Month: August 2024
New €2M fund launches for Dutch early-stage tech startups
A group of six entrepreneurs and angel investors have announced today the launch of their first fund, aiming to support Dutch early-stage tech startups. Named the Dutch Operator Fund I, it has raised €2mn in capital. The amount is provided by the team itself, as well as a loan from the Seed Business Angel scheme of the Netherlands Enterprise Agency (RVO). Investments will range between €75K and €200K, with the possibility of follow-up funding. The fund targets startups in the (pre-)seed phase. “There is a need for this in our country, because for many institutional investors, investing in this stage…This story continues at The Next Web
A group of six entrepreneurs and angel investors have announced today the launch of their first fund, aiming to support Dutch early-stage tech startups. Named the Dutch Operator Fund I, it has raised €2mn in capital. The amount is provided by the team itself, as well as a loan from the Seed Business Angel scheme of the Netherlands Enterprise Agency (RVO). Investments will range between €75K and €200K, with the possibility of follow-up funding. The fund targets startups in the (pre-)seed phase. “There is a need for this in our country, because for many institutional investors, investing in this stage…
This story continues at The Next Web
How AI and Machine Learning are Enhancing Player Experience in Crypto Casinos
Crypto casinos are now a thing among crypto lovers and avid players alike and are making their mark on the online gambling niche, although they aren’t mainstream yet. According to a report by CasinoRix researchers, the crypto gambling market now
The post How AI and Machine Learning are Enhancing Player Experience in Crypto Casinos first appeared on Tech Startups.
Crypto casinos are now a thing among crypto lovers and avid players alike and are making their mark on the online gambling niche, although they aren’t mainstream yet. According to a report by CasinoRix researchers, the crypto gambling market now […]
The post How AI and Machine Learning are Enhancing Player Experience in Crypto Casinos first appeared on Tech Startups.
Recipe for AI success: 10 considerations for enterprises
Learn the essential steps and considerations for implementing AI to support business strategies.
Artificial intelligence (AI) is transforming industries, driving efficiencies, and enabling new business models. Gartner forecasts global spending on AI software will increase from $124 billion in 2022 to $297 billion in 2027, a 19.1% CAGR. For enterprises, embracing AI is no longer a strategic option—it’s necessary for survival. Just as a chef learns various techniques to create a full-course meal, enterprises must understand the various distinctive flavors of AI that best support their business strategies. This piece will outline ten considerations for organizations to consider throughout the planning and deployment phases of implementing AI in accordance with the pragmatic AI model.
AI encompasses a broad range of technologies and applications, each with their own uses and benefits. Generative AI and the use of large language models (LLMs) like ChatGPT can automate and simplify content creation and customer interactions. This includes drafting emails, generating reports, and providing customer support. Alternatively, predictive AI leverages complex data sets to make recommendations and support decision-making processes. An example of this is using predictive analytics to accurately forecast customer payments and optimize cashflow. The key to a successful AI strategy lies in the evaluation of pragmatic use cases and selective investments that will help to deliver business objectives.
Pragmatic AI maturity model
A recent 2024 Global Service Dynamics Report revealed that adapting to AI is expected to be a leading business challenge, surpassing competition and the shortage of skilled professional services labour. Using a straightforward model to assess their current AI maturity level, companies can understand their capabilities and guide investments that enhance growth and ensure survival. The practice of implementing AI that is deployable, actionable, and closed-loop for continuous improvements requires careful planning and gradual progression. That’s where the Pragmatic AI Maturity Model comes in, providing a five-stage taxonomy for understanding an organization’s AI competence.
To know where an organization needs to invest in AI pragmatically, this model of maturity helps determine where to grow and improve. The stages include:
-Stage 1: Initial – This is like having a larder full of ingredients but no recipe. Most organizations are here, developing isolated GenAI projects using fragmented datasets.
-Stage 2: Repeatable – Like cooking from a boxed kit, this stage features productized deployments of standalone solutions with AI integrated into them.
-Stage 3: Controlled – This stage is like cooking a full meal from a detailed recipe. Organizations have established a unified data strategy, consolidating transactional and operational data into a single repository.
-Stage 4: Optimized – Like a well-stocked, organized kitchen, this stage features robust data infrastructures in place that enable the use of advanced AI models for complex predictions and insights.
-Stage 5: Continuous Improvement – This is the Michelin-star stage. Organizations operate in the ideal state: a closed-loop system with clean, real-time data that continuously improves AI models.
10 tips
Once the maturity stage has been assessed, there are 10 tips to climb the AI Maturity Model ladder and reach the pinnacle of continuous improvement:
1. Ensure “clean” data Before jumping in, teams must take a temperature check on their current assets. A clear signal a business might not be AI-ready is if it lacks “clean” data.
2. Assemble a governance plan A governance plan is also imperative to manage AI data and broader initiatives supporting the business strategy. This plan should include policies for data collection, storage, access, and use. It is also essential to have a process for monitoring and updating AI models as the data changes. It’s important that AI activity does not operate in a vacuum, but is designed to solve actual problems that impact the overall business performance. It also ensures that governance issues are not considered in a piecemeal fashion, but at an organizational level.
3. Identify the business problem In a pragmatic approach, the key to success is to focus on solving current business issues. Businesses should start by identifying the most important challenges they face and then look for solutions that help solve them.
4. Integrate into existing workflows To ensure ease of adoption and effective use among teams, pragmatic AI solutions should be user-friendly and straightforward to integrate into existing workflows. This means the solution should seamlessly connect with the company’s existing systems and tools.
5. Define success Clearly defined KPIs tailored to specific AI goals are crucial, and continuous measurement and iteration are essential for maximizing the success of a business’ AI journey. Teams must be sure to track attributable cost savings, efficiency gains, and revenue growth.
6. Identify your deployment team members Identify who will help to roll out the technology at each step. Which stakeholders will be involved and when during the rollout process?
7. Consult the experts AI is a rapidly evolving technology and leading edge skills are in short supply. Companies should determine where they need to supplement their in-house resources with third-party expertise.
8. Create feedback loops Implement mechanisms to capture feedback from AI models and use this data to refine and improve these models continuously.
9. Develop training materials To address possible concerns of replacement by AI, training and messaging materials must highlight who teams how to leverage the technology to meet the company’s goals, enhance jobs and enable upskilling.
10. Request regular feedback In addition to deploying a closed-loop model, securing feedback from the team members using AI is crucial. Is the technology easy to use, is it beneficial, is the training and roll-out efficient? These are all factors that should be considered through feedback, so the deployment team can adjust accordingly.
By considering these 10 points to successfully prepare for and implement AI, organisations can ensure they are not only implementing AI that is deployable, actionable, and closed-loop, but also laying the groundwork for continuous improvement. The Pragmatic AI Maturity Model highlights this journey from random ingredients to Michelin-star organisation. As companies progress through the stages, the focus naturally shifts towards building a culture of continuous learning and adaptation. This ensures they stay ahead of the evolving AI landscape and unlock the technology’s full potential.
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Top US university sued by the government for failing to keep classified data secure
Georgia Tech and its cybersecurity lab did not want to install an antivirus, and allegedly lied about its cybersecurity score.
The US government is suing the Georgia Institute of Technology (GIT) for allegedly not complying with cybersecurity standards that the US Department of Defense (DoD) sets for contract awardees – and then lying about it.
The US Civil Cyber-Fraud Initiative (CCFI), a government organization tasked with hunting down organizations that don’t comply with cybersecurity standards, says the failure to comply lasted several years, and most likely started around 2018 or 2019.
Interestingly, the case was brought forward by two whistleblowers – Christopher Craig and Kyle Koza. Craig is allegedly still the associate director of cybersecurity at Georgia Tech, while Koza is a grad and former principal infosec engineer at GIT.
Whistleblowers
Now, the CCFI is suing the institute and the lab under the False Claims Act (FCA) in what is thought to be the first case of its kind.
The CCFI says GIT’s Astrolavos Lab, which works on cybersecurity issues affecting national security, did not develop, or implement, a cybersecurity plan compliant with DoD standards, on time. It was only introduced in 2020, and even then it was poorly executed, since not all endpoints were included. Furthermore, the institute, and the lab, failed to install antivirus solutions on all its endpoints, and when it was time to submit an assessment score in December 2020 – both organizations gave themselves a score of 98.
“Deficiencies in cybersecurity controls pose a significant threat not only to our national security, but also to the safety of the men and women of our armed services that risk their lives daily,” said special agent-in-charge Darrin K Jones, Department of Defense Office of Inspector General, Defense Criminal Investigative Service (DCIS), Southeast Field Office.
“As force multipliers, we place a substantial amount of trust in our contractors and expect them to meet the strict standards our service members deserve.”
“Government contractors that fail to follow and fully implement required cybersecurity controls jeopardize the security of sensitive government information and information systems and create unnecessary risks to national security,” said principal deputy assistant attorney general Bryan Boynton of the Civil Division. “We will continue to pursue knowing cybersecurity-related violations under the Department’s Civil Cyber-Fraud Initiative.”
Via The Register
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Canada follows the US by slapping a 100 percent tariff on Chinese EVs
Canadians who have been mulling whether to snap up a Chinese EV may want to make a firm decision on that quickly. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced that, starting on October 1, the country will impose a 100 percent tariff on electric vehicles built in China. The White House established an identical levy in the US earlier this year.
The surtax will apply to electric cars, trucks, buses and delivery vans, as well as some hybrid models. Canada will also charge a 25 percent tariff on Chinese steel and aluminum starting on October 15.
According to the CBC, industry players had been pressuring the Canadian government to match the US tariff on Chinese EVs. Trudeau said that Canada is following suit to “level the playing field for Canadian workers” and help the domestic EV industry be more competitive.
“Because of our government’s choices and the hard work of hundreds of thousands of Canadian auto workers, we are transforming Canada’s automotive sector to be a global leader in building the vehicles of tomorrow,” Trudeau said at a press conference. “But actors like China have chosen to give themselves an unfair advantage in the global marketplace, compromising the security of our critical industries and displacing dedicated Canadian auto and metal workers. So, we’re taking action to address that.”This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/transportation/evs/canada-follows-the-us-by-slapping-a-100-percent-tariff-on-chinese-evs-140158558.html?src=rss
Canadians who have been mulling whether to snap up a Chinese EV may want to make a firm decision on that quickly. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced that, starting on October 1, the country will impose a 100 percent tariff on electric vehicles built in China. The White House established an identical levy in the US earlier this year.
The surtax will apply to electric cars, trucks, buses and delivery vans, as well as some hybrid models. Canada will also charge a 25 percent tariff on Chinese steel and aluminum starting on October 15.
According to the CBC, industry players had been pressuring the Canadian government to match the US tariff on Chinese EVs. Trudeau said that Canada is following suit to “level the playing field for Canadian workers” and help the domestic EV industry be more competitive.
“Because of our government’s choices and the hard work of hundreds of thousands of Canadian auto workers, we are transforming Canada’s automotive sector to be a global leader in building the vehicles of tomorrow,” Trudeau said at a press conference. “But actors like China have chosen to give themselves an unfair advantage in the global marketplace, compromising the security of our critical industries and displacing dedicated Canadian auto and metal workers. So, we’re taking action to address that.”
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/transportation/evs/canada-follows-the-us-by-slapping-a-100-percent-tariff-on-chinese-evs-140158558.html?src=rss
Zoma Boost Mattress Review: Surprisingly Luxurious Pillow Top Comfort
The Zoma Boost mattress is Zooma’s most luxurious bed. It has a significantly different design and reminds me of a hotel mattress for a relatively affordable price.
The Zoma Boost mattress is Zooma’s most luxurious bed. It has a significantly different design and reminds me of a hotel mattress for a relatively affordable price.