Louisiana Tech Research Institute researcher Adam Lowther and Air Force Institute of Technology associate dean Curtis McGiffin say their country needs a "dead hand" on the trigger to the world's largest arsenal of weapons. They argue that giving AI control over the weapons available at America's disposal would drastically reduce the response time needed for a retaliatory strike, something the pair say might be necessary as missiles become faster and harder to detect. Even if there was nobody left alive to order a nuclear strike AI could launch the weapons, guaranteeing mutually assured destruction and eliminating the possibility that your enemies could wipe you out quickly enough to prevent retaliation. It's certainly an idea, even if it sounds dangerously like the prologue of a film set in a future where the human race has been all but wiped out and replaced by robots. With new technologies come new considerations, there's technically nothing wrong with throwing out ideas.

A new Chinese mobile deepfake application that allows users very easily swap their faces with any specific faces in any video clip was launched on Friday the 30th of August, 2019. The app, Zao, became an instant success an almost immediately became the most downloaded mobile app on China's iOS App Store, racking up several million downloads and shooting the app to the top of the store. However, several concerns have been drawn over the app's infringement of privacy and a host of other violations. The app employs advanced artificial intelligence (AI) technology, letting users upload a personal picture which then gets super-imposed on already made video clips from music, TV shows, and movies. In just a few seconds, one user created a video where he replaced Hollywood actor Leonardo DiCaprio's face with that of his, instantly adding himself to the cast of 1997's Titanic movie. What started as a really fun app now seems to be slowly becoming objectionable.

Fox News Flash top headlines for September 4 are here. Check out what's clicking on Foxnews.com A government report says the driver of a Tesla that slammed into a firetruck near Los Angeles last year was using the car's Autopilot system when a vehicle in front of him suddenly changed lanes and he didn't have time to react. The report raises further questions about the effectiveness of Tesla's system, which was in operation before several other crashes including two fatalities in Florida and one in Silicon Valley. Tesla warns drivers that the system is not fully autonomous and drivers must be ready to intervene.

Author: Anita Faul, Teaching Associate Fellow, University of Cambridge & The Alan Turing Institute "I would like to take the opportunity to be a guest blogger to pay tribute to Professor Mike Powell, my PhD supervisor." Often, when asked what I am doing, I answer: "Well, I started out in Numerical Analysis and then moved into, what is now commonly referred to as Machine Learning or AI, but it is all algorithms. We just interpret the numbers a bit differently now. It all comes down to number crunching." Mike was there from the beginning of number crunching and had an impact on the field in many ways.

A few days ago, Facebook disentangled itself from a nettlesome investigation by the Federal Trade Commission into how the company violated users' privacy. And then, with that matter now squarely behind it, Facebook on Tuesday stepped forward to share some information about its effort to read our minds. Two years after the company announced its mind-reading initiative, Facebook has an update to share. The company sponsored an experiment conducted by researchers at the University of California San Francisco in which they built an interface for decoding spoken dialogue from brain signals. The results were published today in Nature Communication.

Artificial intelligence and machine learning algorithms are already integrated into most of the electronic devices that we use and are powering the global economy's transformation. But, analysts also warn that AI may have negative effects. For example, American market research company Forrester warns that AI and robots will replace 16 percent of American jobs in the not-so distant future. This academic year, Penn State's Institute for CyberScience will host speakers who will review the hopes for -- as well as concerns about -- AI in the future. The seminar series, "AI in Action: How Penn State researchers are Developing and Using AI to Advance Sciences, Engineering, Humanities, Social Good and beyond" kicks off on Tuesday, Sept. 17, with Orfeu Buxton.

Since we joined the European AI Alliance back in June, a lot has been happening. On June 26th, the High-Level Expert Group on Artificial Intelligence (AI HLEG) held the first AI Alliance Assembly. The group presented The Policy and Investment Recommendations on AI, addressed to the European Commission and the Member States. They also launched the piloting process of the AI Ethics Guidelines. For those that are unfamiliar, this started with the European Union commission's goal to set guidelines for ethical AI creation, started with the Ethics Guidelines for Trustworthy AI published by the AI HLEG last year.

For the benefit and enlightenment of the UK Flame community, XTFX and Autodesk will be hosting a sneak preview of what's new and what's coming up in Flame 2020, ahead of the IBC show in Amsterdam. Flame Product Manager Will Harris will discuss new features and tools including further advances in machine learning with the new Semantic Keyer, trained to recognise and isolate picture content such as skies for quick enhancements or replacements, along with Motion Vector and Primitive selective modes, IMF mastering, improved shadow casting and more to be announced. As always, the Autodesk development team will have their ears open for feedback and suggestions from users at the sharp end, and there will be the usual opportunities for networking over a drink or two...

The development and adoption of advanced technologies including smart automation and artificial intelligence has the potential not only to raise productivity and GDP growth but also to improve well-being more broadly, including through healthier life and longevity and more leisure. Alongside such benefits, these technologies also have the potential to reduce disruption and the potentially destabilizing effects on society arising from their adoption. Tech for Good: Smoothing disruption, improving well-being (PDF–1MB) examines the factors that can help society achieve such benefits and makes a first attempt to calculate the impact of technology adoption on welfare growth beyond GDP. Our modeling suggests that good outcomes for the economy overall and for individual well-being come about when technology adoption is focused on innovation-led growth rather than purely on labor reduction and cost savings through automation. This needs to be accompanied by proactive transition management that increases labor market fluidity and equips workers with new skills. Technology for centuries has both excited the human imagination and prompted fears about its effects. Today's technology cycle is no different, provoking a broad spectrum of hopes and fears. Opinion surveys suggest people tend to have a nuanced view of technology but nonetheless worry about the risks: while generally positive about longer-term benefits, especially for health, many are also concerned about the negative impact on their lives, in particular in the areas of job security, material living standards, safety, and trust.

Police use of automatic facial recognition technology to search for people in crowds is lawful, the high court in Cardiff has ruled. Although the mass surveillance system interferes with the privacy rights of those scanned by security cameras, a judge has concluded, it is not illegal. The legal challenge was brought by Ed Bridges, a former Liberal Democrat councillor from Cardiff, who noticed the cameras when he went out to buy a lunchtime sandwich. He was supported by the human rights organisation Liberty. Bridges said he was distressed by police use of the technology, which he believes captured his image while out shopping and later at a peaceful protest against the arms trade.