Italy allocated 30 million euros to up-skill the unemployed and workers whose jobs are most at risk due to advances in automation and Artificial Intelligence.
According to the Reuters report, the funding for educational improvement will come in two ways : €10 million of this will go towards qualifications for people at high risk of their jobs being replaced by automation and technological innovation, the remaining €20 million will be used to support the development of digital skills that increase the chances of unemployed and inactive people entering the labor market.
The proliferation of AI and automation, and the rapid development of tools like ChatGPT, have captured the attention of legislators and regulators in several countries. For that, many experts argue that new regulations are needed to regulate AI because of its potential impact on national security, education and jobs.
The Trade Union Congress (TUC) in the UK, shared its opinion on the new UK initiative to establish a single AI watchdog institution for future AI development oversight. The TUC is arguing that the new UK law will dilute the rights of human workers, and has called for stronger protections against AI that is making decisions about workers’ lives and employment. In particular, AI is used in facial recognition technology (to analyze expressions, accents, tone of voice), in devices that record data about worker activity, which can then be analyzed, or in recruiting systems that carry an inherent bias towards certain groups of workers. In their words the UK government didn’t do enough to ensure AI is used ethically in the workplace. They also urged for the inclusion of workers in discussions around AI regulation.
In the response from the UK government, legislators claimed that safeguards will remain in place. Furthermore, AI development will bring more jobs to the market, which will further help the economy grow and, consequently, improve worker conditions.
Samsung is considering replacing Google with Microsoft’s Bing as the default search engine on its devices, reported New York Times. The report with the statement from Samsung, caused Google’s shares to drop by 4%, raising concerns at the company as an estimated $3 billion in annual revenue is at risk. Additionally, the potential loss of a $20 billion Apple contract, up for renewal this year, has further increased the company’s worries. These developments could have a significant impact on the global search engine market and its users. Consequently, Google is reportedly in ‘panic’ mode, with executives and engineers scrambling to make radical changes to the search engine to keep pace with rivals who have already integrated AI technology into their products.
To combat this threat, Google is working on an ‘all-new’ version of Google Search that incorporates predictive, conversational, and revenue-generating features, along with other AI initiatives under the project name ‘Magi.’ However, Google has a track record of keeping its AI technology under wraps in its research vault, so it remains to be seen whether these projects will see the light of day.
What implications does this have for Google and (its) users worldwide?
Given the advancements made by its competitors in AI, Google’s dominance in the market could be threatened. However, for users, this could translate into a more level playing field among search engines, resulting in increased competition and a broader range of options.
