US-headquartered IQVIA is the latest health information technology and clinical research company to partner with the Saudi Data and Artificial Intelligence Authority (SDAIA), it has been announced. The multinational – described as "a leading global provider of advanced analytics, technology solutions, and clinical research services to the life sciences industry" – has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the Saudi government agency to "explore opportunities of mutual interest and support innovation in the field of health data in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA)." According to the country's official news agency, both parties will reportedly collaborate on joint ideas and research in data and artificial intelligence (AI), build a centre for "innovation and knowledge", and develop training programmes that can make use of this data and AI in the health sector. The agreement was co-signed by Majid Mohammed Al-Tuwaijri, supervisor of the National Center for Artificial Intelligence (NCAI) at the SDAIA; and Mohamed Mostafa Elbadawy, IQVIA's General Manager for KSA and Egypt. "This MoU will contribute towards creating opportunities for development and growth in the health sector, supporting the goals of Vision 2030," said Al-Tuwaijri.

A bigger issue to overcome is the building of trust and confidence in AI. Executives interviewed as part of our 2019 AI Predictions report suggested that ensuring AI systems are trustworthy is their top challenge for the year ahead. And according to our 22nd PwC CEO Survey, 82% of business leaders agree AI-based decisions need to be explainable in order to be trusted. While the overall feeling is that it will create opportunity, opinions vary when it comes to the impact of AI on job figures. In'How will automation impact jobs?' PwC reports that the net impact will be roughly flat, with significant variation by sector.

Kantar, the world's leading marketing insights and consulting company, released its perspective of the major trends that will shape the media landscape for brand owners, agencies and media platforms in 2019. The predictions report outlines 12 key trends that will transform the next year in media. "Constant innovation and change in the media landscape continues, but I think the speed of adoption of technologies like artificial intelligence will be surprising. Connected intelligence in all its forms will start to dominate the narrative, as well as new opportunities like voice," said Eric Salama, CEO, Kantar. "How we measure media and its effectiveness is evolving quickly, and the industry needs to work together so our clients can understand the impact of their investments. There has never been a more exciting time in marketing."

Earlier this year, a US-based company introduced a mobile app for buying and selling cars. Customers are asked to click an image of their vehicle's rear end. Within moments of uploading the image, the car's year, make and model, and the resale value are identified. That done, offering the car, or seeking refinancing and insurance is well, a smooth ride. The technology behind all this does seem like magic.