Google Gemini for Education, Scale AI Funding, Nvidia Competitor

Across the nation, artificial intelligence is being integrated into public safety and education. Ohio has launched Safeguard Ohio, an app utilizing AI to help residents report suspicious activities and potential threats, allowing for anonymous submissions via text, video, or audio. The AI functions as a chatbot, asking clarifying questions to gather more detailed intelligence for law enforcement. Meanwhile, Florida State University is participating in Google's AI for Education Accelerator, adopting Gemini for Education and integrating AI tools to enhance learning and research, supported by Google's $1 billion commitment to U.S. education. On a broader educational scale, the federally funded National Research Platform is democratizing access to advanced AI computing for colleges by pooling resources, aiming to support up to 1,000 institutions. In the realm of AI hardware, startup Positron is developing energy-efficient AI inference hardware named Atlas, reportedly offering significant performance per watt advantages over Nvidia's GPUs, and has raised $51.6 million. SiFive has also released new RISC-V processors designed for AI workloads in edge and data center applications. In cybersecurity, the Pentagon is using AI to accelerate its Authorization to Operate (ATO) processes, aiming to reduce approval times from over a year to under 30 days. However, a report indicates that cybersecurity strategies are not keeping pace with the rapid adoption of cloud and AI technologies, citing challenges like weak identity management and skill gaps. TikTok has emerged as the most scraped website for AI training data, with video and social media platforms dominating data collection efforts for multimodal AI models. In local government, Huntsville has paused a contract for AI cameras on garbage trucks intended to identify property code violations, citing a need for better public education. Seattle, on the other hand, has updated its AI policy to guide responsible use across city operations and plans to create a new leadership role for AI. William & Mary has also introduced a new undergraduate minor in AI, focusing on both technical skills and ethical considerations.

Key Takeaways

• Ohio has launched Safeguard Ohio, an AI-powered app for public reporting of suspicious activities and potential threats, allowing anonymous submissions and detailed information gathering.
• Florida State University is joining Google's AI for Education Accelerator, adopting Gemini for Education as part of Google's $1 billion investment in U.S. education.
• The National Research Platform (NRP) provides federally funded access to advanced AI computing for colleges, aiming to onboard 1,000 institutions.
• AI startup Positron is developing energy-efficient AI hardware, Atlas, and has raised $51.6 million, positioning itself as a competitor to Nvidia.
• SiFive has introduced new RISC-V processors designed for AI workloads in edge and data center applications.
• The Pentagon is using AI and automation to significantly speed up its cybersecurity approval processes, reducing ATO times.
• A report highlights that cybersecurity efforts are lagging behind the rapid adoption of cloud computing and AI.
• TikTok is the most frequently scraped website for AI training data, indicating a high demand for video and social media content.
• Huntsville has withdrawn a proposed contract for AI cameras on garbage trucks, pending further public education on the system.
• Seattle has updated its AI policy for city operations and plans to hire an AI leadership position, while William & Mary launched a new AI minor for undergraduates.

Ohio launches AI app for reporting suspicious activity

Ohio Homeland Security has launched Safeguard Ohio, a new app that uses artificial intelligence to help gather information on potential threats. The app allows users to submit reports via text, video, audio, or photo, and they can remain anonymous. The AI acts like a chatbot, asking follow-up questions to get more details. Information is sent to the Statewide Terrorism Analysis and Crime Center for review and notification of authorities. The app is not a replacement for 911 in emergencies, but it can identify urgent situations and prompt users to call for help.

Ohio's Safeguard Ohio app uses AI for threat reporting

Ohio Homeland Security introduced Safeguard Ohio, the first suspicious activity reporting system in the nation to use artificial intelligence. Developed with Vigiliti, the app lets residents submit reports with photos, video, and audio directly to the Statewide Terrorism Analysis and Crime Center. Governor Mike DeWine stated the app simplifies reporting for faster law enforcement response. The AI prompts users for more details, and can identify urgent situations, advising users to call 911. The app offers eight reporting categories and supports multiple languages.

Ohio uses AI app to improve public safety reporting

Ohio has launched the Safeguard Ohio app, a new tool that uses artificial intelligence to help the public report suspicious activity and potential threats. Developed by Ohio Homeland Security and Vigiliti, the app allows users to submit detailed reports with photos, audio, and video, while also offering anonymity. Governor Mike DeWine highlighted that the app makes it quicker and easier to get information to law enforcement. The AI is designed to ask clarifying questions, ensuring high-quality intelligence for authorities. The app covers eight categories of reporting and can handle submissions in multiple languages.

Ohio's new AI reporting app aims to boost public safety

Ohio Homeland Security has launched Safeguard Ohio, a new app utilizing artificial intelligence to gather information on potential threats and suspicious activities. The app, created with partner Vigiliti, allows users to submit detailed reports including video and photos, with an option for anonymity. Governor Mike DeWine emphasized the app's role in simplifying and speeding up the process of getting crucial tips to law enforcement. The AI is programmed to ask follow-up questions to ensure comprehensive intelligence. The system also provides a QR code for adding more information later and supports 10 languages.

Florida State University joins Google AI education program

Florida State University is joining Google's AI for Education Accelerator program, offering free AI training to students, faculty, and staff. This initiative is part of Google's $1 billion commitment to education in the U.S. FSU will adopt Gemini for Education, becoming the only R1 institution in Florida's State University System to participate. The program aims to provide AI tools for personalized learning and productivity, preparing students for a tech-driven future. FSU will also integrate Gemini and NotebookLM into its AI resources, enhancing instruction and research.

National Research Platform democratizes AI computing for colleges

The National Research Platform (NRP) is a federally funded program designed to make advanced AI computing accessible to higher education institutions. By pooling GPUs and cloud resources from participating colleges, the NRP allows students and faculty to run complex AI workloads without the high costs of individual infrastructure. The Nautilus Hypercluster, a distributed computing system, is at the core of this initiative, managed by a small, skilled staff. Since its launch in March 2023, NRP has onboarded over 50 colleges and aims to reach 1,000 institutions, providing AI access to millions of students.

Huntsville pulls AI garbage truck camera contract

Huntsville has withdrawn a proposed contract for AI-powered cameras on garbage trucks that were intended to identify overgrown and neglected properties. Mayor Tommy Battle stated that the city needs to better educate the public about the system's functions and implications before proceeding. The proposed three-year contract with City Detect, valued at $972,200, aimed to use AI software to spot code violations. The city plans to revise the contract over the next six to eight months before potentially reconsidering it.

SiFive releases new RISC-V processors for AI workloads

SiFive has introduced its second-generation Gen2 RISC-V IP, a series of five new processors designed for AI processing across edge and data center applications. These processors enhance scalar, vector, and matrix processing performance for demanding workloads in automotive, robotics, and IoT. The X100 and X180 Gen 2 are specifically designed for edge and IoT use cases, offering high throughput in compact, power-efficient designs. Licensing for the new products is available now, with initial silicon expected in Q2 2026.

AI startup Positron challenges Nvidia with efficient hardware

Reno-based startup Positron is developing AI hardware, named Atlas, designed to be more energy and cost-efficient than traditional GPUs for AI inference. CEO Mitesh Agrawal believes their specialized approach can compete with Nvidia's dominant market position. Atlas reportedly offers 4.5 times more performance per watt compared to Nvidia's flagship DGX H200 system, focusing on memory capacity and bandwidth for memory-bound tasks like text and code generation. Positron has raised $51.6 million and is being tested by companies like Cloudflare.

Pentagon uses AI to speed up cybersecurity approvals

The Pentagon is leveraging artificial intelligence and automation to streamline its cybersecurity processes, particularly the Authorization to Operate (ATO) for software. Current ATO processes can take over a year, but new initiatives aim to reduce this significantly, with some teams achieving approval in under 30 days. Katie Arrington, performing the duties of the Pentagon CIO, emphasized the need for faster, less expensive tools. The Intelligence Community is also exploring AI for an 'espresso ATO' process. DARPA recently held a competition where AIs identified and patched vulnerabilities in real-world code.

William & Mary offers new AI minor for undergraduates

William & Mary has launched a new minor in artificial intelligence (AI) through its School of Computing, Data Sciences & Physics. This interdisciplinary program focuses on both technical AI skills and ethical considerations, complementing any major. The curriculum includes hands-on experience with AI systems and critical analysis of their use, covering topics like privacy and equity. The AI minor aims to equip students with the knowledge to lead and innovate in AI-driven fields, preparing them for future academic and career paths.

Seattle updates AI policy, plans new leadership role

Seattle has released an updated AI policy that builds on lessons learned from nearly 40 pilot projects and aims to guide responsible AI use across city operations. The policy, which applies to all city staff and partners, prohibits certain uses like emotion analysis and social scoring while allowing others with oversight. The city is also investing in staff upskilling and plans to hire a new AI leadership position to coordinate implementation. Seattle is also launching a Community Innovation Hackathon Series to develop AI solutions for city priorities.

Security lags cloud and AI adoption, report finds

A new report by Tenable and the Cloud Security Alliance reveals that cybersecurity strategies are not keeping pace with the rapid adoption of cloud computing and artificial intelligence. The study surveyed 1,025 IT and security professionals, finding that while most organizations use hybrid cloud environments and many are adopting AI, security efforts are lagging. Key challenges include weak identity management, unfocused AI security efforts, skill gaps, and reactive strategies. The report recommends a shift to proactive security, integrated controls, and enhanced identity governance.

TikTok leads in website scraping for AI training data

A new analysis by Decodo shows that TikTok is now the most scraped website for companies gathering video, image, and audio data to train AI models. This represents a 321% increase in scraping activity for the platform compared to last year. YouTube also saw a significant rise, ranking fourth. Video and social media platforms combined account for 38% of all scraping requests, driven by the demand for multimodal training data and insights into consumer behavior. Google, Amazon, and Walmart also ranked in the top five most scraped websites.

Sources

• Ohio Homeland Security launching AI-powered suspicious activity reporting system
• Ohio Homeland Security Launches Nation’s First AI-Powered Suspicious Activity Reporting App
• Ohio launches new artificial intelligence public safety reporting app
• Ohio Homeland Security unveils new AI Suspicious Activity Reporting System
• Florida State University joins Google's AI for Education Accelerator, adopts Gemini for Education
• National Research Platform to Democratize AI Computing for Higher Ed
• AI garbage truck cameras pulled from Huntsville’s proposed budget
• SiFive unveils Gen2 RISC-V IP for AI across edge and data centers
• Why This AI Startup Thinks It Can Compete With Nvidia
• AI for ATO: Pentagon seeks AI to streamline cumbersome cybersecurity processes
• New minor in artificial intelligence available for all W&M undergraduates
• Seattle's New AI Plan Builds on Past Work, Updates Policy
• Cybersecurity Snapshot: Security Lags Cloud and AI Adoption, Tenable Report Finds, as CISA Lays Out Vision for CVE Program's Future
• Report: TikTok tops list of most 'scraped' websites for AI training