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New York City has quietly filled the role of director of artificial intelligence and machine learning, City & State has learned. In mid-January, Jiahao Chen, a former director of AI research at JPMorgan Chase and the founder of independent consulting company Responsible AI LLC, took on the role, which has been described by the citys Office of Technology and Innovation as spearheading the citys comprehensive AI strategy.

Despite Mayor Eric Adams administration publicizing the position last January, Chens hiring nearly a year later came without any fanfare or even an announcement. The first mention of Chen as director of AI came in a press release sent out by the Office of Technology and Innovation on Thursday morning, announcing next steps in the citys AI Action Plan. OTI Director of AI and Machine Learning Jiahao Chen will manage implementation of the Action Plan, the press release noted.

New York City previously had an AI director under former Mayor Bill de Blasios administration. Neal Parikh served as the citys director of AI under the office of former Chief Technology Officer John Paul Farmer, which released a citywide AI strategy in 2021. Under de Blasio, the city also had an algorithms management and policy officer to guide the city in the development, responsible use and assessment of algorithmic tools, which can include AI and machine learning. The old CTOs office and the work of the algorithms officer was consolidated along with the citys other technology-related offices into the new Office of Technology and Innovation at the outset of the Adams administration.

The Adams administration has referred to its own director of AI and machine learning as a new role, however, and has suggested that the position will be more empowered, in part because it is under the larger, centralized Office of Technology and Innovation. According to the job posting last January, which noted a $75,000 to $140,000 pay range, the director will be responsible for helping agencies use AI and machine learning tools responsibly, consulting with agencies on questions about AI use and governance, and serving as a subject matter expert on citywide policy and planning, among other things. How the role will actually work in practice remains to be seen.

The Adams administrations AI action plan was published in October, and isa 37-point road map aimed at helping the city responsibly harness the power of AI for good. On Thursday, the Office of Technology and Innovation announced the first update on the action plan, naming members of an advisory network that will consult on the citys work. That list includes former City Council Member Marjorie Velzquez, who is now vice president of policy at Tech:NYC. The office also released a set of AI principles and definitions, and guidance on generative AI.

OTI spokesperson Ray Legendre said that an offer for the position of director of AI was extended to Chen before the citys hiring freeze began last October. The office did not explicitly address why Chens hiring wasnt announced when he started the role. Over the past two months, Jiahao has been a key part of our ongoing efforts to implement the AI Action Plan, Legendre wrote in an email. Our focus at OTI over the past few months has been on making progress on the Action Plan which is what we announced today.

According to the website for Responsible AI LLC, Chens independent consulting company, Chens resume includes stints in academia as well as the private sector, including as a senior manager of data science at Capital One, and as director of AI research at JPMorgan Chase.

After City & State inquired about Chens role, Chen confirmed it on X, writing I can finally talk about my new job!

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The Adams administration quietly hired its first AI czar. Who is he? - City & State New York

March 7, 2024

WASHINGTON Today, partners in the Climate Action Against Disinformation coalition released a report that maps the risks that artificial intelligence poses to the climate crisis.

Topline points:

AI companies spread hype that they might save the planet, but currently they are doing just the opposite, said Michael Khoo, Climate Disinformation Program Director at Friends of the Earth. AI companies risk turbocharging climate disinformation, and their energy use is causing a dangerous increase to overall US consumption, with a corresponding increase of carbon emissions.

We are already seeing how generative AI is being weaponized to spin up climate disinformation or copy legitimate news sites to siphon off advertising revenue, said Sarah Kay Wiley, Director of Policy at Check My Ads, Adtech companies are woefully unprepared to deal with Generative AI and the opaque nature of the digital advertising industry means advertisers are not in control of where their ad dollars are going. Regulation is needed to help build transparency and accountability to ensure advertisers are able to decide whether to support AI generated content.

The evidence is clear: the production of AI is having a negative impact on the climate. The responsibility to address those impacts lie with the companies producing and releasing AI at a breakneck speed, said Nicole Sugerman, Campaign Manager at Kairos Fellowship. We must not allow another move fast and break things era in tech; weve already seen how the rapid, unregulated growth of social media platforms led to previously unimaginable levels of online and offline harm and violence. We can get it right this time, with regulation of AI companies that can protect our futures and the future of the planet.

The climate emergency cannot be confronted while online public & political discourse is polluted by fear, hate, confusion and conspiracy, said Oliver Hayes, Head of Policy & Campaigns at Global Action Plan. AI is supercharging these problems, making misinformation cheaper and easier to produce and share than ever before. In a year when 2 billion people are heading to the polls, this represents an existential threat to climate action. We should stop looking at AI through the benefit-only analysis and recognise that, in order to secure robust democracies and equitable climate policy, we must rein in big tech and regulate AI.

The skyrocketing use of electricity and water, combined with its ability to rapidly spread disinformation, makes AI one of the greatest emerging climate threat-multipliers, said Charlie Cray, Senior Strategist at Greenpeace USA, Governments and companies must stop pretending that increasing equipment efficiencies and directing AI tools towards weather disaster responses are enough to mitigate AIs contribution to the climate emergency.

Previously, the coalition submitted letters to President Biden and Senator Chuck Schumer that call on them to implement climate concerns into proposed AI legislation. The letters echo recommendations made in the report, including:

Communications contact: Erika Seiber, [emailprotected]

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Report: Artificial Intelligence A Threat to Climate Change, Energy Usage and Disinformation - Friends of the Earth

Acute otitis media (ear infection) is one of the most common infections in children and a top indication for antibiotics, but diagnostic accuracy is relatively low, despite an ongoing search for ways to improve clinical skillseverything from training programs to identifying serum biomarkers.

But now, results from a large study of children suggest that an artificial intelligence (AI)-based tool to help interpret tympanic membrane (TM, or eardrum) videos during the clinical exam may boost accuracy and reduce unnecessary antibiotic prescribing. Researchers based at the University of Pittsburgh Medical center published their findings this week in JAMA Pediatrics.

A research team based at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center developed a medical grade smartphone application that uses a smartphone camera to capture video otoscope of the tympanic membrane through an endoscope or otoscope. Using the app, the scientists collected a training library of otoscope assessments of children younger than 36 months old who were seen for sick or well visits at two pediatric clinics near Pittsburgh in 2018 and 2019.

Two validated otoscopists reviewed the video and assigned a final diagnosis. They excluded samples when the TM was almost completely occluded by earwax or if the video was out of focus.

Using 1,151 videos from 365 children and the diagnosis information, the researchers developed an AI algorithm to evaluate TM features on the videos and make a diagnosis.

They found that the AI tool has a sensitivity of 93.8% (95% confidence interval [CI], 92.6% to 95.0%) and a specificity of 93.3% (95% CI, 92.5% to 94.1%). The team also administered a questionnaire to parents, who were favorable about the AI tool: 80% wanted the doctor to use the AI tool during future visits. Comments from parent interviews were mostly positive.

AI accuracy was better than that of pediatricians, primary care physicians, and advance-practice clinicians, and the authors wrote that the tool could reasonably be used in those settings to help with decisions about treatment.

They said other advantages include use by trained nonphysicians, documentation for the electronic health record, and discussion with parents.

Improved diagnosis can help reduce inappropriate use of antimicrobials for this frequently diagnosed condition.

"Improved diagnosis can help reduce inappropriate use of antimicrobials for this frequently diagnosed condition," the group added.

In a related commentary in the same issue, Hojjat Salmasian, MD, PhD, MPH, and Lisa Biggs, MD, both with the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, said that, of 692 AI-enabled medical devices approved by the Food and Drug Administration, only a few apply to pediatrics, and, of those only 2 are designed for ear, nose, and throat exams.

They wrote that the strengths of the study are the large dataset of video recordings and validation obtained with different instruments. They noted a few drawbacks, however, such as how training and testing data were selected and that expert otoscopists were the gold standard, rather than myringotomy and tympanocentesis. (The study's researchers opted not to use the procedures as the reference standard, because they are invasive and not practical for use in a large cohort of children.)

"Nevertheless, the high accuracy of the algorithm, at least in this retrospective analysis, as well as its implementation as a mobile application that could be used in real time, can lead to the hope that diagnosis of otitis media could be transformed using such technology," the two wrote.

The high accuracy of the algorithm ... lead to the hope that diagnosis of otitis media could be transformed using such technology.

Before the AI model for diagnosing otitis media reaches clinical practice, it needs to be studied proactively and compared with clinician performance, Salmasian and Biggs wrote.

Also, fairness and bias need to be studied, as well, they said. For example, an AI model trained on lighter skin tones might make it less accurate for patients who have darker skin tones.

Aside from improving efficiency in time-limited clinical settings, a more accurate AI-guided tool could also have other benefits.

"The model could promote antibiotic stewardship as well, since the ability to show a parent the visual findings may have significant impact on the parents acceptance of a treatment without antibiotics," Salmasian and Biggs wrote.

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Artificial-intelligence tool shows high accuracy for diagnosing ear infections - University of Minnesota Twin Cities

2000+ Delegates | 100+ Speakers | 50+ Investors ~

The governments target is that AI graphics processing units (GPUs) under the governments Rs 10,372 crore AI Mission will be available in the next 18-24 months. Aligned with the broader vision of the India AI Mission- S Krishnan, Secretary, MeitY, said at TiEcon Delhi 2024

TiEcon Delhi 2024 flagship startup event by TiE Delhi-NCR was a roaring success, demonstrating the power of resilience and innovation in the startup ecosystem with the theme The New Bharat: Confident | Bold | Inclusion. The conference witnessed the celebration of entrepreneurial spirit, exclusive business networking opportunities, and the recognition of outstanding achievements through various awards.

The inaugural session commenced with a keynote address by Shri Sivasubramanian Ramann, Chairman of SIDBI. He said The Fund of Funds for Start-ups (FFS) committed Rs 9,500 crore for the promotion of new ventures in the country. The commitment of Rs 9,500 crore has led to over 100 AIFs raising Rs 56,000 crore more. In line with the Start-up India Action Plan, the FFS aims to support development and growth of innovation-driven enterprises, including facilitating the funding needs for start-ups through participation in the capital of SEBI-registered Alternative Investment Funds. Acknowledging the need to recognize and measure womens contributions to the economy, he further added, The participation rate for women in states has been constantly dropping and to look for rapid growth there is a need for women to be far more active players outside the home.

Speaking at TiEcon Delhi 2024, the esteemed Chief Guest at the event S Krishnan, Secretary of the Ministry of Electronics, and Information Technology (MeitY), highlighted the governments commitment to fostering innovation and entrepreneurship. He said The governments target is that artificial intelligence graphics processing units (GPUs) under the governments Rs 10,372 crore AI Mission will be available in the next 18-24 months. Aligned with the broader vision of the India AI Mission, these initiatives aim to bolster Indias global leadership, foster technological self-reliance, ensure ethical and responsible AI deployment, and democratize the benefits of AI across all strata of society.

The TiEcon Delhi 2024 event, also announced its support for the Startup Mahakumbh, the groundbreaking new initiative by Government of India scheduled to kick-off on March 18th, 2024. It is a first-of-its-kind gathering, bringing together the key players in the startup ecosystem from incubators and investors to accelerators.

In support of the Startup Mahakumbh initiative, Rajan Anandan, MD, PeakXV & Surge said The Startup Mahakumbh is being brought together by the entire Indian ecosystem of startups, investors, incubators, accelerators, and industry experts across sectors. Several industry associations, such as TiE Delhi-NCR, ASSOCHAM and NASSCOM have all joined hands to put together the Startup Mahakumbh. With the aim of providing exposure to the upcoming startups, allowing them a platform to showcase their innovation.

Vishal Dhupar, MD Asia South, NVIDIA further added to the vision of New Bharat. He said, Lets build the Intelligence in India and Export it. It will transform India from the Back Office of the world to the Office of the World. India is a country of software engineers, and it is the time now for the country to start building its own AI models. The global data center industry is around USD 4 trillion which is going to double, and India has close to about 1-2 percent of the total global capacity. And we are going to take this whole worlds software into accelerated computing.

TiEcon Delhi 2024 served as a platform for brands to share their insights with the larger ecosystem. Such as the Report by Havas Media Network India in partnership with Klug titled Echoes from Social Media Influencers: In shaping the cultural narratives in Tier 2 & 3 cities in India. The report delves into the pivotal role of regional content creators in driving local language content, transcending mere translation to foster deep resonance and impactful communication beyond metropolitan areas. As digital media penetrates every corner of India, granting content access to all, the regional influencer economy is firmly taking root in the deeper sections of the country. With a focus on tier 2 and 3 cities, the report offers comprehensive insights into how these influencers shape cultural narratives, amplifying voices and influencing consumer behavior and preferences. Understanding these dynamics is essential for brands and marketers seeking to effectively engage with diverse audiences across India.

TiEcon Delhi 2024 also recognized the power of resilience and innovation in the startup ecosystem with three award categories. TiE Delhi-NCR & Power2SME celebrated the 10th Season of the Spirit of Manufacturing Awards, honouring startups in the manufacturing domain for their remarkable achievements and innovations. The 16th edition of the TiE-Lumis Entrepreneurial Excellence Awards, recognized startups who have demonstrated resilience. In addition to these, the conference marked the inaugural edition of the Startup CFO Awards in collaboration with Binary Semantics Ltd.

TiEcon Delhi 2024 was supported by acclaimed business and industry partners such as Startup India, Maruti Suzuki Innovation, Havas India, SAP, AWS, PeakXV, Microsoft, STPI, NETAPP Excellerator, and many more, reflecting the collaborative spirit driving Indias startup ecosystem forward.

About TiE Delhi-NCR:

TiE Delhi-NCR is among the most active and vibrant chapters across the vast TiE network. In the last two decades, it has continuously taken the lead in creating an increasingly positive ecosystem for entrepreneurs and investors. With a strong mentor support base, marquee events, and focused workshops throughout the year, TiE Delhi-NCR conducts a wide range of programs to help entrepreneurs. These include TiEcon, India Internet Day, Sustainability Summit, HR Summit, and TiE Young Entrepreneurs along Special Interest Groups (SIGs) across sectors.

For more details visit: https://www.tiecon-delhi.org/

Note: Quotes from key players and additional details about award winners can be inserted as per post-event updates.

Annexure

Rajesh Uppal, Member Executive Board & CIO, Maruti Suzuki India The Maruti Suzuki Innovation program is a game-changing initiative poised to revolutionize automotive innovation in India. Serving as a platform for startups, it provides the necessary direction and support for developing innovative solutions. Through collaborative efforts with young entrepreneurs and esteemed institutions like IIM Bangalore, we aim to further bolster innovation within the automotive industry.

Dr. Jitendra Kumar, MD, Biotechnology Industry Research Assistance Council (BIRAC) India has made significant strides, recognized globally as a vaccine powerhouse. However, theres a gap in disruptive innovation within the country. Theres much to be done in this realm, and our institute is actively working towards fostering it,

Deep Kalra, Founder, MakeMyTrip The biggest driver for an entrepreneur is belief. Belief in our business. If you dont have funding or are going through tough times, its your belief that carries you through. In fact, resilience is key in navigating the ever evolving landscape shaped by emerging technologies such as AI.

Mr. Sanjeev Bikhchandani, Founder & Executive Vice Chairman at Info Edge Nobody becomes an entrepreneur because they are looking for a new boss. The advice I give to all founders is to make sales calls yourself, you will get to know your customer. You break customer silence by just noting down what the customer was saying and giving them that. We dont choose industries, we choose entrepreneurs, founders, and companies. We rely not on our imagination but the imagination of those were investing in.

The rest is here:
Artificial Intelligence Takes the Spotlight at TiEcon Delhi 2024 - CXOToday.com

This week in artificial intelligence (AI) news, more companies are pushing for an ethical use of the technology, while a new partnership aims to develop computer chips that will accelerate the widespread use of AI. Find out this weeks latest AI news here.

Theres a push around the world to make AI better in a fair, clear, and responsible way. Companies like OpenAIandSalesforceareleading the charge, saying its important to use AI in ways that help people without causing harm. Theyre part of a bigger movement trying to ensure that AI is used in a good way.

Recently, the conversation about responsible AI received more attention because Elon Musk is suing OpenAI, a company he helped start, accusing them of straying from the companys initial mission to develop artificial intelligence (AI) for the betterment of humanity. In response, OpenAI released a sequence of emails between Musk and top executives, revealing his initial support for the startups transition to a profit-making model. Additionally, the company plans to dismiss Musks lawsuit. The situation is making observers consider how AIs development should be managed to ensure best practices.

Faster AI may be just around the corner.

EnCharge AI, in collaboration with Princeton University and backed by the U.S. Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA), is set to transform AI by developing new computer chips. This partnership, announced on Wednesday (March 6), are part of DARPAs Optimum Processing Technology Inside Memory Arrays (OPTIMA) program. This $78 million initiative aims to create quicker, more energy-efficient, and scalable processors specifically designed to boost commercial AI applications.

Jonathan Morris, EnCharges vice president of government affairs and communications, shared with PYMNTS that these next-gen AI processors are poised to enable AI inference directly on devices. This innovation addresses the high costs associated with cloud computing and opens up a myriad of new possibilities. Bringing AI processing on devices significantly reduces energy consumption and alleviates privacy issues, making AI more accessible and practical for a wide range of applications.

This partnership focuses not just on the creation of these chips but also on their potential to transform how AI applications are deployed. The vision is to move AI processing from large data centers to everyday gadgets such as smartphones, vehicles and industrial machinery. EnCharge AI aims to make these chips a reality and enhance their speed and efficiency with DARPAs support.

These breakthrough chips employ switched-capacitor analog in-memory computing technology, a unique approach commercialized by EnCharge AI. The company asserts that these chips offer significant efficiency improvements over traditional digital accelerators. They manage to maintain precision and scalability, overcoming the limitations associated with other analog computing methods that rely on electrical currents.

Morris further highlighted the broader impact of these chips, suggesting that they could notably improve the performance of personal computers. This advancement would enable users to leverage their business software more effectively without the usual concerns over privacy and security. This initiative marks a significant leap toward embedding AI capabilities into everyday technology, enhancing business operations and personal device usage.

The next target of cybercriminals may be physical targets. The FBI has recently informed Congress that Chinese hackers have made significant inroads into U.S. cyberinfrastructure, targeting vital systems. These state-backed hackers focus on essential services such as water, electricity, and oil and gas pipelines. This move highlights Chinas increasing use of AI in cyberattacks, posing potential disruptions to business activities.

As cybercrime rates soar, experts emphasize the growing threat of AI-powered cyberattacks to businesses. This development highlights the critical importance of strengthening cybersecurity defenses to protect against these advanced threats.

AI, in a way, gives us all superpowers, Luke Plaster, chief security architect at the cybersecurity firm io.finnet, told PYMNTS in an interview. Unfortunately, that means malicious invaders are now able to leverage a new combination of social engineering tactics and tools like large language models [LLMs] to craft more effective attacks.

Businesses are pouring money into AI innovations. Small companies are embracing AI tools and services to keep pace with swiftly evolving technological trends. Experts highlight the potential returns on AI investments. Reports from PYMNTS indicate that AI is playing a crucial role in enhancing operational efficiencies for small businesses.

AI can help integrate data from across spreadsheets, PDFs and business units, unlocking insights that can improve operations and progress toward business goals, IBMs Head of Sustainability Software Christina Shimtold PYMNTS in an interview.

Often, businesses already have the data they need, but it remains buried across disparate databases, spreadsheets, systems, business units and even third parties. The challenge is consolidating that data in a controlled manner, which is where AI comes in. The tools to consolidate data already exist, but AI has the potential to supercharge how useful they are and optimize business operations to an unprecedented level.

Read more here:
This Week in AI: Ethics, Chips and Small Business Investments - PYMNTS.com