News and Events

News

The Future of AI is Now - UCSD

UC San Diego examines recent advancements in artificial intelligence (AI), including machine learning, natural language processing, and robotics, and their impact on various industries and daily life. The article addresses ethical concerns and potential effects on jobs and society, and highlights UCSD's role in AI research and its preparations for upcoming challenges and opportunities.

California has problems. AI can help solve them. | University of California 

UC investigates how AI can solve key issues in California, including healthcare, transportation, and environmental management. The article covers AI applications like predicting wildfires, improving traffic flow, and personalizing medicine, while stressing the importance of developing and using AI responsibly to benefit society.

Three fixes for AI's bias problem | UCLA

UCLA tackles AI bias through three key strategies: increasing diversity within development teams to broaden perspectives, enhancing transparency for better understanding and auditing of AI decisions, and integrating ethical guidelines into development to ensure fairness. These approaches aim to reduce biased outcomes and promote equitable benefits from AI technology.

UC Health experts weigh in – navigating the future of AI with transparency and equity | University of California Health

UC Health experts highlight the need for transparency and equity in integrating AI into healthcare. They emphasize that while AI can enhance patient care, it must be implemented carefully to prevent biases and disparities. Key considerations include clear communication about AI systems, involving diverse stakeholders in development, and continuous monitoring to ensure fairness.

How artificial intelligence gave a paralyzed woman her voice back | UCSF

UCSF highlights a groundbreaking development in AI-assisted medical technology. Researchers have used artificial intelligence to help a paralyzed woman regain her communication ability. By decoding neural signals associated with speech and translating them into text, the AI system allows her to "speak" through a computer. This innovative approach is a significant step forward in assistive technology, offering new hope and improved quality of life for individuals with severe disabilities. 

Using AI to Analyze Wildfire Impacts | UC Davis

UC Davis discusses a toolkit designed to assess ecosystem resilience to wildfires, and highlights the development of a comprehensive framework to help land managers and stakeholders evaluate how well different ecosystems can withstand and recover from fire events. The toolkit incorporates a range of indicators and data to provide insights into factors like vegetation, soil health, and biodiversity. By using this toolkit, users can make informed decisions about fire management and conservation strategies to better support ecosystem resilience in the face of increasing wildfire risks. 

How AI discriminates and what that means for your Google habit: A conversation with internet studies scholar Safiya Noble | UCLA

UC explores how artificial intelligence (AI) can perpetuate discrimination, mainly through algorithms used by online platforms like Google. AI systems, often trained on biased data, can reinforce existing inequalities by making decisions that reflect and amplify societal prejudices. This can lead to discriminatory outcomes in various domains, such as job hiring or loan approvals. 

Can AI Increase Air Traffic Safety? | UC Merced

UC Merced explores how artificial intelligence (AI) could enhance air traffic safety. Researchers at the university are investigating AI's potential to improve the accuracy and efficiency of air traffic control systems. By analyzing vast amounts of data and predicting potential issues, AI could help prevent accidents and reduce human error. The study emphasizes that while AI holds promise for increasing safety, it must be carefully integrated with existing systems and protocols to ensure reliability and effectiveness in real-world scenarios.

Using AI to get people out of their cars and into HOVs | UC Berkeley 

UC Berkeley's College of Engineering discusses how researchers are leveraging artificial intelligence (AI) to encourage people to switch from driving alone to using high-occupancy vehicles (HOVs). The AI system analyzes traffic patterns, vehicle occupancy, and other factors to optimize carpooling strategies and improve the efficiency of HOV lanes. By providing real-time recommendations and incentives, the goal is to reduce traffic congestion, lower carbon emissions, and make commuting more sustainable.

Using AI in Pursuit of Better Bike Paths | UC Santa Barbara

Researchers at UC Santa Barbara are developing an AI-driven map to improve bike paths in the Santa Barbara region, supported by a $480,000 grant from the California Department of Transportation. The project aims to classify and map bike routes based on comfort levels and create a universal wayfinding system. This initiative hopes to enhance cyclist safety, accessibility, and encourage biking over driving, potentially reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

Researchers run high-performing large language model on the energy needed to power a lightbulb | UC Santa Cruz

UC Santa Cruz researchers have developed a large language model that operates on just 13 watts, similar to the energy used by a lightbulb. They achieved this by eliminating matrix multiplication, the most energy-intensive component, and using custom hardware. The model maintains performance comparable to state-of-the-art models like Meta’s Llama while being over 50 times more efficient than typical hardware.

UCR Professor Joins UN Panel on Environmental Impacts of AI | UCR

UC Riverside professor Shaolei Ren joined a UN panel to discuss the environmental impacts of AI, focusing on its carbon emissions and water consumption. He shared his research on minimizing AI's environmental footprint, highlighting the significant resources required for data processing centers. His work, including a paper on AI's water footprint, has gained international recognition and influence.

Events

Creating a Smarter University: AI Transformations in Administration

Hosted by the UC AI Council and the UC CIO Council, the "Creating a Smarter University: AI Transformations in Administration" workshop will be held from September 30 to October 1, 2024, at UCLA's Luskin Conference Center. This invitation-only event targets senior administrative leaders across the UC system. If you have not received an invitation to this event, but are interested in attending, please complete this interest form. Additional attendees will be selected based on available capacity and proximity to senior administrative leadership roles. 

Preliminary Agenda Highlights: 

• Three Workshops: (1) Setting Your AI Ambition; (2) Use Case Ideation and Prioritization; and (3) Process Mapping and Governance
• Innovations Spotlights and Share Fair
• Systemwide Considerations and Networking Opportunities