Researchers at Tohoku University have, for the first time, successfully demonstrated the basic operation of spintronics-based artificial intelligence. Artificial intelligence, which emulates the information processing function of the brain that can quickly execute complex and complicated tasks such as image recognition and weather prediction, has attracted growing attention and has already been partly put to practical use. The currently-used artificial intelligence works on the conventional framework of semiconductor-based integrated circuit technology. However, this lacks the compactness and low-power feature of the human brain. To overcome this challenge, the implementation of a single solid-state device that plays the role of a synapse is highly promising.

Big data analytics, artificial intelligence (AI) and cognitive computing are all the rage as we near the end of 2016 and whilst they might not be something you'll find gift-wrapped under your tree, the presents, the tree itself and even your Christmas dinner may well be a by-product of these technology trends. Could AI top the charts this Christmas? Researchers at The University of Toronto have created a programme that can automatically generate a song, based on any digital image. Whilst it's unlikely to top the charts this festive season (or indeed at any time), this particular masterpiece – inspired by a photo of a Christmas tree – will almost certainly put a smile on your face! "We are used to thinking about AI for robotics and things like that. The question now is what can AI do for us?" said Raquel Urtasun, an associate professor in machine learning and computer vision at Toronto's computer science lab.

At Computex, ASUS captured the hearts of many with its cute home robot, Zenbo, with Chairman Jonney Shih hinting at a retail launch before end of this year. At today's local launch event, the company announced that its Intel-powered bot will be up for grabs in Taiwan on January 1st, albeit in a limited quantity for the first batch. Price-wise it starts from NT$19,900 or about US$620 -- just a tad more than the intended $599 price point -- for the 32GB standard package, and then there's a 128GB model plus self-charging dock for NT$24,900 or about US$780. But the biggest news today is perhaps ASUS' collaboration with Taiwan's National Police Agency, in order to enable emergency video calls with the police via Zenbo. Details are vague at the moment, but we did see a live demo in which a demonstrator pinged the actual call center (which is probably why they only did the demo once).

Downtown Redwood City is home to cloud-storage company Box, virtual reality start-up AltspaceVR, music identification app Shazam and artificial Christmas tree-maker Balsam Hill. "It's definitely weird for us to be here," said Thomas Harman, the 40-year-old founder and chief executive of the holiday decoration company. But rather than feel like his company doesn't belong in a neighborhood known for its software businesses and venture capital firms, Harman has embraced his 11-year-old company's tech hub home. He describes his business as having one foot planted in the slow-moving seasonal decorations world (where products are planned 18 months in advance) and another in Silicon Valley (where thinking-outside-the-box is often thought to be the only way to think). "If you compare us to people doing artificial intelligence and machine learning, or Google and Facebook, we're obviously not doing anything earth-shattering like that," Harman said. "But we like to think we're pushing the envelope when it comes to holiday decorations."

Behavioural change is a very tricky thing. We humans are so fickle. We see a bright shiny wearable device that can track our every move and we think it's our "silver bullet", a "ticket" to achieving our health and fitness dreams. Only for guilt to set in, as after a short time, the wearable device winds up in our top drawer. We knew the fitness data was great, but we really didn't know what to do with it. The truth is, behaviour change requires much more than data.

It will replace you (unless you redefine who you are). It will replace you (unless you redefine who you are). I'll examine each one - it'll be interesting to see what you think. Artificial intelligence, as a concept, has been around for a long time. From Hephaestus building the "fighting machines of the gods" to Mary Shelley's Frankenstein, humans have thought about and created stories around our desire to replace the mighty gods with ourselves for several thousand years.

What will be the main focus of your presentation at Efma's upcoming Insurance Summit? My presentation will focus on applying artificial intelligence (AI) to insurance for greater customer centricity. I'll also speak about embracing the shift from a product-focus to client solutions in insurance, how machine learning will enable a more seamless customer experience for insurance customers and ask whether machines will replace humans or if they will complement the work we are doing. What are the key innovations that your company is working on at the moment? Customer experience is one of the key topics we are discussing right now.

Israeli machine learning startup Dynamic Yield has raised $22 million in Series C financing round led by Vertex and ClalTech, with participation from Baidu and Global Founders Capital. Existing investors Bessemer Venture Partners, Marker LLP and Innovation Endeavors also participated. The funds will be used to fuel further global growth of Dynamic Yield's personalization technology across the world. Dynamic Yield's advanced machine learning engine builds actionable customer segments in real time, enabling marketers to increase revenue via personalization, recommendations, automatic optimization & 1:1 messaging. Dynamic Yield, founded in 2012 by CEO Liad Agmon and CTO Omri Mendellevich has offices in Tel Aviv, New York and Berlin.

I expected to feel a little out of place at the swanky university event for bioethics. My wife, a professor with expertise in the field, had invited me. But when I introduced myself as a software engineer to the attendees, many wanted to talk about one thing -- artificial intelligence (AI). How would it affect society? What are the goods and the bads?

China's technology sector dominated headlines in 2016 both in the Middle Kingdom and abroad, ranging from coverage of Uber's merger with Chinese rival Didi Chuxing to the newly popular bike-sharing apps. Just a few years after China's tech scene emerged, the conversation has shifted from questioning if Chinese firms can innovate to how Western firms can mimic the success of Chinese mobile apps, such as WeChat. As the year comes to a close, analysts and VCs are now shifting focus to new emerging trends and companies. China's consumers have skipped many stages in their technological progression, bypassing aging Western technology in favor of new trends, said Jeremy Peruski, from ICR, a consulting firm. "I really do believe that China is becoming a global hub when looking at global technology and they historically have led with creating financial products," Peruski said.