• High tech, high yields? The Kenyan farmers deploying AI to increase productivity

    High tech, high yields? The Kenyan farmers deploying AI to increase productivity
    AI apps are increasingly popular among small-scale farmers seeking to improve the quality and quantity of their cropSammy Selim strode through the dense, shiny green bushes on the slopes of his coffee farm in Sorwot village in Kericho, Kenya, accompanied by a younger farmer called Kennedy Kirui. They paused at each corner to input the farm’s coordinates into a WhatsApp conversation.The conversation was with Virtual Agronomist, a tool that uses artificial intelligence to provide fertiliser
  • California won’t require big tech firms to test safety of AI after Newsom kills bill

    California won’t require big tech firms to test safety of AI after Newsom kills bill
    Governor vetoes bill that would require generative AI safety testing after tech industry says it’d drive companies awayCalifornia governor Gavin Newsom on Sunday vetoed a hotly contested artificial intelligence safety bill after the tech industry raised objections. Newsom said that requiring companies to stress test large AI models before releasing them could drive AI businesses from the state and hinder innovation.“California is home to 32 of the world’s 50 leading AI companie