Google's "terrifying" new artificial intelligence feature has prompted concerns about the takeover of the robots and the abuse of AI. Many commentators have suggested that "Duplex" is not only strange but entirely unethical, and that it could signal an important moment in the acceptance and use of artificial intelligence. This week, Google announced a whole range of new AI features. But it was just one of them that took almost all of the attention: Duplex. That feature allows the assistant to call people on its owners behalf, booking them appointments or checking on the availability of restaurants.

I laughed along with most of the audience at I/O 2018 when, in response to a restaurant rep asking it to hold on, Google Assistant said "Mmhmm". But beneath our mirth lay a sense of wonder. The demo of Google Duplex, "an AI system for accomplishing real-world tasks over the phone," was almost unbelievable. The artificially intelligent Assistant successfully made a reservation with a human being over the phone without the person knowing it wasn't real. It even used sounds like "umm," "uhh" and tonal inflections to create a more convincing, realistic cadence.

Google is working on some nifty new features for Google Maps, including a short list of your favorite places, the possibility of a'virtual positioning system' and more. Assistant is coming to Google Maps in a big way, with a ton of new shortcuts, as well as the ability for the digital assistant to text your friend when you're on your way. Google is rolling out a tool called'Your Match', which uses machine learning to determine your location and interests, serving up targeted suggestions for new businesses opening up in your area and more.

There are so many amazing ways artificial intelligence and machine learning are used behind the scenes to impact our everyday lives and inform business decisions and optimize operations for some of the world's leading companies. Here are 27 amazing practical examples of AI and machine learning. Using natural language processing, machine learning and advanced analytics, Hello Barbie listens and responds to a child. A microphone on Barbie's necklace records what is said and transmits it to the servers at ToyTalk. There, the recording is analyzed to determine the appropriate response from 8,000 lines of dialogue.

Google's AI assistant will identify itself as a robot when calling up businesses on behalf of human users, the company has confirmed, following accusations that the technology was deceitful and unethical. The feature, called Google Duplex, was demonstrated at the company's I/O developers' conference on Tuesday. It is not yet a finished product, but in the two demos played for the assembled crowd, it still managed to be eerily lifelike as it made bookings at a hair salon and a restaurant. But the demonstrations sparked concern that the company was misleading those on the other end of the conversation into thinking they were dealing with another human, not a machine. The generated voice not only sounds extremely natural, but also inserts lifelike pauses, um-ing and ah-ing, and even responding with a wordless "mmm-hmm" when asked by the salon worker to "give me one second".

Android TV didn't get any stage time at Tuesday's Google I/O keynote, but anyone who wandered into the Android TV tent on the grounds of the Shoreline Amphitheater saw something equally important: The JBL Link Bar. Like every other Android TV device, the Link Bar is not a Made by Google product (by the same token, neither are any of the Smart Displays coming later this year that visualize the Google Assistant experience). Like those smart speakers, however, this soundbar is powered by Google's smarts and savvy, and it could turn a forgotten project into a household name. When I walked into the demo room, I already knew that JBL's Link Bar is several products wrapped up into one: a smart speaker, a soundbar, and a 4K Android TV streaming box. But as the Google rep showed me how it works, it became clear that the Link Bar wasn't just another forgettable device powered by Android TV.

Many people have grown accustomed to talking to their smart devices, asking them to read a text, play a song or set an alarm. But someone else might be secretly talking to them, too. Over the last two years, researchers in China and the United States have begun demonstrating that they can send hidden commands that are undetectable to the human ear to Apple's Siri, Amazon's Alexa and Google's Assistant. Inside university labs, the researchers have been able to secretly activate the artificial intelligence systems on smartphones and smart speakers, making them dial phone numbers or open websites. In the wrong hands, the technology could be used to unlock doors, wire money or buy stuff online -- simply with music playing over the radio.

MOUNTAIN VIEW (CBSMiami) -- Artificial Intelligence (AI) is satisfying human needs we may never have thought possible. Now, Google is using AI to tackle mundane, but necessary tasks like making a hair appointment, bringing AI closer to becoming a true personal assistant. "It brings together all our investments over the years," said Google CEO Sundar Chipai, at the AI Developers Conference. Chipai unveiled Google Duplex to an eager crowd roaring with applause, and demonstrated the new tool making a real call to a hair salon. It is nearly impossible to discern which voice belongs to the human, and which belongs to the bot making the call, complete with natural pauses, inflection and crutches like "uh" and "um."

As someone who recently got a haircut, Google's presentation yesterday at I/O really resonated with me. Finally, a service that can make phone calls on my behalf and negotiate appointment times with hair salons. Google's Duplex technology even uses the word "um" and sometimes misunderstands what people on the phone are talking about. It got me thinking: how close is Google to replacing me altogether? For instance, Google can already write most of my text messages, and now it can help compose for me. Could it write my Verge articles, too?

Watch Google CEO Sundar Pichai make a couple of calls with the Google Assistant at Google I/O 2018.