Nest is adding Google Assistant functionality to Nest Guard, the base station for its Nest Secure home security system. The feature is rolling out from today through a firmware update, and it will enable owners to ask questions and get answers through the device--the same way it can be used on a smartphone or Google Home smart speaker. The announcement marks the first time Nest, which is owned by Google, has disclosed that there is a microphone in the Nest Guard unit. The specifications page on Nest's website doesn't mention a microphone alongside all the other sensors on the device. A Google spokesperson confirmed the internal microphone isn't enabled by default and the Google Assistant function needs to be affirmatively enabled by a user.

Take an e-commerce website, for example. Its digital supply chain includes the website's developers, its administrators, the cloud services company that hosts the website's data, the CMS provider, and the devices that consumers use to access the website. In addition, every third-party technology provider whose code provides functionality to the website -- e-commerce plugins, personalized recommendation engines, advanced analytics services, inventory tracking solutions, custom product builder, chatbots, etc. -- should also be considered part of the digital supply chain.

We may begin to hear the term itself used less frequently – but that's because it's moving out of the hype phase and quickly becoming a part of everyday life. Soon, it will be taken for granted that pretty much any device we own – cars, TVs, watches, kitchen appliances can go online and communicate with each other. In industry too, tools and machinery are increasingly intelligent and connected, generating data that drives efficiency and enables new paradigms such as predictive maintenance to become a reality, rather than a pipe-dream. In fact, it is predicted that by the end of 2019 there will be 26 billion connected devices around the world. Here are five predictions about how this is likely to play out over the next 12 months as we become increasingly used to the fact that the internet isn't just something we connect to using computers and smartphones, but virtually anything we can think of: According to research by Forrester, businesses will lead the surge in IoT adoption in 2019, with 85% of companies implementing or planning IoT deployments this year.

The man who has headed up Siri at Apple since 2012 is no longer at the helm, according to The Information. Bill Stasior remains at the company in a different role, the report states. We've reached out to Apple for comment. Stasior joined Apple to take over Siri in 2012 after being poached from Amazon's A9 retail search team. At this in time, most of the original Siri co-founders had already left Apple and Stasior was tasked with taking on the mantle of deciding where the digital assistant should move next.

You can already use Google Assistant to control a Nest Secure system, but the company is taking things one step further. From now on, the Guard hub at the heart of Secure can serve as a Google Assistant device. You can ask about the weather before you set the alarm without having to be in shouting distance of a dedicated smart speaker, for instance. Common features like Routines, reminders and smart home control will work as well. You can't disarm your security system by voice, and you'll need a Nest Hello doorbell to have Assistant announce a familiar face at the door.

We may begin to hear the term itself used less frequently – but that's because it's moving out of the hype phase and quickly becoming a part of everyday life. Soon, it will be taken for granted that pretty much any device we own – cars, TVs, watches, kitchen appliances can go online and communicate with each other. In industry too, tools and machinery are increasingly intelligent and connected, generating data that drives efficiency and enables new paradigms such as predictive maintenance to become a reality, rather than a pipe-dream. In fact, it is predicted that by the end of 2019 there will be 26 billion connected devices around the world. Here are five predictions about how this is likely to play out over the next 12 months as we become increasingly used to the fact that the internet isn't just something we connect to using computers and smartphones, but virtually anything we can think of: According to research by Forrester, businesses will lead the surge in IoT adoption in 2019, with 85% of companies implementing or planning IoT deployments this year.

Imagine: in a few years, consumers will be talking to robots on a regular basis. From answering customer support questions to facilitating voice-based searches, artificial intelligence will become the new norm. Artificial intelligence has already become the new norm. Just take a look at today's popular consumer devices--Siri, Alexa, and even Google's new AI assistant with a voice that is almost indistinguishable from a human's on the phone. In one study of 600 executives in 18 countries, from MIT Technology Review and Genesys, 90% of respondents said that their firms are using AI to improve customer experiences.

An android child struggles to control his emotions. Robots threaten to take away human jobs. These dark themes were explored by this year's Super Bowl commercials, with brands such as TurboTax, Olay and Sprint capitalizing on fears that technology is encroaching on our lives. Inc.'s Alexa, an increasingly ubiquitous digital assistant sold by one of the world's most powerful companies. Amazon had its own commercial, where it poked fun at Alexa.

The past few years have brought about huge change when it comes to digital marketing, with ever-evolving technology requiring marketers to stay ahead of the curve in order to ensure lasting relevance for their brands. Companies with their finger on the pulse will already know that artificial intelligence is a huge asset when it comes to digital marketing campaigns, enabling customer journeys that are tailored to fit individual customer's needs and desires, conduct marketing analysis, curate content and recommend purchases. With more and more AI-powered MarTech solutions hitting the market, you're probably wondering what does the upcoming year have in store when it comes to AI and how you can apply it to your marketing strategies? Read on to find out what you should be looking out for (Spoiler: it's bad news for the traditional marketing app). The ability of artificial intelligence powered-software to collate, analyze and act on vast quantities of data from a myriad of different sources is what makes it such a great tool for marketers.