The human questioner may not be sure "I'm good" is a fact. But artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) engineers claim that new technologies known as "emotion AI" can observe people and accurately assess how they're feeling. AI is all around us, whether we know it or not. It enables mainstream social media platforms to pitch smart personalization; virtual healthcare assistants to help nurses with burnout prevention; integrated smart assistants in electronic devices to perform various tasks, and much more. Artificial emotional intelligence systems go further.

It sure sounded promising: a startup that claimed it had artificial intelligence (AI) technology that could automate the development of mobile apps. According to "The Wall Street Journal," the company (which recently raised nearly $30 million from AI-focused VC funds), may hardly have any AI capabilities or expertise. According to a study of 2,830 European startups by London-based MMC Ventures, 40% of those that claimed to be "AI startups" had barely any AI at all. This phenomenon is called "AI washing": Companies and people that mislead others about their artificial intelligence (AI) capabilities. AI-washing probably got its name as a variant on "green-washing" or presenting corporate activities as sustainable when they're not. For corporate leaders, the risks of AI-washing may be even greater than that of false sustainability claims.

Millions of dollars in venture capital or acquisition costs come at a price: Executives need artificial intelligence to begin delivering on its promises of increased worker efficiency and product innovation. But if checks are signed too quickly, companies may not find the ROI they would expect waiting for them at the end of the process. PwC analysts recommend AI technologies must first be evaluated by a diverse team of experts who can attest to the technical backbone of the company, asses if the needed data sources can be improved over time, and determine if AI systems can applied to a company's unique business model. "Moreover, integration plans should consider responsible AI principles and practices to extract a deal's value well after it closes," the report states. A laser-tight focus on business objectives can help maximize ROI for companies when it comes to AI initiatives.

Cision Ltd. (NYSE: CISN) is buying TrendKite Inc. for $225 million. TrendKite uses artificial intelligence to help communications professionals assess the impact of their efforts. "TrendKite and Cision have a shared understanding of the communications industry's need to quantify the business value of earned media campaigns," says TrendKite CEO Erik Huddleston. "The combination of TrendKite's rich analytics platform and the Cision Communications Cloud platform will powerfully impact our joint customer base with the most robust, end-to-end Earned Media Management solution available." Buyers are hot on the trail of innovations, including artificial intelligence, that will drive sustainable value to customers and make companies more efficient, more effective and less expensive to run.

Expedia CEO Dara Khosrashahi has reportedly been offered the top job at Uber, though it's currently unclear if he has accepted the offer. The Iranian-American businessman took the helm of travel site Expedia in August of 2005. In this July 13, 2012, file photo, Dara Khosrowshahi the CEO of Expedia, Inc., attends the Allen & Company Sun Valley Conference in Sun Valley, Idaho. Two people briefed on the matter said that Khosrowshahi has been named CEO of ride-hailing giant Uber Technologies Inc. (Photo: AP Photo/Paul Sakuma, File) SAN FRANCISCO -- Deal alert: Expedia CEO Dara Khosrowshahi, the surprise pick to helm Uber, comes with a resume tailored to fixing many of the ride-hailing company's problems. Now, the price alert: Khosrowshahi's success after 12 years leading Expedia means Uber will have to cover nearly $200 million in compensation left on the table, according to a Bloomberg analysis.

Facebook's chatbots are learning the art of the deal, bartering and deceiving their way to better terms in negotiations with humans and other bots. Artificial intelligences that can negotiate effectively would make useful virtual assistants, says Mike Lewis at Facebook's research lab. Bots could be left to arrange appointments for people, sorting out calendar clashes by themselves. Or they could negotiate with several agents at once to book a holiday or make a purchase on your behalf. Most existing bots – such as Apple's Siri or those built into chat apps like Facebook Messenger – may be able to get you a taxi or order a pizza but they can't engage in complex negotiations, says Lewis. If we want bots to help us with more complex tasks they need to become dealmakers, especially if the task involves cooperation or compromise, like negotiating the purchase or sale of a property, for example.