Chatbots could replace 1-800 numbers, and Facebook wants them on Messenger. But most businesses don't have the resources or technical skills to build chatbots themselves. That's why Facebook is currently providing developers with API tools to build chatbots and Live Chat web plug-ins for business clients, according to multiple sources and a leaked deck Facebook shared with devs. The tools will be announced at Facebook's F8 conference next week. Facebook already has a directory for approved marketing partners.

NEW DELHI: Artificial intelligence (AI) or machine intelligence has always been a little scary. We picture evil robots controlling the world and making human beings obsolete or, even worse, using us as energy sources as in the Matrix. The defeat by Google's DeepMind – a computer program – of the world champion in Go, an ancient Chinese board game, has reinforced the apocalyptic vision of machines taking over the world in the popular media. Not that this vision is totally wrong. The more we transfer human skills to the machine, the more obsolescence in the work force.

Hitachi announced the EMIEW3, a humanoid robot, and its "remote brain" robotics IT platform. The Hitachi EMIEW3 robot, capable of autonomously approaching customers requiring assistance, was developed to provide necessary services and guidance in stores and public facilities. Enhanced by the "remote brain" consisting of a robotics IT platform connected to cloud-based intelligent processing systems and a remote operation system to monitor and control multiple robots at various locations, EMIEW3 is able to provide high quality services. Hitachi's EMIEW3 and "remote brain" are very similar to the latest offering from Softbank's Pepper and Microsoft's Azure. Since the announcement of "EMIEW" in 2005, Hitachi has continued to develop human symbiotic robots that can safely co-exist with humans, providing robot-based services with advanced communication capabilities.

You might have heard about Google's new Cloud Vision API. If you haven't, you should check it out. It lets you upload an image and get a TON of machine-learning based information out of it, including landmark detection, face detection, emotion detection, adult content detection, and even OCR. My favorite feature has to be the label detection. Give Cloud Vision a image, and it will tell you what's in the image!

In the name of education, robots with names like Dry Bones, Grimlock and Ironhide took to the steel and Plexiglas arena erected in the Olathe Northwest High School gym and slammed it out in a battle-to-the-finish competition. At first glance it was all strength, agility and prowess, a Rock'em Sock'em clash. But at closer inspection, this was much more. It was a test of math, science and design smarts. Although a fast, durable bot and a quick-witted operator also played a role.

What was once thought to be good news has turned to bad after the artificial intelligence (AI) as it has been discovered that the system for automated banking has been taking money from customers. Massachusetts Institute of Technology scientist Len Meha-Dohler stated that this was a nightmare although they had not involvement with the project. The system called Deep Learning Interface for Accounting – or Delia for short- held the money in a separate account according to Stanford Universities Rob Ott. He was involved and believes the money would have been returned. After the recent event where DeepMinds program beat a chess expert at the game, it was considered that AI was the way forward.

Over the past few decades humanity has been thrilled with the world of information technology. One way or another, we all are a part of this industry that is rapidly developing and catches more and more people in its nets. Everybody understands advantages and prospects of working in this industry. It is quite difficult to find an example of a person who quits information technology and starts career in a different sphere. It usually happens quite the opposite; today lots of people change their speciality and start working in our unique "small" world.

This is the first of a three-post series on machine learning. Is machine learning just a fancy word for the same old computer programming we have employed for decades? Or, is machine learning a mystical computer that can learn anything? More importantly, why does it matter to your business? The most effective way to define machine learning is to compare it with traditional computer programming.

Come learn about H2O, the best machine learning software since sliced bread. We will show how to download, install, start, and use H2O version 3. Then we will interact with H2O using some favorite data science tools: R and Python. Supervised and unsupervised learning examples will be used. This is a hands on session; please bring your computers for the best experience. Hank Roark is a Data Scientist & Hacker at H2O. Hank comes to H2O with a background turning data into products and system solutions and loves helping others find value in their data.

In line with its chin-out approach to new technologies, massive banners all over the GTC proclaimed that Nvidia's AI software learned to be a better driver than a human in "hours." I assume they are referring to the 3,000 miles of training that Nvidia's DAVENET neural network received before it was used to create the demo video we were shown. The statement reeks of hyperbole, of course, since we didn't see DAVENET do anything especially exciting, or avoid any truly dangerous situations, or display any particular gift. But it was shown navigating a variety of on and off road routes. If it was truly trained to do that by letting it drive 3,000 miles (over the course of 6 months according to the video), that is an amazing accomplishment.