Q&A: Cisco CIO sees AI embedded in every product and process

Less than a year after OpenAI’s ChatGPT was released to the public, Cisco Systems is already well into the process of embedding generative artificial intelligence (genAI) into its entire product portfolio and internal backend systems.

The plan is to use it in virtually every corner of the business, from automating network functions and monitoring security to creating new software products.

But Cisco’s CIO, Fletcher Previn, is also dealing with a scarcity of IT talent to create and tweak large language model (LLM) platforms for domain-specific AI applications. As a result, IT workers are learning as they go, while discovering new places and ways the ever-evolving technology can create value.

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What exactly will the UK government's global AI Safety Summit achieve?

From tomorrow, the UK government is hosting the first global AI Safety Summit, bringing together about 100 people from industry and government to develop a shared understanding of the emerging risks of leading-edge AI while unlocking its benefits. 

The event will be held at Bletchley Park, a site in Milton Keynes that became the home of code breakers during World War II and saw the development of Colossus, the world’s first programmable digital electronic computer, used to decrypt the Nazi Party’s Enigma code, shortening the war by at least two years.

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Biden lays down the law on AI

In a sweeping executive order, US President Joseph R. Biden Jr. on Monday set up a comprehensive series of standards, safety and privacy protections, and oversight measures for the development and use of artificial intelligence (AI).

Among more than two dozen initiatives, Biden’s “Safe, Secure, and Trustworthy Artificial Intelligence” order was a long time coming, according to many observers who’ve been watching the AI space — especially with the rise of generative AI (genAI) in the past year.

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‘Data poisoning’ anti-AI theft tools emerge — but are they ethical?

Technologists are helping artists fight back against what they see as intellectual property (IP) theft by generative artificial intelligence (genAI) tools  whose training algorithms automatically scrape the internet and other places for content.

The fight over what constitutes fair use of content found online is at the heart of what has been an ongoing court battle. The fight goes beyond artwork to whether genAi companies like Microsoft and its partner, OpenAI, can incorporate software code and other published content into their models.

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White House to issue AI rules for federal employees

After earlier efforts to reign in generative artificial intelligence (genAI) were criticized as too vague and ineffective, the Biden Administration is now expected to announce new, more restrictive rules for use of the technology by federal employees.

The executive order, expected to be unveiled Monday, would also change immigration standards to allow a greater influx of technology workers to help accelerate US development efforts.

On Tuesday night, the White House sent invitations for a “Safe, Secure, and Trustworthy Artificial Intelligence” event Monday hosted by President Joseph R. Biden Jr., according to The Washington Post.

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Q&A: How one CSO secured his environment from generative AI risks

In February, travel and expense management company Navan (formerly TripActions) chose to go all-in on generative AI technology for a myriad of business and customer assistance uses.

The Palo Alto, CA company turned to ChatGPT from OpenAI and coding assistance tools from GitHub Copilot to write, test, and fix code; the decision has boosted Navan’s operational efficiency and reduced overhead costs.

GenAI tools have also been used to build a conversational experience for the company’s client virtual assistant, Ava. Ava, a travel and expense chatbot assistant, offers customers answers to questions and a conversational booking experience. It can also offer data to business travelers, such as company travel spend, volume, and granular carbon emissions details.

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ServiceNow embeds AI-powered customer-assist features throughout products

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GenAI in productivity apps: What could possibly go wrong?

We’re in the “iPhone moment” for generative AI, with every company rushing to figure out its strategy for dealing with this disruptive technology.

According to a KPMG survey conducted this June, 97% of US executives at large companies expect their organizations to be impacted highly by generative AI in the next 12 to 18 months, and 93% believe it will provide value to their business. Some 35% of companies have already started to deploy AI tools and solutions, while 83% say that they will increase their generative AI investments by at least 50% in the next six to twelve months.

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