Artificial intelligence more of a secretary than a Skynet

Artificial intelligence (AI) has evolved into a personal digital assistant rather than a physical machine like the Terminator, says Samer Shoueiry of the creative communications group Publicis Communications. And it is developing at a speed that is "incredible", adds the regional executive head of digital and social marketing for the company. "We see AI today in everything we do as the personal digital assistant – someone returning your web searches, filtering your spam emails, the technology assisting everything within your car," he says. AI can be seen in every aspect of technology that links to digitisation, adds Mr Shoueiry, who spoke at the recent Dubai Lynx advertising festival. Research company Forrester claims that cognitive technologies such as AI and machine learning will replace 16 per cent of US jobs by 2025, in a report it published last year entitled Sharing Your Cubicle With Robots.