The Big Read: The rise of artificial intelligence and how lives will forever be changed

SINGAPORE: Crafted to resemble human-likeness with natural looking skin and hair, Nadine, described by its makers as a social humanoid, greets a person when he enters the room, makes eye contact and remembers his face. She smiles and listens intently as one speaks, cracking a joke occasionally. But when provoked, she gets upset too. Made in Singapore, the artificial intelligence robot, which was unveiled by the Nanyang Technological University's (NTU) Institute for Media Innovation in 2015, has made significant strides in the past three years, including the ability to recognise faces and remember conversations. Plans are underway for another public showcase next month, and researchers hope that before long, Nadine will be able to walk as well as identify and grasp objects with her hands.