ON OCTOBER 23, 2017 Doppler Labs founder Noah Kraft got a Facebook notification. One of those “On This Day” pop-ups, resurfacing a post from exactly two years ago, when Kraft had appeared on CNBC to make the case for his company. “We want to put a computer, speaker, and mic in everyone’s ear,” Kraft said during… Read more »
Posts By: David Firth
Digital Solutions Can Help Even the Poorest Nations Prosper
AMONG THE SPENDING choices for governments of poorer nations, kick-starting the technological revolution may at first seem like a low priority. Compared with critical infrastructure, healthcare, or schools, improved digital access and less waiting times for birth certificates feel like luxuries that should come further down the road, or perhaps be left to private enterprise. But… Read more »
The robot lawyers are here – and they’re winning
Amid the dire – and somewhat overhyped – predictions of occupations that will be decimated by artificial intelligence and automation, there is one crumb of comfort. Yes, lorry drivers, translators and shop assistants are all under threat from the rise of the robots, but at least the lawyers are doomed too. Source: BBC Technology News Date: November… Read more »
Russia, Facebook, the US election and when 126 million isn’t 126 million
As many as 126 million Americans may have seen content uploaded to Facebook by Russia-based operatives since 2015. That’s nearly half of the 270 million Americans who are old enough to be allowed a Facebook profile. The figure comes from the social network itself, which along with Google and Twitter, is preparing for a Senate hearing where… Read more »
Facebook is the latest tech giant to hunt for AI talent in Canada
Facebook is turning its attention to Canada with a new AI research office in Montreal. Google and Microsoft already have outposts in the city and countless other tech companies, including Uber, have researchers based in Canada. McGill University’s Joelle Pineau will be leading Facebook’s AI efforts in Montreal. Source: Tech Crunch Date: October 27th, 2017 Link: https://techcrunch.com/2017/09/14/facebook-is-the-latest-tech-giant-to-hunt-for-ai-talent-in-canada/ Discussion 1) “Canada’s own schools like Waterloo and… Read more »
Terminal makes it easy for companies to open international offices
Born out of a frustration with recruiting within the peninsula-trapped City of San Francisco, Terminal is a platform allowing companies to tap into talent abroad. Starting with campuses in Kitchener-Waterloo, Montreal and Vancouver, the startup aims to plant physical flags in as many of the world’s global talent centers as possible. Source: Tech Crunch Date: October 27th, 2017 Link: https://techcrunch.com/2017/10/16/terminal-makes-it-easy-for-companies-to-open-international-offices/ Discussion 1)… Read more »
Will Facebook kill all future Facebooks?
IN 2010, FOURSQUARE cofounder Naveen Selvadurai believed that his company, and several other social-media upstarts—Twitter, Tumblr, Path—could carve out successful niches against Facebook. But Facebook had other plans. That year the company introduced a feature that allowed users to “check in” at any location, Source: Wired Magazine Date: October 27th, 2017 Link: https://www.wired.com/story/facebooks-aggressive-moves-on-startups-threaten-innovation/ Discussion 1) “It’s really fun to work” on consumer Internet… Read more »
Russian troll sites kept online by American companies
The use of American companies to push Russian propaganda goes beyond social media sites like Facebook. Russians also used American internet services to keep their websites up and hide their true owners, according to internet records and two executives at internet routing companies interviewed by CNN. Source: CNN Technology News Date: October 26th, 2017 Link: http://money.cnn.com/2017/10/25/media/itl-green-floid-cloudflare-russian-sites/index.html Discussion 1)… Read more »
Google DeepMind: AI becomes more alien
Google’s DeepMind says it has made another big advance in artificial intelligence by getting a machine, AlphaGo Zero, to master the Chinese game of Go without help from human players. The combinations available in the game Go number more than there are atoms in the universe making it one of the most complex games out… Read more »
Does Saudi robot citizen have more rights than women?
Meet Sophia, a robot who made her first public appearance in the Saudi Arabian city of Riyadh on Monday. Sophia was such a hit she was immediately given Saudi citizenship in front of hundreds of delegates at the Future Investment Initiative in Riyadh on 25 October. Sophia, created by Hong Kong company Hanson Robotics, addressed the audience in English… Read more »
Leading Titles
Introduction to Information Systems, 3rd Canadian Binder Ready Version Update Edition
R. Kelly Rainer, Casey G. Cegielski, Ingrid Splettstoesser-Hogeterp, Cristobal Sanchez-Rodriguez
ISBN: 978-1-119-13385-8
August 2015, © 2016
CDN $98.95; CDN $114.95