Cholera cases in Yemen have been slashed by a new system that predicts where outbreaks will occur. Last year, there were more than 50,000 new cases in just one week - this year, the numbers plummeted to about 2,500. The system has enabled aid workers to focus efforts on prevention several weeks in advance of an outbreak - by monitoring rainfall. It comes as the UN says it is concerned about a possible "third wave" of the epidemic. The deployment of the technology has been coordinated by the UK's Department for International Development.

Several studies have shown that by the end of 2030, more than 30% of the current jobs will be unnecessary – due to technological advancements. AI and machine learning will, undoubtedly, change the way job descriptions are designed and will fundamentally modify the manner in which humans carry their work. PricewaterhouseCoopers recently published a study; according to the study, more 35% (approximately 38%, more exactly) of the jobs available on the US market could be endangered by automation and AI's immersion into our daily lives. The estimations are similar for the rest of the world, as well. More than 35% of the jobs available on the German market will also be replaced by machines and AI, while in the UK, the ratio is expected to revolve somewhere around 30%.

In "Artificial Intelligence – The Revolution Hasn't Happened Yet," University of California at Berkeley professor Michael I. Jordan injects such a note of caution. "The idea that our era is somehow seeing the emergence of an intelligence in silicon that rivals our own entertains all of us --enthralling us and frightening us in equal measure," he writes. "Whether or not we come to understand intelligence any time soon, we do have a major challenge on our hands in bringing together computers and humans in ways that enhance human life." Tools have played a critical role in the evolution of humans since our ancestors first developed stone tools a few million years ago. "We shape our tools and they in turn shape us," observed noted author and educator Marshall McLuhan in the 1960s.

IBM Research and Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) are collaborating on a new approach to help students learn Mandarin. The strategy pairs an AI-powered assistant with an immersive classroom environment that has not been used previously for language instruction. The classroom, called the Cognitive Immersive Room (CIR), makes students feel as though they are in restaurant in China, a garden, or a Tai Chi class, where they can practice speaking Mandarin with an AI chat agent. The CIR was developed by the Cognitive and Immersive Systems Lab (CISL), a research collaboration between IBM Research and RPI. When learning a new language, especially one as difficult as Mandarin, it's important that students have many opportunities to speak and practice their conversational skills.

Workshop 18 is designated by Chinese industry officials as a model demonstration facility for Beijing's plan to upgrade its corporate champions so they can better compete in the world, a policy known as "Made in China 2025." The adoption of robots, big data and other technological advancements is seen by Chinese leaders as key to developing domestic giants in areas such as power equipment, electric cars, marine products and chips--sectors it aims to become largely self-sufficient by the middle of the next decade. Sany, one of China's three big heavy machinery makers, said the integration of technology has increased capacity, shortened order-delivery times and slashed operational costs, all by at least 20%. The company is also betting that the technology will enable it to build a reputation for innovation and quality, rather than for lower prices for copycat products that made Sany a big player domestically. "The future of the heavy-equipment industry will rely as much on software and data as it does on hardware," Sany's Chief Information Officer Pan Ruigang said. The "Made in China 2025" strategy has drawn criticism in Washington, with members of President Trump's administration accusing Beijing of using subsidies and protectionism to unfairly bolster Chinese companies.

An expert on algorithmic bias responds to Deji Bryce Olukotun's "When We Were Patched." Big decisions about our lives are increasingly made jointly by humans and computer systems. Are we invited for an interview? Which news stories should we read? Who won the tennis match?

What's the area of chemistry in which you think machine learning has the potential to have the biggest impact? "In my experience, the availability of information is so overwhelming that it is hard to make sure that the conclusions that we obtain from the literature search are not biased. I think that machine learning will help to obtain statistically unbiased bibliographic information."--Samuel "It has the potential to see trends in data that humans tend to overlook. The tools provided by machine learning will aid the chemist in decision-making by providing suggestions that may spark new ideas."

Ever since the appearance of the power loader in the sci-fi classic Aliens, the idea that powered exoskeletons could let workers carry superhuman weights has enticed executives in heavy industry. Recent developments suggest the idea might finally be moving into the real world. The idea behind exoskeletons, or wearable robotics, seems like a no-brainer. Marry the power of mechanical robotics with the ready-made smarts and adaptability of humans, removing the need to develop sophisticated AI to control your robots. Humans work in fundamentally different ways than machines, so designing machines that conform to the way we move and to fit our soft and squishy bodies is difficult.

Don't you just love how Siri, Alexa or Google Assistant answer all of your questions? Isn't it interesting when you receive prompt responses on some website's chat box no matter what the time is? Yes, marketers know this interests you and this is why AI holds fascinating possibilities in the future for marketing. Using AI, brands are studying user needs, behaviours and predicting their future actions. AI's competence to handle a large volume of data, and finding reasons and patterns among them has given marketers exceptional ability to make data-driven predictions and decisions.

Killer robots must be banned to prevent unlawful killings, injuries and other violations of human rights'before it's too late', according to Amnesty International. The human rights non-profit is calling upon the United Nations to place tough new restraints on the development of autonomous weapon systems ahead of key negotiations in Geneva this week. The development of automated weapons, which can pick out and eliminate targets without input from a human being, has proliferated over the past decade. Countries including the UK, France, Israel and the US are known to be developing the technology for use in military and police operations. Amnesty International argues humans should remain'at the core of critical decisions' on the use of deadly force, such as the selection and engagement of targets.