Almost three-quarters of US companies have a deepfake response plan


Given the level of worry around the influence of deepfakes -- as we reported yesterday -- it's perhaps not surprising to learn that companies are developing their own deepfake response plans.
A new survey of over 2,600 global IT and cybersecurity professionals, from software recommendation engine GetApp, finds 73 percent of US respondents report that their organization has developed a deepfake response plan.
Google Research unveils AI-driven global flood forecasting system


Google Research has made a significant breakthrough in global flood forecasting, utilizing artificial intelligence (AI) to expand access to reliable flood forecasts, particularly in regions where data is scarce. Floods, being the most common natural disaster, inflict approximately $50 billion in financial damages annually and affect nearly 1.5 billion people worldwide. The advent of this AI-based system marks a crucial step in improving early warning systems, potentially saving thousands of lives each year.
The research showcases the use of machine learning (ML) technologies to enhance flood forecasting on a global scale. This advancement has extended the reliability of nowcasts from zero to five days on average and has improved forecasts across Africa and Asia to levels comparable to those in Europe. The evaluation of these models was conducted in collaboration with the European Center for Medium Range Weather Forecasting (ECMWF).