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UP offers AI tools to help in ASF vaccine research

PRESS RELEASE UP offers AI tools to help in ASF vaccine research October 25, 2024 | Published by Philippine Daily Inquirer (Author: Jordeene B. Lagare) The University of the Philippines (UP) is harnessing artificial intelligence (AI) to help improve studies on vaccines against African swine fever (ASF). “By equipping policymakers, farmers and environmentalists with AI-driven tools, UP is helping to build a more resilient and sustainable food system for the Philippines,” UP said in a statement on Thursday. AI refers to the simulation of human intelligence by machines and computer systems for, among others, faster problem-solving and decision-making. Homer Pantua, president of biotechnology firm BioAssets Corp., said machine learning, a subfield of AI, can boost the ability to study viruses such as ASF to prevent the spread of viral diseases or outbreaks. Careful analysis He said machine learning enabled them to analyze the evolution of ASF, which has dramatically reduced the country’s hog population since the first outbreak in 2019, thus jacking up pork prices. “We propose that machine learning-guided applications can help support vaccine research and also help in making careful analyses of the virus’ origin and evolution,” said Pantua, also an adjunct faculty of the UP Los Baños’ Institute of Biological Sciences, during the AI Horizons PH ’24: Conference on AI-Powered Research and Innovation held in Taguig City. “From a vaccine development-centric point of view, we can use machine learning to generate data that will guide in identifying some vaccine candidate,” he added. Aside from the absence of widely accepted, safe and effective vaccines, Pantua identified other gaps in the ASF research: optimized and harmonized protocols for sample collection, whole genome sequences (the process of determining the complete DNA sequence of an organism) for further studies and discovery and evolutionary analyses. Share Via

DOST: Utilize AI to avert power outages

PRESS RELEASE DOST: Utilize AI to avert power outages October 26, 2024 | Published by Philippine Dialy Inquirer (Author: Lisbet K. Esmael) Equipping the energy sector with advanced technologies, particularly artificial intelligence (AI), can help prevent widespread power outages, a government official said on Friday. This is according to Enrico Paringit, executive director of the Philippine Council for Industry, Energy and Emerging Technology Research and Development under the Department of Science and Technology (DOST-PCIEERD). During his talk at the AI Horizons PH ’24 forum, he said the agency has been supportive of research topics that could “optimize the dispatch of power in grid systems to optimize energy resources.” Paringit also said that with AI, a grid or transmission system operator can quickly track down unavailable lines or facilities and the cause of interruption, which could give energy players more time to strategize or reroute electricity. He said AI has also the capacity to determine possible outages even before storms could hit the country. “The prospect is that we should have capabilities for anticipating possible problems, not only in power but also in water,” Paringit added. Service interruptions The Philippines deals with an average of 20 typhoons every year, with the most recent ones becoming ever stronger, causing massive flooding and landslides in different parts of the country. During heavy rains and strong winds, consumers experience electricity and water service interruptions for hours, with some lasting for days or weeks. Just this week, the country has suffered from a trail of destruction due to Severe Tropical Storm “Kristine.” On Friday noon, the National Grid Corporation of the Philippines, the operator of the country’s transmission system, said four more lines in Luzon remained unavailable. Power distributor Manila Electric Co. also said more than 360,000 consumers across its franchise areas were still affected by power outages. Share Via

DepEd mulls AI basic education integration

PRESS RELEASE DepEd mulls AI basic education integration October 24, 2024 | Published by Daily Tribune (Author: Neil Alcober) The Department of Education (DepEd) is studying the possibility of integrating artificial intelligence (AI) into the basic education system, according to Education Secretary Sonny Angara on Thursday. In an interview on Thursday at the sidelines of the “AI Horizons PH 2024: Conference on AI-Powered Research and Innovation” at the University of the Philippines BGC Campus in Taguig City, Angara said that the agency is studying the possibility of AI integration. “With AI, teachers can save time and focus on students who need more attention. Advanced students can also progress at a faster pace with the help of AI,” Angara said, adding that there is a need for guidelines and regulations in using AI for educational purposes, similar to those in place at the University of the Philippines. “We have policies in place. We need to respect them. If a teacher says AI is not allowed, it should be respected,” Angara said. “Our principals and teachers should also be vigilant. If students are up-to-date, teachers should also be up-to-date.” AI projects showcased during the two-day conference are reshaping the intersection of artificial intelligence with education and governance. From empowering educators through automated grading to optimizing biodiversity databases, UP’s AI initiatives offer transformative potential for the nation. One of the key breakthroughs presented was “Improving Open-Vocabulary Object Detection in a Vision Language Model,” which addresses limitations in existing AI systems when detecting unfamiliar objects. Share Via

DepEd chief optimistic on benefits of AI for quality education

DepEd chief optimistic on benefits of AI for quality education

Education Secretary Sonny Angara on Thursday expressed optimism on the possible benefits of the use of artificial intelligence (AI) to improve the quality of education in the Philippines.

UP embraces AI with 2-day conference

The University of the Philippines held its first Artificial Intelligence conference, dubbed “AI Horizon PH 2024.”

The two-day conference focused on research and advances in how AI can be incorporated in various industries and departments such as health and wellness, education, and agriculture.

The conference focused on various incorporation of AI, including robotics for the farming industry.

UP holds first AI conference

PRESS RELEASE UP embraces AI with 2-day conference October 25, 2024 | Published by Manila Times The University of the Philippines holds its first Artificial Intelligence conference, ‘AI Horizons’ at the UP-Bonifacio Global City on Oct. 24, 2024 discussing the use of AI in fields such as in agriculture, education, health, and materials engineering. UP President Angelo Jimenez and UP Special Adviser to the President for Research and Innovation Gisela Concepcion said the conference was part of the university’s mandate to lead in innovation and academic standards, while also creating a community of AI practitioners, academics, developers and industry partners. Education Secretary Sonny Angara, said they were studying the possibility of regulating AI as he believes it could help both teachers and students in their schoolwork. Share Via

UP flood map shows AI importance in disaster preparedness, says UP president

University of the Philippines (UP) President Angelo Jimenez on Thursday underscored the importance of generative artificial intelligence (AI) in various fields including disaster preparedness after the flood map developed by the university garnered over two million downloads amid the onslaught of Super Typhoon Carina.