Daily Digest on AI and Emerging Technologies (12 November 2024)

TOP OF THE DAY

 

AI and the Digital Economy Framework Agreement: Preparing ASEAN for the Next Tech Wave

 

(S. Yash Kalash – Centre for International Governance Innovation) Artificial intelligence (AI) is advancing rapidly across the globe, revolutionizing industries and transforming economies. New AI technologies are altering industries by enhancing productivity, optimizing processes, and enabling the creation of new products and services. These changes are, in turn, fuelling economic growth and have the potential to significantly improve societal outcomes. Amid this technological surge, the Digital Economy Framework Agreement (DEFA) of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) stands as a pivotal initiative aimed at integrating and enhancing the digital economies of its member states. By fostering collaboration and innovation, DEFA potentially positions ASEAN to embrace AI effectively, preparing the region for the next technological wave and ensuring its competitiveness in the evolving global landscape. – https://www.cigionline.org/articles/ai-and-the-digital-economy-framework-agreement-preparing-asean-for-the-next-tech-wave/

 

4 ways AI is improving healthcare, according to one of the world’s largest medical groups

 

(Andrea Willige – World Economic Forum – 11 November 2024) Artificial Intelligence (AI) holds great potential for the world’s overburdened healthcare systems. The World Economic Forum’s Digital Healthcare Transformation Initiative has identified the potential for it to address some of the most pressing healthcare challenges.Dr. John Halamka, President of the Mayo Clinic, discusses how AI can improve early disease detection, equitable healthcare, patient outcomes, and resource distribution. – https://www.weforum.org/stories/2024/11/four-ways-ai-is-improving-healthcare/

Quantum-Convolution Hybrid Neural Networks for Efficient ECG Analysis and Cardiac Event Detection

(Cierra Choucair – Quantum Insider – 11 November 2024) Researchers from Chongqing University and Old Dominion University developed a quantum-convolution hybrid neural network model for arrhythmia detection to improve diagnostic speed and accuracy in ECG analysis. The study demonstrates that quantum computing may be able to complete real-time analysis of high-dimensional ECG data without extensive pre-processing. Preliminary tests show that the hybrid model outperforms traditional CNNs in both accuracy and speed, successfully reducing false positives and missed arrhythmia events. Despite challenges like specialized hardware requirements and sensitivity to noise, the researchers believe quantum-enhanced models could eventually improve healthcare diagnostics, enabling efficient, precise analysis for early detection of complex medical conditions. – https://thequantuminsider.com/2024/11/11/quantum-convolution-hybrid-neural-networks-for-efficient-ecg-analysis-and-cardiac-event-detection/

 

Internet of Threats: How Quantum Technology Could Be the Key to Avoiding an IoT Nightmare

 

(Matt Swayne – Quantum Insider – 10 November 2024) Arthur Herman argues in National Interest that the Internet of Things (IoT), while enhancing connectivity and convenience, poses serious cybersecurity risks and potential national security threats. Herman highlights concerns over IoT devices from foreign manufacturers, suggesting that their vulnerabilities could allow adversaries to collect data or disrupt infrastructure. To address these risks, he recommends a multi-layered security strategy, combining conventional cybersecurity with distributed ledger technology (DLT) and emerging quantum cryptography to protect IoT networks from future attacks. – https://thequantuminsider.com/2024/11/10/internet-of-threats-how-quantum-technology-could-be-the-key-to-avoiding-an-iot-nightmare/

 

SECURITY

WEF Introduces Framework to Strengthen Anti-Cybercrime Partnerships

(Kevin Poireault – Infosecurity Magazine – 11 November 2024) The past few months have shown that collaborations between experts from the cybersecurity industry and the public sector are efficient at disrupting cybercrime. Drawing on big successes, like the LockBit takedown, Operation ‘Trust No One’ or the LabHost operation, the World Economic Forum’s (WEF) Partnership against Cybercrime released a framework to strengthen anti-cybercrime collaboration. – https://www.infosecurity-magazine.com/news/wef-framework-combat-cybercrime/

EU Ramps Up Cyber Resilience with Major Crisis Simulation Exercise

(Kevin Poireault – Infosecurity Magazine – 11 November 2024) Italy has led a simulation exercise to test EU institutions’ preparedness to handle large-scale cyber-attacks. This annual drill, the Blueprint Operational Level Exercise (Blue OLEx), involves senior cybersecurity officials from EU member states and the Commission, with the support of EU. The exercise helps cybersecurity leaders identify areas for improvement in the standardized way of responding to incidents and crises. The results contribute to the evaluation of the Blueprint for a coordinated response to large-scale cybersecurity incidents and crises, adopted in 2017. – https://www.infosecurity-magazine.com/news/eu-cyber-resilience-crisis/

Cyberattack causes credit card readers to malfunction in Israel

(Alexander Martin – The Record – 11 November 2024) Devices used across Israel to read credit cards malfunctioned on Sunday due to a suspected cyberattack that disrupted the communications services underpinning them. Customers at supermarkets and gas stations were reportedly unable to make payments due to the incident, which reports suggest lasted around an hour. As reported by the Jerusalem Post, the cause was a distributed denial-of-service attack (DDoS) that targeted the payment gateway company Hyp’s CreditGuard product. – https://therecord.media/cyberattack-causes-credit-card-readers-in-israel-to-malfunction

FRONTIERS

 

RIKEN, NTT, and Amplify Inc. Introduce General-Purpose Optical Quantum Computer

 

(Cierra Choucair – Quantum Insider – 11 November 2024) A collaboration between RIKEN, NTT, and Amplify Inc. has developed the world’s first general-purpose optical quantum computer, which is accessible through the cloud system and is designed to advance large-scale quantum calculations. The optical quantum computer operates at nearly room temperature, benefits from high-speed processing up to several hundred terahertz, and uses optical multiplexing for compact, large-scale calculations with high compatibility for networked quantum systems. The device uses a continuous-variable analog design with time-division multiplexing, where computations occur through quantum teleportation on time-multiplexed quantum entanglement for efficient multi-step quantum operations. – https://thequantuminsider.com/2024/11/11/riken-ntt-and-amplify-inc-introduce-general-purpose-quantum-computer/

 

AvePoint Launches AI Lab in Singapore to Drive Industry-Focused Innovation

(James Dargan – AI Insider – 11 November 2024) AvePoint launched an AI Lab in Singapore, supported by the Singapore Economic Development Board, to advance AI research, focusing on practical applications in sectors like education and fintech. The lab aims to develop AI-driven solutions, such as personalized academic advisors and automated KYC services, with the goal of integrating these innovations into AvePoint’s SaaS products for global market impact. The AI Lab will hire over 25 specialists and facilitate global collaboration, positioning Singapore as a hub for AI talent and creating high-value opportunities in data management and governance. – https://theaiinsider.tech/2024/11/11/avepoint-launches-ai-lab-in-singapore-to-drive-industry-focused-innovation/

 

China’s Baidu Set to Release AI-Powered Smart Glasses to Challenge Meta

 

(James Dargan – AI Insider – 11 November 2024) Baidu, the Chinese tech giant, is set to unveil a new pair of smart glasses equipped with a built-in AI assistant, positioning the product as a rival to Meta’s popular offerings. The announcement is expected to come at the company’s annual Baidu World event in Shanghai next week. According to sources, the glasses will feature the ability to take photos, record videos, and integrate with Baidu’s own AI-powered search engine, Ernie. This integration will allow users to interact with the voice assistant through the glasses. – https://theaiinsider.tech/2024/11/11/chinas-baidu-set-to-release-ai-powered-smart-glasses-to-challenge-meta/

 

Connecty AI Secures $1.8M to Solve Enterprise Data’s Three-Dimensional Problem

(James Dargan – AI Insider – 11 November 2024) Connecty AI emerged from stealth with $1.8 million in pre-seed funding led by Market One Capital, introducing its AI-powered context engine that unifies fragmented data, reducing manual data prep and accelerating decision-making for enterprises. Unlike other AI tools, Connecty AI’s platform creates a “context graph” to interpret and connect data across multiple dimensions, providing real-time recommendations, updating documentation, and enhancing workflow automation while preserving human expertise. Backed by notable investors, Connecty AI is scaling its solution to integrate with more data sources and plans to offer API services, positioning itself as a leader in AI-driven data management for complex enterprise environments. – https://theaiinsider.tech/2024/11/11/connecty-ai-secures-1-8m-to-solve-enterprise-datas-three-dimensional-problem/

New AI-based Natural Language Feature Makes Complex Searches in Dimensions Faster and Easier

(James Dargan – AI Insider – 11 November 2024) Digital Science’s Dimensions has launched a beta for Natural Language to Query (NLQ), an AI-driven feature that enables users to search its vast research database using natural language instead of complex Boolean queries. NLQ translates natural language inputs into structured Boolean queries, ensuring consistent, reproducible results and making it easier for users to preview, refine, and rerun searches across 149 million publications. This release aligns with Digital Science’s mission to innovate responsibly, complementing other AI tools like Dimensions Research GPT and Chat with PDF, enhancing the platform’s research capabilities. – https://theaiinsider.tech/2024/11/11/new-ai-based-natural-language-feature-makes-complex-searches-in-dimensions-faster-and-easier/

World’s First Wooden Satellite Launched to Test Timber’s Viability in Space

(Alyssa Lafleur – Space Impulse – 11 November 2024) Researchers from Kyoto University launched the world’s first wooden satellite, LignoSat, with the ultimate goal of building sustainable habitats in space. The satellite, made from a type of magnolia traditionally used in Japanese sword sheaths, aims to showcase timber as an alternative material for space structures. In the coming decades, Takao Doi, a Kyoto University astronaut and researcher in human space activities and his team envision planting trees on the moon and Mars, aiming for self-sustaining timber structures across extraterrestrial environments. Before this launch, the researchers spent ten months on the International Space Station testing various wood types and found Honoki to be the most suitable for space. Over the next six months, LignoSat will orbit Earth, facing extreme temperature fluctuations from -100°C to 100°C every 45 minutes. – https://spaceimpulse.com/2024/11/11/worlds-first-wooden-satellite-launched-to-test-timbers-viability-in-space/

Researchers Focus in on ‘Lightcone Bound’ To Develop an Efficiency Benchmark For Quantum Computers

(Matt Swayne – Quantum Insider – 11 November 2024) Researchers have introduced a “lightcone bound” that sets a new minimum overhead for executing quantum algorithms, offering a foundational efficiency benchmark for quantum computing. This bound minimizes the need for SWAP gates in quantum circuit mapping, which could significantly streamline the process of adapting circuits to specific quantum hardware. By reducing computational waste, the lightcone bound paves the way for more efficient quantum computing, potentially benefiting areas like cryptography and optimization in near-term quantum devices. Quantum researchers have flipped the switch on a “lightcone bound” that sets a new minimum limit on the computational overhead for executing quantum algorithms on hardware — and that, the team points out, could potentially shape how quantum circuits are optimized, among other implications. – https://thequantuminsider.com/2024/11/11/researchers-focus-in-on-lightcone-bound-to-develop-an-efficiency-benchmark-for-quantum-computers/

Researchers’ New 3D Quantum Error Correction Scheme Could Lead to More Compact Quantum ‘Hard Drives’

(Matt Swayne – Quantum Insider – 11 November 2024) University of Sydney researchers have developed a new 3D quantum error-correction architecture that enhances the reliability and efficiency of quantum computing. The architecture reduces the number of physical qubits needed for error correction, freeing more qubits for actual processing and enabling a more compact “quantum hard drive.”. This approach represents a leap in error management, scaling to correct more errors per qubit and potentially transforming quantum computing applications in fields like cryptography and complex simulations. – https://thequantuminsider.com/2024/11/11/researchers-new-3d-quantum-error-correction-scheme-could-lead-to-more-compact-quantum-hard-drives/

Toshiba Commits to a Quantum-Safe Singapore

(Matt Swayne – Quantum Insider – 11 November 2024) As a global business hub with advanced digital connectivity, Singapore is well-positioned to lead the charge in quantum-safe technologies. The 2023 Singapore Digital Connectivity Blueprint highlighted an 8.6% expansion in the Information and Communications sector in 2022, emphasizing the importance of resilience and security in a digital world. With advancements in quantum computing threatening traditional encryption methods, Singapore plans to implement quantum security technologies such as Post-Quantum Cryptography (PQC) and Quantum Key Distribution (QKD) through the National Quantum-Safe Network Plus (NQSN+). Toshiba is at the forefront of establishing a quantum-safe future for Singapore, leveraging its extensive expertise in QKD technology. – https://thequantuminsider.com/2024/11/11/toshiba-commits-to-a-quantum-safe-singapore/

Two Serial Northern Entrepreneurs Launch £15M Fund to Back AI Innovation in the UK

(James Dargan – AI Insider – 10 November 2024) EHE Ventures launched its S/EIS AI Growth Fund, targeting £15 million to support early-stage “AI-first” startups in the UK across pre-seed, seed, and Series A stages over the next three years. Led by co-founders Guy Remond and Gary Fletcher, the fund combines capital with hands-on support, partnering with The Startup Factory (TSF) to guide founders in building scalable, resilient AI-driven businesses. EHE plans to invest in 6–8 UK-based AI startups annually, with an advisory team of industry experts to help founders reshape their industries through advanced AI technology. – https://theaiinsider.tech/2024/11/10/two-serial-northern-entrepreneurs-launch-15m-fund-to-back-ai-innovation-in-the-uk/

Reliable Robotics Receives Contract to Advance Detect and Avoid Technology

(James Dargan – AI Insider – 10 November 2024) Reliable Robotics secured a contract with the FAA to conduct data collection flights of its Detect and Avoid (DAA) system, showcasing its advanced Air-to-Air Radar (ATAR) technology in airport environments. The DAA system, designed to prevent in-air collisions for uncrewed aircraft, will undergo test flights to assess alerting and maneuvering guidance. Data will inform the development of new safety standards with FAA committees SC-228 and SC-147. Collaborating with the Mid-Atlantic Aviation Partnership, Reliable Robotics will begin test flights in 2025, continuing its progress in autonomous UAS systems following previous successful uncrewed Cessna test flights. – https://theaiinsider.tech/2024/11/10/reliable-robotics-receives-contract-to-advance-detect-and-avoid-technology/

Panjaya.ai Unveils BodyTalk: World’s first AI-Powered Dubbing Platform, Combining Lip and Body Movement for Seamless Multilingual Sync, Led by Apple and Vimeo Alums

(James Dargan – AI Insider – 10 November 2024) Panjaya.ai launched BodyTalk, an AI-powered translation platform that delivers natural, synchronized dubbing, enhancing viewer experience by accurately matching lip movements, body language, and speech rhythm in any language. Used by organizations like TED, BodyTalk has led to a 115% increase in views and doubled completion rates for translated videos, meeting the demand for culturally authentic, high-quality localized content. With $9.5 million in funding from investors like Viola Ventures and GroundUp Ventures, Panjaya.ai aims to accelerate product development and expand BodyTalk’s impact across industries, promoting seamless global communication. – https://theaiinsider.tech/2024/11/10/panjaya-ai-unveils-bodytalk-worlds-first-ai-powered-dubbing-platform-combining-lip-and-body-movement-for-seamless-multilingual-sync-led-by-apple-and-vimeo-alums/

Ericsson Invests $453M in Quantum and Next-Gen Tech Research Across Canada

(Cierra Choucair – Quantum Insider – 10 November 2024) Ericsson will invest over CAD $630 million (approximately $453 million) to strengthen its R&D facilities in Ottawa and Montreal, creating hundreds of jobs and boosting Canada’s leadership in next-gen tech like 5G Advanced, 6G, AI, Cloud RAN, quantum, and network APIs. The investment supports Ericsson’s Quantum Research Hub in Montreal, advancing quantum communications, AI-powered network management, and deepening partnerships with over 20 Canadian universities. Ericsson’s partnership with Canada includes initiatives like the Net Zero challenge, with a focus on using AI to reduce 5G network energy consumption, emphasizing Ericsson’s commitment to sustainable technology and innovation for a low-carbon future. – https://thequantuminsider.com/2024/11/10/ericsson-invests-453m-in-quantum-and-next-gen-tech-research-across-canada/

Quantum Science Reaches New Heights with SEAQUE Mission to the ISS

(Alyssa Lafleur – Space Impulse – 9 November 2024) A photon detector module engineered by researchers at the University of Waterloo’s Institute for Quantum Computing launched to the International Space Station earlier this week as part of the Space Entanglement and Annealing Quantum Experiment. The SEAQUE mission, a joint effort led by the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, includes collaboration from IQC, the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, ADVR Inc., Boeing, and the National University of Singapore. It aims to build a quantum communications network that could redefine global data security and computational power. The Waterloo team spent three years developing the photon detector module, which incorporates four single-photon detectors, a multi-channel coincidence detection system, and a microcontroller—all within a compact design. – https://spaceimpulse.com/2024/11/09/quantum-science-reaches-new-heights-with-seaque-mission-to-the-iss/

Chasing Impossible Vortices: Supersolid Discovery and the Future of Quantum Technology

(Cierra Choucair – Quantum Insider – 9 November 2024) Superconducting quantum computers operate at cold temperatures to preserve qubit coherence, but this ultra-low temperature requirement limits scalability and accessibility in quantum technology. Developing quantum technology may require interdisciplinary insights from fields such as materials science, where exotic phases of matter like supersolids may unlock advances in high-temperature superconductors. Physicist Francesca Ferlaino’s team at the University of Innsbruck captured images of quantized vortices in a supersolid, an achievement that could inform room-temperature superconductor development and offer insights into the interiors of neutron stars. Supersolids, which combine properties of solids and superfluids, help reveal fundamental principles that could support more resilient quantum devices. – https://thequantuminsider.com/2024/11/09/chasing-impossible-vortices-supersolid-discovery-and-the-future-of-quantum-technology/