This week’s list of top data news highlights covers August 26, 2023 to September 1, 2023 and includes articles on using an AI system to moderate video game chats and launching an AI-powered recipe app.
1. Clarifying Satellite Imagery
Researchers at the Allen Institute for Artificial Intelligence have created an AI-powered tool that can clarify satellite images. The team is using it to create a monthly map of renewable energy projects, such as solar farms and offshore wind turbines, and tree coverage around the world.
2. Racing Drones
An international team of researchers has built an autonomous drone that can complete drone race courses. In 15 out of 25 races, their autonomous drone beat drones operated by humans.
3. Ordering Takeout
DoorDash, an online food delivery company, has launched a voice ordering tool for restaurants. The tool uses an AI system to answer incoming calls, process takeout orders, and offer recommendations to customers.
4. Preventing Wildfires
The California Wildfire and Forest Resilience Task Force has launched a dashboard to track wildfire prevention projects. Residents can use the dashboard to view data on prescribed burns, targeted grazing, timber harvest, fuel reduction, tree planting, and land ownership.
5. Enhancing Safety Services
General Motors, a U.S.-based automaker, has integrated Google Cloud’s chatbot into its OnStar safety service. The company will use the chatbot to handle non-emergency requests, such as navigation assistance and questions about vehicle features.
6. Recommending Recipes
Samsung has launched an AI-powered recipe app that can offer recommendations for recipes, alter recipes to include vegan, vegetarian, or fusion options, and create daily meal plans. The app contains over 160,000 recipes in eight languages.
7. Updating Apps
Walmart has updated its employee app to include a generative AI system. Employees can use the app to summarize documents, create new content, and more.
8. Ordering Food
IHOP, a U.S.-based restaurant chain, has partnered with Google Cloud to update its online ordering experience. The experience will now use Google Cloud’s Recommendation AI tool to suggest dishes according to customers’ past preferences, promotions, and dish prices.
9. Moderating Video Game Chats
Activision, a U.S.-based video game company, has partnered with Modulate, a U.S.-based software company, to moderate voice chats in Call of Duty: Modern Warfare II and Call of Duty: Warzone. The two companies will use Modulate’s AI system, known as ToxMod, to identify hate speech, discrimination, harassment, and other instances of toxic conversation in voice chats.
10. Launching Augmented Reality Maps
The Dublin City Council has added an augmented reality feature to its Dublin Discovery Trails app. Visitors can use the app to view a 3D map of the city and historical scenes in their surrounding environment.
Image credit: Flickr user Floris van Halm