Over the past few decades, machine learning has emerged as the real-world face of what is often mistakenly called "artificial intelligence." It is establishing itself as a mainstream technology tool for companies, enabling them to improve productivity, planning, and ultimately, profits. Michael Jordan, professor of Computer Science and Statistics at the University of California, Berkeley, noted in a recent Medium post: "Most of what is being called'AI' today, particularly in the public sphere, is what has been called'machine learning' for the past several decades." Jordan argues that unlike much that is mislabeled "artificial intelligence," ML is the real thing. He maintains that it was already clear in the early 1990s that ML would grow to have massive industrial relevance.

If the 2016 election made one thing clear, it's that people in this country are getting their news from very different sources. But with the growing popularity of smart speaker-delivered morning briefings, this may be about to change. As digital assistants becomes the go-to news source for more and more people, so too does NPR. And while there's nothing wrong with millennials rediscovering public radio, some are raising the alarm about media diet conformity. Reporters Without Borders, the Paris-based NGO that promotes freedom of information, has voiced concerns about voice assistants, suggesting they present a "threat to pluralist news and information."

In yet another evolutionary step in the artificial intelligence contest between Amazon and Google, Amazon confirmed this week that a new feature called "Answer Update" will enable Alexa to percolate on a question she doesn't know the answer to, and inform users once she's learned the answer. Factual questions only, please; we don't think it's healthy to ask a robot if it loves you and then stew on it for a while. We've seen that movie already. The feature, first spotted by Voicebot, was prompted after listening to a news item and asking follow-up questions. The intelligent assistant first asks if users want to enable "Answer Updates," a feature that users can also opt out of on command. Amazon says the new feature is a way to expand Alexa's "Knowledge Graph," an informational database containing general knowledge facts and figures that the smart assistant uses to answer everyday questions.

These days, there are plenty of ways to keep your phone charged up on the go, and today two enticing, yet totally different USB chargers are on steep sale at Amazon--but only if you know the correct discount codes. Aukey's huge 10,000mAh portable charger drops all the way down to $12.87 with the code 73YLYYV3, from a list price of $23, and Anker's Roav Viva car charger with Amazon's Alexa is $38 with the code VIVAAUDL, down from a list price of $59. Aukey's portable charger comes with dual ports to keep multiple devices charged up simultaneously. It's also designed to fit in your pocket, with a smooth, streamlined design built to match your phone's form factor. A built-in LED indicator will help you keep tabs on battery life, with a built-in flashlight as well in case of emergency.

Amazon's got a great deal for smart home users today, but you can only get it if you're part of a special club. Anyone who has an Echo device or a third-party Alexa-enabled device can get a TP-Link Kasa Smart Wi-Fi Plug Mini for $10 with coupon code SMART10. The bad news is Amazon's sale is limited to one device per customer. TP-Link's Kasa devices are already great options for smart home rookies since they don't require a hub, instead connecting via the Kasa smartphone app and Wi-Fi. The Kasa Smart Wi-Fi Plug Mini HS105 works with Alexa devices (natch) as well as Google Home, though only the Alexa-enabled get today's discount.

The concept might sound strange at first, but trust me, it's a great idea well executed in the First Alert Onelink Safe & Sound. Think about it: You have a smoke detector in every room, and each one contains a loudspeaker, optimally mounted on the ceiling or high up on the wall. Add a mic, a Wi-Fi connection, and a digital assistant, and instead of behaving like a lifeless barnacle unless smoke or carbon monoxide is present in the room, that device can play music and games, retrieve news and information, control your smart home, and do all the other great things an Alexa-powered smart speaker can do. As an Alexa device, the Onelink Safe & Sound works well. Its speaker is loud and clear, and its microphone is sensitive and accurate.

It has once again been a big month for AI with some really interesting things going on that are vitally important to how we will use AI in future. The most exciting piece of AI news came out of IBM when they revealed'Project Debater.' Now to some, it might actually sound like your worst nightmares coming to life because Project Debater can argue back, however it actually displays a range of impressive innovations. Firstly, it can understand the context of what someone is saying during a debate, creating its own argument in real time. AI assistants based on innovations like Project Debator will deliver exciting opportunities for every business. Now AI assistants aren't new with many people using the likes of Siri and Cortana, however with Project Debator capabilities have been added to improve how it interacts with people turning it into a really powerful business tool.

Do you believe Artificial Intelligence is the future game-changer? Artificial Intelligence (AI) is not the FUTURE, it is ALREADY HERE. According to Wikipedia, "Artificial intelligence (AI, also machine intelligence, MI) is intelligence demonstrated by machines, in contrast to the natural intelligence (NI) displayed by humans and other animals". In a post by Josh Bersin, Founder and Principal at Bersin by Deloitte, it is mentioned that "AI is all about a wide range of machine learning tools and algorithms that quickly provide data, identify and predict patterns for informed decision making. It is possible for the systems to understand speech, identify photos, and use pattern matching to pick up signals about mood, honesty, and even personality. These algorithms are not "intuitive" like human beings, but they are fast, so they can analyze millions of pieces of information in seconds and quickly correlate them against patterns."

So much of our financial activity is automated these days. We take a set-it-and-forget-it approach to paying bills, tackling savings goals, contributing to retirement funds. It was only a matter of time before reducing our regular expenses could be put on autopilot as well. That is the unique proposition of Trim. Trim isn't an app, but rather an AI assistant that analyzes your financial transactions and finds ways to save you money.

When you ask a voice assistant a question it doesn't have an answer for, that's usually the end of the story unless you're determined to look up the answer on another device. Amazon doesn't think the mystery should go unsolved, though. It's trotting out an opt-in "Answer Update" feature for Alexa that notifies you when the AI helper has an answer to a previous question it couldn't address. The trick is limited to factoids, a spokesperson told TechCrunch, but that could still prove helpful if your curiosity is still rampant months later. Answer Update is reaching Alexa devices over the course of the next week, so you'll have to be patient if you aren't part of the first wave.