While many big tech companies use varying degrees of artificial intelligence to help provide security for their cloud-computing operations, some are taking it to another level. In a research paper, Alphabet (NASDAQ: GOOG) (NASDAQ: GOOGL) division Google revealed that two neural networks had learned to build their own form of encryption, while a third was unable to crack that code. This is significant because they weren't taught about encryption or given any examples of encrypted and decrypted messages. Two neural networks were instructed to send communications to each other, and keep that information secret from the third. This is likely an early development toward a dynamic system that learns to protect itself.

While many big tech companies use varying degrees of artificial intelligence to help provide security for their cloud-computing operations, some are taking it to another level. In a research paper, Alphabet (NASDAQ:GOOG) (NASDAQ:GOOGL) division Google revealed that two neural networks had learned to build their own form of encryption, while a third was unable to crack that code. This is significant because they weren't taught about encryption or given any examples of encrypted and decrypted messages. Two neural networks were instructed to send communications to each other, and keep that information secret from the third. This is likely an early development toward a dynamic system that learns to protect itself.

Before he took office in 2008, Barack Obama vowed to end America's grueling conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan. During his second term, he pledged to take the country off what he called a permanent war footing. "Our systematic effort to dismantle terrorist organizations must continue," he said in May 2013. "But this war, like all wars, must end. But Obama leaves a very different legacy as he prepares to hand his commander-in-chief responsibilities to Donald Trump. U.S. military forces have been at war for all eight years of Obama's tenure, the first two-term president with that distinction. He launched airstrikes or military raids in at least seven countries: Afghanistan, Iraq, Syria, Libya, Yemen, Somalia and Pakistan. Yet the U.S. faces more threats in more places than at any time since the Cold War, according to U.S. intelligence. For the first time in decades, there is at least the potential of an armed clash with America's largest adversaries, Russia and China.

LAUREL, MD. – Deep in the woods of suburban Maryland the men and women of the security details for President-elect Trump and Vice President-elect Pence are preparing for the worst on Inauguration Day. "We train for the scope of issues that can come up," one senior U.S. Secret Service special agent told Fox News before a training exercise Tuesday at the agency's James J. Rowley Training Center. Minutes later, while driving on a massive lot that doubled as a mock Pennsylvania Avenue, dozens of special agents, and the re-enactors playing those they were protecting, were run through a gauntlet of scenarios along the imitation parade route. Fox News embedded with the Secret Service for a training exercise that encompassed nearly 40 different scenarios that could take place over the course of the presidential ride from the steps of the U.S. Capitol to 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue. Organizers of the operation spared no detail, setting up rows of barricades in front of spectators that flanked the route, complete with protestors and unruly onlookers. From a routine ankle sprain for the First Lady to an all-out armed assault on the motorcade, the security details – as with real life protective situations – were preparing to tackle anything and everything that could come their way on January 20.

Social media posts have revealed that ISIS has modified commercial drones to drop bombs. Coalition air forces have hit ISIS-made drones and drone production sites in both Syria and Iraq. According to press releases from the Combined Joint Task Force, coalition military forces conducted 32 strikes against ISIS terrorists in Syria and Iraq on January 12th alone, hitting an ISIS drone launch site in Northwestern Iraq. A US central command official told Defense One: 'Over the last two months, coalition forces have observed about one adversary drone every day around Mosul' With the exception of just one day (January 10th), the forces have hit ISIS drones, drone launch sites or drone production sites daily since January 7th. A US central command official told Defense One: 'Over the last two months, coalition forces have observed about one adversary drone every day around Mosul. 'The Coalition has struck a number of what we believed to be unmanned aerial vehicle facilities in Mosul.

Video Friday is your weekly selection of awesome robotics videos, collected by your Automaton bloggers. We'll also be posting a weekly calendar of upcoming robotics events for the next two months; here's what we have so far (send us your events!): Let us know if you have suggestions for next week, and enjoy today's videos. Intuition Robotics, a startup pioneering social companion technologies, today emerged from stealth debuting Elli•Q, an artificial intelligence-based robot companion that keeps older adults active and engaged. Elli•Q, whose design intentionally avoids the look and feel of a traditional robot, seamlessly enables older adults to use a vast array of technologies, including video chats, online games and social media to connect with families and friends and overcome the complexity of the digital world.

High and low rollers alike can climb aboard what officials say is the first driverless electric shuttle operating on a public U.S. street. The oval-shaped shuttle that carries 12 people began a 10-day, free pilot program Tuesday along Fremont Street in the downtown entertainment district. The driverless electric shuttle has begun carrying passengers in a test program in a downtown Las Vegas entertainment district. Arma shuttles began providing free rides along a three-block stretch of Fremont Street in downtown Las Vegas, a vintage part of Sin City that is a tourist attraction away from the casino-lined main strip. The pilot public transit program will last a week, and was touted as the first time a fully autonomous, electric powered shuttle was left to its own devices to deal with traffic on a public street in the United States.

The NHS recently announced plans to trial an artificially intelligent mobile health app to a million people in London. The aim is to help diagnose and treat patients by engaging them in a real time text message conversation which will complement the NHS 111 phone based service (which was criticised by the Care Quality Commission watchdog). The app's designers, Babylon Healthcare Ltd, use algorithms to make initial diagnoses which are then followed up with human consultations. It has already received a glowing CQC evaluation. The app is likely to provoke a mixed response, with enthusiastic technophiles up against those concerned that more technology means a less human healthcare service.

It's already been a busy year for cybersecurity, as U.S. President Barack Obama warned NATO allies last weekend to closely monitor their impending elections for the kind of suspected Russian hacking that afflicted the latest U.S. presidential election. And last week top U.S. intelligence directors testified about those hacks at a Senate hearing, where topics included ever more sophisticated cyber-attacks and the growing need to fortify American cybersecurity strategy. Machine learning -- along with solid fundamentals -- will likely be a key component of reliable cybersecurity in 2017. "Criminals are fighting a 21st century war, attacking our critical infrastructure and financial systems using unconventional techniques, while we defend ourselves with antiquated methods," The Hill stated last week. "All the passwords, tokens and other forms of strong authentication are meaningless if a person is tricked into handing over their credentials, inadvertently installs rogue software on their device that performs certain actions, or unwittingly gives a criminal access to their machine or account."

Today on In Case You Missed It: The Department of Defense created a drone swarm for spying that can replenish a fallen UAVs position, much the way the alien swarms act in Independence Day. A video of the test was just posted by the DoD, although the test actually took place last fall. A video of the 3D printed sculptures is here and while there are many important news stories from this week, I recommend reading up on the ethical use of artificial intelligence. As always, please share any interesting tech or science videos you find by using the #ICYMI hashtag on Twitter for @mskerryd.