How to fool smartphones

At the Pint of Science Festival research is presented in the pub next door. DiBSE Project researcher Martin Nocker presented his latest findings under the motto: Cat or Guacamole? How to fool machines that we think of as 'intelligent'.

Did you know that you use several AI (artificial intelligence) services virtually every day? Whether you watch Netflix, talk to Siri or Alexa, or unlock your phone using your face. All of these applications have in common that they use artificial intelligence. AI algorithms are already extremely powerful. But, do we trust these technologies without a doubt?

In Martin Nockers talk the audience will not only learn how easy it is to fool so-called "intelligent" systems that are e.g. supposed to control our future cars. Martin Nocker also reveals what we can do against possible attacks on AI.

Martin, what do cats and guacamole have to do with AI?

It is relatively easy to manipulate an image of a cat so that it looks like guacamole to machines, while humans cannot tell the difference. This can lead to very dangerous situations when AI is used for security-related tasks, for example. While cats rarely need to be distinguished from guacamole, road signs can be misinterpreted by autonomous vehicles. Similarly, smartphones can be tricked by exploiting facial recognition vulnerabilities.

Martin Nocker @nockermartin

After completing his bachelor's degree in computer science at LFU Innsbruck, Martin Nocker moved to TU Munich for his master's degree in electrical and information engineering. Back in Tyrol, he gained professional experience as a software developer for two years. Since February 2021, Martin Nocker has been conducting research together with experienced experts from the Digital Transformation Research Unit in the field of machine learning while maintaining data confidentiality.

Pint of Science...

... wants to get scientists out of the city's laboratories and put them in the well-deserved spotlight in the pub next door. There, they can explain their work to anyone interested in a cozy setting, present their latest findings and discuss their social dimensions. The audience does not need to be experts - the presentations are aimed at the general public and offer everyone the opportunity to come into contact with the researchers. The festival takes place annually on three evenings in May - and all over the globe, since 2021 also in Austria, in addition to Innsbruck, among others in Vienna, Graz and Krems. Source: https://pintofscience.at/