News/Asia
Southeast Asian nations collaborate on new AI cybersecurity initiative
ASEAN bolsters cybersecurity collaboration in response to evolving threats: Southeast Asian nations have reaffirmed their commitment to multilateral cooperation in strengthening the region's cyber defenses, with the launch of a physical Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT) facility in Singapore. The ASEAN Regional CERT was officially inaugurated during the 9th ASEAN Ministerial Conference on Cybersecurity, held in conjunction with the Singapore International Cyber Week 2024. Singapore, as the current chair of the ASEAN Digital Ministers' Meeting, will fund and host the CERT facility for up to 10 years, with operational costs estimated at $10.1 million over the decade. The physical CERT...
read Oct 18, 2024Singapore tightens AI rules to combat election deepfakes
Singapore's proactive stance on AI and cybersecurity: The city-state has introduced a comprehensive set of guidelines and legislation to address the rapidly evolving landscape of artificial intelligence and digital security. The new measures cover a wide range of areas, including AI system security, election integrity, medical device cybersecurity, and IoT device standards. These initiatives demonstrate Singapore's commitment to staying at the forefront of technological governance and security in the digital age. AI system security guidelines: Singapore has released new guidelines aimed at promoting a "secure by design" approach for AI development and deployment, covering the entire lifecycle of AI systems....
read Oct 16, 2024Hong Kong AI deepfake scam defrauds victims of $46M
AI-powered romance scam uncovered in Hong Kong: Hong Kong police have arrested 27 individuals involved in a sophisticated romance scam operation that utilized AI deepfake technology to defraud victims of $46 million through fake cryptocurrency investments. The scam's modus operandi: The fraudsters employed advanced AI face-swapping techniques to create convincing fake online personas, targeting victims through social media and video calls. Scammers initially contacted victims on social media platforms using AI-generated photos of attractive individuals with appealing backgrounds. When victims requested video calls, deepfake technology was used to transform the scammers into attractive women, building trust and fake romantic relationships....
read Oct 11, 2024South Korea is showing how AI avatars are offering 24/7 service
AI avatars revolutionize customer service in South Korea: DeepBrain AI's hyper-realistic virtual assistants are transforming various industries, from retail to banking, offering 24/7 service and streamlining operations. Retail transformation: AI-powered convenience stores in Seoul are redefining the shopping experience with virtual clerks that provide a personalized touch. An unmanned store in Seoul utilizes AI avatars to greet customers, offer product information, and share promotions. The technology aims to streamline the shopping process while potentially reducing labor costs for businesses. Customers can interact with these virtual assistants for a more engaging and efficient retail experience. Banking goes digital: Shinhan Bank's implementation...
read Oct 11, 2024How marketers can tackle transparency challenges in AI-driven ads
The rise of AI in advertising: Artificial intelligence (AI) has become a significant force in the advertising and marketing industry, with generative AI (Gen AI) emerging as a top priority for many executives in the Asia-Pacific region. A survey reveals that Gen AI is among the top three business priorities for 83% of APAC C-suite executives, highlighting its growing importance in the industry. Consumers are becoming more discerning, with 50% reportedly able to identify AI-generated copy, indicating a need for transparency in AI-generated advertising. The transparency debate: Marketers are divided on whether the use of AI in advertising should be...
read Oct 2, 2024Google invests $3B to boost AI capabilities in Southeast Asia
Google's major investment in Southeast Asian cloud infrastructure: Google has announced a significant $3 billion investment to expand its cloud and artificial intelligence (AI) capabilities in Malaysia and Thailand, responding to growing demand for these services in the region. The investment includes $2 billion for Google's first data center and cloud region in Malaysia, located in Selangor's Elmina Business Park. An additional $1 billion is earmarked for expanding data center and cloud infrastructure in Thailand, specifically in Bangkok and Chonburi. These investments aim to meet the increasing cloud demand in Southeast Asia and globally, while also supporting local AI initiatives....
read Sep 20, 2024Your Favorite K-Pop Hits May Actually Be Illicit AI Clones
AI-generated music floods YouTube: A recent study by musicMagpie titled "Bop or Bot?" has uncovered a staggering 1.63 million AI-generated cover songs on YouTube, with K-pop groups bearing the brunt of this phenomenon. K-pop dominance in AI-generated content: The study reveals that K-pop artists account for 35% of the top 20 most-streamed AI-generated artists, highlighting the genre's particular vulnerability to this trend. Blackpink leads the pack with 17.3 million views of AI-generated content, followed by Justin Bieber with 13 million views, and Kanye West with 3.4 million views. This widespread proliferation of AI-generated music spans across genres and even includes...
read Sep 16, 2024AI Governance Takes Center Stage in ASEAN-Stanford HAI Workshop
AI dialogue in Southeast Asia: Stanford's Institute for Human-Centered AI (HAI) conducted a workshop with ASEAN leaders to discuss the impact of AI on governance, fairness, and regional cooperation. The workshop, held in collaboration with The Asia Foundation, took place before ASEAN's Ministerial Meeting on Science, Technology, and Innovation in Siem Reap, Cambodia. Stanford faculty members Jeff Hancock and Sanmi Koyejo led discussions on AI governance, bias, fairness, and trust with digital ministry officials, technologists, and ASEAN community members. The event highlighted the growing importance of AI in both local and global governance, with a particular focus on generative AI...
read Sep 12, 2024Asian AI Chip Stocks Surge as Nvidia CEO Forecasts Massive Demand
AI chip industry surges on Nvidia CEO's optimistic outlook: Jensen Huang's bullish comments at a recent conference have sparked renewed enthusiasm in the AI chip market, leading to significant gains for Asian chipmaking stocks. Nvidia shares rallied 8% following Huang's remarks about the overwhelming demand for the company's products, describing it as "so great" that it "is really emotional for people." The positive sentiment spilled over to Asian markets, with major chip-related companies experiencing substantial gains. Asian chipmakers ride the wave: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Corp (TSMC) and Hon Hai Precision Industry (Foxconn) saw significant stock price increases, reflecting the broader...
read Sep 5, 2024Japanese AI Startup Sakana Raises $100M to Challenge OpenAI, Anthropic
Groundbreaking AI startup secures major funding: Sakana AI, a Japanese startup founded by former Google researchers and a diplomat, has raised $100 million in a Series A funding round led by prominent investors, including New Enterprise Associates, Khosla Ventures, and Lux Capital, with participation from Nvidia. The investment signals strong traction for the year-old company, which aims to challenge established AI labs like OpenAI and Anthropic. Sakana AI plans to use the capital and infrastructure support from Nvidia to advance its technologies and grow into a world-class AI research lab. Co-founder David Ha emphasized that the company is already operating...
read Sep 4, 2024Deepfakes are Posing a Growing Threat to India’s Financial Sector
The rising threat of deepfakes in India's financial sector: Deepfake technology is emerging as a significant concern for India's financial services industry (FSI), blurring the lines between authentic and fabricated content and potentially undermining trust in financial systems. A 2022 incident involving a deepfake audio of a Mumbai energy company CEO caused temporary stock price fluctuations, highlighting the rapid and tangible impact of such technologies on market stability. Financial sector leaders are increasingly worried about the potential for deepfakes to impersonate business executives and spread false information, which could have far-reaching consequences for market dynamics and investor confidence. The finance...
read Aug 27, 2024NVIDIA Launches AI Microservices for Japan and Taiwan Markets
AI localization advances: NVIDIA has launched four new NIM microservices to accelerate the deployment of sovereign AI applications with enhanced cultural and language fluency in Japan and Taiwan. The new microservices support popular community models tailored to meet regional needs, improving user interactions through more accurate understanding and responses based on local languages and cultural heritage. This initiative aligns with the growing global trend of nations pursuing sovereign AI to ensure AI systems are in harmony with local values, laws, and interests. ABI Research projects that generative AI software revenue in the Asia-Pacific region alone is expected to surge from...
read Aug 26, 2024ASEAN Nations Embrace AI But Grapple with Talent Shortages and Regulatory Hurdles
AI adoption surges in ASEAN despite challenges: The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) has seen an 80% increase in Artificial Intelligence (AI) projects in 2023, with budgets expected to rise by 67% in 2024-2025. Despite the growing enthusiasm for AI in Southeast Asia, large-scale and sustainable implementation faces significant hurdles across various sectors. The financial sector has taken the lead in adopting data-driven AI solutions, while many projects in other industries remain in the proof-of-concept or Minimum Viable Product (MVP) stages. Successful AI implementations predominantly involve data analytics, impacting areas such as marketing, fraud detection, and government-sponsored smart cities....
read Aug 20, 2024Acer Unveils AI-Powered Nitro V 16 Gaming Laptop
Acer's AI-powered gaming breakthrough: Acer has launched its first AI gaming laptop, the Nitro V 16, in India, featuring advanced hardware and AI capabilities to enhance the gaming experience. The Nitro V 16 is powered by an AMD Ryzen 7 8845HS series processor and an NVIDIA RTX 4060 GPU, providing robust performance for gaming and other demanding tasks. Priced at Rs 1,09,999, the laptop is available for purchase at Acer exclusive stores and Flipkart, positioning it in the mid-range gaming laptop market. The device comes with Windows 11 and is integrated with Copilot, Microsoft's AI assistant, underlining Acer's commitment to...
read Aug 16, 2024USAII® and GBU Partner to Elevate AI Education in India
The United States Artificial Intelligence Institute (USAII®) and Gautam Buddha University (GBU) have forged a partnership to enhance AI education in India, marking a significant step towards preparing students for the evolving technological landscape. Partnership overview: USAII® and GBU signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on August 14, 2024, to collaborate on advancing AI education and empowering students with industry-relevant skills. The MoU was signed by Prof. Ravindra Kumar Sinha, Vice Chancellor of GBU, and Mr. Ajit K Jha, Chief Global Product Partner at USAII®. This collaboration aims to offer cutting-edge AI certification programs and training to GBU students. The...
read Aug 11, 2024AI-Powered Telemedicine Brings Cutting-Edge Healthcare to India
Dr. Jitendra Singh, Union Minister of India, has inaugurated an innovative AI-driven mobile telemedicine service in a remote area of Udhampur district, marking a significant step towards improving healthcare accessibility in rural regions. This development, coupled with other initiatives focused on women's empowerment and infrastructure development, showcases the government's efforts to enhance the quality of life in remote areas through technology and targeted programs. Telemedicine breakthrough: The "Doctor on Wheels" mobile service leverages artificial intelligence to bring healthcare to the doorstep of remote villages in the Udhampur district. The AI-driven telemedicine service, housed in an ambulance, can examine patients and...
read Aug 7, 2024South Korea Pioneers AI Textbooks to Transform Education by 2025
South Korea is set to pioneer the use of AI-enhanced digital textbooks in its educational system, marking a significant shift in the country's approach to learning technology. This innovative move aims to personalize education and improve student engagement through adaptive content. Revolutionizing classroom learning: South Korea plans to introduce AI-powered digital textbooks in its "future classrooms" starting in 2025, potentially transforming the traditional educational experience. Unlike conventional ebooks, these AI-enabled textbooks will have the capability to assess a student's reading level and adjust the content accordingly. The adaptive nature of these textbooks aims to provide a more personalized learning experience...
read Aug 1, 2024Japanese Automakers Join Forces in Autonomous Driving Tech Race
Nissan, Honda, and Mitsubishi announce collaboration on electric vehicles and autonomous driving technology, aiming to adapt quickly to industry changes and stay competitive in the green car market. Key partnership areas: The Japanese automakers will work together in critical areas to accelerate their electric vehicle (EV) development and autonomous driving capabilities: Nissan and Honda will share components for EVs, including batteries, and adopt the same specifications for motors and inverters for EV axles. The companies will jointly research software for autonomous driving, pooling their resources and expertise to advance this technology. Adapting to industry shifts: The collaboration is driven by...
read Jul 16, 2024Hong Kong Develops ChatGPT-Style AI Tool Amid OpenAI Access Restrictions
Hong Kong is testing its own ChatGPT-style AI tool for government employees, with plans to eventually make it available to the public, after OpenAI took steps to block access to its services from the city and other unsupported regions. Key developments in Hong Kong's AI efforts: The local government is actively pursuing the development of its own generative AI model, which could have significant implications for the city's tech landscape and its relationship with major AI companies: The Hong Kong government's innovation bureau is currently testing a ChatGPT-style tool called "document assistance application for civil servants," developed by a local...
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