Rationalization, a data-centric framework, aims to build self-explanatory models to explain the prediction outcome by generating a subset of human-intelligible pieces of the input data. It involves a cooperative game model where a generator generates the most human-intelligible parts of the input (i.e., rationales), followed by a predictor that makes predictions based on these generated rationales. Conventional rationalization methods typically impose constraints via regularization terms to calibrate or penalize undesired generation. However, these methods are suffering from a problem called mode collapse, in which the predictor produces correct predictions yet the generator consistently outputs rationales with collapsed patterns. Moreover, existing studies are typically designed separately for specific collapsed patterns, lacking a unified consideration. In this paper, we systematically revisit cooperative rationalization from a novel game-theoretic perspective and identify the fundamental cause of this problem: the generator no longer tends to explore new strategies to uncover informative rationales, ultimately leading the system to converge to a suboptimal game equilibrium (correct predictions v.s collapsed rationales). To solve this problem, we then propose a novel approach, Game-theoretic Policy Optimization oriented RATionalization (PORAT), which progressively introduces policy interventions to address the game equilibrium in the cooperative game process, thereby guiding the model toward a more optimal solution state. We theoretically analyse the cause of such a suboptimal equilibrium and prove the feasibility of the proposed method. Furthermore, we validate our method on nine widely used real-world datasets and two synthetic settings, where PORAT achieves up to 8.1% performance improvements over existing state-of-the-art methods.

The world's fourth biggest company, Google-owner Alphabet, has announced a new £5bn ($6.8bn) investment in UK artificial intelligence (AI). The money will be used for infrastructure and scientific research over the next two years - the first of several massive US investments being unveiled ahead of US President Donald Trump's state visit. Google's President and Chief Investment Officer Ruth Porat told BBC News in an exclusive interview that there were profound opportunities in the UK for its pioneering work in advanced science. The company will officially open a vast $1bn (£735m) data centre in Waltham Cross, Hertfordshire, with Chancellor Rachel Reeves on Tuesday. The investment will expand this site and also include funding for London-based DeepMind, run by British Nobel Prize winner Sir Demis Hassabis, which deploys AI to revolutionise advanced scientific research.

Pope Francis has warned global leaders in Davos that artificial intelligence raises "critical concerns" about humanity's future and it could exacerbate a growing "crisis of truth". Francis said governments and businesses must exercise "due diligence and vigilance" to navigate the complexities of AI. In a written address at the World Economic Forum (WEF) in Switzerland on Thursday, the pope said AI could fuel the "growing crisis of truth in the public forum", as its output was almost indistinguishable from those of humans. "This technology is designed to learn and make certain choices autonomously, adapting to new situations and providing answers not foreseen by its programmers, thus raising fundamental questions about ethical responsibility, human safety, and the broader implications of these developments for society," he said in a statement read to Davos delegates by Cardinal Peter Turkson, a Vatican official. The pope has first-hand experience of artificial intelligence's ability to distort the truth – he is a popular subject in AI-generated deepfake images, including one of him embracing the singer Madonna and a second in a Balenciaga puffer jacket.

In a note released Friday JPMorgan analyst Doug Anmuth wrote that AI is reaching "an inflection point" at Alphabet. "Amidst a challenging operating environment, we're encouraged by upcoming AI products & what feels like deeper commitment to rationalize the cost structure, though there is still some uncertainty around magnitude and timing," he wrote. See Now: Google suffered'pullback' in ad spending over holidays, Alphabet stock falls after earnings The analyst explained that AI has been integral to Alphabet's business for many years, driving search and broader ads performance, while also supporting its cloud business. "After years of heavy investments along with recent competitive pressures, Google will roll out several new AI tools over the next few months," he added, highlighting the company's efforts to layer its LaMDA chatbot conversation technology across the company's suite of products, specifically in search and in a possible standalone product. In addition to the company's efforts to deliver AI tools to app developers, Anmuth also pointed to its plans to introduce AI-powered features to Workspace and "large language models" to Gmail and Docs.

Google Cloud has launched a new artificial intelligence (AI)-driven tool to help businesses streamline their manufacturing and inspection process. Named Visual Inspection AI, the new solution will allow businesses in the manufacturing sector to maximize operational savings by quickly training and deploying AI models to detect production defects. "We've been listening to the specific needs of the industry, and have brought the best of Google AI technologies to help address those needs," said Mandeep Waraich, Head of Product for Industrial AI at Google Cloud. "The outcome is an AI solution that, built upon years of computer vision expertize, is purpose-built to solve quality control problems for nearly any type of discrete manufacturing process." With the launch of its new tool, Google has reaffirmed that it is betting big on AI to help take its cloud computing business to the next level.

JNS.org – Tel Aviv University has launched its new Multidisciplinary Center for Artificial Intelligence and Data Science on Wednesday during the university's AI Week to encourage research that uses the most advanced methods of both disciples. The center's aim is to train a new generation of researchers and industrialists who will take Israel to the forefront of the "global AI revolution" in the coming years. "[AI] is expected to impact our way of life in every aspect--from drug development and data-based personalized medicine to defense and security systems, financial systems, scientific discoveries, robotics, autonomous systems and social issues," said Professor Meir Feder, who will head up the center. "It is very important to train human capital in this area, and therefore, the center will provide all TAU students with basic AI education," he added. Israeli defense minister Benny Gantz said on Saturday his "initial assessment" was that Iran was responsible for an explosion on...

More than 1,000 Google workers have signed a public letter calling on their employer to commit to an aggressive "company-wide climate plan" that includes canceling contracts with the fossil fuel industry and halting its donations to climate change deniers. The letter, which is addressed to Google's chief financial officer, Ruth Porat, also calls for zero emissions by 2030 and "zero collaboration with entities enabling the incarceration, surveillance, displacement or oppression of refugees or frontline communities". "We're excited to keep building momentum as tech workers join millions of people all over the world acting boldly for a livable future," said Sharon Campbell-Crow, a senior technical writer for Google, by email. "Marginalized communities have worked for climate justice for decades; Google needs to catch up and stop funding climate denial." The public campaign by Google workers follows similar efforts by employees of Amazon and Microsoft.

Major breakthroughs are now possible with less data than ever thanks to artificial intelligence, Alphabet Chief Financial Officer Ruth Porat said during a panel at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland Tuesday. Artificial intelligence "learns" patterns by ingesting typically large amounts of data and then using that information to complete a task, like sorting data into different buckets. Porat said less data is required than before to see impactful results from AI, citing a recent example of medical breakthrough aided by Alphabet technology. Google, which is owned by Alphabet, claimed in an October blog post it had created an AI that could "correctly distinguish a slide with metastatic cancer from a slide without cancer 99% of the time." Google said the breakthrough could indicate that AI could play a role in repetitive diagnostic procedures, freeing up time for doctors to focus on more difficult tasks.

"So when we do sue, it's in our view so compelling, we have no option but to sue," said Porat at the Code conference here. Moderator Kara Swisher asked Porat how she wanted the suit to turn out. "The right way," said Porat. The case is scheduled to go to trial in the fall, but there has already been fallout. The engineer at the center of the Waymo v. Google lawsuit -- Anthony Levandowski, who Google alleges stole 14,000 sensor-focused documents before starting self-driving truck company Otto, which Uber bought for an estimated $680 million last summer -- was fired by Uber on Tuesday.

Google is still an advertising company, but the tech titan's cloud business is growing faster than its advertising revenue. That's one of the key take-aways from the company's first quarter earnings report released Thursday. Google Cloud Platform is one of the fastest-growing lines of revenue across Alphabet, the parent company that includes Google and other businesses like self-driving car maker Waymo, company CFO Ruth Porat said on a conference call with analysts. That growth is driven in part by a change in the way companies are working with Google Cloud. "Over the last several months, we have noticed a change in the types of conversations that Diane [Greene] and her team are having with customers," Google CEO Sundar Pichai said. "Increasingly, we are being asked to partner for mission-critical projects and full migrations, moving data from on-prem data centers to the cloud.