Photo by Medhat Dawoud on Unsplash
Apple Explores Robotics to Expand Products and Services
- Written by Andrea Miliani Former Tech News Expert
- Fact-Checked by
Apple is exploring robotics as a strategy to innovate and expand products and services. According to Bloomberg , the tech giant is already working on a shift into robotics as most of the devices the company sells are already part of its customer’s day-to-day lives.
The company has been facing innovation challenges for the past few years and seems to be evolving and adapting to new trends and technologies. A few weeks ago, it was revealed that the company was working on a foldable iPhone , and now Bloomberg informs that the innovation plans have expanded to robotics.
Even though the company is still at an early stage, Apple is working on a tabletop device that can move and hold a display screen that looks like an iPad. The project codenamed J595, was designed in 2022 but has been developing fast in the past few months, according to anonymous sources interviewed by the media company.
Apple is expecting to work on the new Apple robot for a few more years and offer it to customers in 2026 or 2027. The new device will be capable of holding devices for video calls, operating remotely, and assisting users in their homes.
The tech giant has dropped its efforts to target the automobile market and has shifted to the smart homes market. Kevin Lynch, Apple’s vice president of technology, has been transferred from his car team role to the robot project.
As part of its business alliances, the company has hired top industry companies, such as the Israeli research institute Technion.
Apple has also been recruiting new talents for its AIML team. In a recent job post published this month, the company said that this branch is “working to leverage and build upon groundbreaking ML robotics research, thereby enabling the development of generalizable and reliable robot systems.”
Image by Wesley Fryer, from Flickr
UK Government AI Tools Face Scrutiny Over Bias Concerns
- Written by Kiara Fabbri Former Tech News Writer
- Fact-Checked by Justyn Newman Former Lead Cybersecurity Editor
The Guardian reported today that the UK government will soon publish details of AI tools used across various public sectors, following concerns about discrimination, or unconscious bias, that’s embedded in these technologies.
The decision to disclose these AI tools comes after pressure from transparency campaigners , who have raised alarms over possible discriminatory practices within the algorithms used with these systems. These AI tools have been used for tasks such as detecting sham marriages and identifying fraud in benefit claims.
The Public Law Project (PLP), an access-to-justice charity, has been at the forefront of this issue, advocating for more transparency and fairness in the deployment of such technology.
In August 2020, the Home Office agreed to suspend a computer algorithm used to sort visa applications after allegations of racism and bias. Officials halted the algorithm following a legal challenge by the Joint Council for the Welfare of Immigrants and the digital rights group Foxglove, as reported by the Guardian.
The Guardian also reports that Foxglove claimed that certain nationalities were automatically given a “red” risk score, leading to a higher likelihood of visa denial. They argued that this process amounted to racial discrimination.
The government’s Centre for Data Ethics and Innovation warned in a report that AI often amplifies biases. The center helped develop an algorithmic transparency recording standard for public bodies deploying AI and algorithmic tools, proposing that models interacting with the public or influencing decisions be published on a register.
As reported by the Guardian, the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT) confirmed this weekend that departments would now report on their use of the technology under this standard.
A DSIT spokesperson said, “Technology has huge potential to improve public services, but we know it’s important to maintain the right safeguards including, where appropriate, human oversight and other forms of governance.”
“The algorithmic transparency recording standard is now mandatory for all departments, with a number of records due to be published shortly. We continue to explore how it can be expanded across the public sector. We encourage all organizations to use AI and data in a way that builds public trust through tools, guidance, and standards.”
