Rapid advances in computing and robotics have led to calls for government controls. Before acting, we need to distinguish among the many meanings and applications of the technology. New technologies often spur public anxiety, but the intensity of concern about the implications of advances in artificial intelligence (AI) is particularly noteworthy. Several respected scholars and technology leaders warn that AI is on the path to turning robots into a master class that will subjugate humanity, if not destroy it. Others fear that AI is enabling governments to mass produce autonomous weapons--"killing machines"--that will choose their own targets, including innocent civilians. Renowned economists point out that AI, unlike previous technologies, is destroying many more jobs than it creates, leading to major economic disruptions. There seems to be widespread agreement that AI growth is accelerating.

Worldwide, about 44 million people are living with Alzheimer's disease or a related form of dementia. Although 82 percent of seniors in the United States say it's important to have their thinking or memory checked, only 16 percent say they receive regular cognitive assessments. Many traditional memory assessment tools are widely available to health professionals, though deficiencies in screening and detection accuracy and reliability remain prevalent. But even with increasingly available tools like MemTrax, an online memory test based on image recognition, the clinical efficacy of this approach as a memory function screening tool has not been sufficiently demonstrated or validated. In practice, there are numerous integrated and complex factors to consider in interpreting memory evaluation test results, which presents a real challenge for clinicians.

This is the first method that can convincingly translate between visual and touch signals

The American Bureau of Shipping recently collaborated with Google Cloud and software engineers SoftServe to use artificial intelligence (AI) models to detect levels of corrosion and marine coatings breakdowns on brown- and bluewater vessels. The pilot project is aimed at developing image recognition software tools that can examine early signs of degradation in hull structures, to avoid unsafe working conditions, unscheduled maintenance and resulting operational downtime. The effort demonstrated how AI can support early detection of structural anomalies that are usually found through traditional, visual inspections. The project was focused on corrosion and coatings failures, but ABS engineers believe the new tools could also be used to detect stress fractures and larger hull deformations. These AI techniques -- in tandem with advanced data algorithms -- could be used to analyze images over time to understand the trends in corrosion and asset fatigue that would support a transition to more efficient class and maintenance regimes for everything from workboats to offshore structures.

Digital health and mobile health apps have been a hype topic, ever since Apple's App Store began the app-craze in 2008. The initial hype about mHealth has now cooled, which is good news in a way because it shows that mHealth has made the leap from hype to reality. The hype of healthcare apps has since been replaced by other hot topics. So, what is the "next big thing"? We want to have a closer look at chatbots in healthcare. What are these so-called chatbots capable of doing?

A disturbing app has been developed which uses artificial intelligence and algorithms to produce fake nude images of women. The app, called DeepNude, removes all clothing from any uploaded image of a woman - sparking fears it could be used to blackmail unsuspecting victims with fake revenge porn threats. Since the app came to light, it has been taken offline, claiming it'cannot cope' with the volume of interest. The anonymous developers said they would be back within days and just needed'to fix some bugs and catch our breath'. In the free version of the app, the output images are partially covered with a large watermark.

After widespread backlash, a disturbing app that uses artificial intelligence to produce fake nude images of women is being taken offline. According to the anonymous creator of the app who goes by'Alberto,' the takedown stems from the app's potential to be abused. 'Despite the safety measures adopted (watermarks) if 500,000 people use it, the probability that people will misuse it is too high,' reads the tweet. Shortly after news of a'deepfaking' app capable of doctoring photos of nude women spread across the media, creators have taken the service offline It is a downloadable offline app which works on Windows and Linux. It is believed the software is based on pix2pix, an open-source algorithm developed by University of California, Berkeley researchers in 2017.

Scientists in Japan have created mini-brains with functional neural networks. These so-called mini brains, known more formally as cerebral organoids, may not be conscious, but their use in the lab could provide key insight to the processes by which information is encoded, scientists say. The organoids are essentially a simplified version of the human brain which have been grown artificially using 3D tissue cultures. Scientists in Japan have created mini-brains with functional neural networks. They lack more supporting structures such as blood vessels and the surrounding tissues, and cannot'think.'

Line Corp. unveiled new services from credit scoring to an AI-powered robot receptionist, as the operator of Japan's dominant messaging platform seeks to expand beyond chat. Line Score will rate users based on information they provide as well as their interaction with other services on the platform. That will determine interest rates and credit limits for a loan service available this summer, executives said Thursday. The company is trying to move away from an advertising-reliant business model as its user growth plateaus, doubling down on financial services powered by artificial intelligence. The company last year raised ¥148 billion ($1.4 billion) in a convertible bond sale to help fund that expansion.

Waymo is launching its first self-driving car service in Phoenix Arizona called Waymo One. Waymo, a subsidiary of Google-parent Alphabet which is developing autonomous vehicles and related services, has officially expanded its reach and is now making some of its self-driving minivans available for customers of ride-share operator Lyft. The rides are restricted to a small area outside Phoenix, where Waymo has been testing self-driving vehicles and has started its own autonomous ride-share service, Waymo One. Waymo's limited partnership with Lyft is the latest example of the company branching out to work with more companies as it develops autonomous vehicles and services. Earlier this month, Waymo struck a deal with Nissan and Renault to build self-driving vehicles for those automakers.