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AIs are being trained on racist data – and it’s starting to show

Mar24
by on March 24, 2019 at 4:24 pm
Posted In: Around the Web, artificial intelligence, syndication


Machine learning algorithms process vast quantities of data and spot correlations, trends and anomalies, at levels far beyond even the brightest human mind. But as human intelligence relies on accurate information, so too do machines. Algorithms need training data to learn from. This training data is created, selected, collated and annotated by humans. And therein lies the problem. Bias is a part of life, and something that not a single person on the planet is free from. There are, of course, varying degrees of bias – from the tendency to be drawn towards the familiar, through to the most potent…

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AI can be trusted to take our 911 calls

Mar24
by on March 24, 2019 at 1:30 pm
Posted In: Around the Web, Podium


Your first reaction is probably no, but you should reconsider, and here’s why. 911 call centers are overwhelmed and have changed significantly since their introduction 50 years ago. Today, a long wait time could prove fatal in a life or death situation. With AI analyzing calls and texts, they can save lives by reducing wait times for urgent calls. Let’s first look at how this process works. Natural Language Processing (NLP) is a type of AI. It is the ability of a machine to understand, analyze, and generate human speech. As NLP gets more sophisticated at doing these things, there…

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CHEAP: 20% off the Blue Yeti Nano USB mic is the perfect excuse to start a podcast

Mar24
by on March 24, 2019 at 12:00 pm
Posted In: Around the Web, Plugged


Welcome to CHEAP, our brand-new series about things that are good, but most of all, cheap. CHEAP! You know how easy it is to start a podcast? Quite. And you know how easy it is now you can get the Blue Yeti Nano USB mic for only $79.99 (its lowest ever price)? Very. When we reviewed this fancy device, we referred to it as “perfect for rookie podcasters and streamers” – and that was at its full $100 cost. If you’re looking to start your own show or do some amateur recording, now’s the time to pick up the mic. Personally, I’m a…

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Why science matters so much in the era of fake news

Mar24
by on March 24, 2019 at 9:00 am
Posted In: Around the Web, syndication


Democracy and social progress die without science and fact-based knowledge. Science and facts are the foundational basis for rational and logical disputation and the possibility of reaching some truths. Fake news, on the other hand, is a calculated assault on democratic freedoms. The power of the notion of fake news and of its practitioners is demonstrated by how we have all quickly come to accept that there is a category of news called fake news. By doing so, we are running the real risk of being complicit in its legitimization. My point is: if it’s fake then it’s not news.…

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