You can now book your dream holiday without lifting a finger, thanks to a new Alexa update. Amazon's virtual assistant has learnt a new'skill' that allows its users to search for and book holidays using just their voice. The feature lets users search through millions of travel options in a split second, developers have claimed. But the skill is still in its first edition and can so far only be used to book Virgin Holidays. Amazon Echo's virtual assistant Alexa can now be used to search for and book holidays without lifting a finger Amazon Echo is a voice-controlled smart speaker that works alongside a smartphone app.

It may be a month away from being officially launched, but we have the clearest visual of the Samsung Galaxy S8 yet and it confirms everything suspected about the South Korean flagship. Noted rumor-dealer Evan Blass has tweeted out what appears to be a press glamor image of the new Android-powered handset with a comment of "I think this is what you've been waiting for." Given Blass' track record in obtaining real world and marketing images, I'm very confident that these images are the real deal. Not only does it match up with the leaks and rumours from trusted sources, it also fits with the video images and the press invites released by Samsung. The minimal bezels on the left and right sides of the screen are clear.

I recently had the privilege of co-presenting a webcast with Joe Cothrel, Lithium Chief Community Officer. Our webcast was titled – The AI Powered Customer Experience – and it focused on three ways that artificial intelligence can be used to make the customer experience better. We began by reviewing the customer experience as the entire customer lifecycle ranging from awareness, through post purchase. The customer conducts research online long before a purchase is made. Brands must work hard to build awareness, loyalty and purchase intent repeatedly.

An official-looking press shot of the Samsung Galaxy S8 has just been leaked. Tech tipster Evan Blass posted the image, which includes no additional details about the upcoming smartphone, on Twitter. It matches up with the speculation surrounding the handset, providing the first clear look at the S8's so-called "infinity display", which is said to cover over 80% of its front panel. I think this is what you've been waiting for. Samsung has trimmed down the S8's bezels to help keep it relatively compact, but the move could prove problematic for customers.

Amazon is setting its sights on another industry, this time it's call centers. In doing so, the company plans to use Alexa, Lex and also Polly in the said market. According to an article at Geek Wire, Amazon Web Services is developing a suite of cloud-based tools to sell to the enterprises that would manage call centers. Aside from its big plans of invading the call center industry, the company plans to incorporate its digital assistant Alexa to answer some questions on the phone as well as via text message. Amazon also plans to employ Lex, a chatbox building service that uses deep-learning technology similar to Alexa, and a text-to-speech program named Polly as well.

X.ai's "Amy Ingram" aims to take the hassle out of arranging meetings. X.ai, the company behind the "Amy Ingram" personal assistant that helps eliminate the back-and-forth email exchange that comes with arranging meetings, is launching an enterprise edition. To use the virtual PA -- which also comes in an "Andrew Ingram" version and has been available to individuals since 2015 -- users link their calendars to the service and then CC amy@x.ai Amy or Andrew then take over and chat to the contact like a real PA in order to organize the most convenient rendezvous. As Business Insider has previously reported, many people on the receiving end of emails from the Ingrams have been fooled into thinking they were speaking to a real PA -- so much so that "Amy" has even been sent gifts.

Thank you for subscribing to the monthly THINK Marketing newsletter. Here's what CMOs, CIOs and others need to know to make the most of AI in their marketing initiatives in 2017 and beyond. For years, marketing was considered more art than science. But more recently, as marketing automation software has proliferated, marketers have had to blend the art of storytelling with the science of data. Then along comes artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning, which promise to help marketers make sense of all that data.

Domino's latest technical achievement may well provoke a sense of déjà vu in many customers who used to order pizza by phone. The next time you place an order on the Domino's app or website, you'll be able to talk to a robot that will take the order. DRU Assist is a virtual assistant developed by Domino's in conjunction with voice technology provider Nuance Communications. "DRU Assist is not just a toy. We genuinely see this as a real platform change," Domino's CEO Don Meij said at the company's regular technology showcase in Sydney today.

Amazon has been building out its voice-controlled AI system, Alexa, expanding into smart cars and Motorola phones. But part of its necessary growth comes from ingesting more content into its ecosystem. Today, National Public Radio announced that its NPR One app is now available on the fleet of Alexa-enabled devices, including Amazon's own Echo and Dot. Sure, the low-hanging fruit will be beckoning your AI hub to play the latest episode of Planet Money or Code Switch. But the app also provides audio-first stories and partner content from media outlets like Buzzfeed and Gimlet. If you want to build a personalized stream of NPR news and shows by barking commands at your Alexa-powered device as you're in the middle of your bath or doing yardwork, today is your day.

Domino's has delivered new additions to its Domino's Robotics Unit (DRU) family, announcing the DRU Platform, an artificial intelligence (AI)-based technology that will allow customers to order a pizza using their voice. As of Monday, customers will be able to use DRU Assist, an in-app AI virtual assistant that was built in partnership with natural language company Nuance. DRU Assist takes the pizza giant somewhat back to the start of its digital journey, with customers speaking to order a pizza via their phone. Powered by Nuance's Nina, Domino's DRU Assist engages with customers in human-like conversation via text or speech recognition. "DRU Assist is not just a toy, this is real platform change," Domino's Group CEO and Managing Director Don Meij said.