SwissCognitive Guest Blogger: Zachary Amos – “How Countries Are Using AI to Predict Crime”

A world where police departments can predict when, where and how crimes will occur seems like something from a science fiction novel. Thanks to artificial intelligence, it has become a reality. Already, countries are using this technology to forecast misconduct.

How Do AI-Powered Crime Prediction Systems Work?

Unlike regular prediction systems — which typically use hot spots to determine where and when future misconduct will be committed — AI can analyze information in real time. It may even be able to complete supplementary tasks like summarizing a 911 call, assigning a severity level to a crime in progress or using surveillance systems to tell where wanted criminals will be.

A machine learning model evolves as it processes new information. Initially, it might train to find hidden patterns in arrest records, police reports, criminal complaints or 911 calls. It may analyze the perpetrator’s demographic data or factor in the weather. The goal is to identify any common variable that humans are overlooking.

Whether the algorithm monitors surveillance camera footage or pours through arrest records, it compares historical and current data to make forecasts. For example, it may consider a person suspicious if they cover their face and wear baggy clothes on a warm night in a dark neighborhood because previous arrests match that profile.

Countries Are Developing AI Tools to Predict Crime

While these countries don’t currently have official AI prediction tools, various research groups and private police forces are developing solutions.

• United States

Violent and property crimes are huge issues in the United States. For reference, a burglary occurs every 13 seconds — almost five times per minute — causing an average of $2,200 in losses. Various state and local governments are experimenting with AI to minimize events like these.

One such machine learning model developed by data scientists from the University of Chicago uses publicly available information to produce output. It can forecast crime with approximately 90% accuracy up to one week in advance.

While the data came from eight major U.S. cities, it centered around Chicago. Unlike similar tools, this AI model didn’t depict misdemeanors and felonies as hot spots on a flat map. Instead, it considered cities’ complex layouts and social environments, including bus lines, street lights and walkways. It found hidden patterns using these previously overlooked factors.

• South Africa

Human trafficking is a massive problem in South Africa. For a time, one anti-human trafficking non-governmental organization was operating at one of the country’s busiest airports. After the group uncovered widespread corruption, their security clearance was revoked.

At this point, the group needed to lower its costs from $300 per intercept to $50 to align with funding and continue their efforts. Its members believed adopting AI would allow them to do that. With the right data, they could save more victims while keeping costs down.

Some Are Already Using AI Tools to Predict Crime

Governments have much more power, funding and data than nongovernmental organizations or research groups, so their solutions are more comprehensive.

• Japan

Japan has an AI-powered app called Crime Nabi. The tool — created by the startup Singular Perturbations Inc. — is at least 50% more effective than conventional methods. Local governments will use it for preventive patrols.

Once a police officer enters their destination in the app, it provides an efficient route that takes them through high-crime areas nearby. The system can update if they get directed elsewhere by emergency dispatch. By increasing their presence in dangerous neighborhoods, police officers actively discourage wrongdoing. Each patrol’s data is saved to improve future predictions.

Despite using massive amounts of demographic, location, weather and arrest data — which would normally be expensive and incredibly time-consuming — Crime Nabi processes faster than conventional computers at a lower cost.

• Argentina

Argentina’s Ministry of Security recently announced the Artificial Intelligence Applied to Security Unit, which will use a machine learning model to make forecasts. It will analyze historical data, scan social media, deploy facial recognition technology and process surveillance footage.

This AI-powered unit aims to catch wanted persons and identify suspicious activity. It will help streamline prevention and detection to accelerate investigation and prosecution. The Ministry of Security seeks to enable a faster and more precise police response.

• South Korea

A Korean research team from the Electronics and Telecommunications Research Institute developed an AI they call Dejaview. It analyzes closed-circuit television (CCTV) footage in real time and assesses statistics to detect signs of potential offenses.

Dejaview was designed for surveillance — algorithms can process enormous amounts of data extremely quickly, so this is a common use case. Now, its main job is to measure risk factors to forecast illegal activity.

The researchers will work with Korean police forces and local governments to tailor Dejaview for specific use cases or affected areas. It will mainly be integrated into CCTV systems to detect suspicious activity.

Is Using AI to Stop Crime Before It Occurs a Good Idea?

So-called predictive policing has its challenges. Critics like the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People argue it could increase racial biases in law enforcement, disproportionately affecting Black communities.

That said, using AI to uncover hidden patterns in arrest and police response records could reveal bias. Policy-makers could use these insights to address the root cause of systemic prejudice, ensuring fairness in the future.

Either way, there are still significant, unaddressed concerns about privacy. Various activists and human rights organizations say having a government-funded AI scan social media and monitor security cameras infringes on freedom.

What happens if this technology falls into the wrong hands? Will a corrupt leader use it to go after their political rivals or journalists who write unfavorable articles about them? Could a hacker sell petabytes of confidential crime data on the dark web?

Will More Countries Adopt These Predictive Solutions?

More countries will likely soon develop AI-powered prediction tools. The cat is out of the bag, so to speak. Whether they create apps exclusively for police officers or integrate a machine learning model into surveillance systems, this technology is here to stay and will likely continue to evolve.

About the Author:

Zachary Amos is the Features Editor at ReHack, where he writes about artificial intelligence, cybersecurity and other technology-related topics.

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Copyright: informationweek.com – “AI and the War Against Plastic Waste”

Plastic pollution is easy to visualize given that many rivers are choked with such waste and the oceans are littered with it. The Great Pacific Garbage Patch, a massive collection of plastic and other debris, is an infamous result of plastics proliferation. Even if you don’t live near a body of water to see the problem firsthand, you’re unlikely to walk far without seeing some piece of plastic crushed underfoot. But untangling this problem is anything but easy.  

Enter artificial intelligence, which is being applied to many complex problems that include plastics pollution. InformationWeek spoke to research scientists and startup founders about why plastics waste is such a complicated challenge and how they use AI in their work.

The Plastics Problem

Plastic is ubiquitous today as food packaging, clothing, medical devices, cars, and so much more rely on this material. “Since 1950, nearly 10 billion metric tons of plastic has been produced, and over half of that was just in the last 20 years. So, it’s been this extremely prolific growth in production and use. It’s partially due to just the absolute versatility of plastic,” Chase Brewster, project scientist at Benioff Ocean Science Laboratory, a center for marine conservation at the University of California, Santa Barbara, says.

Plastic isn’t biodegradable and recycling is imperfect. As more plastic is produced and more of it is wasted, much of that waste ends up back in the environment, polluting land and water as it breaks down into microplastics and nanoplastics.

Even when plastic products end up at waste management facilities, processing them is not simple. “A lot of people think of plastic as just plastic,” Bradley Sutliff, a former National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) researcher, says.[…]

Read more: www.informationweek.com

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Copyright: sloanreview.mit.edu – “Learning to Manage Uncertainty, With AI”

The second Artificial Intelligence and Business Strategy report of 2024, from MIT Sloan Management Review and Boston Consulting Group, looks at how organizations that combine organizational learning and AI learning are better prepared to manage uncertainty. It examines how the emergence of generative AI is changing workers’ and organizations’ attitude toward the technology and the opportunities and risks that it poses.

Uncertainty Abounds

Uncertainty is all about the unknown. The less an organization knows, the greater its uncertainty and the less able it is to manage resources effectively. Managing uncertainty, therefore, requires learning. Companies need to learn more, and more quickly, to manage uncertainty.

Addressing uncertainty constitutes a pressing challenge for leadership, especially today, when geopolitical tensions, fast-moving consumer preferences, talent disruptions, shifting regulations, and rapidly evolving technologies complicate the business environment. Companies need better tools and perspectives for learning to manage uncertainty arising from these and other business disruptions. Our research finds that a major source of uncertainty, artificial intelligence, is also critical to meeting this challenge. Specifically:

Companies that boost their learning capabilities with AI are significantly better equipped to handle uncertainty from technological, regulatory, and talent-related disruptions compared with companies that have limited learning capabilities.

The Estée Lauder Companies (ELC) offers a case in point. The cosmetics company has a strategic need to anticipate consumer trends ahead of its competitors. In earlier times, consumer preferences might have shifted seasonally. Now, preferences are less certain; shifts happen more quickly due to social media and digital influencers. Fashion trends can change by the week. If the color peach suddenly captures the public’s interest, the company needs to discern that trend as quickly as possible.[…]

Read more: www.sloanreview.mit.edu

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SwissCognitive Guest Blogger: Ashwin Tambe – “Enabling a Smart Consumer with AI based Search Experience”

A smart consumer search experience empowers shoppers to make informed decisions quickly and confidently. It transcends traditional keyword matching to grasp the deeper intent behind a search query. This includes anticipating needs by suggesting relevant products or services before the consumer even realizes they need them, offering personalized recommendations based on past browsing behavior and purchase history, and seamlessly comparing products and prices across different retailers.

Advances in semantic search, AI, and natural language processing are enabling search engines to better understand user intent, deliver personalized recommendations, and facilitate conversational interactions.

Semantic Understanding and Organized Responses

Traditional keyword-based search is giving way to semantic search, where engines try to understand the intent and context behind a query. Search is getting a major upgrade! Imagine a giant encyclopedia that not only stores information but also understands how different concepts are connected. This is what search engines are building: massive knowledge graphs that link people, places, things, and ideas together. By analyzing these connections, search engines can grasp the deeper meaning of your queries, even if you don’t use the perfect words. For example, if you search for “best running shoes for beginners,” the search engine can understand that you’re not just looking for any running shoes, but for shoes that are specifically designed for people who are new to running. This allows the search engine to deliver more insightful results, such as reviews that focus on comfort and support for new runners, or comparisons that highlight features like shock absorption and breathability.

Personalized Recommendations

Search engines are getting to know you better! By remembering your past searches, location, and other bits of information, they can curate results that fit your interests. Imagine searching for “hiking trails” and seeing suggestions for beginner-friendly paths near your city, based on your previous searches for outdoor activities.

Behind the scenes, powerful algorithms are sifting through mountains of data, like detectives looking for clues. They recognize patterns and make predictions to personalize your experience. This might mean suggesting new cookbooks based on past recipe searches, or recommending movies similar to ones you’ve enjoyed before.

Even chatting with search engines is getting a makeover! Instead of clunky text interfaces, AI-powered assistants are emerging that can have natural conversations. These chatbots can answer your questions and offer help in a more conversational way, just like talking to a friend. Imagine asking “What are the best things to do in Paris?” and having a friendly AI chat back with personalized suggestions based on your interests and travel style.

Unified Experience – One destination Endless possibilities

Imagine a world where interacting with technology feels effortless and intuitive, anticipating your needs and desires before you even express them. This is the vision of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and its role in crafting a unified user search experience.

Traditionally, navigating the digital world has often been a disjointed experience. We juggle between various apps, websites, and devices, each with its own logins, interfaces, and functionalities. AI has the potential to bridge these gaps, creating a seamless and unified experience across all interaction points.

One way AI achieves this is through personalization. By intelligently analyzing our behavior, preferences, and past interactions, AI can tailor the user experience to our individual needs. For instance, an AI-powered virtual assistant might proactively suggest restaurants based on our recent searches and past dining habits. Similarly, an e-commerce platform might curate product recommendations that align with our interests and purchase history. This eliminates the need to endlessly search through countless options, saving us time and frustration.

AI also fosters foresight. AI algorithms can anticipate our needs and provide assistance before we even request it. Imagine a smart home system that automatically adjusts the temperature based on your daily routine or a fitness tracker that prompts you for a workout when you’ve been inactive for too long. This level of anticipation creates a sense of flow and removes the need for constant manual interaction.

Furthermore, AI can break down language barriers. Imagine traveling to a foreign country and being able to have a natural conversation with locals through an AI-powered translator that understands context and subtleties. This removes communication hurdles and opens doors to richer cultural experiences.

The possibilities of a unified experience powered by AI extend far beyond personal use cases. In the healthcare industry, AI can analyze patient data to provide more personalized treatment plans and improve overall health outcomes. In the education sector, AI-powered tutors can adapt to individual learning styles, creating a more effective and engaging learning environment.

However, it’s important to acknowledge the ethical considerations surrounding AI and user experience. Data privacy concerns and the potential for prejudice in algorithms need to be addressed to ensure a truly unified and positive experience for all.

Overall, AI has the potential to revolutionize the way we interact with technology. By creating a unified experience that is personalized, proactive, and removes language barriers, AI can empower us to achieve more and unlock a world of endless possibilities.

About the Author:

Ashwin Tambe, (Delivery Management Google , Retail CPG) is a management professional with expertise in enabling customers with AI adoption and bridging business gaps with use of modern technology. Ashwin actively engages in the public discourse on Large Language Models (LLMs) by sharing his insights through articles published on various digital platforms, exploring their consumption, societal impact, and potential role in shaping the future. Beyond his professional experience, Ashwin actively contributes to the academic community.he is serving as a judge and student mentor in University of Arlington Texas.

Der Beitrag Enabling a Smart Consumer with AI based Search Experience erschien zuerst auf SwissCognitive | AI Ventures, Advisory & Research.

SwissCognitive Guest Blogger: Zachary Amos – “How AI Is Transforming Drone Delivery”

E-commerce has grown exponentially since the COVID-19 pandemic drove people out of stores and into their homes. Old habits die hard as consumers continue relying on their trusty devices to make purchases.

Although business has gone well for online retailers, meeting customer expectations with timely deliveries poses considerable challenges. Fortunately, artificial intelligence (AI) advancements have paved the way for leveraging drone delivery. However, some issues must be addressed before widespread adoption.

The Rise of Drone Delivery

The convenience of e-commerce has evolved shopping, whether for food, clothing, electronics or last-minute gifts. The consumer landscape has set its sights on drones for fast, reliable delivery to fulfill these orders.

Though still in its infancy, drone delivery has the potential to reduce distribution times, improve accuracy, and lower standard shipping costs for businesses and buyers. From 2019 to 2022, customers received over 660,000 drone delivery flights, with even more tests conducted to develop and improve this method.

However, despite drones’ efficiencies, the demand outweighs current capabilities. For instance, 10 years after announcing 30-minute drone deliveries for items under 5 pounds, Amazon only fulfilled 100 shipments using the technology in the United States.

If Amazon can overcome the regulatory and logistics hurdles, its promise of 30-minute deliveries will significantly appeal to consumers. The market value for same-day delivery was $5,795.64 million in 2021, while experts predicted the demand to rise by 12.65% by 2027. Drones can play a critical role in achieving customer satisfaction.

Drone Delivery: An AI Revolution

AI has rapidly infiltrated every industry, with more companies integrating the technology into their business models. The use of AI in drone delivery fleets is a game-changer for e-commerce and has already proven its effectiveness. Here are three ways AI-powered drones have changed how orders get distributed.

1. Improved Navigation

Conventional drones use GPS to navigate, which may be unreliable in some areas. However, AI-backed drones rely on real-time sensors and computer vision to take in their surroundings.

High-resolution cameras and light detection sense various landscapes, synthesizing the information in real time via an AI algorithm. Image and object recognition allows the drone to pinpoint potential obstacles and track different objects to avoid crashing.

LiDAR sensors also use ranging lasers to map the terrain and measure distances — drone features commonly found in the surveying sector.

2. Optimized Routes

AI can process large quantities of traffic information, such as routes, congestion, rerouting, weather conditions and buildings. Drones aren’t restricted to roadways, so the algorithm can plan the appropriate path for optimized delivery of goods with reduced flight duration.

The drone delivery fleet is also more eco-friendly than traditional methods, producing nearly 47 times fewer greenhouse gases and less energy.

3. Enhanced Security

AI’s ability to detect and avoid obstacles protects the drone and its packages. The system can also circumvent unauthorized areas during flight. As a result, in-flight safety is guaranteed and orders are delivered securely.

Companies can also use AI to detect maintenance issues with drones, allowing them to ensure their fleet is up to date and prevent malfunctions.

AI Drones in the Future

Although AI-powered drones are a feat in technological advancements, the method isn’t perfect — a reason widespread adoption has been slow. For instance, AI may have a 74-day shorter breach time frame, saving companies around $3 million more than those who don’t use it. However, drone privacy is still a hotly debated topic.

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) requires drones to publicize their locations, meaning anyone can view the destinations and track their flight routes. A privacy breach could lead to unsolicited advertisements and the release of personal information.

Drones are also vulnerable to state and city regulations. Phoenix would be an ideal location to set up drone delivery. However, much of the city has restricted airspace, with several small airports and an Air Force base. The FAA would hesitate to allow drones to fly without a pilot for safety reasons.

Additionally, although rural areas could greatly benefit from drone delivery fleets, densely populated suburban and metropolitan regions might pose more of a problem. AI-powered drones can navigate obstacles, but trees, swimming pools, animals, cars and people may challenge the most advanced software. Inclement weather may also be an issue, as not every area has dry, sunny weather conditions year-round.

AI-Powered Drone Delivery Has Potential

AI-backed drones can improve e-commerce and ensure consumer satisfaction in package delivery. However, industries must overcome regulatory and logistics issues before the world relies on them to do the job correctly.

About the Author:

Zachary Amos is the Features Editor at ReHack, where he writes about artificial intelligence, cybersecurity and other technology-related topics.

Der Beitrag How AI Is Transforming Drone Delivery erschien zuerst auf SwissCognitive | AI Ventures, Advisory & Research.

Dalith Steiger and Andy Fitze, Co-Founder of SwissCognitive, World-Leading AI Network
Copyright: moneycab.com – “MWC24: Eine Revolution in der Welt der Technologie (MWC24: A revolution in the world of technology)”

Highlights and innovations at MWC24

MWC24 showcased an impressive array of innovations and technologies that are pushing the boundaries of connectivity. From the launch of new wearables with a fashionable design focus to comprehensive reports on the future of telecoms technology paving the way for new devices and technologies, MWC24 offered an insight into the industry’s most exciting developments. The variety of really good-looking products, such as the OPPO Air Glass 3 smart glasses, the Samsung Galaxy Ring, and the various Huawei fashion wearables, ranging from smart headphones to smartwatches, left visitors in awe. Companies are striving to develop really good-looking products.

Breaking through barriers: The campaign to bridge the usage gap

Discussions also focused on important topics such as closing the usage gap and promoting digital inclusion. The usage gap, which excludes millions of people worldwide from the benefits of the internet, remains a pressing challenge. The GSMA’s Breaking Barriers campaign aims to close this gap and ensure that everyone has access to the internet. Asisat Oshoala, the ambassador for this campaign, is committed to ensuring that the younger generation has access to the internet by using her own foundation and the Asisat Oshoala Academy to teach digital skills.

The evolution of connectivity: from 4G to 5.5G

Mobile technology has evolved rapidly in recent years to meet the growing need for connectivity in an increasingly connected world. While 4G was mainly aimed at connecting people and things, 5G has already expanded connectivity in the home. However, with the introduction of 5.5G, the boundaries are being pushed again to enable even broader connectivity, including the vehicles and the industry.

The benefits of 5.5G:

Connectivity for vehicles: 5.5G enables the seamless integration of vehicles into the Internet of Things, leading to greater safety, more efficient traffic management and new entertainment and communication options.

Connectivity for industry: The integration of 5.5G into industrial applications and production processes will enable seamless communication between machines, sensors and other devices.

Better performance and efficiency: 5.5G will increase bandwidth, reduce latency, and increase data volumes, resulting in faster and more efficient connectivity.

Further developments and innovations

In addition to advances in connectivity, other important topics and developments were also discussed at MWC24. The partnership between the European Space Agency (ESA) and the GSMA Foundry to drive innovation in terrestrial satellite communications was one of the most exciting pieces of news.

The dominance of 5G and the future of 5.5G

New figures from GSMA Intelligence showed that 5G is expected to account for more than half of all mobile connections by the end of the decade.

5G has proven to be the fastest-adopted mobile generation and is expected to reach 5.5 billion connections worldwide by 2030. This development will fundamentally change the way we communicate, work and live. 5.5G will enable even greater connectivity between people, things, homes, vehicles and industries. This will play a key role in shaping our connected and digitized future.

The role of open access [Open Gateway] at MWC24

While artificial intelligence (AI) was undoubtedly the focus of MWC24, the Open Gateway also played an important role. Major mobile operators such as Telefónica, Orange, Deutsche Telekom and Vodafone are showing increasing interest in using the Open Gateway to develop and share a growing number of APIs to monetize their 5G networks. These APIs provide developers with universal access to operator networks under the umbrella of the GSMA’s Open Gateway Initiative.

Demonstrations and use cases

Various demonstrations were shown at MWC24 to illustrate the versatility of Open Gateway. For example, Telefónica enabled visitors to immerse themselves in a multi-camera sporting event with the help of virtual reality headsets. The Open Gateway made it possible to experience the event with 180- and 360-degree views “in the best service quality” and without interruptions.

Increasing importance and support

The importance of the Open Gateway was also underlined by industry leaders, including Mats Granryd, Director General of the GSMA, and José María Álvarez-Pallete, Chairman and CEO of Telefónica. According to the GSMA, almost 50 mobile operator groups, representing around 65% of global connections, have now signed up to the Open Gateway initiative.

Opportunities and risks

Opening up networks to developers through Open Gateway offers mobile operators enormous opportunities to offer new and innovative services. A study by McKinsey & Company shows that the market for network APIs could generate between 100 and 300 billion dollars in revenue for operators over the next five to seven years. However, the company warns that operators will not be the only ones competing for this lucrative market.

MWC Barcelona 2024 in numbers

MWC Barcelona 2024 attracted more than 101,000 unique attendees from 205 countries and territories, with more than 59% of attendees representing industries outside the core mobile ecosystem. With more than 2,700 exhibitors, sponsors, and partners and over 1,100 speakers and opinion leaders, of which more than 40% were women, MWC24 was an impressive gathering of the industry’s leading minds and innovators.

Summary and outlook

Mobile World Congress 2024 was another milestone in the evolution of the technology industry. With groundbreaking innovations, important discussions and pioneering partnerships, MWC24 showed that the future of technology is bright and full of possibilities. As we prepare for the launch of 5.5G and beyond, we are on the brink of an exciting era of connectivity that has the potential to change the world as we know it.

Original article: www.moneycab.com

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SwissCognitive Guest Blogger:  Zachary Amos – “How AI Is Helping Retailers This Holiday Season”

Artificial intelligence is helping retailers manage inventory, forecast demand and improve the customer experience this holiday season. As more businesses adopt this advanced technology, they see more significant returns.

1. Processing Holiday Returns

Retailers see a massive increase in refunds and send-backs during the holiday season. Consumers collectively return almost 18% of purchases, amounting to $171 billion in losses. Businesses feel motivated to adopt new policies like only offering store credit or charging for shipping. Consequently, brand loyalty and customer satisfaction have taken a hit. 

On top of return-related losses, retailers must absorb increased labor costs. In fact, around 44% of them hire temporary staff just to handle holiday returns. Instead, they could use AI to automate the process. Additionally, they could use it to analyze consumer history and predict send-back rates to improve their policy-making.

2. Managing Inventory

The massive increase in orders and returns during the holiday season makes inventory management complex. Unavoidable situations like supply chain delays caused by winter weather add to the confusion. As a result, overstocking and inaccurate stock reporting are common issues.

Fortunately, AI can optimize fulfillment and reduce excess stock to maximize revenue. It can minimize supply chain overhead costs by forecasting reorder points, increasing order accuracy and streamlining distribution. Retailers can use it to track shipments in real time or automatically order products, reducing human error during the chaotic holiday rush.

3. Personalizing Holiday Sales

Customers expect holiday sales. Often, retailers find accurately predicting those expectations challenging. Marking down unpopular items or incorrectly estimating the best discount rate leads to lower profitability, brand loyalty and customer satisfaction. In response, many businesses are adopting AI-led pricing decisions.

Stores that use algorithms to forecast demand in real time have a much higher chance of aligning their actions with consumers’ expectations. Because of this, experts believe AI-led pricing decisions could add $500 billion in value to the global market. Ultimately, this technology could maximize holiday revenue and brand awareness since people are more likely to purchase products when they receive personalized deals.

4. Preventing Seasonal Shoplifting

Even retailers who don’t typically suffer from shoplifting will experience it in full force during the holiday season. At this time, shrinkage — losses due to theft, fraud or administrative errors — increases by over 15% on average, accounting for nearly 40% of annual losses. Sudden increased inventory movement and customer bases make it challenging for workers to spot and stop thieves. 

This issue has only gotten worse with time. In 2022, shrinkage totaled over $112 billion, up nearly $20 billion from the previous year. Retailers feel forced to close stores, reduce operating hours, lock up products and alter in-store selections. Most don’t even allow their employees to physically stop shoplifters for safety reasons, proving the need for an automated system like AI.

AI-powered cameras, alarms and sensors can identify and detect thieves in real time without tipping them off. For example, one store’s model leveraged 100,000 hours of surveillance videos to monitor over 100 behavioral cues. As a result, police are more likely to arrive in time to prevent losses.  

5. Replacing Seasonal Workers

For decades, temporary workers have been the industrywide solution to demand spikes. In the United States, retailers must fill 400,000 seasonal positions to accommodate increased consumer demand. Most assume they must take on the heightened labor and administrative costs. However, AI presents a new solution. 

Retailers can use AI instead of filling positions with humans. It can automate management, customer service or in-store guidance. For example, an in-aisle kiosk could provide a product’s location and answer pricing questions. This minimizes overhead and labor costs.

6. Improving Search Functionality

Retailers can use AI to deal with sudden shifts in demand and large spikes in customer queries during the holiday season. For example, they can use a generative model to edit the frequently-asked-questions page in real time. Alternatively, they could use an algorithm to update auto-fill suggestions based on current interests. 

Companies are already experimenting with this technology to improve browsing. For example, Google’s new generative model lets people virtually try on clothes before ordering them. These customer experience improvements can maximize profitability, brand loyalty and consumer satisfaction.

7. Tracking Holiday Shipments

Winter-weather-caused delays and a sudden, massive spike in orders make retail supply chains incredibly hectic during the holidays. In response, many companies are adopting AI to monitor shipments and predict trends. Amazon’s new supply chain AI manages inventory and forecasts daily demand, increasing sorting and stocking speeds by 75% and lowering processing time by 25%.

Leveraging AI Leads to a Profitable Holiday Season

In-person and online retailers can use AI in almost every aspect of business, from customer experience improvements to order fulfillment. It’s clear this technology will lead to a uniquely profitable holiday season.

About the Author:

Zachary Amos is the Features Editor at ReHack, where he writes about artificial intelligence, cybersecurity and other technology-related topics.

Der Beitrag How AI Is Helping Retailers This Holiday Season erschien zuerst auf SwissCognitive | AI Ventures, Advisory & Research.

This week’s Featured News is a vibrant mix of AI insights and breakthroughs, showcasing the accelerating pace of AI integration across various sectors.

Discover the tripartite approach to AI investment and Switzerland’s significant role in AI research. Gain insights into AI’s impact in 2024, an AI-driven fashion game and the latest trends in WEB3 and blockchain.

Read about NLP-enabled AI in manufacturing, the top ten AI movies for understanding AI’s societal impact, and a groundbreaking AI-based lab partner. This edition is packed with thought-provoking content that showcases AI’s transformative power across industries.

Dive in and embrace the future of AI!

May your Festive Season be filled with joy, laughter, and happiness. Wishing you a delightful celebration!

Click on the present!

Best regards,
The Team of SwissCognitive

Der Beitrag AI Investment, Fashion And Switzerland erschien zuerst auf SwissCognitive | AI Ventures, Advisory & Research.

Copyright: cxomagazine.com – Jacques Ludik – “Creating Transformative Solutions for A Better Future”

Dr. Ludik, please tell us about your background and areas of interest.

My journey began with a deep-rooted curiosity about the workings of intelligence, both human and artificial. With a Ph.D. in Artificial Intelligence from Stellenbosch University, I ventured into the realm of smart technology entrepreneurship, establishing several AI companies over the past two and a half decades. From founding Africa’s first AI company, CSense Systems, and selling it to General Electric, to my later endeavours at JUMO.WORLD and the companies I have subsequently founded such as Cortex Logic, Cortex AI Group, Vive Teen Wellness, Journey Wellness and the Machine Intelligence Institute of Africa, as well as my investment in educational platforms like The Student Hub, it’s evident that my journey is fuelled by a combination of intellectual curiosity, a business acumen, and a deep-seated desire to foster positive change through technology. Across the diverse roles I’ve held, from being an academic to leading AI-based companies and engaging in global AI initiatives, the common thread has been my passion for AI and its transformative potential, and building AI-based companies with data rich platforms that leverages AI technologies to unlock business, customer and societal value at scale.

My endeavours have always been driven by the desire to harness AI for the betterment of business, society, and individuals at scale, solving complex problems and making a positive impact in the world as also communicated in my latest book “Democratising Artificial Intelligence to Benefit Everyone: Shaping a better future in the Smart Technology Era (jacquesludik.com). I have also introduced an massive transformation purposes (MTP) for humanity and its associated goals (that complement the United Nations’ sustainable development goals) to help shape a beneficial human-centric future and founded Sapiens.Network as a decentralized, human-centric, user-controlled AI-driven super platform. I have recently co-founded Sustainable Technology Venture Capital (STVC) Fund of Funds with its own AI-driven investment automation platform and am also currently pushing for establishing a global AI Leader and pushing AI Innovation to amongst others develop state-of-the-art personalized AI and intelligent agents on trustworthy AI guardrails for a decentralized world.

Which disruptive technology are you fascinated by and why?

The boundless potential of Artificial Intelligence captivates me. Its ability to mimic human intelligence, learn from data, and automate complex tasks holds the promise of solving some of humanity’s most pressing challenges, from healthcare and education to climate change. Moreover, the convergence of AI with other technologies like blockchain and IoT is creating a foundation for an innovative, decentralized, and human-centric digital future. The realm of Generative AI, particularly its ability to create new content and solutions, truly fascinates me. It’s like opening up a universe of possibilities that were previously unimagined or unreachable. This technology has the potential to revolutionize numerous industries by fostering creativity, innovation, and efficiency, which is incredibly inspiring.

What was the inspiration behind establishing Cortex Logic? Tell us about its key offerings.

Although the original vision for Cortex Logic was a combination of building scalable AI-driven platforms (which was eventually built in, especially the wellness space with solutions such as Vive Teen Wellness (viveyou.com) and Journey Wellness (journeywellness.co.za)) and solving intelligence (similar to Deepmind), the focus initially shifted to providing an AI engine for business and delivering AI-driven enterprise solutions aligned with key business value drivers and assisting enterprises on their AI-driven digital transformation journey. Our key offerings revolve around providing AI-powered solutions that drive operational efficiencies, improve customer experiences, and create new revenue streams. Whether it’s healthcare, finance, or retail, our aim is to leverage AI to solve critical problems and deliver tangible value.

How do you envision the next phase of Cortex?

As we consolidate the current Cortex Logic business activities and transition to Cortex AI, we envision establishing a global AI leader in emerging markets to develop state-of-the-art personalized AI and intelligent agents on trustworthy AI guardrails for a decentralized world. Cortex AI’s focus is aligned with my own massive transformative purpose around pushing AI innovation, the creation of a personal AI that operates in a decentralized, human-centric, user-controlled, private, trustworthy and explainable fashion, and shaping a better future in the Smart Technology Era (see also my book on “Democratizing AI to Benefit Everyone: Shaping a Better Future in the Smart Technology Era (jacquesludik.com)).

We envision a future where everyone has access to Personalized AI that can help them to live better lives and operates in a decentralized, human-centric, user-controlled, private, trustworthy and explainable fashion. We believe that AI has the potential to revolutionize the way we interact with the world through Intelligent Agents that are operating on trustworthy AI guardrails in a decentralized world that empowers people and optimizes quality of life in accordance with a Massive Transformative Purpose for Humanity that complements the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals. We envision a decentralized human-centric user-controlled AI-driven Super Platform with personalized AI agents that not only empower individuals and monetizes their data and services, but can also be extended to families, virtual groups, companies, communities, cities, city-states, digital nations and beyond (sapiens.network). We envision an “ecosystems of intelligence” where collectives of intelligent agents, both human and synthetic, collaborate in harmony and work together to create a better and smarter world.

How do you intend to pushing AI innovation to build better personalized AI and intelligent agents on trustworthy AI guardrails?

Although we need to build on the current state-of-the-art Generative AI stack and address the current limitations of large language models (LLMs) and related deep learning models, I believe that there are also other complementary important building blocks that should be in the smart technology toolbox for the development of personalized AI and Intelligent Agents: (1) Active Inference AI based on the Free energy principle for distributed intelligence and development of autonomous intelligent agents; (2) Energy-based Self-supervised Learning AI for development of autonomous intelligent agents

We need to build trustworthy personalized AI and intelligent agents that learn reliable world models, learn and adapt to new situations, reason, predict, and plan complex action sequences at multiple time horizons. We need to address the lack of Sympathetic AI that can understand and respond to the emotions and needs of people and other AIs. There is also a lack of Shared AI that can work together with humans, other agents and physical systems to solve complex problems and achieve goals.

You are the Founder & President at Machine Intelligence Institute of Africa. Can you please tell us about this non-profit organization and its vision?

MIIA (miiafrica.org) is a testament to my belief in the transformative power of AI for Africa. This non-profit initiative aims at building a strong, innovative, and collaborative AI and Data Science community across the continent. Through MIIA, we envision fostering innovation and leveraging AI to address African challenges, thus playing a part in the continent’s transformation. MIIA has also assisted and collaborated with other AI and Data Science organization on the African continent such as Data Science Nigeria, Artificial Centre of Excellence in Kenya, and Zindi that connects organisations with a global community of data scientists.

Your latest book is titled “Democratizing Artificial Intelligence to Benefit Everyone”. Can you share the major takeaways from this book?

My latest book, Democratizing Artificial Intelligence to Benefit Everyone, takes us on a holistic sense-making journey and lays a foundation to synthesize a more balanced view and better understanding of AI, its applications, its benefits, its risks, its limitations, its progress, and its likely future paths. The book also synthesizes, assimilates, and acts as a filter on a wide spectrum of thought leadership, information, ideas, and research to enable as many people as possible to not only interpret and make sense of this, but also participate in helping shape a better future for ourselves, our children and humanity going forward. It helps us to more accurately understand where we are heading given the current dynamics on a global and national economic and political level as well as across ideologies and industries. Specific solutions are also shared to address AI’s potential negative impacts, designing AI for social good and beneficial outcomes, building human-compatible AI that is ethical and trustworthy, addressing bias and discrimination, and the skills and competencies needed for a human-centric AI-driven workplace.

I specifically argue for a more decentralized beneficial human-centric future where AI and its benefits can be democratized to as many people as possible. It further examines what it means to be human and living meaningful in the 21st century and share some ideas for reshaping our civilization for beneficial outcomes as well as various potential outcomes for the future of civilization. The book also proposes a Massive Transformative Purpose for Humanity and associated goals that complement the United Nations’ 2030 vision and sustainable development goals to help shape a beneficial human-centric future in a decentralized hyperconnected world. As a practical step towards a building block in support of this purpose and goals, this initiative has been introduced and an invitation extended to people around globe to participate in the development, deployment and use of a decentralized, human-centric, and user-controlled AI-driven super platform called Sapiens. To help shape this better future we need a collective, integrated, and comprehensive response that involves all stakeholders of the global system of governing, from the private and public sectors to civil society and academia.

Career-defining moment: What has been your most career-defining moment that you are proud of?

The establishment and subsequent acquisition of Africa’s first AI company, CSense Systems, by General Electric in 2011, was a pivotal moment in my career. It not only validated the potential of AI but also opened doors for me to drive significant AI initiatives on a global scale.

What’s the best advice you have received in your career?

The best advice I received was to continually learn and adapt as well as always remain curious and open to learning. The field of AI is ever-evolving, and staying abreast of new developments while being open to new perspectives has been instrumental in my journey. This advice has kept me on a path of continuous learning and exploration.

How do you motivate yourself and stay motivated?

The impact that AI can have on humanity and the exciting challenges that lie ahead keep me motivated. Every day is an opportunity to learn, innovate, and contribute towards a better future. My motivation stems from the potential of AI to significantly improve lives and create a more equitable world. The thought of contributing to a larger purpose keeps me motivated. Moreover, surrounding myself with a community of like-minded individuals who are equally passionate about making a positive impact through technology, fuels my enthusiasm and drive.

What mantra do you live by?

My mantra is “Innovation with Purpose, Collaborate, and Transform.” It reflects my belief in the power of innovation, the importance of collaborative efforts, and the ultimate goal of creating transformative solutions for a better future. I believe that technological advancements should always aim at creating positive societal impact. It’s not about what we can achieve with AI, but what we should achieve to build a better future.

What advice would you offer others looking to build their career in technology?

I would encourage individuals to remain curious, be willing to learn continuously, and be adaptable to new technologies and methodologies. Engaging with communities, collaborating on projects, and building a network within the tech ecosystem can significantly accelerate learning and open doors to exciting opportunities. The tech landscape is fast-evolving, and continuous learning is crucial. Secondly, find your niche – a domain that truly resonates with you, and strive to make a meaningful impact within that sphere. Lastly, build a strong network within the tech community. Collaboration and knowledge-sharing are the bedrocks of innovation in our field.

Original article.

Jacques will be speaking at the SwissCognitive World-Leading AI Network AI Conference focused on The AI Trajectory 2024 – Invest for Impact on 13th December.

Der Beitrag Creating Transformative Solutions for A Better Future erschien zuerst auf SwissCognitive | AI Ventures, Advisory & Research.

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