Artificial intelligence

Huawei Cloud launches AI innovations in Saudi Arabia

Huawei Cloud introduced advanced AI technologies at the Saudi Arabia 2024 Summit, aiming to accelerate the country’s digital transformation and support Vision 2030. This new infrastructure promises ultra-low latency and robust AI model training and inference capabilities, enhancing various sectors nationwide. The company is also the first cloud provider in Saudi Arabia to fully comply with local data security policies, ensuring high levels of data protection and aligning with the country’s digital sovereignty strategy.

The impact of Huawei Cloud is significant, with a tenfold increase in public cloud revenue over the past year. It serves a diverse client base, including government bodies, telecom carriers, FinTech firms, and media organisations, highlighting its role in the digital economy. Sector-specific solutions include supporting smart city projects for the government, market expansion for local e-commerce businesses like Zode, and advanced digital banking services.

Technological innovations, such as the Pangu model and CodeArts, drive industry advancements and accelerate software development. Additionally, Huawei Cloud invests in the local ecosystem by training over 3,000 university students and partnering with over 100 local businesses, fostering a thriving digital landscape in Saudi Arabia

TSMC to accelerate silicon photonics development for AI computing

Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC), in collaboration with leading global chip designers and suppliers such as Broadcom and Nvidia, is focusing on developing advanced silicon photonics technology. This initiative has gained momentum due to the increasing demand for faster data transmission speeds driven by the rise of AI applications. TSMC has established a dedicated R&D team of over 200 employees to explore high-speed computing chips based on silicon photonics, with production expected to commence in the second half of next year.

TSMC’s efforts aim to solve critical challenges in energy efficiency and AI computing power, positioning silicon photonics as a transformative force in the semiconductor industry. The company also targets a range of chip processes, from 45 to 7 nm, with mass production anticipated by 2025.

The silicon photonics market is projected to grow substantially, with significant developments expected as early as 2024. TSMC’s partnerships with major customers are crucial for advancing this technology, and it is poised to revolutionise applications across CPUs, GPUs, and other computing processes. As the semiconductor industry continues to evolve, TSMC’s commitment to silicon photonics underscores its role as a leader in shaping the future of high-speed data communication and AI innovations.

US Department of Justice ramps up probe into Nvidia’s AI practices

The US Department of Justice has intensified its antitrust investigation into Nvidia by issuing a subpoena, according to reports from Bloomberg. The subpoena comes after previous questionnaires were sent, signalling the authorities’ increased scrutiny of the AI chipmaker’s business practices. Nvidia is accused of making it difficult for buyers to switch suppliers and potentially penalising customers who don’t exclusively use its AI chips.

The investigation reportedly stems from complaints by competitors who claim Nvidia may be abusing its market dominance. Several other companies have also received subpoenas as part of the broader probe. The escalating crackdown coincides with increased caution among investors regarding AI companies, as concerns about overspending and high expectations loom.

Despite a worldwide growth in demand for AI chips, Nvidia’s recent quarterly forecast disappointed investors, leading to a sharp drop in its share value. The company’s stock fell 2.5% in extended trading on Tuesday, following a 9.5% decline during regular market hours. This scrutiny adds further pressure to the AI giant during a sensitive period for the industry.

Nvidia declined to comment on the ongoing investigation, while the United States Department of Justice has yet to respond to requests for further information. The outcome of this probe could have significant implications for the company and the broader AI market.

Salesforce expands AI portfolio with acquisition of Tenyx

The American cloud-based software company has announced plans to acquire Tenyx, a startup specialising in AI-powered voice agents. The acquisition, set to close in the third quarter, will bring Tenyx’s co-founders and team into Salesforce as the company expands its AI-driven solutions. Founded in 2022, Tenyx provides services to various industries, including e-commerce, healthcare, and travel.

This acquisition comes after Salesforce, facing pressure from activist investors, previously shifted its focus away from large-scale mergers and acquisitions. Now, with an eye on reigniting revenue growth, the company is resuming acquisitions to boost its capabilities in AI. Salesforce’s move aligns with broader industry trends, as tech giants like Microsoft and Amazon have also been acquiring AI startups this year.

Salesforce’s focus on AI began with the launch of the first AI centre in London, and is part of a competitive race in the tech industry. Microsoft has paid $650 million in March to acquire talent from AI startup Inflection, and Amazon hired key talent from another AI startup, Adept, in June. Salesforce, meanwhile, reported better-than-expected results in its second-quarter earnings, driven by increased demand for its enterprise cloud products.

As AI becomes increasingly vital to the technology landscape, companies like Salesforce are investing heavily in innovation to stay ahead. The Tenyx acquisition marks another step in its strategy to remain a leader in the cloud and AI sectors, even as competition intensifies.

Council of Europe opens AI convention for signature

On 5 September 2024, the Council of Europe’s Framework Convention on Artificial Intelligence, Human Rights, Democracy, and the Rule of Law will be officially opened for signature during an informal Conference of the Ministers of Justice of the Council of Europe in Vilnius, Lithuania. The Convention, adopted on 17 May 2024, during the Council of Europe’s Committee of Ministers’ annual meeting, provides a global legal framework for regulating AI systems, with a focus on ensuring these technologies align with human rights, democratic integrity, and the rule of law.

The Convention is set to guide countries on how to manage the development and implementation of AI within the public sector, ensuring that AI technologies respect essential democratic values. Importantly the Convention also covers private-sector entities when they operate on behalf of public authorities, such as under government contracts, further broadening its scope of application.

Key Principles for Adoption

The Framework Convention establishes seven core principles for implementing AI governance, which signatories need to adapt to their domestic legal frameworks. These principles include:

  • Human dignity and individual autonomy: Ensuring AI does not undermine human dignity or reduce individuals to mere data points.
  • Transparency and oversight: Maintaining transparency across the AI lifecycle, ensuring users can understand AI-generated content and decisions.
  • Accountability: Clear responsibility for AI’s impact on human rights, including legal mechanisms to hold actors accountable.
  • Equality and non-discrimination: Addressing and mitigating bias throughout the AI system’s lifecycle.
  • Privacy and data protection: Safeguarding individuals’ privacy and controlling access to personal data.
  • Reliability: Ensuring AI systems are robust, secure, and trustworthy in their outputs.
  • Safe innovation: Promoting innovation that respects democratic principles and human rights, with support for regulatory sandboxes and clear guidance.

The Convention allows for national security exemptions, i.e. the Parties are allowed to not implement the treaty for activities protecting national security, provided that these comply with international law.

Global impact

The Convention has been hailed (by some) as a major achievement in global AI governance. Its goal is to harmonise the regulation of AI systems across borders and create a framework that can be adopted by both European and non-European countries. The Treaty has already garnered significant international interest, with nations outside Europe, including the US, Canada, Japan, and Australia, participating in negotiations alongside private sector and civil society observers.

Human rights and democracy

A key aspect of the Convention is its focus on safeguarding human rights and democracy against the potentially harmful effects of AI technologies. It mandates that AI systems should always maintain human autonomy, preventing the dehumanisation of individuals and ensuring their ability to exercise control over AI’s influence in their lives. The document also emphasises the importance of transparency, urging the use of content labelling, watermarking, and other methods to ensure that users can clearly distinguish between human-generated and AI-generated content.

Criticisms

Despite its historic significance, some view the treaty as falling short of its intended impact. Concerns have been raised regarding the treaty’s effectiveness, with suggestions that it primarily reaffirms existing practices rather than introducing substantive regulatory measures.

The EU data watchdog expressed concerns about potential compromises in human rights standards due to pressure from foreign business interests. The European Data Protection Supervisor (EDPS) believes that the proposal does not go far enough in addressing the risks and challenges posed by AI. The text has been significantly weakened from its original version during negotiations at the CoE’s ad hoc committee in charge of the convention. The EDPS described it as a ‘missed opportunity to lay down a strong and effective legal framework’ for protecting human rights in AI development.

Why does it matter?

The opening of the Framework Convention for signature in Vilnius marks an important moment for AI governance. While the Convention sets out an ambitious agenda, its success depends on the willingness of signatory countries to implement its principles through their own legislative and regulatory systems. If widely adopted, this could serve as a global benchmark for AI governance, potentially inspiring similar frameworks in other regions.

Dutch watchdog fines Clearview AI over illegal facial recognition use

Clearview AI has been fined €30.5 million by the Netherlands Data Protection Authority (DPA) for creating an illegal database using facial recognition technology. The DPA said the company violated privacy laws by building a highly intrusive database without consent. The penalty also includes a potential additional fine of up to €5 million if the company does not comply with the ruling.

The facial recognition company has not challenged the DPA’s decision and therefore cannot appeal against the fine. The watchdog warned that using Clearview AI’s services is also illegal under Dutch regulations, raising concerns about the misuse of facial recognition technology.

DPA Chairman Aleid Wolfsen stressed the dangers of unregulated facial recognition, describing it as a technology that cannot be ‘unleashed’ on the world without strict controls. The ruling marks another significant penalty in the European Union‘s efforts to enforce privacy regulations.

Last week, ride-hailing firm Uber was also fined by the DPA for transferring the personal data of European taxi drivers to the United States, violating EU privacy rules. Uber is appealing the fine, calling it unjustified.

BoomGrow and CelcomDigi’s to revolutionise Malaysian agriculture with 5G and AI

BoomGrow Productions and CelcomDigi Berhad have formed a strategic partnership to revolutionise Malaysia’s agricultural industry by integrating cutting-edge technologies such as 5G, AI, and extended reality (XR) into precision farming practices. That collaboration represents a significant step towards enhancing sustainable farming and boosting food production in the country. The overarching goal of the partnership is to transform traditional agricultural methods by leveraging the power of advanced technologies and setting new standards for efficient and sustainable farming practices in Malaysia.

One of the key innovations at the heart of this partnership is the implementation of 5G-Enhanced Precision Farming in BoomGrow’s Machine Farms. By utilising CelcomDigi’s reliable 5G network, supported by ZTE, BoomGrow will be able to connect sensors and monitoring systems throughout its farms.

The integration of 5G technology enables real-time data feedback, facilitating precise control over indoor farming environments and ensuring optimal conditions for crop growth. The seamless connectivity provided by CelcomDigi’s extensive network coverage in Malaysia will allow for the consolidation of data from all BoomGrow Machine Farms into a central dashboard, enabling seamless oversight and management of the farming operations.

In addition, the partnership also focuses on leveraging AI-driven analytics to optimise productivity and decision-making processes within the Machine Farms. Advanced AI algorithms will provide in-depth analysis and insights by processing complex datasets and plant visualisations from multiple farms.

Nairobi’s robot cafe: East Africa’s first robot-assisted dining experience

In Nairobi, Kenya’s bustling tech hub, a new attraction draws crowds: the Robot Cafe, where robots deliver meals to diners. This innovative eatery, the first of its kind in East Africa, features three robots—Claire, R24, and Nadia—gliding between tables with food trays, captivating customers who come to witness this futuristic service. The cafe’s owner, Mohammed Abbas, was inspired to bring robot waiters to Kenya after experiencing them in Asia and Europe despite the high cost of importing the technology.

While the robots add a unique, entertaining element to the dining experience, they don’t replace human staff. Waiters still play a crucial role in taking orders and serving drinks, with the robots primarily handling food delivery. The technology highlights the potential for automation in the hospitality industry, but cafe manager John Kariuki notes that robots aren’t a cost-saving replacement for human workers. Instead, they complement the service, showing how human and robotic labour coexist.

Industry experts believe robotic and human service can thrive together, catering to different customer preferences. While some diners may enjoy the novelty of robot service, others still value the warmth and personal touch that only human waitstaff can provide. As Nairobi continues to grow as a tech hub, the Robot Cafe symbolizes the city’s embrace of innovation while recognizing the enduring importance of human interaction in hospitality.

Musk’s xAI unveils world’s most powerful AI training system

Elon Musk’s xAI has launched Colossus, now the world’s most powerful AI training system, setting a new benchmark in the rapidly advancing field of AI. Colossus, which boasts a 100k H100 training cluster, is set to double in size in the coming months, solidifying its position as a leading force in AI development. This achievement places xAI ahead of competitors, with Colossus surpassing the capabilities of even the most advanced models to date, including those from OpenAI.

The development of Colossus was accomplished in collaboration with Nvidia, a leader in semiconductor technology. The system’s power is driven by many GPUs, making it the most potent AI training system currently available. Industry reactions have been overwhelmingly positive, with many experts praising the accomplishment as a significant milestone in AI technology. Nvidia, which provided the cutting-edge H200 semiconductors for Colossus, highlighted the model’s exceptional gains in energy efficiency.

Musk’s ambitions in AI extend beyond Colossus. He has plans for a supercomputer that could be operational by 2025 and has expressed support for regulatory measures to ensure the safe development of AI. Despite the controversies surrounding these regulations, Musk remains a vocal advocate for responsible AI innovation, aiming to balance progress with public safety.

How AI is changing kitchens worldwide

The rise of automated kitchens, once the stuff of science fiction, is now a global reality, with robots already preparing everything from burgers to sushi, says Patrick Lin, professor of philosophy at California State Polytechnic University. As AI-driven technology advances, its integration into kitchens – first in commercial settings and eventually in homes – could profoundly reshape how food is prepared and consumed. This transformation may echo the impact of the microwave oven, which revolutionised mealtime convenience but also brought social and cultural disruptions.

While AI kitchens promise benefits like enhanced creativity for chefs and personalised meal preparation, they also pose risks to human well-being and cultural traditions. Cooking, a therapeutic and educational experience, could become obsolete, weakening family bonds and diminishing the transfer of knowledge and skills. Moreover, AI’s tendency to simplify or stereotype cultural nuances could lead to a loss of culinary diversity and changes in community dynamics if robots replace human chefs.

AI kitchens’ potential safety and ethical challenges are significant, from food safety concerns to the loss of jobs in the food service industry. As these technologies continue to develop, it is crucial to consider their broader societal implications, ensuring that the benefits of automation do not come at the expense of our deeply rooted food traditions and the human experience they enrich.