Think tank: Study AI before letting it take over

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A scientific think tank that champions the development of artificial intelligence is calling for more research to avoid "potential pitfalls" of the technology.

In an open letter on its website, the Future of Life Institute (FLI)an initiative of scientists and engineers operating under the auspices of the Massachusetts Institute of Technologysaid the development of sentient machines has huge potential benefits.

Meanwhile, high profile figures such as Tesla founder Elon Musk and Stephen Hawking have issued emphatic warnings against AI, calling the technology a potential menace that could extinguish human life.

Read MoreMusk: 'Demon' Skynet almost self aware

In its open letter, however, the FLI tacitly bowed to those concerns.

Although the organization insisted that AI could potentially "eradicate disease and poverty," it called for wide ranging inquiry into how the technology gets developed in order to "maximize its societal benefits" without effectuating some of the worst case scenarios proposed by its opponents.

"We recommend expanded research aimed at ensuring that increasingly capable AI systems are robust and beneficial: our AI systems must do what we want them to do," the FLI wrote on its website.

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Think tank: Study AI before letting it take over

Think tank calls for more AI study

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A scientific think tank that champions the development of artificial intelligence is calling for more research to avoid "potential pitfalls" of the technology.

In an open letter on its website, the Future of Life Institute (FLI)an initiative of scientists and engineers operating under the auspices of the Massachusetts Institute of Technologysaid the development of sentient machines has huge potential benefits.

Meanwhile, high profile figures such as Tesla founder Elon Musk and Stephen Hawking have issued emphatic warnings against AI, calling the technology a potential menace that could extinguish human life.

Read MoreMusk: 'Demon' Skynet almost self aware

In its open letter, however, the FLI tacitly bowed to those concerns.

Although the organization insisted that AI could potentially "eradicate disease and poverty," it called for wide ranging inquiry into how the technology gets developed in order to "maximize its societal benefits" without effectuating some of the worst case scenarios proposed by its opponents.

"We recommend expanded research aimed at ensuring that increasingly capable AI systems are robust and beneficial: our AI systems must do what we want them to do," the FLI wrote on its website.

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Think tank calls for more AI study

U-Mary to offer doctorate in education

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The University of Mary will offer a doctorate degree in education beginning in the fall, the school announced Thursday.

"The population of leading administrators in K-12 is aging in our school communities," saidDean Rod Jonas of the Liffrig Family School of Education and Behavioral Science, in a press release."That, along with a rapid increase in jobs involving non-routine, analytic and interactive skills has created an urgent need for innovative leaders in preK-12 and post-secondary education to adequately prepare students for these jobs."

Applications for the three-year program, which has been approved by the Higher Learning Commission, will be accepted until April 1.

This is the third doctoral degree offered at U-Mary. The program's first group of students will graduate in May 2018.

Reach Amy R. Sisk at 701-250-8267 or amy.sisk@bismarcktribune.com.

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U-Mary to offer doctorate in education

Nato Coles and The Blue Diamond Band "Cowboy Song" (thin lizzy cover) @ Hexagon 12.31.14 – Video

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Nato Coles and The Blue Diamond Band "Cowboy Song" (thin lizzy cover) @ Hexagon 12.31.14
For more videos of minneapolis area bands, #39;like #39; UnderCurrentMPLS on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/UnderCurrentMPLS and subscribe to the UnderCurrentMPLS youtube channel: ...

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Nato Coles and The Blue Diamond Band "Cowboy Song" (thin lizzy cover) @ Hexagon 12.31.14 - Video

NSA targeted WikiLeaks, Pirate Bay, leaked documents show

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The latest revelations suggest that the US and UK singled out certain Web sites for surveillance, according to a report from The Intercept, which published classified documents.

The National Security Agency and the UK's Government Communications Headquarters targeted WikiLeaks and Pirate Bay -- and ultimately users of those sites as well, according to leaked files.

Examining a series of classified documents leaked by whistle-blower Edward Snowden, news site The Intercept reported on Tuesday that the NSA wanted to deem WikiLeaks a "malicious foreign actor." Such a designation would have subjected the site to extensive surveillance without the use of "defeats," an NSA action that aims to prevent US citizens from getting snared in the surveillance.

The UK's GCHQ went a step further by collecting the IP addresses of visitors to WikiLeaks along with the search terms they used to get to the site, according to a 2012 PowerPoint presentation. The presentation didn't reveal how extensive this monitoring was or if it's still active. But The Intercept referred to a surveillance tool X-Keyscore . Used by both the NSA and called GCHQ, X-Keyscore allows "an analyst to learn the IP addresses of every person who visits any Web site the analyst specifies."

The information documented in the leaked files also shows Pirate Bay and its users on the NSA's potential hit list. The agency considered using its surveillance to target the popular file-sharing site as a "malicious" foreign server, "even if there is a possibility that U.S. persons could be using it as well," The Intercept said.

Finally, one NSA exchange seemed to minimize the impact of snagging a US citizen in surveillance. A comment by the NSA's Office of General Counsel and the oversight and compliance office of its Threat Operations Center said that the discovery that an American has been selected for surveillance must be mentioned in a quarterly report, "but it's nothing to worry about."

In response to the leaked documents, Wikileaks founder Julian Assange released the following statement:

WikiLeaks strongly condemns the reckless and unlawful behavior of the National Security Agency. We call on the Obama administration to appoint a Special Prosecutor to investigate the extent of the NSA's criminal activity against the media including WikiLeaks and its extended network.

News that the NSA planned these operations at the level of its Office of the General Counsel is especially troubling. No less concerning are revelations that the US government deployed "elements of state power" to pressure European nations into abusing their own legal systems; and that the British spy agency GCHQ is engaged in extensive hostile monitoring of a popular publisher's website and its readers.

The NSA and its UK accomplices show no respect for the rule of law. But there is a cost to conducting illicit actions against a media organization. We have already filed criminal cases against the FBI and US military in multiple European jurisdictions. The FBI's paid informant, who attempted to sell information about me and my staff to the FBI, was imprisoned earlier this year.

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NSA targeted WikiLeaks, Pirate Bay, leaked documents show

Posted in NSA

NSA targeted WikiLeaks, Pirate Bay, say leaked documents

Posted on by

The latest revelations suggest that the US and UK singled out certain Web sites for surveillance, according to a report from The Intercept, which published classified documents.

The National Security Agency and the UK's Government Communications Headquarters targeted WikiLeaks and Pirate Bay -- and ultimately users of those sites as well, according to leaked files.

Examining a series of classified documents leaked by whistle-blower Edward Snowden, news site The Intercept reported on Tuesday that the NSA wanted to deem WikiLeaks a "malicious foreign actor." Such a designation would have subjected the site to extensive surveillance without the use of "defeats," an NSA action that aims to prevent US citizens from getting snared in the surveillance.

The UK's GCHQ went a step further by collecting the IP addresses of visitors to WikiLeaks along with the search terms they used to get to the site, according to a 2012 PowerPoint presentation. The presentation didn't reveal how extensive this monitoring was or if it's still active. But The Intercept referred to a surveillance tool X-Keyscore . Used by both the NSA and called GCHQ, X-Keyscore allows "an analyst to learn the IP addresses of every person who visits any Web site the analyst specifies."

The information documented in the leaked files also shows Pirate Bay and its users on the NSA's potential hit list. The agency considered using its surveillance to target the popular file-sharing site as a "malicious" foreign server, "even if there is a possibility that U.S. persons could be using it as well," The Intercept said.

Finally, one NSA exchange seemed to minimize the impact of snagging a US citizen in surveillance. A comment by the NSA's Office of General Counsel and the oversight and compliance office of its Threat Operations Center said that the discovery that an American has been selected for surveillance must be mentioned in a quarterly report, "but it's nothing to worry about."

In response to the leaked documents, Wikileaks founder Julian Assange released the following statement:

WikiLeaks strongly condemns the reckless and unlawful behavior of the National Security Agency. We call on the Obama administration to appoint a Special Prosecutor to investigate the extent of the NSA's criminal activity against the media including WikiLeaks and its extended network.

News that the NSA planned these operations at the level of its Office of the General Counsel is especially troubling. No less concerning are revelations that the US government deployed "elements of state power" to pressure European nations into abusing their own legal systems; and that the British spy agency GCHQ is engaged in extensive hostile monitoring of a popular publisher's website and its readers.

The NSA and its UK accomplices show no respect for the rule of law. But there is a cost to conducting illicit actions against a media organization. We have already filed criminal cases against the FBI and US military in multiple European jurisdictions. The FBI's paid informant, who attempted to sell information about me and my staff to the FBI, was imprisoned earlier this year.

The rest is here:

NSA targeted WikiLeaks, Pirate Bay, say leaked documents

Posted in NSA

The stingray assault: Get a warrant

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Law enforcement's warrantless use of surveillance technology ignores and mocks Fourth Amendment protections against unreasonable search and seizure. The latest insult to Americans' rights is the FBI's insistence that it can indiscriminately gather the identities and locations and intercept the calls and texts of those using cellphones in public places.

As we've noted before, the FBI does so via stingray devices that mimic cell towers. Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, and fellow member Patrick Leahy, D-Vt., are questioning an FBI policy exception that allows warrantless stingray use in public places.

So long as they're not shouting, cellphone users do have a reasonable expectation of privacy in public places. Warrantless cellphone monitoring there is just as unreasonable as seizing a letter written in a coffeehouse would be.

It's the same principle behind the Supreme Court ruling requiring warrants for GPS tracking of suspects' vehicles and behind nine states' laws, plus rulings by Massachusetts' and Florida's highest courts, requiring warrants for real-time cellphone tracking.

The FBI's warrantless stingray use necessitates more such judicial and legislative actions that guard against law-enforcement overreach by reinforcing the Fourth Amendment's essential requirement of getting a warrant.

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The stingray assault: Get a warrant

Montana Attorney General Joins Lawsuit Defending Second Amendment – Video

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Montana Attorney General Joins Lawsuit Defending Second Amendment
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Montana Attorney General Joins Lawsuit Defending Second Amendment - Video

Cryptocurrency Based Basic Income Program Started In Finland

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jovius writes: Krypto Fin ry, the association behind Fimkrypto cryptocurrency (FIMK), has started to provide each registered Finnish citizen a payment of 1000 FIMK per month in December. 1000 FIMK equals few dimes at the moment, and a bit over 100 people have registered so far. (The registration is free.)

FIMK is based on NXT 2nd generation crypto system; the add-ons and development making it into 2.5G. The roadmap includes payment cards and other technology to enable easier exchange between fiat currencies FIMK, Bitcoins and others. Krypto Fin ry received 533 BTC in initial donations last Summer. FIMK can be traded for example on DGEX, and it's also a valid payment method in few stores in Finland.

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Cryptocurrency Based Basic Income Program Started In Finland

ZapChain interview with Airbitz, Bitstamp gets hacked, bitcoin crashes, and 2015 bitcoin predictions – Video

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ZapChain interview with Airbitz, Bitstamp gets hacked, bitcoin crashes, and 2015 bitcoin predictions
Episode 1 of the ZapChain Bitcoin Show, hosted by Daniel Cawrey. New episodes every Tuesday on ZapChain.com. In this episode: - Interview with Paul Puey, CEO...

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ZapChain interview with Airbitz, Bitstamp gets hacked, bitcoin crashes, and 2015 bitcoin predictions - Video