monitored by “mind reading” tech
WHY THIS MATTERS IN BRIEF The future of work is an increasingly important topic, particularly as the spectre of AI driven automation looms, but the ability to read employees emotions and thoughts fundamentally changes the employer-employee relationship. Today I have the tech to stream images, movies and sentences directly...
The US military is funding an AI that’s learning to write its own code
WHY THIS MATTERS IN BRIEF One day non-programmers will be able to instruct AI’s to create software on their behalf, this is one step in realising that goal and it has wide ranging ramifications for al of us, and AI development. If you’re tired of writing your own boring...
Google’s lifelike sounding AI assistant, Duplex, blows past uncanny valley
WHY THIS MATTERS IN BRIEF I’ve been saying this for a long time, very soon you won’t know whether the content you’re consuming was generated by a human or a machine, and Google’s latest product, Duplex, moves us all one step closer to that time. At Google’s I/O developer...
New Quantum ML algorithm could revolutionise Quantum AI before it even begins
WHY THIS MATTERS IN BRIEF Artificial Intelligence, whether it’s Artificial General Intelligence or even Artificial Super Intelligence, could be completely eclipsed by the power of new Quantum AI models. One of the ways that intelligent computers and Artificial Intelligence (AI) platforms “think” is by analysing the relationships between and...
A new form of “Master algorithm” could pave the way for super intelligent machines
WHY THIS MATTERS IN BRIEF One day we will create super intelligent machines that far surpass our own level of intellect, and experts believe this new form of calculus might help get us there sooner rather than later. You can be excused for not noticing that a scientist named...
Biased AI’s are becoming a problem, this startup is fighting back
WHY THIS MATTERS IN BRIEF The rise of the “Algorithmic society” coupled with biased AI’s and machines means that increasingly bias, if left unchecked, can change the course of people’s lives, as well as viewpoints, both with potentially life changing and harmful consequences. Today there is a huge amount...
AI can now restore your corrupted photos to their original condition
WHY THIS MATTERS IN BRIEF Lots of us have old or crappy photos that are in bad condition and in the past the only place you could put them was in the bin, but now new AI image restoration technology could restore them to better than the originals. There’s...
DARPA funds programs to get black box AI’s to explain their decisions
WHY THIS MATTERS IN BRIEF As AI continues to be weaponised by military powers, getting it to explain its decision making, and actions, will be crucial, and it’s not going to be an easy task to achieve. Intelligence agents and military operatives may come to rely heavily on Machine...
