The convergence of the availability of a vast amount of big data, the speed and stretch of cloud computing platforms, and the advancement of sophisticated machine learning algorithms have given birth to an array of innovations in Artificial Intelligence (AI). Other applications that benefit from the implementation of AI systems in the public sector include food supply chain, energy, and environmental management. Indeed, the benefits that AI systems bring to society are grand, and so are the challenges and worries. The evolving technologies learning curve implies miscalculations and mistakes, resulting in unanticipated harmful impacts. We are living in times when it is paramount that the possibility of harm in AI systems has to be recognized and addressed quickly. Thus, identifying the potential risks caused by AI systems means a plan of measures to counteract them has to be adopted as soon as possible.

However intelligent artificial intelligence might be, it still relies on qualified humans, of which there is a notable lack in the European Union. In 2019, German firms spent an average of six months hunting to fill each tech position. Without the right training to close the skills gap, fewer businesses in Europe are able to integrate AI into their business operations, foregoing possibly significant productivity gains. A scarcity of talent in Europe also shows that salaries and broader job attractiveness in the European Union cannot compete in the global labour market. Promising European start-ups are unable to attract the talent they need.

Mail delivery has been suspended at Mar Vista Gardens, a public housing complex with more than 1,800 tenants in the Los Angeles neighborhood of Del Rey, forcing residents to pick up mail and packages at a Culver City facility over a mile away. Culver City Post Office Postmaster Roderick Strong told officials at the Housing Authority of the City of Los Angeles this week that mail delivery was immediately being put on hold because of safety issues at the 43-acre housing complex. Strong had previously cited safety issues as a reason to set up centralized banks of mailboxes at Mar Vista Gardens instead of delivering mail to each door, an idea that troubled residents of the complex. Tenant leaders had raised concerns about voting in the upcoming elections and questioned why the same changes were not happening in wealthier areas. An L.A. politico helped select the new postmaster general.

Mayor Sylvester Turner announced on Monday that the city of Houston has expanded its groundbreaking digital alliance with Microsoft to innovate in big data, artificial intelligence and the digital economy. Microsoft brings to Houston "Accelerate," a new program designed to address economic recovery through skilling both underserved communities and re-skilling the many Americans impacted by COVID-19. The collaboration is intended to create new economic opportunity, close equity and digital skills gaps, and prepare a workforce for the 21st century. "Microsoft launched the Accelerate program at a time when closing the digital divide has never been more important," said Kate Johnson, president of Microsoft U.S. "We're thrilled to be joining Mayor Turner and an impressive group of partners in this effort to expand access to in-demand digital skills--and close digital skills gaps widened by COVID-19--through Accelerate: Houston." The mayor was joined by Jacky Wright, chief digital officer, Microsoft U.S., to announce details of the Houston Innovation Alliance and Accelerate: Houston.

New Delhi: Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) on Friday said it has established a new forum on artificial intelligence chaired by IBM's India/South Asia Managing Director Sandip Patel. The CII AI Forum will focus on building a strong AI ecosystem in India by building awareness at scale and enhancing capabilities by skilling/reskilling workforce for the future, CII said. It will also work with the government in shaping conducive policy and regulatory regime; encourage public-private partnerships in research and development, and facilitate pilot implementation of AI solutions in priority sectors, it added. The sectors that have been prioritised for this year are: banking and financial services industries (BFSI), retail, social (healthcare) and manufacturing (automotive). "As the economy moves into the recovery and revival phase, the transformational potential of responsible AI-driven solutions can be used to fuel India's growth story in a big way. CII AI Forum will look at initiatives to spur local innovations," Patel said.

The US government is announcing $1 billion in new funding for multidisciplinary AI and quantum computing research hubs today, according to multiple reports. A total of 12 hubs will be funded, each embedded within different agencies of the federal government. The investment is part of a slow push from the White House to fund emerging technologies. Many policy advisors have worried that America is falling behind in AI and quantum research compared to rivals like China, and warn that these technologies are instrumental not only for economic development but also national security. It's extremely difficult to make a fair comparison of US and Chinese spend on technology like AI as funding and research in this area is diffuse.

The U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) has invested in the development of technologies that allow the human brain to communicate directly with machines, including the development of implantable neural interfaces able to transfer data between the human brain and the digital world. This technology, known as brain-computer interface (BCI), may eventually be used to monitor a soldier's cognitive workload, control a drone swarm, or link with a prosthetic, among other examples. Further technological advances could support human-machine decisionmaking, human-to-human communication, system control, performance enhancement and monitoring, and training. However, numerous policy, safety, legal, and ethical issues should be evaluated before the technology is widely deployed. With this report, the authors developed a methodology for studying potential applications for emerging technology. This included developing a national security game to explore the use of BCI in combat scenarios; convening experts in military operations, human performance, and neurology to explore how the technology might affect military tactics, which aspects may be most beneficial, and which aspects might present risks; and offering recommendations to policymakers.

In a single day, the US's reconnaissance aircraft and satellites collect more raw data than the entire defence workforce could analyse in their aggregate lifetimes. Security officials are trying to find needles in ever-expanding digital haystacks. As a recent RUSI paper recognises, this information overload is also'perhaps the greatest technical challenge facing the UK's national security community'. Over the last year as a Kennedy Scholar at Harvard University, I explored how defence and intelligence organisations are using artificial intelligence (AI) to respond to that overload. Beyond the technology itself, I wanted to find out how the US has created the foundations for successfully deploying AI: a skilled workforce, data management, computational power, cloud platforms, technical foundations of security and trust, and a prudent policy framework.

The National Science Foundation this week announced the formation of seven national AI institutes aimed at advancing technological innovation and bolstering the economy. AI research by the National Science Foundation will expand to a broader range of businesses across the U.S. economy through five new NSF AI institutes being created at a cost of $100 million. The new initiatives, which were unveiled Aug. 26 by the agency, will deepen the NSF's artificial intelligence research to expand the nation's workforce and drive new possibilities for a wide range of businesses, educational institutions, medicine, banking and other organizations. In a related announcement, two complementary AI research institutes are also being created by the U.S. Department of Agriculture over the next five years using $40 million in funding to expand AI research in farming and food processing. The new AI institutes will emphasize use-inspired research to help businesses and organizations, said James Donlon, program director for information and intelligent systems in the NSF's directorate for computer and information science and engineering (CISE) division.

The CII AI Forum will focus on building a strong AI ecosystem in India by building awareness at scale and enhancing capabilities by skilling/reskilling workforce for the future, CII said. It will also work with the government in shaping conducive policy and regulatory regime; encourage public-private partnerships in research and development, and facilitate pilot implementation of AI solutions in priority sectors, it added. The sectors that have been prioritised for this year are: banking and financial services industries (BFSI), retail, social (healthcare) and manufacturing (automotive). "As the economy moves into the recovery and revival phase, the transformational potential of responsible AI-driven solutions can be used to fuel India''s growth story in a big way. CII AI Forum will look at initiatives to spur local innovations," Patel said.