Tay, Microsoft’s racist chatbot, made a tired and emotional return last night March 31, 2016 The robots are already turning against humanity – although for now, they're sticking to causing red faces. Tay, an artificial intelligence chatbot on Twitter which Microsoft was forced to shut down last week after it started, among other things, spouting racist diatribes and denying the holocaust, made an ignominious return last night. After a silence lasting almost a week, [...]
Technology is increasing inequality – and it’s nothing to do with artificial intelligence or robots March 23, 2016 Inequality is one of the major political topics of our times. Rather like a Shakespearean tragedy, the current splits in the high command of the Conservative Party have many themes. But an important one, and the ostensible reason for Iain Duncan Smith’s resignation, is the treatment of the working poor, a concept which until fairly recently [...]
BMW jumps on the SUV band wagon as it warns driverless cars are still some time away, boosting the German car makers share price almost four per cent March 16, 2016 On the same day that chancellor George Osborne is expected to announce driverless cars could begin trials on UK roads as soon as next year, luxury German car giant BMW has said it doesn't expect the tech to go much further than tests this decade. “We believe that, at the moment, the technical and social challenges involved [...]
AlphaGo fourth Go game result: Google DeepMind’s artificial intelligence just made a mistake and lost to human player Lee Sedol March 13, 2016 The machines this week triumphed over man, as Google DeepMind's artificial intelligence (AI) took on the top – and very human – player in the ancient chess-like Chinese game of Go, winning three of their matches. However, the fourth bout between them has reversed the tables and resulted in Lee Sedol triumphing over AlphaGo for the first time. The technology "pressured AlphaGo into a [...]
Deep Mind’s AlphaGo beats Go champion Lee Sedol in artificial intelligence milestone March 9, 2016 Google's Deepmind has triumphed over the champion player of the ancient Chinese game Go in a nail biting match, signalling a major milestone in the development of artificial intelligence. Google's AlphaGo was put to the test in the first of a series of games against one of the world's best players, Lee Sedol, in Seoul early this morning. The [...]
Tom Watson challenges George Osborne to review rise of robot workforce and impact on Britain’s economy March 8, 2016 Labour's deputy leader Tom Watson has accused the government of being unprepared for the rise of a robot workforce, suggesting a royal commission should be set up to investigate the impact of increasing automation ahead of the chancellor's budget next week. A new industrial strategy should be at the heart of the response to the increasing [...]
Here’s how Facebook is making the most detailed maps of the world’s population with artificial intelligence and solar-powered planes March 8, 2016 Facebook has revealed new images of its ambitious project to map the world's population using artificial intelligence and solar-powered planes. The video, published by Facebook boss Mark Zuckerberg, shows the incredibly detailed images of areas around the world where AI technology has enhanced even the most state of the art pictures we have had previously. State [...]
DeepMind’s AlphaGo versus Go world champion Lee Sedol: Everything you need to know about the man versus machine showdown March 7, 2016 Artificial intelligence is about to face its biggest test to date. The AI software AlphaGo created by British-based Google-owned DeepMind will face its most challenging human foe yet – the champion player of the chess-like ancient Chinese game Go, Lee Sedol. Man and machine will meet for a five set game in Seoul starting this week. Representing the human corner is [...]
Forget HS2: Only radical education reform will rescue the Northern Powerhouse March 2, 2016 The head of Ofsted, Sir Michael Wilshaw, warned last week that secondary schools in Liverpool and Manchester were “going into reverse”. Too many pupils in Northern towns and cities are simply not prepared for the next phase of their education, training or employment. In Liverpool, for example, four out of every ten schools are judged [...]
Ladies who don’t lunch: Maike Currie talks to financial services entrepreneur Joanne Smith about dry January and why compliance is the “new rock ‘n roll” February 18, 2016 My lunch date with Joanne Smith, financial services veteran turned entrepreneur, is long overdue. I have been using stalling tactics and to be honest it’s due to her area of expertise: compliance. (Read: boring box-ticker.) But it’s a New Year and, cloaked in noble resolutions, I finally make the time to meet her at a [...]