Counterfeiting is a big business. Nearly $509 billion of fake and pirated products were sold internationally in 2016. In that year, the latest for which data was available, counterfeit goods made up 3.3% of international trade, up from 2.5% three years earlier, according to the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development. That figure, which does not include domestic trade in fakes, not only means companies are losing revenue and consumers are not getting their money's worth; counterfeiting also helps fund organized crime. Because it skirts safety regulations, makers of counterfeits could use toxic materials or produce unsafe products.

IBM's crypto anchor verifier shown performing multiple test on objects ranging from olive oil to paper. If eyes really are windows to the soul, IBM's latest product could lead to blockchain enlightenment. Called a crypto anchor verifier, the technology, which is part artificial intelligence software, part an insanely sophisticated, internally developed lens can see the cells of animals, and distinguish between them. Powered by a lens capable of perceiving objects as small as a single micron, the verifier is also designed to search out -- and understand -- the difference between a fake drug and the real deal, a cheap bottle of wine and an expensive one, and imperfections within diamonds undetectable to the naked eye. Perhaps even more remarkable though, is the verifier is designed to do all this by downloading software developed by IBM Watson to any smartphone.

LAS VEGAS, NV - JANUARY 06: IBM Chairman, President and CEO Ginni Rometty delivers a keynote address at CES 2016 at The Venetian Las Vegas on January 6, 2016 in Las Vegas, Nevada. CES, the world's largest annual consumer technology trade show, runs through January 9 and is expected to feature 3,600 exhibitors showing off their latest products and services to more than 150,000 attendees. Artifical Intelligence is the mantra at this year's CES currently taking place in Las Vegas, Nevada at the Las Vegas Convention Center. From numerous exhibitors to various keynotes, AI is a featured component of the show. However, a particularly interesting panel that was added to y the agenda just before the conference began was a power-packed, standing-room-only event that left many attendees impressed at not only the technology displayed but the mindset with which it is being applied.