Experts Matter. Find Yours.

Ask an Expert: Is the "AI Moratorium" too far reaching?

Recent responses to chatGPT have featured eminent technologists calling for a six-month moratorium on the development of “AI systems more powerful than GPT-4.” Dr. Jeremy Kedziora, PieperPower Endowed Chair in Artificial Intelligence at Milwaukee School of Engineering, supports a middle ground approach between unregulated development and a pause. He says, "I do not agree with a moratorium, but I would call for government action to develop regulatory guidelines for AI use, particularly for endowing AIs with actions." Dr. Kedziora is available as a subject matter expert on the recent "AI moratorium" that was issued by tech leaders. According to Dr. Kedziora: There are good reasons to call for additional oversight of AI creation: Large deep or reinforcement learning systems encode complicated relationships that are difficult for users to predict and understand. Integrating them into daily use by billions of people implies some sort of complex adaptive system in which it is even more difficult for planners to anticipate, predict, and plan. This is likely fertile ground for unintended – and bad – outcomes. Rather than outright replacement, a very real possibility is that AI-enabled workers will have sufficiently high productivity that we’ll need less workers to accomplish tasks. The implication is that there won’t be enough jobs for those who want them. This means that governments will need to seriously consider proposals for UBI and work to limit economic displacement, work which will require time and political bargaining. I do not think it is controversial that we would not want a research group at MIT or CalTech, or anywhere developing an unregulated nuclear weapon. Given the difficulty in predicting its impact, AI may well be in the same category of powerful, suggesting that its creation should be subject to the democratic process. At the same time, there are some important things to keep in mind regarding chatGPT-like AI systems that suggest there are inherent limits to their impact: Though chatGPT may appear–at times–to pass the famous Turing test, this does not imply these systems ’think,’ or are ’self-aware,’ or are ’alive.’ The Turing test aims to avoid answering these questions altogether by simply asking if a machine can be distinguished from a human by another human. At the end of the day, chatGPT is nothing more than a bunch of weights! Contemporary AIs–chatGPT included–have very limited levers to pull. They simply can’t take many actions. Indeed, chatGPT’s only action is to create text in response to a prompt. It cannot do anything independently. Its effects, for now, are limited to passing through the hands of humans and to the social changes it could thereby create. The call for a moratorium emphasizes ‘control’ over AI. It is worth asking just what this control means. Take chatGPT as an example–can its makers control responses to prompts? Probably only in a limited fashion at best, with less and less ability as more people use it. There simply aren’t resources to police its responses. Can chatGPT’s makers ‘flip the off switch?’ Absolutely – restricting access to the API would effectively turn chatGPT off. In that sense, it is certainly under the same kind of control humans subjected to government are. Keep in mind that there are coordination problems – just because there is an AI moratorium in the US does not mean that other countries–particularly US adversaries– will stop development. And as others have said: “as long as AI systems have objectives set by humans, most ethics concerns related to artificial intelligence come from the ethics of the countries wielding them.” There are definitional problems with this sort of moratorium – who would be subject to it? Industry actors? Academics? The criterion those who call for the moratorium use is “AI systems more powerful than GPT-4.” What does “powerful” mean? Enforcement requires drawing boundaries around which AI development is subject to a moratorium – without those boundaries how would such a policy be enforced? It might already be too late – some already claim that they’ve recreated chatGPT. There are two major groups to think about when looking for develop regulatory solutions for AI: academia and industry. There may already be good vehicles for regulating academic research, for example oversight of grant funding. Oversight of AI development in industry is an area that requires attention and application of expertise. If you're a journalist covering Artificial Intelligence, then let us help. Dr. Kedziora is a respected expert in Data Science, Machine Learning, Statistical Modeling, Bayesian Inference, Game Theory and things AI. He's available to speak with the media - simply click on the icon now to arrange an interview today.

Aston University and asbestos consultancy to use AI to improve social housing maintenance

• Aston University and Thames Laboratories enter 30-month Knowledge Transfer Partnership • Will use machine-learning and AI to create a maintenance prioritisation system • Collaboration will reduce costs, emissions, enhance productivity and improve residents' satisfaction. Aston University is teaming up with asbestos consultancy, Thames Laboratories (TL) to improve efficiency of social housing repairs. There are over 1,600 registered social housing providers in England, managing in excess of 4.4 million homes. Each of these properties requires statutory inspections to check gas, asbestos and water hygiene, in addition to general upkeep. However, there is not currently a scheduling system available that offers integration between key maintenance and safety contractors, resulting in additional site visits and increased travel costs and re-work. Aston University computer scientists will use machine-learning and AI to create a maintenance prioritisation system that will centralise job requests and automatically allocate them to the relevant contractors. The collaboration is through a Knowledge Transfer Partnership (KTP) - a collaboration between a business, an academic partner and a highly-qualified researcher, known as a KTP associate. This partnership builds on the outcomes of TL’s first collaboration with Aston University, by expanding the system developed for the company’s in-house use - which directs its field staff to jobs. The project team will improve the system developed during the current KTP to enable it to interact with client and contractor systems, by combining an input data processing unit, enhanced optimisation algorithms, customer enhancements and third-party add-ons into a single dynamic system. The Aston University team will be led by Aniko Ekart, professor of artificial intelligence. She said: “It is a privilege to be involved in the creation of this system, which will select the best contractor for each job based on their skill set, availability and location and be reactive to changing priorities of jobs." TL, based in Fenstanton, just outside Cambridge, provides asbestos consultancy, project management and training to businesses, local authorities, social housing and education facilities, using a fleet of mobile engineers across the UK. John Richards, managing director at Thames Laboratories, said: “This partnership will allow us to adopt the latest research and expertise from a world-leading academic institute to develop an original solution to improving the efficiency of social housing repairs, maintenance and improvements to better meet the needs of social housing residents.” Professor Ekart will be joined by Dr Alina Patelli as academic supervisor. Dr Patelli brings experience of software development in the commercial sector as well as expertise in applying optimisation techniques with focus on urban systems. She said: “This is a great opportunity to enhance state-of-the-art optimisation and machine learning in order to fit the needs of the commercial sector and deliver meaningful impact to Thames Laboratories.”

Expert comment available Powering up Britain new policy paper

Powering up Britain policy paper The government has this morning announced policy plans to improve the UK’s energy security, economic opportunities of the transition, and achieve its net zero commitments. Professor Patricia Thornley director of Aston University’s Energy and Bioproducts Research Institute (EBRI) is available to explain what this is and how it could affect our lives. Professor Thornley is an expert in the use of power bioenergy with carbon capture and storage (power BECCS). For further details contact Nicola Jones, Press and Communications Manager, on (+44) 7825 342091 or email: n.jones6@aston.ac.uk

ChristianaCare Will Open Neighborhood Hospital at Its West Grove Campus

Plans for emergency and inpatient care follow extensive planning and community listening sessions ChristianaCare today provided new details about its plans to restore needed health care services to the southern Chester County, Pennsylvania, community at its West Grove campus, formerly Jennersville Hospital. ChristianaCare will open a neighborhood hospital that includes 10 emergency department beds and 10 inpatient beds. The neighborhood hospital will offer emergency care and behavioral health emergency care and provide diagnostic capabilities including ultrasound, computed tomography (CT), X-ray and laboratory services. The emergency department will treat common emergency care needs such as falls, injuries, heart attacks and strokes. Additionally, the hospital will benefit from access to ChristianaCare’s large network of specialists and support services — such as neurology and cardiology — through virtual consults. “We are excited to share our plans to restore important local health care resources to the southern Chester County community,” said Janice Nevin, M.D., MPH, ChristianaCare president and CEO. “We are committed to our neighbors in southern Chester County for the long-term, serving them as expert, caring partners in their health.” ChristianaCare’s plans for a neighborhood hospital meet the Pennsylvania Department of Health’s requirements for a micro-hospital, which must have a minimum of 10 inpatient beds and 10 emergency department treatment rooms and offer imaging services on-site. “After listening to the needs of the community and an extensive review of historical and projected demographic data, we believe this neighborhood hospital model will provide the right mix of health care services for the West Grove campus in a way that is sustainable and meets the community’s most immediate needs today,” said Heather Farley, M.D., chief wellness officer for ChristianaCare and the clinical leader for the West Grove planning. “It also sets us up to grow in meeting more of the community’s needs in the future.” ChristianaCare anticipates an opening date in late 2024, although the date is subject to change due to the significant work that will be required to renovate the facility to bring it up to current standards, including the build-out of an entirely new information technology infrastructure. Last year, ChristianaCare received funding from Chester County and the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania totaling $5 million to assist in facility upgrades. ChristianaCare already serves residents of southern Chester County. Since 2020, ChristianaCare has provided primary care in three practices that are located in Jennersville, West Grove and Kennett Square. The West Grove practice has recently brought on additional providers and will soon begin offering virtual visits with ChristianaCare specialists. Combined, these three practices are now the “medical home” for 22,000 residents in these communities. ChristianaCare finalized the purchase of its West Grove campus from Tower Health in June 2022. The hospital has been closed since Dec. 31, 2021.

How Teleradiology Improves ER Efficiency & Patient Care

Is your ER efficiency where you need it to be? Learn how radiology collaboration services from RealTime Medical have improved ER efficiency and patient care from Tabitha Kearney, VP Clinical Services, Deep River & District Hospital. Learn how radiology collaboration services have improved ER efficiency and patient experience from Tabitha Kearney, VP Clinical Services, Deep River & District Hospital. Learn more here: https://realtimemedical.com/radiology-services/ #radiology #teleradiology #diagnosticimaging

Why I Begin My Day with AICloudQA?

What benefits would make you want to start every day with a certain piece of software? Learn what makes Dr. Karen Finlay and the team at Hamilton Health Sciences and Hamilton St. Joseph’s want to start their day with AICloudQA and how it contributes to the working environment for radiologists. Learn more here: https://realtimemedical.com/software-solutions/ #radiology #teleradiology #diagnosticimaging

Optometry researchers recognised at prestigious awards for business partnership in eye health with NuVision

Professor James Wolffsohn and Dr Sònia Travé Huarte in collaboration with NuVision won the Medilink Business Award 2023 for a Partnership between Academia and Business The optometry researchers were recognised with an award for their partnership with a company that develops treatments for ocular diseases The collaboration has directly benefitted patients and enhanced global research knowledge. Researchers in the School of Optometry and Vision Sciences at Aston University have been recognised with an award for their partnership work with NuVision, a company that develops treatments for ocular diseases Professor James Wolffsohn and Dr Sònia Travé Huarte recieved the Medilink Business Award 2023 for a Partnership between Academia and Business at a prestigious ceremony held on 16 March in the Great Hall at the University of Birmingham. Professor Wolffsohn, who is also the head of the School of Optometry at Aston University, said: “We are delighted to have won this Medilink award in partnership with NuVision. This collaboration has directly benefitted our patients with this common chronic, debilitating disease, has enhanced global research knowledge in dry eye management and enhanced the local economy. The team at NuVision are exceptional and it is a pleasure to continue to innovate with them.” NuVision has an expert team of scientific, clinical and industry professionals dedicated to building innovative ocular biotherapies. It was founded in 2015 based on 15 years of translational research at the University of Nottingham. The company develops ocular biotherapies through research and innovation. The Medilink Midlands Business Awards 2023 are sponsored by the University of Birmingham and the Precision Health Technologies Accelerator Ltd. The awards event saw 13 life science companies based in the East and West Midlands receive awards from Start-Up to Outstanding Achievement. A further six companies received Highly Commended certificates. For more information about the School of Optometry and the Vision Sciences Research Group please visit our website.

MEDIA RELEASE: More than potholes: The annual CAA Worst Roads campaign includes poor design, unsafe conditions

Voting is now open to all Manitobans – including pedestrians, transit users and cyclists - to have their say on the province’s “worst road.” As CAA’s annual Worst Roads campaign begins, the safety-oriented organization encourages Manitobans to vote on more than just potholes. “Potholes make a road bad; however, our Worst Roads campaign is about so much more,” says Tim Scott, president CAA Manitoba. Voters who head to the website can vote for a road based on a lack of sidewalks and bike paths, congestion, poor traffic signal timing and more. “Fixing potholes and regular road maintenance is important,” says Scott. “No matter how Manitobans use their roads, they should be able to do it safely, meaning we need to consider all road infrastructure and traffic issues.” With that in mind, CAA Manitoba is launching its largest awareness campaign around the issue of poor infrastructure. Voting for the province’s “Worst Road” opens to all Manitobans today. “Provincial Road 307 in Whiteshell Provincial Park was voted the worst road in 2022. It earned the top spot due to constant winter heaving, poor patching and its tendency to flood nearly every spring. The road was underwater for weeks last year, including when it was announced the ‘winner.’” While potholes are still top of mind for most CAA Manitoba Members, a new survey shows that 82 per cent of Members believe not enough is being done to maintain roads in their area in general, and 64 per cent believe the roads in their area have become worse over time. The survey also showed that 53 per cent of Member respondents believe there is a lack of pedestrian access on roads, and 57 per cent cited that a lack of cycling infrastructure is also a significant concern. However, there have been some notable success stories: Taylor Avenue and Empress Street Both streets were constants on CAA Manitoba’s Worst Roads list but have since fallen off. In the past few years, extensive rehabilitation, as well as repairs and replacements for the roads, have been completed. Empress Street is now home to some of the best-in-city bicycle and active transportation paths that are separated from the road and protect cyclists and drivers alike from harm. Saskatchewan Avenue, Winnipeg Taking the second-place spot in the Worst Roads list in 2022, a large part of Saskatchewan Avenue, from Route 90 to Midland Avenue, was recently replaced. The improvements included new sidewalks and accessibility features. However, the westernmost part of Saskatchewan Avenue is still in considerable disrepair. For more than a decade, CAA’s Worst Roads campaign has given decision-makers a snapshot of the public’s perception of the roads in their communities. Last year’s “winners” included: 1. Provincial Road 307 2. Saskatchewan Avenue, Wpg 3. Waller Avenue, Wpg 4. Provincial Trunk Hwy 34, Pilot Mound 5. 18th Street, Brandon 6. Provincial Trunk Hwy 44, Lockport to Whiteshell 7. Leila Avenue, Wpg 8. Kenaston Boulevard, Wpg 9. Dawson Road North, Wpg 10. Goulet Street, Wpg If you want to see your worst road make the list, visit www.caaworstroads.com to cast your vote. Voting is open to all residents of Manitoba, and you can vote daily.

What You Need To Know About Cybersecurity From the Director of the Rensselaer Future of Computing Institute

Cyber threats have become one of the leading issues for corporations, governments, and public institutions across America. With ransomware attacks, hackers, and other nefarious threats, the issue is becoming a daily occurrence and leading news story. Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute’s James Hendler, director of the Future of Computing Institute, Tetherless World Professor of Computer, Web, and Cognitive Sciences, and director of the RPI-IBM Artificial Intelligence Research Collaboration, weighs in on what we should all know about cybersecurity. Overview Think about cybersecurity the way you think about home security – the more valuables you have, the more security you need. A normal user needs the equivalent of a lock on the door, which most of our computers provide out of the box. However, a user with a fair amount of personal information, who keeps financial records or runs a small business, probably wants a firewall or other additional protection. We used to tell people to protect their computers with firewalls, malware detectors, and the like, but now it is much more important to protect your web access, be wary of external sites, and keep your passwords secure and not easily guessed. Use of a password manager program can be really helpful for people who use a lot of different accounts. Threats The biggest threat facing individuals is identity theft caused by someone getting into an account that you don’t control. Most malware or password stealing comes via a phishing attack (a fake email that convinces you to click a bad link), so if you see an offer that looks too good to be true, don’t believe it. Never give out a password or personal information without confirming that it is legitimate. We also recommend not using major accounts (like Google, Facebook, etc.) to log in to new apps where you aren’t completely sure of the reliability – you’re safer if you use a separate password. It’s also worth noting that these kinds of attacks are now happening on cell phones – if you get a text saying your Amazon, Netflix, or other services have been shut off, be very careful. These companies almost never send out such messages, and if they do, they come via email, not text. For businesses, ransomware is becoming an increasing challenge. Frequent backups and dual authentication are absolute musts for small businesses. Large businesses, and especially those with cyber-physical connections such as a manufacturing device, must have someone on the team who understands internet technology. Outside audits done annually, at least, are also highly recommended. The biggest danger in cybersecurity is that people, especially in businesses, think that the software industry will fix things and that they don’t have to worry. That’s like expecting auto manufacturers to stop car theft, or the government to prevent all crime – these organizations certainly need to help, but they cannot be perfect. So while there definitely needs to be a role for manufacturers and government, people need to understand that the threats are now coming from social interactions such as phishing, or serious criminal enterprises such as ransomware attackers, and not just maladjusted teenagers. They must be ready to pay for some security if they have things on their network that need protection. The Cloud Cloud-based services are a major boon to cybersecurity for individuals and small businesses if, and only if, people protect their access. If a breach is reported to you by a company, don’t ignore it, change your password, and, whenever possible, use dual authentication. The cloud companies can afford to spend more on security than you can and thus your information stored in these services tends to be quite secure. However, people need to be careful in using the cloud. Just as you may trust a bank with your money, you want to be sure not to be robbed on your way there. Future Computing Systems and Cybersecurity New technologies, such as artificial intelligence (AI), are arising all the time in today’s fast-moving cyber world. As these technologies arise, they can create new opportunities for cybersecurity, but can also create new challenges. Cybercrime will never disappear, and each new capability comes with a price. Increased education and awareness of emerging computing technologies (blockchain, quantum, etc.) are important not just for the expert, but also for the general public. It is important to stay informed and pay attention to what is being reported. Just as buying a new appliance can be a great advantage at home (I love my new air-fryer), you also have to be sure to be using it appropriately (used wrong, it can cause fires). Looking to learn more or connect with an expert for your questions and coverage? James Hendler is the director of the Rensselaer Future of Computing Institute, Tetherless World Professor of Computer, Web, and Cognitive Sciences, and director of the RPI-IBM Artificial Intelligence Research Collaboration. Hendler has authored over 400 books, technical papers, and articles in the areas of Semantic Web, artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, and high-performance processing. Hendler is available to speak with media - simply click on his icon now to arrange an interview today.

Expert Q&A: The Summer of Sargassum?

A 5,000-mile-wide mass of sargassum seaweed is drifting toward Florida's beaches. It could arrive, with its brown, slick leaves and rotten eggs smell, around July as the state's Atlantic beaches are filled with locals and tourists.   Florida Tech oceanographer Kevin Johnson offered his insights into this looming arrival. Is it dangerous? Will it spoil the beaches? Here are his answers to some key questions. QUESTION: Is this situation really a big deal? Kevin Johnson: I wouldn’t say it is being overhyped, but it is yet to be determined whether this year will have greater amounts of sargassum in the Atlantic offshore, (visible by satellite) or coming ashore and covering the beaches, a connected but separate phenomenon requiring the cooperation of onshore winds. 2018 was a record-setting year, and this year could exceed what was seen in both locations in 2018. If the winds contribute strongly to sargassum coming ashore, it could make it smelly and hard to find an area of clean sand to set up on the beaches. QUESTION: Is there a health risk if we head to a beach where sargassum is present? Kevin Johnson: Sargassum doesn’t produce aerosolized organic toxins, but as it rots on the beach, it will smell and give off hydrogen sulfide gas, or H2S. That's the stuff that smells like rotten eggs. When concentrated in enclosed areas, this gas is toxic and can be harmful. However, in the open air, diluted on an exposed beach, it is more of a smelly nuisance than a genuine health hazard for most people. But there could be a minor irritation, like itching, after coming into contact with sargassum. There are symbiotic species living in and amongst this seaweed when it is healthy and floating at sea. (These intricate relationships are part of what makes sargassum ecologically significant as a food source, nursery and habitat for many populations.) One of the symbionts is a tiny branching colonial hydroid, related to corals. it grows on sargassum fronds. Hydroid colonies have a sting like corals and jellyfish, but it is generally not severe. Some people may experience itching around their feet or ankles (or any body part that contacts the sargassum hydroids) if they brush up against sargassum in waves or swash, or step on freshly deposited sargassum on the sand. Many people will not be bothered or only mildly troubled by this, but some people may be more sensitive to the hydroids. QUESTION: I was planning to visit the beach. Should I reconsider now?  Kevin Johnson: If the winds collude with the large bloom already underway to deliver huge mats to the beach, it could be hard for beachgoers to find a place to sit on the sand, and the smells could make the beach untenable. I emphasize “could” with the hydrogen sulfide smell because it depends on how the sargassum is deposited and how wet it is as it breaks down. In some cases, beached Sargassum can be very dry and in such cases it may not smell too bad. People who are more sensitive to the hydrogen sulfide or to the hydroids on the fresh sargassum may find the experience even more unpleasant. Westerly winds would be helpful from the perspective of keeping sargassum away from beaches, but unfortunately easterlies are pretty common this time of year. If you're a reporter looking to know more about this topic, let us help with your coverage. Dr. Johnson can be available for phone, Zoom or, depending on scheduling, in-person interviews.