Machine learning can also be applied to medical diagnosis, and with more reliable results than human doctors currently produce. Researchers at an Oxford hospital in the UK have developed AI technology that can diagnose scans for heart disease and lung cancer. Cardiologists currently use the timing of the heartbeat in scans to tell if there's a problem, but even the best doctors get it wrong in one out of every five cases. The AI system developed at the John Radcliffe hospital can diagnose much more accurately, picking up on details the doctors are unable to notice, and ruling out the risk of patients going home undiagnosed and suffering a heart attack, or unnecessary surgery taking place. They have also developed a similar AI system that looks for signs of lung cancer, detecting nodules on the organs and immediately identifying whether they are cancerous or not.

Apple is finally selling the HomePod, its smart speaker. The round, voice-controlled sound system was initially revealed in June and was supposed to go on sale before the end of the year. It wasn't initially clear when Apple would start selling the device, since it only said that pre-orders would open at some point today. But they went live at lunchtime, at the same time in all the countries it will be sold in. It won't actually arrive until next Friday, when it is also expected to appear in Apple Stores, though it's still not clear whether you'll actually be able to listen to it in those stores.

Sweden's flatpack furniture giant is exploring how to make the best use of artificial intelligence (AI) and virtual reality. Speaking at the World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos on Thursday, Jesper Brodin, CEO of Ikea, told CNBC: "(What) we haven't been able to do before is to find easier ways to connect with people so digital opens up massive opportunities for us." Brodin added a "major shift" in technology over recent years had prompted the furniture powerhouse to begin testing AI and virtual reality. Several retailers have been betting on AI as the tech becomes more sophisticated and as competition from the likes of Amazon grows even tougher.

Still founder-led by Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Richard Fairbank, Capital One is on a mission to help our customers succeed by bringing ingenuity, simplicity, and humanity to banking. We measure our efforts by the success our customers enjoy and the advocacy they exhibit. We are succeeding because they are succeeding. Guided by our shared values, we thrive in an environment where collaboration and openness are valued. We believe that innovation is powered by perspective and that teamwork and respect for each other lead to superior results.

British Prime Minister Theresa May speaks at the World Economic Forum. British Prime Minister Theresa May spent most of her speech today at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, on the defensive. According to The New York Times, it was mainly focused on rationalizing the Brexit vote. But another, less heralded aspect of her remarks could have a big impact on tech both in Britain and around the world. The BBC reported that May wants the U.K. to lead the world in safe and ethical uses of artificial intelligence.

All today's commercial drones use GPS, which works fine above building roofs and in high altitudes. But what, when the drones have to navigate autonomously at low altitude among tall buildings or in the dense, unstructured city streets with cars, cyclists or pedestrians suddenly crossing their way? Until now, commercial drones are not able to quickly react to such unforeseen events. Researchers of the University of Zurich and the National Centre of Competence in Research NCCR Robotics developed DroNet, an algorithm that can safely drive a drone through the streets of a city. Designed as a fast 8-layers residual network, it produces two outputs for each single input image: a steering angle to keep the drone navigating while avoiding obstacles, and a collision probability to let the drone recognise dangerous situations and promptly react to them.

During winter when the nights are long and days short, getting up for work in the dark and coming home in the dark can be grim. Some of us succumb to the January blues, leading to increased illness, reduced productivity and a general feeling of melancholy. But can clever lighting improve our sleep patterns and lift our moods? "I only feel like I start to breathe properly again after the solstice," says Jacqueline Hazelton, a professor at the US Naval War College in Rhode Island. She's referring to the winter solstice - usually 21 December - the point after which the days start lengthening again following the longest night of the year.

Medical imaging is key in today's delivery of modern healthcare, with an immense 41 million imaging tests taking place in England in every year. Thousands upon thousands of patients safely undergo imaging procedures such as X-ray, ultrasound, and MRI every day, and the product of these tests – the images – play an essential role in informing the decisions of medical professionals and patients in nearly every area of disease. At its core, medical imaging is the application of physics, and sometimes biochemistry, to visually represent the biology and anatomy of living humans. We have progressed from the first, blurry, x-ray in 1895, to being able to measure minute changes in oxygenation within the brain; whilst major technological advancements continue to be made every year. In the field of medical imaging, these techniques are applied to expand our understanding of the human body and disease in research settings, but much of this technology does not actually make it into every day clinical practice.

Fifteen years ago, Microsoft (MSFT) co-founder Bill Gates made a long-shot, somewhat shocking, prediction that, by all accounts, turned out to be accurate: Within years, he guessed, the world would rely almost entirely on the internet for everyday activities. Now, the business magnate and humanitarian is suggesting that despite some common -- and perhaps warranted -- concerns that artificial intelligence (AI) could upend and replace the U.S. workforce, he sees the technology as a chance for an economic revival. "You'll be far more efficient using resources, you'll be far more aware of what's going on," Gates, who's currently attending the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, told FOX Business' Maria Bartiromo. "And it's very cheap now: Computers can see and hear as well as humans can." The software, Gates said, can be used to supplement workers by monitoring "high-value environments" -- including jails, factories, courthouses or operating rooms -- and transcribing the ongoing occurrences with computers that can record what's going on.

Google on Monday announced it will open a research centre in Paris devoted to artificial intelligence, following a meeting between the tech giant's boss and French President Emmanuel Macron. "The different achievements in this country, including in science, art and the academic field make it an ideal place for the creation of a centre of theoretical research in artificial intelligence," Google chief executive Sundar Pichai said in a statement. The announcement came as Macron welcomed 140 multinational business leaders to Versailles in Paris on Monday night, ahead of the opening of the World Economic Forum in Davos on Tuesday. Google said it will be extend it's headquarters in the capital to accomodate the centre--the third to open worldwide, after California and Switzerland. The number of staff in Paris is set to increase from 700 to 1,000.