1. One thing that helps
Would you be happy to use artificial intelligence to help defend you in court? What about having an AI system be the judge at your trial?
We are seeing rapid uptake of the use of AI systems in the legal profession. Sally Hobson, a London-based barrister has used AI in a complex murder trial to analyse more than 10,000 documents. The task was completed four weeks faster than if humans had done it with savings of £40,000.
It’s not just keyword searches and summaries though. Lawyers use AI to help them prepare and structure their case. Another London law firm is using software called Litigate. Their head lawyer Laurence Lieberman testifies to its effectiveness: “You upload your case summary and your pleadings, and it will go in and work out who the key players are,” he says. “And then the AI will link them together, and pull together a chronology of the key events and explanation of what happens on what dates.”
There is even talk of using the predictive capabilities of AI to adjudicate in court. If we can get an AI system up to around 95% accuracy in predicting the outcome of trials is there the possibility to make the decision binding? This could be especially useful in countries where there is an enormous backlog of court cases with millions of people waiting for their day in court. OK, I recognise that there is an inherent risk in this. However, given the studies that show the different outcomes in parole decisions depending on if the judge is hungry or not, I don’t think our current system is foolproof either.
2. One to be wary of
It’s being called the most powerful piece of spyware ever released. Pegasus, much like its mythological namesake known for speeding through obstacles, can infect pretty much any gadget you have whether it is PC, Android, or iOS. Usually, we tell you all the standard things to do: keep your software updated, don’t click on links, blah blah blah; but this time those things won’t work.
Pegasus is developed by Israeli technology firm NSO Group. It was previously deployed by sending links laced with malware but now it’s evolved into something really terrifying. It employs ‘zero-click’ attacks. Zero-click describes an attack where malware infects a device without any user interaction.
In 2019, Whatsapp reported that Pegasus infected devices by simply placing a Whatsapp call. It didn’t even matter if you answered the call or not. This is made possible by exploiting zero-day-vulnerabilities that the software developer was not aware of. Even iMessage has been targeted so no platform is really safe from the spyware.
So what can we do? Well, Pegasus customers are currently governments and agencies and its primary purpose is to hack criminals’ phones. However, there are reports that politicians, activists and journalists have been targeted as well. Ordinary civilians are fairly safe for now. This is fortunate as when we ask the experts what we can do to prevent infection the answer is currently “Nothing”.
3. One to amaze
Enough of robots that are walking, talking etc.. This robotic snake is much cooler and has an incredibly diverse range of potential applications.
This robotic snake grows inside out using either air pressure or hydraulic pressure. It’s made of plastic so it can squeeze through small crevices and still come out on the other side. A camera attached to it allows the operator to direct the tentacle and navigate complex paths. It can grow from 30cm to 70 metres in length and it can go on even if it’s punctured along the way!
The robot can be used to deliver objects like cables or sensors into hard-to-reach places. It can also deliver water, which would enable rescuers to reach disaster victims who are stuck somewhere inaccessible. It can also be used to lift heavy objects, install wiring in hard-to-reach places, or act as a communication antenna. Amazingly though, this technology can also be scaled down to fit inside human veins for use in complex surgeries.
There must be a million other applications for this crazy robot. Let me know your ideas and I’ll publish a list of the best ones.