Microsoft launches $40 mn AI programme for humanitarian causes
Orlando (Florida), Sep 24 : Microsoft on Monday launched a new $40-million programme aimed at harnessing the power of Artificial Intelligence (AI) for disaster recovery, helping children, protecting refugees and displaced people and promoting respect for human rights.
The tech giant said it would execute the five-year programme by working deeply with select non-governmental and humanitarian organisations through grants, investment of technology and shared expertise.
Unveiled at the annual "Microsoft Ignite 2018" conference here, the programme called "AI for Humanitarian Action" is part of Microsoft's "AI for Good initiative" that was launched in July last year.
"Today, in conjunction with the United Nations General Assembly meeting, we are announcing AI for Humanitarian Action, a new $40-million dollar five-year Microsoft programme," said Microsoft President Brad Smith.
"We believe that technology, like AI combined with Cloud technology, can be a game changer, helping save more lives, alleviate suffering and restore human dignity by changing the way frontline relief organisations anticipate, predict, and better target response efforts," Smith added in a blog post.
At the conference, Microsoft also released an array of security programmes and products.
Among them are "Microsoft Secure Score" -- a dynamic report card that assesses Microsoft 365 customer environments and makes recommendations that can reduce breaches up to 30-fold -- and "Microsoft Authenticator", which helps make secure sign-on easier for workers with features like password-free login.
"In this era of the intelligent Cloud and intelligent edge, businesses in every industry are looking for a trusted partner to help them transform," Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella said in his keynote address.
"We are pushing the bounds in AI, edge computing and IoT (Internet of Things), while providing end-to-end security to empower every organisation to build its own digital capability and thrive in this new era," Nadella added.
Microsoft said its "AI for Humanitarian Action" programme will accelerate the pace of innovation by managing strategic AI projects that demonstrate new applications, delivering reusable solutions and partnering with others to expand and scale initial projects.
AI can address humanitarian causes in myriad ways. For example, AI technologies like machine vision can quickly analyse images of roads damaged or destroyed by an event, making way for a faster and safer response, Smith explained.
"In a new partnership with the World Bank, United Nations, and partners from the tech industry, relief organisations will be better able to predict when and where future famines will occur so aid can arrive earlier, potentially saving more lives," the Microsoft President noted.
AI and Machine Learning (ML) also have the potential to improve the lives of approximately 68 million displaced people in the world, 28 million of whom are refugees.
"AI can help optimise the delivery of aid, supplies, and services to refugees and can scale NGOs' efforts to communicate and understand displaced peoples' needs," Smith explained.
The company said it would collaborate with NGOs and humanitarian organisations to accelerate breakthrough solutions to help monitor, detect and prevent human rights abuses.
"We are hopeful the world will see what a compelling force for good AI can be when it's used well in partnership with innovative NGOs. By ensuring technology fulfils its promise to address the broadest societal needs, we can empower everyone to achieve more," Smith noted.
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Gold declines Rs 1,100 to Rs 1.64 lakh/10g; silver slips to Rs 2.71 lakh/kg
New Delhi (PTI): Gold prices declined Rs 1,100 to Rs 1.64 lakh per 10 grams in the national capital on Friday as traders booked profits at elevated levels for the second straight session, while silver also slipped to Rs 2.71 lakh per kilogram.
According to the All India Sarafa Association, the yellow metal of 99.9 per cent purity depreciated Rs 1,100, or nearly 1 per cent, to Rs 1,64,100 per 10 grams (inclusive of all taxes).
Silver also fell Rs 600 to Rs 2,71,700 per kg (inclusive of all taxes) in the bullion market.
Analysts said traders locked in gains after the recent sharp rally in precious metal prices, even as global trends remained mixed.
"After opening with a gap up earlier in the week, both gold and silver gradually declined this week as a stronger US dollar and rising Treasury yields, along with reduced expectations for interest rate cuts by Federal Reserve, outweighed safe-haven demand stemming from the escalating Middle East conflict," Saumil Gandhi, Senior Analyst - Commodities at HDFC Securities, said.
He added that investors continued to exit gold-backed exchange traded funds (ETFs) this week, indicating softer investment demand.
"ETFs reduced their gold holdings by 93,479 troy ounces in the latest session, marking the fourth consecutive day of outflows -- the longest losing streak since February 6," Gandhi said.
However, in the international markets, bullion prices were trading higher on renewed safe-haven demand, with spot gold gaining USD 14.70, or 0.29 per cent, to USD 5,095.81 per ounce, while silver increasing 1.4 per cent to USD 83.40 per ounce.
Traders said escalating tensions in the Middle East continued to support precious metals, though profit-booking limited gains in the domestic markets.
"Gold and silver prices experienced notable fluctuations on Friday, driven primarily by ongoing geopolitical tensions in the Middle East and robust safe-haven buying," Gaurav Garg, Research Analyst at Lemonn Markets Desk, said.
These precious metals are gaining traction as investors seek refuge amid market volatility and rising crude oil prices, which surged to over USD 80 per barrel following the closure of Strait of Hormuz, a key global shipping route, raising concerns about supply disruptions.
"The US stock market reacted negatively, with major indices like the Dow Jones and S&P 500 witnessing significant declines, further fuelling interest in gold and silver," Garg added.
Jateen Trivedi, VP Research Analyst, Commodity and Currency, LKP Securities, said investors are closely monitoring crucial macroeconomic indicators, including the unemployment rate and non-farm payrolls numbers scheduled to be released later in the day.
