Category Archives: Artificial Intelligence

Application of Artificial Intelligence in telecommunications – Telecom Lead

Artificial intelligence, machine learning, and business intelligence are being widely used to boost the success and capabilities of various organizations. Even telecom industries utilize AI to eradicate network issues, poor data analysis, high costs, and a crowded marketplace.As a telecommunication company running certain operations remotely, you will need specific data and software to help you manage your work. A software that is perfect for remote businesses is coAmplifi. It is an excellent option as it allows you to boost productivity and monitor your employees right from the comfort of your home.

What Is Artificial Intelligence?

Artificial intelligence is a part of computer science. AI was built to allow machines to use human knowledge to perform various tasks efficiently. Systems embedded with artificial intelligence can easily replicate human behavior if they have been fed the correct information. Artificial intelligence systems can learn, plan, reason, solve problems and make decisions.

Common AI Applications in the Telecommunication Industry

Fraud Elimination and Revenue Growth

AI can be used to eliminate and reduce the chances of fraudulent activity. Since machine learning processes and AI algorithms work in real-time, they can easily detect fraudulent transactions, unauthorized access, and dupe profiles. As soon as fraud is detected, the system automatically blocks access to prevent the loss of important company information and other assets.

AI can be used to increase revenue by driving in more subscribers. Data analysis and identifying patterns in data generated by networks, cellphones, geolocation, user profiles, billing, telecom devices, and service usage can help predict solutions to boost success. The company can then use these to sell its services smartly in real-time. An AI system will make the right offer to the right customer at the right time. This boosts revenue to the maximum.

Network Optimization

Since the launch of 5G networks in 2019, around 1.7 billion people have subscribed to the service. AI is used to create self-optimizing networks that can handle the growth and demand caused by increased subscribers.

The AI system allows automatic network optimization by focusing on traffic, time zone, and regions. Advanced algorithms are used to predict trends, generate patterns, and eradicate problems within the network.

Predictive Analytics

Telecom AI systems use predictive analytics generated from data, algorithms, and machine learning to predict future trends. Trends are deduced through comparison with old data. The current state, failure, and other patterns are quickly visible, which can prevent the company from faltering.

AI software allows CSPs to locate problems in control towers, data cables, service centers, hardware, and even telecom devices installed in users homes.

Virtual Assistants

AI can help provide virtual assistants for customer support. These assistants can easily take on one-on-one conversations and personalize the whole experience. The system is embedded with answers to general queries such as installation help, setup, maintenance, troubleshooting, and other network issues.

Since there are numerous queries daily, the AI system reduces the burden on customer support agents or eradicates the need for them at all.

Robotic Process Automation

Robotic Process Automation, or RPA, is a business automation system that utilizes AI to handle backend operations, repetitive actions, and processes based on fixed rules.

It eradicates human errors by automating transactions and other procedures. The workforce can then focus on other essential tasks such as billing, data entry, management, and order completion.

Endnote

Combining AI and telecommunication can help businesses grow, modernize and be more successful. Since everyone is trying to modernize, there is no reason you should stay behind. Doing so will only make you less competitive as a business.

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Application of Artificial Intelligence in telecommunications - Telecom Lead

MEDIA ALERT: Business Insurance to Host Webinar "How Artificial Intelligence is Transforming the Insurance Industry" – Yahoo Finance

Gradient AI Sponsors Webinar to Explore the Promise and Challenges of AI in the Insurance Industry

April 21, 2022--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Gradient AI

WHAT: Business Insurance is hosting a webinar "How Artificial Intelligence is Transforming the Insurance Industry." Sponsored by Gradient AI, a leading provider of proven artificial intelligence (AI) solutions for the insurance industry, this webinar will cover real-world use cases, and explore AIs powerful benefits enabling attendees to gain an actionable understanding of AIs potential and its value to their business.

WHEN: April 26, 20221:00 PM - 2:00 PM EDT/10:00 AM -11:00 AM PDT

WHO: Featured Speakers include:

Builders Insurances Mark Gromek, Chief Marketing and Underwriting Office

Florida State Universitys Dr. Patricia Born Midyette, Eminent Scholar in Risk

CCMSIs S. F. "Skip" Brechtel, Jr., FCAS, MAAA, Executive VP and CIO

WHY ATTEND: As digital transformation has disrupted many industries, AI is poised to do the same for insurance enterprises. Attendees will learn:

How to use AI to gain a competitive advantage and generate improved business outcomes such as improved key operational metrics

How AI can increase the efficiency and accuracy of underwriting and claims operations

The challenges and opportunities facing the next generation of insurance professionals

WHERE: Learn more and register here.

Tweet this: How Artificial Intelligence is Transforming the Insurance Industry Webinar: April 26, 2022, 1:00 pm EDT https://register.gotowebinar.com/register/5324033635572250381?source=GradientAI #AI #insurance #insurtech

About Gradient AI:

Gradient AI is a leading provider of proven artificial intelligence (AI) solutions for the insurance industry. Its solutions improve loss ratios and profitability by predicting underwriting and claim risks with greater accuracy, as well as reducing quote turnaround times and claim expenses through intelligent automation. Unlike other solutions that use a limited claims and underwriting dataset, Gradient's software-as-a-service (SaaS) platform leverages a vast dataset comprised of tens of millions of policies and claims. It also incorporates numerous other features including economic, health, geographic, and demographic information. Customers include some of the most recognized insurance carriers, MGAs, TPAs, risk pools, PEOs, and large self-insureds across all major lines of insurance. By using Gradient AIs solutions, insurers of all types achieve a better return on risk. To learn more about Gradient, please visit https://www.gradientai.com.

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View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220421005382/en/

Contacts

Elyse Familantelysef@resultspr.net 978-376-5446

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MEDIA ALERT: Business Insurance to Host Webinar "How Artificial Intelligence is Transforming the Insurance Industry" - Yahoo Finance

Tech update: Using artificial intelligence to solve supply chain snarls, and consolidation in Canadian crypto – Toronto Star

As Russias Ukraine invasion fans the flames of global inflation that was already on the rise, the Bank of Canada is stepping in to try and put the brakes on surging prices here at home. The central bank hit Canadians this month with its first oversized interest rate hike in decades, a half a percentage point.

The war is also driving up the prices of energy and other commodities, further disrupting global supply chains, with freighters full of commercial goods stuck at overwhelmed ports.

Canadas top artificial intelligence companies believe they can develop strategies and programs to get products to market faster and that makes the timing ripe for a new Canadian A.I. startup program.

Federal artificial intelligence agency Scale AI has announced phase two of its supply chain venture accelerator. It will support the growth and commercialization of a dozen promising Canadian A.I. companies through the Supply AI program, delivered by the MaRS Discovery District.

The 12 startups will work with experts to scale their companies, grow market share and increase their exposure to potential new investors.

Supply chain obstacles: Many of the products and services we use these days are inherently complex. Some require thousands of parts or co-ordination of suppliers across multiple geographies, says Osh Momoh, chief technical adviser at MaRS. Think of vaccines, automobiles or the consumer products Amazon delivers to our doors.

How A.I. can help: Many startup founders, like the ones in the Supply AI program, believe artificial intelligence can be used to forecast client demand for supplies and improve routing to move items faster. It can automate the physical movement of goods and the assembly of products in business environments such as warehouses.

Toronto-based Taiga Robotics is part of the program. It aims to reinvent factories with its fleet of A.I.-powered robots, which it rents out to small and medium-sized businesses to perform tasks such as sorting and packaging.

This alleviates strained labour resources by making robots more accessible in general, says CEO and co-founder Dmitri Ignakov, making them viable for workflows which are smaller than what would have justified an investment in traditional automation.

Canada as an A.I. leader: We have the talent. We need an ecosystem for it to thrive here. To thrive, Ignakov says A.I. ventures need help removing barriers to adoption in the marketplace.

These companies often need support, from being able to run pilots of public streets and roads to getting some assistance reducing the cost of initial deployments with their first customers.

The sharks presence grows in Canadas crypto tank

Kevin OLeary-backed crypto company WonderFi Technologies Inc. is about to buy its second crypto trading platform this year, Coinberry Ltd., for $38.5 million in shares.

The Vancouver-based WonderFi also recently acquired Toronto-based crypto exchange Bitbuy Technologies Inc., which puts two out of Canadas six registered cryptocurrency trading platforms under one companys control.

WonderFI CEO Ben Samaroo thinks having Shark Tank host OLeary as an investor gives them a competitive advantage.

Kevin is a major advocate for compliant investments, as compliance is required for institutional investors to get comfortable.

Canadian market consolidates: When the deal with Coinberry closes, WonderFi will own a third of Canadian licences for crypto platforms. The company will house more than 750,000 users across its ecosystem and employ more than 180 people, making it the countrys largest crypto company.

Martin Piszel, the CEO of crypto trading platform Coinsquare, says he expects to see further consolidation as companies try to gain overall market share and take advantage of potential synergies. The cost of regulation and the increasing cost of acquiring clients will drive platforms to look for ways to gain scale and improve efficiencies, he says.

Crypto grows up: The next step for the industry could be increased regulation. Some Canadian crypto companies operate under temporary two-year regulation licences. The next stage of their process is to register as a full Investment Industry Regulatory Organization of Canada (IIROC) dealer to create long-term stability, push out unlicensed operators and attract foreign investment.

Regulated platforms will become more valuable to the Canadian crypto market, Piszel says. Large foreign players will assess the cost and time of entering the Canadian marketplace and may opt to look for acquisition targets who already have done the heavy regulatory work, he says.

A window of opportunity in biotech

As part of the fight against COVID-19, Ontario recently announced increased access to a new therapeutic drug for patients infected with the virus. Newly approved Paxlovid reduces the risk of hospitalization and death in COVID patients by 89 per cent, according to a Pfizer study.

The pandemic has increased our awareness of the biotech industry, specifically the need to increase Canadas capacity to produce vaccines and therapeutics. But researchers say we shouldnt stop there.

The Innovation Economy Council (IEC) has just released a report that says Canada has a huge opportunity to take the lead in gene and cell therapy. The country has the capacity to create a multibillion dollar industry but it needs to expand its ability to manufacture treatments, conduct clinical trials and train talent.

Whats next? Toronto-based Centre for Commercialization of Regenerative Medicine (CCRM) has helped fund and lead a dozen promising startup cell and gene therapy companies, employing 250 people and raising an impressive $770 million in venture capital. This year, CCRM will break ground on a biomanufacturing plant at McMaster Innovation Park in Hamilton. The facility will help Canadian companies get their groundbreaking treatments to patients.

Why is cell and gene therapy so important? CCRM president and CEO Michael May says cell and gene therapies promise cures for diseases, not just treatment of symptoms.

This is revolutionizing medicine and we can see it playing out around the world today, May says. Canadian science has helped define this industry and I believe that industrializing the sector is Canadas opportunity for global leadership in life sciences.

Canadas next best move: May wants the federal government to invest in infrastructure, emerging companies, talent and new therapies.

Id like to see products stamped Made in Canada. Canada should be the go-to destination for capability and expertise and we must be a trailblazer in clinical adoption of these revolutionary therapies, May says. I can picture a vibrant ecosystem with Canadas ecosystem as the nexus of a global industry.

In other news:

Janey Llewellin writes about technology for MaRS. Torstar, the parent company of the Toronto Star, has partnered with MaRS to highlight innovation in Canadian companies.

Disclaimer This content was produced as part of a partnership and therefore it may not meet the standards of impartial or independent journalism.

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Tech update: Using artificial intelligence to solve supply chain snarls, and consolidation in Canadian crypto - Toronto Star

The best way to regulate artificial intelligence? The EU’s AI Act – The Parliament Magazine

With the Artificial Intelligence Act (AI Act), we have again crossed the Rubicon. The die has been cast, there is no way back. We are setting standards for another industry that until now has been left mostly on its own, that has important social functions, and that is of central importance in the global tech rivalry. The European electorate was and still is quite united in demanding rules for digital players while maintaining easy digital access and a competitiveness for all things digital.

With the AI Act and other legislation currently under way in such fields as cybersecurity, data, crypto and chips, the European Union is finalizing what it began with the General Data Privacy Regulation (GDPR), the Digital Services Act (DSA) and the Digital Markets Act (DMA). It will surely not be the last time digital policy is undertaken in Brussels, and updates to these regulations are partly already necessary. But hopefully soon we will be able to say that we have dealt with the most pressing digital issues. This was the promise we gave to European citizens shocked by scandals, cyber-attacks and anti-democratic malfeasance.

I am certain that this regulation, along with the changes that we will propose in the coming months in the ITRE Committee, will enhance the spread of an important new technology while ensuring its safety, which should always be our main goal

As the Industry, Research and Energy (ITRE) Committee rapporteur, I welcome the European Commissions proposal on an AI Act. Maintaining the right balance between freedom and supervision, it will bolster trust in the European AI industry. I am certain that this regulation, along with the changes that we will propose in the coming months in the ITRE Committee, will enhance the spread of an important new technology while ensuring its safety, which should always be our main goal.

Unfortunately, some are focusing on prohibiting AI by fear mongering. When I asked [Wikipedia whistleblower Frances] Haugen at her brave testimony, she was very clear: we dont need bans, we need transparency and clear guidelines. No responsible political group wants to let these potentially powerful systems be used without strong safeguards. But prohibiting technology seldom works as anticipated. There are better ways to deal with this, and that is what the AI Act is doing, to a large extent.

As mentioned, there is much to appreciate in the proposal. First and foremost, the risk-based approach that calls for the prohibition of certain practices, specific requirements for high-risk AI systems, harmonised transparency rules for AI systems intended to interact with natural persons, and rules on market monitoring and surveillance would allow the development of AI systems in line with European values.

The proposal by the European Commission, however, does not go far enough in helping companies compete in return for the many obligations expected from them. This applies especially to start-ups and SMEs Europes most competitive and desired companies and therefore undermines the legitimacy and relevance of the AI Act. We need to provide companies with clearer guidelines, simpler tools and more efficient resources to cope with regulation and to innovate.

I therefore will work to enhance measures supporting innovation, especially those helping start-ups and SMEs. I am especially worried that the current state of the regulatory sandboxes is too cumbersome, which defeats the purpose of this highly important tool in developing AI that works on the ground.

In addition, I will try to provide a clear and more concise definition of an artificial intelligence system with an emphasis on establishing clear oversight on how to change this definition in the future. Next, I want to set high but realistic standards for cybersecurity and data that allow for the best mix of safety and usability. Finally, I want to future-proof the AI Act. This means better linkages to the other parts of digital policy, to the green transition and to the international stage, as well as anticipating possible changes in the AI industry, AI technology and the power of AI.

I will try to provide a clear and more concise definition of an artificial intelligence system with an emphasis on establishing clear oversight on how to change this definition in the future

As we all know, actions have implications, and we need to be aware of those. Digital policy is as much politics as it is policy. Even if some see it that way, digital policy surely is not just a technocratic fix.

Therefore, we need to see beyond the AI Act to consider how this policy impacts our important relationship to the United States, how it will affect our neighbourhood, especially the many internal and international conflicts, and how it could be a way to mend or sever our relations to China.

International digital rules could at the same time bridge this current climate of mistrust with our rivals as well as forge a new alliance with democracies around the world. The AI Act together with the Data Act and other regulations and policies could help foster a democratic market and forum that would be our strongest defence against creeping nationalism and unfairness.

Finally, we should not make a mistake that the EU has made again and again: writing a law is important but implementing and enforcing it will be key. This means that the AI Act needs to be more than a just well-written piece of legislation: it requires a long-term commitment from the Member States, the Commission and the international community.

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The best way to regulate artificial intelligence? The EU's AI Act - The Parliament Magazine

Artificial Intelligence Takes Over The Media Ad Industry – Digital Information World

Artificial Intelligence, more commonly known as AI, is slowly creeping into our daily lives, and we do not even suspect it one bit. It is not making huge decisions for you. Still, it might be influencing the more minor decisions and the past week, jumping from one social platform to another. How many ads did you come across? One can say that there are too many to count. Who precisely is controlling all these ads that are specifically targeted to you?

Artificial Intelligence (AI) now accounts for the significant spending in ad revenue this year. The figures locked in at a shocking $370 billion, and they are only expected to increase in the upcoming years, according to a report released by GroupM. The particular report also dives into the influence of Artificial Intelligence AI-enabled media influence over ad spending in the coming years. It is predicted that ad spending, specifically that of media, will reach almost $1.3 trillion. It is either this or more than 90% of all media spending. It is not expected to happen over a decade or so but in just a few short years. The forecast might come true by 2032, according to the report.

The report also dives into other sectors other than AI enabled media Ad spending. It considers the mediums that will be used to project Ads to its targeted customers. From the graphs they put out for the general public, one can easily observe that digital TV is at the lowest of all the mediums. During the next ten years, companies will be less likely to be advertising on the said medium.

For now, some factors are not being considered by the forecast report, such as chatbots that are handled by Artificial Intelligence and their impact in the coming years. One thing is for sure; Artificial Intelligence is taking over the Ad industry.

Read next:Zero Party Data on the Rise as Brands Adjust to the New Normal

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Artificial Intelligence Takes Over The Media Ad Industry - Digital Information World

Artificial Intelligence to Assess Dementia Risk and Enhance the Effectiveness of Depression Treatments – Neuroscience News

Summary: Using MEG data, a new AI algorithm called AI-MIND is able to assess dementia risk and the potential effectiveness of treatments for depression, researchers say.

Source: Aalto University

The human brain consists of some 86 billion neurons, nerve cells that process and convey information through electrical nerve impulses.

Thats why measuring neural electrical activity is often the best way to study the brain, says Hanna Renvall. She is Aalto University and HUS Helsinki University Hospital Assistant Professor in Translational Brain Imaging and heads the HUS BioMag Laboratory.

Electroencephalography, or EEG, is the most used brain imaging technique in the world. Renvalls favorite, however, is magnetoencephalography or MEG, which measures the magnetic fields generated by the brains electrical activity.

MEG signals are easier to interpret than EEG because the skull and other tissues dont distort magnetic fields as much. This is precisely what makes the technique so great, Renvall explains.

MEG can locate the active part of the brain with much greater accuracy, at times achieving millimeter-scale precision.

An MEG device looks a lot like bonnet hairdryers found in hair salons. The SQUID sensors that perform the measurements are concealed and effectively insulated inside the bonnet because they only function at truly freezing temperatures, close to absolute zero.

The worlds first whole-head MEG device was built by a company that emerged from Helsinki University of Technologys Low Temperature Laboratoryand is now the leading equipment manufacturer in this field.

MEG plays a major role in the European Unions new AI-Mind project, whose Finnish contributors are Aalto and HUS. The goal of the 14-million project is to learn ways to identify those patients, whose dementia could be delayed or even prevented.

For this to happen, neuroscience and neurotechnology need help from artificial intelligence experts.

Fingerprinting the brain

Dementia is a broad-reaching neural function disorder that significantly erodes the sufferers ability to cope with everyday life. Some 10 million people are afflicted in Europe, and as the population ages this number is growing. The most common illness that causes dementia is Alzheimers disease, which is diagnosed in 7080% of dementia patients.

Researchers believe that communication between neurons begins to deteriorate well before the initial clinical symptoms of dementia present themselves. This can be seen in MEG dataif you know what to look for.

MEG is at its strongest when measuring the brains response to stimuli like speech and touch that occur at specific moments and are repetitive.

Interpreting resting-state measurements is considerably more complex.

Thats why the AI-Mind project uses a tool referred to as the fingerprint of the brain. It was created when Renvall and Professor Riitta Salmelin and her colleagues began to investigate whether MEG measurements could detect a persons genotype.

More than 100 sibling pairs took part in the study that sat subjects in an MEG, first for a couple of minutes with their eyes closed and then for a couple of minutes with their eyes open. They also submitted blood samples for a simple genetic analysis.

When researchers compared the graphs and genetic markers, they noticed that, even though there was substantial variance between individuals, siblings graphs were similar.

Next, Aalto University Artificial Intelligence Professor Samuel Kaskis group tested whether a computer could learn to identify graph sections that were as similar as possible between siblings while also being maximally different when compared to other test subjects.

The machine did itand more, surprisingly.

It learned to distinguish the individual perfectly based on just the graphs, irrespective of whether the imaging had been performed with the test subjects eyes open or closed, Hanna Renvall says.

For humans, graphs taken with eyes closed or open look very different, but the machine could identify their individual features. Were extremely excited about this brain fingerprinting and are now thinking about how we could teach the machine to recognize neural network deterioration in a similar manner.

Risk screening in one week

A large share of dementia patients are diagnosed only after the disorder has already progressed, which explains why treatments tend to focus on managing late-stage symptoms.

Earlier research has, however, demonstrated that many patients experience cognitive deterioration, such as memory and thought disorders, for years before their diagnosis.

One objective of the AI-Mind project is to learn ways to screen individuals with a significantly higher risk of developing memory disorders in the next few years from the larger group of those suffering from mild cognitive deterioration.

Researchers plan to image 1,000 people from around Europe who are deemed at risk of developing memory disorders and analyze how their neural signals differ from people free from cognitive deterioration. AI will then couple their brain imaging data with cognitive test results and genetic biomarkers.

Researchers believe this method could identify a heightened dementia risk in as little as a week.

If people know about their risk in time, it can have a dramatic motivating effect, says Renvall, who has years of experience of treating patients as a neurologist.

Lifestyle changes like a healthier diet, exercise, treating cardiovascular diseases and cognitive rehabilitation can significantly slow the progression of memory disorders.

Better managing risk factors can give the patient many more good years, which is tremendously meaningful for individuals, their loved ones and society, as well, Renvall says.

Identifying at-risk individuals will also be key when the first drugs that slow disease progression come on the market, perhaps in the next few years. Renvall says it will be a momentous event, as the medicinal treatment of memory disorders has not seen any substantial progress in the last two decades.

The new pharmaceuticals will not suit everybody, however.

These drugs are quite powerful, as are their side effectsthats why we need to identify the people who can benefit from them the most, Renvall emphasizes.

Zapping the brain

Brain activity involves electric currents, which generate magnetic fields that can be measured from outside the skull.

The process also works in the other direction, the principle on whichtranscranial magnetic stimulation(TMS) is based. In TMS treatments, a coil is placed on the head to produce a powerful magnetic field that reaches the brain through skin and bone, without losing strength. Themagnetic fieldpulse causes a short, weak electric field in the brain that affects neuron activity.

It sounds wild, but its completely safe, says Professor of Applied Physics Risto Ilmoniemi, who has been developing and using TMS for decades.

The strength of the electric field is comparable to the brains own electric fields. The patient feels the stimulation, which is delivered in pulses, as light taps on their skin.

Magnetic stimulation is used to treatsevere depressionand neuropathic pain. At least 200 million people around the world suffer from severe depression, while neuropathic pain is prevalent among spinal injury patients, diabetics and multiple sclerosis sufferers. Pharmaceuticals provide adequate relief to only half of all depression patients; this share is just 30% in the case of neuropathic pain sufferers.

How frequently pulses are given is based on the illness being treated. For depression, inter-neuron communication is stimulated with high-frequency pulse series, while less frequent pulses calm patients neurons for neuropathic pain relief.

Stimulation is administered to the part of the brain where, according to the latest medical science, the neurons tied to the illness being treated are located.

About half of treated patients receive significant relief from magnetic stimulation. Ilmoniemi believes this could be much higherwith more coils and the help of algorithms.

One-note clanger to concert virtuoso

In 2018, the ConnectToBrain research project headed by Ilmoniemi was granted 10 million in European Research Council Synergy funding, the first time that synergy funds were awarded to a project steered by a Finnish university. Top experts in the field from Germany and Italy are also involved.

The goal of the project is to radically improve magnetic stimulation in two ways: by building a magnetic stimulation device with up to 50 coils and by developing algorithms to automatically control the stimulation in real time, based on EEG feedback.

Ilmoniemi looks to the world of music for a comparison.

The difference between the new technology and the old is analogous to a concert pianist playing two-handed, continuously fine-tuning their performance based on what they hear, rather than hitting a single key while wearing hearing protection.

Researchers have already used a two-coil device to demonstrate that an algorithm can steer stimulation in the right direction ten times faster than even the most experienced expert. This is just the beginning.

A five-coil device completed last year covers an area of ten square centimeters of cortex at a time. A 50-coil system would cover both cerebral hemispheres.

Building this kind of device involves many technical challenges. Getting all these coils to fit around the head is no easy task, nor is safely producing the strong currents required.

Even once these issues are resolved, the hardest question remains: how can we treat the brain in the best possible way?

What kind of information does the algorithm need? What data should instruct its learning? It is an enormous challenge for us and our collaborators, Ilmoniemi says thoughtfully.

The project aims to build one magnetic stimulation device for Aalto, another for the University of Tbingen in Germany and a third for the University of Chieti-Pescara in Italy. The researchers hope that, in the future, there will be thousands of such devices in operation around the world.

The more patient data is accumulated, the better the algorithms can learn and the more effective the treatments will become.

Quantum optics sensors could revolutionize how we read neural signals

Professor Lauri Parkkonens working group is developing a new kind of MEG device that adapts to the head size and shape and utilizes sensors based onquantum optics. Unlike the SQUID sensors currently employed in MEG, they do not need to be encased in a thick layer of insulation, enabling measurements to be taken closer to the scalp surface. This makes it easier to perform precise measurements on children and babies especially.

The work has progressed at a brisk pace and yielded promising results: measurements made with optical sensors are already approaching the spatial accuracy of measurements made inside the cranium.

Parkkonen believes that a MEG system based on optical sensors could also be somewhat cheaper and more compact and thus easier to place than traditional devices; such a MEG system could utilize a person-sized magnetic shield instead of a large shielded room as the conventional MEG systems do.

This would bring it into reach of more researchers and hospitals.

Author: Minna HlttSource: Aalto UniversityContact: Minna Hltt Aalto UniversityImage: The image is in the public domain

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Artificial Intelligence to Assess Dementia Risk and Enhance the Effectiveness of Depression Treatments - Neuroscience News

Industry Executives Share Real Insights on Artificial Intelligence – Progressive Grocer

In a new survey of retail executives, Symphony RetailAIfound that 82% of them are focusing on data-driven demand forecasting and nearly two thirds (61%) are prioritizing data management in their supply chain.

While there is strong agreement that data is key, the embrace of technologies to achieve those goals is somewhat behind sentiment. Only 13% of retail execs polled think they outperform their peers, while 87% say that their supply chain performance lags or is equal to competing businesses.

Symphony RetailAI's research, conducted with partner Incisiv, also sought to uncover retailers use of AI and machine learning. A high number of 87% of respondents said they have not yet taken meaningful steps to embrace AI and many of them are stalling for a variety of reasons. Barriers include poor data quality, an inability to integrate data from several sources and a general lack of confidence in AI.

The gap between intent and progress underscores the opportunity for retailers to use AI to enhance demand forecasting and supply chain management, according to Symphony RetailAI's experts. As new threats loom and other economic factors create supply chain unpredictability, these results highlight the need to future-proof grocery supply chains to handle unexpected disruptions, declared Troy Prothero, the companys SVP, product management, supply chain solutions. The importance of using data, including AI-driven demand forecasting, to gain a competitive supply chain advantage isnt going away, so organizations that prioritize new ways of using data for decision-making will be better positioned to succeed.

Added Gaurav Pant, chief insights officer for Incisiv: Our research with Symphony RetailAI sheds light on the critical need for retailers to use AI to break down silos and utilize as much organizational data as possible.

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Industry Executives Share Real Insights on Artificial Intelligence - Progressive Grocer

Russia’s Artificial Intelligence Boom May Not Survive the War – Defense One

The last year was a busy one for Russias military and civilian artificial intelligence efforts. Moscow poured money into research and development, and Russias civil society debated the countrys place in the larger AI ecosystem. But Vladimir Putins invasion of Ukraine in February and the resulting sanctions have brought several of those efforts to a haltand thrown into question just how many of its AI advancements Russia will be able to salvage and continue.

Ever since Putin extolled the development of robotic combat systems in the new State Armaments Program in 2020, the Russian Ministry of Defense has been hyper-focused on AI. We have learned more about the Russian militarys focus on AI in the past year thanks to several public revelations.

But talk of AI has been muted since the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Apart from the widespread use of UAVs for reconnaissance and target acquisition and a single display of a mine-clearing robotall of which are remote-controlledthere is no overt evidence of Russian AI in C4ISR or decision-making among the Russian military forces, other than a single public deepfake attempt to discredit the Ukrainian government. That does not mean AI isnt used, considering how Ukrainians are now utilizing artificial intelligence in data analysisbut there is a notable absence of larger discussion about this technology in open-source Russian media.

The gap between Russian military aspirations for high-tech warfare of the future and the actual conduct of war today is becoming clear. In January 2021, Colonel-General Vladimir Zarudnitsky, the head of the Military Academy of the Russian Armed Forces General Staff, wrote that the development and use of unmanned and autonomous military systems, the robotization of all spheres of armed conflict, and the development of AI for robotics will have the greatest medium-term effect on the Russian armed forces ability to meet their future challenges. Other MOD military experts also debated the impact of these emerging technologies on the Russian military and future balance of forces. Russia continued to upgrade and replace Soviet-made systems, part of the MODs drive from digitization (weapons with modern information technologies for C4ISR) to intellectualization (widespread implementation of AI capable of performing human-like creative thinking functions). These and other developments were covered in detail during Russias Army-2021 conference, with AI as a key element in C4ISR at the tactical and strategic levels.

Meanwhile, Russian military developers and researchers worked on multiple AI-enabled robotics projects, including the Marker concept unmanned ground vehicle and its autonomous operation in groups and with UAVs.

Toward the end of 2021, the state agency responsible for exporting Russian military technology even announced plans to offer unmanned aviation, robotics, and high-tech products with artificial intelligence elements to potential customers this year. The agency emphasized the equipment is geared toward defensive, border protection, and counter-terrorism capabilities.

Since the invasion, things have changed. Russias defense-industrial complexespecially military high-tech and AI research and developmentmay be affected by the international sanctions and cascading effects of Russia being cut off from semi-conductor and microprocessor imports.

Throughout 2021, the Russian government was pushing for the adoption of its AI civilian initiatives across the country, such as nationwide hackathons aimed at different age groups with the aim of making artificial intelligence familiar at home, work, and school. The government also pushed for the digital transformation of science and higher education, emphasizing the development of AI, big data, and the internet of things.

Russian academic AI R&D efforts drove predictive analytics; development of chat bots that process text and voice messages and resolve user issues without human intervention; and technologies for working with biometric data. Russias development of facial recognition technology continued apace, with key efforts implemented across Moscow and other large cities. AI as a key image recognition and data analytical tool was used in many medical projects and efforts dealing with large data sets.

Russian government officials noted their countrys efforts in promoting the ethics of artificial intelligence, and expressed confidence in Russias continued participation in this UN-sponsored work. The Russian Council for the Development of the Digital Economy has officially called for a ban on artificial intelligence algorithms that discriminate against people.

Russias Ministry of Economic Development was asked to "create a mechanism for assessing the humanitarian impact of the consequences of the introduction of such [AI] technologies, including in the provision of state and municipal services to citizens," and to prepare a "road map" for effective regulation, use, and implementation. According to the council, citizens should be able to appeal AI decisions digitally, and such a complaint should only be considered by a human. The council also proposed developing legal mechanisms to compensate for damage caused as a result of AI use.

In October, Russias leading information and communications companies adopted the National Code of Ethics in the Field of AI; the code was recommended for all participants in the AI market, including government, business, Russian and foreign developers. Among the basic principles in the code are a human-centered approach to the development of this technology and the safety of working with data.

AI workforce development was spelled out as a key requirement when the government officially unveiled the national AI roadmap in 2019. A 2021 government poll that tried to gauge the level of confidence in the governments AI efforts showed that only about 64 percent of domestic AI specialists were satisfied with the working conditions in Russia.

The survey reflected the microcosm of AI research, development, testing, and evaluation in Russialots of government activity and different efforts that did not automatically translate into a productive ecosystem conducive for developing AI, some major efforts notwithstanding.

Among some of the reasons in 2021 that Russia was lagging behind in the development of artificial intelligence technologies were the personnel shortage and the weakness of the venture capital market. The civilian developer community also noted the low penetration of Russian products into foreign markets, dependence on imports, slow introduction of products into business and government bodies, and a weak connection between AI theory and practice.

Russias likely plans to concentrate on these areas in 2022 were revised or put on hold once Russia invaded Ukraine. The sudden pull-out of major IT and high-tech companies from Russia, coupled with a rapid brain drain of Russias IT workers, and the ever-expanding high-tech sanctions against the Russian state may hobble domestic AI research and development for years to come. While the Russian government is trying to prop up its AI and high-tech industry with subsidies, funding, and legislative support, the impact of the above-mentioned consequences may be too much for the still-growing and evolving Russian AI ecosystem. That does not mean AI research and development will stopon the contrary, many 2021 trends, efforts, and inventions are being implemented into the Russian economy and society in 2022, and there are domestic high-tech companies and public-private partnerships which are trying to fill the void left by the departed global IT majors. But the effects of the invasion will be felt in the AI ecosystem for a long time, especially with so many IT workers leaving the country, either because of the massive impact on the high-tech economy, or because they disagree with the war, or both.

One of the most-felt sanctions aftereffects has been the severing of international cooperation on AI among Russian universities and research instructions, which earlier was enshrined as one of the most important drivers for domestic AI R&D, and reinforced by support from the Kremlin. For most high-tech institutions around the world, the impact of civilian destruction across Ukraine by the Russian military greatly outweighs the need to engage Russia on AI. At the same time, much of the Russian military AI R&D took place in a siloed environmentin many cases behind a classified firewall and without significant public-private cooperationso its hard to estimate just how sanctions will affect Russian military AI efforts.

While many in Russia now look to China as a substitute for departed global commercial relationships and products, its not clear if Beijing could fully replace the software and hardware products and services that left Russian markets at this point.

Recent events may not stop Russian civilians and military experts from discussing how AI influences the conduct of war and peacebut the practical implementation of these deliberations may become increasingly more difficult for a country under global high-tech isolation.

Samuel Bendett is an Adjunct Senior Fellow at the Center for a New American Security and an Adviser at the CNA Corporation.

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Russia's Artificial Intelligence Boom May Not Survive the War - Defense One

Koos Intelligence and Applied to Further Digitize Sales and Service Workflows – Yahoo Finance

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Collaboration will create digital interactions via artificial intelligence and natural language processing

MISSISSAUGA, Ont., April 20, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Applied Systems today announced a new collaboration with Koos Intelligence to optimize and simplify insurance sales and service processes with artificial intelligence and natural language processing. The integration between Koos Intelligence and Applied Epic and Applied Rating Services will enable brokers to deliver a voice-enabled virtual assistant for customer quoting, creating a faster and more digital customer experience.

A decade ago, most people viewed the idea of machines understanding the human language as science-fiction, said Mohamed Hanini, founder, CEO & chief technology officer, Koos Intelligence. The breakthrough of Natural Language Processing, which is one of the biggest success stories of Artificial Intelligence (AI), changed the way we interact with systems. However, operationalizing AI in insurance and interfacing it with legacy systems are still very challenging. We are glad to announce our collaboration with Applied Systems, which creates a powerful synergy between Applieds ecosystem & Applied Epic and our fully contextualized voice-enabled virtual assistant.

Rogers Insurance is constantly looking to provide a great user experience for our customers and prospects, said Lloyd Freiday, vice president of Information Technology, Rogers Insurance Ltd. Were currently working with Koos Intelligence on its Olivo AI technology to expand our reach and improve user engagements through a digital, multi-platform solution. Koos technology greatly enhances interactions with users through the chat function due to the programs advanced language processing and speech recognition that is better able to answer a multitude of insurance-related questions.

Koios Intelligence is now integrated with Applied Rating Services, Canadas comparative rating service for insurance brokerages, and Applied Epic, the worlds most widely used brokerage management system, to bring artificial intelligence and natural language processing to simplify the insurance quoting, sales and renewal process. Brokers can integrate the voice-enabled virtual assistant with their web or phone to allow for smooth, human-like digital interactions with consumers to meet them where they are. Once data is collected via the virtual assistant, Applied Epic and Applied Rating Services work together to bring the prospect through the customer journey from quoting back to remarketing, creating digital experiences for both the prospect and broker that accelerate the sales cycle and improve customer service.

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Insurance customers and brokers alike want digital solutions to automate the manual, time-consuming challenges they face in the sales and renewal process, said Steve Whitelaw, vice president and general manager, Applied Systems Canada. Access to AI through Koos Intelligence platform voice and phone-enabled technology will enable brokers to enhance their role as trusted advisors and provide consumers with faster service when quoting.

About Applied Systems

Applied Systems is the leading global provider of cloud-based software that powers the business of insurance. Recognized as a pioneer in insurance automation and the innovation leader, Applied is the worlds largest provider of agency and brokerage management systems, serving customers throughout the United States, Canada, the Republic of Ireland, and the United Kingdom. By automating the insurance lifecycle, Applieds people and products enable millions of people around the world to safeguard and protect what matters most.

About Koios Intelligence Inc

Founded in 2017, Koos Intelligences mission is to empower the insurance and financial industry with the next generation of intelligent and customized systems that are supported by Artificial Intelligence, statistics and operational research. Combining the knowledge of our lead experts in Insurance, Finance and Artificial Intelligence, Koos is developing new technologies that redefine the interactions between insurers, brokers and customers.

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Koos Intelligence and Applied to Further Digitize Sales and Service Workflows - Yahoo Finance

Youth to get training in the field of Artificial Intelligence: Shivraj – Daily Pioneer

Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan has said that skill upgradation of youths of the state is necessary in the field of future technologies like Artificial Intelligence, Machine Learning and Electrical Vehicles. Also, in view of the ongoing development and construction works at the village level, there is a need for Mason, Plumber, Electrician, Solar Pump Technician etc. in the rural area. It is necessary to train rural youths in these areas.

The Centre for Research and Industrial Staff Performance (CRISP) should make serious efforts in this direction. These activities are helpful in creating employment opportunities in the state and building a self-reliant Madhya Pradesh. Chief Minister Chouhan was addressing the general meeting of Centre for Research and Industrial Staff Performance (CRISP).

Sports and Youth Welfare, Technical Education, Skill Development and Employment Minister Yashodhara Raje Scindia, Minister of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises Omprakash Sakhlecha, Minister of State for School Education (Independent Charge) Inder Singh Parmar, Chief Secretary Iqbal Singh Bains, Vice Chancellor of RGPV Sunil Gupta and Managing Director of Crisp Shrikant Patil were present in the meeting held at the residence office under the chairmanship of Chief Minister Chouhan.

It was informed in the meeting that a tie-up is being done with Microsoft for training of youth in the field of futuristic technology like Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning.

Along with this, a Centre of Excellence will be established in association with Volvo Company for training in the field of Electrical Vehicles. Students seeking employment in these areas will be provided training for 3 to 6 months from skill development centres. The target is to provide training to 4000 trainees every year.

CRISP organisation will start rural entrepreneur programme to provide self-employment to the rural youth of the state. In this, training will be given to four youths each in 22 thousand 800 panchayats. This training will focus on capacity building of Mason, Electrician, Welder, Auto Service, Solar Pump Technician. 91 thousand 200 rural entrepreneurs will be prepared in the state.

The Chief Minister gave his consent to upgrade the existing laboratories, equipment and facilities to create skilled human resource. Along with this, consent was given to develop ITI of Labour Department at par with the level of Skill Trainers Academy of 'L&T' located in Mumbai. In the meeting of the General Assembly, the proposal for starting satellite centres at Gwalior, Indore, Jabalpur and Betul was also approved. Chief Minister Chouhan said that satellite centres are useful for training rural entrepreneurs. Initially satellite centres should be developed as model centres in two districts. After that the activity should be expanded.

It was informed in the meeting that CRISP organisation is working in the fields of quality education, economic development to achieve sustainable development goals and local for vocal in the building of self-reliant Madhya Pradesh and in the fields of capacity building, livelihood, skill development, entrepreneurship development and employment generation to achieve goals of Skill India Mission. Information about the activities related to providing vocational training to school students in the National Education Policy 2020 was also given.

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Youth to get training in the field of Artificial Intelligence: Shivraj - Daily Pioneer