TheNewsGuru

Tag: AI

  • Boko Haram: Nigerian Army react to AI’s recent reports on killings in Rann

    The Nigerian Army on Saturday denied reports by Amnesty International, alleging that 60 displaced persons were killed by the Boko Haram insurgents at Rann community in Borno State, describing it as misleading.

    Col. Onyema Nwachukwu, Deputy Director, Army Public Relations, Operation Lafiya Dole, made the clarification in a statement in Maiduguri.

    Amnesty International in a report alleged that Boko Haram insurgents attacked the community sequel to the withdrawal of troops from the area.

    According to Nwachukwu, there was no evidence of such attack as well as the murder of 60 persons by the insurgents on January 28; as claimed by the organization.

    He said, “The attention of the Theatre Command, Operation LAFIYA DOLE has been drawn to recent claims by Amnesty International (AI) that troops’ abandonment of their deployment led to the killing of 60 civilians in Rann on Jan. 28, 2018.

    “Undoubtedly, it is disheartening that the situation of Internally Displaced Persons ( IDPs) who are already traumatized, having been displaced from their ancestral homes by insurgency, is being further aggravated by recent callous Boko Haram attack on the IDP community.

    “However; it is most unacceptable and unfair for AI to make such outlandish and unverified claims that troops abandoned their deployment a day before Boko Haram attack on the location, thereby exposing the IDPs to a deadly attack.

    “This claim is not only bereft of truth, but in its usual mannerism, another futile effort by AI to portray the Nigerian military as incapable and project the Nigerian government as not protective of her people in the eyes of the global community.

    “It is, therefore, inevitable to address this misinformation being peddled and fed the public from AI’s obviously uninformed report’’.

    Nwachukwu noted that the insurgents attacked the community on Jan. 14, as against Jan. 28, as claimed by the Amnesty International.

    He added that during the encounter with the insurgents on Jan. 14, the troops proved their gallantry, neutralized two suicide bombers and three Boko Haram fighters, while several others fled with gunshot wounds.

    The army spokesperson revealed that the Theatre Commander, Maj. Gen. Benson Akinroluyo, accompanied by the Commander Sector 1, Operation LAFIYA DOLE, Brig. Gen. Bulama Biu, conducted a long-range patrol and battle damage assessment exercise at Rann and other adjoining communities in the area.

    He observed that the report of the assessment exercise indicated that there were no records of 60 persons killed in the insurgents’ attack as claimed by the AI.

    “Contrary to AI’s claims, at no point of the assessment indicated the killing of 60 persons made either by members of the community, whom the Sector Commander interacted with or by the members of the Multi National Joint Task Force (MNJTF), who were at hand during the assessment.

    “Again, the alleged 60 dead bodies were not recovered during search and rescue operation conducted after the attack, as AI would want members of the public to believe.

    “The troops commenced a clearance operation in villages surrounding Rann and destroyed Boko Haram terrorists’ camps that were uncovered during the operation.

    “In one of such clearance operations on Jan. 30, the troops encountered an ambush staged by the terrorists along Gamboru – Mafa Road and gallantly fought through it, overpowering the insurgents,” he said.

    According to Nwachukwu, another issue in the controversial AI report is the alleged attack on Rann on Jan. 28.

    He said, whereas there was no such attack, rather, an alarm was raised by IDPs in Rann over the sudden withdrawal of troops under the MNJTF from the location, to which the authorities of Operation LAFIYA quickly responded.

    “The Commander Sector, Operation LAFIYA DOLE returned to Rann on Jan. 29, with reinforcement troops to beef-up and support the troops there.

    “The astronomical statistics of human casualty touted by AI and the alleged abdication of duty by our selfless and resilient troops cannot hold water in the face of facts.

    “Facts of the several exemplary physical involvements of the Theatre Commander and the Commander Sector 1 as well as Commanders of 22 Brigade and 3 Battalion in ensuring normalcy returns to Rann and the reinforcement and replenishment of the troops,” Nwachukwu said.

    He also blamed the organisation for inability to verify facts in the compilation of its report, adding that the organisation wrongly accused the military of wrongdoing.

    Nwachukwu noted that the troops deployed to the frontlines become victims of the insurgents’ attacks and sacrificed their lives in defense of the people and the country.

    He said the military authorities were deeply touched by the demise of those who fell during the insurgents’ attack in Rann and sympathised with humanitarian organisations and aid workers affected by the attack.

    The army spokesman stressed that the atrocities perpetrated by the insurgents was a clarion call to international and local communities to support the Nigerian military to enable it end insurgency and restore peace to the troubled region.

    Nwachukwu, who reiterated the commitments of the Army to defend the nation’s territorial integrity, protect life and property, said that the military would not be distracted from its duties by smear campaigns.

  • Nigeria braces for next level of tech revolution

    Executive Vice Chairman of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), Prof Umar Garba Danbatta has stressed the need for collaboration among academia, telecom industry players and the regulatory body as the nation gears up for the next level of technology revolution.

    TheNewsGuru (TNG) reports Prof. Danbatta was speaking during NCC’s Fifth Roundtable Forum with Academia, Telecom Industry and other Stakeholders when he said, “the emergence of new technologies such as Artificial Intelligence (AI), Internet of Things (IoT), Smart Cities, 5th generation network (5G), Broadband technology have led to huge opportunities and consequent risks”.

    The forum, holding in Minna, Niger State on Wednesday 23rd and Thursday 24th January 2018 is expected to improve collaboration among the Commission, academia, telecom industry players and other stakeholders to accelerate innovation, industrial growth and sustainable development in the Nigerian telecoms industry.

    Danbatta at the forum on Wednesday said the collaboration is needed to ensure that these technologies are adequately prepared for by the time they emerge in the Nigeria’s telecom ecosystem.

    He acknowledged that innovations, inventions and improvements that evolve from collaboration with academia are a catalyst for improving efficiency and productivity, driving economic growth and attracting more FDI into the country.

    Speaking at the event, Danbatta, represented by Engr Austin Nwaulune, Director Spectrum Administration, NCC, said, to this end, the NCC as regulator of this critical sector, aims to ensure all stakeholders are protected and the industry is nurtured for maximum benefits to all players in the industry.

    He stressed that regulatory excellence has the capacity to drive social and economic transformation in the country and, that the NCC seeks to ensure that regulations match with existing realities.

    Prof Danbatta reiterated that the three areas which are fundamental to future growth and development of the sector include: innovation in terms of new ideas, industry growth in terms of building capabilities and the role of the regulator in promoting synergy between the academia and the NCC while ensuring regulatory excellence and operational efficiency of the industry.

    “The potential opportunities and important aspects that should be considered by all stakeholders are critical aspects that academia are invited to research and proffer pragmatic solutions.

    “The Commission has, among other things, directed funds to encourage innovation by boosting research and development in Universities across the country.

    “There is need to collaborate with emphasis on development of prototypes that would meet the standards required by the industry,” he said.

    Present at the event include members of the academia from various universities and Polytechnics in the North Central region of the country, representatives of telecom companies and other regulatory bodies.

     

  • How eCommerce businesses can take advantage of AI

    How eCommerce businesses can take advantage of AI

    The eCommerce industry is booming and this is projected to continue, and with a wealth of eCommerce businesses and as competition set to become even more fierce, staying visible and relevant has never been such a challenge for online retailers.

    The advent of artificial intelligence (AI) has made competing in this crowded marketplace possible even for small eCommerce businesses.

    Here are ways AI can help eCommerce businesses:

    Social listening

    So much information is shared on social media through listening to what potential customers are saying. Businesses can gain insight into new markets and understand how their current products and strategies are working.

    Keyword or brand name tracking in social media can be performed efficiently through data mining. This data can then be condensed into actionable feedback to improve the customer experience and the brand’s reach.

    Predictive marketing

    Predictive marketing is a marketing technique that involves using data analytics to determine which marketing strategies and actions have the highest probability of succeeding.

    Thereare tools like Weka, KNIME, and MatLab that can be used to analyse consumer data and optimize eCommerce sites to provide targeted marketing.

    Each consumer sees what they want to see — how they want to see it — and when they want to see it.

    The more customer data gathered, the better the optimization will be for that customer.

    This is achieved with the aid of artificial intelligence.

    Product personalization

    With so many companies and products vying for attention, consumers gravitate towards those sites that are personalized to them.

    Personalization is taking over how we buy.

    By utilizing information on customers that is widely available through their online presence, businesses can provide personalised ads, make relevant recommendations, and craft specific content for them.

    This would not be possible without the power of AI to sift through the data.

    Customer service

    By the year 2020, 80 per cent of all customer interactions will be handled by AI. This is because Chatbots are fast becoming an indispensable tool in customer service as a replacement to call centres, they are significantly cheaper and more efficient.

    Chatbots can be integrated into shopping carts, online support, and order processes.

    When it comes to a chatbot, Jumia is already ahead of others. Nigeria’s no 1 shopping destination has a chatbot dubbed Jumia Bot. So whether you are in a shopping mood, hungry or planning a trip, you can use the Jumia Bot. The experience is just like you are talking with a Jumia customer service agent.

    Allows businesses to be localised

    No matter where an eCommerce business is based, mining location-based intelligence from customer data allows them to appear local.

    By offering location-based offers, location-specific advertising, and predicting locational trends, local customers can raise the efforts of businesses in their own towns.

    This extra level of personalization significantly impacts the utility of a site for users by prioritising offerings that appear unique to their area.

    Efficient data analysis

    No human team has the capacity or time to accurately and thoroughly record, analyze, and digest the volume of data available from potential customers all over the world.

    eCommerce businesses that rely on user-driven feedback are falling behind those that use AI to gather and use information.

     

  • AI offers over $340 billion potential for retail companies

    AI offers over $340 billion potential for retail companies

    A new study has revealed an over $300 billion opportunity for retail companies that are able to scale and expand the scope of Artificial Intelligence (AI).

    TheNewsGuru (TNG) reports the new study from the Capgemini Research Institute dispelled some mystique around AI’s value to retail businesses and revealed a path to tangible growth opportunities.

    The institute, however, noted that it is not straightforward as the study also found that just 1% of use cases by retailers have achieved this level of deployment today.

    The study, “Retail superstars: How unleashing AI across functions offers a multi-billion dollar opportunity”, looked at 400 global retailers that are implementing AI use cases at different stages of maturity – a group that represents 23% of the global retail market by revenue.

    It further included an extensive analysis of public data from the world’s largest 250 retailers, by revenue.

    Comparing this data to 2017 equivalents, it delivers a series of reality checks that not only show how far AI has come in terms of concrete returns, but how much value it can deliver if retailers begin to prioritize less complex deployments, and diversify their focus.

    The main insights from the report include:

    • Over a quarter (28%) of retailers are deploying AI today: The research finds a significant increase of AI deployments from 2017 (17%), and a seven-fold increase from 2016 (4%).
    • AI fuels some job creation, negligible losses so far: 71% of retailers say AI is creating jobs today, with over two-thirds (68%) of the jobs being at a senior level (coordinator level or above)[1]. Meanwhile, 75% declared that AI has not replaced any jobs in their organization so far. Those who did say jobs have been cut put the number at 25 or lower.
    • AI’s impact: lower customer complaints, higher sales: Retailers are now remarkably aligned on the impact AI is likely to have on customer relations and sales: While expectations have declined from 2017, nevertheless, the report finds that 98% of respondents using AI in customer-facing functions expect the number of customer complaints to reduce by up to 15%, while 99% expect AI to increase sales by up to 15%. This marks a significant change from 2017, where respondents gave widely contrasting expectations from zero, to more than 15%, to “don’t know”. In both business cases, zero respondents reported that they could not quantify AI’s benefit.

    In order to calculate the clear opportunities for future growth, such as the benefits expected and the feasibility of implementation, the Capgemini Research Institute analyzed 43 working use cases for AI, finding:

    • Multi-billion dollars of future savings are currently available to just a minority of retail companies: According to the report, retailers can save as much as $300 billion+ in the future by scaling AI deployments across the entire value chain. However, when reviewing all the active AI deployments, just 1% were shown to be working on either at multi-site or full-scale implementation.
    • Lack of focus on simple, customer-centric deployments: This lack of scalability is likely caused by retailers focusing on more complex, higher-return projects. Retailers deploying AI were 8 times more likely to be working on high-complexity projects than ‘quick win’ projects that are easier to scale. Deployments to date have also lacked a focus on customer usability: the driving forces behind current AI implementations are cost (62%) and ROI (59%), while customer experience (10%) and known customer pain points (7%) are significantly lower priorities.
    • Enormous potential for AI in operations: Only 26% of AI use cases today are operations focused, but these were among the most profitable in terms of cost returns. Standout examples included using AI for procurement tasks (averaging 7.9% ROI), applying image detection led algorithms for detecting in-store pilferage (7.9%) and optimizing supply chain route plans (7.6%). A transformed and super-charged supply chain, for example, offers a significant operational opportunity, as it is one area where AI can bring greater efficiency.

    As the realities of AI have revealed themselves, companies in 2018 have adopted more realistic expectations regarding their preparedness for it.

    Those claiming that they have the skills needed to implement AI have now dropped from 78% in 2017 to 53% today. More than eight out of ten retailers in 2017 were confident that their data ecosystem for implementing AI was prepared, and today this figure has dropped to 55%.

    Finally, those organizations claiming to have a roadmap for AI deployment have dropped from 81% in 2017 to just 36% today.

    “For global retailers, it appears reality has kicked in regarding AI, both in terms of what the technology can achieve and what they need to do to get there.

    “Of course deploying and scaling will be the next big objective, but retailers should be wary not to chase ROI figures without also considering the customer experience.

    “Our research shows a clear imbalance of organizations prioritizing cost, data and ROI when deploying AI, with only a small minority considering the customer pain points also.

    “These two factors need to be given equal weighting if long-term AI growth, with all of the benefits it brings, is to be achieved,” said Kees Jacobs, Vice President, Global Consumer Products and Retail Sector at Capgemini.

     

  • Killings: Your report about security situation in Nigeria is outdated, FG replies AI

    Killings: Your report about security situation in Nigeria is outdated, FG replies AI

    …blasts Atiku for ‘taking sides’

    The Federal Government on Thursday advised Amnesty International (AI) to update its report on the current security situation in Nigeria.

    The Minister of Information and Culture Alhaji Lai Mohammed who spoke in Abuja said contrary to AI’s claim, in all, 947 suspects have been arrested in connection with the farmers-herders clashes. Of the lot, 841 are being prosecuted. In fact, 68 of the accused persons have been convicted.

    The suspects were arrested in 11 states – Taraba, Plateau, Benue, Nasarawa, Kogi, Niger, Zamfara, Adamawa, Yobe, Borno and Katsina.

    ”Let me say that I have gone through the statement by the Amnesty International on this. One thing they got right in their report is the cause of the killings. Amnesty said the root cause of this conflict has nothing to do with religion or ethnicity; and that it is largely about land and access to grazing.

    “That is correct and confirms what we have been saying that the clashes are a result of environmental factors that have made the contest for resources, especially land and water, very keen; demographic factors and, sometimes, sheer criminality.

    “But they are wrong, very wrong to suggest that the government has done nothing to stem the killings. I think their report is largely outdated.

    “Everyone knows that the killings resulting from the farmers-herders clashes, and indeed killings from cattle rustling and other causes, have gone down drastically. This didn’t happen by accident, but by a concerted and determined efforts by the Buhari Administration. Let me list some of the actions that led to the drastic reduction in the killings:

    • Deployment of a Joint Military Intervention Force (JMIF), comprising Regular and Special Forces personnel from the Army, Air Force and Navy, and working in collaboration with the Nigeria Police Force, Department of State Security (DSS), and Nigeria Security and Civil Defense Corps (NSCDC).
    • Establishment of the Army’s 2 Battalion Forward Operating Base (FOB) in Kanfanin Doka Village, Birnin-Gwari, Kaduna State.
    • Establishment of a new Area Command and two additional Divisional Police Headquarters in the Birnin Gwari Local Government Area of Kaduna State.
    • Establishment by Nigerian Air Force of Quick Response Wings (QRW) in Benue, Nasarawa and Taraba states, and deployment of Special Forces to these Quick Response Wings.
    • The inauguration, by the Nigeria Police Force, of a new Mobile Squadron in Takum, Taraba State and Operation ‘Whirl Stroke’, operating in Benue, Nasarawa, Taraba and Zamfara states, to tackle the menace of armed herdsmen, cattle rustlers, communal militias, kidnappers and other bandits.

    Mohammed also released a fact-sheet on the suspects arrested and prosecuted over the farmers-herders crises and those prosecuted.

    He said the records are available for Amnesty International to verify with the police and the court.

    He added: “Amnesty also accused the government of lethargy, saying this has allowed impunity to flourish. Again, they got it wrong

    “Apart from taking concrete measures to end the killings, as I have stated above, there have been arrests and prosecution of offenders. Let me give instances

    • Taraba: 49 arrested and 42 being prosecuted
    • Plateau: 43 arrested and 31 being prosecuted
    • Benue: 120 arrested, 81 prosecuted and 68 convicted
    • Niger: 47 arrested and 40 being prosecuted
    • Zamfara: 172 arrested and 162 being prosecuted
    • Nasarawa: 43 arrested and 40 being prosecuted
    • Adamawa: 38 arrested and 34 being prosecuted
    • Yobe: 42 arrested and 38 being prosecuted
    • Borno: 40 arrested and 36 being prosecuted
    • Katsina: 49 arrested and 46 being prosecuted
    • Kogi: 23 arrested and 20 being prosecuted
    • Operation Absolute Sanity in North-East and North-Central: 158 arrested and 150 being prosecuted
    • IGP’s Intelligence Response Team arrested 123 and prosecuting 121

    “You can now see that the alleged government inaction is not true. I think Amnesty International should update its report to reflect the present reality, which is that the killings from the herders-farmers clashes have thinned down because of concerted efforts by the FG and that perpetrators of the killings are being brought to justice.”

    The Minister condemned the PDP presidential candidate for claiming that killings will continue if Buhari is re-elected.

    He accused Atiku of bad faith and desperation for power.

    Mohammed said: “This amounts to politicisation of the killings and bad politicking and it is totally unacceptable. If it is indeed true that the former Vice President said that, it must be an act of desperation due to his floundering campaign. It is clear to all Nigerians that the electioneering campaign of the PDP presidential candidate has failed to gain traction.

    “From Sokoto to Ilorin to Ibadan to Gombe, it has been a disastrous outing for the campaign. With that magnitude of failure, anyone can say anything to stay afloat.”

    Mohammed denied a report by New York Times alleging indiscriminate killing of Shiite protesters in Abuja.

    He said the government has respect for the sanctity of life.

    Notwithstanding, he promised that the government will study the report and the video clip referred to by “New York Times”.

    He said: “I have read the report and watched the video. First, let me say that as an administration that believes in the sanctity of life and the rule of law, the Nigerian government does not and will never condone extrajudicial killings or the willful violation of the rights of its citizens.

    “This does not define who we are as a government. In this regard, the government will study the report and the video with a view to determining their authenticity and taking necessary actions.”

    He warned against a campaign of calumny to demoralise Nigerian troops

    “But the bigger picture must not be lost on us. There seems to be a choreographed campaign to demoralise our military. This is dangerous, considering their sacrifice, gallantry and patriotism. Thanks to our men and women in uniform, we sleep with our two eyes closed at night.

    “We must be careful not to do anything that will kill their morale, thus hampering the fight against terror, which they have prosecuted with tremendous success since this administration assumed office.

    “For example, when we suffered a setback recently with the killing of our troops in Metele by Boko Haram, we didn’t see the kind of outrageous reports that we normally see when Amnesty International or a section of the foreign media writes to condemn the Nigerian military. There was no widespread condemnation of Boko Haram.

    “I think the impression must not be given that our military is a target of attacks by the human rights organisations and the media, especially the foreign media.”

     

  • Boko Haram: Buhari, Buratai, others express worry over AI’s indicting reports

    Indications emerged that the recent report by Amnesty International (AI) Nigeria indicting the military in the killings of several of its men and civilians has been a major source of worry to President Muhammadu Buhari and the Chief of Army Staff, Lt.-Gen. Tukur Buratai .

    The military has since rejected AI’s report on attacks.

    The army accused the rights group of planning to destabilise Nigeria by claiming that 3,641 deaths were recorded in herders/farmers clashes. It called for its expulsion.

    But the organisation insisted on the integrity of tis reports and dismissed the army’s position as “empty threats”.

    President Muhammadu Buhari joined the fray. His opinion – AI’s operations seem to be dampening the military’s morale.

    In a statement yesterday, Army spokesman Brig.-Gen. Sani Usman said AI’s attempt to destabilise the nation was noted through fabrication of fictitious allegations of alleged human rights abuses against security forces.

    Gen. Usman also alleged that AI had engaged in clandestine sponsorship of dissident groups to protest against the leadership of the military against who unfounded allegations were reportedly leveled.

    A coalition of Civil Society Organisations (Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project, Enough is Enough, and BudgIT) have recently called for the probing of the Chief of Army Staff (COAS) over the funding of the war against terrorism and other crimes in the country.

    The CSOs alleged that the army had not made commensurate achievement in the fight in line with the huge fund the Federal Government allocated to it.

    The Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lt.-Gen. Tukur Buratai, explained that some of the allocated funds had no cash backing yet and, therefore, not at the disposal of the military.

    Gen. Usman said the local branch of AI, which was hitherto well-respected, had deviated from the core values, principles and objectives of the original parent body in the United Kingdom.

    The military spokesman said: “They have tried over the years, using Boko Haram terrorists’ conflicts, Islamic Movement in Nigeria, some activists and now herders-farmers conflicts.

    “The NGO is at the verge of releasing yet another concocted report against the military, ostensibly against the Nigerian Army.

    “Consequently, Nigerians should be wary of Amnesty International (Nigeria) because its goals are to destabilise Nigeria and to dismember it.

    “The Nigerian Army has no option than to call for the closure of Amnesty International offices in Nigeria, if such recklessness continues.”

    AI dismissed the military’s threat to seal its offices in the country.

    The body said there was nothing to worry over on the military’s verdict that its activities were subversive.

    AI was responding to the army’s reaction to its report on the death toll recorded in the farmers/herders’ clashes in the last three years.

    AI Nigeria Chairman Auwal Rafsanjani said nobody could stop the organisation from documenting and monitoring human rights violations, whether in Nigeria or elsewhere.

    Speaking yesterday at the unveiling of its report “Harvest of death: three years of bloody clashes between herders and farmers”, Rafsanjani said: “Our response to the threat of the military; just like they have threatened to shut down UNICEF activities in the Northeast, I think that rather than this unnecessary hostility on issues that affect all of us as human beings, we will rather advice the military to look at the recommendations that we have provided. Threatening to shut down the operations of AI Nigeria is not the solution to the continued violence, conflicts and criminality we are seeing in Nigeria.

    “We are not a threat, we are rather partners in progress, addressing the lapses of human rights violations but to come and be threatening things that you cannot even stop is a waste of time; nobody can stop AI from documenting and monitoring human rights violations, whether in Nigeria or outside the country, so this is not a threat that really worries us, it is just an empty threat.”

    AI’s Country Director Osai Ojigho said the organisation want the government to live up to its responsibilities, so that if anyone commits a crime, he is arrested and dealth with.

    Ojigho stated that the report showed how the government’s inaction fuelled impunity, resulting in attacks and reprisal attacks, with no fewer than 3,641 people killed between January 2016 and October 2018, 57 per cent of them in 2018 alone.

    She said AI visited 56 communities in Adamawa, Benue, Kaduna, Taraba and Zamfara states affected by these clashes and conducted 262 interviews, including remotely with members of communities in Nasarawa and Plateau states.

    Her words: “This report documents the violent clashes between members of farmer communities and members of herder communities in parts of Nigeria, particularly in the northern parts of the country, over access to resources: water and pasture. It also documents the failure of the Nigerian government in fulfilling its constitutional responsibility of protection of lives and property by refusing to investigate, arrest and prosecute perpetrators of attacks.

    “The report shows how government’s inaction fuels impunity, resulting in attacks and reprisal attacks, with at least 3,641 people killed between January 2016 and October 2018, 57 per cent of them in 2018 alone.

    “AI visited 56 communities in Adamawa, Benue, Kaduna, Taraba and Zamfara states affected by the clashes and conducted 262 interviews, including remotely with members of communities in Nasarawa and Ptateau states.”

  • Smartphones trends that made significant impacts in 2018

    Smartphones trends that made significant impacts in 2018

    As 2018 wraps up, we reflect on the smartphone industry and examined top smartphones trends that took centre stage, with at least one feature making significant impact in day-to-day life, in the course of the year.

    From luxurious Samsung and Apple smartphones, budget smartphones that hit the market in 2018 to multiple cameras everywhere, fast charging tech, and more, the year also saw advanced technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI) and facial recognition coming mainstream.

    The quest to annihilate bezels on smartphones and achieve the dream of an all-screen smartphone has seen in-display fingerprint sensors become a reality and display notches become the new normal.

    Smartphones trends: Multiple cameras everywhere

    No doubt, 2018 saw dual cameras becoming ubiquitous in smartphones and this year manufacturers took things up a notch with three-camera and even four-camera becoming key features.

    The Huawei P20 Pro was the first smartphone with a triple-camera setup at the back, and now Samsung has followed suit with the A7 (2018). Lenovo and Vivo are also set to launch smartphones with triple camera setups by the end of the year.

    Samsung has even launched a smartphone with four cameras at the back in the form of the Galaxy A9, which has a 24-megapixel primary sensor, a 10-megapixel telephoto sensor with 2x optical zoom, an 8-megapixel ultra-wide sensor, and a 5-megapixel depth sensor.

    Dual camera selfie shooters have also started becoming commonplace with manufacturers like Xiaomi, Oppo, and Vivo embracing the selfie craze head-on.

    Smartphones trends: Display notches the new normal

    The Galaxy S8 ushered in a fundamental shift in smartphone design with a drastic reduction in bezels and near edge-to-edge displays. In order to further reduce the bezel, manufacturers found themselves in a predicament. The front camera, earpiece, and sensors had to go somewhere, and notches have so far been the solution the industry has adopted.

    Companies like Oppo and Vivo experimented with pop-up or sliding cameras in order to get rid of the notch but these experiments are riddled with compromises, and are not ready for mainstream adoption. Honor, however, announced a phone with an in-display selfie camera, a few hours before Samsung actually launched Galaxy A8s based on this latest trend.

    The notch is undoubtedly a contentious issue in smartphone design, but for the most part it seems to be a necessary evil in order to make today’s narrow-bordered smartphones a reality.

    If for nothing, 2018 would be remembered as the year when display notches became ubiquitous in smartphones – across all price levels.

    Smartphones trends: In-display fingerprint sensor

    The drive to eliminate bezels and produce all-screen smartphones has pushed the fingerprint sensor inside the display. The first wave of phones with in-display fingerprint sensors is now upon us with Vivo leading the way. The Chinese smartphone giant was the first OEM to showcase a smartphone with an in-display fingerprint sensor and now offers multiple devices with the same.

    OnePlus and Huawei have also introduced phones with the futuristic feature and it shouldn’t be long before others follow suit. The technology is a bit raw at the moment, with in-display fingerprint sensors unable to match physical sensors in terms of both speed and accuracy, however, this is expected to change in the future.

    Smartphones trends: Fast charging

    Fast charging is not really a new feature but 2018 has seen manufacturers introduce faster and more efficient charging methods. No longer restricted to flagships, a plethora of budget/mid-range smartphones now feature support for fast charging.

    Smartphones trends: USB-Type C

    The reversible USB Type-C standard, which was designed in 2014, has finally started to gain mass acceptance. Not only is Type-C reversible, it also allows for faster charging and data transfer speeds. While there is still ways to go before Micro-USB disappears, 2018 has seen smartphones across all price segments ditch the age-old standard and adopt USB-Type C. While Apple has adopted USB Type-C across its entire laptop/desktop line-up — and even the new iPad Pro — it is still sticking with its proprietary Lightning standard on the iPhone.

    Smartphones trends: Glass backs

    Driven by the popularity of the iPhone X and Samsung’s Galaxy S series of smartphones, glass has become the material of choice for smartphone manufacturers in 2018. This trend is not limited to just high-end smartphones, with budget offerings like the Nokia 5.1 Plus, Honor 8X, and Realme C1, all featuring glass backs.

    Glass allows for better wireless performance without resorting to antenna lines, and allows for wireless charging to be implemented as well. However, this trend is being driven primarily by aesthetics, as evident by the fact that most smartphones with glass backs lack wireless charging capabilities. While glass backed smartphones undoubtedly look premium, they are more fragile than their polycarbonate and metal counterparts and also get smudged very easily.

    Smartphones trends: The place of AI

    AI was the hottest buzzword of 2018, with most smartphones having some sort of AI features built-in. AI has now made its way inside the underpinnings of smartphones, with processors like Huawei’s Kirin 980 and Apple’s A12 Bionic containing a dedicated chip to handle AI computations locally. Qualcomm’s new Snapdragon 855 features also feature a multi-core AI Engine, as well as a Computer Vision ISP which helps phones recognize objects and faces.

    The trend does have its downsides. Some manufacturers are cashing on the AI craze by pushing the label a bit too liberally. Not everything marketed as AI actually involves any machine learning and some manufacturers are adding the AI prefix to features that have been found in smartphones for years.

    Smartphones trends: Flagship vs budget

    In 2018, smartphones manufacturers continued to focus more on the budget and premium smartphone space. However, the very definition of a flagship smartphone has undergone a transformation, with phones under N40,000.00 now sporting flagship level specifications, giving more expensive variants serious run for money.

    The Poco F1 and Asus ZenFone 5Z for example are powered by the Snapdragon 845 chipset seen in expensive flagships by the likes of Samsung and other companies. While the Poco F1 by Xiaomi cuts a few corners in terms of build quality, Asus’ budget flagship of the year offers a premium build quality and AI enhanced software features.

     

  • Osinbajo raises concern over threat of robots, AI

    Vice President Yemi Osinbajo has raised concern over the growing threat posed to humans by the deployment of robots and artificial intelligence in work places.

    Osinbajo stated this at the Closing Ceremony of the 50th Anniversary Celebrations and Annual Conference of the Chartered Institute of Personnel Management (CIPM) on Friday in Abuja.

    The vice president said that to brace up for the challenge, the Federal Government was focusing on imparting employable skills on students from primary school to tertiary education.

    According to him, no sensible discussion of the economy can be done without acknowledging the role of the people.

    He said that in the next few years, Nigeria would be contending with having one of the largest youth populations in the world.

    “We will be the third most populous nation in the world. What sort of skills will these young men and women require? Where will they work?

    ”Already, we are contending with how technology is redefining the structure of industry and commerce and the skills required to function in them.

    “But more disturbing is the growing apprehension of redundancy of many who today work in the millions of jobs that may be unnecessary as robots and Artificial Intelligence perform the same functions far more efficiently and even cheaper.

    “What will retraining this possibly redundant workforce entail? What happens to pensions of retired humans when the majority of current workers are robots who earn nothing?

    “How about the growing concerns about work life balance? What sort of work environment makes for the most productive worker?

    ”Is it the formal workspace which we are used to or something less constraining more flexible as we are seeing in the new technology companies.’’

    He said that the third major pillar of the Economic Recovery and Growth Plan was called investing in people; on human capital development.

    “Our plan, especially with regards to education and health, is one that we have spent a great deal of time working on, and we are, of course, in the process of ensuring that it is fully implemented.

    “One of the most important features of that Human Capital development plan is Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Mathematics (STEAM) Education.

    “The focus is on employable skills from primary school all the way up to tertiary education. But the focus on primary and secondary education is on employable skills, especially technology.

    “So, our focus is on teaching young people from the primary school, even pre-primary school, using all of the new techniques such as code writing skills, software writing skills and all that.

    “The new technologies that are developing and all of what we are seeing today clearly shows us that anyone in the coming generation will be left behind if they are not at the cutting edge of technology.

    ”We believe that our educational system must incorporate that, which is why a lot of attention, in the new curriculum, is focused on science, technology, engineering and mathematics.’’

    He said that the Federal Government was also doing same with health care as for the first time, it was spending one per cent of the entire consolidated revenue fund on health care.

    He commended CIPM for its contribution to the National discourse on unemployment with the presentation of the results of the research on the unemployment crisis in Nigeria.

    Osinbajo said that CIPM’s white paper was extremely useful contribution to the minimum wage debate and also commended the institute for the very informed contributions its representatives had made at the Quarterly Business Forum.

    Earlier in his welcome address, Mr Udom Inoyo, President, CIPM, said that members of the institute were specifically trained to manage work place issues.

    He said that CIPM was committed to helping the government in nurturing a workforce that would meet the 21st century challenges.

     

  • 2019 elections: Twitter taking multiple steps to curb fake news

    2019 elections: Twitter taking multiple steps to curb fake news

    Twitter co-founder and chief executive officer Jack Dorsey said the micro-blogging platform is taking multi-variable steps to curb the spread of misleading information ahead of 2019 elections.

    TheNewsGuru (TNG) reports Dorsey stated this on Monday while addressing a town hall-style meeting at the Indian Institute of Technology-Delhi (IIT-D).

    He stated that the multi-variable steps being taken include the use of artificial intelligence (AI) tools.

    “Fake news is a way too big category. The real problem is not misinformation per se as jokes can also be categorized as misinformation.

    “But misinformation that is spread with the intent to mislead people is a real problem,” he said.

    Dorsey likened solving the problem of misleading information to that of addressing a security issue or building a lock.

    “No one can build a perfect lock, but we need to stay ahead of our attackers. AI could probably help,” Dorsey said.

     

  • Google launches $25m AI Impact Challenge to address world issues

    As a part of Artificial Intelligence (AI) for social good, Google has announced the launch of AI Impact Challenge.
    TheNewsGuru (TNG) reports the Google AI Impact Challenge is open to nonprofits, academics, and social enterprises from around the world to submit proposals on how they could use AI to help address some of the world’s greatest social, humanitarian and environmental problems.
    Selected organizations will receive support from Google’s AI experts, Google grant funding from a $25 million pool, credit and consulting from Google Cloud, and more.
    Grantees will also join a specialized Launchpad Accelerator program, and Google promises to tailor additional support to each project’s needs in collaboration with data science nonprofit DataKind.
    In spring of 2019, an international panel of experts, who work in computer science and the social sector, will help Google choose the top proposals.
    “At Google, we believe that artificial intelligence can provide new ways of approaching problems and meaningfully improve people’s lives.
    “That’s why we’re excited to support organizations that are using the power of AI to address social and environmental challenges.
    “Selected organizations will receive customized support to help bring their ideas to life: coaching from Google’s AI experts, Google.org grant funding from a $25M pool, credit and consulting from Google Cloud, and more.
    “We’re looking for projects across a range of social impact domains and levels of technical expertise, from organizations that are experienced in AI to those with an idea for how they could be putting their data to better use,” the Internet giant stated.
    Google said AI Impact Challenge applicants do not necessarily have to be AI experts, stressing that the Impact Challenge is for any nonprofit or researcher that has a great idea.
    The firm has also built, for nonprofits or researchers that want help brainstorming ideas, an educational guide with introductions to AI and the types of problems it’s well-suited for, as well as workshops in key locations around the world.
    Organizations around the world have until 11:59:59pm PST January 22, 2019 to submit applications.
    After the deadline, Google and its panel of experts will review proposals and announce grant recipients in spring 2019.