Bits & Bytes

Google’s AI is being used on US military drone footage.

  • The project provides the Department of Defense (DoD) with Tensorflow APIs to help flag and classify 1000s of hours of drone footage. The partnership has drawn criticism of both Google and the DoD.

Microsoft partners with Esri to launch Geospatial AI on Azure.

  • For geospatial analytics professionals, this product provides AI and predictive analytics capabilities including deep learning and machine learning algorithms.

Microsoft announces Windows ML for efficient use of hardware with AI workloads.

  • The software works across multiple hardware types including Intel Vision Processing Units. It allows for seamless integration of on system AI, in the form of personal assistants, enhanced biometric security, smart music, and photo search and recognition.

China makes open-source platform to boost AI.

  • This comes as part of a wider initiative to position China as a leader in AI technology by 2030. We’ve covered this in previous newsletters when it was announced China was building an AI-dedicated business park.

Cloudera unveils enterprise ML and analytics Platform-as-a-Service.

  • The platform aims to tackle the issue of “big data analytics cloud sprawl” (that’s a mouthful!) in enterprises using machine learning.

Google’s Quantum AI Lab announces new ‘Bristlecone’ processor.

  • The quantum processor will be used to research system error rates and scalability of google’s qubit technology as well as applications in quantum simulation, optimization, and machine learning.

Dollar & Sense

  • ELSA, an English language-learning tool, raises $3.2M for its A.I.-powered pronunciation assistant

  • Medial Earlysign, an AI-powered health tech company secures $30 million

  • Atomwise, which uses AI to improve drug discovery, raises $45M Series A

  • Voicera, which offers an AI-powered transcribing assistant, raises $14.5 million for AI that draws insights from meeting notes

  • GameSparks recently (leave) picked up by Amazon for $10M to build out its gaming muscle

  • Kngine, an AI search engine startup is acquired by Samsung

  • Kensho, a leader in AI analytics is acquired by S&P for $550 million