Tech Billionaires Give $20m For Artificial Intelligence Research

The founders of LinkedIn and eBay are donating a combined $20m (£16.4m) to fund academic research aimed at ensuring the safety of artificial intelligences.

LinkedIn’s founder Reid Hoffman and the Omidyar network, the philanthropic investment firm set up by eBay founder Pierre Omidyar, are donating $10m each to the Ethics and Governance of Artificial Intelligence Fund, which will distribute money to researchers working on the tough ethical problems raised by AI.

“There’s an urgency to ensure that AI benefits society and minimises harm,” said Hoffman. “AI decision-making can influence many aspects of our world, education, transportation, healthcare, criminal justice and the economy, yet data and code behind those decisions can be largely invisible.”

The specific research areas the fund will focus on aren’t fixed, but the possibilities include ethical design, “how do we build and design technologies that consider ethical frameworks and moral values as central features of technological innovation?”, and accountability in AI, “what kinds of controls do we need to minimise AI’s potential harm to society and maximise its benefits?”

The Knight Foundation is also contributing $5m to the fund, and the William and Flora Hewlett Foundation and Raptor Group founder Jim Pallotta are giving $1m each. The founding academic institutions for the initiative will be the MIT Media Lab and Harvard University’s Berkman Klein Center for Internet & Society.

Alberto Ibargüen, president of Knight Foundation, said: “artificial intelligence agents will impact our lives in every society on Earth. Technology and commerce will see to that. Since even algorithms have parents and those parents have values that they instill in their algorithmic progeny, we want to influence the outcome by ensuring ethical behaviour, and governance that includes the interests of the diverse communities that will be affected.”

The fund is one of many new bodies aimed at shaping the future of AI in a positive, or, at least, thoughtful, direction.

The Partnership on AI, a collaborative effort involving Google, Facebook, Amazon, IBM and Microsoft, was launched in September 2016 to “establish AI best practices” but has yet to do anything publicly other than announce its own creation; the Elon Musk-backed OpenAI Project, announced in December 2015, was more directly aimed at “advancing digital intelligence in the way that is most likely to benefit humanity as a whole”.

Guardian:        AI Is Replacing Human Made Decisions:     Artificial Intelligence: Myths, Facts and Future:

 

« DARPA Working On Secure Data Sharing
BYOD Security Is Critical For Business »

CyberSecurity Jobsite
Perimeter 81

Directory of Suppliers

NordLayer

NordLayer

NordLayer is an adaptive network access security solution for modern businesses — from the world’s most trusted cybersecurity brand, Nord Security. 

Alvacomm

Alvacomm

Alvacomm offers holistic VIP cybersecurity services, providing comprehensive protection against cyber threats. Our solutions include risk assessment, threat detection, incident response.

ZenGRC

ZenGRC

ZenGRC - the first, easy-to-use, enterprise-grade information security solution for compliance and risk management - offers businesses efficient control tracking, testing, and enforcement.

Authentic8

Authentic8

Authentic8 transforms how organizations secure and control the use of the web with Silo, its patented cloud browser.

ManageEngine

ManageEngine

As the IT management division of Zoho Corporation, ManageEngine prioritizes flexible solutions that work for all businesses, regardless of size or budget.

Stratogent

Stratogent

Stratogent does IT and Cybersecurity operations. We specialize in high-touch and high-change IT environments, especially in the biotech and pharma industry verticals.

LEXFO

LEXFO

LEXFO specializes in the security of information systems, assisting clients in protecting information assets using an offensive and innovative approach.

Core Security

Core Security

Core Security provides threat-aware identity, access, authentication and vulnerability management solutions.

Claranet

Claranet

Claranet are experts in modernising and running critical applications and infrastructure through end-to-end professional services, managed services and training.

Ekran System

Ekran System

Ekran System is an advanced insider threat detection solution for companies of any size.

Cellopoint

Cellopoint

Cellopoint is a leading manufacturer of information security and email lifecycle management (ELM) products.

URS Certification

URS Certification

United Registrar of Systems (URS Certification) is an independent certification body operating in more than 30 countries within the multinational URS Holdings.

National Cybersecurity Preparedness Consortium (NCPC)

National Cybersecurity Preparedness Consortium (NCPC)

The mission of the NCPC is to provide research-based, cybersecurity-related training, exercises and technical assistance to local jurisdictions, counties, states and the private sector.

Upper Peninsula Cybersecurity Institute - Northern Michigan University

Upper Peninsula Cybersecurity Institute - Northern Michigan University

Upper Peninsula Cybersecurity Institute at Northern Michigan University offers non-degree and industry credentials relevant to emerging careers in cybersecurity.

CyberSafe

CyberSafe

CyberSafe is a Portuguese company with a focus on cybersecurity solutions and services including network security, managed security, incident response and forensic analysis.

Proximity

Proximity

Proximity is a leading professional services organisation providing consulting, legal and commercial advisory solutions with a focus on government and regulated industries.

Ermetic

Ermetic

Ermetic’s identity-first cloud infrastructure security platform provides holistic, multi-cloud protection in an easy-to-deploy SaaS solution.

11:11 Systems

11:11 Systems

11:11 Systems synchronizes every aspect of network services for your business. Build your network with the industry’s most trusted expert skills.

inSOC

inSOC

inSOC is an enterprise-grade AI-driven SOCaaS solution detecting breaches 24/7 with vulnerability management built-in. Designed for MSPs and MSSPs.

Box

Box

Box is the Cloud Content Management company that empowers enterprises to revolutionize how they work by securely connecting their people, information and applications.

Pointsharp

Pointsharp

Pointsharp delivers software and services that help organizations secure data, identities, and access in a user-friendly way.