Now is a great time to be in data analytics. We're on a crest of a wave being propelled by sophisticated data use, including machine learning and artificial intelligence, and attractive salary packages. In Australia the median salary of an analytics professional is A$130,000 – over 60 percent more than the Australian median salary. This salary pressure and skills shortage has created a market where 67 percent of hiring managers report applicants are under-skilled. Equally, specialised skill in analytics is difficult to find and retain – 94% of managers found it the same or harder to hire. It's for all these reasons, and to support analytics role in business, that IAPA recently introduced IAPA-certified via credential – so data analysts could be recognised for the skills they bring to the workplace and employers could be confident in the skills of staff and potential candidates.

A smorgasbord of products and solutions, FinTech describes the dynamic landscape of financial services driven by technology. From startups offering existing services at lower costs, to disruptive innovations shaking up the way we manage our finances, the FinTech industry is set to radically alter consumer behaviour and business processes. Global investment in FinTech hit a whopping $5.3 billion (link) for Q4 of 2016. JP Morgan, alone, invested $600 million (during FY 2016) on Fintech initiatives they said included things like developer API's and "interesting developments" in the bill payments area. Things are continuing to rosy for FinTech in 2017, as financial institutions continue to invest in new and emerging technologies (chart) that will either disrupt or protect them from disruption.

Chatbots are about to change the world in more ways than we can imagine. Already, bots around the globe can complete a diverse set of varying tasks. From ordering pizza online to mashing faces together in Project Murphy, chatbots are about to become a normal element in everyday life. As the scope of chatbots becomes broader every day, there are new applications popping up constantly. Education has traditionally been known as a sector where innovation moves slowly.

Data preprocessing is a fundamental part of any machine learning project and often more time is spent on the data preparation than on the actual machine learning. While some preprocessing tasks are problem specific many others such as partitioning data into training and test folds, stratifying samples or building mini-batches are generic. The following Canonical Pipeline shows the processing steps common for deep-learning in vision. A Reader reads sample data stored in text files, Excel or Pandas tables. The Splitter then partitions data into training, validation and test folds and performs stratification if needed.

Deep beneath the ocean's surface, scientists exploring the Central Pacific Basin have spotted behaviour that's never been seen before outside of the fossil record. Among the many remarkable creatures observed during the mission, researchers with the NOAA's Okeanos Explorer witnessed the moment a snail appeared to be munching on the feces of a'sea lily.' Experts say this behaviour can be traced back hundreds of millions of years to the Palaeozoic Era. Among the many remarkable creatures observed during the mission, researchers with the NOAA's Okeanos Explorer witnessed the moment a snail appeared to be munching on the feces of a'sea lily' (pictured) The expedition kicked off on April 27, in effort to collect new data on the deep-water areas of the Pacific, beginning near the American Samoa capital Pago Pago, and ending near Honolulu, Hawaii. It comes as part of the three-year Campaign to Address the Pacific monument Science, Technology, and Ocean Needs, which aims to explore Pacific marine monuments sanctuaries, the'last relatively pristine marine ecosystems on the planet.' Over 23 days, researchers conducted remotely operated vehicle (ROV) dives in American Samoa, the high seas, and the Jarvis Island, Kingman Reef, and Palmyra Atoll Units of Pacific Remote Islands Marine National Monument.

While many people assume that artificial intelligence is something we'll be seeing well into the future, the truth is, many businesses are already using AI, and are successfully implementing business transformation strategies, connecting with their customers, and scaling faster than ever before. Most of these businesses are located overseas. A recent survey by Vanson Vourne, (commissioned by Infosys) polled business leaders across Australia, the United States, France, Germany, China, the UK, and India with at least US$500m in annual revenue and more than 1,000 staff. Of the 1,600 business leaders surveyed, Australian businesses only invested an average of $7.9m in artificial intelligence last year, and placed last in plans for AI integration and the skills required to implement AI. Andrew Growth, Infosys regional head, says that the results of the survey show that Australia is risking becoming uncompetitive.

When on the subject of successful leaders, it is evident that the how and why of success help derive inspiration. Forbes has come up with its second list of game changers--those who are not happy with the status quo and are transforming their industries by making a difference to the lives of their consumers. The youngest game changers are two contenders--Evan Spiegel, 26-year-old CEO of Snap, and Stripe cofounders John (26) and Patrick Collison (28). The oldest is 75–year-old Christo Wiese, chairman of South Africa-based retail company Steinhoff. These are the innovative trailblazers who are redefining and reimagining the lives of people, and taking the requisite action to bring that vision to life. Forbes embarked on this initiative to acknowledge not just typical corporate achievements such as profits and growth, which are largely limited to employees and shareholders, but also the flair for making a true difference to the larger society.

Apple recently updated online availability of 15-inch MacBook Pro on its website to June 6-8 to coincide with the Worldwide Developers Conference next week, MacRumors first spotted. The move comes after a Bloomberg report said Apple plans to announce its new laptop lineup at WWDC. Apple will reportedly announce new versions of the 12-inch MacBook and MacBook Pro at the event. The company is also said to be considering updating the MacBook Air, which hasn't been upgraded in years. In-store pickup of the 15-inch MacBook Pro is available for June 8.

WWE's next pay-per-view is set for Sunday night in Baltimore with Extreme Rules 2017. It will exclusively feature wrestlers from the "Monday Night Raw" roster. Six matches are on the Extreme Rules card, and the main event will determine the No.1 contender for Brock Lesnar's WWE Universal Championship. Below are predictions for every match at the event. Reigns is really the only superstar that has no chance in this match. The winner is expected to face Lesnar at the Great Balls of Fire PPV on July 9, and Reigns vs. Lesnar would only happen at SummerSlam or WrestleMania.

PREDICTING HOW artificial intelligence technology will evolve in the following ten or 20 years, or even beyond, is very difficult to say the least. However, certain is the fact that there is much to be gained to go around for everyone. It is estimated that by the year 2018, robots will literally be supervising more than three million of us at work; and by 2020, smart machines will become a major investment priority amongst at least 30% of all CIOs. Right now, many different fields, spanning from customer service to journalism, are already being set aside by increasingly able AI that can replicate human abilities and experience. Already before our eyes is an aspect that we once thought only belonged in future technology.