Fri 2 Feb 2018 07.00 EST Last modified on Fri 2 Feb 2018 07.02 EST YouTube's recommendation system draws on techniques in machine learning to decide which videos are auto-played or appear "up next". The precise formula it uses, however, is kept secret. Aggregate data revealing which YouTube videos are heavily promoted by the algorithm, or how how many views individual videos receive from "up next" suggestions, is also withheld from the public. Disclosing that data would enable academic institutions, fact-checkers and regulators (as well as journalists) to assess the type of content YouTube is most likely to promote. By keeping the algorithm and its results under wraps, YouTube ensures that any patterns that indicate unintended biases or distortions associated with its algorithm are concealed from public view. By putting a wall around its data, YouTube, which is owned by Google, protects itself from scrutiny.

As early as 2018, we can expect to see truly autonomous weaponised artificial intelligence that delivers its blows slowly, stealthily and virtually without trace. And 2018 will be the year of the machine-on-machine attack. There is much debate about the possible future of autonomous AI on the battlefield. Once released, these systems are not controlled. They do not wait for orders from base.

Where is China headed in 2018? President Xi Jinping promised "world peace" for the new year - but his 2017 track record suggests otherwise. Remember the singular stain of the July death of 2010 Nobel Peace Prize winner Liu Xiaobo, surrounded by state security? Many condemned China's conduct, but such interventions are fewer and further between these days. Increasingly, abusive Chinese authorities are garnering international support for their principles and policies.

India has a severe shortage of engineers in these technologies, especially when countries like the US have a talent pool of 850,000 AI engineers. Finally, India begins to take Artificial Intelligence (AI), robotics, 3D Printing, and IOT technologies seriously. The finance minister announced during his Budget 2018 speech emphasised the need to set up centres of excellence to enhance their impact on business and the economy. The budget has allocated Rs 3,073 crore for this purpose, which has doubled from last year. This comes at a time when China has put in $2 billion for its centre for excellence.

What do the International Space Station (ISS) and the Belgian police force have in common? If you said integrated approaches to machine learning, you'd be correct! Artificial intelligence (AI) systems that were developed to prepare astronauts for space are now being employed to solve crimes. European law enforcement agents believe the technology has the potential to help them more efficiently sift through data, recreate crime scenes, and identify leads.

Forecasts suggest that by 2022 there's an outside chance we'll experience temperatures that exceed a target of the Paris climate agreement. Warming as usual: The Met Office, the UK's weather and climate forecasting organization, says its latest forecasts suggest that annual global average temperatures are likely to exceed 1 C above preindustrial levels over the next five years. A troubling outlier: The forecasts also give a 10 percent chance at least one of the next five years will see a global average temperature 1.5 C above preindustrial levels. Such an occurrence is likely to coincide with an El Niño weather event. Why it matters: The Paris agreement aims to limit average global temperature rises to less than 2 C, or ideally 1.5 C, above preindustrial levels.

A bipartisan group in Congress wants to build a resource to guide policymakers as they confront the mammoth challenge of regulating artificial intelligence. The FUTURE of AI Act would establish a federal advisory committee to examine a wide range of questions surrounding how technologies like automation, machine learning and other forms of AI would impact society. The legislation would also empower the committee with making recommendations to the secretary regarding implementation and regulation in the public and private sector. The bill was introduced in the Senate by Sens. Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.), A companion bill in the House is sponsored by Reps.

This past November, Avi Patchava and Paul Meinshausen participated in panel discussions at the Data Hack Summit in Bangalore and were encouraged to see Kunal Jain's keynote on developing the data science ecosystem in India. They have been a part of the community for several years and have worked in data science roles across start-ups, management consulting, industry, and venture capital. They share the strong conviction that an important area for development in the ecosystem is in Data Science's intellectual infrastructure. In the early stages of development, data science is often mistaken for a thin layer of popular statistical tools and packaged algorithms that are applied bluntly to a problem of choice. As data science evolves as a discipline in India, it will take more robust shape as an intellectual approach to discovering, as well as building solutions, for tough problems across business and society.

Niti Aayog, the main policy think tank of the government, will direct the Centre's efforts to research on new technologies such as Internet of Things, artificial intelligence and 3D printing in various areas, finance minister Arun Jaitley said on Thursday. "Global economy is transforming into a digital economy thanks to development of cutting-edge technologies in digital space – machine learning, artificial intelligence, internet of things, 3D printing and the like," he said in his budget speech. Jaitley said the NITI Aayog will initiate a national programme to direct the government's efforts in the area of artificial intelligence and that the Department of Science and Technology will launch a Cyber Physical Systems Mission to establish centres of excellence to train people in robotics, AI, digital manufacturing, big data analytics, quantum communication and Internet of Things. He also said that the government was doubling the allocation for the Digital India programme to Rs 3,073 crore for 2018-19. The budget also proposed to set up five lakh WiFi hotspots to provide broadband access to five crore rural citizens. Besides, the budget has allocated Rs 10,000 crore to create and augment telecom infrastructure for the next year.

BENGALURU: Finance Minister Arun Jaitley Thursday said the government would invest in research in new areas such as machine learning, artificial intelligence, robotics as it looks to prepare the country for the technology of the future. "Technologies such as machine learning, artificial intelligence and others are the technologies of the future and NITI Aayog will establish a national programme to conduct research and development in these areas," Jaitley said in his budget speech on Thursday. Experts have said that IT industry, a large employment creator in the country, will be buffeted by the advent of new technologies. IT companies have also begun investing in these technologies. The finance minister also said the government would also invest in robotics, big data, quantum communication and other areas.