American technology giant Microsoft will reportedly make blockchain-based tools available to PowerApps and Microsoft Flow users, tech-focused news outlet GeekWire reported on June 10. Microsoft will purportedly announce its plans to add blockchain tools to its Power Platform during the Microsoft Business Applications Summit on Monday in Atlanta. Specifically, artificial intelligence (AI) and blockchain tools will be included in the company’s PowerApps custom application builder and PowerBI business intelligence tool. The Power Platform itself is a collection of tools — Power BI, PowerApps and Microsoft Flow — designed for collaborative work to build custom apps, automate workflows to improve business …

More details are now emerging regarding high-level executives for social media giant Facebook’s crypto project, according to a report by CNBC on June 6. According to the report, there are now 100 people known to be working on the crypto project via profiles on professional networking platform LinkedIn. Facebook is also reportedly not done hiring, with over 40 openings still available in the team’s business unit, as per its website listing. The aim of Facebook’s new crypto project, according to advertising on its career descriptions, is to provide a public service centered on accessibility: “Our ultimate goal is to help …

The European Union is increasing the amount of data that can be reused as raw material for artificial intelligence and blockchain projects, the trading bloc announced in a news release on June 6. Officials hope the relaxed rules will “boost the EU data economy, contribute to the development of a data-based society and stimulate growth.” High-value datasets will be available free of charge — including statistics, company ownership records and meteorological information. As well as allowing AI and blockchain products to use research data that is already in the public domain, real-time weather and transport data will be made available. …

The World Economic Forum (WEF) announced the formation of six separate “fourth industrial revolution councils” to work on new technology policy guidance, according to a press release shared with Cointelegraph on May 29. Per the release, the councils intend to help regulators regulate artificial intelligence, autonomous mobility, blockchain, drones, internet of things and precision medicine. The boards — allegedly composed by over 200 leaders from the public and private sectors, civil society and academia — will also gather regularly to address the absence of clearly defined rules. The announcement notes that the councils met for the first time today at …

The Singapore and Malaysia division of Domino's Pizza has partnered with SingularityNET to implement its blockchain-powered artificial intelligence (AI) technology, the Domino’s division confirmed to Cointelegraph on May 2. Within the new partnership, SingularityNET will incorporate AI algorithms and solutions in Domino’s operations to improve its supply chain processes and logistics in Malaysia and Singapore, a SingularityNET press release shared with Cointelegraph notes. According to the announcement, the strategic partnership aims to improve the food industry giant’s business operations by conducting feasibility studies, running AI-focused workshops and developing new algorithms specific to the firm’s needs. New AI features are set …

In China, blockchain technology is increasingly employed to settle court cases, local news outlet Global Times reported on April 25. Speaking at the 2019 Forum on China Intellectual Property Protection, Zhang Wen, president of the Beijing Internet Court — which was established in September 2018, and has since processed 14,904 cases — reportedly said that the court employs technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI) and blockchain to render judgement. Zhang reportedly told the Global Times that “of the 41 cases concluded [with blockchain technology] so far, parties chose to settle out of court rather than litigate in 40 cases with …

South Korean police have arrested suspects behind a cryptocurrency ponzi scheme using artificial intelligence (AI), local English-language news outlet Korea Joongang Daily reported on April 8. The scheme, which reportedly stole a total of 21.2 billion won ($18.3 million) over a six-month period in 2018, came to an end after the Seoul Special Judicial Police Bureau for Public Safety trained robots to catch those involved using keywords and other clues. “Through keywords such as Ponzi, loan and recruiting members, we were able to teach the AI patterns of Ponzi schemes,” Hong Nam-ki, section chief of the bureau’s second investigation team, …

61 percent of high-profile digital companies worldwide are investing in blockchain, according to a report by identity management firm Okta shared with Cointelegraph on April 2. San Francisco-based enterprise identity provider Okta has released a survey on new trends in technological developments and business opportunities of the world’s largest companies. In its first “Digital Enterprise Report,” Okta surveyed 1,050 IT, security and engineering decision makers from global companies with at least $1 billion in revenue. Okta explained that decision makers were defined as someone at the company who is “responsible for making technology purchasing decisions.” The company collected survey responses …

Human imagination and the strive to turn science fiction into science fact goes back to ancient times, but has only truly begun to manifest itself in the last 50 years. Though mostly unseen by average users, artificial intelligence (AI) is already deeply embedded in the basic processes people have become accustomed to. Blockchain technology has come to the forefront in much the same way AI had, through a long development process full of trials, tribulations, ignorance and triumphs over skeptics and critics alike. The application potential for blockchain is no less extensive than it is for AI — and today, …

Chinese insurance giant Ping An has partnered with Ethereum (ETH)-based decentralized artificial intelligence (AI) startup SingularityNET. The latter company announced the collaboration in a press release published on Medium on March 14. Per the release, the collaboration will at first focus on Optical Character Recognition (OCR), Computer Vision (CV) and model training. SingularityNET notes that the scope of the partnership is expected to expand to multiple industries and initiatives in the future. The announcement has been made shortly after SingularityNET officially launched a beta version of its Ethereum-based decentralized marketplace on Thursday, Feb. 28. In January last year, the company …

Dutch blockchain startup Finturi has secured 2 million euro ($2.2 million) to enable businesses to secure loans against invoices via blockchain tech, the company tweeted on March 12. Founded in September 2018, Finturi aims to help businesses finance invoices by linking them with financiers to borrow money against invoices, using blockchain and artificial intelligence (AI), according to a report by startup-focused publication EU-Startups.com on March 11. Finturi has reportedly raised its first investment via an angel round led by NetSam Participaties BV, which evidently participated in an investment round for the first time, according to Crunchbase. Finturi’s blockchain-based invoice finance …

Blockchain artificial intelligence (AI) platform SingularityNET has officially launched a beta version of its Ethereum-based decentralized marketplace on Thursday, Feb. 28, according to a press release obtained by Cointelegraph. Ben Goertzel, CEO and chief scientist at SingularityNET, noted in the press release that the pre-beta version was stress tested by the community and volunteers prior to the launch . The AI firm, which is working with renowned robot Sophia built by Hong Kong-based Hanson Robotics, completed an ICO in 2017, raising over $150 million in pledged orders from investors. The ICO eventually collected $36 million in total, the limit of …