by BGF | Jan 6, 2019 | News
“Artificial Intelligence has great potential to change our lives, but it seems that the term is being overused,” said Zachary Lipton, assistant professor at Carnegie Mellon University.
Billions of dollars are invested in AI startups, or AI projects at giant companies. The problem is, opportunities are overshadowed by those who claim too much about technological power.
At the MIT Technology Review’s EmTech conference, Zachary Lipton warned that hype would blur the followers of its limitations. It is increasingly difficult to distinguish between what is real progress and what is not an exaggeration.
AI technology is known as deep learning, it is very powerful in image recognition, voice translation and now it can help power everything from self-driving cars to translation applications on smartphones.
But technology still has significant limitations. Many deep learning models only work well with huge amounts of data. They often struggle in conditions of rapid changes in the real world.
In his presentation, Lipton also highlighted the tendency of AI boosters to claim human-like capabilities for the technology. The risk is that AI bubbles will make people believe in dominant algorithms like autonomous vehicles and clinical diagnoses.
“Policymakers don’t read the scientific literature,” warned Lipton, “but they do read the clickbait that goes around.” The media here is really complicated because it doesn’t work well enough to distinguish real strengths and PR tricks.
Lipton is not the only researcher to ring a warning bell. In the recent post, “Artificial Intelligence-The Revolution Hasn’t Happened Yet,” Michael Jordan, a professor at University of California, Berkeley, says that “AI is all too often bandied about as “an intellectual wildcard,” and this makes it harder to think critically about the technology’s potential impact.”
As AI is deployed to be used by business, industry, and private citizens, it is essential to that AI technologies remain benevolent and free from risk of misuse, error, or loss of control, according to Layer 7 of the AIWS 7-Layer Model developed by the Michael Dukakis Institute. Through Layer 7, and the Model as a whole, AIWS hopes to ensure that inviting AI into our lives will have positive effects.
by BGF | Jan 6, 2019 | News
In December 2018, MIT Technology Review listed the 10 most intriguing inventions, from programmable pills to power-generating boots.
Anti-aging medicines
To find a way to live longer, scientists carried out some trial of drugs. These anti-aging pills seem to actually be working, such as mTOR inhibitors boosting elderly people’s immune systems, and senolytics eliminating the senescent cells.
Artificial synapses
Researchers at the US National Institute of Standards and Technology built a new electronic synapses. They fire millions of times faster than the ones in your brain, while using 1,000th as much energy (which is also less than any other artificial synapse to date).
DNA computing for programmable pills
Molecular circuitry offers a better way to measure, and potentially harness, cellular signaling mechanisms. A new kind of DNA circuitry can pave the way for programmable pills.
Edible electronics
The development of organic circuits that can be transferred onto food and drugs paves the way for a new era of biomonitoring. Edible electronics tattooed on your food could help track your health.
Electric planes with no moving parts
The turbineless design uses electroaerodynamic propulsion to fly. It could also herald the arrival of quieter, lower-emission aircraft.
Electricity-generating boots
Embedded in a boot heel, a microfluidic device harvests energy from human footsteps. This device can generate an electrical current which might be enough to power small communication devices.
Group brain-to-brain communication
The possibility of thoughts communication that used to be considered science fiction is now turned into reality. Andrea Stocco (University of Washington) announced the success of the world first brain-to-brain network called BrainNet. The system allows a small group to play a puzzle like Tetris.
Phones that shoot a million frames per second
Researchers have developed an image-processing trick that allows any electronic camera to take ultra-high-speed images (a million frames per second) – but only in black and white. This is a nifty way to process data from a smartphone camera.
Secure quantum communications via satellite
Quantum cryptography has never been possible over long distances. However, a Chinese satellite known as Micius made possible an unhackable videoconference between Vienna and Beijing, two cities half a world apart. This Chinese satellite uses quantum cryptography for secure videoconference between continents.
Seeing through walls using Wi-Fi
With a smartphone and some clever computation, researchers can exploit ambient signals to track individuals in their own homes. Using Wi-Fi to “see” behind closed doors is easier than anyone thought by detecting how his movements distort the Wi-Fi’s signals nearby.
Here are the top 10 inventions. These inventions show a tremendous development of technology, and also pose a question: “How to use technologies for good purposes?” This is the problem that many experts of Boston Global Forum and Michael Dukakis Institute are studying.
by BGF | Jan 6, 2019 | News
The World Leadership Alliance – Club de Madrid (WLA – CdM) participated in the United Nations (UN) Intergovernmental Conference to Adopt the Global Compact for Safe, Orderly, and Regular Migration from 8th to 11th of December in Marrakech, Morocco.
A number of members of WLA – CdM attended various dialogues and side-events of the Intergovernmental Conference held in Marrakech. They were Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf, Mary Robinson, Michelle Bachelet, and Antonio Guterres.
The German Chancellor Angela Merkel was present to witness this agreement, with Spanish Prime Minister, Pedro Sánchez, Manuela Carmena, Mayor of Madrid, Louise Arbour, UN Special Representative for International Migration, and Antonio Vitorino, International Organization for Migration (IOM) General Director. Most members highlighted the non-binding aspect of the Global Compact. The most important aspect is having an international tool about migration and the relevance of the topic for relations among the countries, development and security, among others.
Johnson-Sirleaf, Former President of Liberia, placed the emphasis on the contribution to the global economy and denounced the abuse and exploitation caused by the decrease of free movement in Libya and other Mediterranean nations. The Spanish Prime Minister declared the opening of Fund for migrant’s integration and a conference about Desertification and Migration that will be held in Almeria, Spain in the next year. Additionally, Manuela Carmena appealed for UN’s support to make origin and host cities closer to facilitate migrant’s settlement.
In the time of the second day of the Conference, a Shared Societies Project agent, Clem McCartney, arbitrated in the dialogues aspect of the Conference, which were created parallel with the general plenary, exposing WLA – CdM Members’ support and enthusiasm to the Global Compact adoption, in accordance with main points highlighted in the Open Letter signed by WLA – CdM Members, Alfred Gusembauer and Mehdi Jomaa.
In addition to human and social issues, WLA – CdM is also involved in AI. WLA – CdM is cooperating with Boston Global Forum and Michael Dukakis Institute to develop the AIWS 7-Layer Model.
by BGF | Dec 31, 2018 | News
This year has been a remarkable journey for the Boston Global Forum (BGF) and the Michael Dukakis Institute (MDI). 2018 is a year of expansion and advancement with achievements in progress of fulfilling our mission. Taking steps and steps closer to our ultimate goal, these are the milestones we have reached so far this year:
- The World Leadership Alliance Conference (G7WLA- Club de Madrid) – February 25-26, 2018 in San Francisco
Mr. Nguyen Anh Tuan – Director of BGF & MDI participated in conference of the World Leadership Alliance Conference (G7WLA-Club de Madrid) – the world´s largest forum of democratically elected former presidents and prime ministers of G7 and OECD countries in San Francisco from February 25-26, 2018. With the theme of “Next Generation Democracy”, Mr. Nguyen Anh Tuan presented the AIWS Initiative with 7-Layer Model as the foundation to build Next Generation Democracy and called for a joint effort from Club de Madrid and tech giants Google, Facebook, Apple, Microsoft, IBM, Amazon, and scholars from Harvard, MIT, Stanford, Berkeley, Oxford, and Cambridge. This appeal was responded by the collaboration between the BGF and WLA-Club de Madrid with the mission of developing better models for humanity in the era of artificial intelligence.
Previously, on January 28, 2018, Mr. Nguyen Anh Tuan discussed with former President of Latvia Dr. Vaira Vike-Freiberga, President of the World Leadership Alliance, at the University of Arizona. Both leaders from the two organizations agreed to establish the cooperation between BGF and WLA. With this agreement, AIWS has attracted the highly respected former presidents and prime ministers in the World Leadership Alliance (WLA-Club de Madrid), namely former Canadian Prime Minister Jean Chretien, former Norwegian Prime Minister in building AIWS.
Mr. Nguyen Anh Tuan honored former President of Latvia Vaira Vike Freiberga for her dedication in building AIWS Initiative
Mr. Nguyen Anh Tuan discussed with former Canadian Prime Minister Jean Chretien
- AIWS Roundtable in Tokyo
On April 2, 2018, Michael Dukakis Institute (MDI) and Boston Global Forum (BGF) hosted a Roundtable in Tokyo with the participation of top AI researchers and thinkers in Japan “land of rising sun”: Dr. Kazuo Yano – Chief of Hitachi’s R&D Group and the pioneer of AI technology in Japan, Professor Koichi Hamada, special adviser to Japan’s Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, who helped build the “Abenomics” doctrine, etc. The AIWS group in Japan was led by talented Kazuo Yano since this roundtable. With this important event, AIWS thoughts and pathways have spread strongly in the land of cherry blossoms.
Guests and speakers took memorial photos in the conference
- BGF-G7 Summit Initiative – Boston
On April 25, 2018, at the BGF-G7 Summit Initiative Conference in Boston, the AIWS 7-Layer Model was officially published and presented to Canada government, the host country of G7 Summit 2018 as the initiative for the G7 Conference. In this special event, Walter Langelaar – Co-founder of SAM, the world’s first AI Politician accompanied with AIWS, presented SAM as an application layer of the 7-Layer Model of the AIWS. A New York financial analysis team that created the financial and investment analysis robot used by Dow Jones, also attended the Conference and co-built the 7th layer of the AIWS.
BGF President presented the AIWS Initiative to G7 Summit through representative of Canadian government, David Alward, Consul General of Canada
Notably in this event, for the first time, BGF&MDI honored the World Leader in AI World Society Award to Secretary General of OECD Angel Gurría. The OECD Secretary-General sent a video of the acceptance speech, he praised the AIWS initiative and hoped to promote the cooperation between OECD governments for the global consensus in AI development.
OECD Secretary-General Angel Guria received the World Leader in AIWS Award
- The concepts of AI Government
On June 25, 2018, at Harvard University, BGF&MDI published the concepts of AI-Government, the 5th and 6th application layers of the AIWS 7-Layer Model.
- Vietnam’s breakthrough strategy for AI Economy
On July 23, 2018, MDI developed Vietnam’s breakthrough strategy for AI Economy. The strategy was built by Mr. Nguyen Anh Tuan, Director of BGF&MDI and Professor Jason Furman – Harvard University, Former Chairman of the Council of Economic Advisers of President Barack Obama according to the proposal of the Government of Vietnam.
On July 25, 2018 at Vietnam CEO Summit 2018 with the theme of “Age of Artificial Intelligence and Vietnamese Enterprises”, Mr. Nguyen Anh Tuan and Professor Jason Furman presented about the AIWS and Vietnam’s breakthrough strategy for AI Economy to leaders of largest enterprises in Vietnam.
- The interview with Governor Michael Dukakis
On August 2018, the AIWS initiative drew the attention of US’s press. On August 9, 2018, Bob Salsberg – Associated Press conducted an interview with Governor Michael Dukakis about the AIWS Initiative which later published on many major media channels such as AP, New York Times, Washington Post, Boston Globe, Chicago Tribune, Miami Herald, San Francisco Chronicle, ABC News, US News and Reports etc.
Photo of Professor Michael Dukakis – AIWS co-author are published by major newspapers in the US
- The first AIWS Conference: AI- Government and AI Arms Races and Norms
On September 20, 2019, the first AIWS Conference was organized by BGF at Harvard with the presence of influential professors from Harvard University, MIT, Tufts, Brown…, focusing on building the core principle for the AI-Government.
Professor Joseph Nye, the father of “soft power” to speak at the AIWS Conference
- BGF & MDI and the Conferences of World Leadership Alliance in Northern Europe
In September and October 2018, the influences of AIWS Initiative spread and conquered the elite in Northern Europe through a series of World Leadership Alliance (WLA-CdM) Conferences.
On September 28-29, 2018, Mr. Nguyen Anh Tuan attended the Conference in Riga, On October 17, 2018 he participated the policy dialogue of WLA-CdM in Lisbon. Through these events, MDI has attracted many politicians’ participations in building the AIWS, namely former Finnish President, former Prime Minister of Norway, former EU President.
Former Finnish President Tarja Halonen and Mr. Nguyen Anh Tuan discussed at the WLA-CdM conference in Lisbon (October 17)
Former Prime Minister of Norway Kjell Magne Bondevik and Mr. Nguyen Anh Tuan discussed at the Lisbon Conference
- 13th International Symposium “Intelligent Systems -2018”
On October 22, 2018, Mr. Nguyen Anh Tuan delivered a keynote lecture on the concepts of AIWS and AI-Government in the 13th International Symposium “Intelligent Systems-2018” organized by three major universities in Russia at Saint Petersburg.
- The Public Voice Symposium on AI, Ethics, and Fundamental Rights
On October 23, 2018, Mr. Nguyen Anh Tuan was a panelist in the Symposium and had discussions with the Ministers of Information and Communications of governments in the EU community in Brussels.
Photo: Under the moderation of President Marc Rotenberg, Electronic Privacy Information Center, (EPIC), Panel 2 of the Symposium had the presence of Ms. Elizabeth Denham, UK Information Commissioner, Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO); Ms. Helen Dixon, Data Protection Commissioner for Ireland; Ms. Andrea Jelinek, Chair, European Data Protection Board, and Head, Austria Data Protection Authority, and Mr. Nguyen Anh Tuan, Director of the Michael Dukakis Institute for Leadership and Innovation (MDI).
- The AI World Conference and Expo (December 3-5, 2018, Boston)
President Michael Dukakis was honorably chosen to deliver the opening remarks at the AI World Conference and Expo. At this event, on December 4, 2018, President Eliot Weinman of the AI World Conference and Expo announced a strategic partnership with BGF&MDI to organize the AI-Government Conference from June 24-26, 2019 at Washington DC. Mr. Eliot Weinman, Head of the Event Organizing Committee, was also pleased to announce the first Government AIWS Ethics and Practices Index developed by MDI.
MDI Director – Mr. Nguyen Anh Tuan is the lead speaker in the panel on the AI-Government at the event. With AIWS Index and AI-Government, MDI has gradually affirmed its pioneering position.
President Michael Dukakis delivered opening remarks at the AI World Conference and Expo held in Boston from December 3-5, 2018
Mr. Nguyen Anh Tuan presented the basic principles of the AI-Government at the AI World Conference and Expo in Boston, December 4, 2018
- Global Cybersecurity Day 2018
On December 12, BGF&MDI held the Global Cybersecurity Day 2018. In this event, MDI awarded President Sauli Niinistö – President of the Republic of Finland as the World Leader for Peace and Cybersecurity for his contributions to building a Smart Government to effectively serve his citizens. President Niinistö expressed his honor to receive this award and emphasized that countries should make every effort to increase citizens’ awareness in all areas of society and strengthen cooperation among nations, as well as rules for international borders.
President Sauli Niinistö – President of the Republic of Finland received the World Leader for Peace and Cybersecurity
- The first AI World Society Distinguished Lecture at Loeb House, Harvard December 12, 2018.
Notably, Rt. Hon. Liam Byrne MP, Member of Parliament for Birmingham, Hodge Hill, Shadow Digital Minister, Chair of the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Inclusive Growth, delivered the first AI World Society Distinguished Lecture at the Global Cybersecurity Day. In the speech, he focused on the changes occurred in our society the last decade, and how it affected the society and market along with the risks and challenges. In conclusion, he called for the join force of lawmakers and change makers to reshape those constraints.
Excellent politician Liam Byrne MP presented the first Artificial Intelligence World Society Distinguished Lecture on December 12, 2018
Also in the event, Dr. Thomas Creely, Associate Professor of Ethics, Director of Ethics & Emerging Military Technology Graduate Program, U.S. Naval War College, on behalf of the authors group, presented the AIWS Report about AI Ethics and published the Government AIWS Ethics Index.
- The AIWS House at Dalat University, Vietnam
On December 16, 2018, leaders of MDI discussed with leaders and scholars from Dalat University (DLU-Vietnam) to support the establishment of the AI World Society House and AI World Society Innovation Program at Dalat University. The two programs are considered “nucleus” for DLU to become a pioneer in research, teaching and application of AI in Vietnam. In this collaborative support mechanism, DLU will operate and manage the activities of the AIWS House and MDI will advise and supervise to ensure quality, efficiency and achievement of goals.
In the afternoon of December 16, Mr. Nguyen Anh Tuan, Director of BGF&MDI appeared on the Talk show “Leadership and Innovative Spirit in the era of Artificial Intelligence” held by Dalat University, Vietnam. The anchor was Journalist Ta Bich Loan, Director of Vietnam Televisions VTV3 Channel. Mr. Nguyen Anh discussed about the spirit of leadership and innovation and the importance of these qualities in the era of Artificial Intelligence.
After a year since the AIWS Initiative was born, AIWS has spread its significant influence to the world’s leading science and technology centers as well as political and cultural centers. From a group of scholars at Harvard University and MIT, AIWS has gathered great minds, progressive ideas, and new human thoughts to identify both promising and challenging issues that have been questioned by the development of AI technology. From a cross-century vision, stemming from a noble mission, AIWS has become a beautiful ideal, a great desire for the better future of mankind.
by BGF | Dec 31, 2018 | News
On December 12, 2018 Shivam Parikh, University’s College of Engineering and Applied Sciences presented the result of his work with Associate Professor Pradeep Atrey, University at Albany on detecting fake news in the event of the Global Cybersecurity Day 2018, is organized by Boston Global Forum (BGF) and Michael Dukakis Institute (MDI), at Loeb House, Harvard.
The authenticity of information has become a longstanding issue affecting businesses and society and many researchers around the globe have been trying to understand the basic characteristics of the problem. Shivam Parikh and Pradeep Atrey’s study looks at the challenges associated with detecting fake news and existing detection approaches.
“Fake news can be any anything that is designed to change people’s opinion, convince its readers to believe in something that is not true,” said Parikh, who works as a systems developer analyst for ITS at University at Albany. He showed some specific examples of fake news and emphasized the serious impact of this growing problem “with the social media on the rise, fake news stories are very reachable and have a very high impact factor.”
At the same time, Parikh presented a categorization of some existing potential approaches, their key characteristics and their respective advantages and limitations. Methods mentioned are:
- Linguistic Features based Methods: The approach is about using/extracting key linguistic features from fake news;
- Deception Modeling based Methods: The process of clustering deceptive vs. truthful stories relies on theoretical approaches;
- Clustering based Methods Clustering: a known method to compare and contrast a large amount of data;
- Predictive Modeling based Methods: this method follows a logistic regression model based on training data set of 100 out of 132 news reports;
- Non-Text Cues based Methods: this mainly focused on the non-text content of the news content
In conclusion, the researcher highlights 4 key open research challenges that can guide future research on fake news detection:
- Multi-modal Data-set: This opens up an opportunity for researchers to create a multi-modal data-set that covers all the fake news data types.
- Multi-modal Verification Method: This calls for verification of not just language, but images, audio, embedded content (i.e. embedded video, tweet, Facebook post) and hyperlinks (i.e. links to different URLs).
- Source Verification: Source of the news story has not been done in proposed existing methods, this calls for a new fake news detection method that can perform source verification and considers the source in evaluating fake news stories.
- Author Credibility Check: One of the methods proposes that detecting tone of a news story to detect fake news, research challenge could be that author credibility check allows system to detect chain of news written same author or same group of authors to detect fake news.
Parikh continues working on these issues and he believes better understanding in the field will assist in improving the accuracy of the detection of fake news and misinformation in the future.
