Machine Learning ("ML") has been a relatively niche field for decades, with interest stemming mainly from academia and the life sciences. In recent years however, the development of ML technology has started to disrupt and, in some cases, reshape industries. This is evident in the hedge fund sector, which has seen a plethora of ML funds launching, or expected to launch, in the first half of 2018. ML can generally be defined as a subset of artificial intelligence. It involves using statistical techniques on large amounts of data to learn how to perform a specific task or find patterns in order to make predictions and solve problems. In reality however, the term "machine learning" is as broad as the fields of mathematics or statistics.

In this special guest feature, Joanna Eliopoulos, Growth Marketing Manager at Clickback, discusses the ways in which AI and machine learning are impacting B2B companies. Today's business owners expect companies to anticipate their specific needs, and act accordingly. Those who aren't streamlining this decision-making process using AI will fall behind. Joanna is a B2B marketer who is fanatically obsessed with growing a company's leads and revenues. What sets her apart from other marketers is her intellectual capital to think like a scientist, testing hunches and hypothesis' through data-driven metrics and analytics. Ironically, taking this approach not only makes "marketing" more fun, but it also helps the company improve its product offerings and unit economics.

Voice shopping accounted for $2bn in spend last year but this is expected to jump to $40bn in 2022, as the number of smart speakers in homes more than quadruples within the same timeframe. The number of homes using smart speakers will rise from 13 per cent today to 55 per cent by 2022, according to management consulting firm OC&C Strategy Consultants. Despite this, only 39 per cent of consumers trust the'personalised' product selection of smart speakers. The three most commonly shopped categories are groceries, entertainment and electronics – representing 20 per cent, 19 per cent, and 17 per cent of voice purchases respectively. This is followed by clothing at eight per cent.

Amazon's popular Echo family of devices keeps growing. From the first can-shaped Echo, to the big-screen Echo Show, and even the cute Echo Dot, you can get Alexa into your home any number of ways. These Echo products can answer your questions, help you order essentials for your home, play all sorts of audio content, and even function as the control hub for your burgeoning smart home. These are our favorite Amazon Echos for every home and every budget. The Echo Plus is the best-sounding Echo.

Voice-recognition lets people benefit from artificial intelligence (AI) almost without a second thought – and this technology is increasingly popular. Amazon had record sales of its Alexa device last year, with millions sold over the holiday season. Google reports that since last October, it has sold at least one Google Home smart speaker every second. And at CES 2018--the world's largest tech event--we saw a host of digital assistants that use a voice interface, from Microsoft's Cortana to Baidu's DuerOS and Samsung's Bixby. This trend will continue into 2018.

Google has begun rolling out Routines, a new feature of Google Assistant that allows users to string together a number of actions with a single phrase. There are six routines in the initial roll out: "Good morning," "Bedtime," Leaving home," "I'm, home," Commuting to work," and Commuting home." . To use them, go into the Google Home app, click the "hamburger" menu icon (the three horizontal bars in the top right), scroll down and click "more settings." Inside the services group, you should find Routines. If not, you'll need to update the app.

A personal assistant who works for you 24/7 -- it sounds rather tempting, doesn't it? Dreams of such a helper anywhere you go are transformed into a business idea in many branches, and hospitality is just on its way. Any of your customers would gladly gain an instant access to needed information, so maybe it's time to consider a new business idea for your company? An AI-powered concierge app is a right decision -- you'll win hearts of your customers before artificial intelligence conquers the hospitality market. Follow us if you want to know more details and all the benefits.

Apple, Amazon and Google have been dead-locked in a battle of the voice assistants for the past several years. But it's no secret that Amazon and Google have charged ahead with their respective services, Alexa and Assistant, while Apple's digital assistant Siri has lagged behind. Siri's troubled seven-year history is likely a result of poor management, slipshod decision making and an inconsistent vision at the company of what the product should be, according to a new report from the Information. At least a dozen former Apple employees spoke in detailed candor about how Siri was created and the drama that ensued among executives and engineers. Many people involved in creating Siri from the beginning cite Apple founder Steve Jobs' death as a tipping point in the product's failure.

Tinder has introduced a new feature that it claims will help you come up with a better chat-up line. 'Feed' is a timeline that shows the activity of all your past matches, including new photo they have uploaded and changes to their favourite songs on Spotify. Tinder says the new feature is'an exciting new way to see more of what someone is all about by giving you a true glimpse into their world.' But many users claim the service is'creepy' and allows their matches to'stalk' them online without them realising. The new'Feed' tab shows all updates that matches make to their profile such as new photos (left) and even what they are listening to on Spotify (right).

ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE (AI) is quickly becoming a part of our daily lives. Nowadays, we don't think twice about using virtual assistants like Apple's Siri to answer a quick question, and the notion of self-driving cars is becoming less absurd than originally thought. This is set to be the year that AI technology hits our offices and desks. This article will discuss how AI is looking to affect business in 2018. AI will not only disrupt business processes but will also help customers by providing them with a more personalized user experience; one that most marketers could have never thought possible.