March 11, 2023

national security

TikTok ban and AI

The Hill, 03/11/23. National security concerns have sparked calls for a ban of TikTok. Critics argue this would violate the First Amendment. 

TikTok has been engaging in surveillance and monitoring keystrokes and taps. Also, China can use TikTok’s massive data to train its AI for military and civilian applications especially facial recognition. This is particularly concerning given China’s ongoing Uyghur genocide. 

Implementing a national privacy law does not guarantee that CCP-backed companies will follow the rules. Ultimately, TikTok’s geopolitical implications cannot be ignored. READ MORE

AGRICULTURE

AI-powered robots cut out weeds while leaving crops untouched

INTERESTING ENGINERING, 03/11/23. There are not enough farm workers to remove weeds by hand. Spraying herbicides runs the risk of harming the environment and human health. So, FarmWise has developed autonomous weeding robots that can remove weeds without harming crops. These robots allow for human supervision while collecting data to improve decision making. 

The company’s mission is to increase farming efficiency using AI and data while reducing land, water, chemical, and fertilizer usage. FarmWise aims to make AI as reliable as GPS in the farming industry. READ MORE

POP CULTURE

Using AI to predict the Oscars (and maybe even save humanity)

VENTURE BEAT, 03/11/23. Author Louis Rosenberg founded Unanimous AI to amplify human intelligence through artificial swarm intelligence (ASI). ASI enables real-time group decision-making and produces better decisions and forecasts than social media’s herd mentality. 

Unanimous AI’s success includes predicting the 2023 Academy Awards. READ MORE

HYPE

Is AI-washing the new greenwashing?

cybernews, 03/11/23. AI-washing is the practice of making false or exaggerated claims about the use of artificial intelligence. It is a growing concern for investors and regulators. 

40% of European startups describing themselves as “AI startups” use virtually no AI. This is unsurprising as even unsubstantiated AI claims can attract more funding. 

The FTC warns against exaggerated AI claims and tighter regulation is on the horizon. READ MORE

TECH

Understanding Explainable AI And Interpretable AI

MARKTECHPOST, 03/11/23. Recent advances in machine learning (ML) have led to the widespread use of ML models in various fields to improve performance and reduce the need for human labor. Interpretable AI and Explainable AI help humans to understand these algorithms at a deeper level.

Decision trees and linear regression are a couple of examples of interpretable models. Model-agnostic methods such as partial dependence plots, SHAP dependence plots, and surrogate models are used to understand complex black-box models. 

The choice between interpretability and explainability depends on the specific needs of the business and the ML project at hand. READ MORE