artificialintelligence
Latest
Microsoft OneDrive will use AI to make searchable video transcripts
You've probably had that moment where you wanted to track down an important piece of information from a video, but weren't sure when it was said. If so, Microsoft wants to come to your aid -- it's introducing media searching in OneDrive (and SharePoint, for that matter) that uses AI to transcribe audio and video. The feature will show you timestamped quotes alongside the media viewer itself, with a handy search box helping you track down that elusive phrase.
Now is the time to start thinking about AI’s impact on xenophobia
As the Trump administration continues to advance its hardline stance towards immigration, legal or otherwise, businesses are increasingly turning to automation and robotics to fill jobs previously held by humans. However, these thinking machines are not without drawbacks. AI development has long been beset by issues of intrinsic training bias, if not outright racist and xenophobic behavior. Take Microsoft's aborted social media bots Tay and Zo, for example, or Amazon's questionably-designed facial recognition system. However this relationship is not unidirectional -- AI can impact the expression of xenophobic ideas just as xenophobic practices can impact the rate of AI development. Which begs the question, how can we decouple the benefits that AI promises to provide from the negative consequences we're already witnessing?
AI isn't good enough to beat the best 'Dota 2' players just yet
AI may have beaten the world's best Go player, but Dota 2 pros have shown that in their game, humans are still top of the food chain -- for now, at least. Last week, Dota 2 players from around the world clashed at the biggest tournament of the year, The International, with team OG taking the title and over $11 million in prize money. Arguably more important, though, was the contest of man versus machine(-learning) in a best-of-three exhibition series.
AI-altered video makes it look like you can dance
Can't pop-lock or Lindy Hop to save your life? Don't worry -- AI could soon make it look like you're a dance superstar. UC Berkeley researchers have developed a deep learning system that translates dance moves from a source video to less-than-experienced subjects. One algorithm creates a virtual skeleton to map poses, while two more algorithms square off against each other to both create the full picture and create a more realistic face for subjects as their virtual bodies twirl around. You do need the test subject to move around for a short while to get reference material, but the result is realistic enough to give an amateur the deftness of a ballet dancer.
Bixby still isn’t smart enough for a speaker
As it gears up to move into a new home (a Galaxy Home, to be specific), Bixby is far from ready. Samsung's digital assistant has become infamous for its tardiness, and even after showing up late to the AI party, Bixby doesn't have much to show for the extra time. It's not smarter than the rest and doesn't offer any new tricks, even in the recently announced Galaxy Home, other than perhaps better sound quality. As much as I'm excited about Samsung potentially giving Amazon, Google and Apple some competition in the smart speaker space, I'm pretty sure they have nothing to worry about, if my time with Bixby on the Note 9 is any indication.
DeepMind AI matches health experts at spotting eye diseases
DeepMind has successfully developed a system that can analyze retinal scans and spot symptoms of sight-threatening eye diseases. Today, the AI division -- owned by Google's parent company Alphabet -- published "early results" of a research project with the UK's Moorfields Eye Hospital. They show that the company's algorithms can quickly examine optical coherence tomography (OCT) scans and make diagnoses with the same accuracy as human clinicians. In addition, the system can show its workings, allowing eye care professionals to scrutinize the final assessment.
AI-driven animations will make your digital avatars come to life
Even with the assistance of automated animation features in modern game-development engines, bringing on-screen avatars to life can be an arduous and time-consuming task. However, a recent string of advancements in AI could soon help drastically reduce the number of hours needed to create realistic character movements.
‘Dota 2’ veterans steamrolled by AI team in exhibition match
Later this month, the best Dota 2 teams in the world will meet in Vancouver for the biggest tournament of the year, The International. The annual contest consistently boasts the highest prize pool in eSports (it's up to $23.5 million already this year), not to mention the glory that comes with winning the prestigious event. It may not be long, however, before a team of non-human players becomes worthy of such success. This weekend, the all-bot roster of OpenAI Five took on a team of Dota 2 casters and ex-pro players that individually rank amongst some of the best in the world. OpenAI Five won the best-of-three exhibition match convincingly, and the only reason the human team took a game was thanks to a little help from the audience.
LG's newest AI research lab will open in Toronto
LG is investing in another North American facility to ensure that it can compete with its staunchest rivals when it comes to artificial intelligence. The Korean conglomerate has announced that it's opening an AI research lab in Toronto, Canada, which will serve as an extension of its AI facility in Silicon Valley. According to Bloomberg, LG plans to open the new lab's doors sometime this fall, and it will employ several dozen people under its five-year, multi-million partnership with the University of Toronto.
Russia may send a robot 'crew' to space in 2019
Leveraging robotics to undertake dangerous missions has obvious benefits for mankind, and space travel is no exception. In 2011, NASA sent its dexterous assistant 'Robonaut 2' on a trip to the International Space Station (ISS) with the objective of working alongside presiding astronauts. Now a "source in the rocket and space industry" tells RIA Novosti that a Russian android duo could be following suit as early as next year.
DARPA pushes for AI that can explain its decisions
Companies like to flaunt their use of artificial intelligence to the point where it's virtually meaningless, but the truth is that AI as we know it is still quite dumb. While it can generate useful results, it can't explain why it produced those results in meaningful terms, or adapt to ever-evolving situations. DARPA thinks it can move AI forward, though. It's launching an Artificial Intelligence Exploration program that will invest in new AI concepts, including "third wave" AI with contextual adaptation and an ability to explain its decisions in ways that make sense. If it identified a cat, for instance, it could explain that it detected fur, paws and whiskers in a familiar cat shape.
IBM extends deal using Watson to support veterans with cancer
IBM is making further use of Watson in the fight against cancer. The tech giant has extended a team-up with the US Department of Veterans Affairs that taps Watson for help treating soldiers with cancer, particularly stage 4 patients who have few other options. The new alliance runs through "at least" June 2019 and will continue the partnership's existing strategy. Oncologists and pathologists first sequence tumor DNA, and then use Watson's AI to interpret the data and spot mutations that might open up therapeutic choices.
Facebook improves AI by sending 'tourist bots' to a virtual NYC
As a general rule, AI isn't great at using new info to make better sense of existing info. Facebook thinks it has a clever (if unusual) way to explore solutions to this problem: send AI on a virtual vacation. It recently conducted an experiment that had a "tourist" bot with 360-degee photos try to find its way around New York City's Hell's Kitchen area with the help of a "guide" bot using 2D maps. The digital tourist had to describe where it was based on what it could see, giving the guide a point of reference it can use to offer directions.
Former Google AI chief will lead Apple’s new machine learning team
Back in April, Google's former AI and search chief John Giannandrea left the company to join Apple for an undisclosed role. Today, the latter company announced he will head a new team combining the Core ML and Siri groups.
NVIDIA's AI can fix bad photos by looking at other bad photos
A team of researchers from NVIDIA, MIT and Aalto University have found a way to fix pixelated photographs using AI -- even if the AI has never seen a clean example of the target photo.
Google's reservation-making AI will be making calls soon
Google talked about a lot at this year's I/O developer conference, but one demo quickly stole the show: a male voice on a phone, making a restaurant reservation. The restaurant was real, but the person making the call wasn't — it was Google Assistant, powered by an AI system called Duplex that's meant to complete tasks by interacting with humans on the phone. It was, uh, pretty eerie, and it won't be long before Google Assistant is calling a business near you. The company confirmed that today that it will start testing its Duplex-powered calls with "trusted testers and select businesses" in New York and San Francisco within weeks.
I took a phone call from the Google Assistant
When Google unveiled the Duplex phone-calling reservation AI at I/O last month, the world was shook. Despite the potential convenience it presented, the system's ability to mimic human inflections in conversation was uncanny and borderline-creepy. Back then, we only heard recordings of what Assistant could do with Duplex technology. At a recent demo in New York, though, I got a chance to chat with the real thing, playing the role of a restaurant staffer on the call.
US Army tests AI that predicts vehicle repairs
Keeping vehicles in good working order is about more than just getting to work on time for the US Army. A breakdown in the middle of a combat zone could prove deadly. So, to help keep on top of repairs, the army is testing artificial intelligence to predict when a vehicle might need a new part.
OpenAI's 'Dota 2' bots are taking on pro teams
The Dota 2 world championship, The International, is fast approaching, and a top team will have a different-looking squad to contend with: a group of artificial intelligence bots. OpenAI, which Elon Musk co-founded, has been taking on top Dota 2 players with the bots since last year, and now it's gunning for a team of top professionals in an exhibition match at one of the biggest events in eSports.
Google Assistant no longer needs every 'hey' and 'OK'
At last, you don't have to call out Google Assistant by name every time when you want to issue a command. As promised at I/O, Google has made Assistant's Continued Conversation available for US English speakers using a Home speaker. Enable it in your preferences and you don't have to use "hey Google" or "OK Google" for follow-ups, even if you have multiple requests. Ask if it'll be sunny tomorrow and you can both remind yourself to go to the beach and put sunscreen on your shopping list, all without having to start the chat from scratch.
