eBay will use AI to show off the random crap you never knew you needed

That obsession you have with '80s-era vintage Transformers? AI and predictive learning will be critical to allowing eBay to set up a truly personalized experience for each consumer, according to CEO Devin Wenig, who spoke Thursday at Recode's Code conference in Rancho Palos Verdes, California. He said the company has been working on taking advantage of demographic data and sophisticated algorithms to offer more relevant products. Wenig is just the latest executive to talk up the promise of AI at the Code conference, with high-profile figures such as Google CEO Sundar Pichai, IBM CEO Ginni Rometty and Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates all talking up its potential. "It's all about customer relevance," he said.