HELSINKI: He runs a company that is a byword for technological innovation -- but Nokia's chairman had no qualms about going back to school to learn more about artificial intelligence (AI). Risto Siilasmaa, 51, said he signed up this summer for online courses on AI programming run by Stanford University. "I realized that I don't have deep enough knowledge on this phenomenon... Now I'm back studying programming after 30 years," he told Reuters on Friday by email. "I do not want to become an AI programmer. I want to deeply understand the abilities and limitations of AI." Since starting the courses, Siilasmaa said he had briefed the Finnish telecom infrastructure firm's board and managers on the subject.

Attendees at GTC Europe did just that, as the doors of the International Conference Center opened on Tuesday to an array of AI vehicles. From autonomous racecars to unmanned shuttles, they represent many new types of transportation. The Roborace Robocar is a fan favorite. Decked out in custom NVIDIA livery, the autonomous race car pays homage to the NVIDIA DRIVE PX brain inside. The race car features four electric motors and 15 sensors, and can reach speeds up to 300 kmh (186 mph).

HANGZHOU, China--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Alibaba Group Holding Ltd. ("Alibaba Group") announced today the launch of an innovative global research program, "Alibaba DAMO Academy ("Academy")," which is designed to increase technological collaboration worldwide, advance the development of cutting-edge technology and strive to make the world more inclusive by narrowing the technology gap. With the setup of the Academy, the company expects to invest more than US$15billion in research and development over the next three years. The Academy, which stands for the "Academy for Discovery, Adventure, Momentum and Outlook," will oversee the opening of research and development labs worldwide and seek to recruit talented scientists and researchers to join the program. Alibaba Group's Chief Technology Officer, Jeff ZHANG will be the head of the Academy. In the beginning, the Academy will focus on the opening of seven research labs in China (Beijing and Hangzhou), the United States (San Mateo and Bellevue), Russia (Moscow), Israel (Tel Aviv) and Singapore.

More than 90% of companies with world-leading brand recognition and high levels of customer satisfaction use artificial intelligence (AI) solutions to increase customer satisfaction, compared to 42% of companies in their fields overall, according to a new report from MIT Technology Review and Genesys. The report refers to these companies--including Alibaba, BT Global Services, Lexus, Nubank, Uber, and Zurich Insurance--as "iconic" firms. These firms are more likely to recognize that automated AI tools are most effective when they "supplement and extend" the capabilities of their customer support team, rather than replace human workers, according to the report. Some 60% of iconic company respondents felt they had the right mix of human and automated customer communication channels, compared to only 26% of poor performers, and 40% of companies overall. "The leaders of iconic companies know that they also have to be leaders in customer experience technology investment," said Elizabeth Bramson-Boudreau, CEO and Publisher at MIT Technology Review, in a press release.

You may think that humans as a species are the most prolific colonizers on the planet but maybe you've never heard of the "Argentine ants of southern Europe". This massive colony is made up of ants from Argentina that were introduced to Europe 80 years ago, and needless to say they've wasted little time in dominating the landscape. While Europe is being invaded by immigrant ants, another much smaller infestation that's taking place is that of mythical unicorns. For those of you not in the know, a unicorn is a startup worth at least $1 billion, and there are 215 in total around the world. There are actually 16 unicorns grazing across Europe right now, and we got zee Germans out of the way after last week's top 8 unicorns by funding.

Target is using Pinterest's Lens visual search technology If there was one overarching term at Shoptalk Europe this week, it was artificial intelligence. From machine learning to visual search, natural language processing and more, the role of systems that facilitate smarter and more personalized customer experiences was key. Keynote talks from Google, Alibaba, Westfield and more all referenced such a focus, with repeats of numerous big stats bandied about in terms of where this space is moving. By 2020, 85% of customer interaction in retail will be managed by AI, according to Gartner, multiple speakers said. And 30% of all companies will employ AI to augment at least one of their primary sales processes by the same time period, they further added.

The number jobs in artificial intelligence (AI) in the UK has risen dramatically in the last three years, according to the world's biggest job site Indeed. Since 2014 the number of available AI roles in Britain has increased by 485% – representing a significant spike in demand for employees with the appropriate skills for the job. Yet Indeed's data also reveals there are over two times as many AI jobs available than there are suitable applicants, with a ratio of 2.3 roles available per candidate searching in the last quarter. Interest in AI roles has risen more steadily by 178% in the past three and a half years, not quite high enough to meet the fivefold surge in postings. The popularity of software in innovations including smart home devices and customer service chat bots demonstrate how the industry is developing at pace.

The acquisition will enhance trivago's product with personalization technology which uses both Big Data and a customer-centric approach. Founded in 2015, tripl has developed an algorithm to give tailored travel recommendations by identifying trends in users' social media activities and comparing it with in-app data of like-minded users. The AI-driven product imitates the way a travel agent would recommend hotel experiences relevant to the customer, and combines it with the ease of online services. Following the acquisition, the former CTO and creator of the tripl algorithm, Hendrik Kleinwächter, will join trivago's development team to continue breaking new ground in personalization. Founded in 2005 and headquartered in Düsseldorf, Germany, trivago is a global hotel search platform, focused on reshaping the way travelers search for and compare hotels.

New technology and data sets are profoundly affecting the insurance industry, by allowing insurers to better assess the risks they are exposed to and interact with their consumers in new ways. They are also drawing new entrants into the market, with'Insurtech' startups entering the field, as well as established technology companies. What are the most promising of these new technologies, and how will they change the industry? Will established insurers be able to retain their dominance of the market? And how will consumers and insurers react to the potential new market dynamics?

BMW and Fiat Chrysler Automobiles are seeking one more automaker to join their autonomous driving partnership. "The road is open by the end of the year, and we have some good discussions with different other OEMs," Elmar Frickenstein, senior vice president of autonomous driving for BMW Group, told Automotive News. "The confidence level is high that we will do it by the end of the year." In order to keep BMW's iNEXT project on track by 2021, a new partner is needed this year, Frickenstein said. BMW formed the partnership in 2016 with technology companies Intel and Mobileye.