KAUST will issue blockchain-anchored digital diplomas to all graduating students using the Blockcerts open standard. This makes KAUST one of the first universities worldwide to adopt this technology. The digital diplomas, issued through the Learning Machine Issuing System, offer secure and lifetime verification. Why it matters: This move enhances KAUST's position as a technology leader and aligns with Saudi Vision 2030's digital transformation goals.
Technology Innovation Institute (TII) has launched a blockchain-powered carbon tracking and trading platform at COP28. The platform, designed by TII’s Cryptography Research Center (CRC), aims to facilitate international trade in carbon tokens and promote green investment. It uses a lightweight, efficient blockchain implementation for transparent and secure verification of tracking and trading activities. Why it matters: The platform supports the UAE's sustainability goals and contributes to the global effort to achieve net-zero emissions by enabling verifiable and trustworthy carbon trading.
Dr. Youcheng Sun from the University of Manchester presented on ensuring the trustworthiness of AI systems using formal verification, software testing, and explainable AI. He discussed applying these techniques to challenges like copyright protection for AI models. Dr. Sun's research has been funded by organizations including Google, Ethereum Foundation, and the UK’s Defence Science and Technology Laboratory. Why it matters: As AI adoption grows in the GCC, ensuring the safety, dependability, and trustworthiness of these systems is crucial for public trust and responsible innovation.
Conor McMenamin from Universitat Pompeu Fabra presented a seminar on State Machine Replication (SMR) without honest participants. The talk covered the limitations of current SMR protocols and introduced the ByRa model, a framework for player characterization free of honest participants. He then described FAIRSICAL, a sandbox SMR protocol, and discussed how the ideas could be extended to real-world protocols, with a focus on blockchains and cryptocurrencies. Why it matters: This research on SMR protocols and their incentive compatibility could lead to more robust and secure blockchain technologies in the region.
A new methodology emulating fact-checker criteria assesses news outlet factuality and bias using LLMs. The approach uses prompts based on fact-checking criteria to elicit and aggregate LLM responses for predictions. Experiments demonstrate improvements over baselines, with error analysis on media popularity and region, and a released dataset/code at https://github.com/mbzuai-nlp/llm-media-profiling.
The Secure Systems Research Center (SSRC) has partnered with the University of New South Wales (UNSW Sydney) to research enhancements and scaling of the seL4 microkernel on edge devices. The collaboration aims to extend the seL4 microkernel to support dynamic virtualization, combining minimal trusted computing base with strong isolation. This will address challenges related to heterogeneous hardware, software, and environmental factors in edge computing. Why it matters: This partnership aims to improve the security of edge devices in critical sectors, addressing vulnerabilities in cyber-physical and autonomous systems.
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