This Week Top Automation write-ups highlight the concern of experts over the use of machine learning tools to create deepfake which could be used to fulfill illegal interests on a larger scale. At one level, the technology is threatening us but on the other hand, it will be helping to provide AI-based ID verification for transactions and other purposes.
Moreover, Google just announced that their web services are undergoing a significant transformation and workspace will be available for all users. While Microsoft will allow their Xbox One owners to play next-gen Xbox games through the xCloud service.
There is much more to Explore. So, let’s dive into the automation World!
10) Facebook’s AI reverse-engineers models used to generate deepfakes
Some experts have expressed concern that machine learning tools could be used to create deepfakes, or media that takes a person in an existing video, photo, or audio file and replace them with someone else’s likeness. The fear is that these fakes might be used to do things like sway opinion during an election or implicate an innocent person in a crime.
Read More: VentureBeat
Author: Kyle Wiggers
9) Stripe goes beyond payments with Stripe Identity to provide AI-based ID verification for transactions and much more
A number of startups (e.g. here, here, here, and here) have fashioned themselves as the “Stripe for identity verification”, providing an easy way for developers to integrate ID authentication into a platform.
Read More: TechCrunch
Author: Ingrid Lunden
8) Google Workspace Is Officially Open For Every User Now
Google’s web services are undergoing a significant transformation. It’s making the Workspace service available to everyone with a Google account. According to the press release:
Read More: Automeme
7) Microsoft is bringing next-gen Xbox games to the Xbox One with xCloud
Microsoft will let Xbox One owners play next-gen Xbox games through its xCloud service. The news was buried in a blog post recapping Microsoft’s Xbox + Bethesda showcase, with the company confirming plans to leverage Xbox Cloud Gaming (xCloud) for Xbox One consoles.
Read More: The Verge
Author: Tom Warren
6) We investigated whether digital contact tracing actually worked in the US
A year ago, engineers built apps to track potential virus exposure. Our research shows the impact has been mixed—but there’s still potential. In the spring of 2020, the first versions of covid-19 exposure notification systems were released to the public. These systems promised to slow the disease’s spread by providing automated warnings to people who came into contact with the virus.
Read More: MIT Technology Review
Author: Betsy Ladyzhets
5) 2021 has (already!) been a record year for European fintech investment
Barely halfway through 2021, Europe has already broken the record for annual investment into fintech. So far this year, European fintech has raised €10.4bn, trumping the €9.3bn raised across the whole of 2019 — the previous highest year on record according to Dealroom data.
Read More: Sifted
Author: Isabel Woodford
Read More: Forbes
Author: Alan Ohnsman
3) A Clever Robot Spies on Creatures in the Ocean’s ‘Twilight Zone’
Read More: Wired
Author: Matt Simon
2) AI can now convincingly mimic cybersecurity experts and medical researchers
If you use such social media websites as Facebook and Twitter, you may have come across posts flagged with warnings about misinformation. So far, most misinformation – flagged and unflagged – has been aimed at the general public. Imagine the possibility of misinformation – information that is false or misleading – in scientific and technical fields like cybersecurity, public safety, and medicine.
Read More: The Next Web
1) Google’s first retail store is a space to sell, fix and show off its products
Google is ready to open the doors to its first permanent physical store in New York City, and thanks to a virtual press preview this week, we have a good idea of what to expect. This isn’t Google’s first physical space ever, of course — the company’s held several pop-ups featuring its hardware products in the past.
