Target is using Pinterest's Lens visual search technology If there was one overarching term at Shoptalk Europe this week, it was artificial intelligence. From machine learning to visual search, natural language processing and more, the role of systems that facilitate smarter and more personalized customer experiences was key. Keynote talks from Google, Alibaba, Westfield and more all referenced such a focus, with repeats of numerous big stats bandied about in terms of where this space is moving. By 2020, 85% of customer interaction in retail will be managed by AI, according to Gartner, multiple speakers said. And 30% of all companies will employ AI to augment at least one of their primary sales processes by the same time period, they further added.

Pornhub has made yet another move to harness emerging technology for the adult entertainment experience, this time revealing it is launching a new AI that will make it easier than ever to search for your favorite porn star. The new service uses computer vision to scan videos and pinpoint the distinct faces, with the ability to differentiate between over 10,000 pornstars from the company's database. Eventually, the firm reveals, the AI will also be able to scan for categories, sexual positions, and tag detection in their videos. Pornhub found that 71% of its female users visit the portal using a smartphone and are 34% less likely to use desktop computers than men. In Washington D.C, 94 percent of the female traffic comes from mobile, Texas has 93% and Georgia and Michigan are tied with 92%.

Alibaba Group Holding Ltd is investing US$15 billion to establish overseas research hubs to work on artificial intelligence (AI), quantum computing and fintech, according to a report by BNN. The Alibaba'Damo' academy will comprise of eight research bases in China, Israel, the United States, Russia and Singapore, for which the company will hire 100 researchers. "The Alibaba DAMO Academy will be at the forefront of developing next-generation technology that will spur the growth of Alibaba and our partners," Jeff Zhang, chief technology officer of Alibaba, said. The company and its affiliates have experienced a rapid expansion in the past year, putting it in direct competition with heavyweight e-tailer Amazon.com, as well as global payments, cloud and logistics companies. Since 2016, Alibaba has invested approximately US$2 billion to acquire a majority stake in Singapore-based retailer Lazada.com,

Fujitsu today announces the addition of nVidia Volta Graphical Processing Units (GPUs) to accelerate advances in artificial intelligence and support deep learning processing on its latest Primergy x86 servers. Available to customers in Europe, the Middle East, India and Africa beginning December 2017, select Primegy models are certified for the new-generation of nVidia Tesla V100 GPU accelerators. AI and deep learning computing involves large amounts of raw data and highly demanding compute environments. Fujitsu is rising to this challenge by introducing native deep learning processing capabilities to select Fujitsu Primergy CX and RX server models. To achieve the highest possible levels of system performance, Fujitsu is introducing native support for NVIDIA GPUs via direct connection to the mainboard.

Njideka Akunyili Crosby, a 2017 MacArthur Fellow, photographed in her studio in Los Angeles, CA on Wednesday September 13th, 2017.Photo courtesy of the MacArthur Foundation. The MacArthur Foundation announced today it has selected 24 individuals -- from photographers and historians, to computer scientists and psychologists -- for its annual "genius grant," given to those who have "extraordinary originality and dedication to their creative pursuits." How does someone become a so-called "genius"? We reached out to a few of them to ask about their "secret sauce." What are the quirks and habits that fuel their creativity and enhance their work?

WASHINGTON – The Trump administration is nearing completion of new "buy American" rules to make it easier to sell U.S.-made military drones overseas and compete against fast-growing Chinese and Israeli rivals, senior U.S. officials said. While President Donald Trump's aides work on relaxing domestic regulations on drone sales to select allies, Washington will also seek to renegotiate a 1987 missile-control pact with the aim of loosening international restrictions on U.S. exports of unmanned aircraft, according to government and industry sources. At home, the U.S. administration is pressing ahead with its revamp of drone export policy under heavy pressure from American manufacturers and in defiance of human rights advocates who warn of the risk of fueling instability in hot spots including the Middle East and South Asia. The changes, part of a broader effort to overhaul U.S. arms export protocols, could be rolled out by the end of the year under a presidential policy decree, the administration officials said on condition of anonymity. The aim is to help U.S. drone makers -- pioneers in remote-controlled aircraft that have become a centerpiece of counterterrorism strategy -- reassert themselves in the overseas market, where China, Israel and others often sell under less cumbersome restrictions.

From the customer's side of things, AI and Machine Learning apps are increasingly present in modern daily life, from new facial and improving voice recognition apps to chatbots and robo-advisors we've become an AI society–perhaps without realizing it. From the business perspective, multiple AI-related innovations are disrupting conventional models across all industries. AI will accompany humans rather than replace them, and help them manage a growing technological complexity. Companies wanting to thrive in the future have had to rethink their strategy by integrating AI as (super) human resources and a capital that redefines the company, its operation model, and its offer. Just within the banking sector, new startups like Plum and Digit primarily help millennials save by making automated microdeposits into savings and investments.

Sci-fi level Artificial Intelligence (AI) like HAL 9000 was promised since 1960s, but PCs and robots were dumb until recently. Now, tech giants and startups are announcing the AI revolution: self-driving cars, robo doctors, robo investors, etc. PwC just said that AI will contribute $15.7 trillion to the world economy by 2030. "AI" it's the 2017 buzzword, like "dot com" it was in 1999, and everyone claims to be into AI. Don't be confused by the AI hype. Is this a bubble or real? AI is not easy or fast to apply. The most exciting AI examples come from universities or the tech giants. Self-appointed AI experts who promise to revolutionize any company with the latest AI in short time are doing AI misinformation, some just rebranding old tech as AI. Everyone is already using the latest AI through Google, Microsoft, Amazon etc. services. But "deep learning" will not soon be mastered by the majority of businesses for custom in-house projects. Most have insufficient relevant digital data, not enough to train an AI reliably. As a result, AI will not kill all jobs, especially because it will require humans to train and test each AI.

Spacewalking astronauts worked at giving the International Space Station's big robot arm a new hand Thursday. Commander Randy Bresnik and Mark Vande Hei tackled the job on the first of three NASA spacewalks planned over the next two weeks. It needs to be replaced before an Orbital ATK supply ship launches in November. Spacewalking astronauts worked at giving the International Space Station's big robot arm a new hand Thursday. The Deep Space Gateway will orbit Earth and the moon and will open up opportunities for future exploration of deep space, as well as a return to the moon and missions to Mars.

History doesn't exactly repeat itself, but it does run in cycles. One of the most robust theories of such cycles was articulated by economic historian Carlota Perez, in her influential book Technological Revolutions and Financial Capital: The Dynamics of Bubbles and Golden Ages (Edward Elgar, 2002). It suggests that humanity can get through the current period of upheaval and economic malaise and enter a new "golden age" of broad economic growth, if the world's key decision makers act in concert to help foster one. This may seem far-fetched, but it's happened four times before. We are in the midst of the fifth great surge (as Perez calls them) of technological and economic change since the Industrial Revolution. The last one, the age of oil, automobiles, and mass production, lasted most of the 20th century and still shapes many people's attitudes. Our current surge started around 1970 and has rolled out information and communications technology around the world: It is the age of the computer and the Internet (see Exhibit 1). Each of these surges follows the same broad pattern. First, there is a wave of major new technologies, leading to dramatic changes in industrial production and daily life. For about 20 to 30 years, in a period that Perez calls installation, these technologies are funded largely by speculative investment chasing rapid returns. This age of widening wealth disparity leads to a bubble, which bursts in spectacular fashion, and is followed by a crisis period that Perez calls the turning point. This phase of economic and social turbulence has varied in length from two years to 17. Many efforts to get back to normal are made, usually involving the regulation of financial excesses or the stimulation of production and employment.