Researchers at the University of Auckland’s Sports Performance Research Institute New Zealand have used machine learning to delve into athletic recovery. They tracked 43 endurance athletes, gathering extensive data on sleep, diet, heart-rate variability, and workout routines. The study revealed that while certain factors like sleep quality and muscle soreness broadly influence recovery, the most effective predictors vary from person to person.
For instance, sleep data might be a strong indicator for one athlete, while for another, protein intake and muscle soreness could be more relevant. A simpler model using just a few variables performed nearly as well as more complex ones, emphasising that not all factors are equally important for every athlete. However, the effectiveness of predictions significantly improved when tailored to individual data.
The study also examined heart-rate variability (HRV) but found that predicting HRV changes based on controllable factors, like training load and diet, proved challenging. Although HRV is often used as a gauge for readiness to train, the researchers concluded that its predictive value might be limited.
Ultimately, the research underscores the importance of personalised recovery strategies. While broad patterns exist, the best approach to recovery seems to hinge on understanding the unique factors that impact each athlete individually.
A recent survey by Teikoku Databank Ltd reveals that less than 20% of Japanese companies are utilising generative AI in their operations, primarily due to concerns about inadequate internal expertise. Despite the growing recognition of AI as a tool for enhancing business efficiency, many firms still need to be bold in adopting the technology.
Of the 4,705 primarily small and medium-sized enterprises surveyed, only 17.3% reported using generative AI. While 26.8% are considering its adoption, nearly half have yet to make plans to integrate the technology. A lack of skilled staff and operational know-how was cited by 54.1% of respondents as a bigger barrier, alongside concerns about the accuracy of AI-generated content and uncertainty about which tasks would benefit from AI.
Additionally, companies expressed worries about the need for internal rules to address potential issues such as legal responsibilities, copyright concerns, and the risk of information leaks. Among those already using AI, only 19.5% have established clear guidelines for its application, indicating a general lack of preparedness.
The survey found that information gathering is the most common use of generative AI, with nearly 60% of companies employing it. Other frequent uses include text summarisation and brainstorming during project planning.
Despite the challenges, 86.7% of businesses that have adopted AI reported positive outcomes. Yohei Sadaka of Teikoku Databank expects more companies to embrace AI as they become better equipped to manage the associated risks and establish more precise internal guidelines. The survey was conducted between 14 June and 5 July.
Ridley Scott, the acclaimed director behind the original Gladiator, is raising the stakes with Gladiator II, promising some of the biggest action sequences of his career. In a recent interview with Empire Magazine, Scott revealed that the film begins with an enormous action scene, surpassing even his work on Napoleon. Paul Mescal stars in the sequel, alongside Pedro Pascal and Denzel Washington, taking audiences on a thrilling new adventure two decades after the Oscar-winning original.
Scott embraces advanced technology, including AI, to bring his vision to life. One of the standout sequences features Paul Mescal’s character, Lucius, facing off against a massive rhino. Scott shared that he used a combination of computerisation and AI to create a lifelike model of the rhino, which was mounted on a robotic platform capable of impressive movements, adding a new layer of realism to the film’s action.
The director’s shift in attitude towards AI is notable, given his earlier concerns about the technology. Last year, Scott expressed fears about AI’s potential to disrupt society, but now he acknowledges its role in filmmaking. Despite his previous reservations, Scott seems to have found a balance between caution and innovation, using AI to push the boundaries of what’s possible on screen.
Humanoid robots are poised to revolutionise industries, with tech giants leading the charge. Companies such as Nvidia and Tesla are at the forefront of developing these human-like machines, equipped with advanced AI. These robots are designed to perform complex tasks, from manufacturing to customer service.
The potential applications for humanoid robots are vast. Tesla aims to deploy them in its factories, while other companies are exploring their use in logistics and healthcare. As AI technology continues to evolve, these machines are becoming increasingly sophisticated, capable of learning and adapting to new tasks.
Why does this matter?
The development of humanoid robots represents a significant investment in the future. Companies like Nvidia are building entire ecosystems to support robotics innovation. While challenges remain, the potential benefits are enormous. As these machines become more prevalent, they could reshape the workforce and drive economic growth.
The race to develop the most advanced humanoid robot is heating up. With major players investing heavily in this technology, the future of work is changing rapidly.
Cisco is set to lay off thousands of employees in a second round of job cuts this year, focusing on restructuring towards higher-growth areas like cybersecurity and AI. The affected employees could match or exceed the 4,000 workers let go in February. The layoffs, expected to be announced with Cisco’s fourth-quarter results, are part of the company’s strategy to adapt to declining demand in its traditional networking equipment business.
As Cisco diversifies, it has completed a $28 billion acquisition of cybersecurity firm Splunk, aiming to shift more towards subscription services and reduce reliance on one-time equipment sales. The company is also heavily investing in AI, with a $1 billion fund launched in June to support AI startups and a goal of $1 billion in AI product orders by 2025.
These layoffs reflect broader cost-cutting measures in the tech industry, where over 126,000 jobs have been lost across 393 companies this year. Cisco’s stock has declined over 9% this year, partly due to challenges in its core business and the ongoing restructuring efforts.
A new report from the UN Secretary-General’s Envoy on Technology and the International Labour Organization examines the impact of AI on the global workforce. Titled ‘Mind the AI Divide: Shaping a Global Perspective on the Future of Work,’ the report delves into how AI is reshaping labour markets, altering the AI value chain, and changing the demand for skills.
The report highlights the uneven adoption of AI across different regions, which could exacerbate global inequalities if not addressed. To promote inclusive growth, the report emphasises the need for strategies that support AI development in areas that need to catch up in technology adoption.
Strengthening international cooperation and building national capacities are identified as key steps toward creating a more equitable and resilient AI ecosystem. The report advocates for global collaboration to ensure that AI benefits are widely shared, fostering global opportunities for prosperity and human advancement.
Taco Bell is expanding AI voice technology in its drive-thrus to hundreds of US locations by the end of this year, according to parent company Yum! Brands. Customers at these locations may soon interact with a computer instead of a human when placing their orders, a move aimed at freeing up employees for other tasks and improving sales.
The expansion follows Taco Bell’s successful testing of AI at 100 locations across 13 states, which reportedly led to greater order accuracy, happier employees, and shorter wait times. This contrasts McDonald’s, which recently abandoned similar AI technology after customer complaints about incorrect orders.
‘Yum! Brands’ chief innovation officer, Lawrence Kim, expressed confidence in their approach, which involved two years of testing and improvements. Kim assured that AI would not replace human jobs but enhance the work experience by allowing employees to focus on priority tasks. He also highlighted the technology’s potential for broader applications across other Yum! Brands chains, including Pizza Hut, KFC, and The Habit Burger Grill.
As per a report by the World Bank and International Labour Organization, between 2% to 5% of the jobs in Latin America and the Carribean are at risk of being redundant because of automation. The highest risk of automation confronts women and young workers in the formal sector. That is a huge challenge for one of the world’s most unequal regions, where most low-paying jobs are concentrated in the informal economy.
Despite the growth in AI, the report also highlighted how ‘gaps in digital infrastructure and other inequalities could hinder the potential impacts of generative AI in the region’. The figure hovers between 26% and 38% of the total employment in Latin America and the Caribbean regarding jobs being exposed by generative AI and being impacted by it somehow.
On the flip side, researchers also draw attention to the fact that AI could bring many benefits by enhancing workers’ productivity between 8% and 14% of jobs, especially for high-income earners working in the urban formal sector.
The Isle of Man, a self-governing British Crown dependency in the Irish Sea between England and Ireland, has launched a programme to upskill its residents on the use of AI. By tapping on the ‘enhanced productivity’ of the workers, the government intends to improve its GDP by 10%. Chief executive of Digital Isle of Man, Lyle Wraxell, explained how the program and a public roadshow accompanying it will help ensure that people ‘keep up with the rapidly evolving technology’.
The initiative, ‘Activate AI,’ will unfold in three stages: the first will focus on education, the second will enable the island to establish a global positioning, and the final stage will be acceleration. A new platform will launch by the end of August, providing 200 hours of complimentary training for businesses and individuals.
The programme’s applied AI service will help companies pair up with experienced firms to explore AI-driven solutions for their business challenges. Given that this facility will be provided free of cost, board member Jason Bissell highlighted how this approach will enable the creation of a partner ecosystem, allowing local businesses to experiment and understand the technology’s potential value.
As per the Financial Times report, JPMorgan Chase has started deploying an in-house generative AI tool, claiming that its proprietary version of OpenAI’s ChatGPT can perform the task of a research analyst. As per an internal memo accessed by Financial Times, the company has granted its asset and wealth management employees access to the language model platform, LLM Suite. The rollout represents one of Wall Street’s major LLM applications.
The memo described the LLM suite as a ‘ChatGPT-like product’ intended for general productivity, complementing its other applications handling private financial information called Connect Coach and SpectrumGPT. Earlier this year, JPMorgan began rolling out the LLM Suite to select bank areas, and currently, approximately 15% of the workforce has access to the tool.
JPMorgan CEO Jamie Dimon told shareholders that the use of AI has the potential to augment virtually every job and impact our workforce composition. It may reduce certain job categories or roles, but it may create others as well. It is worth noting that so far, the company has not disclosed the number of research analysts it employs.
