The Briefing on Artificial Intelligence

The latest news, trends and data in AI and automation

In Data:

AI News in Numbers

80%

The percentage of all venture capital investment in AI technologies by value that was received by companies in the US and China in 2018, according to research by GlobalData. The two countries also accounted for over 60% of VC investment volume.

9 in 10

The rate of UK citizens that believe AI needs more human supervision, according to research by Qlik. In a survey of 2,000 citizens, the organisation found that 86% felt humans needed to play a greater role in supervising AI to combat issues relating to bias. The research also found that 25% felt the technology was fundamentally a force for good, although 13% felt the technology was inherently evil.

£3.1m

The average amount being invested in AI technologies by UK businesses, according to research by ABBYY. For large companies, investment averages £6.5m. However there are concerns that not enough staff training is being conducted to support investment.

64%

The percentage of UK employees that believe there should be a legal requirement for a minimum percentage of human employees versus AI alternatives, according to research by Genesys.

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2,500:

The number of people in the UK from under-represented groups that will have the opportunity to retrain and become experts in data sccience in AI thanks to a new £13.5m investment fund.

91%

The percentage of companies already using automation technologies in the UK, the US, France, Japan, India, Canada, Germany and Singapore, according to a survey of senior executives conducted by The Economist Intelligence Unit. The survey also found 79% considered automation to be most effective in complimenting human workers, not replacing them.

The Key Moments in Artificial Intelligence In Recent Months

AI Wins Landmark Poker Match

For the first time in history, AI has beaten the world's best human poker players in a multiplayer session. The AI, Pluribus, played against 5 professionals across 12 days in a match of no-limit Texas hold'em, winning a virtual $48,000 in the process.

Source: The Guardian

Chinese AI Investment Declines

Investment in Chinese AI has dropped in the first half of 2019, according to the China Money Network, raising fears of an AI winter in the country. However, experts remain optimistic about the long-term prospects, believing this is a sign of a maturing market.

Source: Verdict

EU Urged to Ban AI Social Scoring

The EU has been urged to ban the use of AI for mass surveillance and social scoring of individuals by a group of policy experts. The call stems from disputed fears that China is using AI to enact significant control via its social credit system.

Source: The Verge

Oxford to Build AI Ethics Institute

The University of Oxford has announced the receipt of its largest single direct donation "since the Renaissance", in the form of a £150m gift from Stephen Schwarzmann, a sizeable portion of which is to establish a new Institute for Ethics in AI.

Source: The Guardian

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