Apple launched and revealed its latest products last week with its latest announcement of Apple Intelligence. Let’s explore these innovative products that keep us healthy, connected, productive and entertained. Apple Watch has a new design that is even more useful, essential and intelligent. Series 10 has the most advanced design and the biggest wearable display ever built. It has 30 percent more screen area than the Series 6. With increased font size and easy type messaging, its rounded corners are softer and sleeker with a wider display and 40 percent brighter when viewed from an angle. Apple Watch Ultra 2 has new aluminum finishes and comes in Jet Black—the first ever glossy black aluminum finish, along with rose gold and silver. It is more comfortable and is the thinnest/lightest Apple Watch ever at just 9.7mm. Nearly 10 percent thinner than Series 9. A new sleek speaker lets you play music directly when you don’t have AirPods handy. Polished grade 5 titanium replaces stainless steel, weighing 20 percent less than the stainless-steel Series 9. With custom Apple silicon, it is carbon neutral and energy efficient. For phone calls on series 10, the new neural network is used to suppress background noise to make it sound clear and crisp. AirPods According to Apple, Apple AirPods are the most popular and loved headphones in the world! They are magically easy to use, and the new generation of AirPods 4 has 3D photogrammetry and laser topography to build an unparalleled data set. AirPods 4 is the most comfortable yet. It has an H2 chip unlocking only what Apple silicon can deliver—the best-sounding AirPods ever, including hands-free personalized spatial audio. When interacting with Siri, you can shake your head yes or nod to say no. Voice isolation removes all...
How AI is Reshaping CRE
Tech You Can Implement
AI is top of mind across the real estate industry, and the business case for AI in CRE has become clear. CRE stakeholders embracing AI’s impact on the industry are already employing data-driven approaches to decision making while leveraging AI to improve day to day operations including optimized AP processing and customer service. Following are three ways AI is revolutionizing CRE with tech you can implement now. Chatbots A chatbot is any software solution that simulates conversation using natural language through text or voice interaction. OpenAI’s ChatGPT, Google’s Gemini, Meta’s Llama and Anthropic’s Claude are examples of large language models (LLMs), which draw on vast amounts of data to predict the next word and answer a question or suggest a solution to a problem. Common uses for ChatGPT include writing emails, proofreading and other everyday tasks. Businesses are employing chatbots most often for customer service. In the multifamily sector, owners are using this type of AI to respond to resident questions and maintenance requests, as well as to provide prospects with information about properties. Research shows that a smart chatbot can significantly reduce the number of days it takes to convert a lead to a lease. With regard to saving staff time and optimizing efficiency for maintenance processes, during a call to report a clogged sink, for example, a chatbot can take the resident through steps to resolve the problem before issuing a maintenance request or connecting them with a property team member. Managers at office, retail and industrial properties can use ChatGPT in similar ways. Yardi employs ChatGPT in its natural language processing solution to improve the accuracy of its responses to client questions. Yardi’s chatbot now resolves 80 percent of inquiries that previously required the attention of a customer service representative. As a result, team members are freed up to tackle requests and issues where solutions aren’t readily available and more expertise is required. Web content solutions A widespread lack of website compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) touched off a wave of federal legal challenges beginning in 2018. By creating environments where website users can participate equally, operators can avoid this legal risk and foster seamless interaction with digital content. In recent years, emerging AI platforms in web development have begun to provide solutions to address ADA compliance issues, according to Equally AI, a developer of website accessibility software. Screen readers and natural language processing can analyze and interpret web content, providing auditory cues to assist users with visual impairments, for example, while conversational AI speech recognition capabilities allow users with mobility impairments to interact with websites through voice commands. AI-powered captions and transcriptions provide similar benefits to those with hearing problems. Other solutions include AI-driven interface enhancements such as adaptive design and intelligent navigation, which can adapt websites based on user preferences and behaviors. Machine learning In recent years, Yardi employed a full-service invoice processing center for 60 million annual client invoices, where teams would manually scan, key and code invoices into client environments. This would then initiate the workflow for invoice approval. But over the last three years, the company has migrated that activity to machine learning. Vendor names, invoice numbers and line item details are now encoded into the accounting systems for fully automated processing. Employing machine learning to this tedious, time-consuming task has not only improved accuracy but has also produced cost savings, which Yardi is passing onto clients. “These are very simple tasks, but the machines need a lot of data and experience to achieve a high level of accuracy,” said Brian Sutherland, a Yardi vice president. “We certainly have that data at scale.” Similar endeavors Yardi is working on include a lease extraction solution. That will pair machine learning with a chatbot to identify, collect and organize lease expiration dates, rent step-ups, options and other pertinent information that is typically buried in dense contract verbiage, making it difficult...
AI & Student Integrity...
A Brave New World
AI is advancing at a rapid pace. Education institutions should have clear academic integrity policies, communicate expectations to students and provide resources for them to understand and avoid academic misconduct. AI should complement these efforts rather than replace them entirely. Here are some various ways AI promotes student integrity. One of the most significant advancements in AI is Chat GPT and utilizing it for various content. However, how can educators ensure students are not just using it and turning in papers? Utilizing a plagiarism detector tool, teachers can scan academic papers, essays and assignments to identify instances of plagiarism by comparing the text to a vast database of educational and online content. These tools can help educators and institutions ensure students submit original work. In addition, if it is the middle of the year and suddenly the student makes a significant improvement and does not indicate such a leap in understanding or skill, the inconsistent performance is a sign that the student may have used external help. Gone are the days of easy cheating for online exams. AI proctoring solutions can monitor students’ behavior during tests for virtual learning and online classes. AI proctoring solutions use webcams and microphone feeds to detect suspicious behavior, such as looking away from the screen, talking to someone off-screen or using prohibited resources that can be flagged for review. AI can also employ facial recognition to verify the identity of the person taking the exam. AI proctoring solutions may lock down the test taker’s browser, limiting their ability to access external websites during an exam. AI proctoring can also work with recruiters to ensure the integrity of the candidate’s assessment and streamline the evaluation process. A study by IBM found that behavioral and cognitive assessments using AI technology...
AI Engineering
Can it end extinction?
The advancements in today’s technology are incredible. Biologists are now discovering AI-powered genetic engineering to de-extinct animals of the last Ice Age, from wooly mammoths to the Tasmanian tiger and even the return of the dodo bird. Let’s discuss how they are doing this and what simulations and optimizations will be used to make this all possible. Scientists and biologists are starting with the comeback of a wooly mammoth to help the endangered African elephants. These elephants have declined by nearly 90% in the past three decades. Poaching took more than 100,000 African elephants between 2010 and 2012. Using genome reconstruction optimization, AI algorithms optimize reconstructing extinct animal genomes from fragmented DNA. AI could assist in filling gaps, identifying suitable genetic material from related species and predicting genetic issues. An Asian elephant with wooly mammoth DNA would be more of a hybrid animal that looked and acted like a mammoth but shares DNA with the living species. Ecosystem integration simulations create AI-driven simulations that predict how reintroduced extinct species might influence food chains, habitats and biodiversity within their ecosystems. This could help guide decision-making on whether to proceed with de-extinction efforts. As far as genetic diversity is concerned, ethical and social implications are a part of the assessment. AI tools can gather and analyze public opinions, ethical concerns and potential social impacts of bringing back extinct animals, which will help scientists, biologists, and policymakers make informed decisions about de-extinction projects. For example, de-extinction research in Neanderthals could start a new chapter in the search for antibiotics and other valuable biomolecules, allowing scientists to harness AI and systematically explore long-extinct organisms to help us better understand life’s molecular diversity and sequence space. Genetic diversity enhancement uses AI algorithms to guide the selection of individuals for...
AI Alt Text Generator
For RentCafe websites
Great news for RentCafe websites on the RentCaffeine platform! We’ve added an AI alt text generator that makes uploading new photos faster and easier. This tool creates alternative text — more commonly known as alt text — automatically for you. Alt text is copy that describes images using words, making your website more accessible to people who have a hard time viewing or understanding pictures. That’s right, as promised by countless articles, artificial intelligence is here to help you! (As a bonus, we promise that this version of AI has no aspiration to take over the world.) Keep reading to learn what it is, why it’s important and how to use it. Then check out some client feedback about our new AI tool for RentCafe websites. AI tool for alt text Our AI tool for alt text automatically writes image descriptions for you, so you don’t have to. It will create high-quality image descriptions of new photos you add to your media library. It will also generate descriptions for existing photos that are missing alt text, helping you quickly fill accessibility gaps. Why it’s important Alt text is alternative text that that describes the appearance or function of an image online. It’s important to people and search engines alike. Alt text is read aloud by screen readers used by visually impaired users. If an image fails to load on your site for any reason, the alt text will be displayed so people know what’s supposed to be there. Alt text is also crawled and indexed by search engines to better understand the content of your page. Unfortunately, it’s often overlooked or skipped in the process of uploading photos. Entering alt text can be time consuming when you’re working with more than a handful of images. Manually entering alt text also adds potential for typos and other human errors. Mislabeled images are just as bad as unlabeled images. Our AI alt text generator fixes this, making the process of adding alt text to your images easy and instant. “I’m proud that RentCafe continues to build accessible websites. We want to ensure our websites are inclusive, and the AI alt text generator will help our clients with that,” said Nomo Nagaoka, project manager for RentCafe. “Although alt text is simple to manually set up, it is often missed — either it gets forgotten or people run out of time. But now we’ve solved for this. Any time an image is uploaded, through our AI solution, we’re generating recommended alt text. It’s easy to review and edit as necessary. No images will be without alt text moving forward, and our clients will spend less time trying to manually write out descriptions of the images.” (It’s only fair to share that when Nomo first previewed this technology to our audience at OutREACH Live in Palm Springs, the attendees actually started applauding mid-presentation.) How to use it As stated earlier, you can add auto-generated alt text to images that you upload to your media library, as well as existing images that are missing alt text. The automated alt text generator was enabled for all clients in the March release, so log in and check it out if you haven’t made website updates lately. You can review and accept AI-generated alt text from the media library, Site Editor or your SEO Dashboard. When alt text has been auto-generated, a message appears below the image alt textfield that says, “This is auto-generated alt text.” It’s a best practice to quickly assess the auto-generated text to make sure it works for the image being described. Review your alt text and either confirm or modify it before saving your changes. If you save changes, the modified alt text gets saved and the “This is auto-generated alt text” message will be removed. Does it help with SEO? Kind of. By default, having some alt text is better than having none at all. Search engines like...
AI Advancements
With Practical Applications
Artificial Intelligence is becoming far more than just a viral sensation. AI is becoming a technology that any business or person can leverage to revolutionize their work and day-to-day activities. Let’s explore some of the latest mind-blowing AI tools beyond Chat GPT. Similar to Chat GPT, Dall-E 2 will transform text prompts into computer graphics. It can combine concepts, attributes, and styles. This will eliminate the long waits for graphic designers to get images back and produce quicker turnaround times. The hope is that Dall-E 2 will empower people to express themselves creatively. The creators of Dall-E 2 hope that this will help them understand how advanced AI systems see and understand the human world, which is critical for creating AI that benefits humanity. Lumen5 is an AI-powered video creation tool that enables anyone to easily create education, marketing, or business video content using a simple drag-and-drop interface. Lumen5 makes it easier than building a slide show deck on PowerPoint. It can turn blog posts into videos or Zoom recordings into captivating clips. Looka is a tool that makes it easy to brand your business by using AI to create unique and distinctive logos that convey the company’s style and messaging. Bring your brand to life by building brand identity and creating hundreds of branded marketing materials. Looka is not just logos, either. Customize the design of business cards, social profiles, email signatures, and more. Murf is a text-to-speech engine that makes it simple to create natural-sounding synthetic vocal recordings in 15 languages from over 120 voices and dialects. Murf’s AI voices do not sound monotonous and robotic. Murf’s advanced AI algorithms catch the right tone and pick up on every punctuation and exclamation mark from the human voice. This output can easily be...
AI, Examined
CRE's Machine Learning Future
Editor’s note: The following article by Kevin Yardi, vice president of consulting practices for Yardi, was originally printed as a Realcomm Advisory on May 31, 2019. It is reprinted here with permission. Various aspects of big data, AI and Machine Learning have been reported extensively in this space and elsewhere. I’ll use this opportunity to highlight some key points that I think are particularly important to helping the commercial real estate industry benefit from these capabilities. Just what are we talking about? “Big data” means large, complex data sets that most traditional software platforms can’t manage. AI refers to computer systems that can perform tasks normally requiring human intelligence. Machine learning, a form of AI that enables systems to “learn as they go” without being explicitly programmed, supports informed decision-making by assembling and analyzing property information more quickly and more accurately than other systems. The expansion of digital data availability, computing power and software enhancements, along with cheap storage, have made these options viable for commercial real estate. What are the commercial real estate benefits of AI and Machine Learning? AI and Machine Learning can give companies better-structured data that improves business performance. For example, AI systems can detect patterns in conditions affecting energy consumption without being requested, then optimize the target temperature every 30 seconds to ensure comfort without using more energy than necessary. They can also learn from past performance to react to changes in occupancy, weather and other factors. All this translates into better performance through lower utility, energy and equipment maintenance costs; increased tenant comfort that reduces service calls and increases retention; regulatory compliance; investor satisfaction; and higher ENERGY STAR® scores. In short, AI saves energy and money while creating more comfort than humans could do on their own. More...
Artificial Intelligence...
Q&A WITH GARY SMITH
Artificial intelligence—defined in the Oxford English Living Dictionary as “the theory and development of computer systems able to perform tasks normally requiring human intelligence”—is booming. Last year, technology market intelligence p rovider International Data Corporation forecasted a 54.4% compound annual growth rate of corporate global spending on cognitive and AI solutions through 2020, when AI-related revenues will top $46 billion. In 2016, global financial advisor UBS said, “We expect AI’s industry growth will start to explode and its impact on business and society will begin to emerge” by the end of the decade, pointing to a future where “AI-powered machines and software will likely start to untether from human supervision, embarking on their fateful path as sentient beings.” AI proponents tout such potential benefits as efficiency, elimination of manual tasks and new solutions for social problems. But not everybody is on the wagon. In 2015, for example, a host of business and academic leaders including Elon Musk, Steve Wozniak and the late Stephen Hawking signed an open letter urging restraint in the development and application of AI. “It is important to research how to reap its benefits while avoiding potential pitfalls,” the signatories said. Gary Smith, a professor of economics at Pomona College in Claremont, Calif., and author of the just-published book, “The AI Delusion,” also advises caution. Professor Smith offered his thoughts in an interview with The Balance Sheet. Q: Professor Smith, what do you see as the biggest misconception about artificial intelligence? A: That computers are smarter than humans. AI algorithms excel at narrowly defined tasks that have clear goals, such as tightening bolts, checkmating a chess opponent or reducing a building’s energy consumption. These tasks can be very useful, but AI doesn’t “think” in any real sense of the word. Q:...
Identifying Alzheimer’s
A scientific breakthrough with AI
Artificial intelligence (AI) has been used to solve complex issues in the medical field—from precisely determining medication dosages to helping doctors identify and treat cancers—for years. As the benefits of artificial intelligence used in science continue to be explored, researchers have announced a breakthrough discovery. On the heels of an alarming CDC study showing the incidence of Alzheimer’s Disease is expected to double to 14 million by 2060, scientists revealed this month that AI may be able to predict cognitive decline leading to Alzheimer’s up to five years before the disease is diagnosed. Alzheimer’s disease is the most common form of dementia, characterized by memory failure leading to loss of independence. According to the CDC study, it is the sixth leading cause of death in the United States and the fifth leading cause of death among adults aged 65 and older. Alzheimer’s and memory care are predicted to be the biggest area of growth in senior living, according to a recent survey. With limited diagnosis and treatment, early detection and prevention of the condition are the most effective methods of thwarting Alzheimer’s. Knowing early detection is key, a team of Canadian scientists led by Mallar Chakravarty, computation neuroscientist and McGill University assistant professor, created an algorithm designed to learn the signatures of dementia onset. Researchers trained the algorithm using MRI imaging, genetics and clinical data from 800 patients, ranging from normal healthy seniors to persons experiencing mild cognitive impairment to patients suffering with fully-developed Alzheimer’s disease. While the team responsible for this scientific leap has replicated their study results on other independent patient sample groups, they hope to fine-tune the algorithm even more. “We are currently working on testing the accuracy of predictions using new data,” says Dr. Chakravarty. “It will help us to refine predictions and determine if we can predict even further into the future.” The more data the scientists collect, the better doctors will be able to identify people at greatest risk for cognitive decline leading to Alzheimer’s. In the senior living industry, this development will help clinical staff recognize patterns which otherwise might be easily missed. Spotting the first symptoms could guide seniors at risk for Alzheimer’s to the right path for treatment and initiate lifestyle changes that may delay the beginning stages of the disease or even prevent it...
Smart Future
Multifamily AI Panel
What is artificial intelligence (AI)? According to Wikipedia, it is “The artificially created ability of a digital computer or computer-controlled robot to perform tasks commonly associated with intelligent beings.” While this definition of AI sounds like something from a sci-fi movie script, it actually describes technology currently poised to transform multifamily real estate management. Yardi’s Dharmendra Sawh, industry principal of Yardi Elevate, led a panel of experts at NAA Apartmentalize on June 14 in San Diego for “The Age of AI: Business Intelligence Today and Tomorrow.” Apartmentalize is NAA’s annual educational conference and is the premier resource for educating rental housing industry professionals. Along with Michael Barry, vice president of data analytics at Bozzuto Management Company, Tim Reardon, chief operating officer of Bridge Property Management and Dawn Wise, national financial analyst at Berkshire Communities, Sawh discussed best practices for business intelligence (BI) today and the looming impact of AI on multifamily business technologies. “BI tools deliver analytics to provide foresight, improve business decisions and increase your competitive edge. But soon, your software could be making those decisions for you. Tracking the right measures can help future-proof your analytics in anticipation of AI,” said Sawh. The presentation covered which performance measures are most important, how technology can track that data and how to analyze and act on that information to create a successful business strategy. The session wrapped with a preview of what’s coming for multifamily owners and managers with advancements in AI. Beyond BI The panel discussed predictive and prescriptive analytics for real estate management, and the role machines will play as interpreters of data. Machine learning is a component of AI that uses historical information and correlates multiple data points to make predictions about the future — and as a result, becomes more...
AI + Robotics
Saving Seniors
During the recent Argentum Senior Living Executive Conference in San Diego, sociobiologist Rebecca Costa shared scientific breakthroughs that are prolonging the lives—and quality of life– for seniors. Preventing Falls In seniors, falls are directly linked to shorter lifespans. The Center for Disease Control (CDC) reports that the death rate from falls among adults ages 65 and over has increased 31 percent from 2007 to 2016. The rate is growing the fastest among seniors aged 85 or more years. Understanding the cause of falls has helped researchers develop tools to prevent them. An article in the National Library of Medicine National Institute of Health reveals that changes in gait are the predecessors to falls. Gait disorders are often indicative of lesions in the nervous system, adverse side effects from medications, the onset of dementia, or misalignments within the spine, hips, or knees. With advanced technology called predictive analytics, caregivers can now foretell when a person is going to trip within three weeks with 86 percent accuracy. Sensors attached to the senior or the senior’s support mechanism (such as a can or walker) can detect a 3-5 centimeter per second change in gait, walk or stride. This information is then sent to caregivers in the form of a digital alert. The information sent by the sensors can help caregivers determine the best method of treatment for the senior. Treatment could include physical therapy, alterations to a sedative prescription, or tests for brain and nervous system health. By preventing falls through Predictive Analytics and accessories, seniors can avoid assisted living for up to four years. Nanobots Promote Health from the Inside, Out A post released by the World Economic Forum explores how nanobots are being used to fight cancer. Nanomachines, or nanobots, are robots made of organic,...
Alexa and AI
She's Always Listening
As the popularity of Artificial Intelligence is on the rise and corporate giants such as Google, Microsoft, and Apple are racing to develop the best commercial AI product, the focus has shifted from humans being more intelligent like machines, to developing machines to act more like humans. This past July, Amazon acquired a Santa Barbara startup called Graphiq, previously known as FindTheBest, for an estimated 50 million dollars in hopes of using the company’s data analysis and search engine technology to make their digital AI assistant, named Alexa, even smarter. Alexa was first implemented in 2014 with the introduction of Amazon’s Echo, but has come a long way since then by developing complexity that far surpasses its competitors such as Apple’s Siri or Google Assistant. The reason why Alexa has become such an advanced AI is due to the integrations that were built into the voice-controlled platform. For example, users can apply a skill to Alexa, which allows the AI to do various actions such as setting the oven temperature or turn on lights in your home with a simple command. There are currently about 250 or more products offered on Amazon.com that can be integrated with Alexa skills, but there are over 4,000 other products from other manufacturers that can also include the function. Smart Cars get Smarter In addition, Alexa’s API, or application program interface, allows it to integrate seamlessly into the automotive industry. Just recently, Amazon has already created partnerships with automotive manufacturers such as BMW, Hyundai, and Ford. While each car manufacturer will vary in how they will integrate Alexa into their product designs, the voice controlled command system that Alexa offers would remain the same across all manufacturers. For example, simple commands such as opening the car trunk, or...
Watch Out Fido
Aibo is Back
Just in time for the holidays, Sony has resurrected the robot pet it removed from shelves in 2006. This new model is called aibo, which stands for Artificial Intelligence robot. Aibo is also the Japanese word for “companion” or “friend.” The new model (no. ERS-1000) develops from a newborn puppy to an adult with personality shaped by the interaction with its owners and surroundings, thanks to the latest AI technology. This ability to form an emotional bond with members of the family makes each aibo unique, so no two will be the same. The new puppy’s rounded appearance makes it pretty irresistible. Sony has spent quite a bit on animation. That being said, I am personally a bit skeptical about how it feels to pet a piece of plastic, even though it’s premium plastic. The pup has the capacity of expressing its love for its owners through lifelike expressions and a dynamic array of movements, but it does make one wonder—is this the future of pets? The robot pet has a behavioral repertoire more limited than that of the least bright dog, but an aibo doesn’t need you to feed it (technically, it does when you charge it), doesn’t wake you up at 5am to take it out in the pouring rain and will never make a mess inside your home. Aibo’s ‘fur’ is ivory-white, and it has cute flapping black ears and a wagging tail. It’s about 30-centimeters long and comes with a package of sensors on the head, chin and back for pet detection, two cameras, four microphones for voice commands and internet connectivity, as well as the earlier mentioned upgraded AI backed by cloud computing to develop the dog’s personality. The advantages of deep learning and AI tricks help it to...
New from Google
Hardware Focus
Earlier this month, Google launched eight new hardware products — two versions of the Pixel 2, a new Daydream VR headset, two new Google Home speakers, an AI camera dubbed Google Clips, AI-enhanced headphones called Pixel Buds and the Pixelbook laptop. The second-generation family of consumer hardware products seems an effort to make up for the lost time in the hardware department. Google’s senior vice president of hardware, Rick Osterloh, reminded everyone at the launch that while late to the race, Google could still be a contender. After all, Apple was not first to market with MP3 players and smartphones, nor was Facebook the gate-clanging social network. Pixel 2 & 2XL Following last year’s Pixel, Google launched two new smartphones—Pixel 2 made by HTC and Pixel 2XL made by LG. The phones boast an overall score of 98 points in camera benchmark charts, surpassing every other smartphone currently on the market. Google managed to score higher with a single camera when competitors have done so with two. Google has also added the live photo and portrait modes, two of the features iPhone users have been playing with for awhile. Both phones are made of metal instead of glass or plastic, but for this premium look and feel the company had to ditch wireless charging. It does support wireless communication though, thanks to a glass window at the top of the phone. The headphone jack is missing on both models. Both devices run Android 8.0 (Oreo) with some custom software and features from Google. They’re water resistant and are powered by Snapdragon 835 processors with 4GB of RAM and storage of 64GB and 128GB. Connectivity-wise the devices support Bluetooth 5.0 + LE and have an USB-C port to be used with the headphones (there’s also...
Apple Advances
Solar + AI
Tight-lipped Apple is finally opening up on its tech advancements and is turning heads: the company’s recent developments explore how a combination of solar energy and artificial intelligence can further reduce energy consumption. Solar Energy The California-based tech company has joined forces with utility provider NV Energy. Together, they will increase the solar power to Apple’s Reno data center by 200MW. In a press release, NV Energy president and CEO Paul Caudill stated, “We are proud to play a role in helping Apple meet their energy needs with Nevada’s abundant solar resource.” He continues, “In partnership with our customers, we continue to develop a more balanced fuel mix in a way that benefits the local economy by providing hundreds of jobs for Nevadans, particularly those in the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers local 357 and 396, and advances the state’s policy goals.” Apple will dedicate 5MW of power towards their partner’s solar program for residences and businesses. “Our partnership with NV Energy helps assure our customers their iMessages, FaceTime video chats and Siri inquiries are powered by clean energy, and supports efforts to offer the choice of green energy to Nevada residents and businesses,” said Lisa Jackson, Apple’s vice president for environment, policy and social initiatives. She adds, “Investing in innovative clean energy sources is vital to Apple’s commitment to reaching, and maintaining, 100 percent renewable energy across all our operations.” Artificial Intelligence When it comes to AI, casual Apple users think of Siri, the (more-often-than-not) intelligent assistant. But Apple’s new approach to machine learning explores how AI can reduce energy usage in data centers Google was one of the earliest major tech companies to blaze the trail for energy-saving AI. As early as July 2016, Google announced that AI reduced data center energy...
Zuckerberg’s AI...
Meet Jarvis
Mark Zuckerberg recently unveiled his personal AI assistant, Jarvis. It seems to be one of his most curious inventions. In addition to his work at Facebook, Zuckerberg takes on self-development challenges, like learning Mandarin. In early 2016, he committed to an even more ambitious project: to build an Iron Man-inspired artificial intelligence (AI) system to help him around the house. The transition from database software creation like Facebook to AI is a massive leap, even for a mind like Zuckerberg’s. AI is intelligence exhibited by a machine. It is a flexible rational agent that perceives its environment and takes actions that maximize its chance of success at some goal. Zuckerberg’s creation resembles Marvel’s Iron Man Comics and Movies’ J.A.R.V.I.S, and not just by name. Like Tony Stark, Zuckerberg aimed to build a system that could control his home, including lights, temperature, appliances, music and security. He also wanted Jarvis to learn his tastes and patterns, new words and concepts. Zuckerberg brought J.A.R.V.I.S to life–basically. The video above is intended for presentation proposes rather than an actual demo of the AI robot. It’s a bit unclear what is actually real and what is overproduced. Here is what we know: Zuckerberg’s Jarvis comes with a variety of impressive features, not the least of which is the voice of God, Morgan Freeman. Natural language processing, speech recognition, and face recognition software make interacting with Jarvis as natural as carrying out a conversation with a friend. He even has a sense of humor. The AI includes smart home features. His vision (via cameras and customized software) can tell people and objects apart, and detect movement. Zuckerberg also installed unique features in the house and connected them to Jarvis, including the toaster and a t-shirt cannon that dispenses clothing...
Alpha 2
Your Robot Companion
A new species is evolving—the humanoid robot. The family of human-like robots adds a new sibling with Chinese Ubtech Robotics’ crowdfunding campaign for Alpha 2—its newest humanoid companion-bot. The little fellow is “designed for practical household service and companionship,” because Ubtech felt that the need for human-like, responsive technology is growing. Alpha 2 is the brainchild of James Chow, Ubtech’s CEO. Made from aluminum alloy, PC + ABS housing, this small domestic drone is designed on the same premise as today’s smartphones — a responsive, intuitive and attractive platform on which to develop intelligent and useful functionality. Indeed, the Alpha 2 is fully programmable, operates on an open-source OS, and offers some impressive sensory inputs, including ultrasonic, touch, and pressure sensors. The robot companion may be small, but he is pretty smart. His brain is connected to the cloud, which allows it to leverage more visual and audio processing power than what could be physically implanted in a plastic skull. Alpha 2 can perform a series of activities (so far). It can manage weekly calendars and provide verbal reminders for scheduled tasks; his conversation skills make of him a tutor or interpreter, and he can also follow verbal instructions. Of course, he can take high quality photos (8 million-pixel camera with auto-focus and built-in powerful visual computing systems and smart technologies) and can also post them on social media. Alpha 2 can perform home security monitoring and alerts, entertain your children, guests, and even pets. We couldn’t really grasp exactly how the robot can entertain pets, hopefully it doesn’t involve letting the cat push it off the table. The 17-inch tall alloy family companion is equipped with 2GB of RAM memory, 16GB of storage, and a Samsung Exynos 5260 six-core processor. The five-pound robot...
