Technology

Image-manipulation tools capable of creating fake satellite images using AI are spreading. In a paper published online last month, University of Washington professor Bo Zhao employed AI techniques to create so-called deepfakes to alter satellite images of several cities. Zhao and colleagues swapped features between images of Seattle and Beijing to show buildings where there are none in Seattle and to remove structures and replace them with greenery in Beijing. As with deepfake video clips that purport to show people in compromising situations, such imagery could mislead governments or spread on social media, sowing misinformation or doubt about real visual information.

It seems like time is really speeding up, doesn’t it? Things that were once considered science fiction have become part of our reality. Technologies like self-driving cars and smart homes are quickly becoming part of the daily lives of millions of Americans. Given how fast the landscape is changing, it raises the question: how will these new technologies affect us? And more importantly, will they be accessible for everyone?

Since the rise of the Internet, digital inclusion and accessibility has been a concern. The number of people working and interacting with computers and other devices daily is rising — especially in light of the Covid-19 pandemic— leading to renewed anxiety surrounding the ease and access of Internet navigation.

The European Union passed strict regulations to govern the use of AI. The regulations outline how companies and governments can use AI; they set limits on the use of AI in a range of activities, from self-driving cars to hiring decisions, bank lending, school enrollment selections, and exam scoring. It also covers the use of AI by law enforcement and court systems.

Facebook has recently built an algorithm that can recognize objects in images with little human help. The algorithm, called Seer, was trained on more than a billion images that the company pulled from Instagram. Images with whiskers, fur, and pointy ears, for example, were collected into a pile. The algorithm was then given a small number of human-labeled images -- some of "cats" -- and, lo and behold, it was able to recognize the initial images as belonging to cats or not. So what's the point? Tech like this could be used to read medical images without the need for labeling scans and x-rays. It could be used at Facebook to match ads to posts or help filter out undesirable content. It could even help auto-generate hashtags for Instagram posts.

New AI tools developed by the USC Viterbi School of Engineering are able to rate a movie’s content in a matter of seconds by analyzing the script. A feature like this could allow film studio executives to plan a rating and marketing strategy long in advance. A kind of instantaneous feedback, this algorithm would tailor scriptwriting and filming decisions for maximum profit.