artificial intelligence

Web Summit will begin hosting its final Collision tech conference in Toronto today. Geoffrey Hinton, known as the "Godfather of AI" speaks at the Collision conference in Toronto on Wednesday, June 28, 2023. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Chris Young

AI sci-fi doomsday scenario? Call this expert skeptical

‘That’s a sci-fi narrative and I am empathetic, but I just don’t think it’s true’

 

Meta Platforms Inc. has long been using artificial intelligence to help it serve users information and ads it thinks are most likely to interest them, but its new chatbot has thrust the company’s use of the technology back into the spotlight. Two screenshots taken from a smartphone on Thursday, May 30, 2024, show the steps needed to mute the “Ask Meta AI anything” chatbot on the Facebook and Instagram apps. THE CANADIAN PRESS/AP

How Meta’s AI uses your data and why opting out is not so simple

Meta AI chatbot embedded in the company’s platforms is raising a lot of questions

 

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, left, meets with Pope Francis during the G7 Summit in Savelletri Di Fasano, Italy on Friday, June 14, 2024. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Sean Kilpatrick

Pope Francis meets with Trudeau, warns leaders to approach AI responsibly

Pontiff delivers address about the promises and perils of artificial intelligence

 

Michael Bommer, left, who is terminally ill with colon cancer, looks at his wife Anett Bommer during a meeting with The Associated Press at his home in Berlin, Germany, Wednesday, May 22, 2024. Bommer, who has only a few more weeks to live, teamed up with friend who runs the AI-powered legacy platform Eternos to “create a comprehensive, interactive AI version of himself, allowing relatives to engage with his life experiences and insights,” after he has passed away. (AP Photo/Markus Schreiber)

AI can allow you to talk to your loved ones after they die, should it?

Some embrace the tech as a way to cope with grief, others worry it sabotages the mourning process

Michael Bommer, left, who is terminally ill with colon cancer, looks at his wife Anett Bommer during a meeting with The Associated Press at his home in Berlin, Germany, Wednesday, May 22, 2024. Bommer, who has only a few more weeks to live, teamed up with friend who runs the AI-powered legacy platform Eternos to “create a comprehensive, interactive AI version of himself, allowing relatives to engage with his life experiences and insights,” after he has passed away. (AP Photo/Markus Schreiber)
FILE - The OpenAI logo is seen displayed on a cell phone with an image on a computer monitor generated by ChatGPT’s Dall-E text-to-image model, Friday, Dec. 8, 2023, in Boston. OpenAI will start using news content from News Corp. as part of a multiyear deal between the two companies. (AP Photo/Michael Dwyer, file)

OpenAI to start using news content from News Corp in multiyear deal

Wall Street Journal, Barron’s and New York Post have decided to collaborate rather than fight

FILE - The OpenAI logo is seen displayed on a cell phone with an image on a computer monitor generated by ChatGPT’s Dall-E text-to-image model, Friday, Dec. 8, 2023, in Boston. OpenAI will start using news content from News Corp. as part of a multiyear deal between the two companies. (AP Photo/Michael Dwyer, file)
Richard Robertson, B’nai Brith Canada Director of Research and Advocacy, holds up an Annual Audit of Antisemitic Incidents in Canada during a press conference in Ottawa on Monday, May 6, 2024. B’nai Brith Canada flagged the issue of AI-generated hate content in a recent report on antisemitism. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Sean Kilpatrick

AI-created hate content surfacing ‘more and more’ on the web, experts say

UBC prof says hate groups ‘historically early adopters of new internet technologies and techniques’

Richard Robertson, B’nai Brith Canada Director of Research and Advocacy, holds up an Annual Audit of Antisemitic Incidents in Canada during a press conference in Ottawa on Monday, May 6, 2024. B’nai Brith Canada flagged the issue of AI-generated hate content in a recent report on antisemitism. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Sean Kilpatrick
A screen shows an announcement of the AI Seoul Summit in Seoul, South Korea, Tuesday, May 21, 2024. World leaders are expected to adopt a new agreement on artificial intelligence when they gather virtually Tuesday to discuss AI’s potential risks but also ways to promote its benefits and innovation. (AP Photo/Ahn Young-joon)

Seoul AI summit opens with companies pledging to develop AI safely

16 AI companies made voluntary committment to accountable governance and public transparency

A screen shows an announcement of the AI Seoul Summit in Seoul, South Korea, Tuesday, May 21, 2024. World leaders are expected to adopt a new agreement on artificial intelligence when they gather virtually Tuesday to discuss AI’s potential risks but also ways to promote its benefits and innovation. (AP Photo/Ahn Young-joon)
CIA director William Burns prepares to leave after the open portion of a hearing of the Senate Intelligence Committee on Capitol Hill, Monday, March 11, 2024, in Washington. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein)

Q&A: CIA’s chief technologist’s cautious embrace of generative AI

Director says AI allows them to summarize vast amounts of information, among other uses

CIA director William Burns prepares to leave after the open portion of a hearing of the Senate Intelligence Committee on Capitol Hill, Monday, March 11, 2024, in Washington. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein)
Brett Ostrum, Microsoft corporate vice president of Surface, holds up the new Surface Laptop and Surface Pro with built-in AI hardware during a showcase event of the company’s AI assistant, Copilot, at Microsoft headquarters, Monday, May 20, 2024, in Redmond, Wash. (AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson)

Microsoft’s AI chatbot will ‘recall’ everything you do on a PC

Company describes it as a ‘photographic memory’ of a person’s virtual activity

Brett Ostrum, Microsoft corporate vice president of Surface, holds up the new Surface Laptop and Surface Pro with built-in AI hardware during a showcase event of the company’s AI assistant, Copilot, at Microsoft headquarters, Monday, May 20, 2024, in Redmond, Wash. (AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson)
When Canadian companies get to hiring this year, one skill will figure prominently in their plans: artificial intelligence. (File photo by The Canadian Press)
When Canadian companies get to hiring this year, one skill will figure prominently in their plans: artificial intelligence. (File photo by The Canadian Press)
Worried artificial intelligence is coming for your job? So is the federal government — enough, at least, to set aside $50 million for skills retraining for workers. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau speaks during an announcement on innovation for economic growth in advance of the 2024 federal budget in Montreal, Sunday, April 7, 2024. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Graham Hughes

Ottawa puts up $50M in federal budget to hedge against job-stealing AI

Money will go to training workers impacted by AI with new skills

Worried artificial intelligence is coming for your job? So is the federal government — enough, at least, to set aside $50 million for skills retraining for workers. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau speaks during an announcement on innovation for economic growth in advance of the 2024 federal budget in Montreal, Sunday, April 7, 2024. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Graham Hughes
The Liberal government is setting aside $2.4 billion in the upcoming budget to build capacity in artificial intelligence. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau arrives to Parliament Hill in Ottawa on Wednesday, March 20, 2024. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Sean Kilpatrick

Trudeau set to inject $2.4B into Canada’s AI capacity

Fund will provide access to computing capabilities and technical infrastructure

The Liberal government is setting aside $2.4 billion in the upcoming budget to build capacity in artificial intelligence. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau arrives to Parliament Hill in Ottawa on Wednesday, March 20, 2024. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Sean Kilpatrick
Amandeep Singh Gill, the United Nations tech policy chief, speaks during an interview, Friday, Sept. 22, 2023, at UN headquarters. Gill fears corporate interests may undermine the push to rein in artificial intelligence, exacerbating social divisions and encroaching on human rights. THE CANADIAN PRESS/AP/Mary Altaffer

UN official warns of corporate profits trumping public interest on AI

‘Protecting Human Rights in the Age of AI’ conference bringing thinkers to Montreal

Amandeep Singh Gill, the United Nations tech policy chief, speaks during an interview, Friday, Sept. 22, 2023, at UN headquarters. Gill fears corporate interests may undermine the push to rein in artificial intelligence, exacerbating social divisions and encroaching on human rights. THE CANADIAN PRESS/AP/Mary Altaffer
An AI avatar generated on Luka Inc.’s Replika mobile phone app and webpage are shown in this photo, in New York, Tuesday Feb. 13, 2024. Unlike more general-purpose AI chatbots that answer typical questions and even do homework, companion bots, like those made by Replika and others, are programed to form relationships with the humans talking to them on the other side of the screen. (AP Photo/Richard Drew)

Virtual valentine: people seeking romantic connection with the perfect bot

The intelligence may be artificial, but for some the interactions are inspiring real emotion

An AI avatar generated on Luka Inc.’s Replika mobile phone app and webpage are shown in this photo, in New York, Tuesday Feb. 13, 2024. Unlike more general-purpose AI chatbots that answer typical questions and even do homework, companion bots, like those made by Replika and others, are programed to form relationships with the humans talking to them on the other side of the screen. (AP Photo/Richard Drew)
The OpenAI logo is seen displayed on a cell phone with an image on a computer monitor generated by ChatGPT’s Dall-E text-to-image model, Dec. 8, 2023, in Boston.Despite worries artificial intelligence lacks empathy and could be coming to steal their jobs, a growing number of Canadians are turning to AI tools, a new poll says. THE CANADIAN PRESS/AP, Michael Dwyer

One third of Canadians using AI, two thirds of them scared of it: poll

Leger poll also reports a wide divide between younger adults and those over 55

The OpenAI logo is seen displayed on a cell phone with an image on a computer monitor generated by ChatGPT’s Dall-E text-to-image model, Dec. 8, 2023, in Boston.Despite worries artificial intelligence lacks empathy and could be coming to steal their jobs, a growing number of Canadians are turning to AI tools, a new poll says. THE CANADIAN PRESS/AP, Michael Dwyer
The Liberal government plans to ensure sexually explicit “deepfakes,” like the images of Taylor Swift that generated global headlines last month, are addressed by forthcoming legislation on online harms. Swift, left, is pictured here with Donna Kelce at the AFC Championship NFL football game, Sunday, Jan. 28, 2024, in Baltimore. THE CANADIAN PRESS/AP-Julio Cortez

Sexually explicit deepfake regulations coming in online harms bill: Liberals

Canada’s justice minister says legislation will address issue coming to the forefront with AI

The Liberal government plans to ensure sexually explicit “deepfakes,” like the images of Taylor Swift that generated global headlines last month, are addressed by forthcoming legislation on online harms. Swift, left, is pictured here with Donna Kelce at the AFC Championship NFL football game, Sunday, Jan. 28, 2024, in Baltimore. THE CANADIAN PRESS/AP-Julio Cortez
Yoshua Bengio, founder and scientific director, Mila-Quebec AI Institute, discusses artificial intelligence, democracy and the future of civilization at the C2MTL conference on Wednesday May 24, 2023 in Montreal. Bengio, scientific director at Mila - Quebec Artificial Intelligence Institute, told MPs today the government should move to put in place even an imperfect law that would have some provisions that apply immediately. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Christinne Muschi

‘Godfather’ of AI says Canada needs to bring in laws governing it right now

‘Superhuman’ intelligence could be developed within next two decades or sooner: Yoshua Bengio

Yoshua Bengio, founder and scientific director, Mila-Quebec AI Institute, discusses artificial intelligence, democracy and the future of civilization at the C2MTL conference on Wednesday May 24, 2023 in Montreal. Bengio, scientific director at Mila - Quebec Artificial Intelligence Institute, told MPs today the government should move to put in place even an imperfect law that would have some provisions that apply immediately. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Christinne Muschi
Taylor Swift, who recently became a prominent victim of deepfake pornography, stands on the field after an AFC Championship NFL football game between the Baltimore Ravens and the Kansas City Chiefs, Sunday, Jan. 28, 2024, in Baltimore. THE CANADIAN PRESS/AP-Julio Cortez

AI brings deepfake pornography to the masses, as Canadian laws play catch-up

B.C. recently became the latest to enact new legislation

Taylor Swift, who recently became a prominent victim of deepfake pornography, stands on the field after an AFC Championship NFL football game between the Baltimore Ravens and the Kansas City Chiefs, Sunday, Jan. 28, 2024, in Baltimore. THE CANADIAN PRESS/AP-Julio Cortez
FILE - A ChapGPT logo is seen on a smartphone in West Chester, Pa., Wednesday, Dec. 6, 2023. Catalyzing a year of AI fanfare was ChatGPT. The World Economic Forum says false and misleading information supercharged with cutting-edge artificial intelligence is the top immediate risk to the global economy. In its latest Global Risks Report, the organization says misinformation and disinformation as the most severe risk over the next two years. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke, File)

AI-powered misinformation biggest threat to global economy: report

World Economic Forum report says tech leaps creating new problems or making existing ones worse

FILE - A ChapGPT logo is seen on a smartphone in West Chester, Pa., Wednesday, Dec. 6, 2023. Catalyzing a year of AI fanfare was ChatGPT. The World Economic Forum says false and misleading information supercharged with cutting-edge artificial intelligence is the top immediate risk to the global economy. In its latest Global Risks Report, the organization says misinformation and disinformation as the most severe risk over the next two years. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke, File)
The rise of new technologies has thrust artificial intelligence into the spotlight throughout 2023 — and health care is no exception. An electrophysiologist performs a ventricular tachycardia ablation at Sacre-Coeur Hospital, Wednesday, July 26, 2023 in Montreal.THE CANADIAN PRESS/Ryan Remiorz

How experts expect artificial intelligence to advance health care in 2024

Researchers says AI could save hundreds of human hours during clinical studies, among other things

The rise of new technologies has thrust artificial intelligence into the spotlight throughout 2023 — and health care is no exception. An electrophysiologist performs a ventricular tachycardia ablation at Sacre-Coeur Hospital, Wednesday, July 26, 2023 in Montreal.THE CANADIAN PRESS/Ryan Remiorz