Introducing the CoTalent Tech Review! A round-up of the most exciting trends and developments shaping the tech landscape in Australia and around the world.

From calamitous data scandals to massive advancements in artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning, 2018 has already been a rollercoaster year in the world of tech. There is no doubt that technology is moving faster than ever and we want to help you stay on top of the latest trends. So grab a coffee and enjoy the first round up of our CoTalent Tech Review series.

Millions earmarked for AI and machine learning projects in Australia.

The Australian government will boost funding to advance AI and machine learning capabilities in the country. Millions of dollars are being allocated to develop AI ethics frameworks, boost machine learning-focused PhD scholarships, and improve satellite navigation.

Find out more about the proposed initiatives on CIO.

Google responds to Duplex backlash.

Google’s new virtual assistant, Duplex, which uses AI to mimic a human voice, has raised countless ethical dilemmas amongst tech critics who fear the technology is being developed without proper regulation. Duplex is not yet a working product, but it is already provoking heated debates. Google has released a statement to combat the outrage, explaining that the system will identify itself to humans.

Find out more about the experimental tech on The Verge.

Apple, Uber and Microsoft approved for drone pilot programme.

Ten states across the U.S. have been approved to launch a three-year commercial drone pilot programme to explore the future of drone delivery. Alphabet, Apple, Intel, Microsoft, and Uber are among the companies chosen to partake in the programme, but Amazon was not approved.

Learn more about the Federal drone pilot programme on Inc.

New Google OS tools to help with tech addiction.

Google is launching a new “digital wellbeing” initiative, designed to help users keep their tech habits in check. The company is developing new tools such as an “app timer,” which is a “wind down” feature to encourage customers to find the right balance with technology. The new controls are expected with the upcoming release of Android P.

Read more about the new features on Entrepreneur.

Could blockchain solve Facebook’s data issues?

Facebook, who is no stranger to the headlines lately, has announced that it’s forming a new team to focus on blockchain technology. In light of the latest data leak scandal, IBM’s blockchain expert believes blockchain technology could be the answer to Facebook’s data and security problems.

Learn more about how blockchain technology could solve Facebook’s biggest business challenges on Fortune.

How synthetic data will democratise the tech industry as we know it.

To date, the advances in machine learning and AI have been a competitive advantage for the most powerful tech companies in the world. But the advent of synthetic data is disrupting the status quo.

Start-ups can solve their cold start problem by creating data simulators to generate contextually relevant data to train their algorithms. This advancement could be a game changer for many industries including healthcare, robotics and transportation.

Learn how synthetic data is levelling the playing field between tech giants and startups at TechCrunch.

Themes of ethical developments and the democratisation of technology are certainly ramping up in the headlines at the moment – a long overdue trend that we hope to see a lot more of in 2018. Here at CoTalent, we like to keep our finger on the pulse of the tech industry and think it’s important that you do too! Stay tuned for our next round-up of the CoTalent Tech Review.

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