It's been an exciting, but complex year in the data world. Just as last year, the data tech ecosystem has continued to "fire on all cylinders". If nothing else, data is probably even more front and center in 2018, in both business and personal conversations. Some of the reasons, however, have changed. On the one hand, data technologies (Big Data, data science, machine learning, AI) continue their march forward, becoming ever more efficient, and also more widely adopted in businesses around the world.

Technology has changed how we used to do things. When it comes to transportation, we have come a long way of exploiting fuels like petrol and diesel to harnessing electricity and solar energy. Our resources have become purer that does not affect the ecosystem and also producing more efficiency than ever. In the forthcoming years, there are chances of many improvements in the way we commute. Artificial Intelligence is nothing but creating a mind so powerful that it can correct its own mistake to give an optimized work output.

Housed in a tall plastic cylinder, Amazon's Alexa is far from physically resembling a woman. Yet when asked about its gender, the system curiously responds it is "female in character." A closer look at recent developments in artificial intelligence shows Alexa is the rule rather than the exception. From Apple's Siri to Hanson Robotics' humanoid robot Sophia, it seems that the future is female indeed -- but not in the way we intended. Artificial intelligence and robotics may intend to free us from many human limitations, but it seems that gender stereotypes are not one of them.

The digital world is full of insecurities like identity fraud, cloning and many other vulnerabilities causing hurdle in achieving a secure environment. According to a study conducted by Javelin, it is recognised that 16.7 million people face identity fraud in the year 2017 and this figure is 8% above than a year before. The figure of data theft, illegal transactions and many other fraudulent larcenies increased rapidly in the past few years. Hackers with their new moves always try to breach in others system. Artificial Intelligence with its basic approaches of the machine and deep learning creates an accurate and efficient process solution to eliminate obstacles involved in the organisational processes.

Trading Members and participants are hereby informed that BSE SME segment has emerged as preferred platform for SME in India with highest number of listed companies. In order to provide further incentive to the companies which are "Startups" in the sector of IT, ITES, Bio-technology and Life Science etc., the Exchange is pleased to announce that "BSE Startup Platform" is enabled on BSE SME Segment. This platform will facilitate the listing of companies in the sector of IT, ITES, Bio-technology and Life Science, 3D Printing, Space technology, E-Commerce, Hi- Tech Defense, Drones, Nano Technologies, Artificial Intelligence, Big data, Enhance/Virtual Reality, E-gaming, Exoskeleton, Robotics, Holographic Technology, Genetic Engineering, Variable Computers Inside body computer technology and any other Hi-tech based company. The criteria for listing on "BSE Startup Platform" is as follows: The pre issue paid up Equity share Capital of the company should be minimum of Rs. 1 crore. The companies listing on BSE Startup Platform with the above mentioned criteria will follow all the other conditions applicable for listing of SME Companies under Chapter XB of "SEBI (ICDR) Regulations, 2009", relating to disclosures, migration to main Board, etc.

ThetaRay, a big data analytics company based in Hod HaSharon, Israel, today announced that it raised more than $30 million in a funding round led by Jerusalem Venture Partners (JVP), GE, Bank Hapoalim, OurCrowd, SVB Investments, and others. That puts its fundraising total to date at about $60 million. "In this era when criminal activity and money laundering are increasing and becoming more sophisticated and also regulation is on the rise, there is a greater demand for our solutions," Mark Gazit, CEO of ThetaRay, said in a statement. "As the amount of digital information grows, you just can't protect it without artificial intelligence systems. ThetaRay offers the most advanced and mature solutions to detect threats before they happen."

Tokyo - When a nuclear power plant accident occurs and radioactive material is released, it is vital to evacuate people in the vicinity as quickly as possible. However, it can be difficult to immediately predict where the emitted radioactivity will settle, making it impossible to prevent the exposure of large numbers of people. A means of overcoming this difficulty has been presented in a new study reported in the journal Scientific Reports by a research team at The University of Tokyo Institute of Industrial Science. The team has created a computer program that can accurately predict where radioactive material that has been emitted will eventually land, over 30 hours in advance, using weather forecasts on the expected wind patterns. This tool enables evacuation plans and other health-protective measures to be implemented if another nuclear accident like in 2011 at the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant were to occur.

The flagman waves the chequered flag as Red Bull's Dutch driver Max Verstappen crosses the finish of the Austrian Formula One Grand Prix in Spielberg, central Austria, on July 1, 2018. Formula 1 plans to use cloud technology and machine learning to deliver more engaging statistic and even predictions to fans watching races on television and on its digital platforms. Cloud giant Amazon Web Services (AWS) has been signed up as an official technology partner, with its technology used to crunch the data and deliver it in a more meaningful way to fans and commentators. Each Formula 1 car produces huge amounts of data that the teams use to optimise their strategies and it is this database that Liberty Media believes can be turned into something valuable for the audience. After all, this is a sport that claims to have been'doing' big data since before the term was coined.

HOW many times have we heard of doctors misdiagnosing patient? It's why most people prefer to get a second and maybe even a third opinion about serious medical conditions. However, with advancements in artificial intelligence (AI), can you imagine how amazing it would be if we could build and train algorithms that look for all the right markers, consider several hundred factors, and take into account all the possible permutations and combinations to deliver "perfect" or even "near perfect" results? Well, news from China suggests that the technology just came to life. According to The Star, an AI-powered system, dubbed BioMind by its creators at the AI Research Centre for Neurological Disorders and Capital Medical University, has defeated elite physicians in two rounds of a medical competition in Beijing.

EVEN as all eyes have been trained on Singapore for the historic Trump-Kim summit, there is a rather more mundane, yet no less critical, reason for the world to look more closely at this city-state.