Technological progress in today's society has reached unprecedented levels; the World Wide Web did not even exist thirty years ago, while smartphones as we know them today have barely been around for a decade. Now, an even more sophisticated tool is at the forefront of changing the way we live – Artificial Intelligence (AI). McKinsey's Global Institute model predicts that approximately 70 percent of companies will adopt some form of AI by 2030, and that countries which are able to establish themselves as AI leaders could capture up to 20 to 25 percent more economic benefits than current levels. In recent years, one particular use of AI has become a point of contention – the use of AI in recruitment. AI has been said to be the future of many things – and recruitment is no exception.

In 2007, Kenneth Stanley, a computer scientist at the University of Central Florida, was playing with Picbreeder, a website he and his students had created, when an alien became a race car and changed his life. On Picbreeder, users would see an array of 15 similar images, composed of geometric shapes or swirly patterns, all variations on a theme. On occasion, some might resemble a real object, like a butterfly or a face. Users were asked to select one, and they typically clicked on whatever they found most interesting. Once they did, a new set of images, all variations on their choice, would populate the screen.

Just not as first envisioned. The business model of this Google sister company is based on monitoring people's movements and connecting the dots. But this week, before signing on the dotted line, Toronto tried to turn the tables on Sidewalk Labs. Now, the watcher is being watched and its surveillance is under scrutiny. That is as it should be.

In 2007, Kenneth Stanley, a computer scientist at the University of Central Florida, was playing with Picbreeder, a website he and his students had created, when an alien became a race car and changed his life. On Picbreeder, users would see an array of 15 similar images, composed of geometric shapes or swirly patterns, all variations on a theme. On occasion, some might resemble a real object, like a butterfly or a face. Users were asked to select one, and they typically clicked on whatever they found most interesting. Once they did, a new set of images, all variations on their choice, would populate the screen.

In the age of artificial intelligence, predicting which jobs will fall to automation is as much about what machines can do as it is about what they can't. More than half of all jobs in America -- both blue and white-collar -- are resistant to automation, according to an acclaimed study published in 2013 by two Oxford University researchers. Co-author Carl Benedikt Frey, who directs Oxford's Technology and Employment program, broke down three areas where human intelligence still beats artificial intelligence: perception and manipulation, social intelligence; and creativity. Each type has what Frey calls a "bottleneck," which slows the pace at which certain workforces can be automated. The premise is simple: Technology won't replace human workers if it can't do the job.

Austin-based big data company Shipwell has secured $35 million in Series B funding, according to company database Crunchbase, topping the city's recent funding headlines. The cash infusion was announced Oct. 24 and led by Georgian Partners. According to its Crunchbase profile, "Shipwell is a freight trucking startup that provides business with automated way transport of goods and services. The company believes that all businesses can have best-in-class shipping and transportation networks to ensure the efficient movement of goods and services. It builds intelligent and connected tools and software that allows shippers, brokers, and carriers to communicate in real-time and move freight in a painless and delightful way."

Just not as first envisioned. The business model of this Google sister company is based on monitoring people's movements and connecting the dots. But this week, before signing on the dotted line, Toronto tried to turn the tables on Sidewalk Labs. Now, the watcher is being watched and its surveillance is under scrutiny. That is as it should be.

Companies not already implementing or trialing Ai are being left behind. In an increasingly competitive marketplace, playing catch up is difficult. But does Ai work for or against your existing workforce? How will the'Age of Ai' affect the skills your company needs for the future.

MassMutual, a $30 billion per year life insurance company, had a problem. It was 2013 and, along with the rest of the insurance industry, it was bedeviled by fraud. According to FBI estimates, fraud sets the U.S. insurance industry (and policyholders) back by $40 billion a year. "We had to get much better at detecting fraud in real time," says Sears Merritt, MassMutual's chief of technology strategy and data science. So MassMutual launched an innovative collaboration between the company's data scientists and its line managers.

The University of Helsinki is an international scientific community of 40,000 students and researchers. It is one of the leading multidisciplinary research universities in Europe and ranks among the top 100 international universities in the world. We are an equal opportunity employer and offer an attractive and diverse workplace in an inspiring environment with a variety of development opportunities and benefits. As a part of the Faculty of Science, the Department of Computer Science (https://www.helsinki.fi/en/computer-science) is a leading unit in Finland in its area and responsible for the teaching and research in computer science at the University of Helsinki. The number of professors at the Department has grown in recent years and there are now 29 professorships.