For massive data, the family of subsampling algorithms is popular to downsize the data volume and reduce computational burden. Existing studies focus on approximating the ordinary least squares estimate in linear regression, where statistical leverage scores are often used to define subsampling probabilities. In this paper, we propose fast subsampling algorithms to efficiently approximate the maximum likelihood estimate in logistic regression. We first establish consistency and asymptotic normality of the estimator from a general subsampling algorithm, and then derive optimal subsampling probabilities that minimize the asymptotic mean squared error of the resultant estimator. An alternative minimization criterion is also proposed to further reduce the computational cost. The optimal subsampling probabilities depend on the full data estimate, so we develop a two-step algorithm to approximate the optimal subsampling procedure. This algorithm is computationally efficient and has a significant reduction in computing time compared to the full data approach. Consistency and asymptotic normality of the estimator from a two-step algorithm are also established. Synthetic and real data sets are used to evaluate the practical performance of the proposed method.

UK-based fintech Wealth Wizards has launched Turo, a new artificial intelligence (AI) solution that, according to the firm, "will provide access to faster, cutting-edge robo-advice for the entirety of the advisory sector; from the smallest advisory firm and independent financial adviser to the largest multi-national". Set up in 2009, Wealth Wizards says it has "pioneered" the development of expert online regulated financial advice in the UK. It was the first in the UK to launch a white-label robo-adviser, working with retirement specialist LV (which as of August 2015 holds a majority stake in Wealth Wizards). The company's aim is "to make financial advice affordable and accessible to everyone". In addition to its existing offerings (including a robo-paraplanner tool that supports "at-retirement" advice), it can now offer multiple services available through its white label Smart Platform powered up by Turo.

The government is to review the law before the arrival of self-driving cars on UK roads, considering issues such as whether this type of transport requires new criminal offences. The development of autonomous vehicles is at the heart of the government's industrial strategy and the three-year law review is considered necessary if it is to stick to the timetable announced in November last year when the chancellor, Philip Hammond, promised driverless cars on the road by 2021. The Treasury's post-Brexit economic survival strategy is to invest heavily in technological innovation to get ahead of more conservative rivals elsewhere in Europe. This latest announcement makes it clear that the government anticipates the UK pioneering the use of autonomous vehicles on Britain's highways in the near future. That throws up huge challenges to the existing system of law which starts from the presumption of human responsibility.

"CIMON will be the first AI-based mission and flight assistance system," said Manfred Jaumann, Head of Microgravity Payloads from Airbus. "We are the first company in Europe to carry a free flyer, a kind of flying brain, to the ISS and to develop artificial intelligence for the crew on board the space station," said Jaumann. CIMON has a brain-like AI network made up of plastic and metal and is designed to support astronauts in performing routine work, for example by displaying procedures or offering solutions to problems. With its face, voice and artificial intelligence, becomes a genuine'colleague' on board. Crew members can do more than just work through a schematic view of prescribed checklists and procedures; they can also engage with their assistant.

One of the factory workers shared his concerns with the president that his place might be taken by a machine one day. "Is there a danger of it?" "Yep, such a threat exists. But to prevent it from happening, one needs to be prepared for it," the Russian president famously remarked. Separately, Putin has underscored that the creative potential of a human being will never be rivaled by artificial intelligence. On 21 September 2017, President Putin briefly spoke to the pinnacle of engineering development, the robot Alice while on a visit to the Moscow office of the Russian search giant Yandex.

Through [Clippers owner] Steve Ballmer's leadership, the Clippers have a clear commitment to diversity and equal opportunity,

Premium customers in the UK can use the command "Alexa, play Flow" to play a never ending stream of individually customized music. All Deezer users can take advantage of voice commands to search for and play albums, artists and songs. Deezer on Alexa also supports play, pause, song skipping and volume control. In order to stay competitive, Deezer needs to be available on as many devices as possible, and it's certainly doing that. In the last year, the service has come to the Roku, Google Home and more.

Researchers in the UK have successfully grown the world's first crop of barley using nothing but robot tractors and drones. Hands Free Hectare is an experimental farm run by researchers from Harper Adams University, United Kingdom. Its aim is to sow, grow and harvest crops of spring barley using only unmanned vehicles, automated control systems and open-source technology. The project offers a glimpse of what the future of agriculture may be like. "We have been able to show the public that this is something that isn't too far ahead in the future, and it could be happening now," explains Martin Abell, mechatronics research engineer.

After four posts discussing the differences between machine learning and AI, and demonstrating that AI can live without machine learning (and vice versa), the time has come to define AI. Let us first point out that there is no committee to decide which products constitute an AI and which do not. There is no government agency that awards official AI certificates to machines. Rather, the choice of using the term is left to individuals and companies themselves. Thus, we have to look into how companies, researchers or journalists use the phrase, and see when people feel comfortable or maybe even compelled to call a product an AI.

One-third of its global online sales are now picked up in the store, the company says, but that has created long lines in some cities and waits for attendants to retrieve packages, customers say. To speed up the process, Zara said earlier this year it would roll out a robot-run version of click and collect, automating the service. The collection points in brick-and-mortar stores will allow shoppers who have ordered items online to scan or enter a code, triggering a behind-the-scenes robot to search for the customer's package in a small warehouse, and then deliver it quickly to a drop box. The move comes as Zara faces heightened challenges to maintain its momentum and compete with online-only apparel retailers, such as Zalando and ASOS, that sell a variety of brands. Annual sales at both have grown more than 20% in the past couple of years compared with low double-digit percentage growth at Zara's Spanish parent company Inditex SA ITX 0.46% .