US Copyright Office sued over rejection to grant authorship to AI model

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June 9, 2022

US Copyright Office rejects AI authorship

Stephen Thaler, founder and board chairman of Imagination Engines, has sued the US Copyright Office, including its director Shira Perlmutter for rejecting Thaler’s plea to register his artificial intelligence software as the author of an image created by it.

According to Thaler’s request, his AI software, Creativity Machine, should be legally recognized as the author of ‘A Recent Entrance to Paradise’, an image generated by the software, thus granting it copyright. Moreover, Thaler demands that he should be registered as the owner of the copyrighted image.

After his application to register his AI model as the author and him as the owner of the same was rejected twice in a row, Thaler decided to sue the Copyright Office. In a court document, he claimed that the defendants refused to register claims to the copyrighted work, which is contrary to law.

In this case, Ryan Abbott, Thaler’s lawyer, believes that the officials should set aside the refusal to register the copyright claim and reinstate the application.

However, in the latest rejection of the request by the Copyright Office, the officials reiterated that the current copyright laws do not apply to content created by artificial intelligence or any other non-human entities of that sort.

Further, the officials added that today’s copyright laws protect only the fruits of intellectual labor rooted in the creative powers of the human mind. Since the work must be created by a human being to be copyrighted, the US Copyright Office refused to register works produced by mere mechanical processes without any creative inputs from a human being.

Thaler, however, insists that the claims he made are logical and must be admitted by the US Copyright Office, even if it comes at the cost of suing them.
In the year 2020, the India Copyright Office granted co-authorship to artificial intelligence and a human author, Ankit Sahni for the now copyright-protected work of painting, Suryast. This co-authorship has set a precedent and paved the way for full AI authorship recognition.

New AI system to detect presence of Elephants in Kerala

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Dipayan Mitra

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June 9, 2022

The forest department has deployed an artificial intelligence (AI)-aided system along the highways near Thumboormuzhi, Kerala, to alert and warn travelers.

The newly developed artificial intelligence system is deployed on the Chalakudy-Athirapally-Malakkappara route to help in saving wildlife.

According to officials, the forest department and the United Nations Development Program would work together to implement the early warning system.

The system contains numerous artificial intelligence-powered cameras and a sensor-based early warning system that sends an alarm to forest department rangers’ mobile phones when wild elephants invade human habitats. This one-of-a-kind technology has been developed in partnership with Kochi-based Invendo I Technologies.

Chalakudy DFO Sambudha Majumdar said, “Presently, we are using high-definition cameras installed by the department. Only the AI software was purchased from the company. A control unit and response team to manage the wild elephant issue are already in place.”

He further added that if the camera captures images of wild jumbos within 100 meters of the Athirappilly road, the LED screen will display a red alarm.

The forest department spent 2 lakh on the trial experiment, whereas AI technology will be more expensive. Following successful testing, the agency intends to put similar warning signs in strategic areas around the Athirapilly region, where vehicle traffic is heavy due to the tourist influx.

“Once the elephant reaches near the road, warning messages will appear on the LED board in English and Malayalam with red light,” said an official. Moreover, the official added that they could also send WhatsApp messages to alert forest officers.

Earlier, a similar kind of warning system had been deployed in two-state districts, but it turned out to be ineffective.

Uber and Waymo to Deploy AI-powered self-driving trucks on the US Highways

By

Disha Chopra

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June 9, 2022

Uber Inc’s Freight and Alphabet’s self-driving trucking unit Waymo Via to enter a long-term partnership to deploy AI-powered freight trucks. The companies announced the collaboration to retrofit Waymo’s AI-powered self-driving software on Uber’s logistics and infrastructure.

For years, both companies have competed over self-driving technologies. The clashes also went to trial over Uber’s misappropriated use of Waymo’s tech. The case was soon closed in light of the giants’ settlement and license agreement. This strategic collaboration would allow companies to seek benefits from each other’s tech and logistics. Their future clientele could deploy autonomous trucks by tapping into Uber Freight services and connecting with truckers.

Trucks running with Waymo’s self-driving software would be able to cover the journey autonomously. These trucks will still require human presence because the software only covers part of the journey.

The idea is to cater to highway driving initially. An official from Waymo briefed, “It’s a natural environment to start this deployment due to the large number of highway miles, which are often the most tiring stretches for humans to drive, and which are a large opportunity to improve efficiency in the industry.”

Uber Freight’s drivers in its delivery network cover thousands of miles daily. Under the collaboration, Waymo Via will schedule billions of miles from the Uber Freight network only for its good-only capacity. They will also work together on programs such as Uber’s Powerloop, which will enable exchanges between autonomous trucks and human drivers.

Both firms emphasized the importance of a hybrid network, in which self-driving freight vehicles still require human intervention.

Bengaluru Airport introduces 10 AI-powered Robots

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Dipayan Mitra

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June 8, 2022

Kempegowda International Airport, Bengaluru introduces 10 new artificial intelligence (AI)-powered assistance robots to enhance the passenger experience.

Ten robots are now being tested to help guide visitors around the airport and answer basic questions. The AI robots were developed in partnership with Artiligent Solutions, which specializes in AI and robotics, to model the robots and also create customized passenger services software.

According to officials, after evaluating user input, the robot count will be adjusted and subsequently enhanced over time in terms of usefulness and capabilities.

Officials said that the default communication language of the robots would be English. However, they plan to include several other languages over time.

The official release mentioned, “The robots will provide a variety of services, which include providing information on the flight status, passenger convenience services, directional assistance, retail, and F&B information.”

It further added that the robots would navigate the terminal automatically and accompany travelers to their destinations. If the robot is unable to answer questions for any reason, travelers will be promptly linked to the airport support desk via video call, which will be displayed on the robot’s screen.

The robots will provide various services such as flight status information, passenger convenience services, navigational aid, retail and F&B information, and so on.

“Pre-empting passenger requirements and complementing new-age technology with a focused customer-centric team approach has been our winning combination,” said Bangalore International Airport Limited Chief Operating Officer Jayaraj Shanmugam.

Startup India Launches the NavIC Grand Challenge

By

Disha Chopra

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June 8, 2022

Startup India launches the NavIC Grand Challenge, accepting applications from 17 May 2022. It envisions the challenge to leverage NavIC services and give India a kickstart towards mapping and enhanced navigation capabilities. The NavIC Grand Challenge is a step forward to promote, encourage, and nurture innovations in indigenous geospatial offerings.

Startup India is a one-stop destination for all stakeholders to enter the startup ecosystem, interact with other venturers, exchange knowledge and learn collaborations. With this event, it aims to invite proposals to use indigenous NavIC-enabled technologies in drones. The drones shall be responsible for capturing data on possible damage to farm field topography. The technology should also be able to process the captured data and make it commercially viable.

The program is open only to relevant stakeholders and industries. All DPIIT-recognized startups, irrespective of the stage, are strongly encouraged to apply. Ideation, Validation, Early Traction, and Scaling Stage startups can apply until 31 July 2022. The relevant sectors are spanning, including areas like AI, Analytics, Automotive, Finance Tech, Design, Nanotech, Social Impact, Sports, Healthcare & Lifesciences, and many more.

The application should not only successfully design NavIC-enabled drones but also deploy them across all types of terrain. Startup India will consider all novel approaches if they offer a flexible, easily deployable, scalable, and affordable solution.

The NavIC challenge also brings several incentives for the applicants other than exposure and experience. The panel will select seven startups for Phase I, offering a grant of Rs 50 Lakhs each for six months. These startups will have to present their prototypes for further validation. In Phase II, three out of the seven startups will be shortlisted and granted Rs 100 Lakhs each for six months. This grant should cater to developing a fully functional product that can be combined with the PMFBY (Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bina Yojana) infrastructure.

Songtradr acquires AI Metadata and Music Search firm Musicube

By

Dipayan Mitra

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June 8, 2022

World’s first data-powered, full-stack music licensing platform, Songtradr, acquires artificial intelligence (AI) metadata and music search firm Musicube. Neither company provided any information regarding the valuation of this recently signed acquisition deal.

Songtradr’s portfolio of tech-enabled music solutions, which include licensing the correct music for any content, driving higher ROI, and enabling companies to quantitatively engage their target audience, has been expanded with this acquisition.

Musicube’s technology further enhances Songtradr’s B2B music solutions that use data and tech-enabled intelligence with creative excellence.

“Their (Musicube) impressive team of passionate musicologists and data scientists understand the power of data and its relationship with music, which ultimately benefits our brand and agency customers as well as music rights holders,” said CEO of Songtradr, Paul Wiltshire.

Paul further added that they require outstanding metadata enrichment technology, a crucial component of the B2B music supply chain, to have the world’s top B2B music search and recommendation technology, and this acquisition will help them achieve that goal.

Musicube’s semantic search has achieved product leadership in quality and data depth by utilizing neural networks and unique artificial intelligence.

Germany-based AI metadata and music search company Musicube was founded by Agnes Chung and David Hoga in 2019. The startup specializes in providing an artificial intelligence-powered solution that offers rich metadata to music labels, publishers, rights holders, and anyone looking for song discoverability tools. The solution’s database contains over 50 million song titles with ISRCs from all contributors and over 500 keywords.

“Songtradr is the most exciting music company we have seen in a very long time,” said CEO and Founder of Musicube, David Hoga. He also mentioned that they are overjoyed to be joining this extraordinary team of music lovers and engineers since every interaction they had has been marked by both cordiality and an ambitious objective.

AI Ethics Board resigns Axon’s ‘Dystopian’ Taser Drone Project for school surveillance

By

Disha Chopra

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June 8, 2022

The tech giant Axon recently hit a pause on its ‘Dystopian’ taser drone project that it had begun developing formally as a deterrent to school mass shootings. The project was termed to be “non-lethal and remotely-operated.” However, the AI Ethics Board aired on the side of caution and resigned that such a system would require strict monitoring and real-time surveillance.

In recent years, Axon has developed into a law enforcement software and hardware behemoth. Ahead of the mass shootings, it aimed to produce Taser-equipped drones, place them in perspective targets for school shootings, and surround those sites with surveillance cameras capable of real-time streaming.

The AI Ethics Board was briefed and deliberated about the taser-equipped drones. Nine of the twelve board members said, “After several years of work, the company has failed to embrace the values that we have tried to instill. We have lost faith in Axon’s ability to be a responsible partner.”

Despite the deposition, the board was made aware at concise notice that Axon was planning to conceptualize the idea worldwide, bypassing the vote of caution. The panel ended up with fewer members due to Axon’s recent tech decisions in the context of mass shootings.

The unanticipated series of events in the progress of Axon’s dystopian taser drone project made the company pause working on it. Axon’s CEO Patrick W. Smith penned his response, “In light of feedback, we are pausing work on this project and refocusing to further engage with key constituencies to fully explore the best path forward.”
Axon is looking forward to enhancing the drone system and hopes to be able to deploy and incapacitate an active shooter within 60 seconds of being notified.

Apple MacBook Air and 13-inch MacBook Pro revamped with the latest M2 chip

By

Sahil Pawar

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June 8, 2022

Apple introduces its latest remodeled MacBook Air and an upgraded 13-inch MacBook Pro, both of which are powered by the latest M2 chip. The chip has taken the exceptional performance and capabilities of the M1 chip even further.

M2 marks the beginning of the second generation of Apple’s M-series chips. With best in the industry power efficiency, a unified memory build, and custom technologies, this M2 chip will bring superior performance and capabilities to Apple’s most popular Mac notebooks, viz. the MacBook Air and the 13-inch MacBook Pro.

Apple’s new flagship chip inhibits a next-generation 8-core CPU with advanced developments in both performance and efficiency cores. It also features Apple’s next-generation GPU, which now has up to 10 cores i.e., two more than the M1 chip. M2 can deliver 100GB/s of unified memory bandwidth and support up to 24GB of fast unified memory. This advancement enables M2 to handle more prominent and complex workloads with the most remarkable ease.

M2 incorporates a next-generation media engine and a potent ProRes video engine for hardware-accelerated encode and decode. This design will drastically improve the speed of video workflows by allowing systems with M2 to play back more streams of 4K and 8K video as compared to earlier.

With an M2 chip, the latest MacBook Air features a 13.6-inch Liquid Retina display, up to 18 hours of battery life, a 1080p FaceTime HD camera, a four-speaker sound system, and MagSafe charging.

At the same time, the 13-inch MacBook Pro delivers excellent performance with up to 24GB of unified memory, ProRes acceleration, and about 20 hours of battery life, courtesy of M2.

IBM’s 4000 qubit quantum computer to be ready by 2025

By

Sahil Pawar

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June 8, 2022

IBM is set to follow its roadmap for achieving large-scale, practical quantum computing by announcing plans to build 4000+ qubit quantum computers by the end of 2025.

The company aims to build a modular architecture that will enable more qubits in quantum computers. Along with that, IBM is working on a software orchestration layer to distribute the workloads across classical and quantum resources.

IBM announced its quantum roadmap in the year 2020, and since then, the company has delivered on its targets on predetermined timelines. The company is set to launch IBM Osprey, a 433-qubit processor, later this year, while IBM Condor, a first-ever universal quantum processor with 1000+ cubits, will be available by 2023.

Moreover, IBM is succeeding in achieving its set goals for 2023 for developing Qiskit Runtime and other workflows built in the cloud to bring a serverless approach to the core quantum software stack, giving developers advanced flexibility and simplicity.

The serverless approach will be a pioneering step in achieving the effective and efficient distribution of problems across quantum and classical systems, creating the fabric of quantum-centric supercomputing.

According to IBM CEO Arvind Krishna, there are a few hurdles that might hinder the plans to build the 4000 qubit system. Scaling the quantum computer systems, communicating amongst them, and getting the software to work and scale from a cloud into the computers are some of the problems Krishna mentioned.

Researchers develop new Electronic Skin that can feel Pain

By

Dipayan Mitra

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June 8, 2022

Researchers from the University of Glasgow have developed a new electronic skin that is touch-sensitive and can feel pain.

A new type of electronic skin capable of feeling 'pain' could help create a new generation of smart robots and prosthetics.

The skin was developed by @RavinderSDahiya and his @BEST_UofG group at @UofGEngineering.

Read the full story here 👉 https://t.co/EE94KiwgNH pic.twitter.com/LRlHUZzEsL
— University of Glasgow (@UofGlasgow) June 2, 2022

In order to learn, the newly designed artificial skin includes a new form of processing system based on ‘synaptic transistors,’ which replicate the brain’s neural networks.

According to the researchers, it could aid in developing a next-generation series of robots with human-like sensibility.

Researchers from the University of Glasgow also released a video on YouTube demonstrating a robot hand that employs smart skin and has a remarkable ability to learn and respond to external stimuli.

The newly developed e-skin is inspired by how the human peripheral nervous system processes impulses from the skin to decrease latency and battery waste.

The researchers printed a grid of 168 synaptic transistors manufactured from zinc-oxide nanowires directly onto the surface of a flexible plastic surface to create an electronic skin capable of a computationally efficient, synapse-like response. Later, the synaptic transistor was attached to a skin sensor located on the palm of a fully articulated, human-shaped robot hand.

“What we’ve been able to create through this process is an electronic skin capable of distributed learning at the hardware level, which doesn’t need to send messages back and forth to a central processor before taking action,” said lead researcher Ravinder Dahiya.

He further added that they feel this is a significant step forward in their efforts to develop large-scale neuromorphic printed, electronic skin that can respond to stimuli correctly.

Last year, Meta AI collaborated with researchers at Carnegie Mellon to develop a kind of synthetic skin named ReSkin that can be used in robotic hands. The one-of-a-kind robotic skin can help artificial intelligence-powered robots retrieve information such as item weight, texture, temperature, and state.