Evolution – according to the Dictionary – is "the process by which different kinds of living organisms are thought to have developed and diversified from earlier forms during the history of the earth." Other sources mention also natural selection and adaptation. Now, we are approaching a new stage in our development as species. For the first time in history, we are about to partake in a manmade evolution. We are about to become enhanced courtesy of new technologies such as Brain-Computer Interface (BCI), artificial intelligence (AI), machine learning and VR (virtual reality) and yes, genomics.

The University of Technology Sydney launched a new research institute to develop the nation's use of artificial intelligence for economic and social advancement. The Australian Artificial Intelligence Institute (AAII) will oversee what the university is calling the country's largest AI research program, with both applied and fundamental research using AI and associated technologies such as the internet of things (IoT). Researchers at the institute are set to work across a number of sectors including healthcare, financial services, transport, education, and defence. The facility will be led by Distinguished Professor Jie Lu, an expert in "fuzzy" machine learning - where algorithms are intended to function more like humans with an ability to evaluate more nuanced possibilities - and its impact on data-driven decision making. Eight separate labs exist within the institute, with focus areas covering computational intelligence and deep learning, blockchain, bioinformatics, software and security.