The machines haven't taken over. However, they are seeping their way into our lives, affecting how we live, work and entertain ourselves. From voice-powered personal assistants like Siri and Alexa, to more underlying and fundamental technologies such as behavioral algorithms, suggestive searches and autonomously-powered self-driving vehicles boasting powerful predictive capabilities, there are several examples and applications of artificial intellgience in use today. However, the technology is still in its infancy. What many companies are calling A.I. today, aren't necessarily so.

Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak has cast doubt on the potential of AI to topple humanity, saying the technology still has a long way to go in terms of development. "What would it take for machines to really take over? Every machine would have to talk to every other machine...It isn't going to happen," he declared. "The technology all of us create is always to make things happen better," he added, "there are a lot of things that are changing in society so drastically, but everything we call artificial intelligence can do...it all helps us humans have a better life, and every one of us appreciates our machines." Wozniak played down the fears of figures such as Bill Gates, Elon Musk and Stephen Hawking, all of whom have expressed fears about the possible effects of AI. "Sometimes what we call AI is just the state of the art of what computers can do right now, he said. "If you go back in time, machines have always made humans more powerful...that's what technology is about, we're always trying to improve what humans can do, and how much we can get done, so that we'll have enough time to only work four days a week." One system that did get Wozniak's praise was Siri, the personal assistant app that was acquired by Apple and is now an iconic part of the iPhone. Woz recalled the first time he ever used the service, back when it was still a third-party application, and how it changed my life forever" "It was like we're talking to a friend - it's like a step up, we're getting closer to humanity," he said.

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The history of smart motorcycle helmets is a mixed bag, from clip-on heads-up displays to the Skully debacle that ended with a great piece of hardware being cratered by financially irresponsible founders. But technology moves on, and next year a new smart helmet from Jarvish will be vying for the heads of nerdy motorcyclists. The Taiwanese company will be introducing two helmets in the coming year. The first is the $799 Jarvish X, with voice activation and support for Siri, Google Assistant and Alexa. Riders can ask for directions and weather reports, and they can control media playing on their smartphone.

Google is launching a major redesign of its Assistant app. The search giant's digital assistant was initially launched as a way for users to give commands using just their voice. But as digital assistants, including Google's own, begin to appear on a broader range of devices, it's meant that users are increasingly interacting with them using touch. In fact, more than half of interactions occur using touch, according to the firm. Google took notice and now it's making some helpful updates to the Assistant app as a result.

Google's rolled out a bunch of new features for Assistant this week, and it's not finished yet. Now, you'll be able to use it to easily book ride services. So with your Android, iPhone, Google Home or any smart speaker with the Assistant, you just need to say "Hey Google, book a ride to...." Or "Hey Google, get me a taxi to... ." You'll then be given a list of popular ride services to choose from, including Uber, Lyft, Ola and Grab, along with information on estimated pricing and wait times. Once you've decided which one you want (although you can narrow it down from the outset by including the provider's name in your request: "Hey Google, book an Uber to...") you'll then be taken to the corresponding app to confirm the booking.

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In a world filled with Fire TVs, Roku sticks, and Apple TVs, it's easy to overlook the Nvidia Shield TV as a streaming option. But few other boxes have its broad functionality, which combines video streaming capabilities with gaming power to create a killer all-in-one device. At $180, it's one of the more expensive options, but today you can snag a free Google Home Mini when you buy an Nvidia Shield TV streaming media player at WalmartRemove non-product link. The Nvidia Shield TV supports a wide range of TV streaming services, from Netflix to Amazon Video, and can stream in 4K HDR for the best picture available. You can also download games right to the console and stream compatible PC games.

The new iPhone XS and XS MAX are the highest powered and priciest iPhone to date. The XS and XS MAX hit stores on September 21st. Just say, "Hey Siri, I'm getting pulled over." One of the latest apps to hit the iOS 12 mobile highway is Shortcuts. With it, users can plot out a series of actions and trigger them by signaling the voice-assistant.

Headlines have been singing the praises of Apple's iOS 12 update. The new operating system is "totally worth downloading"--not only does it come with features that "may improve your life," it's also faster and smarter, according to Christina Bonnington's summary here in Slate. It's also said to be more of a gossip. According to reports, Siri's latest iteration is a lot more clue-y about the stars, with celebrity trivia among its new tricks (which include shortcuts, calorie-counting support, and the weirdly targeted "motorsports results, schedules, stats and standings"). Siri, it seems, is keeping up with the Kardashians.