Technology companies have produced varied responses to concerns about the effects of the design of their conversational AI systems. Some have claimed that their voice assistants are in fact not gendered or human-like -- despite design features suggesting the contrary. We compare these claims to user perceptions by analysing the pronouns they use when referring to AI assistants. We also examine systems' responses and the extent to which they generate output which is gendered and anthropomorphic. We find that, while some companies appear to be addressing the ethical concerns raised, in some cases, their claims do not seem to hold true. In particular, our results show that system outputs are ambiguous as to the humanness of the systems, and that users tend to personify and gender them as a result.

You may also have heard machine learning and AI used interchangeably. AI includes machine learning, but machine learning doesn't fully define AI. Machine learning and AI both have strong engineering components. You find AI and machine learning used in a great many applications today. Artificial Intelligence (AI) is a huge topic today, and it's getting bigger all the time thanks to the success of technologies such as Siri.

The adoption of AI in the healthcare industry is also gaining momentum in Gulf countries. For instance, the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic across the region has prompted two UAE-based health companies to launch the "world's first" AI-powered rapid Covid-19 antigen test. Simply by connecting the nasal swabs to a smartphone, a special application can be activated to scan for signs of nucleocapsid protein from SARS-COV-2. And the result is in less than ten minutes. Another application of AI in healthcare can be found in the provision of advice on emotional and mental health issues.

Could be a price war coming to the wireless ear bud battle? Less than a month after Amazon's Echo Buds debuted undercutting Apple's AirPods, Google is launching its newest Pixel Buds at a lower price than Amazon's latest – and lower than previous Pixel Buds ($179), released last year. Pixel Buds A-Series ($99) can be pre-ordered today on Google's web site and will be shipped by June 17. Google's latest may not have all the bells and whistles found on pricier pods – such as the noise cancellation you get on AirPods Pro ($249) and Samsung's Galaxy Buds Pro ($199). But the new Pixel Buds may be just the right choice if you are looking to join the wireless wave.

The already fast pace of change in mobile payments will only intensify in the next year driven by advances in technology and changing consumer habits. Voice-enabled technology will rise in popularity, driven by the proliferation of devices such as the Amazon Echo and growing comfort with virtual assistants such as Amazon's Alexa, a large part of Amazon's payments strategy. Amazon reported that the Amazon Echo Dot was the best-selling item on Amazon on Black Friday, meaning millions of households are likely to be setting up their new Echo on Christmas morning. As consumers become more comfortable with voice-enabled technology, they will begin using it for financial interactions. Initially these will be informational activities, such as checking balances and accessing account activity, but as comfort grows we'll see consumers initiating transactions such as paying bills or transferring funds.

Parents of young kids just need a break. Even before the pandemic, it was tough to run out to the movies, since that involves setting up a baby sitter and praying nothing goes wrong in the middle of your night out. Thankfully, it's pretty easy to help new dads (and moms) build out their home entertainment options. And it's even easier if you're aiming to find gifts for someone who hasn't already nerded out on A/V gear. There are plenty of soundbars out there, but few are as versatile as the Sonos Beam.

Amazon's Echo Show devices are among those that will automatically be added to its shared Wi-Fi network scheme, called Amazon Sidewalk. Amazon's Echo Show devices are among those that will automatically be added to its shared Wi-Fi network scheme, called Amazon Sidewalk. Amazon is building a Wi-Fi network – using your Wi-Fi. It's called Amazon Sidewalk, and the company touts it as a way to help its devices work better, by extending the range of low-bandwidth devices to help them stay online. It does that by pooling neighbors' Wi-Fi to help connectivity for devices that are out of range.

We might not know it, but AI underpins every search engine, digital assistant, or online shopping recommendation we use. In fact, the number of AI businesses in the UK has increased by 145% in the past decade and is now worth £15.6bn. Integrating AIinto customer service operationscan also give companiesa major competitive advantage. While some businesses willalready be using AIin some capacity, whether they are using it to its full potential is an entirely different matter. Many companies still struggle to get a clear picture of theircustomers, their purchasing behaviours, and previous interactions.

Recommendations we get from websites about what to buy are often powered by an algorithm known as collaborative filtering. We trace this technology back to one person trying to declutter his inbox.

Samsung's new virtual assistant is called Sam and looks like a Pixar character, new promo images reveal. Brazil-based animation studios Lightfarm shared its renders of Sam online at the weekend before hastily taking them down. Sam will likely power Samsung's Galaxy powered smartphones and smart'things' like home appliances, as a replacement for Bixby, which Samsung revealed in 2017. Sam could also power Samsung's first commercially available smart speaker, which has been frustratingly delayed since it was first revealed in 2018. Digital assistants like Amazon's Alexa and Apple's Siri are disembodied voices that address users through devices like phones and speakers.