Artificial intelligence and quantum research were at the centre of science and technology announcements in the UK chancellor’s Autumn Statement on Wednesday.
The government will boost spending on computing power to develop AI by £500mn over two years to bring total planned investment to more than £1.5bn, said Jeremy Hunt.
The increase followed criticism of the £900mn allocated to AI computing in the March Budget as being too modest by international standards, with other countries planning to spend much more. “It’s great to hear that the government will find a further £500mn over the next two years to fund further innovation centres to help make us an AI powerhouse,” said Rashik Parmar, chief executive of the British Computer Society.
At the same time, the government revealed five “moonshot missions” for its £2.5bn national quantum strategy. They include developing UK-based quantum computers capable of running 1tn operations without making any errors — today’s fastest machines are capable of just a few hundred error-free operations.
It also aims to deploy “the world’s most advanced quantum network at scale, pioneering the future quantum internet”. “It is much more than headline pledges, it’s a call to arms,” said Chris Ballance, chief executive of UK quantum start-up Oxford Ionics. “The government is sending a clear signal of the UK’s unwavering commitment to becoming a leader in the quantum revolution.”
Elsewhere, the Autumn Statement provided £121mn to the UK space sector for a variety of infrastructure investments in Earth observation and communication technology. Some of the money, with additional funding from aerospace company Lockheed Martin, will enable Northumbria University in Newcastle to set up a £50mn North East Space Skills and Technology Centre.
The pharmaceutical and biotech industries welcomed the promise of a £520mn investment in life sciences manufacturing from 2025-26, as well as changes to research and development tax credits that the government says will provide relief worth an additional £280mn per year. “Increased flexibility in the tax relief scheme for R&D-intensive companies will make a meaningful difference to company growth, job creation and accelerating the delivery of new medicines to patients,” said Steve Bates, chief executive of the BioIndustry Association.
Looking at the Autumn Statement as a whole, Sarah Main, executive director of the Campaign for Science and Engineering, said: “I’m encouraged by the ideas that emerged. They show government thinking creatively about new ways to support science in the long term and seeding support across the breadth of the science economy.”
https://www.4tc.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/ftcms_57cd767a-ac18-438d-b268-a863f9401448.png393700adminhttp://www.4tc.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2016/02/4tc-logo-5.pngadmin2023-11-25 12:43:302023-11-28 12:45:02AI and quantum research at centre of UK science and tech announcements
At times it felt less like Succession than Fawlty Towers, not so much Shakespearean tragedy as Laurel and Hardy farce. OpenAI is the hottest tech company today thanks to the success of its most famous product, the chatbot ChatGPT. It was inevitable that the mayhem surrounding the sacking, and subsequent rehiring, of Sam Altman as its CEO would play out across global media last week, accompanied by astonishment and bemusement in equal measure.
For some, the farce spoke to the incompetence of the board; for others, to a clash of monstrous egos. In a deeper sense, the turmoil also reflected many of the contradictions at the heart of the tech industry. The contradiction between the self-serving myth of tech entrepreneurs as rebel “disruptors”, and their control of a multibillion-dollar monster of an industry through which they shape all our lives. The tension, too, between the view of AI as a mechanism for transforming human life and the fear that it may be an existential threat to humanity.
Many are ‘preppers’, survivalists prepared for the possibility of a Mad Max world
Few organisations embody these contradictions more than OpenAI. The galaxy of Silicon Valley heavyweights, including Elon Musk and Peter Thiel, who founded the organisation in 2015, saw themselves both as evangelists for AI and heralds warning of the threat it posed. “With artificial intelligence we are summoning the demon,” Musk portentously claimed.
OpenAI was created as a non-profit-making charitable trust, the purpose of which was to develop artificial general intelligence, or AGI, which, roughly speaking, is a machine that can accomplish, or surpass, any intellectual task humans can perform. It would do so, however, in an ethical fashion to benefit “humanity as a whole”.
Then, in 2019, the charity set up a for-profit subsidiary to help raise more investment, eventually pulling in more than $11bn (£8.7bn) from Microsoft. The non-profit parent organisation, nevertheless, retained full control, institutionalising the tension between the desire to make a profit and doomsday concerns about the products making the profit. The extraordinary success of ChatGPT only exacerbated that tension.
Two years ago, a group of OpenAI researchers left to start a new organisation, Anthropic, fearful of the pace of AI development at their old company. One later told a reporter that “there was a 20% chance that a rogue AI would destroy humanity within the next decade”. That same dread seems to have driven the attempt to defenestrate Altman and the boardroom chaos of the past week.
One may wonder about the psychology of continuing to create machines that one believes may extinguish human life. The irony, though, is that while fear of AI is exaggerated, the fear itself poses its own dangers. Exaggerated alarm about AI stems from an inflated sense of its capabilities. ChatGPT is superlatively good at predicting what the next word in a sequence should be; so good, in fact, that we imagine we can converse with it as with another human. But it cannot grasp, as humans do, the meanings of those words, and has negligible understanding of the real world. We remain far from the dream of “artificial general intelligence”. “AGI will not happen,” Grady Booch, chief scientist for software engineering at IBM, has suggested, even “in the lifetime of your children’s children”.
For those in Silicon Valley who disagree, believing AGI to be imminent, humans need to be protected through “alignment” – ensuring that AI is “aligned with human values and follows human intent”. That may seem a rational way of countervailing any harm AI might cause. Until, that is, you start asking what exactly are “human values”, who defines them, and what happens when they clash?
Social values are always contested, and particularly so today, in an age of widespread disaffection driven often by the breakdown of consensual standards. Our relationship to technology is itself a matter for debate. For some, the need to curtail hatred or to protect people from online harm outweighs any rights to free speech or privacy. This is the sentiment underlying Britain’s new Online Safety Act. It’s also why many worry about the consequences of the law.
Then there is the question of disinformation. Few people would deny that disinformation is a problem and will become even more so, raising difficult questions about democracy and trust. The question of how we deal with it remains, though, highly contentious, especially as many attempts to regulate disinformation results in even greater powers being bestowed on tech companies to police the public.
The reason algorithms are prone to bias, especially against minorities, is because they are aligned to human values
Meanwhile, another area of concern, algorithmic bias, highlights the weaknesses of arguments for “alignment”. The reason algorithms are prone to bias, especially against minorities, is precisely because they are aligned to human values. AI programmes are trained on data from the human world, one suffused with discriminatory practices and ideas. These become embedded into AI software, too, whether in the criminal justice system or healthcare, facial recognition or recruitment.
The problem we face is not that machines may one day exercise power over humans. That is speculation unwarranted by current developments. It is rather that we already live in societies in which power is exercised by a few to the detriment of the majority, and that technology provides a means of consolidating that power. For those who hold social, political and economic power, it makes sense to project problems as technological rather than social and as lying in the future rather than in the present.
There are few tools useful to humans that cannot also cause harm. But they rarely cause harm by themselves; they do so, rather, through the ways in which they are exploited by humans, especially those with power. That, and not fantasy fears of extinction, should be the starting point for any discussion about AI.
https://www.4tc.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/6983.png372620adminhttp://www.4tc.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2016/02/4tc-logo-5.pngadmin2023-11-24 12:41:412023-11-28 12:43:23AI doesn’t cause harm by itself. We should worry about the people who control it
In our last piece we discussed the withdrawal of updates and support for Windows 10 by Microsoft, which is prompting many businesses to make the switch to Windows 11. In this piece, we give you guidance and insights into making a more seamless transition to Windows 11.
Moving to Windows 11 For Businesses
As discussed in our last piece, it’s possible to transition from Windows 10 to Windows 11 for free! Before making the transition, a key thing to explore is making sure that devices meet the compatibility requirements beforehand.
It’s likely this will not be an issue for your devices, but it’s better to look before you leap! There are certain other requirements as well that can obstruct adopting Windows 11, such as Trusted Platform Module (TPM) 2.0 requirements, which may be resolved by manually enabling it on the device if there is an issue.
If you find that any devices are not able to support Windows 11, they will either need to be upgraded, replaced, or have Extended Security Updates (ESUs) purchased from them, which can offer a lifeline of continued security for a price.
When will Windows 11 Support End?
No date has been confirmed as of yet for the end-of-life support for Windows 11, but it’s looking very unlikely that it will be anytime soon. One reason is because Microsoft has not yet released a successor OS, Windows 12 yet, which is due to be released in 2024. Even so, it will be several years until Windows 11 is no longer supported by Microsoft.
Preparing Your Organization to Transition from Windows 10 to Windows 11
Given that the upgrade is free and can be done at the click of a button, making the transition is a simple enough process on the surface. This said, depending on the size, complexity and setup of your organization, there are some important things to consider ahead of and during the transition.
These include:
· Prepare Your Team: Not just notifying the team of the rollout, but also this is an opportunity to help them to take advantage of Windows 11’s new features in their daily work!
· Systematise the rollout with cloud configuration tools: Cloud configuration tools like Intune, Windows Autopilot, and Configuration manager can be used to systematically roll out the upgrade without missing a beat.
· Update your Documentation: Windows 11 will have a different visual layout compared to Windows 10 in some key respects, so if your organization offers step-by-step guides, it will be important to update the processes, terminology and images in them appropriately. · Validate your IT environment with Windows 11: Microsoft offers a free Insider Program that enables you to ensure your software and hardware will work as intended ahead of a rollout.
· Conduct a Phased Rollout: Depending on the size of your organisation, a phased rollout can help to ensure a smoother, less disruptive process that identifies gaps, and implements best practices along the way.
Benefits of Transitioning Your Devices to Windows 11
Here are some of the range of benefits of transitioning to Windows 11 for users and businesses more broadly:
· Elevated Performance and Efficiency: With improved resource management and faster load times, Windows 11 offers better device performance to your business.
· Revamped User Interface: more than skin-deep, the revamped user interface is designed (although not all will agree!) to offer a sleeker user experience.
· Integrated Teams in Taskbar: ensures that your team can connect with colleagues with a single click.
· Enhanced Cyber Security Features: From the ground up, Windows 11 does come with more in-built security features that align with the zero-trust security model, an increasing standard for ensuring better business security.
· Direct Access to Android Apps: Windows 11 offers direct access to Android apps via the Microsoft store and Amazon appstore, which can bring together mobile and desktop experiences for users in organisations using both Android and Microsoft devices.
· Optimised for the Latest Hardware and Software: Configured for the latest hardware and being the most compatible of the Windows OSes with the latest softwares, Windows 11 will correlate to better performance for businesses in both areas.
Need a Hand with Making the Transition to Windows 11?
4TC can help! We can ensure that all aspects of your IT environment are ready for the upgrade to Windows 11, so that your business enjoys a smooth and harmonious transition. Sooner is better than later when it comes down to getting the best out of your business’s security and performance. Get in touch with us today and we’ll be glad to help you to take the next steps.
We Are 4TC Managed IT Services
4TC can support you with all the services you need to run your business effectively, from email and domain hosting to fully managing your whole IT infrastructure. Setting up a great IT infrastructure is just the first step. Keeping it up-to-date, safe and performing at its peak requires consistent attention.
We can act as either your IT department or to supplement an existing IT department. We pride ourselves in developing long-term relationships that add value to your business, with high quality managed support, expert strategic advice, and professional project management. Get assistance with your IT challenges today by getting in touch, we’ll be glad to assist you!
https://www.4tc.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/4TC-Featured-Image-2.png8001200Wingmanhttp://www.4tc.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2016/02/4tc-logo-5.pngWingman2023-11-15 11:54:482023-11-16 11:57:36Making The Transition to Windows 11
Microsoft has announced that support for Windows 10 is going to stop before the end of 2025, which means that updates and security fixes will no longer be rolled out by default to business devices that still use this operating system (OS). If your business is still using Windows 10, don’t fret! In this blog we explore what this means for your business, some considerations around security, compliance and performance, and what next steps you can take forward.
Why Businesses Are Preparing to Move to Windows 11
All good things must come to an end, and the same is true for Windows 10. Like other previous operating systems like Windows Vista and 7, Windows 10 will eventually be put to rest in Microsoft’s graveyard of operating systems.
After the cut-off date in 2025, devices using Windows 10 will still work as you’d expect, but there are important consequences to the support cut-off that will become increasingly important for any business that sticks with this OS.
Because security and performance updates will cease to be released following the cut-off, devices will eventually become more vulnerable, unreliable and prone to performance issues over time. With this also being public knowledge, cyber criminals will be poised to try to take advantage of this support cut-off too.
Over time, other software and hardware providers will also stop developing and configuring their products to work with Windows 10 which will gradually increase compatibility issues over time for devices still using this OS.
As you’ll likely know, Window’s 11 is out and will be in support for the foreseeable future. Eventually, every business will need to make the switch to it, so what’s in store?
Windows 11: What’s New
Released 2 years ago, Windows 11 offers several new features including design changes and enhanced performance compared to Windows 10. Much of the changes are design based, featuring a more apple-esque appearance on its menus, the desktop taskbar is integrated with Microsoft 365 tools, particularly teams, and there are improved widgets and snap-layouts that are designed to make multi-tasking easier.
Is There a Way to Keep Using Microsoft 10 Safely?
Yes! Microsoft offers ESUs (Extended Security Update) products for old OSes, usually for roughly around 5 years after their initial cut-off point like the one we’re discussing here. However, these can be quite expensive to purchase for every device, and it is a yearly cost.
What Are the Risks of Sticking With Microsoft 10?
There are a number of reasons why sticking with Microsoft 10 can be risky and sub-optimal for your business, especially if you do not get purchase ESUs. They include:
· Windows 10 will receive less focus from developers, even as we approach the 2025 cut-off
· Businesses will miss out on updates and new features from Microsoft, which will become increasingly exclusive to Windows 11
· The cyber security risks of unsupported Windows 10 devices can lead to financial, reputational and operational losses if a cyber threat causes harm.
· Alongside general cyber security risks, businesses operating unsupported Windows 10 devices may also put their compliance at risk, as they may be seen as not taking reasonable measures to ensure the integrity of sensitive data for example.
What Should My Business Do?
We would ultimately recommend switching to Windows 11, and doing so well ahead of the support cut-off point in 2025. Windows 11 is a free upgrade on Windows 10 devices now, but for some organisations it will be important to plan the change, to make sure the transition is seamless and avoids causing inadvertent disruption.
We will explore making the transition to Windows 11 in our next article to offer some guidance for your business, stay tuned! If you’d like insights and advice tailored to your situation, you can also get in touch and we’ll be glad to help you.
We Are 4TC Managed IT Services
4TC can support you with all the services you need to run your business effectively, from email and domain hosting to fully managing your whole IT infrastructure. Setting up a great IT infrastructure is just the first step. Keeping it up-to-date, safe and performing at its peak requires consistent attention.
We can act as either your IT department or to supplement an existing IT department. We pride ourselves in developing long-term relationships that add value to your business, with high quality managed support, expert strategic advice, and professional project management. Get assistance with your IT challenges today by getting in touch, we’ll be glad to assist you!
https://www.4tc.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/4TC-Featured-Image-1.png8001200Wingmanhttp://www.4tc.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2016/02/4tc-logo-5.pngWingman2023-11-14 11:47:442023-11-16 11:58:10Is Your Business Ready for The End of Support for Windows 10? Here’s What You Need to Know
Artificial Intelligence is undoubtedly the buzzword of our time. Its popularity, particularly with the emergence of generative AI applications like ChatGPT, has brought it to the forefront of technological debates.
Everyone is talking about the impact of AI generative apps like ChatGPT and whether it is fair to take advantage of their capabilities. However, amid all this perfect storm, there has been a sudden surge of numerous myths and misconceptions around the term Artificial Intelligence or AI.
I bet you might have heard many of these already! Let’s dive deep into these myths, shatter them, and understand the true nature of AI.
1. AI is Intelligent
Contrary to popular belief, AI isn’t intelligent at all. Most people nowadays do think that AI-powered models are intelligent indeed. This might be led by the inclusion of the term “intelligence” within the name “artificial intelligence”
But what does intelligence mean?
Intelligence is a trait unique to living organisms defined as the ability to acquire and apply knowledge and skills. This means that intelligence allows living organisms to interact with their surroundings, and thus, learn how to survive.
AI, on the other hand, is a machine simulation designed to mimic certain aspects of this natural intelligence. Most AI applications we interact with, especially in business and online platforms, rely on machine learning.
These are specialized AI systems trained on specific tasks using vast amounts of data. They excel in their designated tasks, whether it’s playing a game, translating languages, or recognizing images.
However, out of their scope, they are usually quite useless… The concept of an AI possessing human-like intelligence across a spectrum of tasks is termed general AI, and we are far from achieving this milestone.
2. Bigger is Always Better
The race among tech giants often revolves around boasting the sheer size of their AI models. Llama’s 2 open-source LLM launch surprised us with a mighty 70 billion features version, while Google’s Palma stands at 540 billion features and OpenAI’s latest launch ChatGPT4 shines with 1.8 trillion features. However, the LLM’s amount of billion features doesn’t necessarily translate to better performance.
The quality of the data and the training methodology are often more critical determinants of a model’s performance and accuracy. This has already been proved with the Alpaca experiment by Stanford where a simple 7 billion features powered Llama-based LLM could tie the astonishing 176 billion features powered ChatGPT 3.5.
So this is a clear NO!
Bigger is not always better. Optimizing both the size of LLMs and their corresponding performance will democratize the usage of these models locally and allow us to integrate them into our daily devices.
3. Transparency and Accountability in AI
A common misconception is that AI is a mysterious black box, devoid of any transparency. In reality, while AI systems can be complex and are still quite opaque, significant efforts are being made to enhance their transparency and accountability. Regulatory bodies are pushing for ethical and responsible AI utilization. Important movements like the Stanford AI Transparency Report and the European AI Act are aimed to prompt companies to enhance their AI transparency and provide a basis for governments to formulate regulations in this emerging domain?.
Transparent AI has emerged as a focal discussion point in the AI community, encompassing a myriad of issues such as the processes allowing individuals to ascertain the thorough testing of AI models and understanding the rationale behind AI decisions. This is why data professionals all over the world are already working on methods to make AI models more transparent.
So while this might be partially true, it is not as severe as common though!
4. Infallibility of AI
Many believe that AI systems are perfect and incapable of errors. This is far from the truth. Like any system, AI’s performance is contingent on the quality of its training data. And this data is often, not to say always, created or curated by humans.
If this data contains biases, the AI system will inadvertently perpetuate them.
It’s essential for human intervention to oversee and correct these shortcomings, ensuring AI’s reliability. The key lies in using representative and unbiased data and conducting algorithmic audits to counteract these biases.
5. AI and the Job Market
One of the most widespread fears is that AI will lead to mass unemployment.
The final and most dystopian one. Popular culture, with movies like The Matrix and Terminator, paints a grim picture of AI’s potential to enslave humanity.
While influential voices like Elon Musk and Stephen Hawking have expressed concerns, the current state of AI is far from this dystopian image.
Today’s AI models, such as ChatGPT, are designed to assist with specific tasks and don’t possess the capabilities or motivations depicted in sci-fi tales.
So for now… we are still safe!
Main Conclusions
In conclusion, as AI continues to evolve and integrate into our daily lives, it’s crucial to separate fact from fiction.
Only with a clear understanding can we harness its full potential and address its challenges responsibly. Myths can cloud judgment and impede progress.
Armed with knowledge and a clear understanding of AI’s actual scope, we can move forward, ensuring that the technology serves humanity’s best interests.
Worldwide, spending by businesses on cloud computing infrastructure is forecast to top $1 trillion for the first time in 2024. This will be driven by factors such as a growing need to adopt new platforms and as-a-service offerings, including artificial intelligence (AI) services.
This is because, in 2024, businesses are looking beyond the time-and-money-saving opportunities of cloud migration. Emerging use cases across all industries make it clear that it can often be the key to becoming more innovative, agile and successful.
For many businesses, there will still be significant challenges – often revolving around security and data protection issues. However, new models that seek to offer best-of-all-worlds solutions, like hybrid cloud and federated cloud systems, will continue to break down barriers.
In 2024, cloud will continue to be a dynamic and exciting driver of innovation and opportunity. Here’s my overview of what will be the most significant trends in this field.
AI As-A-Service
Hybrid And Multi-Cloud
The number of large organizations with a multi-cloud strategy (i.e., they buy cloud services from more than one provider) is predicted to rise from 76% to 85% during 2024. It offers cost and flexibility advantages but adds complexity to data governance and integration with legacy systems. Multi and hybrid cloud (mixing cloud with on-premises infrastructure) are advanced infrastructure solutions that will continue to grow in popularity as organizations seek to balance security with flexibility and pick and choose the services they need.
Real-Time Cloud Infrastructure
During 2024, organizations will increasingly look to leverage real-time data in order to get up-to-the-minute insights rather than acting on outdated, stale information. At the same time, more and more of the data we consume will come in the form of streamed data – movies and music from Netflix and Spotify, video data from Zoom or Teams calls, and new forms of streamed entertainment such as cloud gaming. This means data storage that prioritizes instant access, such as Flash and solid-state storage devices, will become increasingly in demand by cloud customers.
Cloud-Driven Innovation And Transformation
As well as AI mentioned above, adopting cloud computing technology can be a gateway to many other transformative technologies such as the Internet of Things (IoT), blockchain and quantum computing. By eliminating the need to invest directly in architecture and infrastructure, businesses are able to launch quick-win/fail-fast initiatives to evaluate the benefits of emerging technologies more easily than ever in 2024, thanks to cloud computing.
Cloud Security And Resilience
Encryption, authentication and disaster recovery are three functions of cloud computing services that will be increasingly in demand as we face up to the evolving threat landscape of 2024. Data thefts and breaches are increasing in frequency and severity as hackers develop new AI-powered forms of attack, and any system that has to be accessible to a human is always going to be at risk from social engineering attacks. This means security and resilience are high on the agenda of all cloud providers and customers.
Sustainable Cloud Computing
The big cloud service providers have all made net-zero commitments, not just for their own operations but in order to help customers who use their services to reduce their carbon footprints. Amazon has pledged to achieve zero emissions by 2040, and Microsoft aims to beat this by ten years. Along with Google, they have also all stated their intention to generate 100 percent of the energy used in their operations from renewable sources. Whether they make it remains to be seen, but the push for greener and less environmentally impactful cloud computing will be a strong trend in 2024.
Simplified Cloud Computing
Today, low-code/ no-code tools are opening up the possibility for non-technical people to create applications that previously would have required trained software engineers. Likewise, cloud providers are leveraging drag-and-drop interfaces and natural language tools to eliminate the need for advanced technical skills and “democratize” the deployment and management of cloud services and infrastructure.
Privacy In The Cloud
Cloud privacy refers to the ongoing development of technological, regulatory and legislative solutions designed to help businesses leverage cloud while ensuring their customers can trust that their data is fully protected. When a business uses a cloud service, it generally involves passing data to a third party – usually the cloud service provider. Managing the privacy implications of this will continue to be an important theme in cloud computing during 2024.
Serverless And Pay-As-You-Go Cloud
Serverless is a model of cloud computing service that eliminates the need for businesses to manage their own servers. While a typical cloud service might charge the business for the number of servers that they want to host their infrastructure on, under a serverless model, the business simply pays for the resources they directly use. This drives efficiency by eliminating the need to pay for servers even when they are not in use and frees up the business’s time to spend on their core activities.
Edge Computing Everywhere
Edge computing is a cloud-related paradigm in which information is processed as close as possible to the location where it’s collected. An example might be a wearable real-time heart monitor designed to pick up arrhythmias. As most of the data it collects would be “normal” heart rhythms, sending it all to the cloud for analysis, then back to the user to tell them everything is fine, would be a waste of bandwidth. Analyzing the data on the device itself eliminates this cost and also means the user can be alerted more quickly if anomalous data is detected. In 2024, smaller, more power-efficient processors, more memory-efficient algorithms, and advanced networks like 5G all contribute to making edge increasingly viable for a growing number of applications.
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