More importantly, we track how the functionality of Cloud Computing, Artificial Intelligence, Mobility, Big Data, Robotics and the Internet of Things will require new approaches to cybersecurity. If you enjoy the daily Threat Brief we know you will enjoy CTOvision.

Messaging platforms are coming of the age, and Chatbots are all the new trend now. They are touted as the next version of apps, like a huge change in the communication industry. Since Facebook has expanded access to its Messenger service, giving businesses the ability to reach customers better through different APIs, "Chatbots" has become the buzzword these days. Many questions are arising about Chatbots: What actually the Chatbots are? Are Chatbots a big opportunity for businesses?

There is a surge of interest and research into Artificial Intelligence (AI). AI is seen as the new technological revolution in the work place with machines tipped to replace most human jobs. There is significant improvement in the field of AI currently, than in the history of mankind, AI has been branded a failure or a hype in the past, but that notion does not seem to be the case anymore with the emergence of more sophisticated computer algorithms that have helped machines to pass the Turin Test – A test which determines whether or not a machine computer is capable of thinking like a human. Critics have branded the Turin test an emotionally unsatisfying test for intelligence but agreed that a machine passing the Turin test is an important milestone for AI. It is important to highlight that to get more conclusive results from tests of AI, the Turin test has had twists and variations from the original test by Alan Turin.

We've been hearing a drumbeat recently of claims that a universal basic income--in effect, a monthly welfare check sent to everyone--is going to be necessary to save all the poor unfortunate souls put out of work by self-driving cars, artificial intelligence, robots, and other new forms of automation. We are told that the basic income will be "the only way to keep the country's economy afloat" in an age of automation, or that it will be necessary to absorb millions of truckers thrown out of middle-class jobs by the advent of autonomous vehicles. Of course, this being the field of high technology, there are always those who will say that it's not a bug but a feature. So we get Peter Diamandis reassuring us that "technological socialism" can "demonetize living." I have already thrown some skepticism at the idea that there is going to be a traumatic transition that will throw middle class people out on the streets without warning--rather than a long and gradual transition over decades, to which people can adapt.

Apple CEO Tim Cook waves to the crowd as takes the stage at Apple's annual Worldwide Developers Conference at the Bill Graham Civic Auditorium in San Francisco, California, onJune 13, 2016. SAN FRANCISCO – Tim Cook described his role at the helm of the world's most valuable technology company as "lonely." Reflecting on his five years in the role, Apple's CEO said the constant scrutiny of his every decision – by media, analysts, investors and consumers – has forced him to develop a thicker skin. His comments were part of a 10,000-word interview with The Washington Post Monday. "It's sort of a lonely job," he said.

The Pentagon wants to incorporate artificial intelligence into more systems but first needs to ensure its employees fully understand what drives AI, a new broad agency announcement suggests. Potential applications for defense are endless--autonomous aerial and undersea war-fighting or surveillance, among others--but humans won't make full use of AI until they trust it won't fail, according to the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency. A new DARPA effort aims to nurture communication between machines and humans by investing in AI that can explain itself as it works. An intelligence analyst who receives recommendations from algorithms about what to investigate further "needs to understand why the algorithm has recommended certain activity," the BAA said. And the personnel overseeing a new autonomous system needs to know why it makes decisions so they "can decide how to use it in future missions."

The future of defense technology will be driven by artificial intelligence (AI), but robotic weapons, vehicles, and soldiers won't be much use if human service members don't trust or understand their automated counterparts. In order to build human confidence in machines, Pentagon researchers want to develop systems that explain exactly what they're doing. Last week, the United States Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) announced their Explainable AI (XAI) program, an initiative that will ensure people won't be confused by emerging battlefield tech. The agency will begin development in May 2017 and work on the project for four years. The human-robot trust gap is a growing concern for the Department of Defense.

In 1991, Microsoft founded Microsoft Research, a division for the company's army of PhDs and scientists to pursue the coolest, wildest, most science-fictional ideas they possibly could, with the very non-corporate goal of expanding human knowledge. They came up with some incredible stuff. Over the years, Microsoft Research contributed to a whole mess of inventions including Google Maps-style global mapping, voice recognition software, and the smartwatch. The problem was, very few of those cool academic discoveries were actually making their way back to Microsoft's actual commercial products. Microsoft may have invented the tablet, but the Apple iPad ran away with the market.

The Internet of Things (IoT) has received massive coverage and widespread adoption. What few people have stopped to consider thus far is where these connections will take us. As chatbots become more popular, we're bearing witness to a move toward further machine learning. As the natural progression from smart objects to learning objects occurs, this new wave will encompass the globe. At the heart of IoT is a desire to connect items we already own into one cohesive network.

Bots are redefining how consumers interact with products and services. Conversational interfaces may already seem groundbreaking, but we are only seeing the tip of the iceberg. The real disruption will take place in the business world. Even though business bots are just gearing up, they will soon be influential enough that we can expect them to disrupt competition and turn power dynamics upside down. They will shake up entire markets, and it all starts with employees.