Apple hires senior Google AI scientist as director of machine learning

Posted:
in General Discussion edited April 2019
Apple recently poached Ian Goodfellow, a noted artificial intelligence expert, away from Google as part of efforts to build out a quickly growing team focused on the development of AI and machine learning technologies.

Siri


Goodfellow announced the change in employment in an update to his LinkedIn profile on Thursday, reports CNBC.

Previously a senior staff research scientist at Google, Goodfellow has been working as director of machine learning in Apple's Special Projects Group since March.

The Cupertino tech giant uses machine learning algorithms and technologies in a range of applications, including content recommendations, camera imaging, Siri, biometric security and more. Most recently, Apple said it applies on-device AI and machine learning tech to recommend articles and publications in Apple News+, the company's subscription news product.

Goodfellow is known for his work on Generative Adversarial Networks, or GANs. The technique applies two competing neural networks -- generator and discriminator -- against each other to better discern generated data from real data. At Google, Goodfellow conducted research into GANs and their security potential, the report said.

GANs, sometimes used to create so-called "deepfake" photos and video, are useful tools in artificial intelligence systems. Apple itself outlined work in the area in a research paper published in 2016, detailing the use of a modified GAN to improve recognition in computer vision systems. Specifically, the method involved training computer vision algorithms to recognize real-world objects using synthetic, or computer generated, images.

Goodfellow studied computer science at Stanford University prior to achieving a PhD in machine learning from the Universite de Montreal. His career spans stints at Google and OpenAI, the latter of which earned him $800,000 for a year's work, the report said.

Apple has in the past dipped into Google's pool of AI experts. Most notably, the iPhone maker hired Google's former head of AI and search John Giannandrea to lead the company's AI efforts as senior vice president of machine learning and AI strategy.

Comments

  • Reply 1 of 15
    boboliciousbobolicious Posts: 1,146member
    ...but, but, but Apple values our privacy... Does that extend to our IP...?
  • Reply 2 of 15
    boboliciousbobolicious Posts: 1,146member
    ...roughly ~90%+/- of the public I get inquiries from in my work choose to 'save' maybe $25/yr to give everything they comment on away to a 'no fee' email service... Hmmm...

    Is it like climate change, way past the hour...?

    edited April 2019 watto_cobra
  • Reply 3 of 15
    fastasleepfastasleep Posts: 6,417member
    ...but, but, but Apple values our privacy... Does that extend to our IP...?
    Huh?

    ...roughly ~90%+/- of the public I get inquiries from in my work choose to 'save' maybe $25/yr to give everything they comment on away to a 'no fee' email service... Hmmm...

    Is it like climate change, way past the hour...?

    What?
    roundaboutnowrandominternetpersonjbdragonStrangeDayswatto_cobra
  • Reply 4 of 15
    boboliciousbobolicious Posts: 1,146member
    ...but, but, but Apple values our privacy... Does that extend to our IP...?
    Huh?

    ...roughly ~90%+/- of the public I get inquiries from in my work choose to 'save' maybe $25/yr to give everything they comment on away to a 'no fee' email service... Hmmm...

    Is it like climate change, way past the hour...?

    What?
    exactly my point... except in some countries we say eh?
    Carnage
  • Reply 5 of 15

    If Ian had a brother, they'd be the Goodfellas!

    I'll go away now.

    SpamSandwichmazda 3sGeorgeBMaciqatedowatto_cobra
  • Reply 6 of 15
    SpamSandwichSpamSandwich Posts: 33,407member
    Hiring away top people from Google and Tesla recently... hmm...
    GeorgeBMacwatto_cobra
  • Reply 7 of 15
    GeorgeBMacGeorgeBMac Posts: 11,421member
    My IT background is mostly in financial applications -- which makes me deeply skeptical of the statistical measures in AI that replace the certainty of financial applications.  

    While it has become apparent that there are numerous applications for AI, I fear that the euphoria around it will propel it into areas to which it is not well suited.  

    I don't want my bank using AI to calculate how much money is in my checking account.   Just count it.  Period.
    Likewise, I wonder how well AI will calculate whether that kid on the side of the road will dart out in front of my car.   Does he see me?  Is he playing with a ball?   Is the ball rolling towards the street?   Is his mama watching him?,  Is....

    We see an example of the problems in the 737-Max:   The computer got some bad input from a damaged sensor an flew the plane into the ground despite the pilots frantic efforts to override it's control.   Perhaps they should name that plane's computer "Hal".


  • Reply 8 of 15
    MacProMacPro Posts: 19,727member
    ...roughly ~90%+/- of the public I get inquiries from in my work choose to 'save' maybe $25/yr to give everything they comment on away to a 'no fee' email service... Hmmm...

    Is it like climate change, way past the hour...?

    Your percentage, of course, is not 90% of the 'public', your qualification is 'those you get inquiries from' which could be .0001% of the public for all we know.  

    I could be wrong but I'm guessing your client base is not for the most part in the Apple ecosystem.  As I see it people are self-pre-sorted regarding their attitudes towards privacy or perhaps those that even understand these issues.  Those you describe and those of us within that safer Apple ecosystem.  So, results, such as you report, would be expected by, for example, Android users.
    edited April 2019 watto_cobra
  • Reply 9 of 15
    MacProMacPro Posts: 19,727member
    My IT background is mostly in financial applications -- which makes me deeply skeptical of the statistical measures in AI that replace the certainty of financial applications.  

    While it has become apparent that there are numerous applications for AI, I fear that the euphoria around it will propel it into areas to which it is not well suited.  

    I don't want my bank using AI to calculate how much money is in my checking account.   Just count it.  Period.
    Likewise, I wonder how well AI will calculate whether that kid on the side of the road will dart out in front of my car.   Does he see me?  Is he playing with a ball?   Is the ball rolling towards the street?   Is his mama watching him?,  Is....

    We see an example of the problems in the 737-Max:   The computer got some bad input from a damaged sensor an flew the plane into the ground despite the pilots frantic efforts to override it's control.   Perhaps they should name that plane's computer "Hal".


    I am not a tin-foil hat type but I am on record as saying after 9/11 that if it were up to me no American made plane civilian or military (including those we sell) would not have an override system that was remotely controllable by a strategic command group within the US military.  I had actually forgotten that thought until all this started happening and then the thought hit me, what if this does exist but has been hacked?  OK takes tin-foil hat off.
    GeorgeBMacwatto_cobra
  • Reply 10 of 15
    MacProMacPro Posts: 19,727member
  • Reply 11 of 15
    knowitallknowitall Posts: 1,648member
    It's Ray Kurzweil they are (or should be) after.
    ”How to Create a Mind” is the most knowledgeable book I know of about (A)I.
    JWSCwatto_cobra
  • Reply 12 of 15
    mknelsonmknelson Posts: 1,125member
    Some of the most obvious better features on Google's current phones (Night Sight) are AI based rather than hardware. The question is, would Apple roll those features into iOS for most models or only the next generation as a tool to spur sales?
    watto_cobra
  • Reply 13 of 15
    MacProMacPro Posts: 19,727member
    I just came across this list of google's canceled projects.  I'd suspect there are quite a few disgruntled Google employees out there to be hired.

    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:Discontinued_Google_services
    watto_cobra
  • Reply 14 of 15
    fastasleepfastasleep Posts: 6,417member
    My IT background is mostly in financial applications -- which makes me deeply skeptical of the statistical measures in AI that replace the certainty of financial applications.  

    While it has become apparent that there are numerous applications for AI, I fear that the euphoria around it will propel it into areas to which it is not well suited.  

    I don't want my bank using AI to calculate how much money is in my checking account.   Just count it.  Period.
    Likewise, I wonder how well AI will calculate whether that kid on the side of the road will dart out in front of my car.   Does he see me?  Is he playing with a ball?   Is the ball rolling towards the street?   Is his mama watching him?,  Is....

    We see an example of the problems in the 737-Max:   The computer got some bad input from a damaged sensor an flew the plane into the ground despite the pilots frantic efforts to override it's control.   Perhaps they should name that plane's computer "Hal".


    Why would you need AI to calculate a bank balance?
    watto_cobra
  • Reply 15 of 15
    GeorgeBMacGeorgeBMac Posts: 11,421member
    My IT background is mostly in financial applications -- which makes me deeply skeptical of the statistical measures in AI that replace the certainty of financial applications.  

    While it has become apparent that there are numerous applications for AI, I fear that the euphoria around it will propel it into areas to which it is not well suited.  

    I don't want my bank using AI to calculate how much money is in my checking account.   Just count it.  Period.
    Likewise, I wonder how well AI will calculate whether that kid on the side of the road will dart out in front of my car.   Does he see me?  Is he playing with a ball?   Is the ball rolling towards the street?   Is his mama watching him?,  Is....

    We see an example of the problems in the 737-Max:   The computer got some bad input from a damaged sensor an flew the plane into the ground despite the pilots frantic efforts to override it's control.   Perhaps they should name that plane's computer "Hal".


    Why would you need AI to calculate a bank balance?
    Why would you want AI to calculate a bank balance?  (Or whether a plane's nose was up or down, or a kid was about to dart in front of your car)
    (Fixed that for you!)
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