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Tag: AI

  • News: Palantir results shows Denver is the place to be

    Finito World looks at Palantir, the Denver-based company which is defining the trend towards AI technologies, and careers in that space

    Palantir’s exceptional growth is dominating business headlines this week as the demand for AI continues. There will be no imminent slowdown in the trend which has defined the past few years.

    Monday’s results were a clear sign of AI’s resilience in general, and Palantir‘s strength in particular. While the naysayers will no doubt continue to urge caution, AI isn’t going away any time soon. These technologies are defining the careers of the future.

    The Denver-based company released its results and revenues were impressive. In the third quarter, its revenue climbed 30 per cent to $725.5m. This was a significant increase on the $703.7m predicted by analysts. Net income accordingly rose to a record $144m.

    Changing times

     

    This is not the only Denver success story with companies as varied as the Gates Corporation, Accenture, Walmart and IBM having operations there.

    So why is Denver so appealing? There are several reasons why it’s become a hub, and why young people might think of making their base there.

    It didn’t use to be this way. It was the American writer Emma Goldman who wrote: “Denver is not unlike a prison. Its inhabitants, too, have been sent there “to do time.” That which makes the position of the prisoner preferable, is the consolation that the State will feed him and that some day his time will expire.”

    That’s a bleak outlook but things have changed. And as they change, technology careers are on the rise.

    Magnet for business

    First of all, it’s a centralised time location which makes communication and business operations easier. Denver is a good location to do business in both the East and West Coast while managing to keep civilised sleeping hours.

    Added to that it has excellent infrastructure including a major international airport in the shape of Denver International Airport.

     

    Palantir takes advantage of Denver's excellent transport links to provide excellent technologies careers
    Palantir takes advantage of Denver’s excellent transport links

     

    Aspect of the Future

    Its sector strengths are varied and include technology, aerospace, telecommunications, energy (particularly renewable energy), healthcare, and financial services. This diversification makes it resilient to economic downturns and attractive to businesses in various sectors.

    It’s also clearly a part of the future with Denver becoming a key tech hub, attracting startups and large tech companies, especially in software development, fintech, and cybersecurity.

    A Question of Tax

    The city has a growing reputation for innovation, bolstered by a strong talent pool and support from venture capital.

    This is in part due to an attractive tax regime. Colorado has a relatively low corporate income tax rate compared to many other states, and local governments in Denver often provide incentives to attract businesses, including tax credits, grants, and job training programs.

    America is moving fast and it’s not just Palantir which is part of that journey: Denver is too.


    Need mentoring on international career moves or technologies careers? Go to         https://www.finito.org.uk/

     

  • Buddhdev Pandya on the crucial question of AI and healthcare

    Buddhdev Pandya

     

    The concept of Artificial Intelligence, known as AI, is now a major point of discussion in the healthcare sectors and also the users of NHS. The world of artificial intelligence is a field of computer science that focuses on the development of intelligent machines and systems capable of performing tasks that typically require human intelligence. AI is based on the concept of creating computer systems that can learn, reason, problem-solve, and adapt based on data and experience.

    At its core, AI is built on algorithms and mathematical models that enable machines to process and analyze data, recognize patterns, make predictions, and take actions or make decisions. These algorithms can be designed to mimic human cognitive processes, such as perception, reasoning, learning, and problem-solving.

    Among its key components and approaches are Machine Learning, which involves machines learning from data and improving performance without being explicitly programmed. There is also the potential of Deep learning models, which can handle complex data, such as images or natural language, by hierarchically learning representations of the data. This is known as Natural Language Processing (NLP).

    One of the most valuable assets of AI is the ability of machines to understand and interpret visual information from images or videos. This enables machines to recognize objects, detect patterns, and extract meaningful information from visual data.

    Most of us are familiar with Robotics, which is also based on computer technology enabling machines to perceive and interact with their environment, make autonomous decisions, and perform physical tasks.

    Overall, AI is a multidisciplinary field that combines computer science, mathematics, statistics, and cognitive science to create intelligent systems that can simulate human intelligence and perform tasks that were traditionally exclusive to humans. AI has the potential to significantly benefit the patient experience in hospitals.

    The most important focus for any patient is the anxiety due to the delay in accessing a consultant and the expectations regarding the efficiency of the diagnostic process and follow-up care. The essence of the process is effective and simplified communication, as well as the quality of care. We have been accustomed to being seen by a medical professional face to face, which has a huge feel-good factor and instils confidence in the establishment.

    Many users of our NHS services are sceptical of the changing culture of making appointments to see their GP and feel disfranchised when contacted by various support staff from the surgery or hospital outpatient department.

    It is important to realize that we are already witnessing the computerization of medical records and the appointment system to ensure more efficient management of these processes. Patient records are shared digitally, allowing the entire medical record to be accessed during consultations instead of waiting for physical transfers between the GP surgery, testing laboratories, radiologists, and hospital consultants.

    This is all part of the early introduction of the AI system, which is now being taken to a more advanced level for its use in diagnostic, treatment, and aftercare programs. AI can be incredibly useful in monitoring regional health conditions and analysing the responses of local GPs, even though it may sometimes cause discomforting thoughts. It is an asset, a complementary process with the ability to aid in the surveillance and early detection of disease outbreaks, track the spread of infectious diseases, and identify potential health risks in specific regions.

    As technology updates with medical knowledge, it becomes more efficient at interpreting medical data, such as patient symptoms, test results, and medical histories, to support healthcare professionals in making accurate diagnoses and treatment recommendations. The cumulative data can also help provide more accurate evidence-based guidelines and suggest appropriate courses of action.

    As we age and learn more about various conditions, advancements in AI technology would be able to provide us with early warnings of health risks and the early stages of these conditions.

    AI is increasingly used in various medical fields for surgeries and life-saving procedures. Robotic surgery is one application known for its use in assisting surgeons in performing minimally invasive surgeries with enhanced precision and control. AI, radiology, and imaging are already used as aids in disease detection and diagnosis, improving accuracy and expediting the diagnostic process.

    Similarly, AI is enabling early detection of heart conditions and assisting in cardiac procedures.

    Robotic equipment is used in various surgical procedures across different medical specialties. For example, Robotic-assisted Surgery such as the da Vinci Surgical System is commonly used.

    Other areas such as the removal of the prostate gland for the treatment of prostate cancer, hysterectomy for the removal of the uterus, colorectal surgery involving the colon and rectum, removal of the gallbladder (cholecystectomy), and hernia repair. Robotic systems are used in orthopaedic surgeries to improve precision and accuracy, as well as in spinal procedures, such as spinal fusion or minimally invasive surgeries. Robotic guidance can be used for precise localization and navigation in neurosurgical procedures, including brain tumour removal or deep brain stimulation. Other surgeries include Bariatric Surgery, Thoracic Surgery, and Urological Surgery.

    It’s important to note that the application of robotic equipment may vary between hospitals and surgical teams, and the specific procedures performed using robotic technology can expand as advancements continue in the field of robotic surgery.

    Overall, AI in medicine complements healthcare professionals by providing additional insights and assistance. However, it’s crucial to emphasize that human expertise and decision-making remain vital, as AI is designed to augment rather than replace medical professionals in providing optimal patient care.

    Many of us may find ourselves watching a screen with soothing voices tailored to our moods to compensate for the absence of GPs, making it difficult to access face-to-face appointments. Who knows, a well-designed robotic nurse with a soothing voice accompanied by our preferred music may appear to gather our vital medical details and prescribe the appropriate dosage.

    And then, robotic vehicles with four wheels could deliver medicine from the pharmacists to our doorsteps, similar to the delivery of groceries from a local store.

    Many individuals with severe disabilities or those living alone can be monitored and supported in various ways using AI technology, which holds significant promise in these areas. However, it’s important to note that AI should always complement human expertise rather than entirely replace it.

    The adoption of technological advances in clinical management depends on the resources available to the NHS and the development of skills among clinicians and other associated staff. The new generation is becoming more accustomed to technology as their lives revolve around laptops, tablets, and mobile devices. However, we must also empower the older generation and those facing social and economic disadvantages to ensure they are not left behind. It is essential to urge those responsible for planning well-being strategies for the community to make a serious effort to provide adequate resources and support the “third sector,” as well as charities, to compensate for the lack of accessibility to education and necessary skills.

    Society should never hinder innovation and research in science and technology related to our health or any aspects of the environment. The evolution of science is a natural phenomenon that progresses towards greater sophistication. It is in our human nature to explore more and more in order to gain benefits. The key is to ensure that we find ways to understand its intricate functioning and structures to manage and utilize them to our advantage.

     

    Buddhdev Pandya MBE is founder and chief editor of a medical journal, Swasthya for healthcare professionals. He served as Director of British Association of Physicians of Indian Origin, British International Doctors Association and British Indian Psychiatrists Association 

     

  • Sir Martin Sorrell on AI and the future of China

    The Founder of S4 Capital surveys the geopolitical landscape in 2022 and finds both dangers and opportunities

    While it’s true that the metaverse has been thoroughly hyped, I’ve been listening lately to Bill Gates and others, and it’s clear it will have a major impact. One obvious example is the question of work-from-home patterns and hybrid-working. But my sense is the impact will be much broader than that. For instance, I’ve seen some significant activity recently around training – for instance, the training of pilots and the training of factory processes.

    There’s also some fascinating movement on medical processes, and the carrying out of operations. It might even be that metaverse or haptic touch technology will be used to conduct operations. Incredible things are being done and my sense is that from what we’ve been through in the past years that these things will experience dramatic acceleration. We’re on the cusp of massive transformation – and I suspect that what we don’t realise is that inflation will also encourage that.

    However, I continue to be worried that the pandemic papered over the cracks of Brexit. I hesitate to say that we forgot about Brexit during the pandemic, but its impact was definitely backgrounded, and understandably so. My view is that as a result of Brexit, the UK growth rate has been badly hit and that it will take many years to get that back – and build businesses more like my own S4 Capital which we’ve built to be genuinely able to look beyond these shores.

    To do that you need to realise where the opportunity is. Talking to the forecaster gurus recently has confirmed me in the opinion that the economic opportunities are in Asia – but then nobody will be surprised to hear me say that there are opportunities in China and India. But I also see great possibilities in East Africa, North and South America and in the Middle East.

    By contrast the prognostication of Western Europe hasn’t been great. This is why we’re looking to increase our activity in Asia from around ten per cent of our work where it currently is, towards 40 per cent.

    The biggest problem our clients currently face is the question of what you do in China – even before the Russia-Ukraine conflict, you could have said that the US and China are at loggerheads, even in a kind of Cold War.

    It’s true that there are glimmers of hope – we’re beginning to see a light at the end of the tunnel in respect of the climate change question, in which instance China has come on board to some extent. But beyond that, progress hasn’t been good and we have to accept that the Chinese are moving in different directions, and increasing their soft power in Africa and Latin America enormously.

    All this should come as no surprise. Anyone who has witnessed the Belt Road Initiative – not to mention President Xi’s ‘dual circulation’ economics policy – will know that China is taking a more independent route. COP 26 seems a long time ago now, but in retrospect it’s still significant now to consider that neither Putin nor Xi were in attendance. We’ll have to see what happens in the Ukraine, and how it will feed into China’s calculations in respect of Taiwan, but I think the odds have always been in favour of China following suit in Taiwan.

    The luxury markets are worth watching too: premium and luxury do very well in China and I see nothing in the 14th five year plan to counter that. China’s growth rate is strong, and will remain strong. I also think it’s interesting to note that China is loosening its monetary policy while everyone else seems to be tightening.

    America is also difficult to predict. I can’t see the midterms going well for Joe Biden and the Democrats. If so, that will mean deadlock after 2022, with the effect that no significant legislation will be passed beyond that point. There have been significant successes: the infrastructure spending was needed, since as a portion of GDP infrastructure had been historically low in the US.

    But the bills Biden has passed are by their nature inflationary: going forwards, I expect that if clients think they can raise their prices they will.

    All of this makes the world a very interesting place in 2022. There are huge risks out there but I think 2022 will be strong – especially for those who seize the opportunity.

    Sir Martin Sorrell is the CEO of S4 Capital

  • Professor Suzanne Rab on how AI is changing justice and the workplace – and why it threatens humanity

    Professor Suzanne Rab on how AI is changing justice and the workplace – and why it threatens humanity

    Advances in technology, brought to the fore during and in the wake of COVID-19, have reignited the debate about how such developments may remove barriers connected with access to justice.  The rise of artificial intelligence or “AI” promises significant advances for humankind. As both a barrister specialising in human rights and an educator I see the opportunities and the challenges.  One area as yet underexplored is whether our humanity is being lost in this process.

    The technological advances I observe build on the field of artificial intelligence or “AI” as a discrete phenomenon which has its origins in a workshop organised by John McCarthy held at Dartmouth College in 1956.  The aim of the workshop was to explore how machines could be used to simulate human intelligence.  Various disciplines contribute to AI including computer science, economics, linguistics, mathematics, statistics, evolutionary biology, neuroscience and psychology.  A useful starting point is a definition offered by Russel and Norvig in 2010 where AI is defined as computers or machines that seek to act rationally, think rationally, act like a human, or think like a human (see Box A below).

    Artificial Intelligence (AI) is characterised by four features

    Acting rationally: AI is designed to achieve goals via perception and taking action as a result

    Thinking rationally: AI is designed to logically solve problems, make inferences and optimise outcomes

    Acting like a human: This form of intelligence was later popularised as the ‘Turing Test’, which involves a test of natural language processing, knowledge representation, automated reasoning and learning

    Thinking like a human: Inspired by cognitive science, Nilsson defined AI as “that activity devoted to making machines intelligent, and intelligence is that quality that enables an entity to function appropriately and with foresight in its environment”  
    Box A. What exactly is Artificial Intelligence?

    So how does the above apply to the law? An effective civil justice system supports and upholds the rule of law where the law must be fair, accessible and enforceable. Yet, as things stand, there are well-documented barriers to accessing justice. In England and Wales the Legal Services Research Centre (LSRC) commissioned a series of surveys between 2001 and 2011 inviting more than 5000 participants to explore whether they had experienced problems in accessing justice. Cost is a major barrier where the LSRC found that less than 30 per cent of individuals who recognised that they had a legal problem sought formal advice (LSRC, 2011). There are other non-financial barriers including mental health problems, immigration status and discrimination.

    Technological Breakthroughs

    AI and other advances in technology have been used extensively in legal practice and provide opportunities to deliver and access legal services in ways previously unimaginable and represent the nearest that the legal world has come to sci-fi. 

    Predictive analysis draws on big data to forecast the outcome of a case and advises clients whether to proceed, effectively substituting an individual lawyer’s experience, assessment and intuition.  The term ‘Big data’ has been coined for the aggregation, analysis and increasing value of vast exploitable datasets of unstructured and structured digital information.  Decisions founded on such tools could result in outcomes which are much cheaper than pursuing cases with limited prospects of success.  

    However, this is likely not a silver bullet. The use of predictive analysis to access whether an outcome is likely to be successful may be inaccurate because of a number of factors. One problem is that the number of cases decided out of court means that predictive analysis based on reported cases will cover a small subset of actual disputes.  The accuracy and value of AI relies on how software is programmed and machines learn bias based on past experience.  These examples can distort the data collected.  Relying on predictive analysis to advise clients whether to proceed (potentially, saving time and money if a case is unlikely to be successful) may be flawed due to lack of a statistically significant dataset. Secondly, inconsistencies in algorithms could mean that critical data is not being collected.  Thirdly, the software may not be able to work out the finer subtleties and variations involved in some cases. In such cases, relying on predictive analysis to advise clients may be flawed because it misses the ‘human factor’.  

    Virtual solutions do allow cheaper access to ADR and a number of innovations can be observed where online solutions (whether mediations, arbitrations or hybrid early neutral evaluations) are involved.  Advances in technology have unleashed automated document generation or information provided via chatbots in order to provide free or cheaper access to legal information.  

    New means of searching for law are emerging. ROSS intelligence was developed to free up lawyers’ time so they could devote this to other tasks, potentially pro bono.  DoNotPay represents another channel for delivery of free legal advice.  This chatbot was invented in the UK by Joshua Browder. By March 2017, assisted users had overturned 200,000 parking fines in London and New York.  There are however practical limitations of chatbots regarding more complex areas of law. Lawyers may be unable to audit the accuracy of forms submitted online (and update them when required).  

    New Opportunities

    While it may be difficult to contemplate at least at the current times that machines will replace lawyers, developments in technology have the potential of reshaping some parts of legal practice. While this raises a number of legal, moral and ethical issues this phenomenon opens up new vistas and opportunities.  For consumers of legal services, these innovations allow greater and more diverse access to legal services.

    Given the need to be well versed with technology to engage in effective outcomes, it may be asked whether and to what extent it would be useful in technology-led dispute resolution for members of the judiciary to have legal technology programmes. Related to this is the question of how the judiciary leverages support of law schools to develop such executive learning programmes.

    COVID-19 has shown the legal sector lags in terms of digitisation despite its ambition to bring the sector into the digital age. Law schools which have developed online learning will be able to transfer their head-start to support the judiciary but there also needs to be an investment in systems.  While that is happening, support can be given in the area of legal technology skills training.  This will support at the skills level but also assist with overcoming any technology phobia or reticence. On the whole, in the author’s view, the experience in England and Wales has been positive in terms of the alacrity of the judiciary to embrace technology.  

    A related issue in terms of capacity-building and skills adoption concerns access to the underlying technology and infrastructure.  The ideal of high-speed internet access within and across the jurisdiction is not universal.  COVID-19 has revealed the disparities in access to affordable, consistent and reliable internet within and between nations.  As the daughter of a diaspora, I do not forget my roots in the Indian sub-continent.  Not only the judiciary but most lawyers and clients in India do not have access to high speed internet.  Where courts do not have the infrastructure for online hearings this simply means that trials do not take place, adding to backlogs.  There are anecdotal examples of cases being filed using WhatsApp.  The judiciary and practitioners can perhaps work not just with law schools but engineering and software departments to initiate online filing software pilots and then have relevant executive programmes around this.

    Humanising Legal Education and Practice in a World of Hi-Tech

    Information and access to information are critical to knowledge acquisition and human education development.  Lockdown and social distancing during and in the wake of COVID-19 have meant that information technology devices have taken on a new or increased significance.  Computers have kept the wheels of business and social discourse turning, and for many they have been the main or only source of information on everything from the weather to the availability and safety of vaccines.  

    This umbilical attachment to technology in the quest for knowledge and connection raises questions about the need for a new equilibrium between protecting individual freedoms and wider national interests in the context of the global digital information society.  AI is being used in almost every area of life from fintech, to robotics and telecoms (see Box B on AI and Fintech, AI and Box C on Robotics and AI and Telecoms).

    AI and Fintech

    Box B. AI and financial services

    AI and Robotics

    Box C. AI and Robotics

    AI and Telecoms

    Box D. AI and Telecoms

    A balance has to be struck with sensitivity to respect for human rights including private and family life, home and correspondence, the peaceful enjoyment of possessions, freedom of thought, conscience and religion, and freedom of expression among other rights.  Freedom of expression includes the right to receive and impart information and freedom from discrimination in the exercise of such rights, while recognising that the exercise of these rights carries duties and responsibilities.

    The European Convention on Human Rights and other international instruments sets out minimum conditions for the legitimacy of any interference with individual rights.  Broadly speaking, any interference with fundamental rights must be prescribed by law and necessary in a democratic society in the interests of national security, public safety, the economic wellbeing of the country, for the prevention of disorder or crime, for the protection of health or morals, or for the protection of the rights and freedoms of others.

    It is hard to dispute that there has been a seismic shift in the development of technology prior to and ongoing through COVID-19.  This shift has in some respects allowed for mitigation of some of the worst shocks of dealing with the immediate emergency, yet it raises a question as to how, if at all, this has affected our humanity.

    December 2018 heralded The transHuman Code in Shenzhen, China.  This was described as: “informing and engaging all citizens of the world about the dynamic influences of technology in our personal, communal and professional lives, The TransHuman Code was formed to redefine the hierarchy of our needs and how we will meet them in the future”.  Further endorsement followed with the “The TransHuman Code Davos Gathering of Minds” at the World Economic Forum in January 2019.  This event introduced the world’s first digital “person” and first digital book signing”.  In May 2019, the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) published the first, internationally agreed principles on human-centred, trustworthy AI reflected the democratic values of the OECD members.

    Information and knowledge (whether it is formal education or ‘fake news’) built on minimal or cheap labour, where it does not reflect the cherished values of the rule of law and fundamental rights and where it its used for oppression or excessive profit, is a threat to our humanity. While the internet knows no geographic boundaries, human rights protection in this borderless hi-tech world remains largely a matter for individual states and is perhaps the next existential threat beyond COVID-19.

    If you want to know more about these summary findings, and further research projects in the area, as well as upcoming publications, contact Suzanne Rab (E. srab@serlecourt.co.uk; M. +44(0) 7557 046522).

    Professor Suzanne Rabis a barrister at Serle Court Chambers specialising in regulatory and education law. She is Professor of Commercial Law at Brunel University London, a law lecturer at the University of Oxford, and Visiting Professor at Imperial College London.  She is an expert panel member of the UK Regulators Network, a member of Council of the Regulatory Policy Institute and a non-executive director of the Legal Aid Agency.