AI Biweekly: 10 Bits from June W2 — W3
June 13th — Salesforce in Partnership with Google
Salesforce announces a deeper data sharing partnership with Google. Consumer insights from Salesforce’s Marketing Cloud and Google Analytics 360 will be merged into one dashboard for either platform. Marketing Cloud data can be used to create a more customized web experience.
June 13th — NVIDIA Establishes AI Research Lab in Toronto
NVIDIA announces it is opening an AI research Lab in Toronto which will gather approximately 100 AI and deep learning researchers by the end of 2018. Part of NVIDIA’s expanding research ecosystem, the lab will focus on machine learning, computer vision, autonomous driving, and robotics.
June 13th — Taiwanese Coal Power Plant’s AI Pivot May Save $1m Annually
The Taiwan Power Company’s Thermal Power Plant uses AI systems during combustion, which it estimates can save US$1 million per year. The Mitsubishi Hitachi Power Systems AI platform examines various parameters and automatically performs a series of adjustments to improve performance.
June 14th — Microsoft Using AI for Checkout-free Store
Microsoft is developing an AI-based automated checkout system for retail. The system employs IoT devices on the shopping cart to accelerate customer check out. Microsoft is said to be discussing a possible partnership with Walmart.
June 18th — Google Announces Partnership with JD.com
Google announces a strategic partnership with China’s JD.com. Google will purchase US$550 million in JD.com shares; and products on JD.com will be sold globally through the Google shopping platform. Google will also support JD.com retail solution development in Europe, the US, and Southeast Asia.
June 19th — Amazon Brings Echo to Italy and Spain
Amazon is preparing to introduce Amazon Echo devices in Italy and Spain this year. Amazon will also open the Alexa Skill kit to developers in these countries, and the Alexa Voice Service Developer Preview will be available to hardware developers for third-party devices.
June 19th — Amazon Launches Alexa for Hospitality
Amazon announces Alexa for Hospitality, designed to bring Amazon Echo to hotels and vacation rentals, where it will enable guests to easily request services through a voice interface. The Marriott International hotel chain is Amazon’s first partner on the new platform.
June 19th — Japan Using AI to Detect Suspicious Behavior
Japan’s Central Security Patrols (CSP) will install surveillance cameras with image analysis support capabilities in public areas such as Tokyo Station in 2019. The goal is to expand simple camera monitoring into a secure infrastructure with additional analysis capabilities.
June 20th — Facebook Uses AI to Open your Eyes in Pictures
Facebook engineers release a paper on how to use deep neural networks to generate images of people’s obscured eyes in photos. This technology can be applied to selfies or group photos where a subject has their eyes closed.
June 21st — Massachusetts Welcomes Autonomous Vehicles
Fourteen towns and cities in the Greater Boston area sign a Memorandum of Understanding with the Massachusetts Department of Transportation to open their public roads for autonomous driving tests. Autonomous vehicle companies will have to submit applications detailing testing experience, crash records, and safety driver information.
Author: Synced Global Analyst Team | Editor: Michael Sarazen
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