In this week's artificial intelligence (AI) news, a company develops an AI agent that enables more realistic interactions between businesses and customers, and quantum computing powers AI by applying quantum principles. It has been reported that it has the potential to revolutionize fields such as medicine and encryption.
Neuroscience meets AI: Altera's new digital agent
A new breed of AI agents is rapidly changing the way businesses interact with customers, opening the door for computers to converse with humans in increasingly realistic ways. These agents are designed with a level of social intelligence and autonomy that could revolutionize industries such as e-commerce and customer service.
A new player, Altera, is looking to make waves in this space. Altera, which recently announced a successful $11.1 million funding round, has been developing these his AI agents using technology based on neuroscience principles.
“The brain is the only example of a highly functional agent that we have,” Altera co-founder and former MIT neuroscience professor Robert Yang told PYMNTS. “Altera's approach to building digital humans is uniquely inspired by our academic and neuroscience backgrounds and the research we have conducted to better understand the brain as a whole.”
So what is an AI agent? It is a software entity that can interact with its environment in meaningful ways, not only by using data to complete tasks, but also by engaging intelligently and empathetically.
Quantum Leap: AI meets quantum physics
Quantum computing and artificial intelligence are beginning to converge, as quantum computers leverage quantum mechanical principles such as superposition and entanglement to enhance the processing power of AI systems. This new synergy could transform fields such as medicine, materials science, financial modeling, and cryptography by solving problems that are currently beyond the scope of traditional computers.
Although the integration of quantum computing and AI is still in its infancy, collaboration between leading quantum computing and networking companies is accelerating. As research and development in this field advances, experts believe that quantum computing could greatly enhance AI capabilities, allowing machines to process and analyze data much faster than current computers. thinking about.
“AI and quantum computing will have a potential impact on a wide range of mission-critical services, including cybersecurity, healthcare and finance, due to their ability to solve complex concepts,” EY Global's Global Innovation Quantum leader Christine Gilkes told PYMNTS. . “EY is already exploring examples of this with partners such as SandboxAQ in drug discovery, IBM in DNA sequencing, and Dell in optimization. can simultaneously test new drug applications and cancer treatments, significantly reducing R&D costs and democratizing the industry.”
Pharmacy automation expected to reach $12.7 billion by 2028
The local pharmacy landscape is changing, becoming more automated, and the pharmacy market is projected to reach a whopping $12.7 billion by 2028. As the healthcare sector seeks to improve efficiency and safety, the integration of advanced technology is becoming the norm and changing the way pharmacies operate. .
This growth is being driven by several factors, including increased prescription volumes, the need for efficient packaging and labeling, and a significant push toward reducing medication errors. Pharmacies of all sizes are implementing artificial intelligence (AI) to enhance operations and improve the patient experience.
A report from BCC Research shows that inpatient departments dominate this market due to the need for both efficiency and safety in hospital pharmacy settings.
Microsoft reveals top-secret AI for Intel agencies
Even spies are using chatbots these days. Microsoft has developed a customized generative AI model for the U.S. intelligence community, marking a major advance in artificial intelligence applications, Bloomberg News reports. Microsoft officials say the new AI is a large-scale language model (LLM) designed to work completely offline, ensuring it remains isolated from the internet. Most AI models typically use cloud services for data analysis, but Microsoft has developed a more secure system for U.S. intelligence agencies, according to a Bloomberg report. Intelligence officials are exploring AI tools to process sensitive data, building on the ChatGPT-style service for classified information that the CIA introduced last year.
