As Google Home gets closer to launch, the AI assistant is not only getting smarter, but also a little more friendly and -- hopefully -- a whole lot funnier. As the Wall Street Journal's Christopher Mims notes in a piece about friendly AI like Siri, Alexa and Google Assistant, Alphabet's big play for the space includes hiring up comedy writing alumni of Pixar and The Onion. While none of the major AI assistants on the market today or coming soon are truly "artificial intelligence" (that is: the device itself doesn't actually understand the conversation) people have a natural tendency to form an emotional connection with the little robot voice in the kitchen speaker. So, subtle improvements like a witty joke or unexpected bit of humor can go a long way to improving the user experience, especially as voice and conversation becomes the interface itself. Although Siri and Alexa already have a few jokes in their repertoire, they tend to be pretty bad and definitely don't have quite the same punch as the topical humor of "America's Finest News Source."

A dream is a succession of images, ideas, emotions, and sensations that usually occurs involuntarily in the mind during certain stages of sleep.[1] The content and purpose of dreams are not definitively understood, though they have been a topic of scientific speculation, as well as a subject of philosophical and religious interest, throughout recorded history. The scientific study of dreams is called oneirology.[2] Dreams mainly occur in the rapid-eye movement (REM) stage of sleep--when brain activity is high and resembles that of being awake. REM sleep is revealed by continuous movements of the eyes during sleep. At times, dreams may occur during other stages of sleep. However, these dreams tend to be much less vivid or memorable.[3] The length of a dream can vary; they may last for a few seconds, or approximately 20–30 minutes.[3] People are more likely to remember the dream if they are awakened during the REM phase. The average person has three to five dreams per night, and some may have up to seven;[4] however, most dreams are immediately or quickly forgotten.[5] Dreams tend to last longer as the night progresses. During a full eight-hour night sleep, most dreams occur in the typical two hours of REM.[6] In modern times, dreams have been seen as a connection to the unconscious mind. They range from normal and ordinary to overly surreal and bizarre. Dreams can have varying natures, such as being frightening, exciting, magical, melancholic, adventurous, or sexual. The events in dreams are generally outside the control of the dreamer, with the exception of lucid dreaming, where the dreamer is self-aware.[7]

A dream is a succession of images, ideas, emotions, and sensations that usually occurs involuntarily in the mind during certain stages of sleep.[1] The content and purpose of dreams are not definitively understood, though they have been a topic of scientific speculation, as well as a subject of philosophical and religious interest, throughout recorded history. The scientific study of dreams is called oneirology.[2] Dreams mainly occur in the rapid-eye movement (REM) stage of sleep--when brain activity is high and resembles that of being awake. REM sleep is revealed by continuous movements of the eyes during sleep. At times, dreams may occur during other stages of sleep. However, these dreams tend to be much less vivid or memorable.[3] The length of a dream can vary; they may last for a few seconds, or approximately 20–30 minutes.[3] People are more likely to remember the dream if they are awakened during the REM phase. The average person has three to five dreams per night, and some may have up to seven;[4] however, most dreams are immediately or quickly forgotten.[5] Dreams tend to last longer as the night progresses. During a full eight-hour night sleep, most dreams occur in the typical two hours of REM.[6] In modern times, dreams have been seen as a connection to the unconscious mind. They range from normal and ordinary to overly surreal and bizarre. Dreams can have varying natures, such as being frightening, exciting, magical, melancholic, adventurous, or sexual. The events in dreams are generally outside the control of the dreamer, with the exception of lucid dreaming, where the dreamer is self-aware.[7]

A dream is a succession of images, ideas, emotions, and sensations that usually occurs involuntarily in the mind during certain stages of sleep.[1] The content and purpose of dreams are not definitively understood, though they have been a topic of scientific speculation, as well as a subject of philosophical and religious interest, throughout recorded history. The scientific study of dreams is called oneirology.[2] Dreams mainly occur in the rapid-eye movement (REM) stage of sleep--when brain activity is high and resembles that of being awake. REM sleep is revealed by continuous movements of the eyes during sleep. At times, dreams may occur during other stages of sleep. However, these dreams tend to be much less vivid or memorable.[3] The length of a dream can vary; they may last for a few seconds, or approximately 20–30 minutes.[3] People are more likely to remember the dream if they are awakened during the REM phase. The average person has three to five dreams per night, and some may have up to seven;[4] however, most dreams are immediately or quickly forgotten.[5] Dreams tend to last longer as the night progresses. During a full eight-hour night sleep, most dreams occur in the typical two hours of REM.[6] In modern times, dreams have been seen as a connection to the unconscious mind. They range from normal and ordinary to overly surreal and bizarre. Dreams can have varying natures, such as being frightening, exciting, magical, melancholic, adventurous, or sexual. The events in dreams are generally outside the control of the dreamer, with the exception of lucid dreaming, where the dreamer is self-aware.[7]

Researchers have trained an artificial intelligence algorithm to understand and predict visual humor, representing a major development towards creating "common sense" machines. The machine-learning algorithm, created by scientists at Virginia Tech, is capable of both recognising and creating humorous scenes by analysing certain aspects of an image considered to be funny. According to the researchers, humor is a major barrier to the advancement of AI and could hold the key to unlocking emotional intelligence. "Humor is an integral part of human lives," the paper's abstract states. "Despite being tremendously impactful, it is perhaps surprising that we do not yet have a detailed understanding of humor."

You might not be campaigning to be America's next president, or have any desire to hold such a demanding office (bless you, Hillary), but wouldn't it still be nice to be treated like POTUS when you travel? Or, at least spend a few days in the presidential suite feeling like one of the world's most … Election jokes are i Saturday Night Live' /i s bread and butter, so it should come as no surprise that the cast took aim at Donald Trump's hot mic scandal. But host Lin-Manuel Miranda also got a chance to shine in his opening monologue. Below, we've rounded up the must-see moments from last night's /b … Humans may live longer and longer, but eventually we all grow old and die. This leads to a simple question: Is there an intrinsic maximum limit to human lifespan or not?

Launched by digital health and weight-loss platform Lose It!, the new feature of an already existing app proposes a simple solution to those who struggle to keep track of their caloric intake: Take a photo of your food, and Snap It will immediately display its calorie count Showing people the caloric value of their foods before they eat them can help modify their eating habits. Some studies have shown that keeping a food journal helps people stick to their diet. And in an effort to fight rising obesity rates, the FDA announced in 2014 that chain restaurants throughout the U.S. will have to post calorie information in their menus (the rule is set to go into effect sometime next year). But the FDA rules won't apply to all restaurants. And food diets are cumbersome, tending to go the way of new year's resolutions.

Humans may live longer and longer, but eventually we all grow old and die. This leads to a simple question: Is there an intrinsic maximum limit to human lifespan or not? There are two equally simple answers. Either there is a limit or there isn't. Soft pretzels are one of the best things to come out of concession stands, but homemade pretzels are a million times better.

You walk into the break room and sit down for a cup of hot brew. The boss is there, flipping through his personal Instagram account. You think about asking about the weather, but he abruptly marches off, heading to a meeting. Wait, this person is your boss? What seems like a low emotional intelligence (or EQ) could also be a sign of someone who simply doesn't care about your day or that you recently knocked a sales presentation out of the park.

The migration to online and mobile has created a conundrum for banks. They have worked hard to sell the convenience of digital channels to the point that they now find themselves in reactive mode -- they are waiting for customers to need something. The 20 startups selected for this year's FinTech Forward Companies to Watch are helping banks replicate, and in some cases enhance, the close bonds they often share with their customers in person through digital channels. The companies are redefining personal banking and personal security. They're using artificial intelligence to offer virtual assistance.