Biweekly Review

Hongxi Li — Analyst, Global Industry

AI Development Raises Ethical Issues

The development and deployment of artificial intelligence has raised ethical concerns around race and bias, threats to human dignity, and unemployment. Policymakers in government and industry are actively seeking solutions. Google has founded a global advisory council to consider ethics in AI and other disruptive technologies, Facebook last week announced it is banning white nationalist content across its platforms, and the UK has begun an investigation into discriminative decisions made by AI in multiple industries. A new survey however has surprised many with its finding that a large portion of respondents believe AI can make better policy decisions than politicians. Whether this reflects emerging confidence in AI or general distrust of politicians remains unclear. In any case it seems policymakers have work to do.

March 27 — Google Launches Global Council to Advise on AI and Tech Ethics

Google sets up a global advisory council to consult on ethical issues relating to artificial intelligence and other disruptive technologies. The group will publish its findings and suggestions at the end of 2019.

https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2019/03/27/business/tech/google-launches-global-council-advise-ai-tech-ethics/#.XJvZj-tKjVo

March 27 — Facebook Announces New Policy to Ban White Nationalist Content

Facebook announces it will ban white nationalist and separatist content from its platforms, bowing to increasing pressure from civil rights groups in the wake of the recent deadly mosque attacks in Christchurch, New Zealand.

https://www.nytimes.com/2019/03/27/business/facebook-white-nationalist-supremacist.html

Leyi Hu — Analyst, Global Industry

Expectations and Concerns About AI Healthcare

Medical robots and AI are expected to become increasingly active in assisting physicians during surgery. Over the last two weeks, Intuitive Surgical announced FDA approval for the use of its da Vinci SP surgical system, Chinese medical robot company TMiRob completed a B+financing round, and the Singapore National Research Fund pledged to spend an additional S$540 million (US$400 million) to spur medical advances using AI and robotics. A number of issues however are arising. Many patients and their families remain skeptical regarding the use of medical robots in surgery. Also, the expected easing of physicians’ workloads hasn’t yet been realized, in part because they are spending time learning how to cooperate with robots and communicate with patients to explain robotic-surgery processes. Because current medical education does not adequately prepare physicians for the artificial intelligence healthcare era, there is an urgent need to overhaul both education and related regulations.

March 28 — S$540m Kitty to Spur Medical Advances Using AI, Robotics

This S$540 million is for the creation of artificial intelligence systems used to identify patients predisposed to chronic diseases like diabetes, build robots to perform menial tasks, and develop wearable sensors to provide early intervention for heart failure.

https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/540m-kitty-to-spur-medical-advances-using-ai-robotic

March 18 — Intuitive Surgical da Vinci SP Gets FDA Nod, Prospects Bright

Intuitive Surgical announces FDA clearance for the use of its da Vinci SP surgical system in certain otolaryngology procedures in adults.

https://www.nasdaq.com/article/intuitive-surgical-da-vinci-sp-gets-fda-nod-prospects-bright-cm1116256

10 AI News You Must Know

March 28 — MOV.AI Autonomous Logistics Robots Improve Portugal Postal Services’ Parcel Sorting Process

March 27 — Dubai Digital Bank Liv Launches AI-powered Chatbot Olivia

March 27 — Volkswagen Partners with Amazon on IoT and Machine Learning Services

March 26 — Kindred’s Intelligent Picking Robot Overcomes Supply Chain Challenges with AI Technology

March 25 — SPF Private Clients Introduces AI Mortgage Adviser

March 22 — Machine Learning Model Learns How Individual Amino Acids Determine Protein Function

March 21 — First Details of Malta’s Artificial Intelligence Policy Announced

March 20 — EU Fines Google €1.49B for Antitrust Behavior on Ad Platform

March 19 — Conversocial Acquires AI-Powered Conversational Commerce Platform Assist

March 18 — Stanford Launches Institute for Human-Centered Artificial Intelligence