Can artificial intelligence (AI) learn complicated non-linear physics? Here we propose a novel deep learning approach that learns non-linear photon scattering physics and obtains accurate 3D distribution of optical anomalies. In contrast to the traditional black-box deep learning approaches to inverse problems, our deep network learns to invert the Lippmann-Schwinger integral equation which describes the essential physics of photon migration of diffuse near-infrared (NIR) photons in turbid media. As an example for clinical relevance, we applied the method to our prototype diffuse optical tomography (DOT). We show that our deep neural network, trained with only simulation data, can accurately recover the location of anomalies within biomimetic phantoms and live animals without the use of an exogenous contrast agent.

Stochastic matrix factorization (SMF) can be regarded as a restriction of non-negative matrix factorization (NMF). SMF is useful for inference of topic models, NMF for binary matrices data, Markov chains, and Bayesian networks. However, SMF needs strong assumptions to reach a unique factorization and its theoretical prediction accuracy has not yet been clarified. In this paper, we study the maximum the pole of zeta function (real log canonical threshold) of a general SMF and derive an upper bound of the generalization error in Bayesian inference. The results give a foundation for a widely applicable and rigorous factorization method of SMF and mean that the generalization error in SMF becomes smaller than regular statistical models by Bayesian inference.

Nowadays, customers expect to be at the centre of a bank's engagement model. For banks to thrive, the key is how well they respond to the seismic shift in customer demand and give them complete control of the financial supply chain. Thus, a holistic understanding of customer needs is critical for service providers to embed their offerings into customers' lives. Of the many fintech players in India, a few will emerge as winners, creating sustainable business models that will withstand the ups and downs of economic cycles. These models will focus on retaining customer loyalty by evolving customer expectations; strengthening IT infrastructure, in an environment of exponential technology advancements; using data-points to their advantage; seeking appropriate funding; lowering cost of operations; and offering value-addition.

Swedish carmaker Volvo Cars said Monday it has signed an agreement to supply "tens of thousands" of self-driving cars to Uber, as the ride-sharing company battles a number of different controversies. Volvo--which is owned by China's Geely and has yet to build a self-driving system--said in a statement that it would supply Uber with "autonomous driving compatible base vehicles between 2019 and 2021." Uber would then add its own software system to enable the cars to drive pilot-less. When contacted by AFP, a Volvo spokesman did not specify the exact number of cars, but a source familiar with the matter said it could be around 24,000. Neither Volvo nor Uber released financial details, but based on list prices for the cars the deal could be worth more than $1 billion (around 850 million euros).

During President Trump's visit to Beijing, he appeared on screen for a special address at a tech conference. First he spoke in English. Then he switched to Mandarin Chinese. Mr. Trump doesn't speak Chinese. The video was a publicity stunt, designed to show off the voice capabilities of iFlyTek, a Chinese artificial intelligence company with both innovative technology and troubling ties to Chinese state security.

In an era marked by rapid advances in automation and artificial intelligence, new research assesses the jobs lost and jobs gained under different scenarios through 2030. The technology-driven world in which we live is a world filled with promise but also challenges. Cars that drive themselves, machines that read X-rays, and algorithms that respond to customer-service inquiries are all manifestations of powerful new forms of automation. Yet even as these technologies increase productivity and improve our lives, their use will substitute for some work activities humans currently perform--a development that has sparked much public concern. Building on our January 2017 report on automation, McKinsey Global Institute's latest report, Jobs lost, jobs gained: Workforce transitions in a time of automation (PDF–5MB), assesses the number and types of jobs that might be created under different scenarios through 2030 and compares that to the jobs that could be lost to automation. The results reveal a rich mosaic of potential shifts in occupations in the years ahead, with important implications for workforce skills and wages. Our key finding is that while there may be enough work to maintain full employment to 2030 under most scenarios, the transitions will be very challenging--matching or even exceeding the scale of shifts out of agriculture and manufacturing we have seen in the past.

Few weeks after announcing a partnership with Cambridge Judge Business School, and earmarking Rs 200 crore for foraying into Southeast Asian Markets and the Middle East, UpGrad, the online higher education platform, has now announced a partnership with IIIT-Bangalore to launch PG Diploma programme in machine learning and artificial intelligence. The 11-month Post Graduate Diploma programme in machine learning and artificial intelligence (AI) is a rigorous and selective PG Diploma Programme which will enable learners in mastering concepts in Machine Learning and AI like classification algorithms, deep learning, natural language processing (NLP), reinforcement learning and graph models amongst others. "Colleges and Universities have in-depth knowledge of technical domains and the latest research happening in these domains. IIIT Bangalore brings a strong understanding of evolving areas like machine learning and AI. Hence such a collaboration will help us bring to the learners, the most recent developments in the field." The curriculum is developed by the IIIT-B faculty and leading industry professionals in Indian technology sector.

Beijing - Apple chief executive Tim Cook has called for future internet and AI technologies to be infused with privacy, security and humanity. Cook made the comments on Sunday at the opening ceremony for China's World Internet Conference - an event designed to globally promote the country's vision of a more censored and controlled internet. It's the second Chinese appearance in two months for the executive, who met with President Xi Jinping in October. "The theme of this conference - developing a digital economy for openness and shared benefits - is a vision we at Apple share," Cook said. "We are proud to have worked alongside many of our partners in China to help build a community that will join a common future in cyberspace."

It's easy enough to draw a basic floorplan of your home, but turning that floorplan into 3D rendering typically falls into the realm of professional designers. TechCrunch Berlin Hackathon hackers Charles Wong and Aravind Kandiah, who are both students at the Singapore University of Technology and Design, built a tool that can easily turn your 2D drawings into 3D renderings. "We always had this fascination with bringing to live what you can draw," Kandiah said. "But there hasn't been an easy to create this." That by itself is pretty cool, but by asking you about your location and a few more details about the building you are trying to render, Home.me is able to estimate the square footage and prize of what you're drawing, too.

Anurag Acharya's problem was that the Google search bar is very smart, but also kind of dumb. As a Googler working on search 13 years ago, Acharya wanted to make search results encompass scholarly journal articles. A laudable goal, because unlike the open web, most of the raw output of scientific research was invisible--hidden behind paywalls. People might not even know it existed. "I grew up in India, and most of the time you didn't even know if something existed. If you knew it existed, you could try to get it," Acharya says.