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NDTV
14-05-2025
- Automotive
- NDTV
After Worst Crash In Decades, Sri Lanka To Monitor Bus Drivers Using AI
Sri Lanka will use artificial intelligence to monitor bus drivers and make seat belts mandatory on public transport, a government minister said on Wednesday, after the country's worst bus crash in two decades killed 23 people. The South Asian nation, which records an average of 3,000 road fatalities annually, has some of the most dangerous roads in the world. Buses are to be equipped with driver monitoring systems from next year, while seat belts will become compulsory on public transport from June, Transport Minister Bimal Rathnayake told reporters in Colombo. It came after an overcrowded bus carrying dozens of Buddhist pilgrims plummeted into a precipice on Sunday. The changes are aimed at "educating motorists to develop a better driving culture and improving safety standards", Rathnayake said. "We are going to make AI-backed driver observation systems mandatory on all buses from next year, and we will expand them to all long-distance trucks as well." The minister said the cause of Sunday's crash in the tea-growing mountainous region of Kotmale was still being investigated, but that two more passengers had died, raising the toll to 23. Fifty-four passengers were admitted to the hospital, Rathnayake said, adding that preliminary inquiries had found no immediate indication of driver error. Another driver had reported a problem with the bus's steering wheel the day before, but managers said it was attended to. Sunday's crash off a cliffside road was the deadliest recorded in Sri Lanka since April 2005. The state-owned bus was carrying around 77 passengers -- about 20 more than its capacity. In March 2021, 13 passengers and the driver of a privately owned bus died when the vehicle crashed into a precipice in Passara, about 100 kilometers (62 miles) east of the site of Sunday's crash.
New Indian Express
14-05-2025
- Automotive
- New Indian Express
Sri Lanka to monitor bus drivers with AI after worst crash in decades
COLOMBO: Sri Lanka will use artificial intelligence to monitor bus drivers and make seat belts mandatory on public transport, a government minister said on Wednesday, after the country's worst bus crash in two decades killed 23 people. The South Asian nation, which records an average of 3,000 road fatalities annually, has some of the most dangerous roads in the world. Buses are to be equipped with driver monitoring systems from next year, while seat belts will become compulsory on public transport from June, Transport Minister Bimal Rathnayake told reporters in Colombo. It came after an overcrowded bus carrying dozens of Buddhist pilgrims plummeted into a precipice on Sunday. The changes are aimed at "educating motorists to develop a better driving culture and improving safety standards", Rathnayake said. "We are going to make AI-backed driver observation systems mandatory on all buses from next year, and we will expand them to all long-distance trucks as well."
Emirates 24/7
01-05-2025
- Business
- Emirates 24/7
PCFC Launches 'Digital Zero Four' to Drive Global Technological Innovation in the Logistics Sector
In a strategic move marking a major shift in innovation and smart technology, the Ports, Customs and Free Zone Corporation (PCFC) officially announced the launch of 'Digital Zero Four' the first national company specializing in smart transformation of commercial operations and the development of digital solutions that support global economic growth. On this occasion, H.E. Sultan Ahmed bin Sulayem, Chairman of the Ports, Customs and Free Zone Corporation, emphasized that the establishment of the company and its launch from Dubai—widely recognized as the leading hub for innovation and smart technology solutions and the global capital of trade and economy—reaffirms the Corporation's commitment to cementing Dubai's status as a world center for technology, smart systems, and logistics and trade operations. He noted that Digital 04mwill serve as a digital gateway for the most advanced smart solutions in global business, trade, and logistics services, including ports and maritime transport. Bin Sulayem stated, 'Today, with the launch of Digital 04, we are proud to lead global technological innovation and export our pioneering services in the port sector—developed through innovative use of technology and digital services—to the world. Our aim is to make Dubai a model city for managing logistics services using the best technologies developed by our national talents specialized in technology and artificial intelligence'. He added that the launch of Digital Zero Four is a result of the Corporation's artificial intelligence strategy and aligns with the goals of the Dubai Economic Agenda D33, launched by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President, Prime Minister, and Ruler of Dubai. It embodies Dubai's forward-looking vision by investing in human capital and advanced technology, leveraging the emirate's world-class infrastructure, and strengthening its position as one of the most business-friendly environments for both national and international investments. H.E. Nasser Al Neyadi, CEO of the Ports, Customs and Free Zone Corporation, stated: 'We are proud to launch Digital Zero Four as a commercial front for our technological excellence in the logistics sector. Our national team has developed AI-powered solutions that are transforming multiple industries. Through this new arm, we aim to export innovation to global markets and further boost Dubai's position as a global center for smart technologies and digital transformation'. Al Neyadi explained that Digital Zero Four focuses on providing AI-backed services and solutions that enhance efficiency and institutional growth across key sectors, including commercial licensing, civil engineering, port security, maritime operations, and advanced customs solutions. The company will be managed by the PCFC's Technology and Digital Transformation sector, ensuring a blend of institutional expertise and advanced digital innovation. Follow Emirates 24|7 on Google News.
Yahoo
25-03-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
AI hiring software was biased against deaf employees, ACLU alleges in ADA case
This story was originally published on HR Dive. To receive daily news and insights, subscribe to our free daily HR Dive newsletter. Financial software company Intuit allegedly used AI-backed hiring assessment software provided by third-party vendor HireVue that discriminated against deaf and non-White individuals, the ACLU of Colorado asserted in a March 19 complaint to the Colorado Civil Rights Division and the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. The tool at issue, an AI-backed video interview platform, performs worse when evaluating non-White and deaf or hard of hearing speakers, according to the complaint. A deaf and Indigenous Intuit customer service employee was required to use the platform when she applied for a promotion, the complaint claimed. The employee allegedly requested human-generated captioning as an accommodation so she could access interview instructions and questions. Intuit allegedly denied the request and after the interview, rejected her for the promotion due to her communication style, according to the complaint. The ACLU alleged that Intuit's and HireVue's actions violated the Americans with Disabilities Act, Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Colorado Anti-Discrimination Act. In an email statement to HR Dive, HireVue CEO Jeremy Friedman said the complaint 'is entirely without merit and is based on an inaccurate assumption about the technology used in the interview. Intuit did not use a HireVue AI-based assessment.' Friedman added that, 'although HireVue's AI was not used in this instance, our industrial-organizational psychologists and data scientists are continuously engaged in research, including sensitive and important work around race, ability, and other protected statuses.' A spokesperson for Intuit told HR Dive in an email that, 'The allegations in the complaint are entirely without merit. We provide reasonable accommodations to all candidates.' HR managers are familiar with advantages AI-backed hiring tools can provide, including automating tasks like candidate screening and predicting a candidate's success, Stradley Ronon partner Melanie Ronen noted in an October 2024 op-ed to HR Dive. But HR professionals should also be aware of, and work to prevent, algorithmic bias — systematic and repeatable errors in AI-assisted processes that can lead to unintentional discrimination, Ronen stressed. The AI-automated video interview system allegedly used in the Intuit case relies on automated speech recognition systems that may fail to accurately recognize and assess the speech of deaf applicants or the English dialects of Indigenous applicants, the ACLU said. Here, the system allegedly failed to accurately reflect the employee's knowledge, skills and abilities and screened her out, or tended to screen her out, for promotion because of her race and/or disability, the complaint asserted. For employers looking to the EEOC's website for guidance, they won't find it. The agency rescinded documents related to AI and workplace discrimination following President Donald Trump's executive order scrubbing his predecessor's mandate to protect civil rights in AI use and his order rolling back government oversight of AI. However, federal anti-discrimination laws still apply, the Husch Blackwell law firm emphasized in a February blog. In particular, employers remain liable for disparate impact discrimination under Title VII, which can happen when AI disproportionately excludes protected groups, and for disability discrimination under the ADA due to AI systems screening out candidates because of disability-related characteristics, the blog explained. Additionally, 'employers can still be held responsible for AI-related discrimination, even if the tool was developed and implemented by a third-party vendor,' the law firm said. Employers should also keep up-to-date with state and local laws — including those in Colorado and Illinois — set to take effect as the federal government pulls back, Husch Blackwell noted. New York City's law, which took effect in 2023, requires employers to audit automated decision tools for hiring or promotion and notify employees and candidates before using them. To help prevent AI-related unlawful discrimination, HR leaders can take proactive steps, such as performing adverse impact assessments to confirm AI is not operating to favor or exclude groups, Ronen suggested. She also recommended reviewing contracts with vendors to make sure they keep up with the latest AI-related standards. Recommended Reading Applicant says Workday AI bias lawsuit should be nationwide collective action
ARN News Center
19-03-2025
- Business
- ARN News Center
Abu Dhabi agrees multi-year Microsoft-G42 partnership
Abu Dhabi government has partnered with Microsoft, and Core42, a G42 company, for a multi-year partnership to implement AI-backed cloud system aimed at improving government service efficiency. The partnership will see the creation of a unified, high-performance sovereign cloud computing environment capable of processing more than 11 million daily digital interactions between Abu Dhabi Government entities, citizens, residents, and businesses. His Highness Sheikh Tahnoon bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Ruler of Abu Dhabi and National Security Adviser, witnessed the signing of the landmark agreement between Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella, Peng Xiao, Group CEO of G42, and Ahmed Tamim Hisham Al Kuttab, Chairman of Department of Government Enablement – Abu Dhabi. Abu Dhabi government's ambition is to enable the world's first fully AI-native government by 2027. It aims to automate 100 per cent of its government processes, supported by AED13 billion ($3.54 billion) investment in digital infrastructure through the Abu Dhabi Government Digital Strategy 2025-2027. The Strategy will see amongst many things, over 200 AI-driven solutions deployed to improve public service delivery, boost operational productivity, and contribute to environmental sustainability. This is reflected in innovations such as TAMM 3.0, Abu Dhabi's one-stop government services app, which has reduced the number of offline customer visits by 90 per cent and made more than 73 per cent of transactions instantaneous. "AI will transform how governments operate and serve their citizens everywhere, and Abu Dhabi is leading the way," highlighted Nadella, adding that the partnership will "set a standard for AI adoption in the public sector... and help Abu Dhabi become the world's first AI-native government". Ahmed Al Kuttab added that the partnership "is a critical milestone in our digital transformation. By combining Microsoft's cloud technologies, G42's AI expertise, and the Government's strategic vision, we are helping to enable a powerful platform that will redefine government services". Sheikh Tahnoon, who is in the US on an official visit, also held talks with US Secretary of the Treasury Scott Bessent. In a post on social media platform X, Sheikh Tahnoon confirmed that the talks looked at further strengthening cooperation in the economic, financial, and advanced technology sectors, including artificial intelligence, energy and infrastructure. "We also addressed the developments associated with these areas and explored ways to further strengthen them," he wrote. Today, I met with the U.S. Secretary of the Treasury, @SecScottBessent, where we discussed avenues for mutual cooperation in the economic, financial, and advanced technology sectors, including artificial intelligence, energy and infrastructure, between the UAE and the US. We… — Tahnoon Bin Zayed Al Nahyan (@hhtbzayed) March 18, 2025
