The Seventh Sense Summary – You might not realize it, but every time you surf the internet, you are entering one of the world’s most complicated and intricate systems. After all, your smartphone or laptop is interacting with millions of others across the globe, and it has access to well over a billion interconnected web pages. Complex systems such as the internet have undoubtedly made our lives easier, and, as technology improves, they’ll increasingly improve our existence. But we need to be careful. If we want to make the most of complex networks, society must keep up with technological change. At the moment, it’s far too easy for people to use networks against us: terrorists can use the internet to spread their message, criminals can hack into our data and speculators can use the increasingly complex financial system to crash the economy. Only by constantly keeping our institutions and infrastructure up-to-date can we hope to prevent this disruption. This article explains how we as individuals and as a society can survive and thrive in this complex age. Back in the nineteenth century when the industrial revolution was in full swing, the philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche shrewdly said that people needed a “sixth sense.” In other words, he meant that, as a society, humans would need to develop another instinct in order to keep up with the pace of technological change. Today, it’s necessary for people to develop a Seventh Sense to comprehend the complex connections of networks which have formed between people, mobile devices, computers and financial markets as a result of technological advancement. To develop a Seventh Sense, you first have to understand that everything is interconnected. Take the unveiling of the first iPod in 2001. The device not only fundamentally changed the way people listen to music; it altered the music industry itself. After the product was launched, people stopped using Discmans, and CD shops began to close while MP3 sales flourished. Eventually, this led to the rise of streaming services such as Spotify. As technology moves rapidly, old network systems are frequently replaced by new ones – the author refers to this process as network power.To understand network power, look at the way that English is presently used as a global lingua franca. The language enables information to be shared in a simple manner among people from different countries across the world. Currently, switching languages seems inconceivable. However, eventually, lingua francas like English will be replaced with real-time machine translation between many languages because that is the nature of network power. Advanced connectivity has allowed this technology to develop. One day, you’ll be able to jump into a taxi in Madrid and say “good morning,” and your taxi driver will instantly hear “Buenos días.” There will come a time when a translation algorithm will be more vital than having the ability to speak and comprehend English. Rewind to the dawn of the internet age is more far-reaching than anyone could have anticipated. Pentagon analysis team surveyed records of terrorists’ deleted phone calls and SMS and discovered that terrorist networks were developing at a much faster rate than the government or military were able to monitor. In 2003, US troops learned that a terrorist in Baghdad had managed to conceive a way to make a bomb that was able to penetrate American tanks. A mere ten days later, an identical bomb killed a US official in rural Afghanistan. The terrorists’ network of communication was simply more advanced. Even newly recruited, barely educated terrorists on the internet manage to elude the government’s old-fashioned, slow systems. The Pentagon’s task force, known as the Joint Improvised Explosive Device Defeat Organization (JIEDDO). Found that terrorists tended to visit sites containing instructions on how to make bombs. Other terrorists would also provide real-time advice in encrypted chat rooms. The American government was unable to gain access. To combat their activity, JIEDDO installed devices to monitor the streets. Although this plan worked to prevent individual attacks, it did nothing to address the heart of the problem. Historically, emperors, presidents, kings, queens and authority figures like doctors or lawyers have presided over power and influence in predetermined hierarchical structures…… To Read The Seventh Sense Summary sign up to Blinkist for free (Click here) Ever read 4 books in one day?The post The Seventh Sense Summary Joshua Cooper Ramo appeared first on Statii News. from http://news.statii.co.uk/the-seventh-sense-summary-joshua-cooper-ramo/
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Humanity is going urban. Today, more people live in urban areas than ever before, with a whopping 54.293% of the world’s population being concentrated in cities. While this has a number of economic benefits, the mass rural-urban migration has created challenges in terms of resources being spread too thin, and deepened the divide between the rich and the poor. It’s no surprise, then, that more and more countries are working towards creating Smart Cities that leverage internet and communication technologies to elevate the quality of residents’ lives and further economic growth. And as with everything ‘smart’, the one thing that has played an integral role in the development of these cities is technology. While the impact of innovations like smartphones and the internet is widely known, up-and-coming developments like blockchain, artificial intelligence and augmented reality are playing key roles in shaping Smart Cities, and here’s how: e-Governance Even the most well-planned cities and countries can crumble if they aren’t backed by good governance, which, in an increasingly digital world, is synonymous with e-governance. The benefits of e-governance are perhaps best illustrated in the case of Turkey, where the social assistance platform is used by 16 public institutions and has been found to save time and resources, in addition to boosting transparency and accountability. mHealth Too many people lose out on access to high quality healthcare because of geographical distance. Fortunately, the advent of mHealth is bringing people virtually closer to top-notch practitioners and facilities at the click of a button. Healthcare helplines, e-diagnostics, mobile applications that bring medication and practitioners to a patient’s doorstep, and medical records stored on the cloud are some of the innovations revolutionising healthcare. Open Education Education is one of the tenets of a Smart City, and technology is revolutionising the way people learn. Massive open online courses (MOOCs) have made lessons and professors from the world’s leading universities available to anyone with an internet connection. And that’s not all. Their voluntary nature means MOOCs help people develop and hone skills beyond what conventional education has afforded them, fostering a culture of lifelong learning. Open Data Initiatives So far, governments have rightfully kept data about their citizens closely guarded. And while individuals’ security and privacy are of the utmost importance, open data initiatives are gaining popularity across the globe. Not only do they increase transparency in the functioning of a government, but innovators and academics can also learn from this data and use it to improve operations in their city. Share this:The post How technology is shaping smart cities appeared first on Statii News. from http://news.statii.co.uk/how-technology-is-shaping-smart-cities/ Whether it’s stealing our jobs or helping us diagnose disease, artificial intelligence is going to have a huge impact on the future of humanity. Research on how to make machines learn and think like people is one of the hottest areas of technology right now, but some companies are clearly at the forefront. Here are the five companies making the biggest contributions to AI right now. Google has invested heavily in AI research. In fact, almost every publication coming out of Google’s research arm right now has something to do with neural networks. The company’s work has led to awesome user-facing features like Google Assistant, Google Photos, and HDR+ photography. Knowing there’s a shortage of engineers with the training to build these systems, Google has even rolled out a DIY cloud AI platform for developers called AutoML. Its TensorFlow AI platform is fast becoming an industry standard. IBMWho can forget Watson’s appearance on Jeopardy back in 2011? The AI trounced the human players, but that’s not why IBM created it. Watson is a collection of algorithms for understanding natural language and processing massive amounts of data in fields like healthcare and cybersecurity. IBM doesn’t have the same user-facing profile it once did, but businesses could use the Watson platform a lot in the future. DeepMindWhile DeepMind is technically part of Google, it’s operated as an independent entity and focuses on pure research. It’s also responsible for some of the most impressive feats of AI engineering from a purely scientific standpoint. DeepMind researchers succeeded in building an AI that could defeat the world’s best Go players, and many thought that game would be too complicated for a machine ever to win. It’s also developed better voice synthesis and taught AI to navigate a parkour course. Share this:The post The 5 Most Promising Companies in AI Development appeared first on Statii News. from http://news.statii.co.uk/the-5-most-promising-companies-in-ai-development/ Reset Ellen Pao Summary – The Pao vs. Kleiner case garnered some heavy media attention, and there’s a good chance you’re aware of it. But perhaps the struggles and obstacles Pao had to endure leading up to the trial are less well known. What was it like working at Kleiner? What were the challenges faced by Pao and other women working at the firm? And how did she come to pursue a lawsuit against one of the most powerful venture capital firms in the world? This article will give you an insight into the events leading up to and surrounding the case, as well as how Pao dealt with the blow of losing to Kleiner. Ellen Pao grew up believing that a good education would inevitably lead to success, and so when she graduated from Harvard Law School in 1994, she saw endless career opportunities laid out in front of her. When she began working at the well-known New York City law firm Cravath, Swaine & Moore as a corporate lawyer, however, she quickly realized things weren’t going to go quite how she’d expected. One of the things Pao noticed was that sexual discrimination had become so deeply rooted in the workplace that it often happened without anyone noticing it, sometimes not even the person on the receiving end. A coworker who was black and female was constantly mistaken for an administrative assistant or a paralegal, despite being dressed in suits donned only by attorneys. Furthermore, even though as a lawyer she had the authority to use company cars, Pao’s coworker faced difficulties in doing so. At the time, Pao’s coworker didn’t think too much about it, and thus never reported what happened. Ultimately, however, she was so distressed by these experiences that she ended up leaving the profession entirely. The case of Pao’s coworker serves as a reminder of how it’s nearly impossible to ascend the corporate ladder if you’re not one of “the boys,” despite your hardest efforts. Pao relates a time when the head of her department invited 12 male coworkers to dinner, following it up with a visit to a strip club. Pao pointed out that going to the strip club allowed the male coworkers an opportunity to get to know their boss on a more personal level, which is a massive advantage. These men-only events happened all the time. Pao managed to get a ticket to a hockey game once, but she was only allowed to come if she didn’t sit beside the senior partner. Such behaviors excluded women from important conversations and opportunities, and as a result, they had to double their efforts just to keep pace with their male counterparts. Pao finished her two-year MBA at Harvard Business School and in 2005 joined the influential venture capital firm Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers as chief of staff. Venture capital firms receive financial support from wealthy individuals, universities, families and pension funds, which they invest into startups, hoping for a return on investment. The venture capital industry is dominated by men, being a real “boys club”, and is predominantly white.On a business trip to New York, Pao shared a table with four white male colleagues. One of whom was a tech CEO and investor named Ted. The tech CEO expressed his desire to have a woman join his board. Which consisted of only men, and Pao suggested that he invite one of Google’s founding partners, Marissa Mayer. Upon Pao’s suggestion, Ted said Mayer would be too controversial. While the rest of the men remarked that they would like her to join because she was hot. The men at the table then continued to openly discuss the type of sex worker. They liked and bragged about meeting Jenna Jameson, a porn star, leaving Pao cringeing and uncomfortable. She was aware that the male colleagues didn’t like her being there. And the men organized a night out without extending an invitation to Pao. As a result, Pao missed out on the exchange of advice and information that occurs during these men-only events. During the early days of Twitter. Pao saw promise and potential in the platform’s ability to connect people all over the world. And so she decided to get in touch with their CEO, Jack Dorsey. She then pitched Twitter to a partner at Kleiner, but he showed no interest and dismissed her proposal. Almost four years later, Kleiner would finally invest in Twitter, upon the suggestion of a male junior partner, of course. By that point, Twitter’s value had gone up by 400 percent. Though she was aware of the inequality rampant in the world of venture capital. Pao decided to stay at Kleiner because she enjoyed the work…………… To Read Reset Ellen Pao Summary sign up to Blinkist for free (Click here) Ever read 4 books in one day?The post Reset Ellen Pao Summary appeared first on Statii News. from http://news.statii.co.uk/reset-ellen-pao-summary/ Artificial intelligence is the future. Google, Microsoft, Amazon and Apple are all making big bets on AI. (Amazon owner Jeff Bezos also owns The Washington Post.) Congress has held hearings and even formed a bipartisan Artificial Intelligence Caucus. From health care to transportation to national security, AI has the potential to improve lives. But it comes with fears about economic disruption and a brewing “AI arms race .” Like any transformational change, it’s complicated. Perhaps the biggest AI myth is that we can be confident about its future effects. Here are five others. MYTH NO. 1 You can differentiate between a machine and a human. It is certainly true that conversations with AI chatbots are often unintentionally funny. And no one who interacts with Alexa or Siri or Cortanais going to say they pass the Turing Test. “Their responses, often cobbled together out of fragments of stored conversations, make sense at a local level but lack long-term coherence,” Brian Christian wrote in a 2012 Smithsonian Magazine article. Garbled sentences and ridiculous responses often make clear just how poorly machines mimic human capabilities — or even, sometimes, how they process information. “Machines don’t have understanding,” Garry Kasparov told TechCrunch last year. “They don’t recognize strategical patterns. Machines don’t have purpose.” But AI is already writing financial news, sports stories and weather reports, and readers aren’t noticing. From the Associated Press to The Washington Post, it’s becoming increasingly common. AI is also producing “deep fake” videos — from invented speeches by politicians to pornography featuring celebrities’ computer-generated faces — that many people think are real. These rapid advances present significant concerns, shaking the public’s confidence in what they see and hear. As a 2017 Harvard study warned, “The existence of widespread AI forgery capabilities will erode social trust, as previously reliable evidence becomes highly uncertain.” MYTH NO. 2 The U.S. is falling behind in the race for AI breakthroughs. China’s national strategy to lead the world in artificial intelligence — which calls for “the training and gathering of high-end AI talent” — has elicited fear and loathing in the United States. “China’s prowess in the field will help fortify its position as the dominant economic power in the world,” Will Knight observed in MIT Technology review in 2017. Writing in the Hill, Tom Daschle and David Bier warned in January that “the U.S. government is behind the curve.” Share this:The post Five myths about artificial intelligence appeared first on Statii News. from http://news.statii.co.uk/five-myths-about-artificial-intelligence/
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Privacy & Cookies Policy Go to Source The post Google’s Sergey Brin warns of the threat from AI in today’s ‘technology renaissance’ appeared first on Statii News. from http://news.statii.co.uk/googles-sergey-brin-warns-of-the-threat-from-ai-in-todays-technology-renaissance/ DeepMind is one of the best known AI companies in the world and it could only have started in London Next time you’re at King’s Cross station, take a moment to think about this. Just yards from where you’re standing, the world’s most advanced artificial intelligence (AI) technology is being developed — by a London company called DeepMind. You might assume that when it comes to AI, like lots of other new technologies, it’s Silicon Valley or Israel that’s out in front. The truth is that something incredibly special is happening in our city right now. Today London is the global powerhouse of AI — the fiendishly difficult task of getting software and machines to perform tasks that require human intelligence to do. The reason this is such an important area of technology is that experts believe it could transform entire industries, much like the internet has done — and might have a big impact on the way we work. So it really matters that we’re leading the way. The benefits for our city in terms of growth, high-paid new jobs and investment could be huge. To understand why the AI revolution is being spearheaded here, we need to look at the story of DeepMind, which was founded in London in 2010. I first met the DeepMind team in 2013, in their first offices close to Russell Square. They’d chosen that location to be close to the brain science expertise of University College London in Bloomsbury and research prowess of the Wellcome Trust on Euston Road. The founders of DeepMind believed that they’d have an edge over their rivals if they could take the most up-to-date analysis of how human brains work, and use it to design intelligent computer programmes. As one of the company’s co-founders, Demis Hassabis, puts it: “You can harness insights from neuroscience to make software that can learn more quickly and effectively — and overcome some of the obstacles that had been holding back progress in AI for years.” It turns out London is a much better place to do this than Silicon Valley — because San Francisco is totally dominated by the technology industry. Our city is the total opposite — the centre of more industries than any other metropolis, from media and politics to fashion and advertising. And because so much innovation happens when different fields collide, it gives London a decisive advantage. A good example is the way we have a massive financial services sector in the City, right next to the digital cluster in East London’s Tech City. As a result of these two spheres bumping into each other, we’re way ahead of the West Coast or Berlin in “fintech” — a valuable new field that’s changing how the banking system works. For DeepMind, working in this interdisciplinary way was hugely effective — by combining neuroscience with computing, the team were able to leap ahead of everyone else. The post Intelligent AI: why London is the global capital of machine learning appeared first on Statii News. from http://news.statii.co.uk/intelligent-ai-why-london-is-the-global-capital-of-machine-learning/ The Gatekeepers Chris Whipple – There’s a story from the early days of the Eisenhower administration. Supposedly, soon after Eisenhower arrived at White House following his inauguration on 20 January 1953, a staffer came running up. He had a sealed envelope in hand, marked “private and confidential.” Much to his surprise, the staffer got an earful. “Never bring me a sealed envelope!” yelled Eisenhower, “that’s what I’ve got aides for.” He had a point. It wasn’t that Eisenhower was upset because he hated opening his mail. Rather, he knew that structures had to be in place to ensure that nothing was a surprise by the time it reached him. He knew he had to have capable, trustworthy and intelligent staff upon whom he could rely. He needed his gatekeepers. The role of White House chief of staff embodies the concept of gatekeeper. At first, it was a relatively informal position, but now it is seen as one of the most important posts in the White House. The story of the gatekeepers is one of power, control and influence. You’ll see how the greatest office of state in the world is run. But one thing will become clear: It’s not so much a question of who holds the reins of power, but who lets him hold them in the first place. Richard Nixon’s reputation isn’t great these days, but he shaped the modern presidency through his use of a dedicated chief of staff. Nixon’s Democratic predecessor, Lyndon B. Johnson – usually known as LBJ – hated the idea of concentrating power in one chief adviser. Instead, LBJ got personally embroiled in all the organizational aspects of the presidency. He opened letters and even arranged appointments with members of the cabinet himself. In doing this, he’d overstretched himself, and Nixon was determined not to make the same mistakes. Nixon, therefore, turned to H. R. Haldeman to act as chief of staff. The role had existed before, but Haldeman shaped its modern form. Haldeman used his powers to organize procedures for White House staff. For starters, he put a stop to the process of end running – gaining access to the president through lesser members of the administration. Those wanting to meet the president now had to go through the chief of staff first. This would keep the president focused on his main policy aims. Haldeman’s command over the administration meant he was the first person Nixon spoke to each morning and the last person each night. It was also Haldeman’s responsibility to keep Nixon on the straight and narrow. He wasn’t always successful though. The tape recorders that Nixon had installed to document Oval Office conversations provided evidence that Nixon wanted to illegally break into the Brookings Institute. He suspected that documents leaked to the media from the State Department were stored there. On that occasion, Haldeman managed to restrain Nixon from authorizing the raid, but he couldn’t always keep his increasingly neurotic president in check. The paranoia surrounding the White House led to the Watergate scandal, which involved forced entry and the planting of surveillance devices at the Democratic National Committee offices. Ironically, Nixon was caught on his own devices approving the payment for those who had broken in. His downfall soon followed. Even though Haldeman wasn’t ultimately successful, the paradigm for the White House’s organizational staff system had been set. The release of the incriminating White House tapes resulted in Nixon resigning on 9 August 1974. It was either that or impeachment. Nixon’s Vice President Gerald Ford assumed the office. He’d need a strong chief of staff to prevent the same mistakes from occurring. But it was a shaky start. Ford’s approval rating plummeted when he decided to issue Nixon with a free and absolute pardon to stop any possible indictment. To stem the tide, Ford turned to Donald Rumsfeld to act as chief of staff. Rumsfeld had a reputation for no-nonsense discipline. His career in Congress demonstrated that he knew how to run a ruthlessly organized machine. He was the man for the job. However, Rumsfeld had three conditions. He wanted absolute authority over the president’s schedule. He also demanded that he act as top adviser in all decision-making and that he would take a cabinet position as soon as one was free. Ford agreed. Rumsfeld would put the White House back in order. As part of his plan, Rumsfeld decided to delegate many tasks to his young deputy, Dick Cheney. They kept close to Haldeman’s playbook: schedules were tight, agendas meticulous, and the president was only given information relevant to the situation. However, they couldn’t stop Ford from making public gaffes. Most memorably, in a 1976 presidential debate against Jimmy Carter, Ford claimed that there was no Soviet domination of Eastern Europe. At one point in 1975, Ford found himself 33 points adrift from Carter in the polls. Rumsfeld saw that the writing was on the wall. The Gatekeepers Chris Whipple – Consequently, Rumsfeld and Cheney sent a memo to the president, expressing their doubts and relating the changes that were needed to reverse his fortunes. Ford heeded their advice – his response was brutal. The Halloween Massacre saw a massive staff reorganization. Rumsfeld became defense secretary, and Cheney the new chief of staff. It was no good. Although Ford managed to claw some points back, a difference of just 9,000 votes in Ohio and Hawaii meant that Carter would be the next president. Carter’s successful presidential campaign team was led by Jack Watson – a Harvard Law graduate and Washington insider – together with Hamilton Jordan, a political strategist who’d been Carter’s primary advisor when he was governor of Georgia…… To Read The Gatekeepers Chris Whipple (summary) sign up to Blinkist for free (Click here) Ever read 4 books in one day?The post The Gatekeepers Chris Whipple Summary appeared first on Statii News. from http://news.statii.co.uk/the-gatekeepers-chris-whipple-summary/ Insignia’s alarm-clock version of the Google Home makes a perfect addition to the bedroom — especially at this price. Plus: a Cheapskate-exclusive deal on Ecovacs’ new smart-vac! This is a rerun of a deal from a few months back — and if you bought it last time, maybe just skip ahead to the bonus deals. Because, wow, the price dropped significantly. I’ve said it before and it bears repeating: The Amazon Echo Dot makes a great addition to your nightstand — but it’s imperfect in two ways. First, it has no display. Any bedside accessory worth its salt should be able to show you what time it is. Second, it’s a pretty weak speaker, which is why I always recommend pairing it with something bigger and better. Or, you could just buy this: For a limited time, and while supplies last, Best Buy has the Insignia Voice Smart Bluetooth Speaker with Google Assistant for $24.99 shipped (plus tax). Regular price: $99.99. Price last time: $69.99. (I warned you: bigdrop.) Available in all black or black and gray, the Insignia Voice is basically a Google Home designed for your nightstand. It’s a digital clock, an alarm and a smart speaker, one that’s large enough to deliver decent, room-filling sound — unlike the Dot or Google Mini. Of course, if you prefer to sleep next to Alexa (so to speak), you’ll need a Dot. But if you’re just as happy with Google’s nameless Assistant (I don’t know why, but I want to call her “Barb”), the Voice gives you much of the same functionality. For example, you can ask it to set an alarm (natch), tell you the weather, check traffic, look up movie showtimes, play music, request an Uber, control other smart-home gadgets and so on. Indeed, it does pretty much everything a Google Home can do. The only thing it can’t do is make phone calls. CNET hasn’t reviewed the Insignia Voice, but nearly 1,200 Best Buy customers collectively rated it 4.4 stars. Many of them praised the sound quality, noting that it was better than the Google Home’s. Some of the more negative reviews relate to a volume problem that appears to have been addressed with a firmware update. I’m not sure I’d pay $100 for an alarm clock, even one with smarts. At $25, though? This almost makes me want to ditch my bedside Dot. Share this:The post Put a Google Assistant on your nightstand for $25 appeared first on Statii News. from http://news.statii.co.uk/put-a-google-assistant-on-your-nightstand-for-25/
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