by alexander | Apr 7, 2018 | News
Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi
met with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe in Tokyo to discuss the reconstruction and sustainable development of Iraq. Abe pledged Japan’s continuing support and a $330 million loan for irrigation and development projects.
After years of war and fierce fighting against militant groups, al-Abadi has declared his desire to shift the national focus to rebuilding. In a
press release, both parties also declared goals to reduce unemployment and effectively manage armaments in Iraq. The hope is that these initiatives will allow Iraq to develop peacefully and prevent the resurgence of extremism.
Prime Minister Shinzo Abe was named our 2015 World Leader in Cybersecurity for his efforts to craft a cohesive Japanese cyber security strategy. You can listen to his acceptance speech
here.
Image: Japanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs
by alexander | Apr 7, 2018 | News, Michael Dukakis Institute
This past Monday, April 2nd, the Artificial Intelligence World Society hosted an AIWS Round Table in Tokyo, Japan. The core theme was AIWS’s
7-layer framework. Boston Global Forum and AIWS were represented by CEO Tuan Nguyen. They were joined by representatives of top Japanese AI companies and the Japanese government.
Among those in attendance:
Dr. Kazuo Yano, Corporate Chief Scientist at Hitachi, Ltd. and a world-renowned artificial intelligence researcher. Dr. Yano has applied for over 350 patents and has been cited in over 2,500 papers.
Dr. Masahiro Fukuhara, CEO of the Institution for a Global Society
Ambassador Shinji Yanai, International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea and former Japanese Ambassador to the U.S
Professor Koichi Hamada, Yale University and Special Advisor to Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe
For a complete list of attendees and a video of the event, go here.
by alexander | Apr 7, 2018 | News
Are we alone in the universe? Researchers at the Centre for Robotics and Neural Systems are
using artificial intelligence to answer that very question. They have trained an artificial neural network (or ANN, software that mimics the human learning process) to rapidly scan data and find planets that may meet the criteria for hosting potential life. The ANN then breaks down candidates into five categories, based on bodies in our own solar system that could harbor life:
1. Modern Earth
2. Early Earth
3. Mars
4. Venus
5.Saturn’s moon Titan
The ANN works by
measuring the atmospheric and orbital data of planets to find candidates that may harbor life. The goal, one researcher said in a
statement, is to explore “a hypothetical, intelligent, interstellar spacecraft scanning an exoplanet system at range.” This exciting application of AI could prove invaluable in helping humanity understand its place in the vast cosmos.
by alexander | Mar 31, 2018 | News
Today, a memorial service was held in Hanoi, Vietnam in honor of the late Professor Stephen Hawking, a world-renowned cosmologist and theoretical physicist. The service was organized by the Michael Dukakis Institute for Leadership and Innovation, VietnamNet, Vietnam Report, and other major Vietnamese newspapers. At the service, Boston Global Forum CEO Nguyen Anh Tuan delivered a eulogy to Professor Hawking.
At the same time as the memorial in Hanoi, a
funeral service was held in Cambridge, UK, where Professor Hawking spent much of his life. The University of Cambridge Church rang its bells 76 times, one for each year of the professor’s life. We at AIWS mourn his tragic passing, and are
working to honor his considerable legacy – especially his works and ideas regarding the future of artificial intelligence.
by alexander | Mar 31, 2018 | News
France is joining the artificial intelligence race, with President Emmanuel Macron pledging $1.8 billion to AI development by 2022. His plan includes incentives to attract more scientists and tech companies to move to France, as well as more public research funding. President Macron’s announcement comes at a time when more countries are joining the AI race to catch up with the U.S. and China. In an interview with Wired, President Macron said he hopes to make France the location where a “new perspective on AI is built.”
Earlier this year, China announced its ambition to become the “world leader in AI” by 2025. Fearing being left behind, other states are investing heavily to catch up. Germany, too has been working on a new strategy for artificial intelligence.
AIWS continues to work with leaders around the world to ensure that AI development remains peaceful, inclusive, and beneficial to humanity. We find any attempt to dominate the field to be very dangerous, as it increases the risk of the technology being misused or used maliciously. Instead, we encourage states, businesses, and experts to work together openly to build a brighter, safer future with artificial intelligence.
by alexander | Mar 31, 2018 | News
If asked, most can probably think of a recent cyber attack. Sony, Equifax, and Yahoo might come to mind. Over the past ten days however, one group of cybercriminals has gone after an even more ambitious target – the entire city of
Atlanta, Georgia. Last week, a massive ransomware attack struck, crippling many of the municipal government’s systems unless the hackers were paid $51,000 in bitcoin.
Atlanta officials lost access to files, emails, and other crucial data needed to perform their duties. Instead, many reverted back to doing all their work on paper. The
New York Times has labelled this “one of the most sustained and consequential cyberattacks ever mounted against a major American city.” The FBI is currently investigating and, as of writing, the city’s networks are now slowly recovering from the attack.
The Atlanta attack proves the continued vulnerability of our e-infrastructure. The Boston Global Forum has published the
Ethics Code of Conduct for Cyber Peace and Security, which provides recommendations and guidelines for secure and responsible online behavior. Following this code will provide greater cyber security for everyone.
by alexander | Apr 1, 2018 | News
After being elected to a fourth term and forming a coalition government, German Chancellor Angela Merkel is thinking about the future of Europe. A few weeks ago, she met with French President Emmanuel Macron to discuss a road map for the future of the European Union. Both leaders are concerned about emerging threats to the cohesion of the EU, especially Brexit and rising populism.
“We now want to find common paths ahead. I am determined to get there and I think we can do it. It is more necessary than ever that Europe be united in a geopolitical situation in which multilateralism is under pressure,” Chancellor Merkel said.
As part of the German coalition deal, Chancellor Merkel’s government plans to greatly expand funding for AI research and digitization in order to compete with the U.S. and China. France just announced its similar intentions. Germany and France recently partnered to establish the Joint European Disruption Initiative (JEDI), a public-private partnership for research and innovation – especially in the realm of AI. Some are hailing JEDI as the beginnings of a “European DARPA.”
In 2015, the Boston Global Forum presented Chancellor Merkel with the World Leader in Peace, Security, and Development Award.
by alexander | Mar 31, 2018 | News
Image: Club de Madrid
Members of the World Leadership Alliance – Club de Madrid (WLA-CdM) have been travelling to conferences to promote inclusiveness in solving conflicts and promoting democracy. At a World Bank forum, former Malawi President and WLA-CdM member said: “First, [leaders] need to be inclusive and engage with others. Then, they can promote small projects that can truly change the lives of ordinary people.” Club de Madrid delegates also attended a United Nations conference to share the same message.
The Artificial Intelligence World Society and Boston Global Forum are working closely with the Club de Madrid. We are very fortunate to count their President and former President of Latvia Vaira Vike-Freiberga among our Board of Thinkers. AIWS is collaborating with WLA-CdM on Next Generation Democracy in order to face rising challenges to democracy, including emerging authoritarianism and nationalist populism.
by alexander | Mar 31, 2018 | News
Can a self-driving car get a ticket? In California, the answer is yes. This week a self-driving car was pulled over in San Francisco and
issued a ticket for cutting a pedestrian off in a crosswalk. The vehicle is owned by the GM-owned startup Cruise, which disputes the police account and says they have data proving there was no violation. At the time, the self-driving car had a human test pilot who officially the one ticketed. This marks the first time that a self-driving vehicle has received a ticket, though not the first time one has been pulled over – that distinction goes to
a Google vehicle. GM has announced its intention to contest the ticket in court.
This comes at a time when self-driving vehicles are under increased scrutiny over safety concerns. In Tempe, Arizona, a pedestrian was killed in the
first fatal autonomous car accident when they were struck by a fully autonomous SUV operated by Uber. Tesla’s program is under fire, too, after a recent deadly crash on a
Silicon Valley freeway that occurred when the vehicle was on autopilot. That accident killed the test driver, although initial findings show that human error may have been a contributing factor to the crash.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has been reviewing its rules and regulations on self-driving cars for the past few months. These latest developments prove the need for better standards regarding self-driving vehicles and other artificial intelligence technologies. With better standards and user understanding of these technologies comes a safer world.
