With the Echo and Echo Dot, Amazon proved that its Alexa assistant -- and voice commands in general -- could actually be pretty helpful. That's the question I had when Amazon unveiled the new Fire HD 8, its first tablet to include Alexa support (it's also coming to the last-gen Fire tablets over the next few weeks). Instead of just shouting "Alexa" or "Amazon" aloud, you have to hold down the Fire HD 8's home button to activate the assistant, similar to how you'd access it on the Fire TV. That means using Alexa is less seamless than on Echo devices, but it still ends up making the Fire HD 8 a more capable device. Aside from needing to press a button, Alexa works just as you'd expect on the Fire HD 8.

During today's fourth quarter 2016 earnings call, Apple CEO Tim Cook was asked about Siri, artificial intelligence, home assistants vs. mobile assistants, and balancing AI with security, which led to some interesting new insights into Siri's popularity and Apple's privacy stance. According to Cook, Apple is now getting more than 2 billion Siri requests per week. "It's very large," he said, "and to the best of our knowledge, we've shipped more assistant enabled devices than anyone out there." He went on to highlight Apple's efforts to deliver a great Siri experience around the world. While most AI services are limited to the United States, Siri is available in many countries. "We put a lot of energy into that," Cook said.

There's no denying that our smartphones have made our lives so much easier, putting our contacts and schedules, our driving directions, the whole internet, right at our fingertips. But if you're using an Android phone you might be leaving even more convenience on the table. There are a bunch of super-smart settings in Nougat and Google Now that'll make your Android device feel like it's 10 steps ahead of you. Your Android phone can be proactively telling you how long it'll take to get to work in the morning, and nudging you when your favorite team is about to take the field. Your device can keep itself unlocked whenever it's on you, and those snapshots you just took can automatically be arranged into beautiful collages.

Digital technologies and advanced analytics have the potential to create the Invisible Bank of the future. Powered by artificial intelligence (AI) and activated by voice, virtual banking assistants can become an integral part of our daily lives. Banking today is becoming less and less a place you go, and more something that is hidden from view behind digital banking and commerce apps. Once an account is opened at a bank or credit union, there is less need to stop into a branch, since functions like deposits, borrowing, payments and transfers can be done without personal interaction through online and mobile devices. According to a new report published by KPMG, "Meet Eva – Your Enlightened Virtual Assistant and the Future Face of the Invisible Bank", technologies like Apple's Siri, Amazon's Alexa or Samsung's Viv will enable an even greater shift in banks and banking by 2030.

'Siri, catch market cheats': Wall Street watchdogs turn to artificial intelligence Apple CEO Tim Cook says you won't have to give up your privacy to have a great AI assistant Stay up-to-date on the topics you care about. We'll send you an email alert whenever a news article matches your alert term. It's free, and you can add new alerts at any time.

Apple CEO Tim Cook says you won't have to give up your privacy to have a great AI assistant Tim Cook on A.I.: "I Don't Think We Have to Throw Our Privacy Away" Now AI is Deliberately Trying to Scare Us, if We Aren't Already Machine Learning Veterans Launch'Element AI' - A Montreal Based Artificial Intelligence Startup ... Stay up-to-date on the topics you care about. We'll send you an email alert whenever a news article matches your alert term. It's free, and you can add new alerts at any time.

NEW YORK: Two exchange operators have announced plans to launch artificial intelligence (AI) tools for market surveillance in the coming months and officials at a Wall Street regulator tell Reuters they are not far behind. Executives are hoping computers with humanoid wit can help mere mortals catch misbehavior more quickly. The software could, for instance, scrub chat-room messages to detect dubious bragging or back slapping around the time of a big trade. It could also more quickly unravel complex issues, like "layering," where orders are rapidly sent to exchanges and then canceled to artificially move a stock price. AI may even sniff out new types of chicanery, said Tom Gira, executive vice president for market regulation at the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA).

Apple CEO Tim Cook says you won't have to give up your privacy to have a great AI assistant TIM COOK: Here's why assistants on phones are better than home speakers like the Echo Machine Learning Veterans Launch'Element AI' - A Montreal Based Artificial Intelligence Startup ... Stay up-to-date on the topics you care about. We'll send you an email alert whenever a news article matches your alert term. It's free, and you can add new alerts at any time.

Apple CEO Tim Cook says you won't have to give up your privacy to have a great AI assistant Tim Cook on A.I.: "I Don't Think We Have to Throw Our Privacy Away" Now AI is Deliberately Trying to Scare Us, if We Aren't Already TIM COOK: Here's why assistants on phones are better than home speakers like the Echo Stay up-to-date on the topics you care about. We'll send you an email alert whenever a news article matches your alert term. It's free, and you can add new alerts at any time.

Apple CEO Tim Cook says you won't have to give up your privacy to have a great AI assistant Tim Cook on A.I.: "I Don't Think We Have to Throw Our Privacy Away" Now AI is Deliberately Trying to Scare Us, if We Aren't Already TIM COOK: Here's why assistants on phones are better than home speakers like the Echo Machine Learning Veterans Launch'Element AI' - A Montreal Based Artificial Intelligence Startup ... Stay up-to-date on the topics you care about. We'll send you an email alert whenever a news article matches your alert term. It's free, and you can add new alerts at any time.