This post is on what I consider to be the most pressing problem in the world today. I lay out the theory underpinning information pollution, the significance and trajectory of the problem, and propose solutions (see bullets at the end). I encourage you to persist in reading this post, so that we can all continue this important conversation. Introduction

Does AI driven micro targeting of digital content violate human rights? The UN says ‘yes!’ Last month the United Nations published a document on AI and human rights with a particular focus on automated content distribution. The report focuses on the rights to freedom of opinion and expression, which are often excluded from public and political debates on artificial intelligence.

Donald Trump has just announced a likely build up of US nuclear capability The threat of nuclear war has probably never been higher, and continues to grow. Given emotional human nature, cognitive irrationality and distributed authority to strike, we have merely been lucky to avoid nuclear war to date. These new moves without a doubt raise the threat of a human extinction event in the near future.

The AI Forum NZ recently kicked-off six working groups to investigate a range of emerging issues around artificial intelligence and society. Working group #5 has its focus on Growing the AI Talent Pool. New Zealand is facing a shortage of technical workers capable of developing AI applications. In what follows I argue that ‘growing’ is the right metaphor to apply to responsibly solving this problem in the long term.

The cost of cancer care is rising and a review of the research literature on cancer care in Australia can teach many lessons to us in New Zealand. In Australia real costs for cancer per person (adjusting for inflation) have more than doubled in the last 25 years.

From the University of Otago Press Release about our latest study: Closing the border may make sense for New Zealand in some extreme pandemic situations, according to a newly published study of the costs and benefits of taking this step.

Several recent reports have argued that we need to take ‘an ethical approach’ when designing and using digital technologies, including artificial intelligence. Recent global events such as various Facebook, fake news, and Cambridge Analytica scandals appear to emphasize this need. But what does taking an ethical approach entail? Here are a few ideas I’ve spent Sunday morning thinking about.

We have just published an article (free online) on existential risks – with a NZ perspective. ¹ A blog version is hosted by SciBlogs . What follows is the introduction to that blog: Do we value future people? Do we care about the wellbeing of people who don’t yet exist?

Last week the AI forum New Zealand released its report ‘Artificial Intelligence: Shaping a future New Zealand’. I wish to commend the authors for an excellent piece of horizon scanning, which lays the foundation for a much-needed ongoing discussion about AI and New Zealand, because, like the Wild West there is much as yet unknown regarding AI. Microsoft was at pains to point this out in their ‘The Future Computed’ report published earlier

So you want to quit smoking. But you want to do it right, with expert advice and evidence-based information. Should you ask Siri? This week my co-author Nick Wilson and I published results of a pilot study reporting how effective personal digital assistants are at providing information or advice to help you quit smoking. As far as we are aware our study is the first study looking at whether Siri or Google Assistant can help you quit.

Everyone knows that socio-economic inequalities in health exist – in recent times. But one thing we do not know is whether they have always been there. Adapt Research Ltd contributed to a just published study that looks at two historical datasets – with one of these suggesting life span differences by occupational class as measured 100 years ago.