- Monday, 29 April 2024
Narayan Prasad Ghimire/RSS
Kathmandu, April 16: In the wake of trepidation, optimism and bewilderment lumped together with spurt and influence of artificial intelligence (AI), research and studies on AI have surged lately across the globe.
In this connection, the Human-Centered Artificial Intelligence (HAI) at the Stanford University released an annual report on AI on Monday. The seventh edition report- ‘Artificial Intelligence Index Report, 2024’ has comprehensively studied the AI trend in multiple fronts ranging from education to accountability, research to development, and economy to medicine.
One of the significant messages the report has underlined is: ‘AI beats humans on some tasks, but not on all’. There are ten takeaways in the wide-ranging report fit in 500 plus pages with extensive use of data and comparative analyses.
In the first takeaway it wrote, “AI has surpassed human performance on several benchmarks, including some in image classification, visual reasoning, and English understanding. Yet it trails behind on more complex tasks like competition-level mathematics, visual commonsense reasoning and planning.”
The report is dovetailed in nine chapters focusing- research and development, technical performance, responsible AI, economy, science and medicine, education, policy and governance, diversity, and public opinion.
AI patent shifting from US to East Asia and Pacific
Taking reference from Centre for Security and Emerging Technology, 2023, the report has showed shifting AI patent. Comparing the data from 2010 to 2022, the report showed granted AI patent hugely concentrating in East Asia and Pacific – 75.2 percent, which is trailed by the North America with 21.2 percent. North America was leading the AI patent till 2011.
However, the US leads the source of top AI model in the world. In the last year, 2023, the institutions based in the US produced 61 modes of AI while it is followed by European Union with 21 models and China 15 models.
Eightfold rise on AI investment
According to the report, the world has witnessed massive surge in investment in Generative AI. “Despite a decline in overall AI private investment last year, funding for generative AI surged, nearly octupling from 2022 to reach $25.2 billion. Major players in the generative AI space, including OpenAI, Anthropic, Hugging Face, and Inflection, reported substantial fundraising rounds,” it stated.
The ‘Economy’ chapter of the report has brought forth information on investment, global AI labour demand, wages of computer scientists, adaptation of AI capabilities, corporate activity, robot installation and jobs. The report mentioned that China is dominating the installation of robots in industries.
“China dominates industrial robotics. Since surpassing Japan in 2013 as the leading installer of industrial robots, China has significantly widened the gap with the nearest competitor nation. In 2013, China’s installations accounted for 20.8% of the global total, a share that rose to 52.4% by 2022,” it explained.
Similarly, the AI governance initiatives are also on rise, especially in EU countries, the US and China. From AI policy to actions, these are painted as major players in AI governance. Policy makers in the world are not left untouched by the AI, the report argues.
It is also worth noting to have knowledge how the tech giants are investing huge chunk in designing multiple AI models and programmes in the world. The AI Index estimated, “Training costs of state-of-the-art AI models have reached unprecedented levels. For example, OpenAI’s GPT-4 used an estimated $78 million worth of compute to train, while Google’s Gemini Ultra cost $191 million for compute.”
At a time when many tout technology as a non-discriminatory front, the global tech sprint of 2023, ChatGPT, has been found politically biased. The Index has referenced the researchers and stated ‘significant bias in ChatGPT toward Democrats in the US and the Labour Party in the UK.’
Bearing this in mind, the report has alerted over hijacking of political views of users by the ChatGPT when 2024 is a global election year.
So far, 80 countries have put in place the AI Strategies. They include the US, the UK, Bangladesh, India, Thailand, Rwanda, Ethiopia and Israel, among others. Canada was the first country to have AI strategy- in 2017.
It has argued that AI clinical knowledge has boosted in recent time. “Highly knowledgeable medical AI has arrived. Over the past few years, AI systems have shown remarkable improvement on the MedQA benchmark, a key test for assessing AI’s clinical knowledge,” the Index asserts.
The Index added that since the benchmark’s introduction in 2019, AI performance on MedQA has increased nearly threefold.
AI hiring has also seen upward trends in the countries like Australia, Canada, Singapore, and India since 2023.
Co-Directors of AI Index, Ray Perrault and Jack Clark observed the report, saying, “As AI rapidly evolves, the AI Index aims to help the AI community, policymakers, business leaders, journalists, and the general public navigate this complex landscape. It provides ongoing, objective snapshots tracking several key areas: technical progress in AI capabilities, the community and investments driving AI development and deployment, public opinion on current and potential future impacts, and policy measures taken to stimulate AI innovation while managing its risks and challenges.”
Several IT and AI experts provided information and expertise for the report where a dozen of tech organizations including GitHub, Linkedin, Schwartz Reisman Institute for Technology and Society, Women in Machine Learning, Code.org, and International Federation of Robotics supplied data.
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Bhaktapur industrial festival collects Rs 80 million proceeds
Bhaktapur, April 16: The Bhaktapur industrial festival organized at Sallaghari in the district on the occasion of New Year 2081 made the transaction of Rs 80 million.
Chair of festival organizing committee, Sandip Mahat, shared that they were able to make more than Rs 80 million proceeds. The festival named ‘8th Bhaktapur industrial, cultural, tourism and trade festival-2080/81’ was organized jointly by the Industrial Peace Nepal and Madhyapur Boys Band.
Nearly 200 thousand people visited the event where 150 stalls were set up and numerous daily essentials and industrial products were put on show and for sale.
The daily essentials including food items, clothes, shoes, automobile, national and international cuisines, mobile, and electronic goods were provided at reasonable cost.
The festival held from April 4 to April 16 also featured exhibition of rural technology, children’s park, circus, comedy show and musical performance by national and international artistes.
Representative of the organizers, Sunil Bajracharya, informed that even an Indian singer of Nepali origin, Bipul Chhetri, performed a live concert on the occasion.
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NC aggrieved over leader Neupane’s demise
Kathmandu, April 16: The Nepali Congress has expressed deep grief over the demise of former vice president of party in Gorkha district, Chandra Prasad Neupane. The late Neupane was also the former chair of district development committee, Gorkha.
Issuing a condolence note on Monday, chief secretary at NC central office, Krishna Prasad Paudel stated that NC was saddened to know the death of its leader Neupane. He was 81-year-old.
In 2049BS, he had been chair of district development committee, Gorkha while fielded a candidate for the Constituent Assembly election in 2064 from constituency no 2 in Gorkha. He was mahasamiti member of the NC for several times and representative of general convention as well.
The NC has reminded late Neupane’s contribution to establishment and restoration of democracy in Nepal. He was detained several times and put into jail for his participation in the democratic movement. He was in politics since 2017 BS.
Chief Secretary Paudel mentioned in the condolence note that NC lost an experienced leader with the passing away of Neupane.
NC President Sher Bahadur Deuba also expressed grief and extended condolences to the bereaved family members of the late leader Neupane. He hailed Neupane’s role on building party organization and protecting democracy.
The late leader was born at Shiranchowk rural municipality-4 of Gorkha on Baisakh 13, 1999BS.
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KMC warns of action to those strewing construction materials on street
Kathmandu, April 16: The Kathmandu Metropolitan City (KMC) has warned of action to those leaving construction materials unattended on street and pavement.
The road and footpath must be cleaned up after finishing construction works, KMC reminded, urging all concerned not to scatter the materials as they were obstructing public movement and development management.
Even the beautification campaign of KMC was hindered with the things strewn on street and pavements. So, KMC would act tough against those behind the mess, Deputy Mayor Sunita Dangol warned.
Similarly, any individual or company planning to build infrastructures is obliged to receive permission before any undertaking in public places or roads.
Issuing a notice, KMC has also reminded everyone the legal provisions of Local Government Operation Act, 2074, and Environment Protection Act, 2076.
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Daiji-Jogbudha road construction at snail pace
Mahendranagar (Kanchanpur), April 16: The locals here have been worried over snail-paced construction of Daiji-Jogbudha roadway. The contract for construction of the roadway was made six years back.
The Physical Infrastructure Development Office here admitted that the 13-km stretch at Chhela of Bedkot municipality was delayed much.
The Nagarjun Construction was contracted for the construction at the cost of Rs 210 million, but the work speed is negligible, according to Office chief Yognedra Bahadur Adhikari.
Once the road is constructed, it would be easier for the people to travel to hilly districts of Sudurpachim Province, including Dadeldhura from Kanchanpur.
Adhikari further said, “The construction is not stopped, but the pace is sluggish. Nearly 8-km roadway has been blacktopped, while remaining 5-km is in shambles.”
The landslide occurred two years back had damaged the gabion wire and drains, which is awaiting restoration.
The locals from Bedkot Municipality-3 complain that the concerned sectors failed to pay adequate attention to complete the 21-km road in time.
However, ward chair Mohan Bahadur Gurdhami informed that they were urging the contractors and engineers from the local level to complete the remaining sections of the road. “We’ve also drawn attention of province government to prod the concerned sides to intensify the road building,” he shared.
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Birgunj Metropolis collects over Rs 360 million in revenue
Birgunj, April 16: The Birgunj Metropolitan City (BMC) has collected more than Rs 360 million taxes in nine months of the current fiscal year.
In the last nine months of the current fiscal year, it was able to collect Rs 167 million in revenue. Most of the tax came from property tax which made Rs 127 million, while house rent drew Rs 45 million.
The BMC has been imposing tax under 24 headings.
Chief of revenue division at BMC, Manoj Karna, informed that they were able to collect Rs 29 million more tax than that collected last year. It is good improvement, he observed.
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