Tesla CEO Elon Musk has received a lot of criticism recently for saying at the National Governors Association meeting, "AI is a fundamental existential risk for human civilization, and I don't think people fully appreciate that." Musk also referred to artificial intelligence (AI) technology as "the scariest problem" and called for government regulation. This is not new rhetoric; we have heard alarming language about AI as an existential threat to humanity for years now. I prefer to be killed by my own stupidity rather than the codified morals of a software engineer or the learned morals of an evolving algorithm. No. Do I feel threatened?

The success of artificial intelligence (AI) algorithms hinges on the ability to gain easy access to the right kind of data in sufficient volume. Put more simply, AI depends on good data. Even Google--which is famous for the pioneering work in AI that underpins its standard-setting search-based advertising business--makes no bones about the critical role of data in AI. Peter Norvig, Google's director of research, has said: "We don't have better algorithms, we just have more data." Companies increasingly realize that data is critical to their success--and they are paying striking sums to acquire it. Microsoft's US$26 billion purchase of the enterprise social network LinkedIn is a prime example. But other technology companies are also seeking to acquire data-related assets, typically to acquire more than just identity-linked information from social media sources by focusing instead on vast troves of anonymized consumer data. Think, for example, of Oracle pursuing an M&A-led strategy for its Oracle Data Cloud data aggregation service, or IBM buying, within the past two years, both The Weather Company and Truven Health Analytics. Early returns for companies making such investments are promising. Still, to unlock the full value of AI algorithms, companies must have access to large data sets, apply abundant data-processing power, and have the skills to interpret results strategically.

Self-driving car technology will face its toughest test in the United States on Wednesday with the House of Representatives set to vote on the proposal for getting autonomous vehicles on the American roads. The proposed legislation is expected to not just help companies in developing the technology further but it will also ensure speedy deployment of autonomous vehicles on the American roads with minimum state oversight. The vote for the legislation involving several stakeholders -- including ride-hailing companies, auto companies, and tech companies -- comes at a critical time when Russia and China are developing the technology at an accelerated pace. While major developments pertaining to the technology have taken place primarily in the United States, in the absence of proper laws, companies get mired in legal battle such as the Uber-California DMV spat where the state regulators asked the ride-hailing company to apply for a permit to test self-driving cars. The proposed "Self Drive Act" bars the state from setting regulations on the design, construction, and performance of the self-driven vehicles. A host of car makers and tech companies including the Google spin-off Waymo, Apple and Tesla, have previously opposed strict guidelines proposed by the states such as California.

Say goodbye to the glitchy self-checkout scanners in your local retail store. Grocery buying is about to get a big boost from artificial intelligence. At a prototype store in Santa Clara, California, you grab a plastic basket, fill it up as you amble down an aisle packed with all kinds of things--Doritos, hand soap, Coke, and so on--then walk to a tablet computer near the door. The tablet shows a list of everything that's in your basket and how much you owe; you pay, and you leave. This store is actually the demonstration space of a startup called Standard Cognition, which is using a network of cameras and machine vision and deep-learning techniques to create an autonomous checkout experience. Standard Cognition cofounder and chief operating officer Michael Suswal says the company hopes to have it in a store--either a partner's or the company's own--in six months, most likely in the Bay Area.

It seems window shopping on Tinder is becoming as common as scrolling through Instagram, even among those who are off the market. According to new research, 35 per cent of British people still use dating apps when in a relationship. Despite the shocking stastistic, one in five of the 2,100 people surveyed by specialist law firm Slater and Gordon said this is just part and parcel of the modern day dating life and they'wouldn't mind' if their partner used a dating app. The younger generations seemed even more accepting with two thirds of 16-24 years old admitting they would happily forgive their other-half if they found them checking out other'options' online. Just under half of the men (46 per cent) who were surveyed admitted to using the modern dating tool while in a relationship.

A bill that would allow companies like Ford, Google and Uber to more easily test and deploy self-driving cars on U.S. roads inched ahead in Congress on Thursday, after House lawmakers voted to send it to the full chamber for consideration. It's still far from becoming law, but its Democratic and Republican authors on the supportive House Energy and Commerce Committee believe their rare bipartisan proposal has a shot at success -- despite tougher-than-ever partisan divisions on Capitol Hill. As it stands, the Safely Ensuring Lives Future Deployment and Research In Vehicle Evolution Act -- roughly abbreviated as the SELF DRIVE Act -- would allow companies over time to test as many as 100,000 highly autonomous vehicles in the United States. To do it, tech and auto giants would have to prove to the U.S. government that their self-driving technology is just as safe as old-fashioned cars currently on the country's roads. In exchange, the Department of Transportation can exempt those autonomous vehicles from some federal safety requirements -- including, potentially, rules that require them to have steering wheels.

The bill, which was passed unanimously by a House panel in July, would allow automakers to obtain exemptions to deploy up to 25,000 vehicles without meeting existing auto safety standards in the first year, a cap that would rise to 100,000 vehicles annually over three years. Automakers and technology companies including General Motors Co and Alphabet Inc's' self-driving unit Waymo have been pushing for new federal rules making it easier to deploy self-driving technology. Meanwhile, some consumer groups have sought additional safeguards. The bill will be voted under fast-track rules that do not allow for amendments. A bipartisan group of U.S. senators has been working on similar legislation but has not introduced a bill.

Why propensity scores should not be used Gary King, Richard Nielson.

Adaption is not only necessary to remain competitive in terms of offering alternative channels, the use of digital technology can also assist with the amount of work involved with the legal process. To assist legal teams with this data review process artificial intelligence platforms can be used. In addition, intelligent machines can be used to assess decisions made by judges, to work out how case law is set and what the decision of a particular judge is likely to be. According to a review by Forbes, the use of machines to assess legal cases can reduce the hundreds of hours required to trawl through case notes considerably.

As with many other services, the legal profession is undergoing digital transformation. Established firms are facing competition from aggressive start-ups running digital only platforms. This disruption is requiring legacy firms to adapt. Adaption is not only necessary to remain competitive in terms of offering alternative channels, the use of digital technology can also assist with the amount of work involved with the legal process. The spotlight here is with machine learning, and three new and innovative technologies are discussed.