Roundup: June Tech Articles

Multinational conglomerate Honeywell has announced the breakthrough of their quantum computers triumph in earning the title of fastest in the world.

With a quantum volume of 64, the Honeywell quantum computer is twice as powerful as the next alternative in the industry. That means we are closer to enterprises leveraging our solutions to solve computational problems that are impractical to solve with traditional computers.

Building a computer with the highest quantum volume is a constant race that is perpetuated by the ever-increasing need for greater computational potential. Access to the quantum computer and its resources will be made available to enterprises through Microsoft’s Azure Quantum open cloud ecosystem.

For more information on what qubits are, and how quantum computing works, check out this article from HowStuffWorks.

Using the latest tech offered by the tech industry, the world can take on the pandemic in previously unthinkable ways.

Dr. Cristiano Huscher has long used robotics and artificial intelligence for surgical procedures at the Policlinico Abano chain of hospitals in Italy. When six doctors contracted Covid-19 at his hospital in Sardinia two months ago, he again turned to technology — in this case, UVD Robots — to disinfect the rooms.

In this article, Janet Morrissey takes us on a journey through the emerging technologies that are being used on the front lines against COVID-19 - from robots that move “autonomously through a room, using ultraviolet-C light to destroy the RNA in a virus” to a robotic dog that uses its sensors and speaker to “play a recorded message when it comes across people defying social-distancing rules.”

Fifty journalists and editors working for Microsoft were selected for replacement by artificial intelligence software.

“Like all companies, we evaluate our business on a regular basis,” a statement released by a Microsoft read. “This can result in increased investment in some places and, from time to time, re-deployment in others. These decisions are not the result of the current pandemic.”

The contract employees in question were in charge of selecting trending news articles for re-editing, and finally for re-publishing on Microsoft services like MSN, and Bing. In the words of one ex-employee, “It’s been semi-automated for a few months, but now it’s full speed ahead,” about being terminated in favor of using software to use an algorithm to select popular news stories.

Fifteen members of the Forbes Technology Council impart their feelings on the current and future impacts that might be felt by a society where AI is becoming more and more common.

If the goal is to replace people at every turn, I think AI is headed in the wrong direction. The key to successful AI will be augmented intelligence, in which AI can empower humans by amplifying their skills to make better decisions. This will drive efficiency in so many areas in society and has the power to change things for the positive. The key is to remember that technology is here to assist us, not replace us. - Ernie Bray, AutoClaims Direct Inc. (ACD)

While artificial intelligence is an incredible technology, its potential for positive and negative disruption of society, isn’t often discussed side-by-side. This article does just that, all while coming from people with great knowledge and experience.