Technology moves at breakneck speed, and we now have more power in our pockets than we had in our homes in the 1990s. Artificial intelligence (AI) has been a fascinating concept of science fiction for decades, but many researchers think we're finally getting close to making AI a reality. NPR notes that in the last few years, scientists have made breakthroughs in "machine learning," using neural networks, which mimic the processes of real neurons. This is a type of "deep learning" that allows machines to process information for themselves on a very sophisticated level, allowing them to perform complex functions like facial recognition. Big data is speeding up the AI development process, and we may be seeing more integration of AI technology in our everyday lives relatively soon.

Israel has long complained about the involvement of archenemy Iran, and Iranian proxy Hezbollah, in the Syria war. The Shiite allies have sent forces to back Syrian President Bashar Assad, who appears headed toward victory after years of fighting. Israel has said it will not accept a permanent military presence by Iran and its Shiite allies in Syria, especially near the Israeli border.

An Israeli fighter jet has crashed amid Syrian anti-aircraft fire after an offensive against Iranian targets in Syria, the Israeli military says. The two pilots ejected and parachuted to safety after the crash in northern Israel. They were taken to hospital. Israel said its aircraft, an F-16 jet, was carrying out strikes in response to the launch of an Iranian drone into Israel. Syria opened fire after an Israeli act of "aggression", state media said.

Israel's military says it has targeted what it calls Iranian sites within Syrian territory after intercepting an Iranian-made drone. Lieutenant Colonel Jonathan Conricus, Israeli military spokesman, said on Twitter on Saturday that the drone entered Israeli occupied Golan Heights. He also said one of Israeli fighter jets was shot down during their Syria operation, but the pilot ejected and landed safely. "IDF [Israel Defence Forces] has targeted the Iranian control systems in Syria that sent the #UAV into Israeli airspace. Massive Syrian Anti-Air fire, one F16 crashed in Israel, pilots safe," said Conricus.

The thought leadership conference and exhibition AI Expo Global is set to arrive in London's Olympia on April 18-19 and will bring together AI leaders from key industries covering marketing, finance, government, public sector, healthcare, cybersecurity, HR and recruitment, automotive, industrial, developer, enterprise, and consumer sectors. With four dedicated AI conference tracks, over 12,000 attendees, 500 speakers, 300 exhibitors, and three co-located events, the AI Expo is one for technology enthusiasts and business leaders' calendars. Attendees can discover how AI is being implemented and monetized, and network with industry leaders, practitioners, and investors. Topics covered over the two-day conference include deep learning, machine learning, AI algorithms, data analytics, digital transformation, chatbots, virtual assistants, AI enterprise strategy, AI regulation and legislation, AI in the workplace, cybersecurity, AI for social good, and many more. Healthcare: Clinical trial participant identifier, preliminary diagnosis, automated image diagnosis, virtual nursing assistants, robot-assisted surgery, dosage error reduction, security, and connected machines across the industry.

"A combat helicopter successfully intercepted an Iranian UAV that was launched from Syria and infiltrated Israel. The aircraft was identified by the Aerial Defense Systems at an early phase and was under surveillance until the interception," the military said in a statement.

SAN FRANCISCO – Uber is paying $245 million to Google's self-driving car spinoff to end a legal brawl that aired out allegations of a sinister scheme that tore apart the once-friendly companies. The surprise settlement announced Friday came as lawyers for Uber and Waymo, a company hatched from Google, prepared to wrap up the first week of a trial that had attracted international attention. Waymo filed its lawsuit nearly a year ago, adding to Uber's woes with allegations of a bold high-tech heist orchestrated by its former CEO, Travis Kalanick, and a former Google engineer. That engineer, Anthony Levandowski, subsequently went to work for Uber, and was later fired when he declined to answer questions about the theft charges, citing his Fifth Amendment right against self-incrimination. Uber and its ride-hailing service had already been tarnished by the company's acknowledgement of rampant sexual harassment within its ranks, a yearlong cover-up of a major computer break-in, and the use of duplicitous software to thwart government regulators.

"A combat helicopter successfully intercepted an Iranian UAV that was launched from Syria and infiltrated Israel. The aircraft was identified by the Aerial Defense Systems at an early phase and was under surveillance until the interception," the military said in a statement.

Police should look at using artificial intelligence to help cope with the scale of information involved in investigations and avoid the kinds of mistakes that have led to a string of collapsed rape trials, a senior police chief said on Wednesday. Sara Thornton, the chair of the National Police Chiefs' Council, said the volume of data held by individuals had massively increased the number of potential lines of enquiry that officers must pursue to understand a case. In recent months, several rape prosecutions have been dropped after it emerged that police had failed to hand over evidence that undermined their cases. Since then, the Crown Prosecution Service has announced a review of all current rape cases and Nick Ephgrave, the NPCC's lead on criminal justice, has admitted that police have a "cultural problem" with disclosure. The attorney general's guidelines on disclosure say that police have a duty to pursue all reasonable lines of investigation, leading both towards and away from a conviction, Thornton said.

If you could know the exact day you die, would you want to? The question may not be as far-fetched as you might think, thanks to a new algorithm designed to analyze digital medical records and compare them to real-time health data to calculate the risk of impending health events. The FDA cleared technology from Excel Medical, known as the WAVE Clinical Platform, is being billed as the world's first patient surveillance and predictive algorithm platform. The device was designed as an always-on remote monitoring platform that can track real-time data, such as vital signs, and use that information in conjunction with the user's medical history and family medical history to calculate the risk of a potentially fatal impending health event. So far the platform has shown the ability to predict potentially deadly events such as a heart attack or respiratory failure as early as six hours before they occur.