Apple Inc., AAPL 0.23 % stepping up its involvement in one of Silicon Valley's hottest arenas, is acquiring machine-learning specialist Turi Inc. Financial terms couldn't immediately be determined. GeekWire, which reported the acquisition Friday, said Apple is paying around 200 million. An Apple spokesman issued the company's standard statement in connection with such transactions: "Apple buys smaller technology companies from time to time, and we generally do not discuss our purpose or plans." Turi's chief executive is Carlos Guestrin, who holds the title of Amazon professor of machine learning at the University of Washington--a position endowed by Amazon.com He is also an associate professor of computer science and engineering.

Machine-learning is all the rage in fraud detection, with industry analysts, academics, businesses and technology media examining the advantages of algorithms and big data in the fight against e-commerce fraud. Especially for fraud analysts working in companies with small budgets, machine-learning tools are seen as a cost-effective way to tighten fraud controls while maintaining fast decision times, as Forrester noted in its 2015 cross-channel fraud report. There's no question that machine-learning tools can be an effective component of fraud reduction program, but relying on them to save staffing costs may not be cost-effective in the long run. That's because while machine learning is an invaluable tool in the fight against fraud, it relies on human input and insight to create a comprehensive solution that yields the best results. Algorithms are useful for identifying potential fraud quickly, but due to variability in consumer behavior – such as making online purchases while traveling abroad -- some transactions will be falsely flagged for decline.

Macy's is testing a mobile tool using artificial intelligence that lets shoppers get answers customized to the store they're in -- such as where a particular brand is located or what's in stock -- that they would normally ask a sales associate face-to-face. The tool, which the nation's largest department store chain calls a "mobile companion," can be accessed for now through a browser and will accept questions in 10 U.S. locations about products, services and facilities. It uses natural language and offers feedback in seconds. It's developed by IBM Watson, the Jeopardy-winning "cognitive computing" service and is designed to keep learning more about the store's customers. That's a key element as Macy's seeks to spur sluggish sales, make being at the store more enjoyable and distinguish itself from online portals and specialty retailers.

WASHINGTON – With a chicken sandwich, hot coffee and donuts, aviation history was made Friday. These were among the items in the first drone delivery on U.S. soil approved by aviation officials, made by convenience retailer 7-Eleven and the drone startup Flirtey. The delivery took place in Reno, Nevada, with the items loaded into a special box for hot and cold food and flown to a local family. "We're absolutely thrilled to have 7-Eleven, the largest convenience chain in the world, embracing new technologies and working with us at Flirtey to make drone delivery a reality for customers all over the world," said Flirtey Chief Executive Matt Sweeny. "This is just the first step in our collaboration with 7-Eleven. Flirtey's historic drone deliveries to date have been stepping stones to store-to-home drone delivery, and today is a giant leap toward a not-too-distant future where we are delivering you convenience on demand."

A 7-Eleven customer's order for Slurpees, a chicken sandwich, donuts, hot coffee, and candy will forever go down in history. What makes it remarkable is that the convenience store chain used a drone to deliver the order to a family in Reno, Nev., 7-Eleven said on Friday. The company partnered with drone startup Flirtey for the delivery, which the companies said was the first time a drone has legally delivered a package to a U.S. resident who placed an order from a retailer. "This delivery required special flight planning, risk analysis, and detailed flight procedures ensuring residential safety and privacy were equally integrated," Chris Walach, the director of operations for the Nevada Institute for Autonomous Systems (NIAS), said in a statement. The NIAS is a Nevada government-backed non-profit autonomous vehicle advocacy group that helped oversee the delivery.

NEW YORK, NY - 20 Jul 2016: Today, Macy's announced the pilot of "Macy's On Call," a mobile web tool that allows customers to interact with an AI-powered platform, via their mobile devices. "Macy's On Call" taps IBM (NYSE: IBM) Watson, via Satisfi, an intelligent engagement platform, to deliver a first-of-its-kind solution that will enhance the customer in-store shopping experience at 10 test locations nationwide. A Macy's team member tests out Macy's On Call, a new mobile web tool powered by IBM Watson and Satisfi. Macy's On Call allows customers to input questions in natural language about each participating store's unique product assortment, services and facilities and then receive a customized response to the inquiry. Macy's is currently piloting the new tool in 10 store locations across the country.

NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Today, Macy's (NYSE:M) announced the pilot of "Macy's On Call," a mobile web tool that allows customers to interact with an AI-powered platform via their mobile devices. "Macy's On Call" taps IBM Watson, via Satisfi, an intelligent engagement platform, to deliver a first-of-its-kind solution that will enhance the customer in-store shopping experience at 10 test locations nationwide. The mobile companion, accessed via a mobile browser, allows customers to input natural language questions regarding each participating store's unique product assortment, services and facilities and receive a customized response to the inquiry. There are a number of ways that customers may request information. For example, a customer could type, "Where are the women's shoes?" or type a combination of brand and product inquiry such as "I.N.C dress," and they will receive the relevant response and location of that product in the store.

It's being dubbed the Fourth Industrial Revolution: the explosion of robots, machines, algorithms and artificial intelligence (AI) in the workplace is coming. There's been a lot of recent speculation about how robotics and automation will change the landscape of employment, and the professions that could become obsolete as a result. We're all familiar with those annoying "unexpected item in the bagging area" self-service supermarket checkouts, or the big robots used on the production line in factories making cars and other complex products. In the supermarket, now just one checkout assistant can manage 6 or more tills, or cars and machines can be assembled safely, with every one being turned out to the same standard. So what jobs will be next on the chopping block in this technological revolution? By and large, the main professions under threat are ones that involve repetitive tasks – that could be inputting data, preparing spreadsheets and reports and other administrative duties, retail jobs, manufacturing and even some more complex analytical roles that could be better served by an algorithm doing all the hard work.

Note the similarities between this business model and an online supermarket (online retailers). Discounting other factors, such as distribution logistics and differences in regulations, the fundamentals are the same: a commoditised online offering with no'human touch' at the point of sale. Even consumer demographics are similar – young, tech-savvy professionals, looking for cheaper, easy-to-use and anytime/anywhere self-service options. Online supermarkets use extensive segmentation analysis and branding to acquire and retain customers. A seamless integration of data, analytics and technology enables a personalised shopping experience.

The tool, which the nation's largest department store chain calls a "mobile companion," can be accessed for now through a browser and will accept questions in 10 U.S. locations about products, services and facilities. It uses natural language and offers feedback in seconds. It's developed by IBM Watson -- the Jeopardy-winning "cognitive computing" service and is designed to keep learning more about the store's customers. That's a key element as Macy's seeks to spur sluggish sales, make being at the store more enjoyable and distinguish itself from online portals and specialty retailers. "We want to improve the shopping experience. We want the customers to shop at Macy's and come back," Serena Potter, Macy's group vice president of digital media strategy told The Associated Press.