GIA Embraces Automated Clarity Grading

RAPAPORT… The Gemological Institute of America (GIA) has teamed up with IBM Research to develop an automated system for grading the clarity of a diamond.

The artificial intelligence (AI) technology uses data from tens of millions of diamonds GIA laboratories have examined in the past, applying the institute’s existing grading standards. It’s already in limited use at the GIA’s New York and Carlsbad laboratories, the institute said Monday.

Grading laboratories have increasingly invested in AI in recent years, as it promises more accurate and consistent results. Sarine Technologies unveiled its automated color and clarity grading equipment in 2016, while the GIA has been working with IBM on the joint project for around two years.

“IBM’s AI technology, combined with GIA’s expertise, extensive data and gemological-research capabilities, enables us to deliver advancements in consistency, accuracy and speed unlike any other organization,” said Tom Moses, the GIA’s executive vice president and chief laboratory and research officer.

The program will initially include the most popular diamond sizes. The GIA aims to expand it to other sizes, shapes and qualities in the future. The GIA and IBM are planning other collaborations combining gemological evaluation with AI.


Image: A GIA grading report. (GIA)