In part one of this series last week, we discussed the emerging ecosystem of machine learning applications and what promise those portend. But of course, as with any emerging application area (although to be fair, machine learning is not new), there are bound to be some barriers. Even in analytically sophisticated organizations, machine learning often operates in "silos of expertise." For example, the financial crimes unit in a bank may use advanced techniques to catch anti-money laundering; the credit risk team uses completely different and incompatible tools to predict loan defaults and set risk-based pricing; while treasury uses still other tools to predict cash flow. Meanwhile, customer service and branch operations do not use machine learning at all because they lack the critical mass of specialists and software.

It's at the peak of the famous technology hype cycle, but don't let that make you cynical. Artificial intelligence is already making a difference in public service delivery. And unlike other technologies – it's designed to be a quick learner, so it doesn't rely on humans to figure everything out. The tool has potential in a huge number of areas, and will change how many of us live and work. Here are five ways that public servants can already use AI to make a difference.

How to get people interested in art? How to expose permanent-collection works that sit in storage? These are questions art museums constantly ponder. Recently, Tate Britain asked another one: How can artificial intelligence help? It put the question to anyone who wanted to compete for the 2016 IK Prize, which promotes the use of digital technology in the exploration of art at Tate Britain or on the Tate website.

The CEO and founder of cloud-based accountancy software giant Xero says artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning technologies will be "transformational" for finance over the next few years. Rod Drury told Business Insider during a recent interview in London: "We'll see more innovation in the next 2 years than we have in the last 10 years, all driven by AI." The Xero founder says: "We're getting a massive hit on the R&D we've done around machine learning and AI. We think it's going to be transformational for the industry. "If you capture information from the bank statement and the invoice and the bills that are flying through, you can actually programme things to do a whole lot of work for you and you're just checking and making fixes, which trains the machine." Xero's accountancy software helps small and medium-sized businesses manage their accountants in the cloud but Drury believes much of the management -- things like categorizing expenditure and sending accounts to be checked -- could be automated by "smart" AI and machine learning programmes, which learn the habits of your business. "You can build unique system for each business," says Drury. "The first innovation in cloud accounting was actually getting these transactions into the cloud.

No, this is not science fiction. NASA's new'intruder alert' system, Scout, aims to identify asteroids heading towards Earth. A new NASA early warning "intruder alert" system should ease your fears. NASA's Scout computer program -- constantly fed by data from telescopes around the world -- watches out for potentially dangerous space rocks such as asteroids and comets, giving us early tip-off if one appears to be coming nearby. One rock was spotted just last week, which whizzed by Earth on Sunday night at a comfortable distance of 310,000 miles, according to NASA. This five-day warning may not sound all that impressive, but it's more than we used to have.

Dawn of the Sexbots: Is new TV show Westworld's future where tourists romance robots just a sick fantasy? Colin Morgan played Leo (right) in Channel 4's popular drama Humans, which returns on Sunday night The views expressed in the contents above are those of our users and do not necessarily reflect the views of MailOnline. By posting your comment you agree to our house rules.

Surgical robots are'virtually impossible to clean', study reveals Surgical robots are virtually impossible to clean, an ominous new study reveals. Machines are becoming increasingly common in operating theaters - and last week one New York hospital acquired one to perform vaginal procedures. But according to a new study in Tokyo and New York, there is no way to remove all surface contaminants from these tools - even following the manufacturer's guide. The findings suggest there is absolutely no way to avoid a risk of infection using a robotic surgeon. A new study warns there is no way to remove all surface contaminants from the tools of surgical robots - even following the manufacturer's guide (file image pictured) The views expressed in the contents above are those of our users and do not necessarily reflect the views of MailOnline.

There's not much that hasn't changed in Apple's Macs over the last 20 years. But one thing has stayed: the distinctive chime that plays when you turn them on. But the new MacBook Pro, released last week, will no longer make that sound. And it appears to suggest that the noise – which arrived with the iMac G3 in the late 90s – is on its way out. The new computer doesn't make any sound at all when it's turned on.

Legislators have approved a bill that would block all porn in Israel unless people ask to view it. The Israeli Ministerial Committee for Legislation unanimously approved the bill, which forces internet companies in the country censor adult websites by default. Backers of the new legislation claim that it is a way of stopping young people getting online. Under the terms of the bill, anyone wanting to access pornography online would have to tell their internet service provider, either by writing to them, ringing them or getting in touch their website. An employee shows a Samsung Electronics' Gear S3 Classic during Korea Electronics Show 2016 in Seoul, South Korea Visitors experience Samsung Electronics' Gear VR during the Korea Electronics Grand Fair at an exhibition hall in Seoul, South Korea Amy Rimmer, Research Engineer at Jaguar Land Rover, demonstrates the car manufacturer's Advanced Highway Assist in a Range Rover, which drives the vehicle, overtakes and can detect vehicles in the blind spot, during the first demonstrations of the UK Autodrive Project at HORIBA MIRA Proving Ground in Nuneaton, Warwickshire Chris Burbridge, Autonomous Driving Software Engineer for Tata Motors European Technical Centre, demonstrates the car manufacturer's GLOSA V2X functionality, which is connected to the traffic lights and shares information with the driver, during the first demonstrations of the UK Autodrive Project at HORIBA MIRA Proving Ground in Nuneaton, Warwickshire In its facilities, JAXA develop satellites and analyse their observation data, train astronauts for utilization in the Japanese Experiment Module'Kibo' of the International Space Station (ISS) and develop launch vehicles The robot developed by Seed Solutions sings and dances to the music during the Japan Robot Week 2016 at Tokyo Big Sight.

Honda Motor Co. will spearhead its artificial intelligence efforts out of a new lab in Tokyo so that researchers can work closely with its engineers to commercialize the technology. Honda, based in Tokyo, will start the r&d center next year and combine existing AI teams in Silicon Valley, Europe and Japan at the downtown location, according to Yoshiyuki Matsumoto, president of the automaker's largely independent research arm. In choosing Tokyo over Silicon Valley, the carmaker is betting closer interaction between its scientists and developers will lead to AI-enabled products consumers want, he said in an interview. Advances in artificial intelligence are sprouting like "bamboo shoots after rain," so it's time to find commercial uses for the technology by marrying research with Japan's traditional strength in hardware, Matsumoto said. "We won't make much difference if we did the same things as everyone else in Silicon Valley. And not everyone has succeeded there."