Domino's Pizza's AI pizza checker monitors workers and scores franchise stores
Domino's Pizza introduced the Dom Pizza Checker, a machine-learning camera system, in its Australia and New Zealand stores. The system checks whether pizzas meet order and quality standards and orders workers to remake any that do not. It is also to be used in a franchise scorecard to identify underperforming stores. Domino's said the tool was for training team members, not for punishing mistakes.
- Company involved
- Domino's Pizza
- AI system involved
- Dom Pizza Checker
9 source articles · read the reporting →
Kaiser Permanente doctor delivers terminal diagnosis via robot video screen
Ernest Quintana, 79, was admitted to Kaiser Permanente Medical Center in Fremont, California, with failing lungs. A doctor appeared on a telepresence robot's video screen and told him he might not make it home. The family was devastated that the news was delivered through a machine rather than in person. Kaiser Permanente issued a statement expressing regret and said it would review its practices.
- Company involved
- Kaiser Permanente
10 source articles · read the reporting →
Walgreens deploys digital cooler doors with ads from Cooler Screens
Walgreens is rolling out digital cooler doors from Cooler Screens that display ads before showing the cooler contents. The system tracks when customers stop in front of the doors but claims to be identity-blind. Customers have expressed confusion and annoyance on social media. Walgreens says the screens provide relevant product information.
- Company involved
- Walgreens
- AI system involved
- Cooler Screens
10 source articles · read the reporting →
Apple iPhone crash detection triggers false 911 calls from skiers in Colorado
Apple's crash detection feature on iPhone 14 and Apple Watch automatically calls 911 when it detects a sudden stop, but on ski slopes it misinterprets falls as car crashes. Dispatch centers in Colorado ski towns received dozens of false calls daily, diverting resources from real emergencies. Apple acknowledged the issue and said it is working on a fix, but the problem persists.
- Company involved
- Apple Inc.
- AI system involved
- Crash detection and fall detection on iPhone 14 and Apple Watch
10 source articles · read the reporting →
HP webcam facial tracking fails to follow black man's face
A black man, Desi, posted a YouTube video showing that HP's webcam facial tracking software failed to follow his face while it tracked a white woman's face. HP acknowledged the issue and said it was working with partners to investigate. The company attributed the problem to insufficient lighting affecting contrast detection.
- Company involved
- HP
- AI system involved
- HP Webcam facial tracking software
10 source articles · read the reporting →
UK study finds AI cannot detect COVID-19 from cough sounds
The UK Department of Health and Social Care awarded contracts to Fujitsu to develop a "Cough In A Box" app that would use AI to detect COVID-19 from cough sounds, based on earlier claims of high accuracy. However, a study led by the Alan Turing Institute found that machine learning models could not accurately predict COVID-19 from coughs due to confounding variables. The study concluded that the technology does not work for COVID-19 diagnosis.
- Company involved
- UK Department of Health and Social Care
- AI system involved
- Cough In A Box
10 source articles · read the reporting →
Finnish recruitment company Digital Minds used AI to analyze job applicants' messages, prompting data protection investigation
Digital Minds, a Finnish recruitment company founded by psychologists, used IBM Watson AI to analyze job applicants' social media and email messages for personality assessments. The company obtained written consent but the Finnish Data Protection Ombudsman launched an investigation, suspecting violations of data protection laws and the secrecy of correspondence. The service was used on fewer than ten applicants and has been paused pending the investigation.
- Company involved
- Digital Minds
- AI system involved
- IBM Watson
9 source articles · read the reporting →
Retorio AI personality test swayed by candidate appearance in BR experiment
Bayerischer Rundfunk journalists conducted experiments with Retorio's AI video interview analysis tool. The AI, which assesses personality traits from short videos, produced different scores when the same actress changed her appearance (glasses, headscarf, wig) or the video background and lighting were altered. The start-up Retorio acknowledged that the AI considers external image, similar to a human interviewer. Experts warned that such software could perpetuate stereotypes and unfairly affect job candidates.
- AI system involved
- Retorio AI
10 source articles · read the reporting →
CBSE introduces facial recognition system for students to access digital documents
The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) has introduced a facial recognition system for Class 10 and 12 students to access their digital academic documents. A live image of the student is compared with the photograph on their CBSE admit card and, if the match succeeds, the certificate is emailed to them. The facility is available on Digi Locker for 2020 records and is expected to help foreign students and those unable to open a Digi Locker account.
- Company involved
- Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE)
- AI system involved
- Facial Recognition System
10 source articles · read the reporting →
Google's dermatology app underrepresents dark skin tones in training data
Google unveiled a dermatology app that uses deep learning to recognise skin conditions. However, the training data included only 3.5% images from patients with darker skin types, which may lead to inaccurate diagnoses for these groups. Dermatologists have expressed concern that the app could cause false positives or missed diagnoses, and Google has acknowledged the issue while saying it will continue to refine the technology.
- Company involved
- Google
- AI system involved
- AI-powered dermatology assist tool
9 source articles · read the reporting →
ViaQuatro's facial recognition system in São Paulo metro challenged in court
In April 2018, ViaQuatro installed the Digital Interactive Doors System, developed by AdMobilize, on the São Paulo metro's yellow line. The system used cameras to detect passengers' faces and claimed to infer their emotion, age, and gender in order to target advertisements. The Brazilian Institute of Consumer Protection (IDEC) filed a public civil action alleging that the system violated consumer and data protection laws by processing biometric data without consent and making pseudoscientific and discriminatory inferences. A judge ordered the cameras removed in August 2018, and the case is pending a final ruling.
- Company involved
- ViaQuatro
- AI system involved
- Digital Interactive Doors System (DID system)
10 source articles · read the reporting →
Hospitals use Epic AI to predict Covid-19 decline without validation
Dozens of hospitals across the US are using Epic's deterioration index AI system to predict which Covid-19 patients will become critically ill, despite the tool not being validated for the new disease. The rapid deployment during the pandemic bypassed normal testing and validation processes.
- AI system involved
- Deterioration index
9 source articles · read the reporting →
Elon Musk asks X users to upload medical data to train Grok chatbot
Elon Musk has told X users to upload medical images to the platform so that the AI chatbot Grok can learn to interpret them. He claimed Grok can give medical diagnoses, sometimes better than doctors, but experts have raised concerns about accuracy and privacy. The article reports cases where Grok misread a tuberculosis case and a mammogram. xAI, which owns X, responded to Fortune: 'Legacy Media Lies.'
- Company involved
- X
- AI system involved
- Grok
6 source articles · read the reporting →
Denmark's Udbetaling Danmark welfare algorithm illegally surveilled millions
Udbetaling Danmark (UDK), Denmark's centralized welfare payment agency, used automated algorithms to check eligibility and detect fraud. The system collected personal data on millions of beneficiaries and their relatives, including non-beneficiaries, in what a think-tank called 'systematic surveillance'. A complaint to the Danish Data Protection Authority led to a ruling that the data collection violated GDPR, and UDK eventually deleted the illegally obtained data. The system also caused erroneous payments, including underpaying 300,000 pensioners by 94 million euros annually.
- Company involved
- Udbetaling Danmark
10 source articles · read the reporting →
Google Health's diabetic retinopathy AI faced real-world issues in Thailand clinics
Google Health deployed a deep-learning system to screen for diabetic retinopathy in 11 clinics across Thailand. The AI was highly accurate in lab tests but rejected over a fifth of eye scans in real-world conditions due to poor lighting and slow internet. Patients whose scans were rejected had to visit specialists at other clinics, causing inconvenience and frustration for nurses. Google Health is now working with local staff to improve the system's workflow.
- Company involved
- Google Health
10 source articles · read the reporting →
Stable Diffusion amplifies racial and gender stereotypes in generated images
An analysis by Bloomberg of over 5,000 images generated by Stability AI's Stable Diffusion found that the text-to-image model amplifies racial and gender stereotypes. The model overrepresented lighter-skinned men in high-paying jobs and darker-skinned people in low-paying jobs, and underrepresented women in positions of power. Stability AI acknowledged the inherent biases in its models and stated it is working on mitigation.
- Company involved
- Stability AI
- AI system involved
- Stable Diffusion
8 source articles · read the reporting →
WorldCoin suspended in Kenya over data security concerns
WorldCoin, a digital identification protocol using iris scans, was suspended by Kenyan regulators (ODPC and Communications Authority) over concerns about data security, consent, and oversight. The system had issued digital IDs and cryptocurrency tokens to over 350,000 Kenyans. Reports of hacked orb operators and iris scans traded on the dark web have also emerged.
- Company involved
- Tools for Humanity GmbH
- AI system involved
- WorldCoin
10 source articles · read the reporting →
Study finds Midjourney, DALL-E 2, Stable Diffusion accept over 85% of fake news prompts
A study by AI startup Logically tested Midjourney, DALL-E 2, and Stable Diffusion and found that they accepted over 85% of prompts seeking to generate fake political news. The systems generated images of ballot stuffing, small boat arrivals, and explosions. Logically warned that the lack of moderation could pose threats to upcoming elections. Stability AI responded by stating its ethical use license and measures to prevent misuse.
- Company involved
- Midjourney, OpenAI, Stability AI
- AI system involved
- Midjourney, DALL-E 2, Stable Diffusion
8 source articles · read the reporting →
Answer.AI tests Devin and reports 14 failures in 20 tasks
Answer.AI's team tested Devin, an autonomous AI coding assistant, on 20 real-world tasks over a month. Devin succeeded in only 3 tasks, failed 14, and was inconclusive in 3. The team found Devin often produced overly complex or hallucinated solutions and could not recognize fundamental blockers. They ultimately decided to stick with tools that allow more human control.
- AI system involved
- Devin
5 source articles · read the reporting →
Researchers jailbreak Stable Diffusion and DALL-E 2 to generate disturbing images
Researchers from Johns Hopkins and Duke universities developed a method called SneakyPrompt that uses reinforcement learning to bypass safety filters in text-to-image AI models. The technique allowed them to generate images of nudity and violence from Stable Diffusion and DALL-E 2. OpenAI has since fixed the vulnerability in DALL-E 2, but Stable Diffusion 1.4 remains vulnerable. Stability AI says it is working with the researchers to improve defenses.
- AI system involved
- Stable Diffusion 1.4 and DALL-E 2
5 source articles · read the reporting →
EviCore denied heart catheterization for patient using algorithm
In fall 2021, Little John Cupp's doctor requested a left heart catheterization exam. EviCore, a company hired by UnitedHealthcare, denied the request twice using an algorithm called 'the dial' that adjusts thresholds for review. The algorithm flagged the request for review, and EviCore's doctors determined it was not medically necessary. Cupp did not receive the procedure and his symptoms continued.
- Company involved
- EviCore (a Cigna company)
- AI system involved
- the dial
6 source articles · read the reporting →
Cigna StressWaves Test found unreliable and invalid in independent study
A study published in Scientific Reports evaluated the Cigna StressWaves Test (CSWT), an AI tool that claims to assess psychological stress from speech. The study found that the CSWT had poor test-retest reliability and poor validity compared to the Perceived Stress Scale. The authors warned that widespread availability of the tool could lead to misleading results and negative consequences for users making healthcare decisions. Cigna has not publicly responded to the findings.
- Company involved
- Cigna
- AI system involved
- Cigna StressWaves Test
4 source articles · read the reporting →
ChatGPT 3.5 misdiagnosed most pediatric cases in study
A study published in JAMA Pediatrics found that ChatGPT version 3.5 provided incorrect diagnoses for 83 out of 100 pediatric case challenges. The chatbot's errors included both completely wrong diagnoses and diagnoses that were too broad. The researchers noted that the chatbot failed to identify relationships such as that between autism and vitamin deficiencies, and suggested that more selective training is needed to improve accuracy.
- Company involved
- OpenAI
- AI system involved
- ChatGPT version 3.5
7 source articles · read the reporting →
Wacom responds to concerns about AI-generated images in marketing assets
Wacom acknowledged that it may have used AI-generated images in US marketing assets for the New Year. The company stated it purchased the images from a third-party vendor who indicated they were not AI-generated, and that it vetted them using online tools that also indicated they were not AI-generated. After community feedback raised doubts, Wacom discontinued the images and is reviewing its processes to prevent recurrence. The company attributed the incident to misleading vendor information and detection tool limitations.
- Company involved
- Wacom
10 source articles · read the reporting →
