The Series E financing will be used to build on this momentum, specifically supporting the continued development of the DataRobot platform -- which includes Automated Machine Learning, Automated Time Series, and MLOps -- as well as potential acquisition opportunities. DataRobot's platform has been developed over the course of more than a million hours of engineering innovation, and its capabilities have been accelerated via several strategic acquisitions. Most recently, DataRobot acquired ParallelM to create its industry-leading MLOps and governance offering. The company's holistic approach to AI success has been fine-tuned through working with thousands of AI projects across more than 35 countries.

Consumers, retailers and farmers alike are hungry for the next generation of food, and investors are beginning to acquire the taste, too. Early-stage investment in agrifood tech startups reached $10.1 billion in 2017, a 29 percent increase on the previous year. Agrifood can be split into two parts. "Agritech" refers to technologies that target farmers. Jointly, the two have enough reach to impact every part of the production line, from farm to fork.

What would you like to order?" Those are the words you might hear a robot say upon pulling up to a McDonald's drive-thru in the near future. That's because the fast-food company recently agreed to acquire a Silicon Valley-based company called Apprente, which aims to use artificial intelligence to automate the drive-through process. McDonald's hopes using artificial intelligence will not only reduce service time, but also boost profits -- customers might feel less anxious and more inclined to spend when they're dealing with a robot. The company said it might also use Apprente's technology in self-service kiosks someday, and that it plans to form a new group with Apprente employees called McD Tech Labs, which will help to automate drive-thrus. Apprente's system seems unique compared to other voice recognition systems, which normally use "speech-to-text" models that transcribe what a person says and then try to decipher the meaning.

It seems Amazon may be putting profits before customers. The Wall Street Journal has reported that the retail giant tweaked its product-search algorithms in order to favor its own'private label' and higher profit margin products– instead of what is most relevant for consumers. Programmers involved with the search algorithm are said to have opposed the change, as Amazon's principles stress they'work to earn and keep customer trust'. The changes were cited by sources familiar with the situation, who claimed Amazon's product-search system was changed last year. The Wall Street Journal has reported that the retail giant tweaked its product-search algorithms in order to favor its own'private label' and higher profit margin products– instead of what is most relevant for consumers Prior to the switch, algorithms would first show products that were bestsellers or relevant to what customers were looking to purchase.

Do you know why your CMO needs artificial intelligence NOW? Because: CMOs must show measurable financial results for the budget they invested! Wonder how AI relates to financial results? I'm not surprised since the answer may not be obvious. With an ever-increasing number of smart devices, apps and methods, consumers have more and more ways to get information and create content digitally. In the process, they create an explosion of data for marketers to track and analyze.

Siemens Healthineers has entered into a merger agreement with US – based Corindus Vascular Robotics a developer and producer of robotic systems for minimally invasive procedures. Under the terms of the agreement, Siemens Healthineers will acquire all fully diluted shares of Corindus for $4.28 per share in cash or $1.1 billion in total. The transaction is expected to be closed by end of calendar year 2019, subject to Corindus shareholder approval, receipt of regulatory approvals and other customary closing conditions. The Corindus board fully supports the acquisition proposal. Corindus is headquartered in Waltham, Boston, Massachusetts and currently has approximately 100 employees.

Shopify today announced it is acquiring 6 River Systems, a startup focused on fulfillment automation for ecommerce and retail operations. The deal is valued at approximately $450 million -- 60% in cash and 40% in shares. At its Unite partner and developer conference in June, the company announced its Shopify Fulfillment Network, which uses machine learning to ensure timely deliveries and lower shipping costs. Shopify's fulfillment centers span California, Georgia, New Jersey, Nevada, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Texas. The network, which is only available in early access, supports merchants that ship between 10 and 10,000 packages per day.

McDonald's [MCD] share price has gained 19% this year. The purchase of Apprente, which is aimed at automating its drive-thru operations, is a clear indication of a more tech-focused direction for McDonald's. Apprente's voice-based, conversational technology, "will allow for faster, simpler and more accurate ordering", McDonald's said on Tuesday. The Big Mac seller added that Apprente's technology could also be incorporated into mobile ordering and self-order kiosks. At the end of trading without disclosing the deal's financial terms, McDonald's shares were down 0.11% to $209.45.

McDonald's is exploring ways to automate its drive-thru service with the help of artificial intelligence. It means that you could soon be chatting with a robot rather than a human when you pull up to place your order. Helping the fast-food giant in its high-tech endeavor is Silicon Valley-based Apprente, which McDonald's revealed this week it has agreed to acquire. Apprente was founded in 2017 to create a voice-based, conversational platform for complex, multilingual, multi-accent, and multi-item conversational ordering. According to McDonald's, Apprente's technology, which is already being tested […] Source: McDonald's plans to serve up artificial intelligence at its drive thrus

Fast food chain McDonald's has made yet another push into the world of automation. The company on Tuesday revealed it is acquiring conversational technology startup Apprente with a plan to integrate its systems with services such as drive-thru menus, self-order kiosks, and the mobile app. It comes just months after the fast food giant began rolling out AI-powered menus at hundreds of its locations across the United States, using the technology to make more precise menu suggestions. McDonald's on Tuesday revealed it is acquiring conversational technology startup Apprente with a plan to integrate its systems with services such as drive-thru menus, self-order kiosks, and the mobile app McDonald's President and CEO Steve Easterbrook said the latest acquisition will make it'simpler and even more enjoyable for crew members to serve guests.' Back in March the company acquired Israeli digital startup Dynamic Yield with similar plans to improve the customer experience using AI. Its AI menus can suggest items based on the time of day, weather or recent trends, like showing a hashbrown alongside a cheeseburger - a combination that recently went viral on Reddit.