After a successful 2016 first edition, our next summer school cohort on The Regulation of Robotics in Europe: Legal, Ethical and Economic Implications will take place in Pisa at the Scuola Sant'Anna, from 3- 8 July. When the Robolaw project came to an end – and we presented our results before the European Parliament – we clearly perceived that a leap was needed not only in some approaches to regulation but also in the way social scientists, as well as engineers, are trained. Indeed, in order to undergo technical analysis in law and robotics, without being lured into science fiction, an adequate understanding of the peculiarities of the systems being studied is required. A bottom-up approach, like the one adopted by Robolaw and its guidelines, is essential. Social scientists, and lawyers in particular, often lack such knowledge and thus tend to either make unreasonable assumptions – of technological developments that are farfetched or simply unrealistic – or misperceive what the pivoting point in the analysis is going to be.

Where things stand, per the Post: In early May, Sec of State Tillerson raised he possibility of returning the compounds if construction was allowed to move ahead on a new U.S. consulate in St Petersburg, but dropped the condition about the consulate days later after meeting with the Russian Foreign Minister and U.S. Ambassador in Washington. It's not a done deal, though -- a Tillerson adviser said "the U.S. and Russia have reached no agreements." The Flynn connection: Michael Flynn, the former national security advisor, discussed the Obama administration's sanctions with Russia's ambassador and "indicated that U.S. policy would change" under Trump. He then misled other officials about the discussions, and was subsequently fired. Bonus anecdote: I spoke with locals in Centreville, Maryland the day after the compound there was closed about the espionage in their backyard, and what they thought would happen next.

Opinions expressed by Forbes Contributors are their own. The author is a Forbes contributor. The opinions expressed are those of the writer. Artificial intelligence and machine learning are now changing how Americans prepare their tax returns. Good thing computer intelligence doesn't get bored... Taxes do a lot of things. Used wisely, they can make life safer, healthier and worthwhile.

The duopoly has gobbled up artificial intelligence startups, and it's hungry for more. Research released earlier this month by CB Insights found it acquired 34 AI startups in the first quarter of 2017, which more than doubled the total acquired during the same period last year and easily surpassed the previous high of 28, which came in the third quarter of last year. Last week, Axios reported that Google has launched an AI-specific venture fund, one that's overseen by engineers rather than venture capitalists, to hand out investments up to $10 million. The big picture • Google's parent, Alphabet, has acquired 11 AI startups over the past five years, the most of any public company. Apple is next, with seven, followed by Facebook and Intel, with five apiece.

In less than 50 years, artificial intelligence will be able to beat humans at all of their own tasks, according to a new study. And, the first hints of this shift will become apparent much sooner. Within the next ten years alone, the researchers found AI will outperform humans in language translation, truck driving, and even writing high-school essays – and, they say machines could be writing bestselling books by 2049. In less than 50 years, artificial intelligence will be able to beat humans at all of their own tasks, according to a new study. And, the first hints of this shift will become apparent much sooner.

FAA officials said they were investigating to ensure the deliveries followed federal rules governing commercial drone use in populated areas. The FAA has rules that govern drone altitude, proximity to airports, and flying over people who are not part of the crew flying the drone. The organizers said they took care to comply with regulations.

DRONES are sending back snaps from the deep. Uncrewed vehicles that scour the ocean floor for submerged mines can now beam back images to human operators in close to real time. The technology, developed by Canada's Department of National Defence, could also be used to autonomously map the locations of starfish colonies, for example, or study deep-sea hydrothermal vents. The torpedo-shaped drones constantly scan the ocean floor using sonar, reaching speeds of around 2 metres per second. They use image recognition to search for shapes that look like a submerged mine.

Researchers have warned that millions of human workers will be replaced by robots over the next few decades, leaving many to wonder what sectors are most at risk. Now, a website powered by machine learning has gathered data from an Oxford University report to uncover which positions are likely to be replaced by machines. Called'Will Robots Take My Job', the tool lets users type in their occupation and provides them with a replacement estimate and automation risk – it also reveals if'you are doomed' or are'totally safe'. A website powered by machine learning has gathered data from an Oxford University report to uncover which positions are likely to be replaced by machines. Called ' Will Robots Take My Job ', the tool lets users type in their occupation and provides an estimate and automation risk'Will Robots Take My Job' is a machine learning tool that gathers data from a 2013 Oxford University reported entitled, 'The Future of Employment: How susceptible are jobs to computerization'.

But the mandate has drawn strong and sustained opposition from social conservatives, who see it as an infringement on freedom of conscience. The Obama administration exempted houses of worship, and set up a workaround for religiously affiliated nonprofits, such as hospitals, universities and social service organizations. The Supreme Court later ruled that closely held private companies were also eligible for the workaround, through which the government arranges contraceptive coverage for the affected women employees.

Beyond membership in the Pantheon of Famous Brits, Winston Churchill and George Orwell would seem to have little in the way of common ground. Orwell was a journalist and novelist. Churchill had money and pedigree; the young Orwell lived on the street and raised his own vegetables during World War II. Churchill's political leanings were conservative; Orwell flirted with communism until he witnessed the betrayal of his Republican comrades by Soviet agents in the Spanish Civil War. In "Churchill & Orwell: The Fight for Freedom," Thomas E. Ricks gets beyond these differences and finds the iron core of both men.