For the most part, consumers want to receive personalized offers based on their purchasing history, or browsing activity within the retailer's site or app. Millennials are far more likely than their older counterparts to welcome retail technology capabilities. For example, over a quarter of millennials said they would like it if a retailer made personalized offers in a digital channel--such as email or a mobile app--based on their purchasing history. In contrast, just 11% of baby boomers felt the same way. Similarly, 17% of millennials said getting orders delivered by a drone is appealing, while only 7% of baby boomers agreed.

The spat is the latest in Silicon Valley in which competitive tensions stood in the way of customers. In a statement, Amazon said, "As of this afternoon, Google has chosen to no longer make YouTube available on Echo Show, without explanation and without notification to customers. There is no technical reason for that decision, which is disappointing and hurts both of our customers." Google, owned by Alphabet Inc, said instead that the development was no surprise. "We've been in negotiations with Amazon for a long time, working towards an agreement that provides great experiences for customers on both platforms," it said in a statement.

Amazon Tap is envisioned as a portable, Alexa-powered speaker. The list of products, services, and apps that Alexa can communicate with gets larger every day. Alexa is a homebody, which means it's missing out on half the party. Despite Amazon's push to spread its voice-oriented digital assistant to everything from light bulbs to Fords to Fitbits, Alexa's dominance remains inside the company's hit Echo speakers -- and their berth, plugged in at home. These put Amazon in an awkward position: cede the untethered, outside world to rivals, attempt another shot at mobile phones -- a market where it has had a rare, glaring fumble -- or attempt a third way that relies on a bevy of partnerships.

More retailers are turning to artificial intelligence to help shoppers find clothes that fit their bodies, budgets, and personal styles. As one of today's hottest technology trends, AI translates vast volumes of retail data into rich, actionable insights so executives can make smart decisions faster. AI has evolved into a strategic asset in retail even as the sector faces overwhelming upheaval. AI guides retailers by delivering fact-based intelligence to help them better serve shoppers. This gives retailers a leg up in a market full of empowered consumers who expect omnichannel excellence, affordable fashions, and personalized marketing.

I'll let you into a little secret. I really don't enjoy shopping. Yes, I know that sentiment will resonate with many people – men in particular – but I feel it with a passion. My frustrations came to a head recently when I was buying new shoes in Central London. The traffic to reach the store, the general indifference of the staff, the fight to find the right style of shoe. And then the inevitable comment from the member of staff, "Sorry, we don't have the shoes in that size".

This book is a great starting point for machine learning. It's not directed towards application, it's more theory driven. If you're uncomfortable with symbolic logic you will struggle with this book. If you don't know symbolic logic I'd suggest a textbook in discrete mathematics before diving into this book. It would also help to know some linear algebra or set theory.

Last month, Google announced that Walmart would be the next retail partner to use Express, Google's shopping and delivery service. At the time, it wasn't totally clear when the integration would go live, but as of today you can order from Walmart via Google Express -- which also means you can now shop Walmart with your voice using Google Assistant. Setting this up is pretty straightforward -- you'll first need to link a Walmart account to your Google account. Once that's done, you can ask Google Assistant to order whatever item you might be interested in. The Assistant will read you back options that you can accept or decline and it'll tell you what retailer they come from as well as how much they cost.

Brands are dead, or they might be in the future. According to Aaron Shapiro, the CEO of the marketing firm Huge, brands will take a backseat as technology like artificial intelligence and machine learning become more prevalent. "As machines start to take more decisions for people it makes it harder for marketers to figure out how to enter into that equation and how to influence consumer behavior," Shapiro told Markets Insider. Artificial intelligence powers technology like Apple's new face-recognition unlock tool and Google's smart assistant. AI is in its infancy, but it already is showing up in users' lives in a big way, which could be a big problem for marketing firms like Shapiro's.

British fashion brand Burberry is one of the most recognized luxury clothes labels in the world. Starting in 2006, the company aimed to reinvent itself as an "end to end" digital enterprise. Its strategy was to use Big Data and Artificial Intelligence (AI) to boost sales and customer satisfaction. It does this by asking customers to voluntarily share data through a number of loyalty and reward programs. This information is used to offer personalized recommendations, online and in store.

From a sutra-chanting humanoid robot to automated cemeteries, technological innovation is changing how Japanese deal with funerary rituals. As traditional family ties erode, people are opting for more affordable and convenient alternatives to conventional ceremonies and burial services. Here's a peek into how mourning the dead is going high-tech in Japan: What is driving the trend? Various factors are behind the ongoing transformation of the funeral business, but demographics lie at its core. Japan's low birthrate has diminished the size of family units while the aging population has given rise to elderly single-person households.