5 things about AI you may have missed today: AI anchor interviews minister, AI eco boost for diesel trains, and more

Artificial intelligence is a hot topic and seems to be getting ever hotter with each passing day due to the rapid developments happening in the field. While an AI startup has developed software that could help reduce greenhouse gas emissions of diesel locomotives, police in the UK have also taken AI aid to catch drivers who use mobile phones while driving. This, and more in today’s AI roundup.

1. AI news anchor interviews Minister

Pragathy, India’s first AI news anchor has made history by interviewing the Minister of Public Works and Tourism Department of Kerala P.A. Muhammad Riyas. According to a PTI report, the AI avatar’s conversation with the minister covered a wide range of topics such as Kerela’s advancements in robotics, and the development of new technologies. The AI anchor is a creation of digital media startup Channeliam.com founded by Nisha Krishnan.

2. Hollywood writers fear AI taking over their jobs

Since May, Hollywood writers have been on strike against the use of AI that could impact their livelihood. The WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes were then joined by Hollywood actors who are standing up against studios for using their AI likeness whenever they please. In a conversation with BBC, Hollywood screenwriter Michelle Amor said, “My mother's union job as a packer for 35 years was replaced with robotics. That's understandable because it's a labor-intensive job, but we create art. Who wants a fake Picasso?”

3. AI being used to detect the use of smartphones while driving

It seems like even the police have jumped on the AI bandwagon. An AI experiment was carried out where it was deployed to detect the use of smartphones while driving. According to a BBC report, Hampshire and Isle of Wight Constabulary and Thames Valley Police used an AI-equipped spy van with two cameras to catch footage of commercial vehicles where the drivers were using mobile phones. The experiment was carried out from July 17 to July 21 on the A34 and the A303 motorways in the UK.

4. Amazon calls on thousands of customers to try its AI cloud services

Facing stiff competition from Google and Microsoft, Amazon has called on thousands of customers to try Amazon Bedrock, a service that lets businesses create applications with a range of AI models, according to a Reuters report. Vice President Swami Sivasubramanian said, "Our mission is to make every company an AI company.” Such generative AI services can produce images, and texts on command. Companies like Sony, Ryanair, and Sun Life have already tried Amazon’s service which was announced in April.

5. AI startup to help reduce greenhouse gas emissions of diesel trains

RailVision Analytics, a Montreal-based artificial intelligence startup has developed a new software that can help train engineers make small fuel adjustments. This could not only help reduce greenhouse gas emissions but also result in big fuel savings, according to a Bloomberg report. Dev Jain, founder of RailVision Analytics said, “It is just like Google Maps,” but instead of giving drivers directions, the software tells them whether to “increase speed”, or “stay idle” in the next mile.