ING, KLM, NS, Phillips and food retailer Ahold Delhaize have announced the launch of Kickstart AI, a series of initiatives to promote and grow the Dutch artificial intelligence sector. By accelerating the development of new technology and supporting talent, it aims to improve education in AI, nurture the local AI community and raise the Netherlands' profile as an international hub in this growing field. The Kickstart AI programme aims to bridge the gap between the Netherlands and other countries with strong artificial intelligence industries, including China, the UK and the US. To accomplish this goal, it will bring together the Dutch government, private organisations, businesses and universities to develop investment and talent. The companies behind the programme believe it can help solve societal challenges, provide new opportunities for young people and advance the rate that different industries (including food, healthcare and finance) can use AI to improve the lives of consumers. In a statement about the launch of Kickstart AI, Maarten de Rijke, professor at the University of Amsterdam and director of the Innovation Center for Artificial Intelligence, said: "The Netherlands has always been a technological pioneer, a forerunner in the development and innovation of AI.

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is moving to encourage the use of artificial intelligence (AI) in health care, the agency's chief said Thursday. "AI holds enormous promise for the future of medicine," FDA Commissioner Scott Gottlieb said in prepared remarks to the Health Datapalooza conference in Washington, D.C. He said the FDA is working on an updated "new regulatory framework" that will allow regulators to keep up with new technology and "promote innovation in this space." "We expect to see an increasing number of AI-based submissions in the coming years, starting with medical imaging devices, and we're working with experts in the field," he said. As an example of the new health technology he is seeking to promote, Gottlieb pointed to a new medical device approved by the FDA earlier this month that uses artificial intelligence and a special camera to help diagnose a condition in people with diabetes known as retinopathy that can lead to vision loss.

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is moving to encourage the use of artificial intelligence (AI) in health care, the agency's chief said Thursday. "AI holds enormous promise for the future of medicine," FDA Commissioner Scott Gottlieb said in prepared remarks to the Health Datapalooza conference in Washington, D.C. He said the FDA is working on an updated "new regulatory framework" that will allow regulators to keep up with new technology and "promote innovation in this space." "We expect to see an increasing number of AI-based submissions in the coming years, starting with medical imaging devices, and we're working with experts in the field," he said. He said the FDA is working with experts to update the way it evaluates these new technologies in the approval process.

Canada's federal government has set up a CAD$125 million (US$93 million) fund to support academic and research activities in artificial intelligence (AI). The investment will put the Canadian Institute for Advanced Research (CIFAR) in charge of bolstering the country's resources in AI. The institute will use the money to increase the number of post-graduate trainees and researchers studying artificial intelligence, and promote collaboration between the country's major technology research universities in Montreal, Toronto-Waterloo, and Edmonton. "The Canadian government clearly recognizes the importance of artificial intelligence," said Dr. Alan Bernstein, President and CEO of CIFAR. "It will help build a stronger and more innovative economy, create high value jobs, improve transportation, and lead to better and more efficient healthcare and social services."