Day: August 3, 2023

Airalo, the eSIM marketplace that seeks to grow its global presence, has raised $60 million in series B funding led by e& capital, the investment arm of the multinational technology conglomerate that used to be known as Etisalat Group, based in the United Arab Emirates.

The US start-up Airalo said in a statement on Wednesday that the investment, which brings the company’s total funding to $67.3 million, was made possible by Antler Elevate, Liberty Global, Orange, T.Capital, Rakuten Capital, Singtel Innov8, Telefonica Ventures, Sequoia Capital India, Surge, KPN Ventures, and I2BF Global Ventures.

According to the company, the financial infusion will be used to support Airalo’s expansion objectives, which include growing its global team and scaling its community of millions of members.

Additionally, it will utilize the money to launch a brand-new connectivity service called Airalo Partners for businesses and organizations.

Kushal Shah, the managing director of Abu Dhabi-based e& capital, stated, “We have total faith in Airalo’s ability to grow its user base, bolster its diverse team, and provide its most recent offering, Airalo Partners, a revolutionary networking solution for global companies and organizations.”

“We are ecstatic to assist Airalo in their endeavor to establish themselves as the indisputable global gateway for instant connectivity. We believe Airalo has the potential to become a necessary travel companion.”

Virtualized subscriber identification modules, or eSIMs, are substitutes for subscriber identity modules, which are mostly found in mobile devices like smartphones. They are specific to a particular mobile network and contain user identity, namely a mobile number.

Users can activate eSIMs online, saving them from the hassle of physically switching or moving SIM cards from one device to another.

Samsung Electronics with its Galaxy lineup, Google with its Pixel devices, and Apple with its iPhones are all significant providers of eSIM services.

According to Fortune Business Insights, the global eSIM market is expected to increase at a compound annual growth rate of 21%, from an anticipated $1.21 billion in 2023 to $4.62 billion by 2030.

Co-founders of Airalo Abraham Burak and Bahadir Ozdemir stated, “By offering very inexpensive and readily available connectivity all around the world, Airalo has alleviated the issues and enhanced the experience of millions of travelers.”

“We will be able to build the global gateway to instant connectivity with the support of this new investor consortium.”

Since its founding in 2019, Airalo has provided eSIM packages in more than 200 nations. There are plans to support 53 languages soon, and currently, the website and app are available in 22 languages.

Humans can only correctly recognize 73% of deepfake speech samples, according to a study.

According to a study, humans are unable to distinguish over 25% of deepfake speech samples.

This is the first study to look at how well humans can detect artificially produced speech in languages other than English, and it was published in PLOS ONE.

Deepfakes are a type of synthetic media that mimic the voices or looks of real people. They belong to the class of artificial intelligence that is generative.

In order to duplicate authentic sounds or sights, this type of artificial intelligence (AI) uses machine learning to instruct an algorithm the patterns and features of a data collection, such as a video or audio recording of a real person.

Present-day pre-trained algorithms are capable of replicating an individual’s speech with just a three-second audio clip, whereas previously they needed thousands of voice samples.

These open-source algorithms are not only easily available, even for a novice user, but they are also simple to train—possibly in a matter of days.

The IT giant Apple recently unveiled a software function for its iPhone and iPad devices that allows users to clone their voices with 15 minutes of audio, which is a noteworthy advance.

Using a text-to-speech algorithm, the researchers at University College London created deepfake speech samples in Mandarin and English for their study.

This system produced 50 deepfake speech recordings in each language after being trained on two public data sets.

The samples were purposefully distinct from the ones that were used to train the algorithm so that it wouldn’t just replicate the initial input.

A total of 529 individuals were exposed to both artificially created and actual samples in order to test people’s capacity to distinguish between the two.

Only 73% of the participants were able to correctly recognize the fake speech; this percentage only slightly increased when they received training on deepfake speech recognition.

Lead author of the study Kimberly Mai from UCL Computer Science said, “Our findings indicate that humans have no ability to accurately identify deepfake speech, whether or not they have undergone training to help them identify artificial content.”

“It begs the question of whether humans would fare poorly when identifying deepfake speech generated with more advanced technology now and in the future, given that the samples we used were created with relatively old algorithms.”

In order to combat the risks presented by artificially created audio and visuals, the researchers are currently working on developing more advanced automatic speech detectors.

Although generative AI audio technology has advantages, like improving accessibility for those with speech disorders or those who might become voiceless due to sickness, worries about its possible exploitation by criminals and governments to damage individuals and societies are growing.

Speech deepfakes are frequently found using AI-powered detectors. They encounter a lot of examples of both actual and phony speech throughout training, Ms. Mai said to The National.

By means of this procedure, the detectors acquire patterns that enable them to differentiate synthesized speech from authentic instances.

According to our research, we shouldn’t rely too much on the AI-powered sensors that are now available on the market.

“Although they are proficient in recognizing instances of deepfake speech that resemble training samples, such as when the speaker identity remains the same, their performance may deteriorate when the test audio undergoes alterations, such as when the speaker identity changes or the surrounding noise level increases.”

An example of this may be found in a 2019 event when the CEO of a British energy company was duped into sending hundreds of thousands of pounds to a phony supplier by utilizing a deepfake audio recording of his boss’s voice.

Senior study author Lewis Griffin of UCL Computer Science stated, “We’re on the edge of seeing numerous advantages as well as risks, with creative artificial intelligence technology becoming advanced and many of these tools openly available.”

“We must acknowledge the promising developments that lie ahead, even as organizations and governments must design plans for dealing with the incorrect application of these instruments.”

Regarding the creation and application of deepfake speech detectors, Ms. Mai said, “Because the deepfake speech detectors can be adaptable to shifts in audio, it is vital to assess them in various situations, for example, various speakers, noisier environments, or varying accents, in order to minimize false positives and negatives.”

The business intends to release an Arabic version of its app in the second half of 2023 and will be incorporating Multiply’s HealthierU marketplace into its platform.

Dubai founded As part of its goals for worldwide expansion, LVL Wellbeing raised $10 million in a series A fundraising round, which it will utilize to expand its offerings and attract additional clients in the GCC.

LVL stated in a statement on Wednesday that the investment, which was spearheaded by MG Wellness Holding, a division of the technology-focused holding firm Multiply Group in Abu Dhabi, will be used to launch preparations to enter Saudi Arabia as part of a worldwide expansion strategy.

Additionally, it will make it easier for LVL to include Multiply’s HealthierU platform, an online marketplace that links consumers with certified advisers from wellness centers and clinics throughout the UAE and the rest of the world via cutting-edge telemedicine, into LVL’s operations.

Chief executive Gary Blowers stated in the statement that further features, such as an Arabic version of the LVL app, are in the works and will be released in the second half of 2023.
He continued, “To help our members prioritise their wellbeing whether at home, at work, or on the road, we will also be investing more in creating unique, totally immersive experiences in corporate settings.”

Many people now prioritize their wellbeing since it unifies physical and mental health, leading to more comprehensive methods of promoting health and preventing disease.

Additionally, the US Centers for sickness Control and Prevention link it to a host of health, work, family, and financial advantages, including a lower chance of sickness, illness, and injury, improved immune system performance, quicker recovery, and longer lifespans.

The popularity of digital wellness providers has increased as people look for easy solutions that provide them multiple specializations and that they can access from any location.

According to Statista research, the digital fitness and wellbeing industry is expected to generate $146.8 billion in revenue in 2027, up from a projected $96.94 billion in 2023, at a compound annual growth rate of around 11%.

We will be able to work together to provide our members and clients with the most comprehensive preventative measures health and wellbeing services thanks to HealthierU’s integration into the LVL Wellbeing ecosystem, Mr. Blowers stated. “We’ll begin with more expansion in the United Arab Emirates, then expand our focus regionally, and ultimately worldwide.”

The series finale for the LVL Following a number of new business alliances, including one in the hospitality industry that would aid in the company’s expansion in Halifax, Canada, Dubai, Abu Dhabi, and Riyadh, LVL announced an investment round.

According to the statement, this would also act as a launchpad for the company’s upcoming wave of worldwide client base expansion. “The company has developed alliances and collaborations with some of the largest organizations in the area, all of which prioritize worker well-being and create measurable returns on investment,” the statement from the corporation stated.