AI is without a doubt efficient. It is fast, precise, and unencumbered by the emotions that cloud human intelligence. An algorithm's got it covered. But what if the goal is to create art? Because it is a product of science and technology, we tend to associate AI with fields outside the creative world where logic instead of feelings reign supreme. It's an easy assumption to make because machines do lack emotional intelligence and intuition (for now).

When DJI revealed the Mavic Pro in late 2016, it ended up being a turning point for the company. DJI was already the dominant name in consumer drones thanks to the Phantom series, but the Mavic Pro was cheaper, smaller and downright meaner looking. The combination of price, features and cool-factor made it an instant success. Then there was the Spark, which was smaller, but less powerful and lacked some of the basic features that a budding aerial photographer wants. Enter the Mavic Air, a quadcopter that slots between the Mavic Pro and Spark on DJI's roster.

An ex-YouTube insider reveals how its recommendation algorithm promotes divisive clips and conspiracy videos. Did they harm Hillary Clinton's bid for the presidency? Fri 2 Feb 2018 07.00 EST Last modified on Fri 2 Feb 2018 08.54 EST It was one of January's most viral videos. The 22-year-old, who is in a Japanese forest famous as a suicide spot, is visibly shocked, then amused. "Dude, his hands are purple," he says, before turning to his friends and giggling. "You never stand next to a dead guy?" Paul, who has 16 million mostly teen subscribers to his YouTube channel, removed the video from YouTube 24 hours later amid a furious backlash. It was still long enough for the footage to receive 6m views and a spot on YouTube's coveted list of trending videos. The next day, I watched a copy of the video on YouTube. Then I clicked on the "Up next" thumbnails of recommended videos that YouTube showcases on the right-hand side of the video player. This conveyor belt of clips, which auto-play by default, are designed to seduce us spending more time on Google's video broadcasting platform. I was curious where they might lead.

Fri 2 Feb 2018 07.00 EST Last modified on Fri 2 Feb 2018 07.02 EST YouTube's recommendation system draws on techniques in machine learning to decide which videos are auto-played or appear "up next". The precise formula it uses, however, is kept secret. Aggregate data revealing which YouTube videos are heavily promoted by the algorithm, or how how many views individual videos receive from "up next" suggestions, is also withheld from the public. Disclosing that data would enable academic institutions, fact-checkers and regulators (as well as journalists) to assess the type of content YouTube is most likely to promote. By keeping the algorithm and its results under wraps, YouTube ensures that any patterns that indicate unintended biases or distortions associated with its algorithm are concealed from public view. By putting a wall around its data, YouTube, which is owned by Google, protects itself from scrutiny.

I submitted this in the hope it will be useful in discriminating the hype from real. We've seen too much of "FB researchers AI created its very own language, and the researchers pulled the plug!" and too little of level headed talk about the real situation, without embellishment and naivety.

The future is here -- and it looks like Nicolas Cage. Some online users are taking a new kind of artificial intelligence technology and using it to insert the hammy actor into films and TV shows he didn't actually star in -- basically into anything and everything they can imagine, from classic James Bond films to scenes from "Game of Thrones." Reddit users began posting about and running with the idea on Thursday after one wondered how long it would be before the AI technology, which has already been put to more unscrupulous uses, was used to create a "full Nic Cage movie." "That's actually a very very good idea," another Reddit user responded. While humorous, the clips point to the growing sophistication of the technology -- and its potential uses, both good and bad.

Artificial intelligence has advanced to such a degree that our robots "feel" and algorithms compose beautiful music. So it makes sense that the latest innovative software that uses machine-learning algorithms can now enable fans to recast movies with their favorite actors. FakeApp software uses an algorithm to allow users to scan and upload a face, then add it to existing video content. As expected, the easy-to-use software has already been tested by various Reddit users to scan and paste famous female celebrity faces onto porn stars for disturbingly accurate results. On a less horrifying note (or worse depending on your fandom) fans are now scanning and uploading actor Nicolas Cage's face to well-known character faces in classic movies, and sharing their unusual creations on social media.

Pop music made by actual robots is here… and it sounds considerably better than you might think. Hello World, released earlier this month via Flow Records, is being touted as'the first multi-artist commercial album created using Artificial Intelligence'. The LP has been recorded by French collective SKYGGE, in collaboration with the likes of Canadian chart-topper Kiesza and Belgian pop star Stromae… and, of course, those all important computers. SKYGGE is led by composer, author and producer Benoit Carré, alongside a gentlemen who is becoming increasingly well-known (and slightly fretted about?) in music business circles: François Pachet. Pachet (pictured) is the world's foremost scientist in the field of AI-assisted music creation.

Mr Wang demonstrates YITU's facial recognition technology for withdrawing cash from an ATM. Consumers will have less to worry about when they open a bank account or lose their ATM card, thanks to the rise of facial recognition usage. YITU Technology, a Shanghai-based startup for artificial intelligence (AI) and facial recognition technologies, has brought its AI technology to Southeast Asia by setting up its first international office in Singapore, said co-founder Lin Chenxi. This regional office is a testament to the company's vision of creating a safer, faster and healthier world since its inception in 2012. "Southeast Asia is a growing region and has a geographic advantage in proximity to China," said Lance Wang, general manager for Southeast Asia, Hong Kong and Macau at YITU Technology.

Google shares were roughly flat when the market closed on Thursday after Alphabet posted earnings less than what Wall Street expected. The after hours GOOGL stock price, however, did take an initial dive before rallying toward its $1,181.50 Alphabet, the parent company of Google, revealed its earnings report for fiscal quarter ending December 2017 shortly after the market closed. The company posted a $32.32 billion revenue, higher than Wall Street expectations. However, the company posted $9.70 earnings per share, missing expectations.