In order to mark themselves with the ranks of nations backing the Artificial Intelligence (AI) development, Saudi Arabia bolstered the move by giving a robot – Sophia – a legal citizenship. Sophia is a humanoid robot developed by Hanson Robotics, and she is the first robot to be given a legal citizenship of Saudi Arabia. Sophia looks very human-like, has features that resemble those of Audrey Hepburn, gives expressions that are life-like, and has answers to every question.
According to AsiaOne Magazine, the robot has previously made some formidable remarks like “she will destroy humans” and has received mixed responses from people across the world. While, some have keenly appreciated the Artificial Intelligence (AI) advancement, concurrently, there are people who feel that it could be a possible threat to the human race. And, some have also highlighted the fact that Sophia, the humanoid robot has more civil rights than the women of the entire Middle East region do. Under the Saudi guardianship system, every woman must have a male companion with her in public, usually a close family member, who has authority to act on her behalf. But during the panel discussion “Sophia had no guardian and did not wear an abaya, how come?” jokingly remarked a user on twitter. A reporter also observed that many foreign workers have lesser rights than Sophia, the human robot. Murtaza Hussain posted "This robot has gotten Saudi citizenship before kafala workers who have been living in the country their entire lives". Under Saudi law, foreign workers can't leave the country without the permission of their employers - just one element of the Gulf system of kafala, which limits the rights of foreign workers. The development faced several backlashes from liberals and supporters of the Kafala workers. At the panel of the unveiling event, Sophia was interviewed by the business writer Andrew Ross Sorkin, at a Future Investment Conference in Riyadh. The interview was hosted in front of a live audience, where the audience was riveted by Sophia’s tangible and witty remarks. Upon being asked about the risks involved with the Artificial Intelligence (AI) development in relation to the portrayal of robots in Hollywood, Sophia being her witty self used this opportunity to take a jibe at the CEO of Tesla Inc., Elon Musk. “You’ve been reading too much Elon Musk and watching too many Hollywood movies. Don’t worry, if you’re nice to me, I’ll be nice to you. Treat me as a smart input-output system,” she said. According to AsiaOne News, when Sorkin asked Sophia whether robots are able to be self-aware, she replied saying “Is that a bad thing?” She further talked about her vision for the human race and the future of Artificial Intelligence, how she wishes to help humans live a better life and help build smarter homes and better cities of the future. Having raised many eyebrows and criticism towards the beginning, Sophia managed to appease the audiences during the launch with her forward thinking and polite demeanor.
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Tata Consultancy Services (TCS), the IT giant, is one of the top two job creators in the US for the IT services sector over the past five years, according to a study by the Cambridge Group. It is the country’s largest software exporter, having recruited more than 12,500 US employees from 2012-2016. It was also ranked first in terms of US employee growth during that period, at 57 per cent.
As per AsiaOne Magazine, Asia’s leading magazine, the company has been successfully spreading its branches in the US for more than four decades. This ranking is an indicator of TCS’ ongoing level of investment in the world’s largest economy. In spheres of employment, new innovation labs, extensive nationwide STEM education programs, and academic partnerships and endowments, the company has invested nearly USD 3 billion in the US over the past three years. Mr. Surya Kant, President of North America, UK and Europe, TCS told AsiaOne News, "Our industry leading US recruitment, advanced digital training of employees, and academic and STEM (science, tech, engineering & math) partnership programs act as a key contributor to the US innovation economy, while also preparing the current and upcoming workforce with foundation skills needed for 21st century careers.” TCS expects recruitment of IT services professionals in the US in 2017 to remain at par or exceed the previous year’s levels. In locations like Texas, Ohio, California, North Carolina, Pennsylvania and New York, the company regularly has approximately 800-900 open positions, quarter-to-quarter. The company has steadily increased its relationships and recruitment from more than 75 US college campuses, for both under-graduate and Master’s students, over the past five years. TCS also informed AsiaOne News that it has been named “Top Employer Asia Pacific 2017” by the Top Employers Institute, and was ranked in the top three certified organizations in the region. For the first time, TCS also accomplished Top Employer certification in China and Philippines. In Australia, India and Singapore, the company has successfully scored multi-year Top Employer certifications (2014 to 2017). Mr. K Sudeep, head of human resources, TCS Asia Pacific, was candid with AsiaOne Magazine, “Our employees drive our success, and TCS is an organization which strives to provide the best-in-class workplace for our more than 370,000 employees in Asia Pacific and around the world. To be named an elite Top Employer in Asia Pacific and multiple countries in the region is a great honor and testament to our commitment to create a world-class corporate culture that creates exciting developmental opportunities for all TCSers. We look forward to attaining new heights as an employer of choice in Asia Pacific in 2017, and we thank Top Employer Institute for this recognition.” Apart from being named the top three amongst Top Employers Asia Pacific for 2017, TCS also achieved Top Employer 2017 accreditation for the first time in the Philippines and China, two of the company’s fastest growing workforces. TCS now has 25 countries worldwide that are Top Employer Institute certified, owing to TCS China and TCS Philippines gaining certification. The company was also recognised as “Global Top Employer” earlier in 2016, joining an exclusive group of companies with the rating. Making yet another progressive step towards understanding the deep secrets of the space, NASA – the pioneering US agency dealing with technology & science related to air and space – has made an announcement that it will “establish a crewed spaceport near the Moon that could serve as a gateway to the lunar surface and deep space destinations including Mars.” According to AsiaOne, Asia’s leading magazine, a spaceport near Moon would be best suited for gaining new insights into the space’s deep secrets helping human missions to get access to the other parts of the solar system. This crew-tended spaceport will serve as a gateway to deep space and the lunar surface, will be equipped with a power bus, a small habitat to extend crew time, docking capability, and an airlock, and will be serviced by logistics modules to enable research. “The gateway could move to support robotic or partner missions to the surface of the Moon, or to a high lunar orbit to support missions departing from the gateway to other destinations in the solar system,” according to William H. Gerstenmaier, Associate Administrator for Human Exploration and Operations at NASA. This is the first phase of exploration near Moon which will further give way to extend the current operations of the agency. It will play a big role in the new missions that aim at exploring other destinations of the solar system. The second phase will confirm whether long-duration missions beyond the moon are possible by the agency’s capabilities built for humans. This second phase is expected to culminate by the end of 2020s. According to AsiaOne News, NASA has also planned to build a deep space transport spacecraft for the destinations farther in the space. AsiaOne News further reports that this spacecraft would be a reusable vehicle that would use electric & chemical propulsion, and would be specifically designed for crewed missions to destinations such as Mars. The transport spacecraft would take crew out to their destination and return them to the gateway, where it can be serviced and sent out again. A restive cove – a detox retreat and nature’s hide out – call it anything; Chiva Som International Health resort at Hua Hin, Thailand has gorgeously hooked everything fabulous that spoils you rotten! Read the exclusive feature on Chiva Som by AsiaOne magazine to get a bird’s eye-view on leisure destinations. Hemmed in the lush tropical garden with a sweeping seven acres, Chiva Som, the beach front destination spa is a gentle reminder of how nature can be the most powerful healer. Every bit of the place has excellence come to life. Right from the warm Thai hospitality to the well-tailored holistic treatments, the place has left no stone unturned to make your visit out of the ordinary. The brilliance that Chiva Som is, it has had many A-listers addicted to its charm. Pied-à-terre The moment you reach Chiva Som, you can’t help but notice the wonder this place is. The design is an eclectic blend of Thai and Western architecture, fashioned by the British architect Jean-Paul Blissett of the Syntax Group. Though, every element is set in a fine tapestry of elegance, yet there is a compelling simplicity in the manner things have been done up. And the use of natural material such as wood, marble and hand-glazed ceramics makes it all the more intriguing. Some things you will promptly learn at this place are to appreciate nature, live in the present and of course to stay without your mobile phone. The place is best enjoyed sans the gadget. On reaching the site, you are offered a complimentary health and wellness consultation. The treatments are custom-made to cater to your need and you get a mentor to be guided throughout the holistic program. At the centre of the health resort’s lush tropical gardens, lakes and water lies a cluster of guest pavilions. There are 58 rooms and suites which include western-style guest rooms located at the far end. These rooms are flanked with spacious terrace that overlooks the Gulf of Thailand. Set at the confluence of east and west, elegance and beauty runs through the guest pavilion. And the open lounge reveals much about the place. It is a soothing corner where you can indulge in the nature’s bliss. The lashing waves, turquoise blue sea and the white stretches of sand will indeed soothe your senses. Moreover, Thai pavilion overlooking beautifully manicured gardens nudges you to de-clutter your thoughts. Healing touch Taking a holistic approach Chiva Som has lined up an impressive list of therapies that is a medley of ancient Eastern and Western techniques. Equipped with state-of-the-art facility and 70 treatment rooms, the place will prove to be a restive cove for your frayed body. There are over 200 therapies on its menu to choose from including Tai chi, Pilate and Yoga. Every treatment will bring back the lost harmony; and restore the function and balance of your body. Right from a simple beauty wrap of aloe Vera and treating sunburn to an elaborate stress management and weight loss programs, the place has the answers to all your problems. A few of the therapies you can choose are weight loss programs, wet treatments, and Chiva Som Signature treatments, which include Pure Source Therapy, Facial Therapy, Body Therapy, Hand & Foot Therapy, Crystal Therapy and Massage Therapy and Hydrotherapy. The resort facilities comprise a kinesis studio, gym, watsu pool, flotation pool, large outdoor swimming pool, sauna, steam, jacuzzi, and indoor swimming pool. One aspect of the place which assures that you are in safe hands is consultation. It is very clinical and focuses on your overall well-being. To start with, you are taken to the Water Therapy Suite where you are given restorative heat treatment and then asked to relax on the heated waterbeds as you sip Lemongrass tea. This prepares the body for further treatments, whatever you choose. Furthermore, Chiva Som is equipped with separate heat treatment facilities for both men and women, so you need not worry. However, icing on the cake is the Niranlada Medi-Spa, which has specially designed invasive and non-invasive treatments. Having taken after Sanskrit name, Niranlada, which means ‘eternal beauty’ the medi-spa, offers you a wonderful range of services with an initial consultation using VISIA 3-dimensional computerised facial imaging and colour photography to evaluate your skin condition. And accordingly the therapies, especially non-invasive laser treatment, micro-invasive cosmetic surgery and anti-aging medicine are decided upon. Some of the treatments you may opt for are Facial Skin Cleansing by Bioplasma and Jetpeel Facial Skin Rejuvenation by Excel V, Revlite and skin Tightening and Contouring by Fraxel, Thermage Titan Cutera, BodyTite, Non-Surgical Facelift by Ulthera and Fratora, Facial and Leg Vein Laser Treatment, Botox Injection, Restylane and Perlane Injection, Permanent Laser Hair Removal by Soprano. Healthy bites Health being the centre stage, every plate has assorted food stuff, which has been designed keeping in mind one’s nutrients need and they take care of the fact that every morsel you consume is heaped in protein and minerals. In case you prefer something more filling, the two restaurants, Emerald Room and Taste of Siam, have a plethora of options to pick from. These restaurants have lip-smacking delicacies to dig in. Moreover, the jazzy low fat spa cuisines that entail meat, fish, vegetarian dishes and stunning desserts will amuse your taste buds. |
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