Daily Digest on AI and Emerging Technologies (13 November 2024)

TOP OF THE DAY

 

The Role of Governance in Unleashing the Value of Data

 

(Centre for International Governance Innovation – 12 November 2024) In 2018, the essay series Data Governance in the Digital Age anticipated some of the data governance issues that have emerged, such as surveillance capitalism and the economics of data, but did not cover data valuation in depth. Data is increasingly central to economic activity and how we make sense of the world, but it is still not valued in either national or corporate balance sheets. There is no accepted methodology to measure data’s value — value that depends on its usefulness in a particular context, which is framed by individual or societal perspectives, governance rules and regulations, and input from different stakeholders. Four themes are explored in this essay series: the current state of global data governance; different perspectives on notions of value; governance frameworks to unleash the value of data; and mechanisms for governance cooperation. – https://www.cigionline.org/the-role-of-governance-in-unleashing-the-value-of-data/

 

The Wild West of space: Can government IT tame the risks?

 

(Don Parente – NextGov – 12 November 2024) Space—the final frontier—is becoming the next battleground for IT. The insatiable demand for bandwidth is driving both government and commercial entities to look to space-based technologies for solutions. Remote sensing, global communications, and ubiquitous internet access are just a few of the promises. This new frontier offers unprecedented opportunities, but also significant risks. Like the 19th-century gold rush, this rush to space must be tempered with careful planning. The “move fast and break things” mentality of the private sector is about to collide head-on with the bureaucratic nature of government IT—and crucial decisions are at stake. – https://www.nextgov.com/ideas/2024/11/wild-west-space-can-government-it-tame-risks/400973/

Vatican, Microsoft Unveil AI-generated ‘Digital Twin’ of St. Peter’s

(James Dargan – AI Insider – 12 November 2024) The Vatican, with Microsoft’s support, created a 3D “digital twin” of St. Peter’s Basilica, allowing virtual visitors to experience the basilica’s spiritual, historical, and artistic significance remotely. Launching Dec. 1, a website and app will offer virtual views, religious service streaming, prayer meditations, and practical visitor information, while a Minecraft Education experience will let young students explore the basilica in January.  Two new on-site exhibits will showcase high-resolution images of the basilica’s interior, aiding historical preservation and highlighting its rich heritage as it marks its 400th anniversary. – https://theaiinsider.tech/2024/11/12/vatican-microsoft-unveil-ai-generated-digital-twin-of-st-peters/

 

The UK National Quantum Technology Programme: Celebrating a Decade of Quantum Discovery

 

(Matt Swayne – Quantum Insider – 12 November 2024) The UK National Quantum Technologies Showcase 2024 brought together over 2,000 industry experts and enthusiasts, celebrating a decade of quantum innovation through the National Quantum Technologies Programme (NQTP). Key announcements included £100 million in new government funding for research hubs, a collaboration between Nu Quantum and CERN, and Aquark Technologies’ successful quantum sensing trial with the Royal Navy. Industry leaders expressed optimism for quantum’s future impact on complex global challenges, with Innovate UK’s Dr. Stella Peace highlighting the importance of continued growth and collaboration. – https://thequantuminsider.com/2024/11/12/the-uk-national-quantum-technology-programme-celebrating-a-decade-of-quantum-discovery/

 

Quantum Technology Will Fundamentally Change Warfare, General Tells Indian Defense Officials

 

(Matt Swayne – Quantum Insider – 12 November 2024) India is advancing its defense capabilities with quantum technology, aiming for strategic advantages in modern warfare, as reported by Republic World. At the NTN-2024 Seminar, Chief of Defence Staff General Anil Chauhan highlighted quantum’s potential for secure communications, precision navigation, and advanced sensing. Integrating Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning into Electronic Warfare systems was also emphasized as essential for maintaining a resilient defense framework. – https://thequantuminsider.com/2024/11/12/quantum-technology-will-fundamentally-change-warfare-general-tells-indian-defense-officials/

 

SECURITY

Surge in exploits of zero-day vulnerabilities is ‘new normal’ warns Five Eyes alliance

(Alexander Martin – The Record – 12 November 2024) The cybersecurity agencies of the Five Eyes intelligence alliance (the U.S., U.K., Australia, Canada and New Zealand) issued a warning on Tuesday that hackers were increasingly exploiting zero-day vulnerabilities to access their targets’ networks. It marks a significant departure from similar advisories issued in 2022 and 2021, when the agencies warned that malicious cyber actors were exploiting older software vulnerabilities more frequently than recently disclosed ones. – https://therecord.media/surge-zero-day-exploits-five-eyes-report

TA455’s Iranian Dream Job Campaign Targets Aerospace with Malware

(Alessandro Mascellino – Infosecurity Magazine – 12 November 2024) A complex phishing campaign attributed to the Iranian-linked threat actor TA455, has been observed using sophisticated techniques to impersonate job recruiters on LinkedIn and other platforms. ClearSky Cyber Security released the report today, which outlines TA455’s methods, targets and infrastructure. – https://www.infosecurity-magazine.com/news/ta455s-iranian-dream-job-campaign/

Phishing Tool GoIssue Targets Developers on GitHub

(Alessandro Mascellino – Infosecurity Magazine – 12 November 2024) A new phishing tool named “GoIssue” has surfaced on a cybercrime forum, posing a significant threat to GitHub users and the broader software development community. This tool enables cybercriminals to collect email addresses from GitHub profiles and launch bulk phishing campaigns, increasing the risk of source code theft and network intrusions. Security analysts at SlashNext have also connected GoIssue to the GitLoker extortion campaign. – https://www.infosecurity-magazine.com/news/phishing-goissue-targets-github/

Dutch company behind Hannaford, Stop & Shop says cyber issue affecting US network

(Jonathan Greig – The Record – 12 November 2024) A cyberattack on the parent company of several prominent U.S. supermarkets is causing issues at stores across the country. The Dutch company Ahold Delhaize released a statement on Friday warning that it recently discovered a cyberattack within its U.S. network. It is the parent company of Stop & Shop, Hannaford, Food Lion, and Giant Food, and has more than 2,000 stores across the country. – https://therecord.media/dutch-company-stop-shop-hannaford-cyber

Delta, Amazon confirm vendor breach as dark web posts revive MOVEit leak concerns

(Jonathan Greig – The Record – 12 November 2024) Delta and Amazon confirmed this week that employee data was stolen from a vendor through a vulnerability in the MOVEit file transfer tool. A Delta spokesperson told Recorded Future News that an investigation confirmed the data is internal directory information originating from a third party partner but not from the company’s own systems. – https://therecord.media/delta-amazon-vendor-breach-confirmed

North Korea Hackers Leverage Flutter to Deliver macOS Malware

(James Coker – Infosecurity Magazine – 12 November 2024) North Korean hackers are embedding malware within Flutter applications to target macOS devices, according to a new analysis by Jamf. The security firm said it was the first time it has observed threat actors use the Flutter framework to target macOS. Flutter is a framework developed by Google to simplify app design for cross-platform applications. – https://www.infosecurity-magazine.com/news/north-korea-hackers-flutter-macos/

Energy Giant Halliburton Reveals $35m Ransomware Loss

(Phil Muncaster – Infosecurity Magazine – 12 November 2024) Energy services supplier Halliburton has revealed that an August ransomware breach cost the firm $35m, highlighting the major financial impact of cyber-threats. The Dubai-headquartered multinational, which is one of the largest providers of products and services to the energy industry – especially the US fracking sector – made the disclosure in its Q3 financials. – https://www.infosecurity-magazine.com/news/energy-giant-halliburton-35m/

FRONTIERS

 

Roofing Automated Launches AI-Powered Lead Generation System, Setting a New Standard in Roofing Lead Generation

 

(James Dargan – AI Insider – 12 November 2024) Roofing Automated launched an AI-driven lead generation and appointment system, enabling roofing contractors to automatically secure 15–20 exclusive, qualified appointments per month without manual follow-up. The system targets and nurtures leads through social media ads, automates scheduling, and guarantees exclusive leads with a pay-on-results model, minimizing risk for roofing businesses. Roofing Automated offers consultations and demos to showcase how this AI solution streamlines marketing and lead nurturing, allowing roofers to focus on closing deals and expanding their businesses. – https://theaiinsider.tech/2024/11/12/roofing-automated-launches-ai-powered-lead-generation-system-setting-a-new-standard-in-roofing-lead-generation/

 

Babylon Founder Ali Parsa Reveals New AI Assistant for Doctors with Startup Quadrivia

 

(James Dargan – AI Insider – 12 November 2024) Ali Parsa, founder of Babylon, has launched Quadrivia, a new healthtech startup that emerged from stealth with a beta version of its AI assistant for clinicians. The UK- and Jersey-registered company recently secured pre-seed funding from Swedish investor Norrsken. – https://theaiinsider.tech/2024/11/12/babylon-founder-ali-parsa-unveils-new-ai-assistant-for-doctors-with-startup-quadrivia/

 

TOPPAN Digital Language Announces the Launch of STREAM AI and Managed AI

(James Dargan – AI Insider –  12 November 2024) TOPPAN Digital Language (TDL) introduced STREAM AI, an advanced AI-driven translation platform, and Managed AI services to streamline high-volume multilingual content localization securely and efficiently. STREAM AI integrates proprietary and third-party AI solutions, offering brand consistency, human-in-the-loop collaboration, automated content preparation, and AI-driven language processing, enhancing productivity and translation quality. TDL’s Managed AI service provides expert support in AI implementation, compliance, and quality assurance, enabling clients to adopt AI with confidence for scalable and reliable multilingual content solutions. – https://theaiinsider.tech/2024/11/12/toppan-digital-language-announces-the-launch-of-stream-ai-and-managed-ai/

Talli Closes $4M Seed Round to Modernize Legal Payments Technology

(James Dargan – AI Insider – 12 November 2024) Talli raised $4 million in seed funding led by Vestigo Ventures to revolutionize payment processes for the legal industry, aiming to simplify settlements and reimbursements. Talli offers features like secure digital payments, automated compliance, fraud management, and real-time tracking, reducing administrative burdens and improving transparency. With advanced automation and an intuitive user experience, Talli addresses long-standing challenges in legal payments, setting a new standard for efficiency and financial clarity. – https://theaiinsider.tech/2024/11/12/talli-closes-4m-seed-round-to-modernize-legal-payments-technology/

Singtel Upgrades Cybersecurity with Quantum-Safe Network Powered by Palo Alto Networks and Fortinet

(Cierra Choucair – Quantum Insider – 12 November 2024) Singtel has partnered with Palo Alto Networks and Fortinet to integrate post-quantum cryptography and quantum key distribution into its quantum-safe network to further buttress enterprise defenses against current and future quantum threats. Palo Alto Networks will provide PQC IPSec VPNs for secure data transmission, using new post-quantum encryption standards to protect against quantum-enabled decryption, while Fortinet will support QSN’s development with quantum-resistant PQC software and hardware for enterprise security. ID Quantique’s Clarion KX platform, which combines PQC and quantum physics-based security, will manage hybrid cryptography on Singtel’s QSN, ensuring cost-effective and secure quantum key distribution for large-scale deployments. These partnerships, along with prior collaborations with Cisco, Fortinet, and Nokia, strengthen Singtel’s QSN and support enterprises with secure, scalable, and flexible solutions designed to safeguard critical data. – https://thequantuminsider.com/2024/11/12/singtel-upgrades-cybersecurity-with-quantum-safe-network-powered-by-palo-alto-networks-and-fortinet/

Researchers Demonstrate Controlled Transfer of Atoms Using Coherent Tunneling Between ‘Optical Tweezers’

(Matt Swayne – Quantum Insider – 12 November 2024) Researchers at Technion used quantum tunneling between optical tweezers to transfer atoms from one location to another, publishing the results in in Science Advances. By adjusting the spacing in a linear array of three optical tweezers, the team controlled the tunneling rate, smoothly transferring atoms between the two outer tweezers with minimal probability of finding them in the center. This innovative technique, supported by the Israel Science Foundation and other organizations, could advance new quantum platforms. – https://thequantuminsider.com/2024/11/12/researchers-demonstrate-controlled-transfer-of-atoms-using-coherent-tunneling-between-optical-tweezers/

Quantum Machine Learning Model Improves Blood Flow Imaging for Precision Diagnostics

(Cierra Choucair – Quantum Insider – 12 November 2024) A study from the Beijing University of Technology, Beijing Science and Technology Project Manager Management Corporation Ltd, and the University of Nottingham introduces a hybrid quantum–classical model that integrates variational quantum algorithms with 3D CNNs to improve the accuracy and stability of Laser Speckle Contrast Imaging (LSCI) for blood flow imaging. By replacing traditional pooling layers with variational quantum circuits, the model retains spatial and temporal data, which reduces information loss and improves predictive performance. Initial tests using synthetic tissue models showed that the quantum–classical model outperformed classical methods by up to 26.1% in prediction accuracy. Although further in vivo testing is needed, this model could extend to other imaging modalities like MRI and CT, potentially setting a new standard for precision diagnostics. – https://thequantuminsider.com/2024/11/12/quantum-machine-learning-model-improves-blood-flow-imaging-for-precision-diagnostics/