Abstract: Deep learning techniques have enabled rapid progress in monocular depth estimation, but their quality is limited by the ill-posed nature of the problem and the scarcity of high quality datasets. We estimate depth from a single camera by leveraging the dual-pixel auto-focus hardware that is increasingly common on modern camera sensors. Classic stereo algorithms and prior learning-based depth estimation techniques under-perform when applied on this dual-pixel data, the former due to too-strong assumptions about RGB image matching, and the latter due to not leveraging the understanding of optics of dual-pixel image formation. To allow learning based methods to work well on dual-pixel imagery, we identify an inherent ambiguity in the depth estimated from dual-pixel cues, and develop an approach to estimate depth up to this ambiguity. Using our approach, existing monocular depth estimation techniques can be effectively applied to dual-pixel data, and much smaller models can be constructed that still infer high quality depth.

False news has consistently been growing around us, primarily as clickbait, and often tends to go viral. These are articles and stories created solely to mislead and misinform people into believing narratives that otherwise hold no merit. According to research published in Science magazine, the propagation of such media could be attributed to the fact that humans are more likely to spread lies faster than the truth. The primary sources of information used to be journalists and authentic media outlets that had to verify their sources and the information they received; sadly, this isn't always the case anymore. With advancements made in technology, the rumor and propaganda mills have been handed over to advanced AI algorithms that are designed to create believable content--which usually isn't true.

Artificial Intelligence is basically the hypothesis and practice with regards to building machines equipped for performing tasks that seem to require intelligence. At present, cutting edge technologies in this paradigm include machine learning, artificial neural networks, and deep learning. In the meantime, blockchain is basically another documenting framework for computerized data which stores information in an encrypted, distributed ledger format. Since the information is encrypted and distributed across many different computers, it empowers the making of carefully designed, exceptionally robust databases which can be read and updated only by those with permission. It goes without saying that every innovation has its own individual level of complexity, however, the combination of the two might be advantageous to both.

IABM report: "Change is everywhere" The increasingly crowded and competitive media and broadcasting industry is consolidating and searching for scale to compete with firms adopting new technology to support its transformation, an IABM report finds. Leading the industry transformation is the demand for new technology to support efficient workflows, manage content distribution, enhance the user experiences and support revenue growth. "Change is everywhere," according to the latest strategic industry analysis, the IABM Special Report which examined the major trends in the broadcast and media industry ahead of its presentation during IBC2019. With the escalation of OTT streaming services and the continued influx of money invested into video content, traditional media companies are consolidating and forming alliances to remain competitive. The report outlines: "This increasingly competitive and complex environment is forcing media companies to search for digital speed to attract eyeballs to their services. "This is leading to a rapid transformation of demand for media technology, which is sending shockwaves throughout the supply-side of the industry." Based on hard data obtained and analysed by the IABM's Business Intelligence Unit, the report was backed by quantitative and qualitative information and commentary from key players across broadcast and media industry. The report found the technology adoption of cloud, artificial intelligence (AI) and IP have continued to increase. "By deploying cloud-based services, media companies can dramatically reduce time-to-market for their services – thus increasing revenues - and flexibly adjust resources by moving to consumption-based pricing." Global media firms including Discovery have moved portions of their operations to the cloud, however smaller media organisations remain less likely to do so. According to the data: "AI applications in the broadcast and media industry are growing and adoption has significantly increased in recent years.

Organisations worldwide are achieving their vision to industrialise artificial intelligence (AI) but many can do more to gain real business value, according to findings of a recent survey by technology services and digital transformation company Mindtree. The survey, which gathered data from 650 global IT leaders from key business markets, found 85 per cent of organisations have a data strategy and 77 per cent have implemented some AI-related technologies in the workplace with 31 per cent already seeing major business value from their AI efforts. The study showed certain business functions such as sales (35 per cent) and marketing (32 per cent) gaining the most value from AI as it accelerates the delivery of improved customer experiences. The most popular technologies deployed by global organisations are machine learning (34 per cent), chatbots (34 per cent) and robotics (28 per cent). "The potential of AI to disrupt, transform and rebuild businesses is clearly felt in the C-Suite even if it is not yet fully understood," said Suman Nambiar, Head of Strategy, Partners and Offering for Digital at Mindtree.

Io-Tahoe, a pioneer in Smart Data Discovery and AI-Driven Data Catalog products, in its efforts to continue to transform the data discovery market, today announced it has been named a Leader in the use of artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) for data management in a new research report and decision guide from Enterprise Management Associates (EMA). The research report, which names Io-Tahoe a Leader, says companies which deploy AI-enabled analytics and data management solutions can potentially save up to $5,000,000 a year. EMA research also finds that they can create more value through enhancements such as increased speed of innovation; the report claims that 83 per cent of the companies surveyed are already seeing cost savings, along with a significant reduction in annual person-hours required to complete analysis of the data. "AI enablement signifies a major shift from passive to active use of metadata," said John Santaferraro, EMA's Research Director, Analytics, Business Intelligence, and Data Management. "The passive use of metadata focused on definitions and documentation, while the active use of metadata focuses on the delivery of services, such as data cataloguing, data governance, data discovery, and master data services."