Smart speakers can now be used to access more than 12,000 pieces of government information
TECHNOLOGY POWERING BUSINESS
News Artificial Intelligence
Microsoft Turns Down Police Contract Over AI Bias Concerns
Ethical use of AI prompted Redmond to turn down chance to win police facial recognition contract
Twitter CEO Admits Platform Encourages Outrage
World of nastiness? Jack Dorsey admits that Twitter currently incentivised people "to post outrage"
Tech Firms Face Test On Their Algorithms For Bias
Computer algorithms and artificial intelligence systems will be required to show they are neutral on race, gender and other biases
Amazon Workers Listen To Alexa Recordings – Report
Are you listening Alexa? Amazon staff are “reviewing” audio clips of people speaking to their Echo smart speakers
Facebook Improves AI For Dealing With Deceased Members
Artificial intelligence to identify profiles of those who have passed away, to stop pain for family
Google Disbands AI Advisory Council
That lasted long. Google pulls the plug on AI council over concern of a couple of its female members
Google Forms Advisory Council To Guide AI Development
How to ensure fairness and ethics in machine learning and artificial intelligence? Google creates advisory body
Government Inquiry Into AI Algorithm Bias
Worried that AI may discriminate on race or gender? Government orders inquiry despite ongoing use in policing
Apple Axes Self-Driving Car Staff
Apple iCar delay? Close to 200 staff laid off from Apple's self-driving car program
Amazon Go Food Store To Open In Central London – Report
Check-out free supermarket to open in capital after Amazon secures retail space in central London
Apple To Scale Back Hiring After iPhone Slowdown – Report
Hiring spree at Apple to slow for certain divisions, warns Tim Cook, but there will be no hiring freeze
CES 2019: Intel Teams Up With Facebook For AI Chip
As Intel's car division opens up about its progress so far with self-driving cars
CES 2019: AI, Home Tech, Cars and Robots To Feature
Tech show gets underway in Las Vegas with number of announcements centred around AI, the home, and robots
Robots Not Stealing Our Jobs, World Bank Says
Automation has little effect on global labour market, despite worries that robots will remove many jobs
US Judge Asks Amazon For Echo Data In Murder Case
Did Amazon Echo device hear the murder of two US women? Police ask Amazon for the audio recordings
Budget 2018: Tech Industry Reactions
Reaction to chancellor's proposed digital tax, extra funding for industrial strategy, full fibre connectivity, and cyber defence
Budget 2018: Tech Giants Face Hammond’s Digital Tax
Tech giants to be forced to pay fair share of tax, under plans unveiled by chancellor Philip Hammond
Microsoft Adds AI, HoloLens Goggles To Dynamics 365 Portfolio
New additions see business uses for Redmond's augmented-reality goggles HoloLens
AI Poses Jobs Threat, Admits BoE Chief Economist
AI threat. Skills revolution needed to prevent large swathes of people becoming "technologically unemployed"
IBM DeepLocker Turns AI Into Hacking Weapon
Artificial intelligence can power a new generation of malware that can bypass top tier cyber defences
Nest CEO Steps Down As Google Brings Unit In-house
Time is up for Nest as a separate company, as Google incorporates it within its smart home division
AI To Create Jobs, Claims PwC Report
Artificial intelligence will create as many jobs as it displaces by boosting economic growth, says analyst
IBM AI Machine Draws In Debate With Humans
“Open the pod bay doors, HAL”. IBM AI machine holds its own in public debate with human
Google Pledges AI Halt For Weapon Systems
Alphabet signals u-turn after military project, and publishes its core principals for AI development going forward
Google To End Military AI Drone Project – Report
Internal pressure from staff forces a rethink by Google over little-known Pentagon drone project
Google Nest Launches Ring Rival Doorbell In UK
Watch out Amazon's Ring.com as Google's Nest division launches facial recognition video doorbell in UK
Uber In Tech Sharing Talks With Alphanet’s Waymo
Possible thaw in frosty relationship between Uber and Alphabet's Waymo as talks begin over self driving tech
NASA, Amazon Look To France For Drone Air-Traffic Control System
Both organisations to utilise French drone expertise and less onerous laws to develop drone control systems
Government, Tech Firms Invest £1bn Into British AI Industry
Deal worth £1 billion from private sector and government to put UK at forefront of artificial intelligence industry