Forecasting the future isn't easy but some things are predictable. It is predictable, for example, that every now and then everyone will get excited about the imminent arrival of machines that think like people and that will therefore destroy people's jobs. This triggers a mix of enthusiasm and paranoia. But after the humanoid machines fail to materialize as predicted, everyone calms down and gets back to work. In 2016, we are approaching the end of one of those periodic bouts of excitement.

The U.K.'s Brexit vote was something few prognosticators saw coming prior to the June 23 referendum. But once the results were in, it was clear the vote to leave the European Union would have a major impact on financial markets. The pound sterling fell in value by 11% two days after the vote, and both the Dow Jones Industrial Average and the London Stock Exchange's FTSE 100 index lost more than 2% of their total value. This left millions of traders all over the world scrambling to find safer investment positions. But at least one group of investors was relatively calm, according to Omer Cedar, CEO of Omega Point Research Inc., a New York-based software company that sells analytics tools to help investment managers review their portfolios for risks.

Imagine the endless possibilities of learning from 2.5 quintillion bytes of data generated every day. Artificial intelligence (AI), which began its journey 60 years ago is well on its course to make this implausible scenario a reality. Artificial Intelligence, is slowly taking over our lives. From personal assistants like Siri in Apple products to stock trading to medical diagnosis, AI is able to learn from seemingly unstructured data, take decisions and perform actions in a way previously unimagined. Businesses too are undergoing digitization rapidly.

Google is pulling another lever on its influential search engine in an effort to boost voter turnout in November's U.S. presidential election. Beginning Tuesday, Google will provide a summary box detailing state voting laws at the top of the search results whenever a user appears to be looking for that information. The breakdown will focus on the rules particular to the state where the search request originates unless a user asks for another location. Google is introducing the how-to-vote instructions a month after it unveiled a similar feature that explains how to register to vote in states across the U.S. The search giant said its campaign is driven by rabid public interest in the presidential race between Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump. As of last week, it said, the volume of search requests tied to the election, the candidates and key campaign issues had more than quadrupled compared to a similar point in the 2012 presidential race.

During the last two years, Microsoft has upped the ante on Machine Learning and Analytics. From hiring top notch data scientists to acquiring niche startups, Redmond has made the all the right moves to transform Azure into one of the best analytics platforms. These investments have started to pay off for the company. It has been successful in articulating and demonstrating the value of data-driven insights to governments, medical institutions, and public sector organizations. Emerging markets that are turning technology savvy are becoming the hotbed for evaluating the upcoming trends such as Machine Learning and Artificial Intelligence.

Nasa has announced that it has found evidence of flowing water on Mars. Scientists have long speculated that Recurring Slope Lineae -- or dark patches -- on Mars were made up of briny water but the new findings prove that those patches are caused by liquid water, which it has established by finding hydrated salts. Several hundred camped outside the London store in Covent Garden. The 6s will have new features like a vastly improved camera and a pressure-sensitive "3D Touch" display

Hiroshige Seko, the new head of the Minister of Economy, Trade And Industry, says the government needs to implement policies that will help the Japanese automotive industry keep its lead in the global arena by developing advanced autonomous driving technologies ahead of overseas competitors. "The internet of things, artificial intelligence and self-driving technologies are very important for Japan," Seko said in a recent interview. Asked if the government can achieve its targets for nuclear power and renewable energy included in the country's best energy mix for fiscal 2030, which was adopted by METI in July 2015, Seko offered assurances that nuclear plant safety measures tightened under the new standards introduced in July 2013 are sufficient, and that the Nuclear Regulation Authority conducts rigorous safety screenings regardless of government policy. It is important for the government to fully explain that detailed disaster management and evacuation plans have been laid out, said Seko, who took up his ministerial post in the Aug. 3 Cabinet reshuffle by Prime Minister Shinzo Abe. The energy mix sets Japan's reliance on nuclear power in the year to March 2031 at 20 to 22 percent and that on solar, wind and other renewable energy at 22 to 24 percent. The nuclear safety standards were drawn up based on lessons from the March 2011 crisis at the Fukushima No. 1 nuclear plant.

The U.S. healthcare system is well on its way in the transition to value-based payment models that reward providers for delivering quality outcomes and keeping patients healthy. In fact, as of March 2016, the Department of Health and Human Services reported that an estimated 30 percent of Medicare payments were already tied to these new alternative payment systems. Value-based programs are replacing traditional fee-for-service models that pay providers based on the number of services delivered. The newer models are designed to encourage care that is well-coordinated, cost-effective and lead to quality patient outcomes. In order to achieve new payment objectives, providers are seeking opportunities to engage patients in their own care, improve patient satisfaction and keep patients healthier.

Google is pulling another lever on its influential search engine in an effort to boost voter turnout in November's U.S. presidential election. Beginning Tuesday, Google will provide a summary box detailing state voting laws at the top of the search results whenever a user appears to be looking for that information. The breakdown will focus on the rules particular to the state where the search request originates unless a user asks for another location. Google is introducing the how-to-vote instructions a month after it unveiled a similar feature that explains how to register to vote in states across the U.S. The search giant said its campaign is driven by rabid public interest in the presidential race between Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump. As of last week, it said, the volume of search requests tied to the election, the candidates and key campaign issues had more than quadrupled compared to a similar point in the 2012 presidential race.

This image provided by Google shows on a mobile device a summary box detailing state voting laws at the top of the search results whenever a request indicates a user is looking for the information. Google begins the how to vote feature in Google Search on Tuesday, Aug. 16, 2016, pulling another lever on its influential search engine in an effort to boost voter turnout in November's U.S. presidential election.