What is Ethical AI?

Originally published on WilliamNakulski.org

The recent Neural Information Processing Systems conference in Long Beach, California drew in more than 8,000 attendees. Amid discussions about new technologies and coming trends, the topic of artificial intelligence (AI) brought the conference to a more somber note.

The Moral Issues Surrounding AI Tech

Kate Crawford delivered the keynote speech, drawing on her experience as a Microsoft researcher, and her chosen topic concerned the direction that AI technology is headed. Already, she noted that AI has had unexpected and negative impacts on people’s lives and suggested researchers have an obligation to address this growing problem. She pointed out that AI interfaces have already caused harms, either accidentally or intentionally.

By way of an example, Crawford pointed to a 2015 incident in which black people were labeled as gorillas by Google’s photo AI service. Since then, the problem of AI interfaces learning and applying stereotypes has increased in frequency, suggesting this is a growing problem. These incidents are especially troubling, considering the fact that organizations in every sector from finance to the criminal justice system have started to use AI technology.

Ms. Crawford, who also co-founded the AI Now Institute at NYU, is using her resources to look more deeply at how AI relates with society.

More Shared Their Concern Over AI Learning

While artificial intelligence is intended to learn and adapt by its very nature, researchers from Cornell and Berkeley Universities also raised alarms. They noted that AI systems will infer race and gender, even when those criteria are not fed into the system. They extrapolate a person’s ethnicity and economic status based on that individual’s residence and other factors, suggesting that data analysis may be flawed.

Currently, professionals in the field of AI research admit that the main problem is that AI has become the new black box. By this, they mean that they know it works, but they can’t explain exactly why it works. The key may be in the way AI is programmed, suggest some. By bringing a more diverse selection of programmers to the task, the artificial intelligence in question may also be more diverse.

In essence, the perspectives of the developers, either deliberately or subconsciously, interpret who the AI system views society. In view of the learning capabilities of AI systems, it seems everyone in society and in government is responsible for what AI learns about our society. This suggests AI is only mirroring our own shortcomings.

Source:

https://www.wired.com/story/artificial-intelligence-seeks-an-ethical-conscience/

Emerging Technologies Helping Alzheimer’s Patients

Regardless of age, individuals suffering from Alzheimer’s disease can have their entire lives flipped upside down due to its debilitating effects. Because of this, researchers and scientists within the medical community are constantly testing the latest technological developments that could ease these symptoms, as well as more personalized care for the ever growing number of people suffering.

Life expectancy throughout the world has been steadily increasing throughout the years thanks to advancements in medicine. However, this directly translates to a larger elderly population, introducing new challenges for medical professionals, and a rise in age-related diseases, such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease. To combat this, early diagnosis is seen as one of the most crucial aspects of treatment.

As a form of dementia, Alzheimer’s mostly affects individuals 65 and older. Brain fibers become tangled and eventually form “clumps” that destroy neuron connections, which lead to dead brain cells. The most obvious signs of early development are memory loss and impaired reasoning skills, but these can go unnoticed for an extended period of time, leading to the disease worsening.

A breakthrough in early diagnosis, PTE scans can show the human brain at a cellular level, allowing doctors and medical technicians to take not of any drastic metabolic chances. Patients suffering from Alzheimer’s often have much larger dark masses in the center of the brain; a clear sign of dementia beginning to develop. Treating this disease early on is the best way to maintain a patient’s cognitive abilities for as long as possible.

More and more psychological tests are being administered in an attempt to study Alzheimer’s as well. Activities like writing and anything that demands the cognitive functions of planning can show researchers just how much one person may be affected. As shown in this article’s graph, a person suffering from Alzheimer’s has a much more difficult time writing a sentence compared to a healthy individual. This test is a great way to read one’s stiffness, hand speed, and muscular contractions to best diagnose their levels of dementia.

Unfortunately, Alzheimer’s today remains an irreversible disease. Because of this, personalized care is essential to better a patient’s life as much as possible, and several pieces of technology have come to light recently to do just that. Wearable cameras, tools to assist in getting dressed, and small patches that monitor the body’s functions are all things that exist today, in addition to many others.

So, while this certainly is a difficult disease for both patients and their loved ones, there is hope for the future. Emerging technologies are making Alzheimer’s treatment much more effective, and with how quickly we have come in terms of medical advancements, a cure may soon be discovered as well.

Originally published on WilliamNakulski.org

How to Measure the Success of Your Marketing Tactics

With technology, there’s no need to put money into advertising and hope it works. Instead, it’s possible to use data to track where the best results are coming from. The best in the business use marketing attribution tools to get the most out of every marketing effort.

What’s Marketing Attribution?

To keep it simple, imagine an online store. A customer could visit the website, the mobile application, or an email with an offer.

If the customer ends up buying something, marketing attribution decides which of these channels contributed the most to the sale. This allows the marketer to accurately calculate the return on investment for each marketing channel.

It is a Bit Complicated…

If a customer goes to the website and buys a shirt, the marketing attribution is easy. But, if a customer gets an email offer, goes to the website, and then orders on the mobile application later on, it’s tough to say which channel gets credit for the sale.

That’s where marketing attribution tools come in. These tools run advanced calculations to give each channel partial credit.

So Who Gets the Credit?

Still, it’s tough to say who gets the most credit. Is it the channel that attracted the customer in the first place? Or the one where the customer checked out?

When using the marketing attribution tools, the marketer can tell the program which channel he would like to see get more credit in these scenarios. This makes the tool highly customizable to the individual’s marketing strategy and perspective.

What Tools are Available?

Well, first off, marketing attribution can always be calculated by the marketer. This is the cheapest option, but also the most difficult. Adobe offers a very advanced package, but it’s also one of the most expensive on the market. Affordable options include LeadsRx, Looker, and TrackMaven.

Those who want to learn about these tools should check out G2 Crowd or Capterra. On sites like these, users leave detailed reviews about tech products – including marketing attribution tools.

So, in today’s world, it’s no longer necessary to throw a bunch of money into advertising and hope sales go up. Marketers can track exactly where the most money is coming from. But at the same time, tracking this is very expensive. Fortunately, there’s plenty of programs that provide assistance – it’s just a matter of finding the right one for the marketer’s needs.

https://www.entrepreneur.com/article/309256

5 Growing Technologies That Can Change the World

It seems that technology is changing our world on a daily basis. While that may be a slight exaggeration, it’s really not far from the truth. Here are just a few new innovations that are changing the way we live our lives.

In Vitro Meat

Vegans won’t eat any animal-based foods, while meat-eaters scoff at the idea of giving up steak, pork chops, and burgers. What if there were a compromise? Enter in vitro meat. This is meat synthetically created in a laboratory that can take on the look, taste, and texture of real meat. The primary difference is it eliminates the need to feed, raise, and slaughter farm animals, saving on expenses and eliminating issues of animal cruelty.

Brain-Controlled Tech

We’re well on our way to developing computers that can be controlled by our thoughts. While the entertainment value is limitless, it’s the healthcare field that is most enticed by this concept. Already, there are projects underway to combine brain-controlled computers to prosthetic limbs to give disabled persons more natural mobility.

Genome Editing

We’ve known for decades that our genetic makeup can make certain people predisposed to developing certain types of cancer and other diseases. Now, studies are underway to develop technologies that will let scientists edit an individual’s DNA to remove harmful genes. In that way, the disease may never even develop.

Desalination

Our freshwater supply is running perilously low. One alternative is to remove the salt from sea water, but, while that technology does exist, it has previously been too complex and expensive to be feasible. That’s changing, now that we’re developing new ways to remove the metals from the brine (salt) that’s leftover from the desalination process. If those metals can be harvested, desalination will become more worthwhile.

The Real Tricorder

The idea of creating a real tricorder, like those seen in the Star Trek universe, has long been theorized, but it may soon be a reality. Qualcomm is completing a competition for inventors to submit their designs for a real tricorder and the finalists have already been selected. The winner will record vital signs and be able to diagnose up to 12 diseases.

There are many more new technologies set to be unleashed. As we advance the technology of our world, we are better able to improve and lengthen our lives. While we may not have flying cars yet, we are definitely living in a science-driven age.

Originally published on WilliamNakulski.org

The Importance of Mobile Marketing

We are living in a world dominated by technology. There is no denying that. With the sheer amount of people across the globe that own smartphones and tablets, it is extremely important for businesses to take advantage of this, and market themselves accordingly, especially considering the fact that mobile marketing is expected to make up 72% of all advertising in the United States by 2019.

You may think that mobile advertising is catered to specific businesses, but that mindset will only limit you in terms of the number of customers you can reach. Yelp, Zappos, and Domino’s Pizza may come to mind when thinking of the most successful apps, but nearly every industry can benefit from mobile advertising in some way. Be smart with your marketing strategies, and understand what works best. Catering to an audience through mobile platforms can differ greatly than most traditional methods.

One of the first things to consider is the latest ability to market based on specific locations. A newer feature in the world of marketing, businesses are now able to target nearby individuals upon passing their storefront, or simply being within a few miles of their building. With how often individuals are using their phones, the data available for marketers is almost overwhelming. Failing to take advantage of this however, will almost certainly guarantee that your company stay one step behind your competitors.

Text message marketing, while somewhat controversial, is a strategy used by many businesses to tap into the flourishing mobile market. The controversy stems from the idea of spamming your customers with unwanted text messages. Though this certainly can be a nuisance, utilizing text marketing effectively can actually benefit your business. For example, after a customer makes a purchase through your company’s app, website, or in person, program a text to be sent out a few minutes later asking them to rate their experience. This shows that you care about your clientele’s feedback, and gives you potential reasons to improve.

QR codes are another aspect of mobile marketing that have become immensely popular in recent years. Through an app that is able to read these digital barcodes, customers can scan your business’s QR code and be immediately directed to your website, a download link for your app, or a specific social media campaign you may be running at the moment, all with the simplicity of using their smartphones.

Mobile marketing is not merely limited to the examples I’ve used above. As an aspect of marketing, creativity is key, and the opportunities are endless through mobile devices. If you want to maintain exposure and relevancy as a business, be sure to take advantage of the mobile world available at your fingertips.