Tech
How is artificial intelligence aiding war in Ukraine?
Ukraine is using Clearview A.I. facial recognition in war wreckages across the country to help identify both the living and the dead
In early March, Clearview A.I. founder, Hoan Ton-That, started reaching out to people who could help him present his technology to the Ukrainian government.
Clearview holds a huge database of scraped photos from multiple social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.
The facial recognition company is already being used extensively in the U.S.
According to Ton-That, the Russian invasion presented another implementation for the technology.
“We saw images of people who were prisoners of war and fleeing situations,” Mr Ton-That says
“It got us thinking that this could potentially be a technology that could be useful for identification, and also verification.”
Clearview A.I. founder, Hoan Ton-That
Last month, Ukrainian defence authorities began using facial recognition technology. The New York-based company offered the technology for free.
Just over a month ago, Clearview faced several legal actions from Italy, UK and France.
The company also has a line of legal challenges from Facebook, YouTube, Google and Twitter.
The tech giants have sent letters to Clearview to ask them to stop using pictures from their sites.
Mr Ton-That says there is debate over the legal aspects of facial recognition technology but assures his company works within the boundaries of the law.
Unlike the other situations, in Ukraine Clearview is being used to uncover the Russian assailant and to identify dead Ukrainian citizens.
It is also helping in identifying the Russian soldiers through their social media.
Risk of imprecision
Critics of facial recognition worry that the technology might pose greater threats if induced in a war.
The A.I. technology does not have a 100% accuracy rate and has faced several issues of not responding well to people of colour.
Also, Clearview is not only being used to identify the dead. It is also being used at the Ukrainian defence check posts to prevent Russian assailants to enter. Hence, its use during wartime can result disastrously.
Shreya Vats contributed to this report
Tech
OpenAI limits deepfakes after Bryan Cranston’s concerns
OpenAI protects against deepfakes on Sora 2 after Bryan Cranston and SAG-AFTRA raise concerns over unauthorized AI-generated content
OpenAI protects against deepfakes on Sora 2 after Bryan Cranston and SAG-AFTRA raise concerns over unauthorised AI-generated content
– OpenAI partners with Bryan Cranston and unions to combat deepfakes on its Sora app.
– The app now includes options for people to control their likenesses and voices.
The partnership aims to enhance protections against unauthorized AI content. The Creative Artists Agency and United Talent Agency had previously criticized OpenAI, citing risks to their clients’ intellectual property.
Last week, OpenAI blocked disrespectful videos of Martin Luther King Jr. at the request of his estate, following similar pressures. Zelda Williams also requested the public refrain from sending her AI-generated clips of her late father, Robin Williams.
Policy Changes
Following tensions post-launch, CEO Sam Altman revised Sora’s policy to give rights holders greater control of their likenesses.
The app now allows individuals to opt-out, reflecting OpenAI’s commitment to respond quickly to concerns from performers.
OpenAI backs the NO FAKES Act, supporting legislation that aims to protect individuals from unauthorized AI-generated representations.
OpenAI is focused on ensuring performers’ rights are respected regarding the misuse of their voices and likenesses. Altman reiterated the company’s dedication to these protections.
Tech
Major apps down as AWS experiences global outage
AWS outage disrupts Fortnite, Snapchat and multiple services globally
AWS outage disrupts Fortnite, Snapchat and multiple services globally
– AWS outage on Monday disrupted major apps like Fortnite, Snapchat, and affected several global companies.
– UK companies including Lloyds Bank and Vodafone reported issues due to the AWS outage.
Amazon’s AWS experienced a significant outage on Monday, impacting major apps including Fortnite and Snapchat. The disruption affected connectivity for numerous companies globally.AWS reported increased error rates and latencies across multiple services and is attempting to recover quickly.
The outage marks the first significant internet disruption since a previous incident last year that impacted essential technology systems globally. AWS offers on-demand computing and storage services and is vital for many websites and platforms.
Multiple companies reported disruptions, including AI startup Perplexity, cryptocurrency exchange Coinbase, and trading app Robinhood. Perplexity’s CEO confirmed on X that the outages were linked to AWS issues.
Amazon’s shopping site, Prime Video, and Alexa services also faced difficulties, according to Downdetector. Other affected platforms included popular gaming applications like Clash Royale and financial services such as Venmo and Chime.
Uber competitor Lyft’s app was reported down for numerous users in the U.S. Messaging platform Signal also acknowledged connection problems stemming from the AWS outage.
British Companies
In the UK, Lloyds Bank, Bank of Scotland, and telecom services provider Vodafone were notably affected. The HMRC’s website also encountered issues during this outage.
Elon Musk stated that his platform, X, remained operational despite the widespread disruptions.
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