Comments are due May 31 on a National Institute of Standards and Technology request for information on developing technical standards for artificial intelligence, said Wednesday's Federal Register. A February executive order directs NIST to create a plan for federal engagement in developing technical standards. The agency said it will consult with federal agencies, the private sector, academia, nongovernmental entities and other stakeholders.
Forty-two percent of U.S. broadband households are interested in augmented reality-enhanced navigation applications, and 36 percent in artificial intelligence-enhanced price comparison, blogged Parks Associates Wednesday. AR familiarity among heads of households is 12 percent, 24 percent for millennials and 33 percent, Generation Z. Many unknowingly interacted with AR features through apps such as Instagram, Snapchat, Facebook Messenger and iMessage, while Pokemon Go was the first AR mobile game to receive widespread attention and adoption, said analyst Kristen Hanich. Most current residential use centers on apps for smartphones and handheld devices; AR head-mounted devices are mostly used in enterprise applications, Parks said, though in pilot stages. It anticipates AR HMDs will face "headwinds” in the enterprise space until 2025 “when improvements in technology, applications, and execution trigger widespread adoption.” About 48 million U.S. broadband households have access to Apple’s ARKit platform via iPhone, and out of all tested AR platforms, consumers are most familiar with Google Glass, which left the retail market four years ago.
Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., Sen. Cory Booker, D-N.J., and Rep. Yvette Clarke, D-N.Y., introduced a bill Wednesday to authorize FTC regulations to “study and fix flawed computer algorithms.” The Algorithmic Accountability Act targets algorithms “that result in inaccurate, unfair, biased or discriminatory decisions impacting Americans.” The law would require FTC-mandated impact assessments to identify system flaws. Companies within FTC jurisdiction and making more than $50 million a year would be subject to the law. “Too often these algorithms depend on biased assumptions or data that can actually reinforce discrimination against women and people of color,” Wyden said.
Global retail spending on artificial intelligence services will reach $12 billion by 2023, up from a projected $3.6 billion this year, Juniper Research reported Wednesday. It expects over 325,000 retailers to adopt AI technology over the period. A rise in “one-off” Black Friday-type events and buy-online-pickup-in-store shopping is creating a need for retailers to understand demand and supply chains based on AI, said analyst Nick Maynard. Retailers will face an AI adoption race, where retailers that have adopted such systems will be able to offer superior service at optimized prices, displacing those who haven’t, said the firm. The use of machine learning in demand forecasting will produce $3 billion revenue for AI vendors by 2023, up from $760 million this year, it said. Demand forecasting is expected to drive effective omnichannel experiences and higher margins; the number of retailers using AI-enabled demand forecasting is projected to triple from 2019 to 2023.
CTA announced a working group on artificial intelligence tasked with advancing the impact of AI in healthcare and providing standards and recommended best practices. "The rapid progress of AI presents great opportunities but a special challenge that needs urgent attention," said Rene Quashie, CTA vice president-policy and regulatory affairs, digital health, Thursday. The working group includes clinicians, manufacturers, regulators, public policy and civil rights organizations. "AI will boost our wellness and health care by improving outcomes, expanding treatment options and providing cost-cutting efficiencies," said CTA CEO Gary Shapiro, saying the industry must realize the potential of AI “ethically, strategically and with clear goals." Co-chairs of the initiative, scheduled to have its initial meeting next month in San Francisco, are Philips Head-Global Software Standards Pat Baird and CarePredict Chief Business Officer Gerald Wilmink. Organizations taking part in the group include AT&T, BlackBerry, Brookings Institution, Fitbit, Google, IBM, IDx Technologies, Philips, Samsung, SDI Technologies and Verizon.
Artificial intelligence technologies such as voice triggers, speech recognition, natural language processing and voice biometrics are being employed at the network edge to support a growing number of smart devices, a market expected to reach 96 million units this year, growing to 158 million by 2023, blogged SAR Insight & Consulting analyst Dennis Goldenson Friday. Integrated chip, software and sensor companies are contributing important audio and voice signal processing technology for the AI-based smart device market, it said: Qualcomm with the QCS400 series SoC that combines audio, voice command and expanded connectivity to link connected devices throughout the home; smart MEMS mics such as the Knowles IA610 SmartMic and Vesper VM2020 due to be embedded in a smart home appliances; chip technology from Cirrus Logic that allows for secure voice biometrics at the edge; and Sensory’s TrulyHandsfree 6.0 that recognizes a speaker without the need for a specific wake word. MediaTek, DSP Concepts, CEVA, DSP Group and Synaptics are among companies developing high-performance, low-power technology for embedded and more secure AI edge computing for use in connected smart speakers, headphones and automotive applications. SAR predicts the wireless headphone market will grow to 300 million units by 2024, with at least half integrating voice assistant features.
The White House launched AI.gov, for artificial intelligence strategic documents, fact sheets and agency programs and other materials. The website, which debuted Tuesday, details “policy accomplishments and initiatives,” emphasizing four areas: “AI for American Innovation, AI for American Industry, AI for the American Worker, and AI with American Values.”
The partial government shutdown delayed Commerce Department work on tech export controls, Bureau of Industry and Security officials told an event hosted by the American Bar Association Monday. A Nov. 19 Federal Register notice had sought comment by Dec. 19 “for identifying emerging technologies that are essential to U.S. national security,” with categories including artificial intelligence and machine learning technology. Director Hillary Hess of the BIS regulatory policy office said “we are behind where we thought we were gonna be.” BIS' Kirsten Mortimer and others also cited the number of submissions. Mortimer said BIS received 231 comments, including 215 pages of suggestions on robotics and 220 pages on “position, navigation and timing” equipment. “The shutdown was really not our friend,” Hess said. “We’re just really trying to scramble and get everything organized.”
Industries will spend $35.8 million on artificial intelligence this year, up 44 percent from a year ago, jumping to $79.2 billion in 2022, IDC forecast Monday. Retail will lead AI investment in 2019, allocating $5.9 billion to automated customer service agents, expert shopping advisers and product recommendations, it said. Banking is expected to spend $5.6 billion on AI, including automated threat intelligence, prevention systems, fraud analysis and investigation systems. AI uses that will get the most 2019 investment are automated customer service agents ($4.5 billion worldwide), sales process recommendation and automation ($2.7 billion), and automated threat intelligence and prevention systems ($2.7 billion), said analyst Marianne Daquila.
Intel proposed a national artificial intelligence strategy in response to President Donald Trump’s Feb. 12 executive order directing federal agencies to “prioritize investments” in AI R&D (see 1902110054). Intel sees a national AI strategy bringing together industry, academia, government and "civil society" to create a “fully realized” national strategy for AI managing the “broad social implications of AI,” it blogged Wednesday. Naveen Rao, general manager-artificial intelligence products group, and Global Privacy Officer David Hoffman outlined “actionable next steps” on increased R&D investments, ethical guidelines, data protection regulations, global interoperability standards, incentivized data sharing through tax or policy incentives, federal privacy legislation for data collection and sharing, an updated K-12 education curriculum, skills retraining programs, intellectual property protection, public and private national service opportunities and expanding laws governing human behavior to AI. “When the regulatory environment is known and understood, businesses and government can maximize their impact by pursuing the same goals,” they said.