Telford and Wrekin Council, the local authority of Telford and Wrekin in the ceremonial county of Shropshire, England, have introduced an upgraded AI phone assistant named Ask Tom, designed to improve customer service by handling queries without the need for human staff.
Initially launched in 2021 as a digital assistant, Ask Tom now has the capability to answer, listen, speak, and send information directly to customers’ devices. The enhancement aims to free up customer service staff to focus on more complex issues, although human advisors will still be available if needed.
The council highlighted that when Ask Tom was first introduced, it significantly reduced customer waiting times by 50%. With the new upgrade, the council expects the system to assist even more people by addressing multiple questions in a single call and preventing the need to contact different numbers for specific information.
Councillor Zona Hannington emphasised that the automated assistant is built on a well-tested, extensive knowledge base of council information. The council can allocate its staff to more critical tasks by automating simple queries, thus improving efficiency and effectiveness. Residents will benefit from 24-hour access to a broader range of council services, enhancing the overall service experience.
Brazil has announced a 23 billion reais ($4.07 billion) investment plan for AI development. The initiative aims to foster sustainable and socially-oriented technologies within the nation, enhancing its technological autonomy and competitiveness in the global AI market.
The investment plan includes immediate impact initiatives targeting key sectors such as public health, agriculture, environment, business, and education. These initiatives focus on developing AI systems to streamline customer service and operational procedures.
A significant portion of the funds, nearly 14 billion reais, will be allocated to business innovation projects over the next four years. More than 5 billion reais will be invested in AI infrastructure and development, with the remaining resources dedicated to training, public service improvements, and AI regulation support.
President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva emphasised the importance of Brazil developing its own AI technologies rather than relying on imports. He highlighted the potential of AI to generate income and employment within the country.
Ericsson and Turkcell have embarked on a strategic partnership to enhance mobile backhaul capacity, which is essential for advancing 5G and upcoming 6G technologies. The collaboration centres around the successful trial of a W-Band solution, which significantly expands the available spectrum by incorporating frequencies beyond the conventional E-band. This enhancement doubles the high-performance backhaul spectrum, enabling transport capacities of up to 100 Gbps.
The deployment of the W-Band (92 – 114.5 GHz) marks a significant technological milestone in the realm of millimetre Wave (mmWave) bands. This addresses the increasing demand for high-speed data transmission and positions Turkcell to deliver superior services, optimise costs, and create new business growth opportunities.
Additionally, the W-Band solution contributes to improved energy efficiency and a reduced carbon footprint, aligning with broader sustainability goals. As part of their long-standing partnership, Ericsson will provide the necessary equipment, conduct test demonstrations, and evaluate the performance of this innovative solution. This collaboration underscores both companies’ commitment to pioneering technologies that meet evolving business and technical requirements, ultimately enhancing the customer experience in an increasingly data-driven world.
The US Commerce Department announced plans to grant Amkor Technology up to $400 million to support the construction of a $2 billion advanced semiconductor packaging facility in Arizona. Once operational, the plant will be the largest of its kind in the US, packaging and testing millions of chips for applications such as autonomous vehicles, 5G/6G, and data centers.
Apple is set to be the first and largest customer, with the chips being produced at a nearby TSMC facility. Advanced packaging is a sophisticated method of integrating multiple chips with various functions into a densely interconnected package. Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo emphasised that this investment will help meet the growing demand for AI chips.
Raimondo highlighted that the chips Amkor will package are crucial for future technologies that will significantly impact global economic and national security. This move comes amid discussions of aid cuts for US chip manufacturers due to oversubscription of funding requests.
Alphabet’s Google has revealed two innovative AI systems, AlphaProof and AlphaGeometry 2, which demonstrate significant advancements in solving complex mathematical problems. These systems tackled abstract math more effectively than previous AI models, showcasing enhanced reasoning capabilities.
DeepMind, Google’s AI unit, reported that these models managed to solve four out of six questions at the 2024 International Math Olympiad. AlphaProof, which integrates the Gemini language model with the AlphaZero system, solved three problems, including the most challenging one, while AlphaGeometry 2 solved another.
These achievements mark the best performance by an AI system in the competition to date, with some problems solved in minutes and others taking up to three days. Meanwhile, Microsoft-backed OpenAI is developing a similar project known as ‘Strawberry,’ raising concerns among its staff about its potential impact on humanity.
Singapore-headquartered AI cloud provider Sustainable Metal Cloud (SMC) is set to expand globally, driven by fast-growing demand for its energy-saving technology. CEO and co-founder Tim Rosenfield announced plans to extend operations to EMEA (Europe, Middle East, and Africa) and North America in response to client demand. Currently, SMC operates “sustainable AI factories” in Australia and Singapore, with new launches planned in India and Thailand.
Partnering with AI chip giant Nvidia, SMC uses over 1,200 of Nvidia’s high-end H100 AI chips in Singapore to run open-source models like Meta’s Llama 2. Unlike most data centres that rely on air cooling technology, SMC employs immersion cooling, submerging Dell servers fitted with Nvidia GPUs in a synthetic oil called polyalphaolefin. The following method reduces energy consumption by up to 50% compared to traditional air cooling.
The International Energy Agency (IEA) anticipates a tenfold increase in AI demand compared to 2023, with global data centre electricity consumption expected to exceed 1,000 terawatt-hours by 2026. Sustainable Metal Cloud is currently raising $400 million in equity and $550 million in debt to support its expansion, according to sources. That move aligns with the increasing environmental concerns impacting Singapore’s data centre growth and highlights the importance of sustainable technology in meeting future energy demands.
Researchers at the Paul Scherrer Institute (PSI) and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) have developed an AI system to improve the categorisation of breast cancer. The new technology, led by G.V. Shivashankar from PSI and Caroline Uhler from MIT, aims to provide a reliable and cost-effective method for predicting the progression of ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) to invasive ductal carcinoma (IDC).
DCIS, a precursor of breast cancer in the milk ducts, accounts for about 25% of breast cancer diagnoses. It can develop into a threatening invasive form in 30 to 50% of cases. The AI system, trained on tissue samples stained with DAPI dye, analyses chromatin images to identify patterns matching those identified by human pathologists. This approach leverages AI’s potential, as highlighted by research in Lancet Digital Health showing AI outperforming radiologists in breast cancer detection.
The researchers believe this AI-based tumour classification method has significant potential, though further studies are necessary to ensure its reliability and safety. The US Department of Defense (DoD) has been using AI to detect cancer since 2020, showcasing the growing role of AI in medical diagnostics. The new system developed by PSI and MIT could lead to more accurate predictions and better treatment decisions for patients.
Seomjae, a Seoul-based education solutions developer, is set to launch its AI-powered mathematics learning program at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas next January. The program uses an AI Retrieval-Augmented Generation model, developed over two years by a team of 40 mathematicians and AI developers. It features over 120,000 math problems and 30,000 lectures, offering personalised education tracks for each student.
Beta testing will begin on July 29, involving 50 students from Seoul, Ulsan, and Boston. The feedback will help enhance the technology and its feasibility. The innovative system, called Transforming Educational Content to AI, extracts and analyses information from lectures and problem solutions to provide core content.
Seomjae is also expanding its business portfolio to include an essay-writing educational program through partnerships in the US and Vietnam. The company will participate in Dubai’s Gulf Information Technology Exhibition this October, showcasing its new educational technologies.
A company official expressed excitement about starting beta testing and integrating diverse feedback to improve the program. The goal is to refine the AI system and ensure its effectiveness for students worldwide.
Grundon Waste Management is investing £750,000 in AI technology over three years to enhance driver safety. The company will implement Samsara’s Connected Operations Platform across its fleet of over 300 vehicles, following successful trials at two depots. The trials showed a 71% reduction in detected events and increased fuel efficiency, encouraging optimal driving habits.
Grundon expects to save around £220,000 annually in fuel costs once the technology is fully deployed. Chris Double, Regional Operations Manager, noted positive feedback from drivers during the trials. The AI Dash Cams, which provide instant feedback and acknowledge good performance, have been well-received.
The technology includes Dual-Facing AI Dash Cams and other cameras that monitor driver activity and connect to existing 360-degree cameras. Drivers can also use the Samsara App to track their behaviour through a points-based system. The system aims to improve safe driving habits and encourage good behaviour.
Philip van der Wilt, SVP and General Manager EMEA at Samsara, highlighted the measurable impact of the technology during the trials. He looks forward to a long-term partnership with Grundon to continue driving innovation and safety in their operations.
A recent survey conducted by Nikkei Research for Reuters shows a significant divide among Japanese companies regarding AI adoption. Of the 250 firms that responded, 24% have integrated AI into their operations, while 35% plan to do so. However, 41% have no plans to implement the technology, highlighting varying levels of enthusiasm for AI across corporate Japan. Key motivations for adopting AI include addressing workforce shortages, reducing labour costs, and accelerating research and development.
Despite Japan’s initially laid back approach to AI regulation, several obstacles hinder AI adoption, including employee anxiety over potential job losses, lack of technological expertise, high capital expenditure, and concerns about AI’s reliability. Cybersecurity also emerged as a critical issue, with 15% of respondents experiencing cyberattacks in the past year and 9% reporting attacks on their business partners. To enhance cybersecurity, 47% of firms outsource their defence, while 38% rely on in-house specialists.
The survey also touched on the controversial topic of Japan’s surname law, which mandates that spouses use the same surname. Half of the respondents support changing the law, a move prompted by the Keidanren business lobby’s recent appeal to the government. Supporters argue that the current system undermines individual dignity and freedom, particularly for women, while opponents believe separate surnames could weaken family bonds. Only 14% of firms believe the change would boost employee morale, and 10% think it would aid hiring efforts, with the majority expecting no significant impact on business.
