Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer deaths in the U.S., claiming about 127,000 American lives every year. The challenge is early detection—and a new AI tool shows promise on this front. Sybil—an AI deep-learning model developed by researchers at MIT, Mass General, and Chang Gung Memorial Hospital in Taiwan—can accurately predict future lung cancer risk from a single low-dose CT scan. Effectively, it can find patterns in 3D images that cannot be seen by the human eye—and could help stop cancer before it spreads.
While this tool is still being studied and not yet available for clinical use, it represents one more example of how AI can be used to address a range of intractable challenges, including those in healthcare. You can watch and read an NBC News story about Sybil here.
Thank you for reading. Below, please find our roundup of recent tech policy news and a featured podcast. Thank you.
This Week in Washington
- Daily Dot and Fierce Telecom: The FCC recently announced that 17 million people have signed up for the Affordable Connectivity Program so far. This comes as the agency has introduced some additional measures to get people signed up, including moving forward with two pilot programs: ACP Navigator and Your Home, Your Internet.
- FedScoop: The CISA published an updated version of their Zero Trust Maturity Model, which includes updated definitions and metrics for a governmentwide adoption of zero-trust security architecture.
- NextGov: To support expanded mobile access—especially in rural and underserved areas—the FCC announced proposed rulemaking for a new regulatory framework for Supplemental Coverage from Space to provide additional mobile coverage from satellites.
- Roll Call: As more states consider laws intended to protect minors who use social media, including proposals that would require age verification and parental consent, Congress could be pressured to make a move on data privacy and create a national standard.
- The Hill: In a letter to TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew, house Democrats are pressing for clarity on unanswered questions from his testimony to Congress last month regarding how the app collects data and caters to minors.
Article Summary
- Semafor: Brad Smith, Vice Chair and President of Microsoft, spoke out against a proposal to pause AI research, while calling on the government to focus on developing regulations for the technology.
- Axios: Prominent tech investor Ron Conway’s firm SV Angel will convene top staff from companies working on AI, including OpenAI, Google, Microsoft, Nvidia, and Apple, in San Francisco next week. The leaders will share best practices around responsible AI and discuss public policy frameworks and standards.
- Reuters: In an effort to help banks report cyberattacks, the G20’s Financial Stability Board developed recommendations and a blueprint for them to follow.
- Education Weekly: School districts nationwide are stepping up to hold social media companies accountable for their student’s deteriorating mental health, arguing that these apps are addictive and aimed at a highly susceptible audience.
- Microsoft:At the Summit for Democracy, Microsoft joined 150 other companies to make up the Cyber Tech Accord that is pushing back on the cyber mercenary market by creating a set of industry principles to limit their threats.
Featured Podcast
The New York Times
- Hard Fork
The New York Times Opinion columnist Ezra Klein has spent years talking to artificial intelligence researchers. Many of them feel the prospect of A.I. discovery is too sweet to ignore, regardless of the technology’s risks. Today, Mr. Klein discusses the profound changes that an A.I.-powered world will create, how current business models are failing to meet the A.I. moment, and the steps government can take to achieve a positive A.I. future. (A.I. Vibe Check With Ezra Klein, and Kevin Tries Phone Positivity – April 7, 2023)