Researchers at The Alan Turing Institute in the United Kingdom are using artificial intelligence and machine learning to push the state of the art in data science to better understand what makes us happy, angry and frustrated. "Our research seeks to try and measure aspects of the world that we, as humans, are hugely aware of but that traditionally we've had near to no numbers on," says Suzy Moat, an associate professor of behavioral science at Warwick Business School and a Turing Fellow. For example, many people believe that the environment they spend their time in profoundly impacts their day-to-day well-being. Until recently, however, scientists lacked the data to test this hypothesis, Moat explained. Now, the world is awash in data along with the computing resources to quantitatively analyze what settings make people happy.

The benefits of artificial intelligence (AI) are being better understood as the technology filters into the enterprise space, with IT decision makers expecting benefits across the board. You forgot to provide an Email Address. This email address doesn't appear to be valid. This email address is already registered. You have exceeded the maximum character limit.

According to a study by Oxford University and Deloitte in 2015, accountants will be among the first professions affected by the rise of artificial intelligence (AI). Up to 95 percent of accountants will face some threat due to the advanced automation capabilities provided by AI. While this is categorized initially as a "threat," it also opens the door to a new kind of accountant. The modern accountant does much more than crunch numbers. In fact, in the future, AI might do most of the number-crunching.

Google has built a pair of headphones that can translate foreign languages in real time. The Pixel Buds are like a real-world equivalent of the Babel fish, the famous fictional creature from The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy. They both translate and enable you to speak in foreign languages, and worked incredibly impressively in a demo at Google's launch event this week, enabling an English speaker to hold a smooth conversation with a Swedish speaker. "It's like you've got your own personal translator with you everywhere you go," says Google. "Say you're in Little Italy, and you want to order your pasta like a pro. All you have to do is hold down on the right earbud and say, 'Help me speak Italian'. As you talk, your Pixel phone's speaker will play the translation in Italian out loud. When the waiter responds in Italian, you'll hear the translation through your Pixel Buds."

In August of 1944, Anne Frank and her family were captured by the Gestapo after spending a gruelling two years hidden in a secret annex within their apartment. The prolific diarist's work would posthumously bring her fame and recognition the world over. But, to this day, no one has been able to identify who was behind the betrayal that led to her death in a concentration camp. Fast forward 73 years, and a former FBI agent is betting artificial intelligence can help crack the mystery. Retired sleuth Vincent Pankoke, and his team of investigators (comprised of forensic scientists and members of the Dutch police force), are partnering with Amsterdam-based data company Xomnia on the ultimate cold case. As part of the newly-opened enquiry, a specially developed algorithm will scour reams of documents from the period.

Technology companies like IBM have arguably overhyped the capabilities of their artificial intelligence technologies over the past few years. But some executives believe the field is turning a corner, and businesses are starting to deliver practical applications of A.I. "There's some reality setting in," says Boston software executive Tom Wilde. "Some proof points need to show up. That said, the dollars being spent on [A.I. products] are pennies of what they're going to be" in the future. Wilde will try to deliver on the promise of A.I. in the business world as CEO of Indico, a small Boston-based machine learning and data analytics startup.

Surgeons in the Netherlands recently performed a procedure requiring immense precision as it's carried out on super tiny blood and lymphatic vessels. The surgery is extremely difficult to do and only a handful of surgeons are willing to do it. But for this particular procedure, Maastricht University Medical Center surgeons utilized a robot that was built to perform these sorts of complex microsurgeries right alongside doctors. The robot was developed by a company called Microsure and it works by converting the motions of surgeons' hands into more precise, localized and tremor-free movements. The surgical task was to connect tiny lymphatic vessels to small nearby veins in order to alleviate a condition called lymphedema that features a buildup of lymphatic fluid.

Rolls-Royce has signed a deal with internet giant Google in a move intended to help the British engineering company to develop autonomous ships. Under the terms of the deal, Rolls-Royce will use Google's Cloud Machine Learning Engine to further train an AI-based object classification system that it has developed, for detecting, identifying and tracking the objects that a vessel might encounter at sea. The agreement, which the companies claim is the first of its kind in the marine sector, was signed today at the Google Cloud Summit event in Stockholm. Rolls-Royce has some 4,000 marine customers worldwide, including 70 navies. The Google Cloud Machine Learning Engine uses the same neural net-based machine intelligence software that powers many of Google's own products, such as image and voice search.

Trendy mindfulness reduces stress levels by more than half by changing the structure of the brain, new research reveals. Mindfulness, which involves paying attention to the present moment, relieves tension by 51 per cent by boosting regions of the brain associated with attention, function and compassion, a study found. The ancient Buddhist meditation, which is championed by the likes of Gwyneth Paltrow and Emma Watson, and is even recommended by the NHS, also makes people feel better within themselves, the research adds. In particular, practicing mindfulness by sharing challenging experiences with others may help to reduce social shame, which is a common trigger for stress, according to the researchers. Lead author Professor Tania Singer from the Max Planck Institute of Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences in Germany, said: 'As empathy, compassion and perspective-taking are crucial competencies for successful social interactions, conflict resolution and cooperation, these findings are highly relevant'.

Sonos has unveiled a smart speaker that works with both Google and Amazon's AI assistants. The $199 Sonos One is voice controlled and works with 80 streaming services. It is the first consumer gadget to work with multiple voice AIs. The $199 Sonos One is voice controlled and works with 80 streaming services. The new speaker is driven by two Class-D digital amplifiers, one tweeter, and one mid-woofer.