Multimodal integration is an important process in perceptual decision-making. In humans, this process has often been shown to be statistically optimal, or near optimal: sensory information is combined in a fashion that minimises the average error in perceptual representation of stimuli. However, sometimes there are costs that come with the optimization, manifesting as illusory percepts. We review audio-visual facilitations and illusions that are products of multisensory integration, and the computational models that account for these phenomena. In particular, the same optimal computational model can lead to illusory percepts, and we suggest that more studies should be needed to detect and mitigate these illusions, as artefacts in artificial cognitive systems. We provide cautionary considerations when designing artificial cognitive systems with the view of avoiding such artefacts. Finally, we suggest avenues of research towards solutions to potential pitfalls in system design. We conclude that detailed understanding of multisensory integration and the mechanisms behind audio-visual illusions can benefit the design of artificial cognitive systems.

China has issued new rules banning online video and audio providers from using artificial intelligence (AI) and virtual reality technologies to produce "fake news". The regulation published on Friday by China's cyberspace authority said both providers and users of online video news and audio services were "not allowed" to use new technologies such as deep learning and virtual reality to create, distribute and broadcast "fake news". "Fake news" has been generalised to mean anything from a mistake to a parody or a deliberate misinterpretation of facts. The rules come into effect on January 1, 2020. Failure to follow them could be considered a criminal offence, the Cyberspace Administration of China (CAC) said, without offering details on punishments.

Microsoft is blending Indigenous knowledge with AI to protect parts of Kakadu National Park. The tech behemoth partnered with the CSIRO and Indigenous rangers at the World Heritage-listed park to restore native wildlife using artificial intelligence (AI). Located in the Northern Territory, Kakadu is jointly managed by Parks Australia and traditional Indigenous owners. Its wetlands are home to protected Australian species such as magpie geese, which are considered by traditional custodians as a major indicator of'healthy country'. But the introduction of a weed called para grass has seen the reduction of native plants and has removed habitats for the magpie geese. Michael Douglas, leader of NESP Northern Australia Environmental Resources Hub, explained that para grass was planted in the area during the late 1960s before Kakadu was a national park, used as buffalo and cattle feed.

New research that appears in the journal PLOS ONE suggests that machine learning can be a valuable tool for predicting the risk of premature death. The scientists compared the accuracy of artificial intelligence prediction with that of statistical methods that experts are currently using in medical research. New research suggests that healthcare professionals should use deep learning algorithms to predict premature death risk accurately. An increasing amount of recent research is suggesting that computer algorithms and artificial intelligence (AI) learning can prove highly useful in the medical world. For instance, a study that appeared a few months ago found that deep learning algorithms can accurately predict the onset of as early as in advance.

Chinese regulators have announced new rules governing video and audio content online, including a ban on the publishing and distribution of "fake news" created with technologies such as artificial intelligence and virtual reality. Any use of AI or virtual reality also needs to be clearly marked in a prominent manner, and failure to follow the rules could be considered a criminal offense, the Cyberspace Administration of China (CAC) said on its website. The rules, effective January 1, were published publicly on its website on Friday after being issued to online video and audio service providers last week. In particular, the CAC highlighted potential problems caused by deepfake technology, which uses AI to create hyper-realistic videos in which a person appears to say or do something they did not. Deepfake technology could "endanger national security, disrupt social stability, disrupt social order, and infringe upon the legitimate rights and interests of others," according to a transcript of a press briefing published on the CAC's website.

JAKARTA: Indonesian President Joko Widodo on Thursday (Nov 28) ordered government agencies to remove two ranks of public servants in 2020 and replace their roles with artificial intelligence, in a bid to cut red tape hampering investment. Widodo made the remarks in a room full of leaders of big companies as he laid out a second-term agenda aimed at changing the structure of Southeast Asia's largest economy by reducing its reliance on natural resources. The president, whose new five-year term began last month after winning an election in April, said Indonesia should transition to higher-end manufacturing, such as electric vehicles and use raw materials like coal and bauxite in such industries, not just exports. Such transformation would require foreign investment and Widodo said he would improve the business climate by fixing dozens of overlapping rules and cutting red tape. To reduce bureaucracy, Widodo said the current top four tiers in government agencies would be flattened to two next year. "I have ordered my minister (of administrative and bureaucratic reform) to replace them with AI.

This past Friday was arguably the biggest day of the year for retailers, particularly online retailers. Throughout last week, you probably received emails about massive Black Friday discounts. Some of you might have put together wish lists to check out at the stroke of midnight while others used your phones, to scout whether a 30% discount was worth the still hefty price tags. What you may be interested to know is that artificial intelligence (AI) has tailored your online experience. AI is a technology that makes machines smart.

From Siri, the virtual assistant in Apple mobile devices, to self-driving cars, artificial intelligence (AI) is progressing rapidly, outperforming humans at some tasks. As with the majority of the changes happening globally, there will be positive and negative impacts as AI continues to shape the world we live in. Every single one of us will have to reckon with our ability to balance the human way of life and the transition to the AI cosmos. According to a report by the technology research group IDC, spending on AI is expected to reach US$46 billion by 2020 with no signs of slowing down. AI is definitely on the rise in both business and life in general. The question is, will humans eventually lose control as machines become super-intelligent?

TECHNOLOGIES such as artificial intelligence (AI), machine learning (ML), the internet of things (IoT), 5G, and robotics have plenty of potential in the healthcare space. However, most healthcare organizations are unable to leverage those technologies because they neither have the digital infrastructure nor the technology talent to turn their vision into real projects. "Health services have a lot to do before they can make the most of these opportunities," Waitematā District Health Board (DHB) Clinical Director Innovation Robyn Whittaker told Tech Wire Asia underscoring the fact that industry professionals aren't oblivious to the power that technology holds. Whittaker and her team at Waitematā DHB have just made it to the list of finalists in the talent accelerator category at the IDC Digital Transformation Awards. To prepare for the digital age, Whittaker's team is working on the foundational layers, digitizing data, and making it available for clinicians and researchers looking to make sense of that data.

"To boldly go where no one has gone before." The series followed the voyages of the starship USS Enterprise as she explored "strange new worlds, to seek out new life and new civilizations." I think we are all on a similar voyage right now. And we don't have to engage a "warp drive" to experience new life and new civilizations. Life -- here on Earth -- is changing rapidly due to technological developments.