Would you pay extra for Facebook, Snapchat and YouTube? That's how they do it in England, reports Jefferson Graham. Could that happen here too, in the wake of the relaxed FCC Net Neutrality rules? LOS ANGELES -- Like turning on lights and making phone calls, we consider it a right that we can watch free entertainment on YouTube, post travel photos on Facebook and listen to online music. After all, we treat Internet providers another utility, just like the electric or phone company, with our monthly service fees.

Next time you get your annual physical, will the internet of things play a role in that checkup? But what could that look like? IoT plays a role in a multitude of industries and verticals, we have heard how IoT will impact how John Deere helps farmers, how it impacts the way GE and Rolls-Royce manage their fleets of planes, and how ExxonMobile is using IoT to remotely monitor its facilities. The future of IoT has the potential for great influence on our personal wellbeing, but it will face some major hurdles. The IoT is imminent – and so are the security challenges it will inevitably bring. Get up to speed on IoT security basics and learn how to devise your own IoT security strategy in our new e-guide.

Without a doubt, artificial intelligence (AI) is changing how we do things. From today's iterations that power apps in your smartphone, to promises of super-intelligent AI in the next few decades, more companies are pushing for integrating AI technology into what they do. All of this means that there could soon be a new AI business sector thanks to an explosion of innovation, according to Bruce Aust, vice chairman of the U.S. stock exchange Nasdaq. Speaking to CNBC at the ongoing Web Summit conference in Lisbon, Portugal, Aust predicts that AI could lead to the creation of completely new industries or sectors. "I think AI is really going to be the technology behind a lot of these great companies that provide the innovations that will be a new sector we probably don't know about yet," the Nasdaq chief said.

The AI debate shifts from "is it good or evil" to "is it ever going to be good enough": If 2017 was the year where the warnings from Elon Musk and Stephen Hawking about the potential evil from AI clashed with predictions from Mark Zuckerberg and Bill Gates on its potential good, 2018 will be the year when the debate shifts to its practical utility. Much like other technologies that were lauded for their world-changing potential and then fizzled as the fog of the hype cleared, early adopters will find themselves disappointed by AI's obvious limits. The broader public--familiar with Alexa, Siri, and Google Home--will be similarly disillusioned as the experts acknowledge that there is only so much that AI will be able to do, and for really complex problems, a new paradigm will be needed. Despite the hype, AI has demonstrated value in industries across the board - from agriculture to biotech to manufacturing. AI is just beginning to ingest data to power services and offerings, in turn providing information necessary for better decision-making. AI's success will continue in the new year, specifically in a new area: troubleshooting.

In recent years, the smartphones, bots, and devices we spend so much of our time with could be accused of contributing to the desensitization of our society. When a fight breaks out, some teens' first reaction is to pull out their phones and take a video, rather than call for help. We can yell mean things at our Amazon Alexa device without any consequences. These are just a few examples. In 2018 and beyond, this will change.

Have a question about taxes, vehicle licensing or simply need the phone number for a state agency? If you live in Mississippi, just ask Alexa, Amazon's digital assistant that has been programmed to also work with state and local governments. In fact, Mississippi is one of several governments that uses so-called chatbots to handle a range of basic but frequently asked questions. In Utah, teenagers can solicit help reviewing questions that might be on a driver's test. In Los Angeles, residents can get detailed information about city-sponsored events.

If you make a purchase by clicking one of our links, we may earn a small share of the revenue. However, our picks and opinions are independent from USA TODAY's newsroom and any business incentives. The holidays are underway, and Christmas is inching closer and closer. If you've still got shopping to do, Free Shipping Day is the perfect time to get a lot done. However, if you're looking to pick up a tech gadget or smart device for a loved one, there are a few great options to be found on Amazon.

Before you buy any "smart" gadgets, make sure they're not dumb. This holiday season, a third of Americans plan to buy a smart home device, according to the Consumer Technology Association. The trick is figuring out which ones are worth the cost, trouble and inevitable security risks. I've been in those weeds. After reviewing dozens of smart home products, I've learned to be skeptical of any gadget that feels like a Star Trek prop--and a little paranoid about things that are listening, watching or collecting data.

Amazon has one of the new additions to the Echo family at a Black Friday-level discount: For the past few days, the retailer's been selling the Echo Show for $150. This Alexa device normally sells for $230. This deal is also available at Echo-friendly stores like Best Buy, Target, and B&H. The big feature with the Echo Show is that it offers a 7-inch touchscreen with a 1024x600 resolution. The display can show weather updates, calendar appointments, shopping lists, and so on instead of just reading them back to you.

When I have written about Apple's AI and Machine Learning initiatives in the past, the articles have usually centered around Siri and Voice Dictation. It's easy to put these things together because Siri is the most visible and user-centered Apple interface that involves AI. However, as we have seen this month, there is a lot more than meets the eye going on beneath the surface at Apple. Last week, Wired ran a story about a lunch talk given by Apple's leading AI expert, Rutland Salakhutdinov, for around 200 others in the field during the NIPS machine learning conference. The most interesting thing to come out of his presentation was fresh news of Apple's continued work in the field of self-driving cars.