China: State TV News Eliminates Human ‘Error’

China’s largest news network has replaced HR with AI. In November, state-run Xinhua News Agency demoed a software-based TV news anchorman.

“Developed by Xinhua and Chinese search engine company Sogou, the anchor was designed to simulate human voice, facial expressions and gestures.

The AI news reader ‘learns from live broadcasting videos by himself and can read texts as naturally as a professional news anchor,’ according to Xinhua.”

— “China has developed a virtual anchor to deliver the news,” Helen Regan, CNN

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Not Easy

IBM’s AI program Watson helped write this song with Alex Da Kid,  X Ambassadors, Elle King, and Wiz Khalifa.

See more here.

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Daddy’s Car

“Daddy’s Car,” composed by artificial intelligence in the style of The Beatles, with lyrics and arrangement by Benoît Carré.

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Can Hackers Hijack Wi-Fi Barbie Doll to Spy On Your Kids?

The Mattel corporation has introduced the Hello Barbie ™ interactive doll that not only talks, it listens. And records your kid’s conversation with her. And connects to Wi-Fi so her recordings can be analyzed by the ToyTalk ™ voice-recognition software, and the information shared with parents or … who knows.  What could possibly go wrong?

Plenty, say Matt Jakubowski of LookingGlass Cyber Solutions and Andrew Browne of Lavasoft’s malware lab. Like Wi-Fi baby monitors, the dolls can be hacked by 3rd parties, and we’re not talking about Barbie’s Princess Tea Parties here, but persons of bad intent. ToyTalk says that’s not so, that Barbie’s software cannot be hacked. Frankly, we will reserve judgement until we can ask Hello Barbie ™ about this in person.

Robot Religion

“Artificial intelligence and autonomous robots should be encouraged to become religious, a US reverend has said.

Reverend Christopher Benek, associate pastor of Providence Presbyterian Church in Florida, believes advanced forms of artificial intelligence should be welcomed into the Christian faith.

‘I don’t see Christ’s redemption limited to human beings,’ Benek said in an interview with the futurist Zoltan Istvan. ‘It’s redemption to all of creation, even AI.’

‘If AI is autonomous, then we should encourage it to participate in Christ’s redemptive purposes in the world.'”

— “Florida pastor plans to convert robots to Christianity,” Anthony Cuthbertson, International Business Times

Ai Weiwei Goes Home

Chinese authorities have released dissent artist Ai Weiwei from prison after three months. Charges against him are not being pursued. He remains “on bail,” and charges still hang over his head and prevent him from resuming his provocative statements. A piece of Ai’s work on exhibit at London’s Lisson Gallery captures his current situation: a stone surveillance camera.