As an engineering student at the University of Pennsylvania in the 1990s, Didem Un Ates was one of only five women in a graduating class of 180. Today, she’s on a mission is to drastically change those numbers.

Un Ates is part of a Microsoft team that launched “Alice envisions the future,” a boot camp for girls focused on artificial intelligence. The first event in Athens – packed with keynote speeches, panel discussions and hands-on workshops – helped spark the passion for AI in 160 girls from 16 countries.

After witnessing the success of the inaugural event, the team took the show on the road, first to London last October, and then to New York in March.

Registration is now open for two more “Girls in AI” hackathons for girls 14 to 18, which are scheduled for next month:

Registration is free and attendees do not need a laptop or any experience with coding – just a curiosity about AI and a creative mind. The first 80 students to register will be accepted.

About 50 girls between attended the “Girls in AI” hackathon in New York, tackling subjects ranging from human-centered design and AI ethics to machine learning.

Un Ates said the transformation over the course of the weekend can be astounding. Girls who may come into the program shy, timid and hesitant of delving into advanced technology such as AI can leave the program with an entirely different mindset.

“They may have heard of AI, but they don’t exactly know what it means or what a hackathon means. But by the end of Sunday, there are all these super-excited, confident individuals who cannot stop talking about how they are going to  build a business out of their project,” said Un Ates, senior director of customer care intelligence for the Microsoft Business Applications Group, Cloud & AI.

Winning teams from the hackathons are eligible to enter Microsoft’s AI for Good Idea Challenge, an international contest for developers, students and data scientists who use AI to tackle some of society’s greatest obstacles. The deadline for entries is June 26.

Un Ates says she is devoted to evangelizing STEM education – and artificial intelligence specifically – because of the dire underrepresentation of women in the field.

“Only 12% of artificial intelligence and machine learning experts are female,” Un Ates noted. “And we have the opportunity to change that.”

According to the U.S. National Center for Education Statistics, in 1985 women accounted for roughly 37% of all computer science undergraduate students. Today, that number is 12%. According to a recent WIRED & Element AI study, only 12% of machine learning researchers are women.

Un Ates said it’s important that women are well-represented in computer science both because of the perspective they bring to the field and because of the job opportunities the field can offer.

And that is exactly what Microsoft’s “Girls in AI” hackathons are designed to accomplish. According to the team’s event website, the curriculum gives teenage girls “the chance to utilize AI and machine learning techniques to tackle global challenges in a holistic manner.” The two-day event will give attendees an understanding of design thinking, strategy and business model development, ethics, social responsibility and pitching skills.

The “Alice Envisions the Future” hackathon program is just one of the ways Microsoft working to get more girls and young women involved in computer science. Microsoft also offers DigiGirlz Days, one-day events designed to provide girls with a better understanding of what a career in technology is like, and DigiGirlz High Tech Camp, a program developed 19 years ago to help dispel stereotypes in the high-tech industry.

Related:

Today, Microsoft is releasing The Future Computed: AI and Manufacturing. This new book provides an in-depth look at how artificial intelligence (AI) is transforming the manufacturing sector by optimizing digital operations and driving efficiencies, enabling new products and services, and allowing for safer work environments. The book also offers a timely look at how society can respond to some of the challenges AI creates, and the need to develop new laws and regulations to address workforce disruption and develop AI in an ethical and responsible manner.

Written by Greg Shaw – co-author of Hit Refresh with Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella and The Ability Hacks about technology for people with disabilities – this book is the second in a series that began with the release last year of The Future Computed: Artificial Intelligence and its role in society.

In an era when digital technology is changing almost every aspect about how people live, work, play, and learn, we believe it is important to think carefully about the complex questions that AI raises. Through our Future Computed series, we hope to encourage a broad set of conversations about how AI can empower people in a trusted and respectful environment that benefits everyone.

We decided to focus the second Future Computed book on manufacturing because the industry plays such a central role in the global economy, and because, as in previous industrial revolutions, it is once again at the forefront of adopting new transformational technologies.

This means manufacturing is one of the industries that is leading the way in exploring the full potential of AI. It also means manufacturers already find themselves responding to some of the challenges of AI — challenges like how to optimize processes to keep up with the new speed of business, how to ensure their existing and incoming workforce has the right skills to build and leverage AI, and how to create the right organizational culture to realize the benefits of data-driven decision making.

In the book, you’ll hear from a range of customers including ABB, Colfax, Jabil, Tetra Pak, Toyota Materials Handling and ZF about the progress they are making on their AI journey. You’ll meet Patrick Bass, CEO of thyssenkrupp North America, who led the effort to implement a real-time cloud-based predictive maintenance solution that is maximizing uptime for 12 million elevators that move 1 billion people every day. And hear from Manuel Torres, a self-taught engineer who has used AI to transform his paper company into a leading supplier of composite material for airplane manufacturers like Boeing and Airbus.

The book also looks at how manufacturers will need to engage with governments and civil society to help craft new regulatory frameworks, guiding the use of this new technology as the industry transforms. These frameworks should address key societal challenges, including the need to retrain workers to take on new roles and be part of a talent supply chain capable of realizing the potential of AI in manufacturing. They should also address how to store the data generated from connected supply chains and digital factories safely, securely, and in ways that respect privacy and ensure that AI is used ethically. Drawing on insights from customers and policymakers from around the world The Future Computed: AI and Manufacturing offers Microsoft’s perspective on how we might move forward on these important issues.

The Future Computed: AI and Manufacturing does not pretend to have all the answers. But we hope it will play a role in furthering discussions about how to deliver this new technology responsibly and help manufacturers better understand the steps they need to take in their AI journey.

In writing the book, Greg conducted interviews with Microsoft manufacturing customers who are at the forefront of figuring out how AI can drive success for their companies. He also interviewed workforce experts, union leaders, and policymakers from around the world and identified some common themes across these conversations.

The Future Computed: AI and Manufacturing points out the critical importance of cultural change as part of the digital transformation and the need for strong senior leadership in overseeing this shift. It also highlights the way in which the managers inside manufacturing operations who are closest to the workforce are often the most sensitive to AI’s impact on employees and are focused on improving worker safety and job satisfaction. And, while there is notable positivity from leaders in manufacturers around the impact of AI on jobs, there is also an understanding that a lot of work is needed to reinvent how we prepare people for the workforce.

The advent of AI makes this an exciting time to be in manufacturing. But it is also a time filled with great uncertainty. For anyone interested in learning more about why AI is so important to the future of manufacturing, I hope The Future Computed: AI and Manufacturing offers a useful guide. I also love the final remark that suggests leaders of today should lead with optimism.

I encourage you to download a copy here. You can also find out more about the people and companies profiled in the book and access additional information by visiting Microsoft’s AI and Manufacturing website. Additional resources can also be found in the Microsoft AI Business School.

Tags: AI, Future Computed, manufacturing

By Mikey Campbell
Wednesday, May 22, 2019, 07:28 pm PT (10:28 pm ET)

A security researcher discovered a flaw in Instagram’s website that left user contact information exposed for months, potentially allowing nefarious actors to create databases containing the phone numbers and email addresses of thousands.

David Stier, a data scientist and business consultant, earlier this year discovered an issue with Instagram’s website in which source code for some user profiles contained private contact information not made available on public-facing pages, reports CNET.

Citing archived versions of Instagram profiles dating back to October 2018, Stier believes thousands of accounts were impacted by the flaw, including pages belonging to private individuals, minors and businesses. The researcher informed Instagram of the problem in February and the company issued a patch in March.

As noted by CNET, the exposure presented a prime opportunity to collect sensitive information from the photo sharing service. It is postulated that bad actors were able to create vast databases of user contact information simply by scraping Instagram’s website source code during the four-month period in question.

One such list might already be in use. A report on Monday revealed an unsecured database maintained by Indian social media marketing firm Chtrbox leaked personal contact information tied to millions of Instagram influencer accounts, including users not affiliated with the company. An ensuing investigation found the database included 49 million records, a figure that continued to grow until the list was pulled from Amazon Web Services later that day.

Chtrbox in a statement said the information it gathered was not private, nor was it sourced unethically, according to Wednesday’s report. Instagram’s terms of use prohibit profile scraping, though Chtrbox has failed to detail how it obtained data not easily available to general users.

Instagram is investigating both Stier’s report and the Chtrbox database.

“We’re looking into the issue to understand if the data described – including email and phone numbers – was from Instagram or from other sources,” Instagram owner Facebook said in a statement on Monday. “We’re also inquiring with Chtrbox to understand where this data came from and how it became publicly available.”

A year prior to the source code snafu, Instagram was embroiled in a similar privacy kerfuffle when hackers exploited a bug in the service’s developer API to glean phone numbers and email addresses attached to high-profile accounts.

Following on from Hollow Knight earlier this week, the trend of delayed physical releases on the Nintendo Switch continues with the Guacamelee! One-Two Punch Collection being pushed back to August.

Instead of launching on 28th May for $39.99, physical distributor Leadman has now revealed the game will arrive on 6th August, due to some technical difficulties. Despite the delay, the two-in-one collection –including both Guacamelee! Super Turbo Championship Edition and Guacamelee! 2 – can still be pre-ordered.

A press release further explained the delay and also confirmed the game’s DLC in the Switch release would be included as codes in the box:

We just wanted to let you know that due to unforeseen circumstances, the physical release of the Guacamelee! One-Two Punch Collection for Switch and PS4 has been officially delayed until August 6th. It turns out that it’s not as simple to release a multi-application cart/disk as we initially thought! We’re confident in this new date however, and do not foresee any further delays.

On the plus side, while we were figuring all of this out we’ve also figured out a way to include all of the DLC for both games as part of the purchase. On PS4, all DLC will be included on the disc, and on Switch the DLC will be included as codes in the box.

Will you still be adding this physical release to your collection? How do you feel about the DLC being included as codes? Let us know in the comments.

REDMOND, Wash. — May 22, 2019 — On May 8, Microsoft Corp. announced the recipients of the 2019 Microsoft Supplier Program (MSP) Excellence Awards. The MSP Excellence Awards recognize excellence by Microsoft’s top suppliers in performance, relationship, value, reduced risk, diversity, sustainability and impact sourcing. The MSP mission is enabling a compliant, capable and competitive supply base to deliver increasing value to Microsoft and its suppliers. Winners of the 2019 MSP Excellence Awards were vetted by an award selection committee including representatives from procurement, business group stakeholders and external judges.

Winners were announced at the 2019 MSP Supplier Excellence Awards ceremony at Microsoft on May 8, 2019, in Redmond, Washington.

“Congratulations to all the MSP Excellence Award recipients and finalists for your outstanding work,” said Mike Simms, general manager and chief procurement officer at Microsoft. “These awards represent your deep commitment to delivering high-impact results contributing to the success of Microsoft. Microsoft’s Supplier of the Year winners, Compass Group, Wiwynn, Nextant and AnRui Digital, have collaborated with Microsoft to demonstrate efficiency gains, strategic partnerships, innovation and risk management. Amaxra and Sutherland Global have created amazing opportunities for diverse and disadvantaged people to succeed, and Tech Mahindra exhibited a huge commitment to an aggressive set of absolute emissions reduction goals. On behalf of Microsoft, I want to thank the award winners and all the finalists for their significant contributions and partnership.”

Following are the 2019 winners, finalists and an overview of their excellent service delivery.

MSP Supplier of the Year – Small category Winner: AnRui Digital

Finalists: Bastion Effect, BES Events

AnRui leveraged its in-depth knowledge of Microsoft’s products and solutions to design and deliver training to users, technical partners and developers, as well as facilitate hands-on lab sessions. AnRui developed innovative solutions, such as a new mobile app that enables Microsoft Partners to access Microsoft learning and certification materials, to help broaden reach and increase engagement and collaboration.

MSP Supplier of the Year – Medium category Winner: Nextant

Finalists: Lenati, Upwork

Nextant has been a strategic partner and trusted advisor on a range of topics by truly understanding Microsoft’s business, aligning with Microsoft priorities and taking feedback to improve. Nextant consistently delivered amazing performance and savings through automation and improved processes, while remaining flexible and adaptable to the business needs. Nextant also helped scope and build a power app that revolutionized the way Microsoft communicates to the field, and helped reduce operational risk by implementing business-critical quality assurance plans.

MSP Supplier of the Year – Large category Co-Winner: Compass Group

Finalists: Accenture, Tata Consultancy Services

Compass consistently demonstrated strategic partnership to identify solutions that delivered savings without compromising the customer experience. Compass focused on customer service by completing more than 10 capital projects over the seasonal holiday closure to minimize Microsoft employee impact. Compass redesigned its service response protocol using Microsoft technology to improve its response time from 24 hours to one hour. Compass also strongly delivered in alignment with Microsoft’s Accessibility and Sustainability values by developing a first-of-its-kind navigation bar, allowing those with visual impairments to use the cashless ordering/payment system and launching a zero-waste café pilot.

MSP Supplier of the Year – Large category Co-Winner: Wiwynn

Wiwynn is a component developer and system integrator of cloud servers for Microsoft, which has partnered with Microsoft on strategic initiatives and consistently delivered a high level of support. Wiwynn development support has been valuable in helping Microsoft achieve time-to-market on new technologies and is very supportive of Microsoft supply-chain initiatives. Wiwynn was instrumental in ensuring that Microsoft was not affected by 2018 industrywide component shortages through proactive implementation of a strategic buy process to ensure on-time delivery of Microsoft servers. Wiwynn has made significant investments to proactively mitigate risks by opening a new factory in Taiwan, increasing rack capacity in China and opening a satellite office in Redmond to support Microsoft teams.

MSP Supplier Diversity Award Winner: Amaxra

Finalists: Accenture, Wimmer

Amaxra has been awarded the 2019 MSP Supplier Diversity Award for being the supplier to make the most progress on diversity values. Amaxra is a certified diverse business and a business management and technology solutions firm. It was established in 2007 by Microsoft alumni Rosalyn Arntzen. It successfully supported a number of projects involving cultural and gender awareness, and community engagement. As a supplier, Amaxra’s ability to understand Microsoft’s most crucial business priorities, while reinforcing progress toward diversity goals, is of significant value to Microsoft. Diversity is the first of Amaxra’s top six values. In its own words, “Diversity leads the way. The workplace needs to be one where diverse individuals (walks of life, experiences, situations, skills sets, work styles and more) and diverse teams come together to drive best contributions.”

MSP Sustainability Award Winner: Tech Mahindra

Finalists: AT&T, Cisco and Infosys

Tech Mahindra was recognized for its leadership on climate change. Tech Mahindra committed to an aggressive set of absolute emissions-reduction goals, approved by the Science Based Targets Initiative, that will result in emissions 50% below 2015-2016 levels by 2050. Tech Mahindra has undertaken a thoughtful and comprehensive program to reduce Scope 1, Scope 2 and Scope 3 emissions. To date, it has installed solar generation at its plants in the Indian cities of Pune, Chennai, Hyderabad, Bangalore, Noida and Chandigarh. Tech Mahindra has developed a “Connected Solar Plants” solution using Microsoft Azure, aligning with Microsoft’s mission to help empower every person and organization on the planet to achieve more.

Judges for the Sustainability Award were Betty Cremmins with CDP, Verena Radulovic with the United States Environmental Protection Agency, Elizabeth Willmott with the Microsoft Environmental team and Michael Mondshine with WSP.

MSP Impact Sourcing Award Winner: Sutherland Global

Finalists: Compass Group, Hanson Consulting Group

Sutherland was recognized for its leadership on helping their employees achieve more by eliminating barriers to employment and empowering individuals through Impact Sourcing. Sutherland has the mission to impact one life or family for every person employed by the company. Over the past 10 years, Sutherland’s taken a systems approach to inclusion through education intervention and job opportunities for tens of thousands of individuals across the globe. The company collaborates and shares with nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) and other stakeholders to expand their impact. Sutherland’s model is the first of its kind to be used in a commercial setting.

Judges for this award included Sara Enright with Business for Social Responsibility – Global Impact Sourcing Coalition, Mamadou Biteye with the Rockefeller Foundation and Geoff Talbot with the Sourcing Industry Group.

About Microsoft

Microsoft (Nasdaq “MSFT” @microsoft) enables digital transformation for the era of an intelligent cloud and an intelligent edge. Its mission is to empower every person and every organization on the planet to achieve more.

For more information, press only:

Microsoft Media Relations, WE Communications for Microsoft, (425) 638-7777, rrt@we-worldwide.com

Note to editors: For more information, news and perspectives from Microsoft, please visit the Microsoft News Center at http://news.microsoft.com. Web links, telephone numbers and titles were correct at time of publication, but may have changed. For additional assistance, journalists and analysts may contact Microsoft’s Rapid Response Team or other appropriate contacts listed at http://news.microsoft.com/microsoft-public-relations-contacts.

Publisher 2K has suddenly ended pre-orders for the PC version Gearbox’s upcoming game (and Epic Games Store exclusive) Borderlands 3.

In a statement given to Eurogamer over the weekend, 2K notes that it has removed the ability to pre-order the game on the Epic Games Store for the time being. While it doesn’t explicitly spell out the reason for doing so, 2K does mention it’s “working closely with Epic” in the wake of the decision.

The decision to pause pre-orders does come during the Epic Games Store’s first big sale event, however, an event that has already ruffled the feathers of several developers on the platform and caused some to pull their games for the duration of the sale.

The Epic Mega Sale launched last week with the promise of offering $10 off every single game on the store priced over $14.99. The bill for that discount is fully footed by Epic, so devs and publishers don’t see any less income from each individual sale, but many with games on the Epic Games Store aren’t happy with their games being devalued by a sudden deep discount.

2K’s statement doesn’t plainly say that the sale was the reason for the decision, but notes that the company is “working closely with Epic” and “[looks] forward to the game being back on the Epic Games Store soon. Games bought during their Mega Sale will be honored at that price.”

Other developers with upcoming releases have made similar calls as well. Publisher Paradox Interactive temporarily pulled its upcoming game Vampire: The Masquerade – Bloodlines 2 from the store entirely last week, and Epic’s director of publishing later said the company wasn’t “properly informed” about the sale ahead of time. Klei Entertainment made a similar decision for its early access game Oxygen Not Included and opted to temporarily remove it from the Epic Games Store around the same time.

“They could have spent on ads on Twitch or IGN and it would not have made as big of an impact.”

– Gamesight CEO Adam Lieb discusses the value of marketing through influencers

Streaming has become a massive part of the video game industry in just a few years time, so much so that a report from the Wall Street Journal says that companies like Activision Blizzard, Electronic Arts, Take-Two, and Ubisoft are willing to pay a $50,000 hourly rate for streamers to play up their new releases.

A story from Kotaku dives into that figure even more, speaking with those familiar with both sides of the arrangement to explore how streamers now play into the marketing process.

As the story points out, arrangements with streamers present would-be customers with something more authentic feeling than a regular ad while still giving the companies footing the bill a small level of control over the content being produced (so long as they stick to endorsement guidelines presented by the FTC).

The full read over on Kotaku offers a more in-depth look at how that side of game marketing has shifted to include Twitch streamers, along with additional insight from several individuals involved in both the streamers’ and the publishers’ side of the deal.