I do think that machine learning altogether is probably going to be one of the biggest shifts in computing that we'll see in quite a few years. I'm reluctant to put a number on it like -- the biggest thing in 25 years or whatever,

Rick Delgado explores why it makes sense to add an AI layer to the IoT, possibly adding new possibilities and capabilities to both technologies.

NEXTracker, who makes devices that shift solar panels to soak in as much direct sunlight as possible, acquired a startup called BrightBox Technologies out of Berkeley (shocker) to add some intelligence to its hardware. NEXTracker will use software developed by BrightBox, originally made to monitor and control temperatures in large buildings, to increase energy production of solar farms, thereby enabling faster operations and easier maintenance. Can you say streamlining processes? AI is great for that.

Spurred by the rise of chatbots in consumer apps, companies are giving voice (literally) to virtual assistants in the workplace. Watch this video demo of HanaHaus, a caf; and community workspace in Silicon Valley, where people reserve tables via chatbots communicating in natural, everyday language.

Google researchers say they are using deep learning algorithms to enable computers to examine slide images of tissue samples and diagnose cancer relatively reliably.

The relationship between humans and machines has captivated people for years--from robots that can win Jeopardy to those that can sense human emotions, the list is endless. Today, however, machines are no longer simply a novelty. The rise of analytics and artificial intelligence (AI) has become a key component of a business' success. In the banking world, there are many examples to point to: self-service tellers, automated loan processing, payments, etc. But there's one in particular that is fascinating--the robo-advisor.

Worries that robots may end up replacing human workers have lately sparked debates over the role of artificial intelligence in corporate jobs. During a Fortune conference that tackled the subject and its various implications, voices from IBM and Google proceeded to dissipate concerns and state there's no need for alarm. Present at the Most Powerful Women International Summit in Hong Kong on March 2, women leaders of the two tech companies reassured the public that there's no need to worry about an A.I. takeover, as the technology is here to help and could significantly improve the activity of firms. According to Vanitha Narayanan, chairman of IBM India, the first corporate sector to gain the most from this technology would be that of service-oriented companies. Just like what her boss, IBM CEO Ginni Rometty, previously explained at the World Economic Forum, Narayanan reaffirmed the idea of a partnership between humans and machine.

I listened once to an old professor talking about working out factorial ANOVA and multiple regression on paper, back in the day. He described a whole room full of papers, all in a particular order, every sum contributing to the next sum and if you got one number wrong the whole thing would be wrong and you'd have to start over. Adding machines made it go quicker, and when punch-card mainframes came they were, well, frustrating at times -- lots of graphic and emotional stories there! By the end of the nineties everybody had a computer on their desktop, mostly with a connection to the brand-new Internet. SAS, SPSS, and other statistical and data-management packages became crucial office workhorses, and don't forget Excel.

The nagging frustrations of ill-fitting shoes could soon be a thing of the past thanks to technology developed by Swedish company Volumental. New Balance has partnered with Volumental to install 3-D foot scanners in select stores worldwide that use foot measurements such as width, height and girth to determine a customer's ideal shoe model and shoe size. Although the technology behind Volumental's scanners may be complex, the process is simple: Customers step into the 3-D foot scanner, which transfers information from their feet to a tablet within seconds. The data is then matched with the proper shoes and size for a perfect fit. "Volumental's product has created a completely new way of interacting with our customers. It brings New Balance's unique fit story to life in a personal & relevant way for each of them. Customers love it and our staff love it," said New Balance international retail director Jonathan Clark.

The leader of one of the world's largest automobile producers expects that cars will soon drive themselves and sync to the world around them - but don't count out the human behind the wheel just yet. Carlos Ghosn, the chief executive and chairman of an alliance that includes Nissan, Renault and Mitsubishi, said Thursday that humans will remain involved in the operation of vehicles for the foreseeable future, even as cars with self-driving technology enter the market in the next five years. You will push a button to activate the car's autonomous driving feature, he said, but it will encounter everyday scenarios it cannot compute and that require human assistance. "Artificial intelligence is still way below the creativity of the human brain," Ghosn said. Imagine a self-driving car coming upon a broken-down vehicle in the road, but there is a solid line to either side of it, Ghosn said.