The key takeaways from the AI Frontiers Conference, held on January 11–12, include "the central role that AI/ML [Artificial Intelligence/Machine Learning] capabilities are playing within Internet/technology companies, emergence of voice/virtual assistants" and the significant capabilities of Alphabet Inc (NASDAQ: GOOG) (NASDAQ: GOOGL), Amazon.com, Inc. (NASDAQ: AMZN) and Facebook Inc (NASDAQ: FB) in these domains, Baird's Colin Sebastian said in a report. The AI Frontiers Conference focused on applications of deep learning, analyst Sebastian mentioned. Presentations by Alphabet highlighted how Google was using neural networks to "innovate and improve products, including Search, Ads, Photos, Translate, Gmail, Maps, Cloud, voice recognition, self-driving cars and robotics, among others." The teams or projects using deep learning have increased to 4,000, from 200 in early 2014, Sebastian noted.

Few industries can expect to remain untouched by the artificial intelligence revolution with automakers, healthcare giants and big banks all embracing AI technology. Consumers are now beginning to experience a whole new way of online shopping thanks to the launch of AI-powered digital assistants such as Amazon's Alexa and Google Home. Frank Palermo, executive vice president of global digital solutions at VirtusaPolaris, a provider of IT consulting and outsourcing services, believes the invention of dynamic AI solutions is a game changer for online retailers and consumers alike. "Responsive retail has peaked – the next step for the industry is predictive commerce," he says. "As AI assistants and machines begin to take over more of our purchasing decisions, retailers will have to become far, far smarter about their use of data to stay ahead of the pack."

Voice-controlled gizmos are quickly taking over our digital lives, but an annoyance is coming with them: Why can't I personalize their wake words? There's a third-party program that aims to solve this problem for Cortana on Windows 10. MyCortana by the Sourceforge users LazyGuyz lets you change the "Hey, Cortana" wake word on your PC to anything you want. If you're a Star Trek fan you might prefer a simple command like "computer" or "dammit, Jim." A political junkie might like a Trumpism such as "hey, failing pile of garbage."

Bankers are in a state of shock Not what they signed up for Buried in'busy' unable to cope with "change" Future is more frightening than the present The goal needs to be more than just great reports … need great experiences. Of our 10 Retail Banking Trends and Predictions, all are supported by data and analytics beyond what is used today. The consumer is in control. The ability to choose what, when, and how to transact. The mobile device makes location and context more important than ever. Banking no longer needs to be an independent activity, but can be integrated into everything we do in our daily lives.

The situation for Android TV looked grim 15 month ago. Google had just released a new version of its Chromecast streaming dongle, which relies on a phone, tablet, or laptop to control what's playing on the TV. At the time, Mario Queiroz, Google's vice president of product management, suggested that this mode of viewing was key to the future of television. Meanwhile, Android TV, Google's other operating system for televisions and set-top boxes, seemed lost. Google apps and features that had shipped on other platforms were no-shows on Android TV, and the company didn't even bother announcing the retail launch of Xiaomi's Mi Box, last year's only new Android TV streaming box.

E-mail may have been the Internet's first "killer app," but keeping up with it has become sheer murder. The volume of e-mail defies comprehension: by one count, 32 billion messages a day were sent in 2010, a figure that does not include the roughly 90 percent of e-mails that are spam. A growing number of products and research efforts aim to ensure that e-mail overload doesn't cancel out the productivity-enhancing benefits of IT. Google's Gmail "Priority Inbox" is an early effort in this direction. The feature adds a special icon to messages it judges to be important, allowing users to tend to them first.

In Silicon Valley, Nikolas Janin rises for his 40-minute commute to work just like everyone else. The shop manager and fleet technician at Google gets dressed and heads out to his Lexus RX 450h for the trip on California's clotted freeways. That's when his chauffeur – the car – takes over. One of Google's self-driving vehicles, Mr. Janin's ride is equipped with sophisticated artificial intelligence technology that allows him to sit as a passenger in the driver's seat. Its first real job, expected later this year, will be as a telemedicine robot, allowing a specialist thousands of miles away to visit patients' hospital rooms via a video screen mounted as its "head." When the physician is ready to visit another patient, he taps the new location on a computer map: Ava finds its own way to the next room, including using the elevator. In Pullman, Wash., researchers at Washington State University are fitting "smart" homes with sensors that automatically adjust the lighting needed in rooms and monitor and interpret all the movements and actions of its occupants, down to how many hours they sleep and minutes they exercise.

'In god we trust, everyone else please bring data' Analytics can perhaps be taken to be the basis of building the foundation of a society based on reason and logic, not just feelings or gut. It not only helps in finding patterns through an iterative process but also in making predictions on never before seen data. Marketing has a great deal to benefit from this field which is still in its budding phase. The main trigger of such frenzy over data science and analytics can be owed [1] to not only modern cheaper sources of data storage but also to high processing power of systems, ease of internet connectivity and enhanced security features. There are numerous models and algorithms [2] for implementation of machine learning, however the coverage of the article is around the future possibilities of analytics applications, especially with a marketing perspective.

The Consumer Electronics Show kicks off every year in Las Vegas, and sets the tone for innovation for the year ahead. The conference earlier this month was no exception, with artificial intelligence (AI) starring the headlines as the technology to transform 2017. With the AI market expected to grow to $5.05 billion by 2020, there is a massive opportunity for the food and beverage industries to harness its capabilities, improve offerings, optimise operations and deliver a better customer experience. One promising product to debut at CES 2017 is Hello Egg, the AI-powered'home-cooking sidekick' on a mission to empower millennials to eat more healthily. Developed by US-based RnD64, this voice-controlled, egg-shaped home assistant rivals competitors Google Home and Amazon Echo, integrating AI to address any and all kitchen needs.

"Alexa, why are you winning the smart home market?" It seems every appliance that's any appliance is adding Alexa support at CES 2017, giving Amazon a commanding lead in the race to become the de facto smart home standard. As someone who lives in Australia, where Amazon Echo hasn't launched, though, I'm left wondering when we'll get to join Alexa's gang. In the battle to become the brand that's synonymous with the smart home experience, building a global footprint will become important very soon. In a global market, selling to two of 200 countries won't keep you in the driver's seat for long.