In this conversation with Elias Crespin, a Venezuelan-born artist who builds kinetic sculptures using complex algorithms, they discuss the evolution of Crespin's work and the future of Artificial Intelligence as it pertains to art. You started your career as a computer engineer. When and how did you start creating art? As a teenager I wanted to be an architect. I loved to draw blueprints.

An Artificial Intelligence (AI) wave is sweeping the world as countries from China to the US and the UK compete aggressively and commit resources to get ahead in the race. US-based Paul Triolo, director (geotechnology) of Eurasia Group, a political risk consultancy firm, shares his views with Malini Goyal on a range of issues around AI. Edited excerpt from the interview: What makes AI of such critical significance for nations and businesses? Why are experts calling it the new arms race? I think the term arms race has unfortunately become a favored meme on artificial intelligence, in part because people have confused the progress of artificial narrow intelligence with artificial general intelligence (AGI). AGI, which most experts think we are years from developing, could provide an advantage to one country, should it choose to use the technology maliciously.

Voice shopping using smart speakers and smartphone apps is starting to gain traction among consumers, opening up a new "conversational commerce" channel and potentially disrupting the retail sector. Devices such as Amazon's Alexa-powered speakers and Google Home, which use artificial intelligence (AI) to respond to voice commands, are offering new choices to consumers who are looking for more convenient ways to order goods and services. Voice shopping is expected to jump to US$40 billion (S$54 billion) annually in 2022 in the United States, from US$2 billion today, according to a survey this year by OC&C Strategy Consultants. "People are liking the convenience and natural interaction of using voice," said Ms Victoria Petrock of the research firm eMarketer. "Computing in general is moving more toward voice interface because the technology is more affordable, and people are responding well because they don't have to type."

About 10 venture firms headquartered in Tokyo's Gotanda area will form a mutual support group called Gotanda Valley, aiming to turn the district into the capital's newest hub for entrepreneurs, sources close to the move say. The firms setting up Gotanda Valley include cloud-based accounting software maker freee K.K., mazrica Inc., which provides sales support services using artificial intelligence, and coconala Inc., which runs an online platform for buying and selling people's skills, such as drawing and fortune-telling. "We hope to create a place like Silicon Valley in the United States," one of the sources said Saturday. Companies joining Gotanda Valley are expected to jointly conduct recruiting and personnel training. They will also promote collaboration with governments and financial institutions.

Machine learning may give a tough time to songwriters and musicians because the algorithms are definitely getting better at generating music. Composing music using artificial intelligence isn't a new development as startups and researchers have been attempting it for a long time now. Remember the Chicago-based audio startup, Brain.fm? It promised to provide a new state of medication for the brain using AI-driven music. We also saw a collaborative album between artist Tayrn Southern and Amper software called I AM AI, which became the first album to be entirely composed by AI. These are just two of the many developments that are flooding the space.

Waymo's application for a taxi service license in Phoenix, Arizona, has been granted almost immediately, in line with the pro-autonomous driving policies of state governor Doug Ducey and thus reduce traffic accidents and in improve mobility for the elderly and disabled. The company plans to use the license to launch a stand-alone taxi service this year competing directly with companies such as Uber or Lyft, and with the advantage that it will not have to pay drivers. Waymo plans a speedy roll out in 24 US cities with a wide variety of weather conditions and where it is currently carrying out road tests. Perhaps the ultimate in road testing is being carried out by Russian tech giant Yandex on the streets of Moscow, which have been hit by spectacularly heavy snowfalls and that are also prone to heavy traffic and undisciplined pedestrians. So far, Yandex's self-driving vehicles have adapted easily the Russia capital. Soon, autonomous driving will be the transportation option of choice, particularly when weather conditions are bad.

"The public sector, with its various schemes (Digital India, Make in India, Skill India), could identify areas where specific applications of AI and robotics can be utilised to increase reach, effectiveness and efficiency, thus giving direction to existing innovation across different fields," the study said. Indian government departments should take the lead in developing cross-border collaborations with countries leading in Artificial Intelligence (AI) research, industry chamber Assocham said on Sunday. The departments like the External Affairs Ministry (MEA) and the Department of Science and Technology (DST), should drive cooperative relationships with frontrunners like Japan, the UK, Germany, Singapore, Israel and China to develop solutions for social and economic challenges and accelerate strategy formulation in AI, machine learning (ML) and other new technologies, Assocham said citing its joint study with British advisory multinational PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC). "Exchanging best practices and learnings from prior initiatives is one way of strengthening cooperation," the study titled "Advance artificial intelligence for growth: Leveraging AI and robotics for India's economic transformation" said.A It also suggested that policy planning in AI must be aimed at creating an ecosystem that is supportive of research, innovation and commercialisation of applications. "The public sector, with its various schemes (Digital India, Make in India, Skill India), could identify areas where specific applications of AI and robotics can be utilised to increase reach, effectiveness and efficiency, thus giving direction to existing innovation across different fields," the study said.

People can differ on their perceptions of "evil." People can also change their minds. Still, it's hard to wrap one's head around how Google, famous for its "don't be evil" company motto, dealt with a small Defense Department contract involving artificial intelligence. Facing a backlash from employees, including an open letter insisting the company "should not be in the business of war," Google in April grandly defended involvement in a project "intended to save lives and save people from having to do highly tedious work." Less than two months later, chief executive officer Sundar Pichai announced that the contract would not be renewed, writing equally grandly that Google would shun AI applications for "weapons or other technologies whose principal purpose or implementation is to cause or directly facilitate injury to people."

Startups are using artificial intelligence to change and simplify the way companies screen, hire and manage employees, even predicting the likelihood of their leaving CHENNAI: Filling forms for leave, reimbursements and annual appraisals are among the more tedious chores at work. Instead, some companies are experimenting with chatbots and games to get employees through these essential tasks. Technology -- more specifically, artificial intelligence -- is changing and simplifying the way companies screen, hire and manage employees. From identification of potential candidates based on social activity to automation of recruitment to personalised on-boarding and career mapping, AI has the potential to transform human resource functions, says Rajiv Jayaraman, co-founder, Knolskape, an HR tech startup. Hyderabad-based Darwinbox, founded in 2015 by Chaitanya Peddi, Jayant Paleti and Rohit Chennamaneni, applies AI to match and rank CVs based on the role as well as predict attrition rates.

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