Artificial Intelligence Market Size, Growth | Analysis 2026

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Artificial intelligence market growth is driven by an increasing adoption of cloud-based applications and services, and rise in the connected device market. Additionally, considerable investments in 5G technology and increase in demand for intelligent virtual assistants are playing key role in AI market development. For instance, in March 2019 Apple Inc. acquired machine learning startup Laserlike of Silicon Valley which is aimed to strengthen its artificial intelligence efforts, including the companys virtual assistant called Siri.

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Artificial intelligence is based on complex mathematical models that requires large amount of data. This requirement of data can be easily fulfilled by cloud technology in secure and reliable environment at low cost. Key players such as Microsoft Corporation, IBM Corporation, and Amazon are focusing on integrating cloud computing with artificial intelligence. Some of the AI cloud services are Amazon AWS AI, Google Cloud Machine Learning, and HPE HavenOnDemand. These cloud computing services are backed up by Analytics as a Service (AaaS) offerings and allow users to quickly develop and run intelligent applications.

Big data has a key role in data mining, management, handling the enormous data generated and is considered among leading trends in the artificial intelligence market landscape. The robust increasing volume of structured and unstructured data is creating huge demand for big data applications. Big data, when enabled with AI, allows user to enhance and automate complex descriptive and predictive analytical tasks. Due to this, enterprises are inclining towards the adoption and implementation of big data enabled AI solutions.

"Focus on Improving Operational Efficiency and Customer Service to Augment AI Market Development"

The number of AI technology experts is limited at present. The key artificial intelligence market opportunities include the potential of improving operational efficiency in the manufacturing industry and improving customer service in the retail sector. The market is likely to gain traction from the rising availability of high-quality and personalized AI-enhanced products and services.

Further, increasing implication of machine learning (M2M, M2P) applications in manufacturing industries is anticipated to drive the market in the forecast period. For instance, in 2018, IBM Corporation acquired Armanta Inc. with an aim to provide AI-based cloud computing platform to financial services firms to fulfil business demands such as CECL (Current Expected Credit Loss Model), FRTB (Fundamental Review of the Trading Book), traded credit risk, and liquidity, portfolio management and more.

"Development of AI-powered Industrial Robots to Drive Market"

The demand for customized robots has increased robustly over the past decade. Several key players in developed countries are currently focusing on manufacturing and supplying AI-powered industrial robots. For instance, in 2016, China supplied around 87,000 units of industrial robots worldwide. Similarly, in 2016, South Korea and Japan supplied around 41,400 and 38,600 units respectively. These industrial robots require artificial intelligence platform for their functioning. This, in turn is augmenting the artificial intelligence technology adoption.

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"Difficulty in Data Labelling and Limited Application in Complex Models to Restrict Market Growth"

Critical challenges affecting the growth of artificial intelligence market include concerns regarding data privacy and unreliability of AI algorithms. In some cases, artificial intelligence is unable to perform automated labelling for underlying data. For this service, professionals are hired to handle the labelling. Further, due to its complex model, AI implementation remains low in applications where extensive explanatory features are required. Another factor inhibiting the growth of this market is lack of AI skilled professionals.

"AI-based Services to Gain Momentum during the Forecast Period"

Based on the component, the market is classified into hardware, software, and services. Software segment accounts for the maximum share of the market. In the case of AI-based services, the initial investment is comparatively low while there are high returns. By incorporating AI in cloud services and enterprise software, companies can implement/deploy cognitive technology with low initial cost and minimal risk. For instance, Netflix used AI to improve search results, thereby reducing subscription cancellations and saving around USD 1 billion in a year from potential revenue loss.

"Natural Language Processing to Account for Maximum Share"

By technology, the market segments include computer vision, machine learning, natural language processing, and others. Computer vision in AI function identifies patterns along with acquiring, analyzing and synthesizing realistic interactive interfaces and then uses ID tags to present photos of related items. In natural language processing, AI techniques function to analyze natural language in both spoken and written forms.

This segment accounts for the maximum share since it serves many essential applications such as machine translation, text parsing, semantic disambiguation, speech processing, and Informational Retrieval (IR). Among technologies, machine learning is expected to be the fastest-growing segment. It enhances the machines ability to learn and improve without the need for human intervention or developing new programming languages.

"AI Adoption to Increase Majorly in BFSI and Government Sectors "

Global artificial intelligence market based on end-user industry includes healthcare, retail, advertising & media, BFSI, automotive & transportation, government, manufacturing, and others. Of these, advertising & media, retail, and BFSI together occupy for nearly half of the market share. Advances in AI have garnered extensive interest from the private and public sectors, which suggests market growth in the government segment. AI adoption trend in retail has the potential to foster mass production of consumer goods and other labor-intensive activities from which human potential can be freed. Several industry players are focusing on developing and deploying Industry 4.0 which is augmenting the growth of AI-enabled devices in the manufacturing sector.

The findings based on our research methodology indicate North America to hold the largest share in the global artificial intelligence (AI) market during the forecast period. North America, being technologically advanced in terms of analytical tools, machine learning, and natural language processing technologies shows signs of emerging as dominant geography throughout the forecast period. Moreover, awareness about the advantages of artificial intelligence tools is widespread in the region. Europe is expected to hold the second position in this market by witnessing moderate growth in long-term period.

North America Artificial Intelligence (AI) Market, 2018 (USD Billion)

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As per our market research study, Asia Pacific is expected to witness healthy growth in terms of AI implementation. The Chinese government is supporting an AI intelligence plan by merging with Baidu, Inc., to create a national deep learning laboratory comprising of intelligent logistics, smart agriculture, manufacturing, military, and other end use applications. A growing number of biopharma companies in Asia Pacific are using AI to streamline the drug discovery process. AI algorithms can analyze large volumes of data sets from health records, clinical trials, pre-clinical studies, and genetic profiles. Trends and pattern observed within this data can help develop theories and suggestions at a much faster rate compared to the human research process while delivering quick insights. Further, developed countries such as Japan are increasingly investing in AI, thereby accounting for the majority of market share in the region.

"Apple Inc. Focusses on Strategic Acquisition of Innovative Startups to Strengthen its AI Solution Offerings"

"Key Players to Maintain their Strong Position Across Different AI-related Areas"

Key companies are investing considerable sums in artificial intelligence. Software and information technology services firms and AI-focused startups have been gaining interest and support from investors. Further, the majority of startup companies working in the AI market are focusing on applications for machine learning, a type of artificial intelligence tool that allows computers to function without human assistance.

At present, the global artificial intelligence market is dominated by the top ten market players holding nearly half of the share. The dominance of key players is dependent on their spending in the research & development of advanced AI tools, operational efficiency, technology upgradation, and innovative strategic partnerships and acquisitions.

AI functionality based system and tools based on different technologies have been offered by key players which eliminate the possibility of human errors from operations to a great extent. At present, the key objective of market innovators is to create expert artificial intelligence systems by using deep learning and neural networks algorithms. These are some of the crucial factors expected to affect the market positioning of players.

The field of artificial intelligence is shifting towards building smart ecosystem, to efficiently collaborate with humans, and educate them about new technologies and their related benefits. AI integration is likely to improve end-to-end supply chain visibility and accelerated information sharing and decision making. This can be achieved by means of cognitive technology, predictive analytics, collaboration technology, and generating automated reports.

The report offers qualitative and quantitative insights on artificial intelligence solutions and services and the detailed analysis of market size & growth rate for all possible segments in the market.

An Infographic Representation of Artificial Intelligence Market

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Along with this, the report provides an elaborative analysis of market dynamics, emerging trends, and competitive landscape. Key insights offered in the report are the adoption trends of AI solutions by individual segments, recent industry developments such as partnerships, mergers & acquisitions, consolidated SWOT analysis of key players, Porters five forces analysis, business strategies of leading market players, macro and micro-economic indicators, and key industry trends.

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ATTRIBUTE

DETAILS

Study Period

2015-2026

Base Year

2018

Forecast Period

2019-2026

Historical Period

2015-2017

Unit

Value (USD billion)

Segmentation

By Component

By Technology

By Industry Vertical

By Region

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Artificial Intelligence Market Size, Growth | Analysis 2026

John Allen and Darrell West discuss artificial intelligence on The Lawfare Podcast – Brookings Institution

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John Allen and Darrell West discuss artificial intelligence on The Lawfare Podcast Skip to main content Editor's Note:

This podcast episode originally appeared on the Lawfare blog.

Darrell West and John Allen recently spoke about their new Brookings book Turning Point: Policymaking in the Era of Artificial Intelligence with Benjamin Wittes on The Lawfare Podcast. Darrell West is a senior fellow in the Center for Technology Innovation and the vice president and director of Governance Studies at the Brookings Institution. John Allen is the president of Brookings and a retired U.S. Marine Corps four-star general. In this podcast episode, West and Allen describes what AI is, how it is being deployed, why people are anxious about it, and what we can do to move forward. You can download or listen to the episode in the podcast player below.

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John Allen and Darrell West discuss artificial intelligence on The Lawfare Podcast - Brookings Institution

Sisu Identified as a 2020 Hot Vendor in Artificial Intelligence by Aragon Research – GlobeNewswire

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SAN FRANCISCO, July 21, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Sisu, the fastest and most comprehensive diagnostic analytics platform, has been named a 2020 Hot Vendor in Artificial Intelligence by Aragon Research, Inc.

Aragon Researchs Hot Vendor Report identifies noteworthy and innovative vendors transforming their markets and driving change for their customers. Sisu was founded by Peter Bailis, associate professor at Stanford and co-leader of the DAWN lab, whose research is focused on making it dramatically easier to build and deploy machine learning-enabled applications.

Theres a disconnect between a companys ability to collect incredibly rich data and their ability to extract real value from it, said Peter Bailis, CEO and Founder of Sisu. We built Sisu to help data-driven businesses do one thing incredibly well - understand why their metrics are changing, fast enough to inform daily operational decisions.

Sisu is built on a novel machine-learning engine, purpose-built to handle the kind of high-volume, high-dimensional data enterprises are collecting in cloud data warehouses. Sisus cloud-native platform enables unmatched analytics speed and result quality, processing hundreds of columns and millions of records in seconds. Unlike conventional BI tools, Sisu automates the manual, rote work of data exploration and surfaces useful explanations in even the most complex data sets.

Read more about the Aragon Research Hot Vendor Report here: https://aragonresearch.com/special-report-aragon-research-hot-vendors-for-2020-part-iii/

About SisuSisu is the fastest and most comprehensive diagnostic analytics platform, helping analysts rapidly diagnose why critical business metrics are changing. Based on years of research at Stanford University and proven at scale at Microsoft, Facebook and Google, Sisus diagnostic analytics platform combines machine learning and powerful statistical analysis to help anyone get answers to their toughest business questions. To learn more about Sisu, visit https://sisudata.com/.

Required Disclaimer:Aragon Research does not endorse vendors, or their products or services that are referenced in its research publications, and does not advise users to select those vendors that are rated the highest. Aragon Research publications consist of the opinions of Aragon Research and Advisory Services organization and should not be construed as statements of fact. Aragon Research provides its research publications and the information contained in them "AS IS," without warranty of any kind.

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Sisu Identified as a 2020 Hot Vendor in Artificial Intelligence by Aragon Research - GlobeNewswire

Artificial Intelligence Is the Hope 2020 Needs – Yahoo Finance

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(Bloomberg Opinion) -- This year is likely to be remembered for the Covid-19 pandemic and for a significant presidential election, but there is a new contender for the most spectacularly newsworthy happening of 2020: the unveiling of GPT-3. As a very rough description, think of GPT-3 as giving computers a facility with words that they have had with numbers for a long time, and with images since about 2012.

The core of GPT-3, which is a creation of OpenAI, an artificial intelligence company based in San Francisco, is a general language model designed to perform autofill. It is trained on uncategorized internet writings, and basically guesses what text ought to come next from any starting point. That may sound unglamorous, but a language model built for guessing with 175 billion parameters 10 times more than previous competitors is surprisingly powerful.

The eventual uses of GPT-3 are hard to predict, but it is easy to see the potential. GPT-3 can converse at a conceptual level, translate language, answer email, perform (some) programming tasks, help with medical diagnoses and, perhaps someday, serve as a therapist. It can write poetry, dialogue and stories with a surprising degree of sophistication, and it is generally good at common sense a typical failing for many automated response systems. You can even ask it questions about God.

Imagine a Siri-like voice-activated assistant that actually did your intended bidding. It also has the potential to outperform Google for many search queries, which could give rise to a highly profitable company.

GPT-3 does not try to pass the Turing test by being indistinguishable from a human in its responses. Rather, it is built for generality and depth, even though that means it will serve up bad answers to many queries, at least in its current state. As a general philosophical principle, it accepts that being weird sometimes is a necessary part of being smart. In any case, like so many other technologies, GPT-3 has the potential to rapidly improve.

It is not difficult to imagine a wide variety of GPT-3 spinoffs, or companies built around auxiliary services, or industry task forces to improve the less accurate aspects of GPT-3. Unlike some innovations, it could conceivably generate an entire ecosystem.

There is a notable buzz about GPT-3 in the tech community. One user in the U.K. tweeted: I just got access to gpt-3 and I can't stop smiling, i am so excited. Venture capitalist Paul Graham noted coyly: Hackers are fascinated by GPT-3. To everyone else it seems a toy. Pattern seem familiar to anyone? Venture capitalist and AI expert Daniel Gross referred to GPT-3 as a landmark moment in the field of AI.

I am not a tech person, so there is plenty about GPT-3 I do not understand. Still, reading even a bit about it fills me with thoughts of the many possible uses.

It is noteworthy that GPT-3 came from OpenAI rather than from one of the more dominant tech companies, such as Alphabet/Google, Facebook or Amazon. It is sometimes suggested that the very largest companies have too much market power but in this case, a relatively young and less capitalized upstart is leading the way. (OpenAI was founded only in late 2015 and is run by Sam Altman).

GPT-3 is also a sign of the underlying health and dynamism of the Bay Area tech world, and thus of the U.S. economy. The innovation came to the U.S. before China and reflects the power of decentralized institutions.

Like all innovations, GPT-3 involves some dangers. For instance, if prompted by descriptive ethnic or racial words, it can come up with unappetizing responses. One can also imagine that a more advanced version of GPT-3 would be a powerful surveillance engine for written text and transcribed conversations. Furthermore, it is not an obvious plus if you can train your software to impersonate you over email. Imagine a world where you never know who you are really talking to Is this a verified email conversation? Still, the hope is that protective mechanisms can at least limit some of these problems.

We have not quite entered the era where Skynet goes live, to cite the famous movie phrase about an AI taking over (and destroying) the world. But artificial intelligence does seem to have taken a major leap forward. In an otherwise grim year, this is a welcome and hopeful development. Oh, and if you would like to read more, here is an article about GPT-3 written by GPT-3.

This column does not necessarily reflect the opinion of the editorial board or Bloomberg LP and its owners.

Tyler Cowen is a Bloomberg Opinion columnist. He is a professor of economics at George Mason University and writes for the blog Marginal Revolution. His books include "Big Business: A Love Letter to an American Anti-Hero."

For more articles like this, please visit us at bloomberg.com/opinion

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Heres how connected health and artificial intelligence is transforming healthcare industry – YourStory

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As the world grapples with a new way of life and the COVID-19 crisis peaks, its impact on everyones mental and physical health is indescribable.

The pandemic is not only creating a major impact on the global economy, it is also helping to accelerate the development and commercialisation of several emerging technologies that previously received lukewarm consumer response. This is predominantly accurate for innovations that reduce human-to-human contact, automate processes, and increase productivity amid social distancing.

With Artificial intelligence (AI) and Internet of Things (IoT) rapidly gaining ground in varying forms and degrees, the use of these innovation has begun to appear in a wide spectrum of technologies - from the phones we use to communicate to the supply chains that bring goods to market. It is modifying the way we interact, consume information, and obtain goods and services.

Healthcare is no exception to this new disruption. In the medical industry, the impact of AI, IoT, and other technologies through natural language processing (NLP) and machine learning (ML), is transforming care delivery.

Data suggests that AI simplifies the lives of patients, doctors, and hospital administrators by performing tasks that are typically done by humans, but in less time and at a fraction of the cost.

A major trend in medicine, when it comes to AI, is using deep learning in medical diagnosis to detect cancer. A recent study published in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute shows that the AI system has achieved a breast cancer detection accuracy comparable to an average breast radiologist.

With the ability of AI networks to train radiologists, there are chances that their performance will be significantly improved in the nearest future.

Another promising implementation is the use of AI and the Internet of Medical Things in consumer health applications, which allows them to gather healthcare data and process the information and offer adjustments to the current lifestyle of a patient.

When it comes to medical diagnosis, doctors have seen that applying AI & IoT to medical diagnosis provides numerous benefits to the healthcare industry. AI and IoT based software can tell whether a patient has a certain disease even before evident symptoms appear.

But what AI is extensively helping doctors in is the ease that it is providing in classifying diseases. With deep learning technologies that analyse images and recognise patterns, it is creating a huge potential in generating algorithms that are helping healthcare officials in diagnosing diseases faster.

Moreover, research suggests that AI-driven software can be programmed to accurately spot signs of a certain disease in medical images such as MRIs, X-rays, and CT scans. Existing similar solutions already use AI for cancer diagnosis by processing photos of skin lesions.

By using such tools, doctors are able to diagnose patients more accurately and prescribe the most suitable treatment for them at an earlier stage, resulting in increasing the chances of cancer prevention.

Henceforth, we can say that from patient and self-service to chatbots, computer-aided detection (CAD) systems for diagnosis, and image data analysis to identify candidate molecules in drug discovery, AI, IoT and other technologies are already at work.

They are swiftly helping in increasing convenience and efficiency, reducing costs and errors, and generally making it easier for more patients to receive the healthcare they need. While each technology can contribute significant value alone, the larger potential lies in the synergies generated by using them together across the entire patient journey, from diagnoses to treatment, to ongoing health maintenance.

It can easily be said that AI and IoT solutions can lead to better care outcomes and improve the productivity and efficiency of care delivery. They can also improve the day-to-day life of healthcare practitioners, letting them spend more time looking after patients, and in doing so, raise staff morale and improve retention.

It can even offer life-saving treatments to markets faster. With the increased use of AI and IoT in healthcare, it will certainly influence the types of new entrants into the healthcare industry as well as influence how providers, clinicians, and other staff will work in the future.

In India, the last five years have seen consumer-facing health tech being talked about and embraced by investors, government, and gradually by the public. Among educated consumers in urban areas, technology is largely gaining traction through online health service aggregators, telemedicine, e-pharmacies, and a few fitness apps. Existing methods are also being used to reinvent healthcare delivery in the form of online consults or chat-based basic healthcare service apps, especially during these unprecedented times.

For our country, we can conclude that these advanced technologies in healthcare are helping expand the human capacity rather than replacing human labour altogether. Putting us in a unique position to be the driver for AI and IoT technologies in healthcare space for national and international companies.

With large amounts of data and a burgeoning startup community, India has the opportunity to address many healthcare-related problems by using them. With new disruptions in healthcare innovations, we will soon be in a position to realise the benefits of these technologies on health outcomes.

Irrespective of a patients location or condition, an evolution of the AI, IoT, IoMT ecosystem will become progressively impactful. And even the most remote locations will benefit from better access to care as connected medical devices continue to find their way into the hands of both patients and clinicians.

Connected health and Artificial intelligence in healthcare is no more a thing of the future, it is slowly transforming the now that we are living in.

(Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of YourStory.)

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Artificial intelligence data centers take on greater importance in facing the very real threat of COVID-19 – Crain’s Cleveland Business

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There are more signs that Ohio once again is in play for the presidential election. The Columbus Dispatch reports that The Lincoln Project super PAC "is aligning with another group, Republican Voters Against Trump, for what they are calling 'Operation Grant,' a nod to Ohio native Ulysses S. Grant. That alliance's plan kicks off with a Lincoln Project advertisement attacking Trump's response to the COVID-19 pandemic that will air on broadcast and cable television from Friday through Monday in Columbus, Cleveland, Akron and Canton." The paper says the efforts "also will include a ground campaign that has had to move onto the web during the pandemic," according to John Weaver, a co-founder of the Lincoln Project and former top political adviser to former Ohio Gov. John Kasich. Weaver said the groups have 20,000 volunteers in Ohio and are planning a town hall meeting for next week. Meanwhile, the New York Times reports that two prominent polls of Ohio last month "showed the presidential race in a statistical tie. Turnout in the Ohio primary elections in April was higher for Democrats than Republicans for the first time in a dozen years, evidence of enthusiasm in the Democratic base. And the Trump campaign recently booked $18.4 million in fall TV ads in Ohio, more than in any state besides Florida a sign that (President Donald) Trump is on the defensive in a state that until recently seemed locked down for Republicans."

MLive Media Group in Michigan this week announced it will transfer production of its eight newspapers to Cleveland and close its printing facility outside Grand Rapids, Mich. The media company's eight newspapers currently printed at the production facility in Walker, Mich., will instead be printed in Cleveland beginning Oct. 5, said Tim Gruber, president and chief revenue officer of MLive Media Group. The newspapers will be printed at the same facility that prints The Plain Dealer. It's a case of corporate efficiencies, as Cleveland.com and MLive Media Group are owned by Advance Local.

Ohio's a great place to live if (when times are normal) you enjoy a good bar, according to Esquire. The magazine's new list of the best bars in America has no less than four Ohio spots: The Happy Dog and the Spotted Owl, both in Cleveland, plus Wdka Bar in Cincinnati and Law Bird in Columbus. Esquire calls The Happy Dog "a rock 'n' roll bar to its bones, with vinyl booths, Christmas lights, a no-bullshit beer list, and mics already set up for any ragged busker who's brave or drunk enough to climb onstage." The Spotted Owl won over Esquire's writer, who notes, "I was staring at a paper wheel that looked like a scrap of Ouija board. The wheel had words on it: bitter, potent, fruity, tropical, etc. Instead of ordering from a cocktail menu, I was instructed to select my desired mood (I went with relax) and a range of flavors (I went with umami and ginger) from this wheel. The bartender would then conjure something for me to drink. I figured this was all some sort of gimmick until I tasted my cocktail, which had been made with gin, lime, and a pho syrup yes, the Vietnamese soup. It was absurdly delicious, and it was then I decided the Spotted Owl is a next-wave mystic temple of cocktailing."

Grooming might not be all that high on your list of priorities during the pandemic, but if you're a man with a beard, you might want to check out this piece from The New York Times that offers tips for getting your bear under control and takes note of a product favored by Cavaliers center Andre Drummond. That product is a Kuschelbr, a heated beard-straightening brush made by Masc by Jeff Chastain. It has heated teeth that emerge from a heated plate, a compact version of the full-size hair-straightening brushes marketed to women. The Times notes that Drummond made a video of himself straightening his beard with it.

You also can follow me on Twitter for more news about business and Northeast Ohio.

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Artificial intelligence data centers take on greater importance in facing the very real threat of COVID-19 - Crain's Cleveland Business

Global Artificial Intelligence (AI) in Agriculture Market 2020: by Top-Vendors, Products, Applications, Growth Strategies and Forecast 2025 – Cole of…

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The new research report is entitled Global Artificial Intelligence (AI) in Agriculture Market Growth (Status and Outlook) 2020-2025 assists players in strengthening their overall growth and establishes a strong position. The report showcases a comprehensive study of the overall industry along with key industry drivers and restraints. The report in-depth analysis of critical subjects of the global Artificial Intelligence (AI) in Agriculture industry involving consumption, revenue, sales, production, trends, opportunities, geographic expansion, competition, segmentation, and challenges. The report is divided into product types, applications, and regions. These segments provide accurate calculations and forecasts for sales in terms of volume and value. This analysis can help customers increase their business and make calculated decisions.

NOTE:Our report highlights the major issues and hazards that companies might come across due to the unprecedented outbreak of COVID-19.

Global Artificial Intelligence (AI) in Agriculture Market Overview:

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Market Size Forecast (2020-2025): Overall global Artificial Intelligence (AI) in Agriculture market size, segment by types, applications, and regions, key data (revenue), market size, market share, growth rate, growth, and product sales price, top players, market share, overview strategies, and products/services offered.

The report also presents the market competition landscape and a corresponding detailed analysis of the major vendors/manufacturers in the market. The key manufacturers covered in this report: IBM, Granular, Intel, SAP, Agribotix, Microsoft, aWhere, The Climate Corporation, Precision Hawk, Taranis, CropX, Gamaya, John Deere, Prospera Technologies, Vision Robotics, Resson, Harvest Croo Robotics, DTN, Cainthus,

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The EPIC-KITCHENS Project is Building a Foundation For Artificial Intelligence in the Kitchen – The Spoon

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In 2018, I wrote about a research project that was focused on building a large dataset around unstructured, everyday cooking actions and behaviors called EPIC-KITCHENS.

The project, which is being led by a group of university researchers, is designed to provide an open-source set of data that will allow artificial intelligence research teams to build better computer models that can better understand and identify behavior in the kitchen.

From the post in 2018:

The ultimate goal behind EPIC-KITCHENS is to create an open dataset about kitchen-centric objects, behavior, and interactions upon which researchers across the world can then focus their deep-learning algorithms on in the hope of advancing artificial intelligence in the kitchen.

Since those early days, the project has continued to progress, recently releasing a newly expanded dataset and publishing the results from the second annual challenge. The first research challenge, completed in 2019, was focused researchers building models that can recognize actions in the kitchen. The recently completed challenge focused on action anticipation, where they asked researchers to predict what action would take place after one second of video.

Researchers who competed in the most research challenge include teams from a variety of universities spanning the globe from Cambridge to Georgia to Singapore as well as some corporate research labs such as the AI team from Facebook.

I recently caught up with the resesarch lead for EPIC-KITCHENS, Dr. Dima Damen from the University of Bristol in the United Kingdom, who told me that the various research teams competing used a variety of approaches to help make their systems better at recognizing and predicting actions based on the information from the video.

There are some people whove used audio, said Damen. So theyve used the audio from the video to identify something like opening the tap versus closing the tap. Traditionally, computer vision has relied on just images without like videos without sound.

There are some people who looked on a very big set of things, at what happened the past minute, because thats helping them. And there are people who said, no, Ill focus on the objects, like where the hand is, where the object is, thats a better approach.'

For the next set of challenges, the group is providing a newly expanded set of data and asking them to focus on things such as test of time, where they ask if models trained two years ago still perform well and scalabilty, where they will have researchers look at whether more data is better.

Part of the expanded data will be a newly broadened dataset called EPIC-KITCHEN-100, where new footage brings the total number of hours of video captured to 100. According to Damen, the new video is from a cohort that included participants from both the previous study (half of the original 32 participants agreed to participate again) and 8 new participants.

According to Damen, by bringing back past participants, it will allow the computer models to better understand kitchen behavior by factoring in what happens with the passage of time, like in real life, but also better understanding how small changes can impact the results.

Its the natural progression, like how life will be, said Damen. The question is what happens to computer vision in the meanwhile? So its tiny tiny changes, right? Its a slightly new camera, people might have moved home, and then were asking more questions that we believe would be interest to the community.

Damen said she hopes that her technology can help build better technology and systems that could be of help to humans who need assistance.

So there are new questions that are being asked which, interestingly, even the assistive technology community is not talking about. As in, if you want to help someone, sometimes you can guess what theyre doing, but many times you cant.

Spoon Plus Subscribers can read the full transcript of our conversation and watch my video interview with Daman below.

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The EPIC-KITCHENS Project is Building a Foundation For Artificial Intelligence in the Kitchen - The Spoon

Faculty receive funding to develop artificial intelligence techniques to combat Covid-19 – MIT News

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Artificial intelligence has the power to help put an end to the Covid-19 pandemic. Not only can techniques of machine learning and natural language processing be used to track and report Covid-19 infection rates, but other AI techniques can also be used to make smarter decisions about everything from when states should reopen to how vaccines are designed. Now, MIT researchers working on seven groundbreaking projects on Covid-19 will be funded to more rapidly develop and apply novel AI techniques to improve medical response and slow the pandemic spread.

Earlier this year, the C3.ai Digital Transformation Institute (C3.ai DTI) formed, with the goal of attracting the worlds leading scientists to join in a coordinated and innovative effort to advance the digital transformation of businesses, governments, and society. The consortium is dedicated to accelerating advances in research and combining machine learning, artificial intelligence, internet of things, ethics, and public policy for enhancing societal outcomes. MIT, under the auspices of the School of Engineering, joined the C3.ai DTI consortium, along with C3.ai, Microsoft Corporation, the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, the University of California at Berkeley, Princeton University, the University of Chicago, Carnegie Mellon University, and, most recently, Stanford University.

The initial call for project proposals aimed to embrace the challenge of abating the spread of Covid-19 and advance the knowledge, science, and technologies for mitigating the impact of pandemics using AI. Out of a total of 200 research proposals, 26 projects were selected and awarded $5.4 million to continue AI research to mitigate the impact of Covid-19 in the areas of medicine, urban planning, and public policy.

The first round of grant recipients was recently announced, and among them are five projects led by MIT researchers from across the Institute: Saurabh Amin, associate professor of civil and environmental engineering; Dimitris Bertsimas, the Boeing Leaders for Global Operations Professor of Management; Munther Dahleh, the William A. Coolidge Professor of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science and director of the MIT Institute for Data, Systems, and Society; David Gifford, professor of biological engineering and of electrical engineering and computer science; and Asu Ozdaglar, the MathWorks Professor of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, head of the Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, and deputy dean of academics for MIT Schwarzman College of Computing.

We are proud to be a part of this consortium, and to collaborate with peers across higher education, industry, and health care to collectively combat the current pandemic, and to mitigate risk associated with future pandemics, says Anantha P. Chandrakasan, dean of the School of Engineering and the Vannevar Bush Professor of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science. We are so honored to have the opportunity to accelerate critical Covid-19 research through resources and expertise provided by the C3.ai DTI.

Additionally, three MIT researchers will collaborate with principal investigators from other institutions on projects blending health and machine learning. Regina Barzilay, the Delta Electronics Professor in the Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, and Tommi Jaakkola, the Thomas Siebel Professor of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, join Ziv Bar-Joseph from Carnegie Mellon University for a project using machine learning to seek treatment for Covid-19. Aleksander Mdry, professor of computer science in the Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, joins Sendhil Mullainathan of the University of Chicago for a project using machine learning to support emergency triage of pulmonary collapse due to Covid-19 on the basis of X-rays.

Bertsimass project develops automated, interpretable, and scalable decision-making systems based on machine learning and artificial intelligence to support clinical practices and public policies as they respond to the Covid-19 pandemic. When it comes to reopening the economy while containing the spread of the pandemic, Ozdaglars research provides quantitative analyses of targeted interventions for different groups that will guide policies calibrated to different risk levels and interaction patterns. Amin is investigating the design of actionable information and effective intervention strategies to support safe mobilization of economic activity and reopening of mobility services in urban systems. Dahlehs research innovatively uses machine learning to determine how to safeguard schools and universities against the outbreak. Gifford was awarded funding for his project that uses machine learning to develop more informed vaccine designs with improved population coverage, and to develop models of Covid-19 disease severity using individual genotypes.

The enthusiastic support of the distinguished MIT research community is making a huge contribution to the rapidstart and significant progress of the C3.ai Digital Transformation Institute, says Thomas Siebel, chair and CEO of C3.ai. It is a privilege to be working with such an accomplished team.

The following projects are the MIT recipients of the inaugural C3.ai DTI Awards:

"Pandemic Resilient Urban Mobility: Learning Spatiotemporal Models for Testing, Contact Tracing, and Reopening Decisions" Saurabh Amin, associate professor of civil and environmental engineering; and Patrick Jaillet, the Dugald C. Jackson Professor of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science

"Effective Cocktail Treatments for SARS-CoV-2 Based on Modeling Lung Single Cell Response Data" Regina Barzilay, the Delta Electronics Professor in the Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, and Tommi Jaakkola, the Thomas Siebel Professor of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science (Principal investigator: Ziv Bar-Joseph of Carnegie Mellon University)

"Toward Analytics-Based Clinical and Policy Decision Support to Respond to the Covid-19 Pandemic" Dimitris Bertsimas, the Boeing Leaders for Global Operations Professor of Management and associate dean for business analytics; and Alexandre Jacquillat, assistant professor of operations research and statistics

"Reinforcement Learning to Safeguard Schools and Universities Against the Covid-19 Outbreak" Munther Dahleh, the William A. Coolidge Professor of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science and director of MIT Institute for Data, Systems, and Society; and Peko Hosoi, the Neil and Jane Pappalardo Professor of Mechanical Engineering and associate dean of engineering

"Machine Learning-Based Vaccine Design and HLA Based Risk Prediction for Viral Infections" David Gifford, professor of biological engineering and of electrical engineering and computer science

"Machine Learning Support for Emergency Triage of Pulmonary Collapse in Covid-19" Aleksander Mdry, professor of computer science in the Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science (Principal investigator: Sendhil Mullainathan of the University of Chicago)

"Targeted Interventions in Networked and Multi-Risk SIR Models: How to Unlock the Economy During a Pandemic" Asu Ozdaglar, the MathWorks Professor of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, department head of electrical engineering and computer science, and deputy dean of academics for MIT Schwarzman College of Computing; and Daron Acemoglu, Institute Professor

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Faculty receive funding to develop artificial intelligence techniques to combat Covid-19 - MIT News

After coronavirus: Global youth reveal that the social value of art has never mattered more – MENAFN.COM

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(MENAFN - The Conversation) Health and government officials around the globe are slowly and ever-so-tentatively moving to relax lockdowns due to coronavirus.

In Canada, where the possibility of health-care collapse seems to have been averted (for the time being), some are beginning to ask questions other than ''when will the pandemic end?'' Instead, they''re turning towards ''how will we move forward?''

Young people have some answers that warrant our attention. Over the past five years, through my collaborative ethnographic research with 250 young people in drama classrooms in Canada, India, Taiwan, Greece and England, I have gained remarkable insight into these young people''s experiences and assessments of the world .

I found crisis after crisis being shouldered by young people. Through their theatre-making, they documented their concerns and hope, and they rallied around common purposes. They did this despite disagreement and difference.

Beyond simply creating art for art''s sake, or for school credits, many of the young people I encountered are building social movements and creative projects around a different vision for our planet. And they are calling us in. This is an unprecedented moment for intergenerational justice and we need to seize it.

I have had an up-close look at how seemingly disparate crises around the globe are deeply connected through divisive systems that don''t acknowledge or respect youth concerns. I have also learned how young people are disproportionately affected by the misguided politics of a fractured world.

In England, young people were burdened by the divisive rhetoric of the Brexit campaign and its ensuing aftermath.

In India, young women were using their education to build solidarity in the face of dehumanizing gender oppression.

In Greece, young people were shouldering the weight of a decade-long economic crisis compounded by a horrifying refugee crisis.

Read more: Solidarity with refugees can''t survive on compassion in crisis-stricken societies of Greece and Italy

In Taiwan, young people on the cusp of adulthood were trying to square the social pressures of traditional culture with their own ambitions in a far-from-hopeful economic landscape.

In Toronto, youth tried to understand why the rhetoric of multiculturalism seemed both true and false, and why racism persists and, in so doing, they spoke from perspectives grounded in their intersectional (white, racialized, sexual- and gender-diverse) identities.

They embraced the reality that everything in popular culture may enter a drama classroom. But they responded to current news stories like the 2016 presidential debates in the United States by saying that they had different and more pressing concerns, like mental health support and transphobia.

Today''s young people are a generation that has come of age during a host of global crises. Inequality, environmental destruction, systemic oppression of many kinds weigh heavily.

I found a youth cohort who, despite many not yet having the right to vote, have well-honed political capacities , are birthing countless global hashtag movements and inspiring generations of young and old .

These marginalized youth are aware that their communities have been living with and responding to catastrophic impacts of crises of injustice and inequalities long before now.

How do these youth live with their awareness of global injustices and what these imply for the years ahead? We learned some disturbing things: as young people age and move further away from their primary relationships (parents, teachers, schoolmates), they feel less optimistic about their personal futures.

But in terms of hope, we learned something very recognizable to many of us now: many young people practise hope, even when they feel hopeless . They do this both in social movements they participate in and in creative work they undertake with others .

This is something we can all learn from. In Canada, we are maintaining social distancing as a shared effort. Acting together by keeping apart is how we are flattening the curve, as all the experts continue to tell us .

We know that in communities around the world, government leadership matters enormously . But citizens, social trust and collective will matter at least as much.

In this pandemic, institutions, like universities , businesses and individual citizens have stepped up remarkably in the interests of the common good and our shared fate.

However, Jennifer Welsh, Canada Research Chair in Global Governance and Security at McGill University, argues that the defining feature of the last decade is polarization , existing across many different liberal democracies and globally.

Along with this, the value of fairness has been deeply corroded because of growing inequality and persistent historic inequalities we have failed to address, like Indigenous sovereignty and land rights in Canada .

Read more: The road to reconciliation starts with the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples

In the context of the rise of populist politicians and xenophobic policies globally, and also the rise of the most important progressive social movements in decades, my research has taught me that in this driven-apart, socio-economic landscape, the social value of art has never been more important.

People are making sense of the inexplicable or the feared through art, using online platforms for public learning . Art has become a point of contact, an urgent communication and a hope.

But some are still without shelter, without food, without community and without proper health care . The differences are stark.

Arundhati Roy has imagined this pandemic as a kind of portal we are walking through: we can ''walk through it lightly ready to imagine another world .'' We can choose to be ''ready to fight for it.''

Read more: What is solidarity? During coronavirus and always, it''s more than ''we''re all in this together''

It''s time to put global youth at the centre of our responses to crises. Otherwise, young people will inherit a planet devastated by our uncoordinated efforts to act, worsening a crisis of intergenerational equity .

We should of course develop a vaccine and, in Canada, stop underfunding our public health-care system . But we must also flatten the steep curves we have tolerated for too long . For a start, we could act on wealth disparity and social inequality .

But our response to the pandemic could also illuminate new responses to fundamental problems: disrespect for the diversity of life in all its forms and lack of consideration for future generations.

Youth expression through theatre and in social movements are valuable ways to learn how youth are experiencing, processing and communicating their understandings of the profound challenges our world faces. How powerfully our post-pandemic planning could shift if we changed who is at decision-making tables and listened to youth.

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After coronavirus: Global youth reveal that the social value of art has never mattered more - MENAFN.COM

For Mars, Hope (and a little Perseverance, too) shines in UAE’s ‘Apollo moment’ – Space.com

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The United Arab Emirates is on its way to Mars, claiming the title of first Arab country to launch an interplanetary mission, which it designed and built in just six years and dubbed Hope.

The Hope Mars orbiter launched toward Mars on a Japanese rocket on Sunday (July 19). Its name was carefully chosen to reflect the country's goal for the mission, which focused as on spurring space exploration and science in the UAE as on actually reaching the Red Planet. But like the name of NASA's own Mars mission launching this month, the Hope name has taken on a new resonance over the past months as the world navigates the throws of the coronavirus pandemic, which complicated launch preparations for both Mars missions. Nevertheless, both spacecraft made it to their rockets in time for the rare three-week launch window to the Red Planet.

"Whether it's the Mars Perseverance mission or the Mars Hope mission, all of us believe that this is critical for our nations to inspire the next generation, to provide hope, and demonstrate perseverance," NASA administrator Jim Bridenstine said during a webcast held before launch.

Related: The United Arab Emirates' Hope mission to Mars in photos

"The naming of these two robots, if you will, I think is absolutely perfect," Bridenstine said. "Certainly I think what we're trying to do here is give people people want hope, and this mission, I think, is a perfect example of that."

The Hope mission's compact timeline, from idea to launch in just six years, prompted comparison to a different NASA program from Ellen Stofan, director of the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum and a planetary scientist, during the same event.

"It reminds me of another country 50-some years ago now, that in eight and a half years made it from basically no space agency at all to sending people to the moon," Stofan said. "That spirit of Apollo is what I have really watched happening in the UAE, and they will get the same results that we got from Apollo: inspiring a generation to go out and do the impossible."

Related: The boldest Mars missions in history

The UAE's current ambassador to the U.S., Yousef Al Otaiba, struck a similar note in his remarks after the spacecraft successfully blasted off to begin its journey to Mars.

"A young Emirati who is watching for the first time, [an Arab-built] spaceship carrying a probe to Mars, they're going to grow up believing everything is possible, or they're going to grow up believing that there is indeed hope," Al Otaiba said. "I think it's really, really important to see that, because we see so much conflict and tension and disagreement, and I'm not going to put my political hat back on, but everything is polarized."

And for him, finding ways to collaborate despite that strained environment is vital, even for confronting the very same situation that threatened to derail Hope's launch.

"If we're going to focus on finding a cure for corona[virus], or the next pandemic, we're going to have to work together; if we're going to find a fix for climate change, we're going to have to work together," Al Otaiba said. "Some of these problems, frankly, are beyond any one country or any one institution to fix. People, especially young people need to grow up understanding the power of working together to accomplish greater things."

Email Meghan Bartels at mbartels@space.com or follow her on Twitter @meghanbartels. Follow us on Twitter @Spacedotcom and on Facebook.

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For Mars, Hope (and a little Perseverance, too) shines in UAE's 'Apollo moment' - Space.com

Blockchain technology will only reach its full potential through industry cooperation – CityAM – City A.M.

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Blockchain has come a long way since I first entered the space in 2011. Back then, altcoins were all just forks of Bitcoin, the same code with some cosmetic differences here and there. These days, we have multiple generations of blockchain with entirely different systems, each with varying and exciting capabilities. There has been a huge amount of evolution in the space, from first generation blockchains like Bitcoin, to second generations which can support smart contracts such as Ethereum and Tezos, to the third generations which are characterised by high degrees of protocol-level, participatory governance that is extended to dapps and DAOs like Cardano and Telos. But along the way some seem to have forgotten that we work best as an industry when we work together.

Current discussions often focus on which blockchain is likely to triumph over the others. This is understandable, given the way in which this still very young industry has seen Bitcoin and subsequently ethereum come to dominate the adoption race for first and second generation blockchains, respectively. However, taken too far in the opposite direction, we could be shooting ourselves in the foot. If we do not prioritise and research how we can ensure blockchains can operate in the same space and talk to each other allowing end users to not have to lock themselves into a single, native blockchain system,we are hindering the growth of our industry.

Blockchain partnership vs blockchain competition

Partnerships are not a new idea. In fact they have become a common thread over the years in many major technological innovations; from Apple and Microsoft teaming up to design a mobile operating system, to Samsung and Sony agreeing to share research and development costs to design flat screen LED televisions. It is naive to assume that one individual company holds all of the answers. We have over 5000 cryptocurrencies currently in operation, running on a number of distinct blockchains. We tend to have a maximalist view that only one is necessary, but this does not take into account the fact that the variety of these capabilities and functions could be complimentary, if we can find a way for them to work together.

This is something that we have been researching extensively at IOHK over the last four years. We have examined the solutions which already exist, such as the Color Coin standard, ERC20, as well as researching and building our own Proof- of-Stake sidechains, and cross-chain communications. Indeed, we are now at a point where we can take Cardano from a single- to a multi-asset ledger. In practice, this means we are able to build the functionality required for cardano to act as the framework for an internet of blockchains, where disparate systems are able to transact with each other, and transfer value and information. With this in place we can finally see the blockchain industry maturing to a point where end users are no longer locked into a proprietary, single blockchain standard.

The initial vision of there being a one size fits all blockchain solution, where all transactions, smart contracts,and other functions are performed on a single chain has passed its sell-by date. It is now clear that this is not a practical way to look at things different blockchain platforms will inevitably have different strengths and use cases, meaning that they should be able to work together, rather than operating completely separately. This is why interoperability is increasingly becoming not just a nice-to-have, but an essential component in the growth of our industry.

Innovation is already underway. For example, we have been talking to Litecoin about NiPowPows, one of our ideas. NiPowPows can give us a succinct proof that coins both exist, and have not been double spent. If other chains adopt this, then when you see transactions coming from chains which are NiPowPow compliant, you can immediately issue a transaction from any given network into the Cardano network. Once it enters the network, it becomes wrapped, creating both ada and a separate asset in the system, which can be used as fuel for computation within Cardano itself. This means that a coin like Litecoin can suddenly add capabilities from the Cardano blockchain, like smart contracting or governance, onto its own asset, allowing for innovative changes without having to hard fork. As a result, rather than needing to knock the house down entirely, you can simply extend it by using blockchains like Cardano as a service layer rather than making fundamental changes. And those involved in the Cardano network will be compensated for the use of that token on their network.

Take this principle, apply it to the industry, and suddenly we have an Internet of Blockchains where systems can not only successfully coexist, but share knowledge and grow together.

As Gilbert Verdian of Quant Network eloquently pointed out in his piece a couple of weeks ago, while we are well on the way to solving interoperability on a technical level, there is still more to be done. He was referring to the necessity of adopting regulatory frameworks and international standards across all jurisdictions, but we can take it further. Developing an Internet of Blockchains, where differing platforms are able to connect to not only share data, but also ideas, means that we can create an industry where platforms can both successfully coexist and develop mutually beneficial technological arrangements, allowing stakeholders of both platforms to reap the rewards.

The most extraordinary achievements in human history have happened as a result of sharing knowledge and working together. IOHKs strongly held view is that the success of blockchain technology will be no different. If we can collaborate as an industry, then we can build a global framework which truly has the power to replace and improve global systems, and change lives.

Charles Hoskinson is a technology entrepreneur and mathematician, involved in blockchain technology for almost 10 years.

He is the co-founder and CEO of leading blockchain engineering company, Input Output Hong Kong (IOHK) which is committed to harnessing blockchain technology to provide 21st century financial services to the 3bn who dont have them.

IOHK leads the research, design and development of Cardano, the third-generation blockchain that launched in September 2017.

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Blockchain technology will only reach its full potential through industry cooperation - CityAM - City A.M.

HashCash Consultants Listed as the Top Blockchain Development Company in the USA – Benzinga

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HashCash Consultants solidifies its position as a blockchain development company gaining the top spot in the USA in an industry survey conducted by a research firm.

PALO ALTO, Calif. (PRWEB) July 21, 2020

HashCash Consultants has been listed as the top blockchain development company in the USA by a global research firm. The industry-based survey was conducted, taking a wide range of critical parameters under consideration including feedback and reviews provided by the clients. The survey culminated in a list of leading blockchain development companies with HashCash Consultants taking the top spot.

"HashCash upholds its founding principle of offering innovative and transformative solutions to industries and businesses so that together we can contribute and build a better and digitally advanced tomorrow. Our team dedicates its efforts to fulfill the blockchain and crypto requirements of the partners and clients, enabling them to reform their existing infrastructure through seamless integration. We keep innovating and upgrading our services, offering cutting-edge solutions to big and small businesses alike", commented Raj Chowdhury, CEO, HashCash Consultants.

Headquartered in the USA the company specializes in blockchain and cryptocurrency development. They work with local and global enterprises to implement technology solutions that are futuristic and modernize the operational architecture of client and partner enterprises.

HashCash has a robust partner network comprising of more than sixty global banks and financial institutions along with companies from across verticals. They have an impressive track record of global collaborations across sectors with some of the biggest names within the industry.

HashCash Consultants has a proven track record of collaborations and projects across industries such as banking and financial services, gaming, supply chain, healthcare, real estate, retail, insurance, mining, investment management including the public sector and others. HashCash provides white label Bitcoin and cryptocurrency exchange software solutions to enterprises. They aid with blockchain system integration, consultation, smart contract, and DApps development and beyond that.

They have their very own range of highly scalable blockchain and crypto-based products which form a strong foundation for the solutions offered to the partners and clients. Their list of products comprises of:

1. HC Net (HashCash's blockchain network)

2. HC Remit (for remittances)

3. HC Corporate Payment (B2B payment processor)

4. Blockchain Digital Identity

5. HC Commerce

6. HC market maker

7. Cryptocurrency Exchange

The company is known for its comprehensive crypto development services including ICO and STO services along with crypto exchange development. They are one of the leading providers of white label cryptocurrency exchange software.

With headquarters in USA, HashCash maintains offices in Singapore, Australia, UAE, and India. The company is also operational in other regions including Africa and UK through its partner network, all of whom have shifted to active remote working till 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic situation.

HashCash is a global software company. HashCash Blockchain products enable enterprises to move assets and settle payments across borders in real-time for Remittances, Trade Finance, Payment Processing, and more. HashCash runs US-based digital asset exchange, PayBito & digital asset payment processor, BillBitcoins. HashCash offers white label crypto exchange and payment processor software solutions, ICO Services, and customized use cases. HashCash propels advancement in technology through Blockchain1o1 programs and its investment arm, Satoshi Angels. HashCash offers solutions in AI, Big Data, and IoT through its platforms, products & services. HashCash solves the toughest challenges by executing innovative digital transformation strategies for clients around the world.

For the original version on PRWeb visit: https://www.prweb.com/releases/hashcash_consultants_listed_as_the_top_blockchain_development_company_in_the_usa/prweb17269926.htm

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HashCash Consultants Listed as the Top Blockchain Development Company in the USA - Benzinga

Lovers of liberty lose big with Justin Amash’s reelection decision – Washington Examiner

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Unfortunately, the vast majority of people who know who Libertarian Rep. Justin Amash of Michigan is view him through the lens of where he (and they) stand on President Trump.

Thats a pity.

The congressman was the only Republican to support the articles of impeachment against Trump, and the negative reaction from the MAGA-centric GOP base was just as extreme as Resistance Democrats rush to embrace him. The heat from conservatives would become so hot that Amash would soon leave his party to become an independent and then eventually embrace his identity as a tall L Libertarian in full, even briefly seeking that partys presidential nomination.

Trump-loving righties did not care that Amash had the most fiscally conservative record in Washington, just as much as Trump-hating lefties did not care, or at least ignored, that Amashs unshakable small-government political philosophy ran counter to their collectivist or socialist agendas. Both camps perceptions of Amash were all about Trump. They still are.

On Thursday night, amid that climate, Amash announced he would not be seeking reelection for his seat, leaving it to the two major parties to duke it out. A conventional Republican or Democrat will no doubt fill that seat.

But Amash was always anything but conventional. Long before the current president radically shuffled our politics, one would be hard-pressed to find a stauncher defender of the Constitution and the nation's founding principles than him. On civil liberties, foreign policy, the drug war, the size of the government, taxation, education, systemic racism, social tolerance, religious liberty, and more, Amash always stood for the Bill of Rights and individual rights against the authoritarian tendencies in both parties.

One of the highlights of Amashs political career came in the wake of whistleblower Edward Snowdens 2013 revelations that the U.S. government was mass-surveilling its citizens in every way imaginable. Amashs amendment to rein in NSA surveillance that year failed 205-217, a close loss that resulted in a failure to protect the public's Fourth Amendment privacy rights but cemented the Michigan congressman as one of the leading civil libertarians in Washington.

Amash was one of the few libertarian Republicans to get elected in the wake of then-Rep. Ron Pauls popular 2008 and 2012 grassroots presidential campaigns, along with fellow House member Rep. Thomas Massie and Pauls son, Sen. Rand Paul, all of whom have led the libertarian faction of the Republican Party for the last decade.

Each of these three men has virtually the same voting record when it comes to policy. They only differ on their approach to Trump. But since Trump is the only thing that has mattered to anyone for the last four years, what leaders actually stand for has mattered less than crude tribalism. Conservatives who are glad Amash will be gone because he dared to defy their glorious leader have nary a principle to stand on in making such an argument. Liberals who once, and might still, praise Amash for defying his partys president completely disagree with him on what government should or should not do.

Amash has remained an unwavering libertarian throughout his decade in Washington, and you arguably wont find a more dedicated champion of the principles that founded this country than this son of immigrants who aspired to become a U.S. congressman out of a pure desire to do what he thought was right.

Whatever happens in November and no matter where you stand on the president, Trumps indelible mark on our politics will not soon pass. For lovers of liberty, neither will Amashs.

Jack Hunter (@jackhunter74) is a contributor to the Washington Examiner's Beltway Confidential blog. He is the former political editor of Rare.us and co-authored the 2011 book The Tea Party Goes to Washington with Sen. Rand Paul.

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Lovers of liberty lose big with Justin Amash's reelection decision - Washington Examiner

"Another Level Of Stupid" Stories That Are Totally Facepalm-Worthy – BuzzFeed

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"I once had to take my husband to seek medical care at a 'doc-in-the-box' situation. When doing the usual triage routine, the tech took his weight and height. She said, 'OK, youre 189 pounds and 6'1".' He said, 'What!? Ive always been 5'11.' And she said, 'No, youre definitely 6'1". He kind of puffed up for a minute, feeling all tall and cool, and said, 'Huh! maybe I grew since the last time I was measured.'

"We got to the exam room and he said to her again, 'Are you sure? Ive always thought I was 5'11".' And she said, 'No, definitely. Youre 71 inches, so 6 feet 1 inch.'

"My husband and I exchanged glances. 'Oh, no, 71 inches is 5'11",' he said.

"She said, 'No, Im 61 inches and Im 5 feet 1 inch, so if youre 71 inches, youre 6 feet 1 inch!' And he said, 'Yeah, but...feet have 12 inches, not 10, so 71 inches is 5 feet and 11 inches.' She said, 'Well, thats how we do it here.'

"I literally choked on my water. My husband and I couldnt make eye contact until she left the room, and then we freaked out. It was hilarious and terrifying that this medical tech didnt understand basic measurement."

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"Another Level Of Stupid" Stories That Are Totally Facepalm-Worthy - BuzzFeed

What We Learned From New FOIA Documents About The DOJs Wire Act Opinion – OnlinePokerReport.com

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Freedom of Information Act documents turned over to New Jersey paint more of a picture of what happened leading up to and in the wake of the Department of Justices decision to alter its opinion on the federal Wire Act in 2018.

Online Poker Report has received the results of the request from NJs attorney general. AG Gurbir Grewal was looking for information relating to outside groups lobbying efforts in the FOIA request. In particular, he was trying to find a link between the DOJ opinion and casino magnate Sheldon Adelson, a longtime opponent of online gambling in the United States.

The 2018 Wire Act opinion from the Office of Legal Counsel changed the DOJs stance on the Wire Act, saying it applies to all forms of interstate gambling, not just sports betting. That stance threatens the legality of online casinos, online poker and online lotteries in states that have legalized any of those things, in addition to other things, including multi-state lottery products.

A federal court has already rejected the new DOJ memo; the case is still active in appeals court.

Heres what we learned from the FOIA documents. While there is no smoking gun linking Adelson or his lobbying group to the DOJs change on the Wire Act, it does detail interactions between the department and outside sources.

All documents and emails referenced below are from the FOIA request.

The FOI uncovered that as early as March of 2017, some at the DOJ were already looking at changing the departments opinion on The Wire Act. According to guidance from the DOJ in 2011, the Wire Act applied only to sports betting and other forms of gambling that might cross state lines.

This correspondence took place more than a year and a half before the new OLC memo (written in 2018, and released in early 2019). It also roughly coincides with outside efforts to effect this change from a law firm (Cooper and Kirk) that works with the Coalition to Stop Internet Gambling. CSIG is believed to be bankrolled by Adelson.

Heres an email from February of 2017, an introduction of a lawyer for a firm that works with CSIG, that likely led to a memo from Cooper and Kirk on the Wire Act.

That led to email exchanges in 2017 where CSIG lawyers were interacting with the DOJ in March and trying to set up a meeting. The email below is from Acting Chief of Staff and Counselor to the Assistant Attorney General James Mann:

More on DOJ actively engaging with someone from Steptoe on the issue, which seems to imply the DOJ working actively with outside sources regarding the Wire Act opinion:

CSIG, as we already knew before the FOIA, submitted its Wire Act memo in April 2017:

The issue continued to have momentum in May:

Graham is Sen. Lindsey Graham, who has long advanced Adelsons agenda on other topics as well as online gambling.

The issue made its way to Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein a week later in a memo that was entirely redacted except for a footnote:

While not a smoking gun, it would be quite the coincidence if these lobbying efforts started and the reaction started soon thereafter. The DOJ attempts to distance itself from those lobbying efforts in answering reporters questions after the Wire Act opinion was released in 2019:

Interestingly, the CSIG had a press release ready to go soon after the Wire Act opinion was released.

Then acting Attorney General Matthew Whitaker denied any influence in the crafting of the opinion.

Regardless, a lot of the heavy lifting on the early understanding of the Wire Act opinion happened well in advance of the opinion actually dropping, and a lot of people in the DOJ were thinking about it.

This is perhaps not shocking, as the DOJ is part of the executive branch.

Nevertheless, multiple people at the White House (WH below) were interested in what was going on around the Wire Act. This could just be standard operating procedure to loop in White House on a change in the interpretation of the law, but there was a lot of White House interest.

Here is an email chain that came just as Online Poker Report broke the news that a Wire Act opinion was coming (the Twitter post referenced is a link to OPRs story in December):

More from a few days later:

More after the opinions release:

The FOIA request had hoped to turn up more evidence that Adelson was working with the DOJ and/or the White House to change the Wire Act interpretation. While it didnt do that, it did demonstrate a lot of White House involvement that could potentially be explained by the normal course of business.

Adelson has been a large donor to the campaign of President Donald Trump and has demonstrated he has the presidents ear on other issues.

The FOIA request also turned up lots of correspondence with the DOJ about the 2011 and 2018 Wire Act opinions.

Notable, former US Sen. Ron Paul urged the DOJ to keep the opinion in place way back in June of 2017:

Its not entirely clear why Paul was writing this at this exact moment in time, but he had been an opponent of repeated Congressional efforts to change the Wire Act to cover online gambling.

Former Nebraska attorney general Jon Bruning also wrote the DOJ asking for the 2011 opinion to stand, according to the FOIA documents.

The FOIA also includes a number of other letters regarding the status of the opinion before and after it was issued.

A sidenote to all the documents in the request: Shortly after the US Supreme Court ended the federal ban on sports betting, the NCAA and the NFL had a meeting with the DOJ. This had been previously reported.

Its not clear if the Wire Act would have come up at this meeting, but it is included in the FOIA documents:

A letter from the NCAA and NFL to the DOJ did mention the Wire Act in passing.

Read more here:

What We Learned From New FOIA Documents About The DOJs Wire Act Opinion - OnlinePokerReport.com

AUTO RACING: Mitchell outduels Puckett in Twin 45s – Evening News and Tribune

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JEFFERSONVILLE Jeremy Mitchell and Ricky Puckett dueled Saturday night at Sportsdrome Speedway.

The two went back and forth in theXtreme 8 Bud Light Mania Twin 45 races.

Mitchell, the fastest qualifier, beat Puckett in the first 45-lap race. Puckett, however, countered and took the checkered flag in the second 45-lap race over Mitchell. Mitchell was the overall winner by points, though, while Puckett took second. Mike Berry, who finished fourth in both races, was third overall while Darrin Greenwell, who was sixth and third respectively in the two races, finished fourth overall and Steve Moneypenny, fifth in both races, was fifth overall.

Also Saturday night, Nick Cooper took the checkered flag in the 28-lap Race8 Pro Fwd while Austin Baum was the fastest qualifier, and the winner, of the Pro Fwd Oval.

In the Ford Oval races, Jesse Suell won the 30-lap A Feature No. 1 while Perry Whitsett took the checkered flag in the 30-lap A Feature No. 2.

In the Ford Figure 8, Robbie Greenwell crossed the finish line first in his orange No. 40 ahead ofMarcus Elliott and Daniel Lister.

The final race of the night, the Ford Powder Puff, was a last-lap dash. In the end, Maranda Jane held off a fast-gaining Miranda Basham at the finish line.

SATURDAY'S RESULTS

XTREME 8 BUD LIGHT MANIA TWIN 45S

Fastest qualifier:Jeremy Mitchell 21.431

Overall finish:1. Mitchell,2. Ricky Puckett,3. Mike Berry,4. Darrin Greenwell,5. Steve Moneypenny,6. John Groulx,7. Doug Wicker,8. Tom Johnson,9. Todd Whitfield,10. Jake Wells.

1st 45-lap race:1. Mitchell,2. Puckett,3. Wicker,4. Berry,5. Moneypenny,6. Greenwell,7. Groulx,8. Johnson,9. Whitfield,10. Wells.

2nd 45-lap race:1. Puckett,2. Mitchell,3. Greenwell,4. Berry,5. Moneypenny,6. Groulx,7. Johnson,8. Josh Logsdon,9. Whitfield,10. Wells.

RACE8 PRO FWD8

Heats (from July 11th):Ty Scott, Ryan Seay

28-lap feature:1. Nick Cooper,2. John Franzell,3. Alex Bube,4. Brandon Dalton,5. Tom Johnson,6. Billy Hines,7. Dean Riley,8. Morgan Jeffries,9. Donald Coffey,10. Brian Isgrigg.

PRO FWD OVAL

Fastest qualifier:Austin Baum 15.944

Jurek's LawnCare 40:1. Baum,2. Brandon Dalton,3. Nick Cooper,4. Jamie Bierman,5. Zach Curtis,6. John Franzell,7. CJ Higgins,8. Alex Bube,9. Carter Cook,10. David Gilliland.

FORD OVAL

30-lap A Feature No. 1:1. Jesse Suell,2. James Blanchard,3. Joel Smith,4. Paul Taylor,5. Daniel Durrett,6. Carl Harding,7. Paul Hartlage,8. Ron Phillips,9. Robbie Greenwell,10. Leonard Blanchard.

30-lap A Feature No. 2:1. Perry Whitsett,2. Adam Grimsley,3. Zach Minton,4. Marcus Elliott,5. Brandon Winters,6. Derek Smith,7. Denny Wilder,8. John Lister,9. Jason Adams,10. Ken Tungett.

FORD F8

30-lap feature:1. Robbie Greenwell,2. Marcus Elliott,3. Daniel Lister,4. Paul Hartlage,5. Andy Perryman,6. Ricky Puckett,7. Jacob Robertson,8. Joel Smith,9. Derek Smith,10. Justin Groulx.

FORD POWDER PUFF

30-lap feature:1. Maranda Jane,2. Miranda Basham,3. Christina Jessie,4. Leslie Blanchard,5. Katie Shelton,6. Kaci Franklin,7. Krista Tungett,8. Tiffany Shelton,9. Brandi Tungett,10. Kyla Hall.

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AUTO RACING: Mitchell outduels Puckett in Twin 45s - Evening News and Tribune

There Has To Be More To Mexicos Oil Sector Than Pemex – Forbes

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Emilio Lozoya, former CEO of Pemex, was arrested February on suspicion of accepting millions of ... [+] dollars in bribes.

By Adrian Duhalt

There are experiences in Mexicos history (and certainly other countries) that serve as painful reminders that building an economy highly dependent on hydrocarbons is not, in the long term, the cleverest of decisions.

The oil boom in the 1970s and early 1980s and the resulting social and economic crisis left policymakers with valuable lessons that, considering todays conversation around the role of the oil industry in Mexico, should not be overlooked.

Back then, bounty hydrocarbons resources encouraged a nationalist government to bet on the development and expansion of the oil industry. Doing so seemed like a logical step since many believed that resource-based growth was the path to prosperity. Mexicos economic growth rate, which averaged 8.4 percent between 1978 and 1981, helped sustain that argument.

But policy mismanagement, a growing U.S. dollar-denominated external debt, unfavorable international conditions (higher interest rates and lower oil prices) and a short-term vision sent Mexicos economy into a tailspin in 1982. By then, the countrys economy revolved around a single commodity. Oil exports accounted for 77.6 percent of total exports, up from 15.4 percent in 1976, while economic growth dropped to -0.6 percent.

It soon became clear that hydrocarbon wealth could not prevent economic downfall and was not enough to improve standards of living during the rest of the decade.

Fast forward to 2020 and it is hard not to see certain resemblance between Mexicos current policy and the hydrocarbon-heavy approach that prevailed in the late 70s and early 80s. Only on this occasion, Mexicos proved oil reserves are decimated and Pemex, the NOC holding most of those reserves, turned into a cash-burning rather than cash-making machine. In 2019 Pemex lost $36 billion and the outlook for its 2020 balance sheet looks even gloomier owed to the Covid-19 pandemic and lower oil prices.

It has been almost 20 months into the administration of Lpez Obrador (also known as AMLO) and, despite all sort of challenges, his policy to turn Pemex into the backbone of Mexicos hydrocarbon sector remains unmoved. An obvious policy objective for a left wing government, if not for the fact that the rapidly deteriorating economic environment has led to mounting discontentment at home and abroad as Lpez Obrador sidelines private investment.

Local industry associations like the Business Coordinating Council (CCE) have voiced theirconcernsabout how AMLOs energy policies discourage private investment. In the U.S., the American Petroleum Institute (API) and the American Fuel and Petrochemical Manufacturers (AFPM) appear to share the worry as, ahead of Lpez Obradors official visit to Washington on July 8-9, both groups reached out to the Trump administration to express their discomfort with Mexicos energy policies.

As if past experiences did not teach Mexico anything, its government hopes to accomplish its economic goals based on a state-led hydrocarbon-heavy strategy. And against all evidence, President Andrs Manuel Lpez Obrador seems convinced that his energy program can help Mexico cruise towards a much-needed prosperous future. What Lpez Obrador seems to underestimate is that todays economic environment is far more complex andPemex, the instrument to surmount it, is weaker than ever.

Todays world energy markets are navigating uncharted territories. The outbreak of Covid-19 has forced hundreds of millions, if not billions, of individuals to confinement, slashing oil global demand as a result. And this, along with a global oil supply glut, has led to lower oil prices that are hitting Pemex hard. Mexico, a country with a diversified economic base but with public finances upsettingly reliant on oil revenues, is projected by the International Monetary Fund to experience an economic contraction of around10.5percent in 2020.

As it currently stands, Pemex is ill-equipped to spearhead Mexicos economic recovery once the lockdown comes to a complete end. The companys debt of $105.2 billion and labor obligations of $77.3 billion as of December2019exposea more labor intensive model than more profitable international oil competitors.Falling production, operating and managing deficiencies and recent credit downgrades signal that Pemex could face serious obstacles to becoming the countrys economic engine, particularly at the era of low oil prices.

Hence, to craft a convincing plan to help restore Mexicos economy, the time has come to acknowledge that there is much more to Mexicos hydrocarbon sector than Pemex and that private investment could play an important role as it can develop projects in areas where Pemex has shown no real interest in participating.

The recent visit of Lpez Obrador to Washington fueled speculation about AMLO possibly winding down his nationalistic stance on energy issues. At the White House dinner hosted by President Trump, which was attended by business executives, including those of Sempra Energy SRE and Shell (both firms with several important projects in Mexico), Lpez Obrador was reported assayingthat we are in the best disposition to favor your investments in Mexico.

But considering his usual rhetoric, the question is whether Lpez Obrador will eventually recognize that a sounder economic rebound in 2021 and beyond is more likely to be accomplished with private investment instead of only relying on public spending. The challenging conditions Mexico is confronting today demands boosting other critical activities of both the energy sector (renewables, transport and storage infrastructure) and the broader economy (consumer goods, manufacturing, services, infrastructure). The sooner Lpez Obrador understands the risks associated with building an energy sector dependent on Pemex, the better.

Adrian Duhalt is thepostdoctoral fellow in Mexico energy studies for the Center for the United States and Mexico and Center for Energy Studies at the Rice Universitys Baker Institute.

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There Has To Be More To Mexicos Oil Sector Than Pemex - Forbes

Maine Forest Products Coalition selects Bangor marketing firm to lead industry growth and awareness campaign – Bangor Daily News

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$8.5 billion forest-based industry poised for investment, innovation and workforce advancements

BANGOR A statewide forest products coalition has awarded a two-year contract for marketing, public relations and coalition building to Sutherland Weston Marketing Communications of Bangor.

Maines Forest Opportunity Roadmap, or FOR/Maine, released an action plan in September of 2018 with a goal of creating actionable steps to grow Maines forest-based economy. The plan included a combination of transportation, community outreach, workforce development, and strategic investment attraction. A federal grant from the U.S. Department of Commerces Economic Development Administration was awarded to the Maine Forest Products Council to help fund the communications and public relations effort.

FOR/Maine is very pleased to be working with a Bangor firm with a full deck of capabilities and long-standing relationships with multiple natural resource and forestry firms, stated Steve Schley, chair of FOR/Maines Executive Committee. Sutherland Weston understands the very broad, diverse goals of FOR/Maine and its partners and has the capacity to integrate all the elements into packages that will inform the public and excite potential investors.

Sutherland Weston has a 15-year history of working with businesses, organizations and causes throughout Maine. The firm will utilize that experience to develop strategies to increase awareness, participation, and collaboration among the key audiences outlined in the FOR/Maines initial report.

Were honored to be selected by this respected coalition, said Cary Weston, partner at Sutherland Weston. We look forward to sharing the many positive stories of innovation happening right here in our state. Our collective goal is to help build a strong and diverse forest products industry for Maines future.

The forest products industry accounts for more than $8 billion in economic activity in Maine. Despite trends in paper mill closures in recent years, the industry is poised for growth as new innovations, global opportunities and consumer trends to bio-based products grow.

More details on the FOR / Maine initiative can be found at formaine.org.

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Maine Forest Products Coalition selects Bangor marketing firm to lead industry growth and awareness campaign - Bangor Daily News

The future of nature and business: A blueprint for action | Greenbiz – GreenBiz

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The COVID-19 pandemic has proven to not be a health crisis alone but significantly has disrupted our food security, economic resilience and governance efficacy. Two things have become absolutely clear. First, business-as-usual on how we treat our planet and less-privileged sections of society is no longer viable. Second, humanity is capable of change fast, dramatic, unprecedented change.

We dont yet know how this crisis will end. The World Health Organization warns that worse is yet to come and the impact on the global economy is already unprecedented. IMF projects a contraction of the global economy by 4.9 percent in 2020. Big businesses are cutting millions of jobs, while thousands of small businesses are vanishing. In India, the lockdown led to 27 million young people losing their jobs, while 14 million U.S. citizens filed for unemployment between February and May.

The disproportionate impact of the pandemic on the marginalized, who have been harder hit both from a health and economic perspective, further has fueled the mass protests against racial and class-based injustice.

We need a structural change to recalibrate economic and societal values and provide a more sustainable underpinning for the future.

Underpinning all of this is the urgent need to stop the collapse of Earth systems. We need a structural change to recalibrate economic and societal values and provide a more sustainable underpinning for the future.

Responding to these multiple crises is a huge opportunity to transform the way we live, eat, grow, build and power our societies to launch what the World Economic Forum is calling the Great Reset. Businesses have a role to play in the transition towards a nature-positive-economy and there are wins for early movers.

Businesses have shown their willingness to uphold values of stakeholder capitalism in times of imminent hardship. While an IKEA kit helped hospitals in affected areas, LVMH refurbished its perfume factories to produce hand sanitizer. Surely, the breakdown of the natural systems vital for our survival qualifies for such swift and innovative collaboration. And we have seen in the past year that ESG and low-carbon fundssignificantly outperform general indices and the arrival of multiple zero-carbon and nature-positive unicorns.

The World Economic Forums new report on the Future of Nature and Business provides a blueprint for businesses to play a leadership role in shifting our economic model so that it is compatible with planetary boundaries. The report identified 15 priority transitions with the potential to generate $10.1 trillion in additional business value and create 395 million jobs in 10 years, allowing us to shift away from a resource-extractive model alone.

Specifically, the report identifies three socioeconomic systems that have the highest impact on nature loss and, therefore, also the ones with the largest opportunity to change: food, land and ocean use; infrastructure and the built environment; and extractives and energy. Together, these three systems represent over a third of the global economy and provide up to two-thirds of all jobs.

However, activities in these systems endanger almost 80 percent of the threatened and near-threatened species on the IUCN Red List. It is more urgent than ever to transition these systems are both sustainable and resilient for future.

The report offers a pragmatic action agenda for all businesses who want to build a nature-positive future, while offering significant opportunities for cross-sectoral collaboration and innovation.

Food, land and ocean use. Transforming this system to nature-positive could lead to almost $3.6 trillion of revenues and savings in the next 10 years, while creating 191 million new jobs.

What does this look like in the real world? One new model that incorporates several transitions is regenerative ocean farming. For example, GreenWaves vertical polyculture system which grows a mix of seaweeds and shellfish that produce higher yields, sequester carbon and rebuild reef ecosystems. Practicing this kind of farming across 5 percent of U.S. waters could absorb 135 million tonnes of carbon with no freshwater or other inputs. If expanded to just 1 percent of the global ocean, it could create 50 million jobs.

Infrastructure and the built environment. Transitioning this system towards being people- and nature-positive could generate $3 trillion and 117 million jobs by 2030. The changes needed include switching to a strategically compact built environment that would make our cities more efficient, less polluted and cheaper to build and operate, while allowing more land to be wild. For instance, in Europe, office-sharing could reduce urban sprawl by up to 74 million acres an area the size of Belgium while reducing investment costs and offering flexible working models in times of need.

Greener cities use nature-based solutions to their urban challenges. For instance, one of the Cape Town's main initiatives to avoid future water crises after 2018 is to restore its watersheds, which are severely affected by alien plant invasions. Protecting and restoring its watersheds not only would allow the city to generate enough water to meet a sixth of the citys current annual needs within six years but also do so at one-tenth the cost of other options.

Extractives and energy. Emerging business opportunities that improve efficiencies in how we extract and consumer resources while shifting to more renewable energy could create over $3.5 trillion worth of annual value and almost 87 million jobs by 2030.

Examples include embracing a nature-positive energy transition, that would enable to simultaneously meet climate and biodiversity targets. For instance, Elion, the first Chinese company to commit to 100 percent renewables, developed a comprehensive ecological restoration-based economic model. The model combines one of Chinas largest photovoltaic power stations with animal husbandry, ecotourism and medicinal plants that generate complementary revenue streams while restoring degraded soils. This package successfully has restored nearly 1.6 million acres in the Kubuqi Desert of Inner Mongolia, while obtaining good economic and social value.

Business must lead the way. The speed of change required, government budget constraints in the wake of COVID-19 and current failures in international cooperation mean business is best placed to drive the nature-positive transitions the world needs. To launch the transformation, business leaders should identify the transitions most relevant to their business and the mix of enablers including innovative financial investment models and smart technologies needed to unlock success. They also have a critical role to play in supporting governments to adopt the right policies that will unleash change at scale and facilitate these transitions.

We are at a critical juncture. Businesses have the unique capacity to spearhead our transformation to a more nature- and people-positive future. It is a chance to be at the vanguard of a new era of unlimited promise.

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The future of nature and business: A blueprint for action | Greenbiz - GreenBiz