Warning: This story may contain links to and descriptions of explicit sexual acts as well as material some readers may find triggering. Isaac Asimov famously created rules that would prevent robots from harming humans. But at the second International Congress on Love and Sex with Robots earlier this week, that anxiety was turned on its head. Panelists discussed the ways in which giving robots personhood and consciousness may revolutionize our lives, but could also be catastrophic. Because, instead of worrying that we will be harmed by our creations, we're now much more concerned about causing harm to them.

At least, that seems to be the industry perspective. Humans are rash, impulsive and tainted by personal bias. So why not just replace them with machines? Apparently, that's what Facebook thought when they fired their entire team of news editors for political bias, replacing them instead with a new algorithm. That did not go well.

At least, that seems to be the industry perspective. Humans are rash, impulsive and tainted by personal bias. So why not just replace them with machines? Apparently, that's what Facebook thought when they fired their entire team of news editors for political bias, replacing them instead with a new algorithm. That did not go well.

A small band of heroes willing to take on a daunting foe or die trying. The rag-tag bunch of heroes is diverse, comprised of various races and sexes: a dashing young captain and his strong female counterpart, a humorous robot who has no trouble engaging in combat, and various other side characters. In the end, most of these characters will die for their cause, but they'll strike a major blow against the enemy. Sounds a lot like the new Star Wars movie, Rogue One, doesn't it? In that film a small crew of Rebels led by Jyn Erso and Cassian Andor sneak into the Imperial base at Scariff to steal the Death Star plans.

Cole Rise, creator of some of the original Instagram filters, offers his advice They include using the background to enhance the main point of photo's focus He also says you should work unusual angles to get a unique perspective They include using the background to enhance the main point of photo's focus According to professional photographer and creator of some of the original Instagram filters, Cole Rise, however, 'everyone is now a photographer in their own right' (stock image) Google will launch two flagship smartwatches... Sex robots could be used in old people's homes and to help... Tesla's Autopilot will now stick to the speed limit: Update... Police trial'Big Brother' AI system that is so powerful it... Google will launch two flagship smartwatches... Sex robots could be used in old people's homes and to help... Tesla's Autopilot will now stick to the speed limit: Update... Police trial'Big Brother' AI system that is so powerful it... Try building out the image beyond just the point of focus though. Framing is key, and bringing elements of the background or surrounding area can help build a narrative beyond the static shot. Pictured is one of Mr Rise's photos for Etihad Airways Mr Rise says that nowadays the quality of a photo is probably based on the number of'Likes', 'Retweets' or'Shares' it receives (stock image) Guests throw chairs as huge fight breaks out during wedding A young thug is filmed fly kicking a lady in the back Male guests in a Chinese wedding flock to harass a bridesmaid Cop brutally arrests black mom who reported assault on her son Girl walks around London with no jeans - can the public tell? Angela Rye shares video of her invasive ordeal with TSA agent Woman goes on racist rant while waiting in line at J.C. Penney Dramatic moment man removed from flight for'speaking Arabic' Video shows Brooklyn lawyer who verbally attacked Ivanka on plane Shocking video shows a Texas mother hitting her daughter'It's the best flight': Woman enjoys being the only BA flier Footage of adorable dog given food but takes it to puppies instead Girl walks around London with no jeans - can the public tell? Woman goes on racist rant while waiting in line at J.C. Penney Dramatic moment man removed from flight for'speaking Arabic' 'It's the best flight': Woman enjoys being the only BA flier REVEALED: The Brooklyn lawyer who chased down Ivanka on a... Sick ISIS savages film themselves burning two Turkish... World's most wanted man is dead: Rookie Italian policeman... EXCLUSIVE: She's STILL with her - Hillary Clinton and Huma... Surprise!

Mention artificial intelligence (AI), and people imagine machines that think as well as humans or better. The term conjures up science-fiction images, like the computer named HAL from the movie 2001 A Space Odyssey or "the droids from Star Wars." Those machines fall into the category of strong AI, which doesn't yet exist outside fiction. However, weak AI already matches, re-creates, augments or surpasses specific aspects of human intelligence in limited situations. You encounter weak AI any time you use Google or a geo-positioning system (GPS). Weak AI's increasing availability in products will force changes in the US legal system.

Siri had a good run, but its time in the spotlight is over. Alexa has arrived, and it's way smarter than Siri. Alexa, of course, is the voice-activated "smart" assistant lurking inside the Amazon Echo, Amazon Echo Dot and Amazon Tap products. If you own one of these gadgets, you probably know the basics by now--you can ask Alexa for today's weather forecast, a daily news briefing, an oven timer or a favorite playlist. But as the Echo family of products has grown, so has the ecosystem that surrounds it.

Where appropriate, we brought back trends from previous reports, once they had hit tipping point or promised new value.We looked ahead to predict which consumer segments will be most affected by the trend, how it will evolve, and identified brands that are leading the way. They are the early adopters of new technology. Millennials – those born after 1982 – are adept at making the most of technology to create a world of difference for themselves. Technology has given them the freedom to redefine the way they work, play, shop and to take control of their daily activities. Their dependence on their smartphones and other new technologies sets their expectations for how they want to engage with brands. Generation Z – defined loosely as those born after the late 1990s – are the first true digital native generation, and are the native speakers of the digital language of computers, video games and the internet.

Rogue One, the latest in the Star Wars franchise, has had mixed reviews but features one undisputed star: K-2SO, a gangly robot with the best lines. Movies of the distant future always tap into current anxieties, and the latest alarm is that the robots are coming. Droids may not conquer the world, but they will take over its work--white-collar as well as blue-collar. Could these filmmakers know something we don't? Previous scares, such as when TIME magazine reported on "the automation jobless" in the early 1960s, were just that.

Prolific science fiction author Arthur C. Clarke wrote that "Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic." As technology advances, what once was deemed "fantasy" begins to materialize in the world around us. Movies inspire us to have fun with the idea that any sufficiently capable magic is indistinguishable from technology – on-screen magic makes things like teleportation, omnipotent medicine and the creation of objects out of thin air all seem real. In many ways we already live in a future predicted by yesterday's science fiction, with interactive touch devices connected to a vast world of information. These universal machines can support experiences of ever-greater richness and complexity.