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Artificial Intelligence
Innovation Report
2016
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Artificial Intelligence
Innovation Report 2016
Introduction
Once the preserve of science
fiction, Artificial Intelligence
(AI) is now firmly embedded in
our day-to-day lives. Maps that
compute the optimal driving
route for a journey based on
current traffic, smart song
suggestions from Pandora,
friend recommendations, job
recommendations, product
recommendations based on
your purchase history — all
are powered by AI. Even email
spam filters, which learn to
differentiate between email you
do and don’t want to receive,
rely on a form of AI.
In recent years we’ve become
accustomed to seeing AI
referenced in business tag
lines and popular culture. In
2011 IBM Watson defeated the
world’s two best players of the
Jeopardy quiz show. In March
2016 Google DeepMind’s
AlphaGo eclipsed the 1997
achievement’s of IBM’s Deep
Blue when it defeated Lee Sedol
in a five-game match of Go. Siri
and Cortana are AI assistants we
can carry in our pockets. And yet
these achievements only hint at
the future of AI.
To understand the current
state of AI and what the future
holds, we must first split our
understanding of AI into three
definitions:
Artificial Narrow Intelligence
(ANI): Sometimes referred to as
Weak AI, this is the most limited
form of AI and this is what is
currently possible in 2016.
ANI is capable of carrying out
specific tasks brilliantly, using
a combination of advanced
algorithms, deep learning
and various other techniques
depending on the use. Often,
Natural Language processing
is employed to facilitate human
interaction.
This AI is narrow because it
is incapable of carrying out
any task outside of its specific
purpose. Impressive as AlphaGo
may be at playing Go, it would
be flummoxed if you asked it for
restaurant recommendations.
Artificial General Intelligence
(AGI): Sometimes referred to as
Strong AI or Human-Level AI. At
this level, AI would be capable
of performing any task to the
standard of a human. Precisely
when AGI will be achieved is a
subject of debate, with most AI
specialists predicting it will occur
around 2040.
To reach AGI requires hardware
comparable to the human
brain, which can process
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Artificial Intelligence
Innovation Report 2016
Introduction
approximately 10 quadrillion
calculations per second on
just 20 watts of power. Such
a computer actually already
exists in China’s Tianhe-2,
which can handle 34 quadrillion
calculations per second. Spread
across 720 square meters,
costing USD 390 million, and
requiring 24 megawatts of
power, Tianhe-2 is clearly
inappropriate for the consumer
market. However, it does
demonstrate that hardware is
unlikely to be the biggest block
on the development of AGI.
Developing software that is as
advanced as the human mind
poses a greater challenge.
While such software does not
currently exist, the majority of
computer scientists believe the
most promising approach could
be to build an AI that can code
changes into itself — enabling it
to develop improvements on its
own AI. This would enable it to
become progressively smarter,
and to constantly build upon
its own intelligence with an
exponential increase in gains.
Artificial Superintelligence
(ASI): This is an AI that is
more advanced than human
intelligence. Due to the Law of
Accelerating Returns, this state
could potentially be realized in
mere days of even hours after
AGI is achieved.
The consequences of
developing ASI are, by its very
definition, unknown. This level
of intelligence would soon
be many billion times more
intelligent than the smartest
human. Because of this, it is
impossible for anyone to predict
with certainty what this leap in
technology will bring forth. An
end to global warming, a cure
to cancer, human extinction,
the end of human mortality, and
eternal agelessness are all being
considered as very possible
outcomes. Stephen Hawking
describes the advent of ASI as
a moment that “could spell the
end of the human race”, while
Ray Kurzweil believes it could
introduce a human-AI synthesis
or technological singularity that
can best be described as a form
of utopia.
This may sound like science
fiction, but if we look at the ANI
of 2016 we can already see the
impact of these developments,
most noticeably on the
workforce.
It is estimated that 50% of
today’s jobs across the globe
will be serviced by AI in 2050.
Many of the ANI examples
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Innovation Report 2016
Introduction
below already demonstrate this
movement, with repetitive, datadriven, non-social occupations
being the most susceptible to
early replacement. Roles that
require lateral, creative thinking,
empathy or social sensitivity are
the hardest to automate. ANI
is already advanced enough to
handle a wide spectrum of jobs,
from creating nutritious vegan
“meat” to predicting the success
of a startup.
For approximately the next 25
years, ANI innovations will be
restricted to carrying out specific
tasks, or a defined group of
specific tasks. Processing
jobs considered complex
to the human brain — such
as advanced mathematical
calculations — will be easy work
for an ANI. Conversely, it’s often
the most mundane tasks — for
example, differentiating between
a picture of a dog and a cat—
that remain incredibly complex
for our current generation of
ANI. As computer scientist
Donald Knuth explains, “AI has
by now succeeded in doing
essentially everything that
requires ‘thinking’ but has failed
to do most of what people and
animals do ‘without thinking.’”
Until AGI is achieved, ANI is
reliant on machine learning
algorithms which require huge
data sets and an adaptation of
our natural world to be capable
of comprehension. In the words
of John Martinis, a quantum
physicist currently working at
Google, “machine-learning
algorithms are really kind of
stupid. They need so many
examples to learn.” The ANI
examples below are only able
to perform their specific tasks
because humans have already
adapted the natural environment
for them. X.ai may be able to
take the pain out of scheduling
meetings, but it can only do so
if everyone keeps their digital
calendar up to date and attaches
the necessary information.
Until AGI or near-AGI is achieved
this adaptation of environments
will remain a necessity. But as
is evident in McCann Japan’s
recent appointment of an AI
as Creative Director, this gap
between ANI and AGI is closing
fast.
CHRIS KREINCZES
EDITOR & CREATIVE
DIRECTOR, SPRINGWISE
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WHAT
AIME use big data and AI
algorithms to pinpoint the
geolocation of dengue fever
outbreaks, three months before
WHO
AIME
WHERE
United States
CONTACT
www.aime.life
[email protected]
AI can predict where epidemics will
happen
AIME use big data and AI algorithms to pinpoint the geolocation of dengue fever
outbreaks, three months before they occur.
We’ve seen how
autonomous drones could
be used to protect human
populations from mosquitoborne outbreaks, and now
artificial intelligence is
predicting where human
epidemics can occur. AIME
(Artificial Intelligence in
Medical Epidemiology)
has developed a Dengue
Outbreak Prediction
platform that predicts
outbreaks of the potentially
fatal disease three months
in advance.
The AI algorithm combines
epidemiological research
with other data known
to impact the spread of
insect-borne disease, such
as population density, wind
speed and direction, rain
volume, housing types, and
more. It then calculates a
percentage of outbreak
probability in a given area.
The platform determines
the epicenter of a
spreading disease within
a 400 meter radius, and
this will be the crucial area
that health officials look to
contain and monitor.
concern to public safety,
such as riots?
Having successfully
trialled their platform with
87 percent accuracy in
dengue fever outbreaks,
the team hopes to target
other highly contagious
diseases, such as Ebola
or the Zika virus. Could
AI algorithms be used to
predict other scenarios of
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WHAT
Using AI to find audiences for
new content, smart video tech
company Unreel Entertainment
launches Unreel.me, a platform
WHO
Unreel Entertainment
WHERE
United States
CONTACT
www.unreel.me
[email protected]
Tool for build-your-own video streaming
sites
Using AI to find audiences for new content, smart video tech company Unreel
Entertainment launches Unreel.me, a platform for custom-built streaming sites.
Unreel Entertainment uses
AI bot Bumblebee to trawl
the internet and social media
for the most popular videos,
making it easier for viewers
to find and share new
content. Now, with Unreel.
me, everything a user needs
to create a bespoke video
streaming site and app,
and build an audience, is
provided in one place.
automated highlight reels.
Once an Unreel.me site is
live, the Bumblebee bot
begins including the new
content in its analysis and
suggestions to viewers.
Content owners can choose
to monetize their site
and create paywalls and
subscription plans. Unreel.me
also help creators advertise
and sell merchandise.
Each Unreel.me site and
app uses content uploaded
directly to the Unreel
platform, and syncs with
videos posted on social
networks. The platform
provides everything from
an easy-to-use content
management system to
time-stamped commenting
and sharing capabilities and
As part of the Unreel.me
launch, Unreel Entertainment
has raised financing for
a USD 1 million Creator
Appreciation Fund. The Fund
is offering owners of each
Unreel.me site 100 percent of
all earnings until the money
is dispersed. After that, any
revenue generated will be
split between creators and
Unreel, with content owners
retaining 85 percent of their
earnings.
Finding ways to reach
multiple audiences is a
constant challenge, and a
number of platforms are
helping content creators
aggregate the management
of their output. We’ve seen
an online tool for building
apps and widgets for multiple
devices and a platform
that helps video producers
manage content and engage
socially all in one place.
What other tools could help
content providers manage
audience and output?
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WHAT
Ross Intelligence, which is built
on IBM's super-computer Watson,
uses natural language processing
to answer legal questions.
WHO
Ross Intelligence
WHERE
United States
CONTACT
www.rossintelligence.com
[email protected]
AI lawyer speeds up legal research
Ross Intelligence, which is built on IBM's super-computer Watson, uses natural
language processing to answer legal questions.
Lawyers have to maintain
and recall vast amounts
of information in the form
of legislation, case law
and secondary cases,
and they spend up to a
fifth of their time on legal
research. But an AI app
called Ross Intelligence
could soon help with that.
The program, which is built
on IBM's super-computer
Watson, uses natural
language processing to
answer legal questions
in a fraction of the time
that it would take a legal
assistant.
To begin, legal
professionals can ask Ross
a question as they would
ask a colleague. Then the
program reads through
the entire body of law and
returns a cited answer
as well topical readings.
Ross also monitors the law
constantly to keep the user
updated about changes
that might affect their case,
so they don't need to sift
through the mass of legal
news.
Ross is already being
used by law firm Baker
and Hostetler, who will
be applying it to their
bankruptcy practice.
Could a similar program
be created for the medical
profession?
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WHAT
Algorithmic logo-makers Tailor
Brands will now generate
unlimited branding material for
companies via a subscription
WHO
Tailor Brands
WHERE
United States
CONTACT
www.tailorbrands.com
[email protected]
AI design service can automate a full
branding package
Algorithmic logo-makers Tailor Brands will now generate unlimited branding
material for companies via a subscription service.
Good design and visual
branding is no longer the
privilege of companies
with the money to pay
great in-house designers
or outsource the work. We
have already seen startups
thinking outside the box to
provide more affordable
design services. This
platform offers unlimited,
small graphic design tasks
to other startups through
a subscription package,
and Tailor Brands uses
artificial intelligence to help
business automatically
generate a logo that fits
their company. Now, Tailor
is expanding its tools by
launching Tailor Brands
Studio — an algorithmic,
automated service that
provides companies
with unlimited branding
packages on a subscription
basis.
Tailor Brands Studio will
harness data from the 13.5
million designs created by
the company's algorithms
in the past two years and
use it to offer automated
designs of logos, business
cards, printed stationary
and social assets.
Companies can sign
up for the service on a
subscription basis for USD
9.99 a month, which gives
them unlimited branding
material. The company will
add merchandise and ad
design later this year.
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WHAT
Player XP uses machine learning
to help identify constructive
feedback in mobile video game
reviews.
WHO
Player XP
WHERE
United Kingdom
CONTACT
www.playerxp.io
[email protected]
Game feedback platform uses machine
learning to filter reviews
Player XP uses machine learning to help identify constructive feedback in mobile
video game reviews.
Sifting through reviews to
find out how to improve
the video games they are
building can be a tedious
task for developers,
but a new program
for aggregating game
feedback could help.
Player XP is a review
and analysis platform for
mobile gaming.
The aggregator uses
machine learning
and natural language
processing to analyze the
reviews. It filters unhelpful
reviews or spam, showing
only constructive feedback
through its artificial
intelligence program. As
well as removing unhelpful
feedback, the platform
categorizes the data via
date published or ratings,
so more in-depth analysis
can be done.
The platform is dedicated
to mobile games, and
currently aggregates more
than 40 million iOS reviews
from 250,000 iOS mobile
games. Could machine
learning be used to help
players themselves find
new and exciting games
that fit their tastes?
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WHAT
Pefin is an artificial intelligence
financial advisor that monitors
over two million data points to
provide decisions.
WHO
Pefin
WHERE
United States
CONTACT
www.pefin.com
[email protected]
AI financial advisor makes 80 year
projection
Pefin is an artificial intelligence financial advisor that monitors over two million data
points to provide decisions.
Being well-informed and
able to view things in the
longterm can make all the
difference when it comes
to financial decisions. We
have already seen the likes
of a tech assistant using
big data to help people get
the best exchange rates,
and now Pefin can help
even more. The artificial
intelligence platform,
which is currently in Beta,
is a financial advisor that is
significantly cheaper than
its human counterparts.
Pefin uses artificial neural
networks to constantly
monitor over two million
data points, and provide
data-driven decisions
via machine learning. To
begin, customers set up
an account and connect
it to their other financial
accounts, creating a
financial profile. They then
input their long term plans
— such as having children,
buying property or going
on holiday. These can be
changed at any time. Pefin
then takes into account
inflation, taxes, market
conditions, government
rules, and even changing
daycare costs, and creates
an 80 year financial
projection. Then, whenever
anything changes, either
within the customer’s
personal finances or in
the global economy, Pefin
updates the profile and
projection automatically.
How else could AI be used
to help people plan better
for the future?
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WHAT
Chile-based NotCo replicates the
taste and texture of animal food
products using AI, biochemistry
and plants.
WHO
NotCo
WHERE
Chile
CONTACT
www.thenotcompany.com
[email protected]
Artificial intelligence uses algorithms to
make nutritious vegan meat
Chile-based NotCo replicates the taste and texture of animal food products using
AI, biochemistry and plants.
Situated at the intersection of
food and technology, NotCo
(The Not Company) used
artificial intelligence to create
the world’s smartest chef.
Nicknamed Guiseppe, the
advanced algorithm examines
the molecular structures of
meat and dairy products and
attempts to replicate them
using plant material.
The company says the
secret to creating notably
good-tasting vegan meats,
eggs, milk and cheeses is to
find plants that have similar
molecular structures. The
final product should have
almost identical flavors and
textures. When Guiseppe
creates a recipe, the
algorithm not only considers
the relative availability
of various plants, it also
tries to enhance nutrition
by including additional
sustainable ingredients.
Products available so far are
NotMilk (made from nuts, rice,
peas, linseed, and coconut),
NotHotdogs, NotChocolate,
NotMayo, with more in
development.
With animal agriculture
using nearly a quarter of the
world’s water supply and 45
percent of available land,
meat and dairy products are
especially unsustainable and
environmentally unfriendly.
By helping people eat
more healthily without
compromising flavor and
texture, NotCo hopes to lead
a revolution in sustainable
protein.
food tech has focused either
on the processes of buying,
selling and delivery, such as
paying for coffee with a smart
cup, or finding new methods
of sustainable production
— even if it is in the form of
desktop hive farms. NotCo
takes the tech directly into
the kitchen, creating recipes
designed to be used by the
average cook.
Are there other industries
that could use plant-based,
molecular-level replication to
increase sustainability?
So far, much of the work in
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WHAT
Autism Glass is a wearable,
behavioral aid that uses machine
learning and real-time social cues
to help those with autism interact
WHO
Stanford University
WHERE
United States
CONTACT
www.autismglass.stanford.edu
[email protected]
AI glasses helps children with autism read
facial expressions
Autism Glass is a wearable, behavioral aid that uses machine learning and real-time
social cues to help those with autism interact with others.
In the US, over one
million children suffer
from autism. These
children find it difficult
to recognize emotions
through facial expressions,
making social interactions
very challenging. While
patients can gain an
understanding through
behavioral therapy, this can
be both time-consuming
and expensive. Now,
Autism Glass is a wearable
aid from researchers
at Stanford University,
that uses Google Glass,
machine learning and realtime social cues to provide
those on the autism
spectrum with another
option.
To use, patients put on
the wearable glasses,
which incorporate an
outward-facing camera.
Then, the system uses
machine learning and
artificial intelligence to
understand the facial
expressions of people
the wearer encounters,
and provides cues
about their companion's
emotions in real-time.
The system records the
amount of eye contact that
takes place, which can
provide insights into the
wearer's interactions. The
wearable is connected to
a smartphone app so that
the patient, their parents
and medical professionals
can monitor and
understand their progress
and even watch back their
interactions.
Research is still undergoing
after a successful 40
person pilot study, and the
developers are currently
seeking participants on
the autism spectrum aged
6-16. We have already
seen an app that gives
users friendship advice
by monitoring their heart
rate. Are there other new
technologies that could
help autism patients better
understand the world?
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WHAT
AI-CD β is a robot that is being
treated as an actual employee in
an ad agency.
WHO
McCann Japan
WHERE
Japan
CONTACT
www.mccann.co.jp
[email protected]
In Japan, an artificial intelligence has been
appointed creative director
AI-CD β is a robot that is being treated as an actual employee in an ad agency.
Advertising and media
are often at the forefront
of new technology,
and we have already
seen augmented reality
platforms showing content
in the real world and a
virtual reality advertising
network for brands.
Now an artificial
intelligence robot, AI-CD β,
developed by Japanese
advertising and marketing
agency McCann Japan, is
set to work on providing
new creative direction for
commercials. The AI will
give input on projects,
mining and analyzing
creative databases of
adverts to find the best
commercials for products
and messages.
The AI-CD β can work
through far more
historical adverts and
commercials than any
human advertising
creative, and can therefore
aid its colleagues in the
development of ads for
clients. But the robot is
also being treated as part
of the team at McCann,
taking the title of "creative
director" and attending the
opening ceremony for new
company employees.
entertainment, including
music, movies, and TV
drama, so we’re very
enthusiastic about the
potential of AI-CD β for
the future of ad creation.
The whole company is
100 percent on board to
support the development
of our AI employee.”
How else could artificial
employees be used to
complement, rather than
compete, with human coworkers?
McCann Japan CEO
Yasuyuki Katagi said:
“Artificial intelligence is
already being used to
create a wide variety of
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WHAT
Moodbox is an emotionally
intelligent speaker system that
uses artificial intelligence to learn
to pick the best music.
WHO
Ivo
WHERE
Hong Kong
CONTACT
www.mymoodbox.com
[email protected]
Smart speaker reads emotions to play
music
Moodbox is an emotionally intelligent speaker system that uses artificial
intelligence to learn to pick the best music.
We have already seen
headphones that stimulate
nerves to let users feel
their music. Now, a new
speaker system is claiming
to use human moods to
learn what tunes users
want to listen to.
Moodbox uses its artificial
intelligence system to work
out what music users most
want to listen to. Users
interact with the Moodbox
by voice control, and
can keep a diary of their
moods using the speaker's
smartphone app. The
system can work out what
music to play by listening
to what users say and
their tone of voice. Then,
depending on the situation
or time of day, Moodbox
can make music choices,
reacting to, for example,
how the user feels first
thing in the morning, or
when they are coming
home from work.
Hong Kong baseddevelopers Ivo say
Moodbox uses an
emotional intelligence
program known as Emi.
Emi learns different moods
and plays music and
lighting accordingly. The
program uses AI to analyze
the voice of the user and
their musical preference,
then picks out the perfect
tracks from millions of
songs and lyrics. The
speakers are wireless and
fully voice-controlled, and a
number of Moodboxes can
be set up in a house and
linked together, playing
music at the same time.
How else can artificial
intelligence be used to
improve the way we listen
to and discover new
music?
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WHAT
Webpage.ly uses an algorithm
that suggests the most searchable
keywords, helping developers
optimize their sites for better
WHO
Webpage.ly
WHERE
Canada
CONTACT
www.webpage.ly
[email protected]
SEO artificial intelligence could boost
webpage ranking
Webpage.ly uses an algorithm that suggests the most searchable keywords, helping
developers optimize their sites for better ranking.
As search engine rankings
become evermore
important, companies
are hiring costly SEO
specialists to help their
sites gain more exposure
and click-throughs. But
for smaller startups that
cannot afford to hire
someone, Webpage.
ly could offer an
affordable alternative. The
subscription platform aims
to help web developers
make their sites more
searchable.
Webpage.ly uses an
algorithm that learns
how to boost contextual
webpage content over
time. It analyzes visitor
search behavior and
page rankings to suggest
keywords that enable
developers to produce
higher-impact SEO
content. While suggestions
are made by the artificial
intelligence, users will
still have the final say by
approving content for their
website.
We have already seen AI
software being used in
the workplace for a variety
of functions, from writing
personalized emails to
hiring the best team fit.
How else could artificial
intelligence optimize
workflow?
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WHAT
Val.ai is an artificially intelligent
search engine for films, which can
process natural language and
analyze thousands of variables.
WHO
Valossa
WHERE
Finland
CONTACT
valossa.com
[email protected]
Filmbuff search engine helps users find
movies they like
Val.ai is an artificially intelligent search engine for films, which can process natural
language and analyze thousands of variables.
Finding new video content
online, or searching for
films without knowing
the title can still be a
challenge, even with the
most up-to-date search
engines. That's why Val.
ai, a new video search
engine from Finnish
company Valossa, is using
an artificial intelligencepowered tool that can
analyze thousands of
variables in movies and
videos, and give more
accurate searches.
Val.ai is capable of
analyzing video streams
and identifying thousands
of themes — the artificial
intelligence looks deep
into the content, with the
company claiming their
software as "the most
advanced video analysis
platform".
The platform can examine
advanced questions
and queries to find films.
Users can type in, for
example, "show me scifi movies about space
battles and laser guns",
or "find me epic history
movies". The platform also
features a descriptive
voice-controlled search
engine for discovering
entertainment platforms.
How else can search
engines be improved to
make smarter and more
useful searches?
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WHAT
Smart Moderation uses artificial
intelligence to block spam
messages and comments on
social media.
WHO
Smart Moderation
WHERE
United States
CONTACT
www.smartmoderation.com
[email protected]
Artificial intelligence learns to block spam
messages and comments
Smart Moderation uses artificial intelligence to block spam messages and
comments on social media.
Moderating social media
feeds or online comments
is important for marketers
and entrepreneurs, but
looking after a business’s
social media accounts
can be incredibly time
consuming. Now Smart
Moderation is bringing
intelligent automated
moderation to Facebook
and Instagram profiles.
The program uses an AI
software that understands
natural language. It
processes the meaning of
sentences, rather than just
flags for keywords, and
removes trolling or abusive
comments accordingly.
The company says the
software learns and
reviews like a human. The
dashboard lets users view
all comments from different
social pages, and can be
set to automatically hide
inappropriate comments.
Users have the option
to receive daily reports
of spam comments, and
can also switch to manual
moderation. The platform
performs more traditional
spam-blocking tasks too,
such as clearing adverts.
digital profiles?
We have seen artificial
intelligence being used
to turn spreadsheets into
written reports and clean
up inboxes. How else can
smart online programs
streamline the process
of managing businesses'
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WHAT
Test4startup uses an algorithm
to test business idea strength
in current markets and against
competitors, generating feedback
WHO
Test4startup
WHERE
Russia
CONTACT
www.test4startup.com
[email protected]
AI algorithm predicts startup success
Test4startup uses an algorithm to test business idea strength in current markets
and against competitors, generating feedback and advice.
We’ve seen how algorithms
are being used to help
build strong startup teams,
and now Test4startup can
help founders test the
'successability' of their
actual idea using artificial
intelligence software.
Users begin by
uploading an overview
of their business
aims. Test4startups
then implements a
keyword-based analysis
that aggregates
information relative to
the specific market,
providing infographics
of competition, trends
and pricing variation.
Test4startups algorithm
is then able to provide
recommendations based
on how a product or
service compares to others
— recommending a price
reduction, for example.
Startups can test their
products and business
ideas from USD 10, or for
USD 15, they can also
receive feedback from
focus group professionals.
How else could algorithms
be used to analyse context
and provide feedback?
18
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WHAT
The Deep Neural Network
software helps quadcopter drones
identify trails and paths, and lead
them to lost or injured hikers.
WHO
University of Zurich
WHERE
Switzerland
CONTACT
www.uzh.ch
[email protected]
Drones better than human rescuers at
following mountain pathways
The Deep Neural Network software helps quadcopter drones identify trails and
paths, and lead them to lost or injured hikers.
Every year in Switzerland,
emergency centers
respond to around 1,000
call outs for lost and
injured hikers. It can often
take hours and significant
manpower to locate lost
mountaineers, but new
software for quadcopter
drones is making the hunt
quicker and easier, and has
the potential to help find
human survivors in disaster
zones around the world.
uses the algorithm to learn
trails and paths through
a pair of small cameras,
interpreting the images
and recognizing man-made
pathways. Even when
working on a previously
unseen trail, it was able to
guess the correct direction
in 85 percent of the cases.
The drones' speed and
accuracy make them more
effective than human
trackers.
areas to minimize risk to
human workers, and its
AI can identify paths and
avoid crashing without any
human involvement.
The drone uses a
computer algorithm
called a Deep Neural
Network. The program was
developed by researchers
at the University of Zurich
and the Dalle Molle
Institute for Artificial
Intelligence. The drone
The researchers hope that
eventually multiple small
drones could be combined
with human search and
rescue missions, to cover
more terrain and find
people faster. The drones
can cover terrain quickly
and check hazardous
We've already seen
ambulance drones helping
citizens give lifesaving
procedures before
professionals arrive. How
else can drones and robots
help rescue workers save
more lives?
However, the developers
say the technology is still
in its early stages, with new
software R&D required to
make the drones able to
identify human targets and
relay this back to rescue
teams.
19
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WHAT
MurdochBot uses IBM's sentiment
algorithm, Sky TV viewer data
and users' conversations to offer
entertainment recommendations.
WHO
MurdochBot
WHERE
United Kingdom
CONTACT
www.talkingquickly.co.uk
[email protected]
Bot suggests TV shows based on group
chats
MurdochBot uses IBM's sentiment algorithm, Sky TV viewer data and users'
conversations to offer entertainment recommendations.
Instant messaging app
Telegram is growing in
popularity with its multiplatform integration
and encrypt-able P2P
messaging. Telegram
programming has an open
API so users can add bots
into chats, and one such
feature is MurdochBot,
which hopes to suggest TV
shows users will like.
Murdochbot is an AI
protocol that uses
sentiment-analyzing
algorithms developed
by IBM, in combination
with Sky TV’s archive of
viewer data. Users first
add MurdochBot into
any conversation, and it
will ask them a few basic
questions about their
favorite TV shows. The bot
then monitors the content
to understand not only
what kind of shows users
will like, but also in what
context and times they
would like to hear about
them, learning more as
conversations develop.
Founder Ben Dixon
believes that analyzing
natural conversations
will give businesses a
better idea as to what
consumers want. Unveiled
at the TechCrunch Disrupt
London Hackathon this
year, Murdochbot has yet
to reveal development
plans.
eclipse social media by
offering more personal
connectedness, a new
space is created for datamining and delivering
content. How could
companies make the
most of this opportunity,
while providing users
with autonomy over their
privacy?
As instant messaging
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WHAT
Kinetic, in partnership with
Formula E, are developing
driverless cars that will use AI to
compete in races from 2016.
WHO
Roborace
WHERE
France / United Kingdom
CONTACT
www.roborace.com
[email protected]
Formula E announce first driverless car
championship
Kinetic, in partnership with Formula E, are developing driverless cars that will use AI
to compete in races from 2016.
There has been much
talk about driverless cars,
and we're seeing an
abundance of assistive
driving technology, such
as this software for carto-car communication. To
demonstrate just what
driverless cars are capable
of, electric vehicle racing
series Formula E have
partnered with Kinetik to
announce the world’s first
driverless car race.
The Roborace, scheduled
for the 2016/17 season, will
involve ten teams using
the same basic driverless
vehicles — the challenge
will be in developing the
competitive software.
Teams will develop artificial
intelligence that must
be capable of dealing
with real-time obstacles,
overtaking maneuvers,
and weighing up risk and
reward scenarios. The
races will take place on
Formula E circuits in major
cities around the world,
with the aim of showcasing
the performance and ability
of driverless technology
in the extremes of speed
and risk. Besides the
professional teams, at
least one team is to be
crowdsourced.
How else can autonomous
robotics be applied to
sports?
Further details are set to
be announced in early
2016. First person drone
racing has already been
around for over a year.
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WHAT
Automated Insights have
developed a free system that can
analyze data to write personalized
reports.
WHO
Automated Insights
WHERE
United States
CONTACT
www.automatedinsights.com
[email protected]
Software turns spreadsheets into written
reports
Automated Insights have developed a free system that can analyze data to write
personalized reports.
A new offering from
Automated Insights will
analyze data and write
personalized reports.
The service, called
Wordsmith, is currently in
private beta and already
being used by giants like
Yahoo!, Comcast, Samsung
and others. To begin, users
first upload a spreadsheet
or an alternative form
of numerical data. The
system will then convert
the individual fields into
variables, which are
used populate a text
template. Users can also
apply rules to the data
to create certain phrases
or sentences within the
text. For example, if a
number is greater than a
certain value, a specific
set of words can be used.
Namely, if the sales from
this month’s datasheet
were greater than last
month’s, words like “It was
another great month” can
be inserted. The users will
still have to know which
data correlates to which
information, but once the
various rules are preset,
the task will become much
more streamlined.
administrative tasks can be
automated through similar
innovations?
We have already seen an
AI-powered tool that can
turn legal contracts into
simple visual charts, and
a service that will share a
post on multiple platforms
with one action. What other
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WHAT
Moov Now is a wearable fitness
tracker and AI personal trainer,
which identifies exercises by
measuring movement within 3D
WHO
Moov
WHERE
United States
CONTACT
www.welcome.moov.cc
www.twitter.com/GetMoov
Multi-sport wearable coach offers
intuitive motivation
Moov Now is a wearable fitness tracker and AI personal trainer, which identifies
exercises by measuring movement within 3D space.
The future of wearables
is becoming increasingly
smart and personal, with
devices able to recognize
and track multiple
exercises and offer useful
feedback. Moov Now
takes these abilities to the
next level: the wearable
fitness tracker and AI
personal trainer can help
users train for five different
sports, by measuring their
movements within 3D
space.
Moov Now is the next
generation of Moov's
hugely successful fitness
wearable, which can be
used to enhance training
for running, swimming,
cycling, boxing and a
seven minute bodyweight
workout. To begin, users
sync the wristband with
their smartphone or tablet.
They select their chosen
exercise and the device
monitors their first few
work outs, then places
them on a level: running
for example has 69
different levels depending
on fitness and goals.
The wearable then uses
a 9-axis Omni Motion™
sensor — combining
an accelerometer,
a gyroscope and a
magnetometer — to
capture the wearer's
motions in 3D. An
algorithm will then
processes the data,
allowing the band to
measure speed, stride
cadence, elevation,
velocity, impact and more
depending on the activity.
Moov Now, like its
predecessor, has an inbuilt
coach, who offers real
time feedback by talking
to the user during their
workout, motivating them
and safely pushing them
towards goals. Users who
prefer to workout to music
can integrate the app with
Spotify so that they can
enjoy both.
Could these capabilities
be used for professional
sports or dance, too?
23
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WHAT
Beagle is an AI-powered tool
that translates contracts from
elusive legal language into
comprehensive visual summaries.
WHO
Beagle
WHERE
Canada
CONTACT
www.beagle.ai
[email protected]
AI tool turns complicated legal contracts
into simple visual charts
Beagle is an AI-powered tool that translates contracts from elusive legal language
into comprehensive visual summaries.
We have seen a host of
work related apps that
aim to make tedious office
tasks more approachable
— there is a plugin that
can find files without
knowing the title, and
a tracking tool which
analyzes competitors
online strategies.
Joining this is Beagle, an
intelligent contract analysis
tool which provides
users with a graphical
summary of lengthy
documents in seconds. It
is a time-saving tool which
translates complicated
documents from elusive
legal language into
comprehensive visual
summaries.
The Beagle system is
powered by self-learning
artificial intelligence
which learns the client's
preferences and adapts
accordingly. Users begin
by dropping in a file into
the app. The AI — trained
by lawyers and NLP
experts — then converts
the information into a
single page document. It
processes the contract at a
rate of one page per 0.05
seconds and highlights
key information, displaying
it in easy to read graphs
and charts. The system
also comes with built-in
collaboration tools so
multiple users can edit and
export the files.
What other timeconsuming work tasks
could be made more
efficient by artificial
intelligence systems?
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WHAT
Snips uses big data and AI to
learn users' smartphone habits
and automate their interactions
with their devices.
WHO
Snips
WHERE
France
CONTACT
www.snips.net
[email protected]
Context-aware interface will automatically
launch the right app at the right time
Snips uses big data and AI to learn users' smartphone habits and automate their
interactions with their devices.
Most people interact
with their smartphones
in recurrent routines —
consistently launching
their weather app first
thing in the morning, or
always booking an Uber
after checking Citymapper
late at night. Snips is
an intelligent interface
for smartphones which
will learn these regular
behaviors and perform
them automatically,
enabling the user to
access the information and
services they need without
having to search for them.
Snips employs big data
and AI to monitor and
analyze the smartphone
habits of users — learning
their patterns and enabling
faster, more ubiquitous
access to services.
Their aim is to make
the technology work
for consumers without
the need for conscious
interaction: to make
technology more contextaware and therefore much
less visible. We have seen
other platforms — such
as IFTTT — which enable
customers to automate
online tasks via creative
'recipes', but Snips takes
this to the next level by
automating the whole
process.
could Snips' AI be used
to improve consumer's
experiences?
Snips is currently in
Beta and is welcoming
participants. How else
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WHAT
Orbital Insight are using big data
and satellite images to monitor
forests and discover threatened
areas before illegal logging takes
WHO
Orbital Insight
WHERE
United States
CONTACT
www.orbitalinsight.com
[email protected]
AI startup spots deforestation from the
sky — in time to stop it
Orbital Insight are using big data and satellite images to monitor forests and
discover threatened areas before illegal logging takes place.
We have seen a number of
initiatives — such as Supply
Change — determined
to curb deforestation
by putting pressure on
businesses to adjust their
supply chains. Taking
another tack, startup
Orbital Insight are using
big data and satellite
images to monitor forests
and discover threatened
areas before any illegal
deforestation is allowed to
take place.
Orbital Insight have
collaborated with Global
Forest Watch on a system
which monitors and
recognizes suspicious
changes, such as extensive
new road building, around
forests. Once a threatened
area has been identified,
alerts are published
on the Global Forest
Watch website, which
local people and other
conservation organizations
use as a resource. The
hope is that, by flagging up
worrying developments in
good time, the system can
help to reduce the huge
areas of forest destroyed
illegally every year.
the better it will become at
its job. Orbital Insight also
use their technology to
help corporations predict
global trends. How else
could companies like
Orbital Insight use their
satellite images for good?
The AI system is using
deep learning to develop
its understanding of
warning signs — meaning
that the longer it monitors
the globe, the more
patterns the neural
network will recognize, and
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WHAT
CircleBack manages users'
address books, filling in missing
details and updating records
when their contacts' information
WHO
CircleBack
WHERE
United States
CONTACT
www.circleback.com
[email protected]
AI contact manager keeps users' digital
address books up to date
CircleBack manages users' address books, filling in missing details and updating
records when their contacts' information changes.
Most contact lists are
shockingly out of date
— an average of 25
percent of numbers and
email addresses stored
in people's digital contact
books are no longer in
use. In business, this
can be a very expensive
mistake. Helping to
solve this, CircleBack is
a simple app which uses
artificial intelligence and
crowdsourced data to
enable users to keep their
business and personal
contacts up to date.
CircleBack is a simple
platform for individuals
and businesses that
manages users' address
books, automatically
deleting duplicate
contacts, filling in missing
details and updating
records when a contact's
information changes. To
begin, individual users
download the app or sign
in online. The platform
then connects with a
range of social networks,
including Facebook and
LinkedIn, to collate the
user's contacts and creates
a single, secure, cloudbased address book which
they can access anytime
from any device. Users can
also sync CircleBack with
their Gmail account using
ContactSaver, converting
email signatures into
usable information.
The platform's artificial
intelligence engine then
continuously processes
billions of data points to
determine whether contact
information is accurate
and up to date. CircleBack
already has a database of
over half a billion members
from the global business
community, but since the
information comes from the
user base itself, the more
people who use CircleBack
the more accurate it
will become. CircleBack
processes contacts
anonymously to ensure
privacy is protected.
The platform is free for
individual users and
available to businesses
for a fee. Are there other
services which could help
people to spring clean
their online data?
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WHAT
In the CoWriter project, a
humanoid robot is the least
advanced pupil in class — giving
struggling students someone to
WHO
Computer-Human Interaction Lab
at EPFL
WHERE
Switzerland
CONTACT
www.actu.epfl.ch
[email protected]
Teaching this robot will help children to
improve their handwriting
In the CoWriter project, a humanoid robot is the least advanced pupil in class —
giving struggling students someone to learn with and teach.
Research in AI tends to
focus on developing robots
who are more capable
and efficient than humans,
but a new study at École
Polytechnique Federale de
Lausanne in Switzerland
is doing just the opposite.
When children teach their
peers they gain motivation
and self esteem — and
ultimately they improve
themselves, all without
realizing. The CoWriter
Project has created a
robot classroom assistant
who is less advanced
at handwriting than the
most struggling students
— giving those pupils
someone to learn with and
teach.
Scientists from the
Computer-Human
Interaction Lab at EPFL
used the like-able
humanoid NAO robot in
their research with school
children aged six to eight.
NAO can be programmed
to reproduce common
handwriting errors, which
it learns from a database
of examples of children's
writing. To begin, the
child creates a word from
small magnetic letters and
the robot writes out the
word on a tablet screen.
The child then identifies
any errors the robot has
made and corrects them,
teaching the robot how to
write better and improving
their own writing in the
process. The robot repeats
the task, using algorithms
which lead to gradual
improvement. Once the
child is satisfied, they move
on to another word. The
robot can even be made
to adopt a child's specific
writing difficulties — such
as the letter F or H.
The CoWriter system is
currently in the prototype
stage, but it has been
very well received at a
primary school where it
has been used in lessons
with about 70 students.
The developers plan
to continue testing its
effectiveness and benefits
in the coming months. Are
there other applications
for a robot which enables
children to teach the skills
they are struggling with?
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WHAT
Personal Robot, the latest
humanoid AI device from
Robotbase, adds autonomous
navigation and emotion
WHO
Robotbase
WHERE
United States
CONTACT
www.robotbase.com
[email protected]
Autonomous robot is personal assistant,
cameraman and home security system in one
Personal Robot, the latest humanoid AI device from Robotbase, adds autonomous
navigation and emotion recognition to its long list of helpful capabilities.
Last year we wrote about
Jibo — the world's first
family Robot — a friendly
AI device which uses facial
recognition and natural
language processing to
offer personal assistance
in the home. Jibo is a table
top device with more than
a passing resemblance to
Pixar's endearing animated
lamp, that is programmed
to become a social and
interactive member
of the family — taking
photographs, connecting
with other smart devices
in the home, and talking
to its owners in a Siri-like
voice. Now, Robotbase
are crowdfunding their
own take on the friendly
artificial intelligence
assistant in the form of the
Personal Robot.
The Personal Robot shares
a vast number of features
with Jibo — its facial
and object recognition
capabilities, its ability to
correspond with users
intelligently, its potential
interaction with the Internet
of Things and its capacity
to provide entertainment —
changing lighting, playing
music and narrating stories
to younger users. The main
advancements on previous
devices are its ability to
move around by itself
and its ability to detect
its owner's emotions. Its
mobility and intelligent
navigation are an important
evolution, enabling it a
much greater degree of
autonomy and allowing it
to move from one room to
another as and when it is
needed. It uses mapping
and navigation algorithms
to build its own map of the
house or office and thereafter can also provide
real-time video surveillance
— adding personal security
guard to its long list of
occupations.
Robotbase are also keen
to highlight the devices
potential capacity as an
office assistant — it can
access facts and data and
take meeting notes — and
are offering customized
Personal Robots with
29
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WHAT
Personal Robot, the latest
humanoid AI device from
Robotbase, adds autonomous
navigation and emotion
WHO
Robotbase
WHERE
United States
CONTACT
www.robotbase.com
[email protected]
company logo and uniform
to companies who want to
road test the office of the
future.
Personal Robot is a 4ft
upright model. Its digital
'face' displays the head
and shoulders of one
of numerous friendly
animated cartoons. The
'face' is connected to the
mobile base by a simple
white pole so that the
whole device resembles
an oversized board game
piece. As more humanoids
appear on the marketplace,
appearance and
"personality" will doubtless
become deciding factors
in consumer selection.
What other forms could
the personal robot take
to appeal to different
customers?
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WHAT
IPsoft’s Amelia is an AI customer
service agent that can accurately
detect the mood of the customer
to better deal with their request.
WHO
IPsoft
WHERE
United States
CONTACT
www.ipsoft.com
www.ipsoft.com/contact
Virtual customer service uses AI to detect
human emotion
IPsoft’s Amelia is an AI customer service agent that can accurately detect the mood
of the customer to better deal with their request.
Dealing with the customer
support department of
many companies can be
an infuriating task -- as a
recent viral recording of a
Comcast call demonstrated
pretty perfectly. But can
digital alternatives offer
an improvement? IPsoft’s
Amelia is an AI customer
service agent that can
accurately detect the mood
of the customer to better
deal with their request.
While many businesses
have already experimented
with artificial intelligence
for online web support,
it can soon become very
obvious when the 'agent'
doesn't respond in an
appropriately emotional
way, especially if the
request is an angry one.
Amelia is able to process
the natural language of
both business manuals
and the customer in need
of support. Not only can
it search those business
guides and the web for
information to help each
customer, but it also tracks
their mood and other
contextual data. This way,
if a customer is unhappy,
Amelia tailors its support to
offer greater reassurance
and works to ensure
customers end the call in a
better mood. If in any case
the issue isn't resolved,
Amelia passes the call or
chat onto a human. All
communication is stored
so Amelia can pick up each
case with reference to any
previous contact.
Detecting customers’
feelings and responding
appropriately could make
online helpdesks even
more like face-to-face
support, while helping
reduce the burden of
customer service teams
on businesses. Are
there other ways this
type of mood-detecting
technology could
help digitize human
responsibilities?
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Using natural language
recognition and artificial
intelligence, Russia's IO is an app
that learns users' preferences and
WHO
IO
WHERE
Russia
CONTACT
www.talkto.io
[email protected]
AI restaurant guide makes friendly
recommendations
Using natural language recognition and artificial intelligence, Russia's IO is an app
that learns users' preferences and chats with them to help them find restaurants
nearby.
Finding a new place to eat
with a friend or that special
someone often requires a
trawl through Google search
results or Yelp reviews,
but they're not very good
at knowing the types of
restaurants you already like.
Adding a touch of natural
language recognition and
artificial intelligence, Russia's
IO is an app that learns
users' preferences and chats
with them to help them find
restaurants nearby.
Users simply start by
typing questions into IO,
without having to fill out any
preferences up front. IO will
then begin to reply with an
easy-to-understand answer
in a friendly tone. Users can
type as if they were speaking
to a friend over text and IO
will understand what they're
saying. When recommending
a restaurant, the app brings
up all of the relevent details
-- location, description,
menu, prices, opening times
and contact details. Users
can also ask what's good
on the menu, what the
atmosphere's like and if it's
good for a date, along with
other questions they might
have. For each response,
users can let IO know if they
think it looks good, if they
want to know more info or
a different suggestion. This
way, the app learns their
preferences and can make
better recommendations in
the future. The more they use
it, the smarter it becomes.
Over time, users can save
information about their
favorite restaurants to create
their own unique collection.
Recently launched in New
York City and with plans to
expand to major European
cities, IO is part of a trend
for presenting data in a
more friendly way using AI
and machine learning, and
at times it feels close to the
vision of the future presented
in Spike Jonze's Her. Are
there other ways to make
tech user interfaces feel less
like working with a computer
and more like speaking with a
human?
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WHAT
The Grid is a site-building platform
that intelligently analyzes content
and structures it in a beautiful and
easy-to-read layout.
WHO
The Grid
WHERE
United States
CONTACT
www.thegrid.io
[email protected]
AI websites design themselves
The Grid is a site-building platform that intelligently analyzes content and structures
it in a beautiful and easy-to-read layout.
Not everyone has an eye
for good design, or the
skills to pull it off. And yet
it’s an incredibly important
aspect of any business,
especially in the age of the
web where judgments are
made at lightning speed.
Blogging platforms such
as Wordpress and Tumblr,
along with WYSIWYG, doit-yourself builders, have
made website creation
much easier in the last few
years, but they still require
a ton of human input and
control. We recently wrote
about Tailor, which uses
AI to create contemporary
branding, The Grid is a
site-building platform
that intelligently analyzes
content and structures it
in a beautiful and easy-toread layout.
The service enables
customers to choose a
‘layout filter’ — essentially
a theme — for their
site, but rather than
content slotting into that
design, the design shifts
dependent on the content.
For example, the system
analyzes images for color
and alters the color of the
caption box to a shade
that’s complementary to
both the image and the site
theme. Images can also be
cropped to perfectly frame
the content through facial
and object recognition,
as well as automatically
resized and programmed
for responsive design.
The Grid also asks users
to define a purpose for
their site — whether it’s
to gain more followers,
sell a product or display a
portfolio, among others.
The layout is then adapted
for each objective. Each
theme can automatically
pull in related links and
content from the web
depending on keywords
in post text. The layout
also shifts dynamically to
emphasize new content, as
well as posts that are being
shared on social networks
or are linked to trending
stories.
According to the creators,
33
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WHAT
The Grid is a site-building platform
that intelligently analyzes content
and structures it in a beautiful and
easy-to-read layout.
WHO
The Grid
WHERE
United States
CONTACT
www.thegrid.io
[email protected]
a Wordpress site takes on
average 18 hours to build
and customize. The Grid
can create an equivalent
site in 3 minutes, although
users need to be happy to
surrender some creative
control over to a robot.
Although the concept uses
artificial intelligence — and
in some cases machine
learning — to tailor sites to
each user, there’s always
a real designer on hand
to ensure layouts don’t
go rogue and create a
design that looks awkward
to human eyes. For those
who want to try it out,
the service will cost USD
25 a month, which is
good for creating up to
7 sites. Are there other
ways that AI could make
content production and
presentation an easier and
less time-consuming task?
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WHAT
Looking to engage young people
with politics, Ask Amy is an app
that uses artificial intelligence to
provide kids with answers to their
WHO
Tell Me About Politics campaign
WHERE
United Kingdom
CONTACT
www.askamy.net
www.tellmeaboutpolitics.com/
Through app, kids ask questions about
politics via text
Looking to engage young people with politics, Ask Amy is an app that uses artificial
intelligence to provide kids with answers to their questions about the subject.
While general elections in
the UK typically receive a
moderate voter turnout —
usually above 60 percent
— there’s still widespread
disaffection with politics
and voter numbers have
been dropping since the
1950s. Young people
especially aren’t engaged
by political activity in
their region and learning
about it isn’t mandatory
in schools. Now a new
campaign in the country is
looking to change this with
Ask Amy, an app that uses
artificial intelligence to
provide kids with answers
to their questions about
politics.
Designed by the Tell Me
About Politics campaign,
Ask Amy is designed to
look just like a messaging
app such as WhatsApp,
and users can send any
message they like at any
time of the day. Amy —
who is powered by natural
language processing and
artificial intelligence — is
able to make sense of
the question or concern
and deliver relevant and
unbiased information in a
friendly way. Rather than
plain text messages, Amy
is also capable of pulling
up images, videos and
even interactive content.
For example, a young
person could tell Amy
that they don’t see the
difference between each
of the parties they can vote
for, and they’ll receive a
prompt to take a Buzzfeedstyle quiz to determine
which one best represents
their views.
Ask Amy has already
been trialled among
young voters. While the AI
perhaps gives attentionbereft youngsters instant
replies to their questions,
could this kind of app
benefit from using real
people to provide more
tailored advice to potential
voters?
35
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At a Glance
WHAT
x.ai is a service that enables busy
people to task an AI personal
assistant to deal with the tedious
back and forth involved in
WHO
x.ai
WHERE
United States
CONTACT
www.x.ai
www.x.ai/contact
AI robot called Amy will politely arrange
meeting requests with your co-workers
x.ai is a service that enables busy people to task an AI personal assistant to deal
with the tedious back and forth involved in organizing a meeting.
To-do apps are a popular
way to ensure that our
increasingly busy lives stay
organized, but they can
become so sprawlingly as
to actually take up time
themselves. We recently
wrote about Timeful, which
uses smart suggestions
to help users plan their
day more effectively, and
now x.ai is a service that
enables busy people
to task an AI personal
assistant to deal with the
tedious back and forth
involved in organizing a
meeting.
Many people will be
familiar with the difficulty
of arranging a time and
place that's good for both
or all parties wanting to
have a get-together. With
x.ai, anyone can hand
over the boring task of
negotiating the details
when a colleague requests
a meeting. Users simply
reply to the original
message while CCing in
the email address of 'Amy'
— [email protected] — making
sure to include a Siri-style
request such as 'Amy,
please find a time for me
to meet with [colleague]
on Wednesday'. Amy uses
information from the user's
calendar to find a time slot
and location that matches
the request and creates an
email in natural language
as a proposition to the
colleague.
Amy also takes
into account preset
preferences such as Skype
and Google Hangout
availability and favored
locations when negotiating
with other parties. For
example, if the colleague
asks to meet at their office,
Amy will politely ask if
there's a chance it could
take place at the user's
office instead. The emails
continue back and forth
until an agreement is met.
Amy then sends a meeting
invitation to both parties
that they can add to their
calendar.
x.ai is capable of arranging
meetings between up to
5 people, and also works
36
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At a Glance
WHAT
x.ai is a service that enables busy
people to task an AI personal
assistant to deal with the tedious
back and forth involved in
WHO
x.ai
WHERE
United States
CONTACT
www.x.ai
www.x.ai/contact
if the other party uses the
service. In this case, there
isn't even any dialogue
and the arrangement is
automatically worked
out according to the
calendars of each user.
Multiple calendars can be
added — both business
and personal — to ensure
meetings don't eat into
leisure time. Customers
can even change the name
of the assistant if they don't
like Amy.
x.ai requires no installation
-- simply email the address
to get set up -- and is
currently free to use,
although the team say a
subscription fee may be
added at some point in
the future. Are there other
ways to leverage AI to do
some of the more menial
human tasks?
37
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At a Glance
WHAT
By trawling traces of their online
activity, Eterni.me wants to
reconstruct people's personalities
with an artificially intelligent
WHO
Marius Ursache (MIT Entrepreneurship Development Program)
WHERE
United States
CONTACT
www.eterni.me
[email protected]
AI resurrector lets people Skype their
dead relatives
By trawling traces of their online activity, Eterni.me wants to reconstruct people's
personalities with an artificially intelligent version that friends and family can 'chat'
to after they're gone.
The death of a loved one
is an irreparable loss, but
tokens of the departed can
help grievers to remember
what it was like when they
were alive and appreciate
their existence. While
projects such as DNA
Memorial enable future
generations to learn more
about their passed relatives'
genetic makeup, a new
startup called Eterni.me
is going much further. By
trawling traces of their online
activity, the company wants
to reconstruct people's
personalities with an
artificially intelligent version
that friends and family can
'chat' to after they're gone.
The uncanny idea — which
bears a striking resemblance
to an episode of the UK's
Black Mirror science fiction
series, which explores the
dark implications of digital
technology — collects
together chat logs, text
messages, emails and
social media posts from
the deceased and uses
algorithms and artificial
intelligence to present what
is essentially a chatbot that
resembles that person's
online persona. Although the
project — which has come out
of the MIT Entrepreneurship
Development Program — is
still in its early stages, users
will be able to speak or type
questions and prompts to an
avatar of their dead relative,
who will respond with
information gleaned from
their online past. According
to its creators, the concept
is less about ressurrecting
the dead and more about
unlocking the memories
hidden in the trails of their
internet usage. If that sounds
creepy, Eterni.me CEO Marius
Ursache recently assured
Fast Company: "We're very
aware we're not creating
a digital clone or anything
creepy."
Eterni.me's essential aim
is to lessen the impact of
death and ensure that people
are remembered after they
die — something everyone
hopes for. It also taps into a
wider trend for dealing with
the masses of social media
data that's left after we're
gone. Are there other ways to
create tributes to friends and
family members using the
memories they leave behind?
38
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At a Glance
WHAT
Tempo is a smart calendar
app from SRI International that
uses artificial intelligence to
make users' schedules more
WHO
Tempo AI
WHERE
United States
CONTACT
www.tempo.ai
[email protected]
Personal calendars given an artificial
intelligence makeover through iPhone app
Tempo is a smart calendar app from SRI International that uses artificial intelligence
to make users' schedules more manageable.
Calendar management
has become a perennial
challenge for many people
in today's time-strapped
world, but the basic model
for such apps – in most
cases, the simple paper
calendar – has changed
little over the years. Enter
Tempo, a smart calendar app
from SRI International that
uses artificial intelligence to
make users' schedules more
manageable.
Launched by California-based
Tempo AI, a spinoff of SRI,
the Tempo Smart Calendar
is a mobile productivity app
that analyzes data from a
user’s mobile calendar and
applies artificial intelligence
and machine learning to
enhance meetings and
events throughout the day.
Specifically, it's designed
to find and neatly organize
in context everything the
user needs to be fully
prepared, including contacts,
relevant emails, and related
documents. Tempo can
handle the passcodes for
dialing into conference calls,
for example; it can also open
Word, Excel, PowerPoint
and PDF documents in
preparation, as well as
browsing attendees' LinkedIn
profiles and scouting
locations with Foursquare
and Yelp. In addition, Tempo
can find meeting locations
along with driving directions,
nearby parking, and
estimated drive time. Users
can even send a preset email
or text if they find themselves
running late. Perhaps best
of all is that the more Tempo
is used, the more fine-tuned
and personalized it becomes
because it learns and
recognizes patterns to make
better suggestions over time.
The company explains:
“Using Tempo Smart
Calendar is like having a
personal assistant prepare
for what’s next – not
only providing the right
information, but anticipating
and understanding what a
user intends to do with it.
With details in the event
summary, it is simple to
quickly find information,
eliminating the issue of
hunting around other
apps, email or the browser
while trying to complete a
simple task such as finding
a meeting agenda or
someone’s phone number.”
39
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