For years, companies have operated under the assumption that in order to improve their artificial intelligence software and gain a competitive advantage, they must gather enormous amounts of user data—the lifeblood of machine learning. But increasingly, collecting massive amounts of user information can be a major risk. Laws like Europe’s General Data Protection Regulation, or GDPR, and […]
Imagine the life of an advertising executive and a scene from Mad Men is likely to come to mind: Don Draper snake-charming a pair of Kodak marketing executives with a perfectly crafted pitch about the emotional pull of nostalgia (“It’s delicate, but potent…”) in order to win the account for their new slide projector. “This […]
If the Internet was a patient, its health would be so poor that it risks not only its own wellbeing but that of everyone around it. This characterization comes from the mouth of Mozilla executive director Mark Surman, who was summarizing the nonprofit’s annual Internet Health Report. The report, released on Thursday, relies on knowledge […]
Just a few years ago, smart cities, a catch-all phrase for connecting urban infrastructure like parking meters and stoplights online, had major buzz. The idea was to use machine learning to crunch data collected across cities to, for example, minimize traffic delays and reduce pollution. But smart city projects haven’t taken off as quickly as expected, […]
The journalist Malcolm Gladwell, on his podcast, “Revisionist History,” devoted a recent episode to his theory of “hiring nihilism.” It is Gladwell’s belief that people are so bad at predicting who will perform well at a given role—especially based on traditional screening criteria such as CVs and candidate interviews—that one should simply concede that all […]
New developments in artificial intelligence may seem trivial compared to recent events like the Capitol riots in which pro-Trump rioters attempted to subvert the election. But 2021 will likely be a big year for A.I., and with a new White House administration soon in place, there may be a clearer set of national A.I. policies […]
For most of modern history, it was the same routine. Whenever we needed a new lipstick for a big event or a more hydrating moisturizer in preparation for winter, a visit to our favorite store was in order—be it the finest beauty counters at Saks Fifth Avenue, the nearest Sephora, or the local CVS. With […]
Enlarge (credit: John Lamb | Getty Images) In 1964, the Civil Rights Act barred the humans who made hiring decisions from discriminating on the basis of sex or race. Now, software often contributes to those hiring decisions, helping managers screen résumés or interpret video interviews. That worries some tech experts and civil rights groups, who […]
Our mission to make business better is fueled by readers like you. To enjoy unlimited access to our journalism, subscribe today. Star chip designer Jim Keller has joined Tenstorrent, a Toronto startup that makes specialized computer processors for artificial intelligence. Keller previously designed breakthrough chips at AMD, Apple, and Tesla. He left his most recent role […]
Vaccinating the global population against COVID-19 is one of the most immense distribution and logistical challenges humanity has ever faced. Some are hoping that artificial intelligence and blockchain technology can help with the task. “This is about trying to solve the biggest data puzzle of our lifetime,” Jason Kelley, who heads blockchain services for IBM. […]