Year archives: 2023

Why Google, Bing and other search engines’ embrace of generative AI threatens $68 billion SEO industry

Dr. Ravi Sen discusses how Google, Microsoft and others boast that generative artificial intelligence tools like ChatGPT will make searching the internet better than ever for users. For example, rather than having to wade through a sea of URLs, users will be able to just get an answer combed from the entire internet. There are also some concerns with the rise of AI-fueled search engines, such as the opacity over where information comes from, the potential for “hallucinated” answers and copyright issues. But one other consequence is that I believe it may destroy the US$68 billion search engine optimization industry that companies like Google helped create.

Subjects: AI, AI in Banking and Finance, Economy, Search Engines, Search Strategies

Pete Recommends – Weekly highlights on cyber security issues, October 21, 2023

Privacy and cybersecurity issues impact every aspect of our lives – home, work, travel, education, finance, health and medical records – to name but a few. On a weekly basis Pete Weiss highlights articles and information that focus on the increasingly complex and wide ranging ways technology is used to compromise and diminish our privacy and online security, often without our situational awareness. Six highlights from this week: LinkedIn Phishing Scam Exploits Smart Links to Steal Microsoft Accounts; Digital Dystopia – The Danger in Buying What the EdTech Surveillance Industry is Selling; Login.gov to add facial recognition tech; Temporary moratorium on use of facial recognition in NY; The Fake Browser Update Scam Gets a Makeover; and How to Spot and Avoid Zelle Scams in 2023.

Subjects: AI, Civil Liberties, Cybercrime, Cybersecurity, Education, Government Resources, Privacy, Technology Trends

Predictive Policing Software Terrible At Predicting Crimes

Crime predictions generated for the police department in Plainfield, New Jersey, rarely lined up with reported crimes, an analysis by The Markup has found, adding new context to the debate over the efficacy of crime prediction software. Geolitica, known as PredPol until a 2021 rebrand, produces software that ingests data from crime incident reports and produces daily predictions on where and when crimes are most likely to occur. Aaron Sankin, Investigative Reporter and Surya Mattu, Senior Data Engineer and Investigative Data Journalist examined 23,631 predictions generated by Geolitica between Feb. 25 to Dec. 18, 2018 for the Plainfield Police Department (PD). Each prediction they analyzed from the company’s algorithm indicated that one type of crime was likely to occur in a location not patrolled by Plainfield PD. In the end, the success rate was less than half a percent. Fewer than 100 of the predictions lined up with a crime in the predicted category, that was also later reported to police.

Subjects: Big Data, Civil Liberties, Criminal Law, Data Mining, Privacy, Spyware, Technology Trends

2023 Developments in Legal AI and the Courts

Jocelyn Stilwell-Tong, Law Librarian, California Court of Appeal, Sixth Appellate District, has determined that although free AI online is useful, the developing products from major legal research platforms show great promise. These paid products control for issues like hallucinations, and provide citations supporting their work so a researcher can confirm the accuracy and context of the materials the AI is pulling from. Issues surrounding data governance (what the company does with your uploaded material and search history) can be controlled by contract, and the legal vendors understand that this is a concern for most legal clients.

Subjects: AI, KM, Law Librarians, Legal Research, LEXIS, Technology Trends, Westlaw

AI in Banking and Finance, October 15, 2023

This semi-monthly column by Sabrina I. Pacifici highlights news, government reports, industry white papers, academic papers and speeches on the subject of AI’s fast paced impact on the banking and finance sectors. The chronological links provided are to the primary sources, and as available, indicate links to alternate free versions. Each entry includes the publication name, date published, article title and abstract. Five highlights from this week: Bias, fairness, and other ethical dimensions in artificial intelligence; US Warns EU’s Landmark AI Policy Will Only Benefit Big Tech; Federal Reserve Vice Chair for Supervision Michael Barr said generative artificial intelligence could lead to a cybersecurity “arms race” for bank; Exporting the Surveillance State via Trade in AI; and Does Human-Algorithm Feedback Loop Lead to Error Propagation? Evidence from Zillow’s Zestimate.

Subjects: AI in Banking and Finance, Cybercrime, Cybersecurity, Financial System, Legal Research, Privacy

Pete Recommends – Weekly highlights on cyber security issues, October 14, 2023

Privacy and cybersecurity issues impact every aspect of our lives – home, work, travel, education, finance, health and medical records – to name but a few. On a weekly basis Pete Weiss highlights articles and information that focus on the increasingly complex and wide ranging ways technology is used to compromise and diminish our privacy and online security, often without our situational awareness. Four highlights from this week: Phishers Spoof USPS, 12 Other Natl’ Postal Services; Privacy professionals need to be aware of tech abuse; Is That ATM Safe? 8 Tips to Protect Your Debit or Credit Card; and Cybercrime Classification and Measurement.

Subjects: Congress, Cybercrime, Cybersecurity, Economy, Financial System, Government Resources, Privacy

Pete Recommends – Weekly highlights on cyber security issues, October 7, 2023

Privacy and cybersecurity issues impact every aspect of our lives – home, work, travel, education, finance, health and medical records – to name but a few. On a weekly basis Pete Weiss highlights articles and information that focus on the increasingly complex and wide ranging ways technology is used to compromise and diminish our privacy and online security, often without our situational awareness. Four highlights from this week: Delete your digital history from dozens of companies with this app; Need a VPN? Here Are the Ones You Can Officially Trust; H&R Block, Meta, and Google Slapped With RICO Suit; and 3 Chatbot Privacy Risks and Concerns You Should Know About.

Subjects: AI, Congress, Cybercrime, Cybersecurity, Financial System, Firewalls, Legal Research, Legislative, Privacy, United States Law

LLRX September 2023 Issue

Articles and Columns for September 2023 Adding a ‘Group Advisory Layer’ to Your Use of Generative AI Tools Through Structured Prompting: The G-A-L Method – The emergence of Large Language Models (LLMs) in legal research signifies a transformative shift – Dennis Kennedy asks us to Imagine a world where expert advice is at your fingertips, instantly …

Subjects: KM

AI in Banking and Finance, September 30, 2023

This semi-monthly column by Sabrina I. Pacifici highlights news, government reports, industry white papers, academic papers and speeches on the subject of AI’s fast paced impact on the banking and finance sectors. The chronological links provided are to the primary sources, and as available, indicate links to alternate free versions. Each entry includes the publication name, date published, article title and abstract. Four highlights from this week: European Central Bank Is Experimenting With a New Tool: A.I.; UM expert testifies on the dangers of AI in banking; 80% of Large Enterprise Finance Teams Will Use Internal AI Platforms by 2026.; and Five Use Cases for CFOs with Generative AI. Q&A with Alex Bant.

Subjects: AI in Banking and Finance, Business Research, Financial System, Legal Research

Adding a ‘Group Advisory Layer’ to Your Use of Generative AI Tools Through Structured Prompting: The G-A-L Method

Dennis Kennedy asks us to Imagine a world where expert advice is at your fingertips, instantly available, tailored just for you. Think of a tool that’s always ready to give expert advice, without the need for complex coding or tech skills. The Group Advisory Layer Method (G-A-L Method™) revolutionizes decision-making by merging traditional principles of mastermind groups and advisory boards with the cutting-edge capabilities of generative AI. Traditional advisory boards, often hindered by logistics and time constraints, meet their match as the G-A-L Method offers on-demand, diverse, and tailored insights, all without the real-world hassle. It’s like having a virtual team you can chat with any time, made up of tireless AI-created ‘personas’ that act like real people. Instead of juggling schedules or waiting for feedback, you get quick and practical tips from this always-on expert team. The G-A-L Method pioneers dynamic group interactions using personas to give you practical, just-in-time expert advice. What’s more, it makes sure real people (like you) are involved where they add the most value. With the G-A-L Method, you’re not just listening to machines – you’re teaming up with them. This white paper by Dennis Kennedy, well-known legal tech and innovation advisor, law professor, infotech lawyer, professional speaker, author, and podcaster, is an invitation to unlock the untapped potential of these generative AI tools in a practical, structured way to move your efforts forward. Kennedy states that we are poised at the brink of a transformative era where informed decisions can be made rapidly and confidently. The G-A-L Method is more than a technique—it’s a game-changer.

Subjects: AI, Education, KM, Legal Research