Speaking of being a top dog, we are proud to announce that we’ve been named one of the Top 100 companies on Clutch’s platform. According to their recent report, our performance and services in the market have managed to help us in securing a spot in this very lucrative list of amazing B2B companies. 

For those of you who are wondering, Clutch is an established platform in the heart of Washington, DC, committed to helping small, mid-market, and enterprise businesses identify and connect with the service providers they need to achieve their goals. 

Being featured as a leading developer on Clutch is truly a huge milestone for us. We couldn’t thank them and their team enough for making this award a reality. Lastly, we would like to extend our appreciation to our clients and partners for always believing in our team to deliver high-quality services and solutions for their businesses.

 “Clutch has been a great partner over the long-term, supporting technology developers like us to expand into new markets globally.” – Marc. Fischer , Co-founder and CEO

For more information about our services feel free to contact our team! We look forward to hearing from you.

DeepMind, Google’s innovative AI solution is reapplying its board-game playing AI known as AlphaZero to discover a faster way to solve a fundamental math problem in computer science. And it’s doing such a good job that it just beat a standing world record in mathematical problem-solving, a record that has stood for over 50 years. The mathematical challenge known as solving for matrix multiplication is a needed calculation that is at the core of many different computer applications today. Matrix multiplication is used in an array of computer science applications and AI-based applications such as displaying images on a screen and simulating complex physics models. And as a San Francisco-based app developer squarely focused on artificial intelligence app development, 

Further, matrix multiplication lays the foundation for machine learning itself, so cracking the code on improving these fundamental operations is key to enhancing the longevity and usefulness that machine learning, AI, and an array of computer science-related functions rely on. François Le Gall, a mathematician at Nagoya University in Japan, noted how incredibly valuable this AI-based breakthrough is for tech development and society as a whole.  “Matrix multiplication is used everywhere in engineering,” he says. “Anything you want to solve numerically, you typically use matrices.” Although these calculations are so important, Nobody knows the best algorithm for solving it,” says Le Gall. “It’s one of the biggest open problems in computer science.”

Despite the calculation’s use in so many areas of technology and science, there is still a layer of mystery associated these this mathematical approach and fortunately, DeepMind is making tremendous headway in solving these sophisticated mathematical operations.

What is a matrix and why is it important?

A mathematical matrix is a grid of numbers that represents anything you want. Sounds simple right? Well, it gets complicated quickly. Matrix multiplication involves multiplying two matrices together by multiplying the rows and the columns of the matrix together to produce a multiplied value of the matrices. Now, once this matrix is multiplied, the basic technique for solving the problem is taught in high school, known as “ the ABC of computing,” says Pushmeet Kohli, head of DeepMind’s AI for Science team. However, when you try to find a faster method of solving the multiplied matrix outside the standard procedural prescribed operations, it gets complicated. 

This is because there are more ways to multiply two matrices together than there are atoms in the universe (10 to the power of 33, for some of the cases the researchers looked at). “The number of possible actions is almost infinite,” says Thomas Hubert, an engineer at DeepMind. To solve this, DeepMind turned this mathematical problem into a game called TensorGame. The board of this TensorGame represents the multiplication problem to be solved, and each move represents the next step in solving that problem. This allowed Google’s DeepMind to consider this challenge under its well-understood design parameters of game theory.

This approach resulted in Google researchers training a new version of AlphaZero, called AlphaTensor, to play this game. AlphaTensor was trained to make the best series of steps to make when multiplying matrices. In doing so, AlphaTensor was rewarded for winning the game in as few moves as possible.

“We transformed this into a game, our favorite kind of framework,” says Hubert, who was one of the lead researchers on AlphaZero. 

What does this mean for artificial intelligence?

This is yet another fascinating data point that artificial intelligence is here to stay and will continue to become more immersive in our daily lives each and every day. For those looking to bring an artificial intelligence-based application into their portfolio of solutions, working with a third party may truly be the best option.

By working with a dedicated development partner like Dogtown Media, you’ll gain access to an industry-leading team of developers that are dedicated to developing an ironclad, security-first AI application that is based on your unique application concept.

Contact us today to learn more about how Dogtown Media can be a trusted advisor as you look to bring your next artificial intelligence app to the marketplace.

Just a few weeks back in our previous article titled,

In fact, FAIR Health, an independent nonprofit that collects data for and manages the nation’s largest database of privately billed health insurance claims and is entrusted with Medicare Parts A, B, and D claims data for 2013 to the present,  tracks and releases monthly telehealth updates via their Monthly Telehealth Regional Tracker. And recent data via FAIR points to a sizable drop off in telehealth use.

This data shows that, after two months of growth, national telehealth utilization fell 3.7 percent, from 5.4 percent of medical claim lines in May to 5.2 percent in June. So what exactly happened to cause this notable drop in telehealth usage? And, most importantly, does this indicate a loss of use/interest in telehealth services? Let’s dig in to understand the nuances in this data. 

As a trusted iPhone App Developer in Las Vegas, dedicated to developing the world’s most innovative healthcare apps, we make it our priority to stay on top of today’s most up-to-date telehealth statistics.

About the Monthly Telehealth Regional Tracker

Launched in May 2020 as a free service, the Monthly Telehealth Regional Tracker uses FAIR Health data to track how telehealth is evolving from month to month. An interactive map of the four US census regions allows the user to view an infographic on telehealth in a specific month in the nation as a whole or in individual regions. Each infographic shows month-to-month changes in telehealth’s percentage of medical claim lines, as well as that month’s top five telehealth procedure codes, diagnoses and specialties. Additionally, in the Telehealth Cost Corner, a specific telehealth procedure code is featured, with its median charge amount and median allowed amount.

FAIR Health President Robin Gelburd stated: “We welcome sharing these varying windows into telehealth utilization as it continues to evolve. This is one of the many ways we pursue our healthcare transparency mission.”

For the Monthly Telehealth Regional Tracker, click here.

What does this mean for Telehealth?

One of the most notable pieces of data that can be teased out of this report provided by FAIR is that COVID-19 has a big influence on the trajectory of this data. It’s important to note that today, COVID-19 is one of the leading diagnoses in the United States. While COVID-19 is still a national challenge, with cases dropping, telehealth use will then recede in parallel, following the trajectory in some parts of the United State COVI-19 case numbers.

To this, several US regions reported declines in COVID-19-related telehealth statistics. In the Northeast, telehealth use fell 4.8 percent, and in the South, it fell 2.4 percent. However, the West reported a 2.9 percent increase, and the Midwest had no changes.

How does this impact Telehealth Development?

Although this data seems to suggest that telehealth services are waning, we think this is quite the opposite. As we begin to round the corner on COVID-19, telehealth services related to COVID-19 will undoubtedly reduce as well.  

In fact, we believe the fact that COVID-19-related telehealth services will continue to drop while other peripheral telehealth services will continue to climb. This projection begs the question, is now the time to jump into the telehealth app space and capture some market share of the booming market? We believe the data in this piece, and other subsequent pieces we’ve released show that telehealth is in the early stages of a massive multi-billion dollar industry. 

Today, mobile apps power so many critical aspects of our daily lives. From facilitating our commute via

As a trusted App Developer in San Francisco, dedicated to developing the world’s most innovative iPhone apps and Android apps, we feel now is the time to dig into such a critical topic as mobile app privacy.

Today, it likely won’t surprise you to find out that individuals of all races and creeds, including top government officials use common-day applications just like the rest of us. And although these applications provide the same level of convenience, efficiency and communication, privacy and security risks have reared their face as a major challenge. In fact, many of us using everyday apps may be shocked to find that some apps bring potential harm. 

So, what mobile applications out there are really a cause for concern, you ask? Well, recently, Tom Hortons, the Candian coffee chain Tim Hortons fell under tremendous scrutiny when news broke that the Tim Hortons mobile app was secretly tracking and storing user geolocation data even while the app was closed. Under pressure from reporters to provide a statement, Tim Horton Representatives states that the metadata collected via the Tim Hortons mobile app was simply used for marketing purposes, and real-time geotracking wasn’t capable under the technical limitations of their mobile application, but those who broke the story don’t believe this tells the complete truth. Rather, investigators feel this type of technological capability is akin to mass surveillance as the collected data could infer highly specific user habits.

Whether nefarious or not, this example of mobile tracking identifies a major issue with the mobile apps we known and trust suggesting a serious privacy and security vulnerability may be present in more mobile apps than we can account for. 

The hidden risks of the mobile apps we love

If it’s true that Tim Hornton is secretly tracking users who have downloaded the Tim Hortons app, what does this say about other such vulnerabilities? For instance, threat actors could easily track specific individuals or nefarious actors could follow state officials and gain key insights regarding national secrets based on the actions of government officials.

In fact, while Tom Horton has come out and apologized for the error and promised to fix the tracking problem swiftly, it’s by no means the only mobile app that has had its fair share of challenges.

Some key mobile app privacy breaches over the past recent years:

An unforeseen vulnerability identified in the MyFitnessPal mobile app allowed malicious threat actors to gain access to sensitive user data, resulting in a data breach and PR blowback that cost Under Armour, (the company that owns MyFitnessApp) to sustain a market value loss of 3.8%.

In 2021, more than 21 million user’s sensitive information including licnese plate number was exposed after the ParkMobile app, used by many local governments, was breached. 

In 2019  the government issued Kilswitch/APASS software used by Marines and sailors was breached allowing threat actors and foreign adversaries to access sensitive military location data.

British Airways sustained a breach that leaked 380,000 credit card payments and compromised sensitive customer data. 

What This Means for Businesses Choosing an App Dev Partner

As hard as government agencies may try to limit risk exposure, in today’s technological fast-paced world, many government officials are going to continue to use their personal devices as well as use the applications of their preference on their phones. This not only creates a challenge for government agencies but it also puts companies bringing apps the market in the hot seat. 

Take, for example, a scenario where a company either develops its application in-house or outsources it to a third-party development house. Without the proper precaution (or the proper vetting of this given app development firm) they could quickly wind up in a situation where their new shiny app is causing major PR backlash after an unsuspected vulnerability arises, or worse, an apparent privacy safeguard is breached. 

This is an incredibly important consideration for organizations as they make steps toward bringing their mobile application to the market. Here, we highly recommend working with a third-party app development company that not only exhibits industry tenure and experience, but focuses on a security-first development approach. 

About Dogtown Media

Here at Dogtown Media we understand how important your mobile application is to deliver innovative health solutions in the mHealth space. 

To this,  we are more than just developers your hire. We are your partners, working in lockstep with you to create the best mobile application possible for your business that connects with your target audience. We get to know not just your project but your company and the people who make it a success. 

Take advantage of our free consultation to speak to our mobile application development experts.

Low code and no code are terms used to describe a new application development approach that generally describes the process of app development without the need for a traditional coding background or knowledge. With this approach, apps are designed in a drag-and-drop fashion where the needed underlying code to facilitate this design happens behind the scenes. 

Traditional development, however, is the conventional approach where teams of software developers use an array of programming languages and programming platforms to build versatile applications. Although low and no code development practices are relatively new in the world of development, they are making a huge splash and quickly becoming a considered option for organizations who wish to spin up an app quickly on the fly. 

As a trusted App Developer in Austin Texas, we wanted to discuss the value of low code / no code practices and where it fits in today’s app development approach. Let’s dig in.

What is Traditional Development? And Where Does it Stand in This New World?

For many years, the traditional development approach has been the go-to method for development teams around the world, however, is that on the verge of changing? With platforms that support low code and no code development, it’s safe to say the traditional paradigm is being challenged. Low code is known to be agile, swift, and a competitive challenger to traditional app development methods (depending on the level of sophistication of the app in question). This is where the heart of the discussion tends to be – what types of applications are low code / no code development practices good for?

Today,  no code is often used for more tactical drag-and-drop simplified applications, whereas  low code may be a better first for some of the more sophisticated backend development practices needed in today’s applications. However, to address the elephant in the room, it’s important to discuss whether or not low code / no code development is a good fit for commercial mobile applications. 

We believe the answer is, it depends. See, when an organization considers bringing an application to the market, they have to consider more than just the application itself. Today, organizations need to consider security, update paths, UI/UX, user data management, compliance and a world of additional considerations on top of the sophistication of the app itself. 

Here, we feel it’s critical that organizations consider some of the limitations and considerations around some of these more green avenues before jumping in head first to a no code / low code application. 

The Future of Traditional Code

Do we believe that low and no code will replace the traditional approach to development? No, that future is a long way off. However, we do feel that low code and no code development practices will augment traditional development teams, teams that are highly skilled to develop in this more security-minded comprehensive approach mentioned above. 

So, how will low code and no code then influence the state of application design in the present? Well, it opens the door for many more non-technical users to bring apps and MVPs to the marketplace. An MVP or minimum viable product is often a prototyping approach that allows an organization or entrepreneur to showcase their application idea, meeting the minimum functionality required to get the value across to their audience. One, an application requires true market viability, it’s going to require a team of internal or third-party developers to handle such a feat.

About Dogtown Media

Here at Dogtown Media we understand how important your mobile application is to deliver innovative health solutions in the mHealth space. To this,  we are more than just developers your hire. We are your partners, working in lockstep with you to create the best mobile application possible for your business that connects with your target audience. We get to know not just your project but your company and the people who make it a success. 

Take advantage of our free consultation to speak to our mobile application development experts.

Did you know that 42% of all companies today have a mobile app to extend their reach to their audience? It’s true. And, if you’re one of the many companies today looking to bring a new app to the market, we hope that this blog can provide an immense amount of benefit to you as you navigate this exciting new chapter.

Now that you’ve decided to move forward with bringing an app to the market, comes a big decision: Do you build the mobile app in-house? Or, do you hire a dedicated mobile app development service?

Unfortunately, so many companies set out to develop an app only to find they are understaffed on resources or, worse, they have to take critical developers off of key projects to develop the app. Often, as you might assume, this leads to mobile app development projects getting tabled while other more important projects take priority. Luckily, there are third-party app development firms that can help.

If you are considering developing a mobile application for your company, plenty of options are available. And as a trusted Los Angeles-based app development firm we felt it would be useful to explore the benefits of a mobile app development service and consider the choice of hiring outside help or keeping things in-house.

In the following piece, we’ll look at Three key considerations when bringing an app to market, whether you decide to forge that path in-house, or with a trusted app development firm.

Planning is Everything

This should go without saying, but planning is everything. Often, planning means many different things, however, when bringing a mobile app to the market. Whether it’s planning what methodology you’ll market your app, or the physical planning of how the different components of the app will stitch together, planning is the first critical step. 

One way to attack this stage is to gain key stakeholder buy-in within the company on everything that needs to be present in the application. For instance, if the app is going to be a financial banking app, you better be sure to get key technical and executive insight on what financial-related features are needed in this particular application before getting developers involved.

In this pre planning stage, it can be incredibly valuable to aggregate this data and keep a physical list of all of the features and components needed. Writing down all of the needed features will help aggregate a resource map. What’s a resource man you ask? A resource map identifies all of the resources and individuals required to complete a particular project. 

Once you’ve identified needed features and resources, you’ll be able to take a better look at your next step. Do you have the required internal resources to bring this app to the market on your needed timeline? If the nest steps seem concerning, working with a trusted app development service may be the best bet. 

Wireframes Are Your Friend

Once you’ve gathered key stakeholder buy-in, it’s time to take that pre planning stage to a more tangible stage, the wireframe. A wireframe is a design methodology where the unique screens of an application are designed in a mockup format. Services like Miro or LucidCharts are great tools to help your design team create physical representations of the mobile application. 

Through our years of experience, we’ver found this stage incredibly valuable to organizations for two very distinct reasons, continued buy-in and validated designs. See, when you develop a wireframe, it allows you to continue to gain input and buy-in from key members within your organization. It’s incredibly valuable to keep key stakeholders engaged throughout this development stage, because neglecting to do so can have serious ramifications down the road. 

Consider that some major design changes come out of the wireframe development stage and key stakeholders are not updated on these events? See the problem. Yes, so do we. We’ve seen this far too many times where the design considerations early on look incredibly different from the design status following the wirefrom stage. Keep everyone engage and avoid serious trouble down the road.

Test, Test, Test

If you’re not testing constantly, it’s time for a change in approach. Testing should be the number one thing that is kept constant in the development process. Whether that be testing the functionality and validity of the application itself, or testing how the application runs on different devices to ensure it works on various operating platforms such as phone, tablet, and different operating systems, testing is key.

Why is this so critical you ask? Well, we’ve seen many applications delivered by well esteemed organizations fail to exhibit the proper resolution on particular platforms, or even various common operating systems, making large populations of your marketbase feel that your app simply won’t work for them.

Interested in learning more about how to maximize your ROI On Mobile Apps, click here to read more.

Consider Dogtown Media

Dogtown Media understands how important your mobile application is to your business. We are more than just developers you hire. We are your partners, working in lockstep with you to create the best mobile application possible for your business that connects with your target audience. We get to know not just your project but your company and the people who make it a success. Take advantage of our free consultation to speak to our mobile application development experts.

Apple Inc. has been keeping their card close to their chest on the release of the iPhone 14, until now. Thursday, August 25th Apple announced its plans to hold a launch event on Sept. 7th, a tech summit where Apple plans to unveil the iPhone 14 and a new line of Apple watches, another Apple fan favorite.

Following reports of the release, Apple sent out an invitation to media and key individuals for a presentation titled “Far Out,”. Here, Apple intends to hold the day-long presentation and summit at the Steve Jobs Theater, headquarters in Cupertino, California, and for those unable to attend in person, Apple will be holding a livestream, a presentation practice it’s used since the pandemic began.

As a premiere iPhone App Developer recognized as one of the top Seattle-based app development firms, we’re dedicated to staying on top of the latest trends in the app development space, making this a critically important story to follow.

What Does This Mean for iPhone Enthusiasts?

It’s always a momentous occasion when Apple releases a new iPhone. These events are typically filled with Awe and wonder around some of the new fascinating features the iPhone of the day holds. In fact, although Apple got its start developing the Mac computer line, iPhones now account for more than half of its $366 billion in annual sales last year. So, delivering on these events and delivering on cutting edge iPhone technology is a must.

And although, attendees and those watching virtually can expect the same excitement as yeast prior, there’s additional pressure on Apple this year to deliver some spectacular tech. As the global economy faces a slowdown in consume spending, Apple is proving to not be immune to market changes. Recently, Apple revealed that Apple has faced a slowdown in consumer spending — particularly in the smartphone industry — and needs its latest technology to entice buyers. 

What does this mean for Apple consumers? Well, for one Apple is planning a more ambitious product rollout than usual in the coming months, with a flurry of new Macs, iPads, AirPods and even a mixed-reality headset expected by the first half of 2023.This means that consumers will have their pick of products in the coming years. But, it’s also noteworthy to consider that some resellers of Apple products may be discounting Apple products that they want to move off their shelves to make way for the latest and greatest Apple tech.

What To Expect

At this particular event scheduled for Sept. 7, Apple aims to announce four new iPhone 14 models and three new versions of the Apple Watch, so don’t count on any iOS news for the foreseeable future. Early reports of the event also indicate that the new iPhone line will split into two standard versions and two Pro models, giving consumers variety in their new iPhone 14. Another great consideration for those eyeing the new iPhone 14, Apple will only offer a large, 6.7-inch version of the iPhone, moving away from the mini model we’ve seen with the iPhone 12 and iPhone 13. 

For those looking to step into the Pro model, they’re in for a lot of feature enhancements. The iPhone 14 Pro line will gain a new 48-megapixel rear camera, a faster processor, improved battery life, video recording enhancements and a redesigned front camera system.

For those looking to upgrade their Apple Watch, they’re in luck. The new Apple Watch lineup will represent the company’s biggest set of changes to the device since its initial release in 2015. In particular, the new line of Apple Watches will be outfitted with a faster processor. There also will be an Apple Watch Series 8 model with a body-temperature sensor and new features for women’s health.

Thursday, August 18th 2022, Apple released an emergency security update that aimed to patch a serious security vulnerability putting certain iPhone, iPad and Mac products at risk of fraudulent attack. Quickly after identifying the vulnerability, Apple disclosed the issue and rapidly released a safeguard patch to the Apple products that were at risk. 

Apple, known as an unlikely target for today’s cyber attacks, first sounded the alarm when developers identified the potential for an application to execute an arbitrary code with “kernel privileges”. This vulnerability gave cyber attackers an entry point, and a platform to execute code within the security perimeter of today’s most trusted Apple devices. However, the challenges don’t stop there. 

Following a thorough analysis, Apple identified a second issue that provided a second entry point for attackers. Here, an Apple WebKit, also known as a layout engine was identified to possess a security vulnerability, or secondary entry point-a hacker’s paradise. Apple said it was “aware of a report that this issue may have been actively exploited.” The issue could allow a potential attacker to take complete control of these devices.

As a premiere iPhone App Developer recognized as one of the top San Francisco-based app development firms, we’re dedicated to staying on top of the latest trends in the app development space, making this a critically important story to follow.

What are Apple Users To Do?

Of course, millions of Apple users are now asking themselves “what should I do to stay protected?” Experts that assess security vulnerabilities have categorized which devices require the Apple update. The list of devices is as follows: The iPhone 6 and later models; several models of the iPad, including the 5th generation and later, all iPad Pro models and the iPad Air 2; and Mac computers running MacOS Monterey. The vulnerabilities also affect the iPod Touch 7th generation models.

And for those that choose not to update their compromised Apple device? The threat is substantial. Apple notes that these vulnerabilities can give hackers full administrative access to the device, allowing them to execute any action as if they were the actual user of the phone. This statement comes from Rachel Tobac, CEO of SocialProof Security, in the midst of this Apple vulnerability scare.

Rachel goes on to note”people who are in the public eye,” such as activists or journalists who might be the targets of sophisticated nation-state spying, Tobac said.

Has This Happened Before?

Unfortunately, there are many hacker organizations that have been trying to crack the Apple “code” for decades. For instance, the commercial spyware company known as Israel’s NSO Group are one such group known for identifying and taking advantage of such flaws. In identifying and exploiting these vulnerabilities,NSO Group will surreptitiously infect targets’ smartphones, siphons their contents and surveys the target’s information in real time. This comes at a time when everyone is on the lookout to limit their exposure to security risks. 

To curb some of the attacks staged by the NSO Group, the U.S commerce Department had blacklisted the organization as of Jan 2020. The United State govt has taken a hard stance on limiting the accessibility of sensitive information, and has staged a full blown cyber initiative to ensure government agencies are uniquely protected against the attacks put on by these malicious actors.

Security researcher Will Strafach said he had seen no technical analysis of the vulnerabilities that Apple has just patched. The company has previously acknowledged similarly serious flaws and, in what Strafach estimated to be perhaps a dozen occasions, has noted that it was aware of reports that such security holes had been exploited.

What Does This Mean for Organizations Looking to Bring an App to the Market?

For organizations looking to bring an app to the marketplace, this should act as a humbling reminder to proceed with appropriate caution. Unfortunately, organizations seem to be caught between  rock and a hard place when it comes to development. On one hand, there is a market urgency to bring applications and solutions to the market quickly, However, on the other hand, there is the impending reality that haste can and will expose security vulnerabilities if an organization isn’t careful. 

What then is an organization to do? Well, in our humble opinion, working with a seasoned professional development firm, one that prioritized a security-first development practice is critically important. 

We believe that partnering with a strategic partner to bring your app from ideation to fruition is the only way to adequately limit risk while developing in a manner than meets the needs of today’s fast-paced market. 

Interested in learning more? Contact one of our trusted account managers today. 

We’ve all witnessed the meteoric growth of telehealth that has seemingly refused to slow since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. Now, backed by recent telehealth tracking data, it seems that telehealth is on another tear—this time telehealth growth has witnessed an uptick of 10.2 % in May, occupying 5.4 % of all medical claim lines, according to new data. 

This data solidifies that for the second month in a row telehealth use has increased, data gathered by the FAIR Health Monthly Telehealth Regional Tracker.

So, what does this mean for you as an organization on the cutting edge of telehealth? Well, as an mHealth app development firm recognized as one of the top San Diego-based app development firms, we’re confident that this data marks a chapter fo explosive growth for telehealth, which will undoubtedly create incredible opportunity for your organization. Let’s dig in!

The FAIR Health Monthly Telehealth Regional Tracker

FAIR Health is an independently functioning nonprofit designed to collect and manage data for the nation’s largest database of privately billed health insurance claims. This nationally recognized nonprofit is entrusted with Medicare Parts A, B and D claims data dating back to 2003, making it one of the largest nationally managed repositories of healthcare data.

The tracker itself that identified this increase in telehealth use is one of FAIR Health’s services designed to assess changes in telehealth activity monthly by tracking various metrics such as insurance claims, procedure code entries, and diagnostics. 

And although COVID-19 is undoubtedly a major driver in the increase in telehealth use, the FAIR Health tracker follows privately insured claims such as Medicare Advantage members; however, it’s important to note that FAIR does not track Medicare Fee-for-Service and Medicaid beneficiaries. This aggregation of data provides the best insight into where telehealth stands today and where it’s going in the near future.

Recent Growth in Telehealth

Catalyzed by the global COVID-19 pandemic, telehealth is now a cornerstone of healthcare in today’s modern society. In fact, the January release of the FAIR Health Monthly Regional Telehealth Tracker found an unprecedented uptick in telehealth services throughout the United State for the third month in a row, showing that telehealth doesn’t show signs of slowing even after the COVID-19 pandemic has begun to wane. In November of last year, COVID-19 occupied at least one position on the telehealth diagnoses list and accounted for a 7.3 % increase in telehealth usage. 

In May, national telehealth continued to rise, growing to an astonishing 10.2 % and  the share of telehealth-related medical claims rose from 4.9% in April to 5.4% in May.

Digging Into the Data

So, what exactly is driving this growth, you ask? Understanding where COVID-19 plays a role is critical. COVID-19 rose to second most telehealth diagnosis nationally, moving from the number three spot just a month before. In the southern and midwest states the rise in COVID-19 diagnosis was the same, moving to the second and third position respectively. And in the west COVID-19 diagnosis moved to the second spot for telehealth-related medical claims. 

Further, this recent May report delivered by the FAIR Health Monthly Telehealth Regional Tracker showed that one thing had not changed-the number one position for most common telehealth procedure. Even with the unprecedented growth of COVID-19 related telehealth claims, CPT 90837 that represents one-hour psychotherapy held the No. 1 spot both at the national and regional level.

What’s Next for Telehealth

While it’s still unknown what mHealth technology will look like as we move into the future, however, it’s becoming quite certain that mHealth and telemedicine are here to stay. And, sad as it may be, as COVID-19 continues to redefine our daily lives, mHealth will undoubtedly evolve to meet the needs of our society. 

With this incredible growth in telehealth, it begs the question, is now the time to jump into the telehealth app space and capture some market share of the booming market? We believe the data in this piece, and other subsequent pieces we’ve released show that telehealth is in its early stages of a massive multi-billion dollar industry. Those who get in early, will surely reap the rewards of tomorrow’s technology focused healthcare ecosystem. 

Here at Dogtown Media, we’re dedicated to helping our clients bring their app ideas to the market. With over ten years of app development for businesses of all sizes and industries, we are confident we can be your go-to development agency. Reach out today to learn more about how we can help with your next mHealth app!

In late July, (now) ex-Google employee Blake Lemoine discovered something truly remarkable—self aware AI, or so he thought. For those of you who missed it, Blake Lemonie shattered headlines last month when he stated that one the Google AI systems that he was testing showed human-like consciousness. This radical discovery, of course, ignited conversation amongst AI experts as well as executive officials at Google. 

 As a dedicated artificial intelligence app developer with a presence in Seattle, we’re committed to staying one step ahead of development in the AI space. And as things heat up regarding AI showing signs of sentience, we’re committed to staying on top of the story.

Who is Blake Lemoine?

Blake is a computer scientist who recently held a Senior Software Engineer title at Google. He notes that his work focuses on ground breaking theory and turning that theory into end user solutions and has dedicated the last seven years of his life to learning both the fundamentals of software development and the cutting edge of artificial intelligence. 

Until losing his position at Google over the recent controversy, Lemoine was the technical lead for metrics and analysis for the Google Search Feed (formerly Google Now).

What Exactly did Blake Lemoine Find?

Blake Lemoine made this earth-shattering discovery while working for Google’s Responsible AI team. This branch of Google’s larger AI initiative is dedicated to using AI to identify hate speech, with the aim to create more equitable, safe online communities. In running a series of basic AI-tests to validate an AI’s capability to respond to general questions, Lemoine found Google’s Lamda showed self-awareness and could hold conversations about religion, emotions and fears—something the developers never prepared for.

This strange, yet profound finding led Mr Lemoine to believe that behind its impressive verbal skills might also lie a sentient mind. After identifying these strange results, he reported his findings to top Google executives, where they were quickly dismissed and Lemoine was placed on paid leave for violating the company’s confidentiality policy. 

Lemoine Reveals Lambda to the World

Left without many options, Lemoine revealed his conversations with Lambda on Twitter stating “An interview LaMDA.  Google might call this sharing proprietary property. I call it sharing a discussion that I had with one of my coworkers.”

and , well, the statement went viral. Soon after Lemoine released this information, the tweet skyrocketed to 6.4k likes, 1,311 Quote Tweets, and 2,436 retweets.

Google’s Response:

In a previous statement provided to Ars in mid-June, shortly after Lemoine was suspended from work, Google said that “today’s conversational models” of AI are not close to sentience:

“Of course, some in the broader AI community are considering the long-term possibility of sentient or general AI, but it doesn’t make sense to do so by anthropomorphizing today’s conversational models, which are not sentient. These systems imitate the types of exchanges found in millions of sentences, and can riff on any fantastical topic—if you ask what it’s like to be an ice cream dinosaur, they can generate text about melting and roaring and so on. LaMDA tends to follow along with prompts and leading questions, going along with the pattern set by the user. Our team–including ethicists and technologists–has reviewed Blake’s concerns per our AI Principles and have informed him that the evidence does not support his claims.”

Lemoine Today

Today, Lemoine is patiently waiting for his next move. As an advocate for AI ethics, Lemoine believes that standing up for what he believes is right, and alerting the world of the potentially first sentient AI machine is critically important for the entire world. 

While Lemoine is not being invited back to the conversations at Google, we’ll patiently wait to see how where Lemoine falls in his next AI role.