We live in ever-changing times, so information we can trust is more important than ever before, and it's not always where our academics agree that's most revealing, but where they disagree. Futuremakers is the fly on the wall to that debate. You may already have read a hundred articles about artificial intelligence and the future of society, but these longer conversations – featuring four of our academics at the cutting edge of research and at the forefront of their profession – explore each topic in detail, from the automation of jobs to the inherent bias of algorithms. In 2013 two Oxford academics published a paper titled'The Future of Employment: How Susceptible Are Jobs to Computerisation?' estimating that 47% of US jobs were at risk of automation. Since then, numerous studies have emerged, arriving at very different conclusions.

In early 2018, one of Malaysia's key security forces made a startling announcement. The Auxiliary Force, a branch of the Royal Malaysia Police Cooperative, had entered into a partnership with the Chinese company Yitu Technology to equip the Force's officers with facial-recognition capabilities. Security officials will be able to rapidly compare images caught by live body cameras with images from a central database. The head of the Auxiliary Force explained that this use of artificial intelligence (AI) was a "significant step forward" in efforts to improve public security. He also noted that his agency planned eventually to enhance the body-camera system so as to enable "real-time facial recognition and instant alerts to the presence of persons of interest from criminal watch lists."1

"There is an understanding by governments, NGOs and the private sector that AI regulation is needed, but that the field is not yet mature enough to devise fixed rules to govern it. However, organisations still require guidance and regulators still need to begin to learn how to oversee this emerging technology, but without creating restrictions that could stifle innovation. Smart Dubai's Ethical AI Toolkit aims to provide advice in this area for all those involved in the AI sector," she added Dr Aisha Bint Butti Bin Bishr, Director General of Smart Dubai.

In 2018 there were so many discussions about Ai, and its infusion into the world around us, that it all blurred into one big online narrative on the topic. We started to accept that Data was the driving force behind huge technical changes, and challenges, and we also began to normalise references to Ai as if it was just the next logical advancement of the internet, and app economies. But let's leave that all behind. I believe that 2019 is the year that Ai is well and truly'here'. This is the year that the conflict and negotiation of this technology will legitimately change the way we comprehend what it means to be human in the modern world.

The mother of a Fortnite fan known online as Orange Shirt Kid is suing the game's creators for including a dance he created. It is the latest lawsuit to be brought against Epic Games relating to emote dance moves, following similar cases brought forward by Fresh Prince of Bel-Air actor Alfonso Ribeiro and'Backpack Kid' Russell Horning. The latest lawsuit is seeking unspecified damages for Epic Games including the'Orange Justice' emote within Fortnite. It states: "Through its unauthorised misappropriation of Orange Shirt Kid's highly popular signature dance, the'Random,' along with his well-known catchphrase'It's also a great exercise move!" in its smash-hit, violent video game, Fortnite Battle Royale, defendants have unfairly profited from exploiting Orange Shirt Kid's protected creative expression, likeness, and trademark without consent or authorisation." The lawsuit goes on to describe Orange Shirt Kid as a "child performer", adding that the dance move and catchphrase is "now inextricably linked to Orange Shirt Kid and continue to be a part of his celebrity persona."

Recent advances in the field of artificial intelligence are gaining widespread attention from the world because of the impact that they can have on our lives. From speech recognition, virtual home assistants to learning platforms, things have gotten very interesting in the tech industry. Tech-giants have been racing against each other to incorporate AI aspects into their newest creations so as to make the human experience much more comfortable. By adding characteristics that understand children, empathy and work routines, artificial intelligence technology is set to become a revolution. Here are some of the recent advances in the field of artificial intelligence, in terms of research and technology.

The way consumers interact with businesses is changing dramatically. Organizations are using Artificial Intelligence (AI) for a range of activities such as achieving more sales, improving customer engagement, and speeding up operations. For example, airports around the globe are investing in mobile robots that assist customers with directions. Another example is "Xaiolce," a Microsoft chatbot in China that already has a user base of 200 million with more than six hundred thousand calls during the first ten months of its launch. In this article, we will explore the various ways in which Artificial Intelligence can be just the right armour for winning the battle of customer experience.

World leaders and prominent CEOs are likely the first people you picture in Davos at the World Economic Forum's Annual Meeting each January. While you may be more likely to hear these higher profile CEOs weigh in on pressing global issues, these headlines only show a small section of those who attend Davos. Who you're less likely to read about are the thriving groups of smaller business leaders who attend each year. However, these up and coming cross-industry emerging leaders are out in full force at the meeting in Davos each year. One excellent example of how up-and-coming innovators are included in our annual meeting is in our Technology Pioneers.

MUMBAI: Private equity firm Apax Partners has signed a definitive agreement to invest as much as $200 million to become the single largest shareholder in Fractal Analytics, India's second largest big data firm. The transaction, which consists of a secondary stake acquired from existing shareholders such as Malayasian sovereign investor of Khazanah and T.A. Associates besides a primary investment into the business, both the companies said in a statement. Though not disclosed, sources tell ET, Apax will end up with a significant minority stake of around 45%. The deal is expected to get closed by February 2019, the statement said. ET first reported about the potential transaction in its edition dated Jan 4. The company will use the investment by the Apax Funds to accelerate growth, both organically and through M&A, and to invest further in AI products and research.

A significant use of AI not mentioned in this puff piece is the way that the Chinese are implementing surveillance technology in policing. While Pelley did ask about how Xi Jinping, the authoritarian leader of the Chinese government, might intend to use such technology for nefarious purposes, like targeting dissidents, Lee demured by saying that he couldn't read Xi's mind. Meanwhile, police near Beijing have been equipped with "smart" glasses. They use the same technology as Google glasses, which proved to be a commercial failure as a personal consumer good and are now being used by law enforcement. The Chinese are using these wearable pieces of technology to pick up facial features and car registration plates, which they then cross-check with a database of suspects in real time.