Hi Friends,

Even as I launch this today ( my 80th Birthday ), I realize that there is yet so much to say and do. There is just no time to look back, no time to wonder,"Will anyone read these pages?"

With regards,
Hemen Parekh
27 June 2013

Now as I approach my 90th birthday ( 27 June 2023 ) , I invite you to visit my Digital Avatar ( www.hemenparekh.ai ) – and continue chatting with me , even when I am no more here physically

Wednesday, 26 July 2017

Can Supreme Stop This ?



Times of India ( 26 July ) carries following report :




“ First US co puts chips in workers “


On August 1 , employees at Three Square Market , a technology company in the US can choose to have a chip , the size of a grain of rice , injected between their thumb and index finger


Once that is done, any task involving RFID ( radio frequency identification ) technology – swiping into the office building, paying for food in the cafeteria – can be accomplished with a wave of the hand


Alessandro Acquisti  , a professor of IT and public policy at Carnegie Mellon University’s Heinz College , says ,


“ Technology designed for one purpose may later be used for another , A micro-chip implanted to allow for easy building access could , in theory , be used later , for example , to track the length of employees’ lunch breaks , without their knowledge


Todd Westby, the chief executive of Three Square, emphasized that the chip’s capabilities were limited.


“ It’s not a GPS tracking device . Your cellphone does 100 times more reporting of data than does an RFID chip “





I had described a similar experiment , under way at the Belgian firm , NewFusion , in my earlier blog :


Internet of  Humans  [  09  Feb  2017  ]




With the raging debate ( in the Supreme Court and the popular media ) re the “ Right to Privacy “ , there is no chance that this chip implant technology will find its way to India , any time soon



But as Todd Westby hinted :

A SMART PHONE COULD DO ALL THAT THE IMPLANTED RFID CHIP CAN DO – AND MUCH MORE !


================================


Marking attendance using a Smart Phone , is a “ No Brainer “  !


To know how this can be done , read :


From  BAD  to  MAD ( 01  Jan  2016  )



HOW “ part is no Rocket Science !


Prepare to be amazed by the WHY , as explained by me , in this blog !


If Mukesh Ambani were to read this , he would make “ Attendance Recording  App “ , a built-in feature of his about to be released JIO ( 4G ) phone ( HR managers would endorse this )



That would persuade  millions of Indian Employers to fork out Rs 1500 deposit , and give  these  JIO phones to ALL of their employees  !


Wrong Question :  “ Can Supreme stop this ? “



Right  Question  :   “ Should Supreme resist this or direct the Central Government to
                             implement this Mobile based Attendance  System ? “




27  July  2017


Reducing Black Money : The Grand Strategy ?



Today’s Hindustan Times reports :


·         RBI stopped printing Rs 2,000 notes about 5 months ago


·         It is unlikely to print more 2000 rupee notes in the current financial year


·         Total Rs 2000 notes printed so far =  Rs  7.4 trillion  (  3.7 billion pieces  )


·         Rs 1000 notes withdrawn              =  Rs  6.3 trillion  (  6.3 billion pieces  )


·         New Rs 500 notes printed so far    =  Rs   7   trillion  (  14 billion pieces   )


·         Old Rs 500 notes withdrawn          =  Rs  7.85 trillion ( 15.7 billion pieces )


·         Currency in circulation                  =  Rs  15.22 trillion(86 % of “ before Demo “)


·         Rs 200 notes under printing to come into circulation in Aug


·         Initially , about 1 BILLION pieces of Rs 200 notes will get released

==============================


The ostensible reason being advanced for the introduction of Rs 200 notes is :


It will make life easy for citizens who badly need a currency note smaller than Rs 500 , for their day to day expenses ( so true ! )


Could it also be that , the Government plans to gradually  WITHDRAW  from circulation , Rs 2000 notes ?


Thereby making difficult , large scale transactions in CASH , involving Rs 2000 notes ( - obviously , BLACK MONEY transactions ) ?


You need to carry only ONE KG worth Rs 2000 notes for a transaction of Rs 20 lakh


But same amount in Rs 200 notes , will require to lug 10 KG ! Not very inconspicuous !


If so , this step is very welcome



But that GRAND STRATEGY will remain incomplete without introduction of ULTRA NEW notes of Rs 2000 , made out of plastic and embedded with RFID chips , as suggested by me in :


Embrace  the Inevitable  [  13  Nov  2016  ]





And with RFID chip embedded , there will be no need for :



·         Top Secret  / sudden / surprise announcement


·         A small 50 day window for exchange



In my plan , both ( old and the new notes of Rs 2000 ) , can continue to be legal tenders , with ONE YEAR overlap !




26  July  2017





Tuesday, 25 July 2017

Artificial Intelligence : Destroyer of Privacy ?



Hindustan Times ( 26 July ) carries following report :




“ Elon Musk escalates row with Zuckerberg over AI “



The ongoing spat between tech honchos Elon Musk and Mark Zuckerberg escalated on Tuesday, with the Space X and Tesla CEO saying the Facebook creator’s understanding of artificial intelligence (AI) is “ limited ”.

Zuckerberg had earlier claimed Musk’s warnings of the dangers of AI were “irresponsible” and castigated him for arguing that care and regulation is needed to safeguard the future if AI were to become mainstream.

“I think people who are naysayers and try to drum up these doomsday scenarios – I just, I don’t understand it. It’s really negative and in some ways I actually think it is pretty irresponsible,” Zuckerberg had said.

In response, Musk shot back with a tweet on Tuesday, writing, “I’ve talked to Mark about this. His understanding of the subject is limited.”

Musk had ignited a global discussion on the dangers of AI back in 2014, when he predicted that machines that are smarter than humans would spell “doom” for mankind. He is involved in a startup called Neuralink that intends to build devices to connect the human brain with computers.

Meanwhile, Zuckerberg considers himself an optimist when it comes to AI. Inspired by Iron Man’s AI assistant Jarvis, the Facebook chief has coded and developed his own artificial assistant which can control his home — including lights, temperature, appliances, music and security — that learned his tastes, and can even entertain his daughter Max.

The system he developed uses several AI techniques, including natural language processing, speech recognition, face recognition and reinforcement learning.



Even if we are not sold on Musk’s idea that AI powered Robots will spell “ doom “ for the mankind , there is no doubt that Zuckerberg has designed his assistant  JARVIS  in such a way that it observes Mark – and his daughter – all through the day and “ learns “ WHAT THEY ARE DOING , HOW THEY ARE DOING , WHY THEY ARE DOING

With all this “ learning “ ( info shared voluntarily by the Zuckerberg household ) , Jarvis keeps getting better

Not so frightening , as yet !

Now extend this scenario to JARVIS ( and similar devices from Microsoft / Google / Amazon / Apple etc) sitting inside a million households and picking up info about the behaviours ( including spoken words / facial expressions ) of a BILLION persons and relaying to the CLOUD [ - in 2 years , JARVIS will shrink / morph into that smart phone in your pocket ! ]

That is , “ accumulating / filtering / multiplying / analysing / extrapolating “ HUMAN INTELLIGENCE  of a billion persons

This will be the TIPPING POINT , when Artificial Intelligence will overtake the Human Intelligence !

AND THIS WILL COME ABOUT THROUGH VOLUNTARY ( - OR INVOLUNTARY ) SHARING OF PERSONAL INFO BY A BILLION PERSONS

If you still entertain doubts about  the future of  PRIVACY , here is what Eric Schmidt and Jared Cohen ( both of Google ) wrote in ,

The New Digital Age ( pg 57 ) - 2013  :

" In an open democracy , where free expression and responsive governance feed the public’s impulse to share, citizens will increasingly serve as judge and jury of their peers

More available data about everyone will only intensify the trends we see today

Every opinion will find space in an expansive virtual landscape , real-time updating will foster hyperactive social and civil spheres, and the ubiquity of social networking will allow everyone to play celebrity, paparazzo and voyeur , all at once

Each person will produce a voluminous amount of data about himself – his past and present , his likes and choices , his aspirations and daily habits

Like today, much of this will be “ opt-in “, meaning the user deliberately choose to share content for some undefined social or commercial reason ; but some of it won’t be

Also like today, many online platforms will relay data back to companies and third parties about user activity WITHOUT THEIR EXPRESS KNOWLEDGE

PEOPLE WILL SHARE MORE THAN THEY’RE EVEN AWARE OF "



26  July  2017


Monday, 24 July 2017

Seeing AI through Google Glass ?



In my yesterday’s blog , I mentioned Microsoft’s Mobile app “ SeeingAI



It is supposed to “interpret the EMOTIONS “ of the person being photographed


Later , in the evening , when someone took my photo ( iPhone required ) , “ Seeing AI “ screen read ( it can SPEAK too , since it is meant for blind persons ) :


“ A 85 year old man with face showing neutral expression “


100 % correct  !  100 %  spooky  !


What would “ Seeing   AI “ tell you if you were to take a photo of ,


#   Now illegal currency note of Rs 1,000  ?

#   A 8 month pregnant woman ?



I do not want to spoil your amazement  !



Next year , I expect  “ Seeing AI “ ( an Android version ) to read / speak :


“ 86 years old Hemen Parekh , with an expression of amusement listening to the futile
  debate on Right to Privacy




And in another 3 years , no need for that intruder of your privacy, to carry a iPhone .


Just watch out for anyone wearing  the latest version / imitation of Google Glass and looking at you from 20 feet away (unfortunately , every glass-wearing person you meet in a Conference Room , cannot be sued for breach of privacy ! )


Not only will he READ on the glass screen , EVERYTHING about you , but also LISTEN every word that you are uttering ( lip-reading apps are already being experimented )


Eric Schmidt and Jared Cohen ( both from Google ) wrote in 2013 ,


“ The New Digital Age “( pg 56 ) :



 “ Individuals will still have some discretion over what they share from their devices , but it will be IMPOSSIBLE to control what others capture and share “



To know what those devices would  “ capture and share “ about you , look up :





To keep your BP down and your Sanity up , resign to the inevitable !





25  July  2017







Sunday, 23 July 2017

Supreme may Propose : Technology will Dispose



Last week , I sent following emails to the Supreme Court [ SupremeCourt@nic.in ] :


·         Privacy?  Perish the Thought !  (  19 July )



·          


While debating whether our Constitution does ( or does not ) provide for an individual citizen’s RIGHT to PRIVACY , it becomes necessary to also debate the following :


·         Should larger  “ Societal Good “  prevail over an individual’s right to privacy – especially if no violation of dignity is involved  ?


·         If I am unable to stop junk advts arriving in my physical mail box ( pamphlets / literature ) , should I feel offended with email such as :

“ Hey ! Since you are sending so many emails to Nandan Nilekani , would you like to read his book , “ Re-imagining India “ ? “


·             Can the world-wide  March of Technology  be stopped by India’s Supreme Court
     by dictating , who cannot “ invent “ , what ?


     Eg : Without explicit permission from the person concerned  :


     #  Smart phones which read human dreams and “message “ to WhatsApp group


     #  Spectacles ( ala Google Glass ) which allow wearer to take 1 hr videos of

         anyone / anytime , walking on the road and upload on the CLOUD


    #   Wrist bands which measure precise drug level in blood and alert the Police


    #   Shirt-mounted Cameras worn by Mumbai Police to capture video / audio of
         traffic offenders


    #   RFID collars around the necks of prisoners on parole , to track their
         Movements


    #   Currency Notes made of flexible / conducting Plastic , capable of capturing the
         finger-prints of every person who handles it and then relaying that info to
         Income Tax department


    #   TV sets that “ record and transmit “ , what you are watching ( like web site
         cookies ) . All you did was to switch on the TV . Who said anything about
         permission ?


    #   Clothes that you forgot to wear for 6 months , announcing their own “ sale “
          on E bay website (and , without asking your permission , revealing what
          private under-clothes you wear , to entire world  ! )



         Read : Help! Please , Rescue me ! 



·         Can our Supreme Court tell :


Zuckerberg  > Don’t deploy drones -lasers, beaming internet signals to Indians


Sundar Pichai  >  Scrap you Project LOON / Project Skybender ( 5G internet )


ViaSat / Boeing >  No beaming of 1Gbps internet  from satellites to Indians


SpaceX / Virgin Galactic  > Keep your revolutionary internet tech to yourself


Prof Jhunjhunwala ( IIT-M ) > Do not license , your invention that delivers
    Internet signals using ordinary 220V domestic electrical outlet – to Indians


Satya Nadela > You are clearly invading  Privacy of Indians by launching your
    Mobile App “ Seeing AI “ , described below :



          “ Seeing AI “ can identify things in your environment – people , objects and
           Even  EMOTIONS – to provide important context for what’s going on around
           you . The app is also good at reading text . It can be used to take a picture
           of the text .



           THE APP CAN TELL YOU WHETHER OR NOT PEOPLE ARE REALLY LISTENING
           TO WHAT YOU ARE SAYING


           and ,

           IT CAN DESCRIBE THE GENERAL AGE AND GENDER OF THE
           PEOPLE  AROUND YOU AS WELL AS THEIR EMOTIONS


          
          
          

·         Can our Supreme Court prevent foreign companies – and foreign individuals ( over whom , it has no jurisdiction ) – from entering into  “ Delivery Contracts “ with Indian Citizens to deliver “ Services or even Goods “ , over the Internet ? - contracts requiring that Indian Citizen to surrender his PERSONAL / PRIVATE information willingly – and agreeing that the same can be used in ANYWAY  ! )

 

·         If such Foreign Companies ( or Individuals ) were to obtain from those Indian Citizens , a “ Waiver “ for all / any kind of litigation / damages , can Indian Judiciary  still intervene and prosecute such Foreign Companies / Individuals ?

How many will you sue ? And where ?




·         And what about PRIVATE / PERSONAL information about Indian Citizens , already available on the internet that ANYONE can scrap and even sell to others ?

To know the extent of this issue , in Google , just type :


Database Vendors in India “ ( Which of these 58.4 LAKH , will you sue ? )




·         What about PERSONAL / PRIVATE information that tomorrow’s ( - already here ! ) technology will “ ACQUIRE WITHOUT ASKING “ , an individual’s permission ?





While debating these LARGER ISSUES ( - which will decide whether RIGHT  TO  PRIVACY , is implementable or not ), I urge the Honourable Judges to consider the following :


·         Microsoft / Google / Amazon etc have started selling devices ( ASSISTANTS ) , which sit on your desk and answer many of your ( so far , simple ) questions and carry out ( so far , simple ) instructions,

But ,


These have started OBSERVING your every movement and LISTENING to your every SPOKEN WORD and relaying to the CLOUD !



It is only a matter of time before EVERY SMART PHONE sold in the market , is capable of all of these things – and MORE ! ( Eg :  reading your THOUGHTS and relaying to CLOUD !



Pl read :




          Artificial Intelligence : Brahma , Vishnu or Mahesh ? 

 

   https://myblogepage.blogspot.com/2017/06/in-hindu-mythology-brahma-creator.html 


 

·         Already, Mobile Apps come embedded with AI powered  ALGORITHMS , which tell you :

 

         #  What to BUY – and from WHERE

         #  The right TIME to invest , HOW much and in WHICH equity / investment

 

       ( - without asking you to provide your PRIVATE / PERSONAL  information )

 

·         By next year , you will be able to buy a REFRIGERATOR , which will place orders for food ( of course , without asking you ) on your Super Market , based on keen observation of your EATING HABITS ( - some would consider , PRIVATE  ? )

 

     Who knows , before long , that computer database of the Super Market ( which

     has stored all of your food preferences ) , will deliver food without your fridge

     ordering – and even recommend to your friends , what you have been eating !

 

     I have no doubt that in the years to come , our devices / appliances will take over

     more and more decisions of our life , just by observing us 24*7 !

 

·         Self Driving cars will come to a sudden stop if you happen to cross the road and save your life,


          But ,


          It’s camera ( which noticed you / photographed you ) will know precisely WHO

          you are , WHERE you live , WHAT you do ! Of course , without asking for your

          details !  Who cares  as long as you are not over-run !

 

·         As a citizen , you expect the Government to provide COMPREHENSIVE HEALTH –

     CARE , throughout your life

 

          That would require ( apart from issuing an AADHAAR id at birth ) , collection

          of following , about each new born ( - and “ about to be born “ as well ? ) :

 

          #   Details of both , Father and Mother


          #   Stem Cell samples /  DNA- GENOME mapping


          #   Blood Group data – Blood Chemistry – Pathological Test Data


          #   Height – Weight – Colour – Retina Scan


          #   ECG – EEG – Respiratory Data – CT Scan – X Ray


          #   Vaccination Details…..etc


 

          Would you / should you raise PRIVACY CONCERNS , if Government decides that

          any Doctor or Hospital treating you during your entire life , can access your data

          over internet  ?


 

         Or , the next door “ Chemist Shop “ deliver to you that “ Customized Medicine “ at

         the right instance in your life’s journey  ?


 

·         Find some more arguments ( for withdrawing “ life support system “ to a patient suffering from a terminal illness ) , read :

 

          Privacy  does not  live  here 

         https://myblogepage.blogspot.com/2017/07/privacy-does-not-live-here.html

 

=======================================================

 23  July  2017


www.hemenparekh.in / blogs