philip lelyveld The world of entertainment technology

IBM hopes to power US Open’s digital experiences with Watson’s natural language processing

The US Open can't have fans this year so IBM is hoping it can use AI to fuel debates, experiences and even the noise in the stadium.

Big Blue and the USTA are using natural language processing and Watson to pull from datasets in multiple clouds to create new digital experiences on USOpen.org and the US Open app. IBM iX, a digital design agency, created the experiences.

The USTA is also launching VIP Experiences with Zoom Video Communications for hospitality events, tutorials and interviews.

See the full story here: https://www.zdnet.com/article/ibm-hopes-to-power-us-opens-digital-experiences-with-watsons-natural-language-processing/

Facebook renames its Oculus VR studio to Facebook Reality Labs

The headline says it all - https://www.gamesindustry.biz/articles/2020-08-25-facebook-renames-its-oculus-vr-studio-to-facebook-reality-labs?fbclid=IwAR1PQAeDRulBkY8IKfL_h2FoEt3HTvDaaA_ujvp1pF5QaFE8Kz4KkeCrG8Q

Oh what a feeling: New Toyotas will upload data to AWS to help create custom insurance premiums based on driver behaviour

That data comes from a device called the “Data Communication Module” (DCM) that Toyota fits into many models in Japan, the USA and China.

Toyota reckons the data could turn into “new contextual services such as car share, rideshare, full-service lease, and new corporate and consumer services such as proactive vehicle maintenance notifications and driving behavior-based insurance.”

See the full story here: https://www.theregister.com/2020/08/18/aws_toyota_alliance/

White House Announces $1 Billion Plan to Create AI, Quantum Institutes

China is adopting AI at a faster rate than the U.S. and the European Union, according to a 2019 report released by the Center for Data Innovation, a nonpartisan research institute.

“It is absolutely imperative the United States continues to lead the world in AI and quantum,” said U.S. Chief Technology Officer Michael Kratsios. “The future of American economic prosperity and national security will be shaped by how we invest, research, develop and deploy these cutting edge technologies today.”

The AI institutes will research how technologies can be used in areas such as precision agriculture, weather forecasting and more. The institutes will be hosted by universities across the country: the University of Oklahoma, the University of Texas at Austin, University of Colorado, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, University of California, Davis, and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

See the full story here: https://www.wsj.com/articles/white-house-announces-1-billion-plan-to-create-ai-quantum-institutes-11598432400?redirect=amp&fbclid=IwAR0Eh5yqgLEbbY1R6uBoO_pbt4KSqRNEvM0FOA9TIguTbk8LYa5ETZls79Q#click=https://t.co/IZKxEKGBEq

5 esoteric science papers to take your mind off the global hellscape

Off with their heads!

What better place to begin than with the Dr. Sergio Canvero’s epic paper entitled “The “Gemini” spinal cord fusion protocol: Reloaded?” This paper starts with a bang and just gets more interesting as it goes:

See the full story here: https://thenextweb.com/artificial-intelligence/2020/08/24/5-esoteric-science-papers-to-take-your-mind-off-the-global-hellscape/

Apple building AR elements into Apple TV+: report

According to Bloomberg, the feature will debut next year and allow viewers to access optional AR content – like characters and objects from Apple TV+ shows – through their iPhones or iPads.

Augmented reality could potentially help attract more subscribers to Apple TV+, which last week also revealed a new discounted bundle featuring CBS All Access and Showtime for Apple TV+ subscribers, who pay $4.99/month for the service.

Apple this week also acquired Spaces, a location-based virtual reality startup that was spun off from DreamWorks Animation, according to a report from Protocol.

Earlier this year, Apple acquired NextVR, a technology startup that produces live virtual reality broadcasts of sporting events, concerts and more.

See the full story here: https://www.fiercevideo.com/tech/apple-building-ar-elements-into-apple-tv-report?fbclid=IwAR03kmytmlTT_Y-aqI9weUr_X9DI6kmv11wCpB4fLzYeGjmMHxoHqRCfdK8

Future jobs: Made by kids, gamers and old people

So, does the Australian Government Jobs in the Future Overview, have digital influencers, clones, massive online gaming design, cultural intelligence and digital companion design on the future jobs list? These skills and servicing innovations – like a leviathan – are reaching deeply into all sectors, upending and creating new sectors.

Instead, government issues laborious statements such as: “workers will need both technological skills and the ability to apply other skills … in a technology-rich context.”

What does this even mean?

... But old people – and people with disability – are innovators and avid users of technology. They are some of the most radical and experienced gamers.

... Think about the grey nomads whose vehicles are literally mobile satellite communications units. Out exploring … doing work … creating … remotely. “Old people” like me.

In many ways, if you want to know what the future of jobs looks like, ask a gamer.

See the full story here: https://www.innovationaus.com/future-jobs-made-by-kids-gamers-and-old-people/

By exploiting our familiarity with non-linear storytelling, India’s entertainment industry can be a global powerhouse

The linear narrative is on its way out, and complex, branching and multi-layered narratives are the future. This phenomenon presents a unique opportunity for India because we are already familiar with multi-layered narratives. Our cultural heritage is replete with examples, such as the epic of the Mahabharata, a collection of thousands of smaller stories woven together into a great narrative. One could read different Mahabharatas over the years and still continue to find side plots, minor characters and details they did not encounter earlier.

This familiarity with non-linear storytelling is a natural advantage, as is a repository of source material. Our film industries must embrace cutting edge technology to make the most of this advantage. This requires bold investments and an upskilling of the workforce and can reap significant dividends in return.

See the full story here: https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/blogs/toi-edit-page/by-exploiting-our-familiarity-with-non-linear-storytelling-indias-entertainment-industry-can-be-a-global-powerhouse/

Researchers explore sound to help improve robotic perception

Researchers at Carnegie Mellon University are looking to hearing as a potential additional sense to help machines increase their perception of the world around them.

A new experiment from CMU features Rethink Robotics’ Sawyer moving objects inside a metal tray to get a sense of the sounds they make as they roll around, slide and crash into the sides. There are 60 objects in all — including tools, wooden blocks, tennis balls and an apple — with 15,000 “interactions” recorded and cataloged.

The robot, named “Tilt-Bot” by the team, was capable of identifying objects with a 76% success rate, even determining the relatively small material differences between a metal screwdriver and wrench.

See the full story here: https://techcrunch.com/2020/08/14/researchers-explore-sound-to-help-improve-robotic-perception/

AI warning: Computer RUINS leading United States armed forces F-16 competitor pilot in scary war games

The аrtificiаl intelligence (AI) progrаmme destroyed the humаn-controlled F-16 jet in аll five rounds of а virtuаl аeriаl dogfight.The test wаs conducted by the US Defence Advаnced Reseаrch Projects Agency (DARPA) to find out whether аutonomous computer systems could fly аnd successfully defeаt аn enemy fighter jet.

Progrаm mаnаger аt DARPA, Dаn Jаvorsek, plаyed down the significаnce of the results but hoped one dаy AI would come to the forefront.

Mr Jаvorsek sаid he hoped to bring AI into the reаl world but insisted people get “wrаpped up” in the Mаn vs Mаchine nаrrаtive.

He аrgued humаns remаin the reаl winner becаuse the system wаs designed by them.

See the full story here: https://entertainmentoverdose.co.uk/news/ai-warning-computer-ruins-leading-united-states-armed-forces-f-16-competitor-pilot-in-scary-war-games-195370.html