Artificial Intelligence, more commonly known as AI, isn't a new topic and has been around for years; however, those who have tracked its' progress have noted that 2017 is the year that has seen it accelerate than years previously. This hot topic has made its' way into the media, in boardrooms and within the government. One reason for this is things that haven't functioned for decades has suddenly began to work; this is going beyond embedded functions or just tools and expectations are high for 2018. There are several reasons why this year has recorded the most progress when working with AI. Before going into these four preconditions that allowed AI to progress over the past five years, it is important to understand what Artificial Intelligence means.

THAT a computer program can repeatedly beat the world champion at Go, a complex board game, is a coup for the fast-moving field of artificial intelligence (AI). Another high-stakes game, however, is taking place behind the scenes, as firms compete to hire the smartest AI experts. Technology giants, including Google, Facebook, Microsoft and Baidu, are racing to expand their AI activities. Last year they spent some $8.5 billion on deals, says Quid, a data firm. That was four times more than in 2010.

YouTube is a popular platform for users of all ages. There are some steps you can take, though, to keep your kids away from questionable content. Did you succumb to Cyber Monday deals and buy a smart speaker? Over the Thanksgiving holidays, the most discounted and heavily promoted products we saw were smart speakers from Google and Amazon. We suspect the rivals sold hundreds of thousands of these products.

KAORI, SHOJI – While Japanese society and the media continue to exhort -- nay plead -- with women to find marriage partners, an astonishing 60 percent of eligible women say they are uninterested in renai (love relationships), according to online dating advice service cocoloni.jp. They're just too tired from work, the service concludes. As sad as it sounds, the nation's women appear to have joined the ranks of men as overworked employees, too drained from the daily grind. Specifically, women appear to be fatigued by the alternative -- shokubano ningenkankei (workplace relationships) -- and avoid going out on random dates, as they have now become synonymous with stress. And when women can muster the energy to go out, 1 in 4 have confessed to having fallen asleep during a date.

Samsung made the announcement in a Korean press release this week. The company told Reuters it will be operating the research lab as a joint venture between two of its businesses. Samsung's mobile and consumer electronics arms will both use the facility to help develop new technologies. Samsung's use of AI was fairly limited until earlier this year. The launch of the company's Bixby digital assistant marked Samsung's intentions to gain a position in consumer AI, an increasingly competitive segment of the technology market.

In a relatively short space of time, the digital assistant market has boomed. Six years ago Apple's Siri went global with the launch of the iPhone 4S, offering a novelty alternative to the not-so-difficult task of manually calling someone. These are far more complex today, with digital home assistants offering to make lives easier for customers worldwide. We are now experiencing a duopoly in this market, with stiff competition fought between Google and Amazon, with both brands offering both budget and premium options and therefore making AI more accessible than ever. The Amazon Echo launched in 2014 and was the first digital home assistant available to the mass market.

A surprising number of everyday devices are now connected to the internet. And it's not just your Amazon Echo or Google Home; it may be your thermostat, your car, or even your toaster. These devices, and many more like them, make up the "internet of things" (IoT). Though new, these devices are proving quite useful to businesses and consumers. However, the proliferation of billions of new connected devices also presents novel security threats that demand serious attention.

Amazon has introduced its intelligent voice-activated personal assistant Alexa to workplaces. 'Alexa for Business' will help with office-y tasks such as establishing teleconference connections, and with adding data to enterprise-focused sales programmes. Companies will be given the tools to manage a fleet of Alexa-enabled devices and admins will be able to enroll users, enable and disable skills, and connect Alexa to their conferencing equipment. Amazon suggests apps for the new platform could include functions like helping with directions around the office, reporting problems with equipment, and ordering new supplies. While at home, employees with their own Alexa devices could see if there are meetings scheduled along with other tasks.

Why watch video on a phone or a tablet when you can get a device for as little as $30 to stream shows on a big-screen TV? Apple, Google, Amazon, Roku and dozens of others are all competing to be your gateway to online video. Which device you need will largely depend on what services you watch and what kind of TV you have. The days when watching TV was a choice between a handful of channels are long gone. Now, there are a dizzying array of streaming devices on the market, with all of the big manufacturers battling for control of the living room - so how do you choose what to buy? Of course, the device alone won't be enough.

Best Buy has a nice two-for-one deal today: Right now, you can get two of Google's voice-activated smart speakers for $130. It's not clear when the deal will end, but it appears to be a daily doorbuster that will likely expire by the end of the day. While the Google Home hasn't typically budged from its $129 price tag, the smart speaker has seen a lot of discounts lately--in addition to this deal, it's $79 right now on the Google Store. Google's Echo competitor is a great choice for people who are already integrated into Google's ecosystem. It also works with a number of third-party smart home device makers including Honeywell, Logitech Harmony, Nest, Philips Hue, SmartThings, and TP-Link Smart Home.