TOP OF THE DAY
GAO recommends new agency to streamline how US government protects citizens’ data
(Suzanne Smalley – The Record – 20 November 2024) The U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) on Tuesday published a report recommending that Congress create a new federal office to offer government-wide guidance and promote laws regulating how all agencies safeguard the public’s civil rights and liberties while using personal data. The recommendation follows a GAO survey of agencies which found vastly disparate approaches to protecting citizens’ personal data. The GAO is an independent government agency that aids Congress with auditing and investigations. – https://therecord.media/gao-recommends-new-agency-data-privacy-protections
The Role of the Middle East in the US-China Race to AI Supremacy
(Vincent Carchidi, Mohammed Soliman – Middle East Institute – 19 November 2024) Artificial intelligence (AI) is a pivotal catalyst for global innovation, with the United States at the forefront of the development of this transformative technology amid its ongoing great power rivalry with China. However, a notable concern has emerged: the absence of an explicit conception of AI supremacy that threatens to undermine the US’ long-term AI strategy. The notion of AI supremacy traditionally has been difficult to define, paralleling disputes about whether competition over AI is a “race.” This report thus aims to accomplish two objectives: first, to define AI supremacy and anchor this concept in the realities of the AI competition thus far; and second, to revise the US’ AI strategy in accordance with a more comprehensive understanding of AI supremacy. The AI race, unsurprisingly, has drawn in actors from the Middle East. The United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Saudi Arabia, especially, are pursuing the development of indigenous AI ecosystems, each seeking to attain the regional upper hand, throwing their capital behind their stated national AI aims. This report attempts to steer the conversation on the global AI race toward a comprehensive conception of AI supremacy that is anchored in the realities of international affairs and US-China great power competition. – https://www.mei.edu/publications/role-middle-east-us-china-race-ai-supremacy
“Privacy by Design” Lessons for “Security by Design”
(Justin Sherman – Lawfare – 19 November 2024) The U.S. 2023 National Cybersecurity Strategy called out the need for companies to “embrace security and resilience by design” when building technology and pledged that the federal government would work to realign market incentives to boost security by design. Since the strategy’s release, the U.S. Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) has put out several white papers, blogs, and guidance documents elaborating on the concept of “security by design” and encouraging companies to integrate the processes and practices into their operations. The U.S. government is making important investments—yet is still in its early days of elaborating on this concept. CISA’s preferred practices are fairly accessible—yet are all recommended, not required. Many open questions and challenges remain at conceptual, operational, technical, and regulatory levels. – https://www.lawfaremedia.org/article/privacy-by-design–lessons-for–security-by-design
Semiconductors, AI, and the Gulf: Policy Considerations for the United States
(Elizabeth Dent, Grant Rumley – The Washington Institute for Near East Policy – 18 November 2024) In May 2024, Microsoft and the Emirati firm G42 announced a $1 billion deal to invest in technology infrastructure in Kenya as part of a larger arrangement aimed at harnessing the power of such partnerships. The Kenya initiative—which includes a green data center, AI local-language research, cloud services, and other components—reflects both the promise and peril of integration in today’s era of great power competition. In the Gulf, where countries like Saudi Arabia and the UAE have made AI advancement central to their national development strategies, the United States will need to determine how best to provide the technology necessary for deepening cooperation while ensuring that an overprotective stance does not drive countries to the markets of adversaries. In this timely Policy Note, Elizabeth Dent and Grant Rumley describe how the current debate focuses on semiconductors, which are essential components for advanced computing and AI. They proceed to analyze how U.S. policymakers can navigate a range of options from permissive to restrictive when considering the export of semiconductors to the Middle East, especially Gulf countries. – https://www.washingtoninstitute.org/policy-analysis/semiconductors-ai-and-gulf-policy-considerations-united-states
Pivotal Powers 2024: Innovative Engagement Strategies for Global Governance, Security, and Artificial Intelligence
(Alexandra de Hoop Scheffer, Sharinee Jagtiani, Kristina Kausch, Garima Mohan, Martin Quencez, Rachel Tausendfreund, Gesine Weber – German Marshall Fund of the United States – 18 November 2024) States outside the transatlantic alliance have gained leverage in international affairs in recent years and, with that, the potential to significantly reshape the global order. Engagement with these “pivotal powers”, which include Brazil, Indonesia, India, Nigeria, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, and Türkiye, is of paramount importance for Europe and the United States. “Pivotal Powers 2024: Innovative Engagement Strategies for Global Governance, Security, and Artificial Intelligence” offers tactics for enhancing Western cooperation on global challenges with these countries. – https://www.gmfus.org/news/pivotal-powers-2024-innovative-engagement-strategies-global-governance-security-and-artificial
Acquiring AI Companies: Tracking U.S. AI Mergers and Acquisitions
(Jack Corrigan, Ngor Luong, Christian Schoeber – CSET – November 2024) lThe commercial artificial intelligence industry is evolving rapidly, and the competition dynamics in this burgeoning sector will impact the rate, diversity, and direction of AI innovation in the years ahead. Maintaining U.S. technological leadership in the years ahead will require policymakers to promote competition in the AI sector and prevent incumbent firms from wielding their market power in harmful ways. One important component of this effort will be monitoring mergers and acquisitions activity in the AI sector. M&A allows companies to gain access to talent, technologies, and other resources that may otherwise be out of their reach or too difficult to develop in-house. These transactions can allow firms to maintain their technological edge, gain economies of scale, and expand their business, all of which can drive growth and promote the healthy functioning of a market economy. On the flip side, however, M&A can also enable companies to entrench their economic power, reduce incumbent firms’ incentives to invest in innovation, and hamper the ability of new disruptive firms to enter the market. This brief seeks to shed light on major trends in M&A activity in the U.S. AI sector between 2014 and 2023. Our analysis is based on a dataset of 4,354 M&A transactions gathered through PitchBook, a third-party provider of corporate financial information. – https://cset.georgetown.edu/publication/acquiring-ai-companies-tracking-u-s-ai-mergers-and-acquisitions/
SECURITY
TSA not monitoring transportation sector efforts to stop ransomware, watchdog says
(Jonathan Greig – The Record – 19 November 2024) Efforts by the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) to address cybersecurity issues faced significant criticism this week from government watchdogs, members of Congress and regulated companies. A U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) report on Tuesday said four of the six cybersecurity recommendations made to TSA since 2018 have still not been addressed — including one centered around the agency’s efforts to protect companies from ransomware. – https://therecord.media/tsa-not-monitoring-transportation-ransomware-efforts-hearing-gao
The rise of “porch pirates” using leaked tracking data to steal iPhones
(Konstancija Gasaitytė – Cybernews – 19 November 2024) It has been reported that the new theft “trend” started in the US, where thieves would use leaked tracking data to drop in and steal items that have been left unattended after a delivery person leaves the packaging. The main target is iPhone shipments, usually those that are sent from AT&T, a mobile carrier company, through FedEx. One of the main factors in the scheme is the shipping-related information that thieves could’ve acquired through a leak or by getting it off the black market. It was reported that in 2024, 58 million people in the US were affected by “porch pirates”. The thieves stole $12 billion worth of goods, primarily Apple products. – https://cybernews.com/gadgets/porch-pirates-stolen-iphones/
Companies Take Over Seven Months to Recover From Cyber Incidents
(Phil Muncaster – Infosecurity Magazine – 19 November 2024) IT decision makers (ITDMs) are overly optimistic about how long it would take their organization to recover from a serious cybersecurity incident, according to new data from Fastly. The cloud services provider polled 1800 ITDMs with responsibility for cybersecurity in organizations across the Americas, Europe, APAC and Japan to compile its Global Security Research Report. – https://www.infosecurity-magazine.com/news/companies-seven-months-recover/
FRONTIERS
SDT, Anyon Technologies Plan Collaboration on 20-Qubit Quantum System
(Matt Swayne – Quantum Insider – 19 November 2024) SDT and Anyon Technologies will collaborate to develop a 20-qubit superconducting quantum computer system integrated with NVIDIA’s Grace Hopper Superchip, aiming for production by early next year. SDT will leverage its manufacturing facilities, while Anyon Technologies will supply its proprietary dilution refrigerator technology and the 20-qubit Quantum Processing Unit (QPU). The partnership plans to supply advanced quantum systems across Asia, targeting industries like financial services and AI, while laying the groundwork for scaling up to 100 and 1,000 qubits. – https://theaiinsider.tech/2024/11/19/gemesys-secures-e8-6m-pre-seed-funding-to-transform-ai-on-edge-devices/
GEMESYS Secures €8.6M Pre-Seed Funding to Transform AI on Edge Devices
(James Dargan – AI Insider – 19 November 2024) AI hardware startup GEMESYS has raised €8.6 million in pre-seed funding, led by Amadeus APEX Technology Fund and Atlantic Labs, with contributions from NRW.BANK, Sony Innovation Fund, Plug and Play Tech Center, and German government grants, to accelerate R&D and expand its team. GEMESYS is pioneering on-device AI training with energy-efficient chips, addressing the “von Neumann bottleneck” and promoting data privacy, offline processing, and IoT innovation, positioning Europe as a leader in AI hardware innovation. The startup’s novel chip architecture offers breakthrough capabilities in edge intelligence, enabling applications such as data drift management and model personalization, and aims to transform industries with efficient and privacy-focused AI solutions. – https://theaiinsider.tech/2024/11/19/gemesys-secures-e8-6m-pre-seed-funding-to-transform-ai-on-edge-devices/
Ai16z and Ryze Labs Partner to Launch AICombinator Program, Announce $5M Fund to Support Developers
(James Dargan – AI Insider – 19 November 2024) Ryze Labs and ai16z, an AI-led venture capital firm, have introduced the AICombinator program and a $5 million fund to support developers building projects at the intersection of AI and crypto, fostering innovation within the ai16z ecosystem. Program participants will receive funding and early access to ai16z’s Eliza framework, an AI tool for creating interactive characters and crypto AI agents, enabling developers to explore applications in areas like trading and asset management. Ryze Labs and ai16z aim to advance AI and crypto convergence, emphasizing its potential to transform finance and other verticals, while conducting due diligence to maintain quality within the ecosystem. – https://theaiinsider.tech/2024/11/19/ai16z-and-ryze-labs-partner-to-launch-aicombinator-program-announce-5m-fund-to-support-developers/
Dell Technologies Boosts AI for Enterprises with Dell AI Factory Advancements
(James Dargan – AI Insider – 19 November 2024) Dell Technologies launched the Dell AI Factory, introducing new AI infrastructure, solutions, and services, including high-performance servers like the PowerEdge XE9685L and XE7740, updates to the Dell Data Lakehouse, and partnerships with NVIDIA to simplify AI adoption and enhance performance. The Dell AI Factory integrates advanced tools such as NVIDIA HGX platforms, Generative AI solutions, and open-source Dell Validated Designs, enabling efficient AI deployments, retrieval-augmented generation (RAG), and sustainable data center solutions to accelerate workflows and optimize energy usage. Key offerings, including AI-ready hardware, Dell Data Lakehouse updates, and data management services, are now globally available, with additional products like PowerEdge servers and advanced NVIDIA solutions rolling out through 2025. – https://theaiinsider.tech/2024/11/19/dell-technologies-boosts-ai-for-enterprises-with-dell-ai-factory-advancements/
Ironclad Launches Jurist: an AI-Powered Assistant That Shows its Work
(James Dargan – AI Insider – 19 November 2024) Ironclad has launched Ironclad Jurist, a conversational AI legal assistant designed for drafting, reviewing, editing, and managing contracts. It integrates personalized company data and real-time legal updates, offering a centralized, privacy-forward environment for legal professionals. Jurist provides an editable .docx workspace, automates tasks like NDA reviews, cites verified legal sources, and ensures enterprise-grade security (GDPR, HIPAA, SOC 2 compliance). It leverages multiple AI models for tailored outputs, simplifying legal workflows and enhancing productivity. After a five-month beta testing period with top legal teams and firms, Jurist is now available as a standalone product. Users report significant time and cost savings, with some tasks reduced from hours to minutes, streamlining legal operations and enhancing efficiency. – https://theaiinsider.tech/2024/11/19/ironclad-launches-jurist-an-ai-powered-assistant-that-shows-its-work/
Bluespine Announces $7.2M in Seed Funding to Help Self-Insured Employers Tackle Medical Overbilling
(James Dargan – AI Insider – 19 November 2024) Bluespine, an AI-driven claims cost reduction platform for self-insured employers, raised $7.2 million in seed funding led by Team8 to address medical overbilling, part of the $300 billion healthcare fraud, waste, and abuse crisis. Bluespine’s proprietary AI analyzes 100% of claims, detecting overbilling and inefficiencies with high precision. Unlike traditional audits, the platform leverages advanced data integration and LLM models to optimize healthcare cost management while improving compliance and employee well-being. Bluespine is collaborating with major employers like Mattel and brokers like Alliant Insurance Services, helping them reduce healthcare costs and enhance service offerings. The funding will accelerate adoption, expand R&D, and support broader market transformation. – https://theaiinsider.tech/2024/11/19/bluespine-raises-7-2m-in-seed-funding-to-help-self-insured-employers-tackle-medical-overbilling/
Intelsense AI Raises Tk3 Crore Pre-Seed Funding to Propel Bangladesh’s AI Industry
(James Dargan – AI Insider – 19 November 2024) Bangladesh-based AI company Intelsense AI has closed a Tk3 crore pre-seed funding round, led by Osman Haidar, chairperson of LOS Technology Limited and a prominent tech entrepreneur. This investment marks a pivotal moment for the company as it seeks to redefine the role of artificial intelligence within the country’s tech industry. – https://theaiinsider.tech/2024/11/19/intelsense-ai-raises-tk3-crore-pre-seed-funding-to-propel-bangladeshs-ai-industry/