From voice recognition devices to intelligent chatbots, AI has transformed our lives. But, every good thing also has a downside, and AI is no exception to this rule. Leading technology figures have warned of the looming dangers of AI, including Stephen Hawking, who said it could be the "worst event in the history of our civilization." Here are six times AI went a little too far and left us scratching our heads. Academic research is the backbone of scientific advancements and knowledge.

Google on Tuesday kicked off the first day of its 2019 I/O developer conference with a keynote highlighting the company's latest projects and products, as well as its accessibility initiatives powered by machine learning. Those more ambitious projects, like developing speech recognition software for people with speech impediments and using machine learning to detect diseases in their early stages, are all built atop the company's research into machine learning and computer vision. While the conference is ostensibly geared toward developers, there was plenty for Google fans and Android users to get excited about. After more than a few leaked images heralding the cheaper Android phones' arrival, Google officially unveiled the comparatively affordable Pixel 3a and 3a XL smartphones. On their surface, they don't look much different from the original Pixel 3 and 3 XL counterparts, save for their plastic construction compared to the previous version's glass and metal build.

Hello future, you are weird. At least it is here at CES 2019, the tech industry's biggest annual conference. It's where companies big and small come to launch gadgets and test new ideas. Not all of them make it to stores. But there's an eternal optimism that technology can solve, well, almost any problem -- even ones you never knew you had.

Thousands of hacked Chromecasts and smart TVs are hijacked to show this image. More than 5,500 exposed smart TVs, Chromecast streamers and Google Home devices have been commandeered in the name of YouTube mega-star PewDiePie. Hacker Giraffe, the same pseudonymous person who forced thousands of exposed printers last year to churn out pages saying "Subscribe to PewDiePie," has his set sight on smart devices to promote the Swedish YouTube star's channel. Not that PewDiePie needs much help. He has the top-ranked channel with nearly 79.5 million subscribers.

As the new owner of Google's media streaming dongle for your TV, you're probably excited to plug it in and get to watching. But beyond the basics, you can get more mileage out of your Chromecast if you make sure to take these tips into account. Before you begin, download the Google Home app from your Android or iOS store to make setup easier. If you've already got the app, or use Google Home devices, it should detect the presence of a new device after you plug the Chromecast in and power it on. Start by connecting all the services you use to the Google Home app for easy operation once your Chromecast is powered up and ready to go.

Google's I/O developer conference is happening next week, and it'll be just about two years since the Google Assistant was first introduced. As such, the company is taking some time to announce a few new features, all of which are meant to expand the Assistant's usefulness in a smart home. Part of making the Assistant able to take on Amazon's Echo / Alexa powerhouse is having broad support for the massive number of smart home devices out there, and Google undeniably has that now. The company says that the Google Assistant works with more than 5,000 devices, up from only 1,500 at the beginning of the year. It's a number that doesn't mean much on its own, but Google VP of Assistant and Search Nick Fox said "the Assistant now supports essentially all the major brands."

Google's Home speaker range can now connect to any Bluetooth speaker in your house. The addition means Google Home users can turn any speaker into a voice-controlled sound system - though they will have to bark all commands through the AI-assistant. In a blog post on the update Google said the extra connectivity allows Home users to'amp up the sound' of the compact gadgets. Google's Home speaker range, including its Home Mini (pictured), can now connect to any Bluetooth speaker in your house. 'We brought this feature to life after hearing how much you wanted to amp up the sound with your Google Home Mini,' the company said.

Google has released an update to its Google Home devices and it now lets users connect their smart speakers to Bluetooth speakers. The update is great for Google Home Mini users who may want a better listening experience, or for those who want to use their smart speakers for multi-room listening. "We brought this feature to life after hearing how much you wanted to amp up the sound with your Google Home Mini," Google said on its blog. "Now any of your Google Home devices can connect to other Bluetooth speakers so you can control your entertainment experience simply using the sound of your voice." To pair a Google Home device to a Bluetooth speaker, users must first open the Google Home app on their mobile device.

Apple may have gotten a head start on virtual assistants when Siri arrived on the iPhone 4s back in 2011. But rivals Amazon and Google have a big lead when it comes to smart assistants for your home, thanks to their Amazon Echo and Google Home devices. Not to be left out, Apple is entering the voice-activated home assistant arena with the HomePod, a Siri-enabled smart speaker that's available now for $349. Apple is hoping to make the HomePod stand out by positioning it as high-end audio gear with artificial intelligence, rather than a simple home assistant. The HomePod largely succeeds in that regard, but it's not without a few drawbacks.

Alongside news of Google Assistant's forthcoming multilingual support and the addition of more languages this year, Google also announced this morning its smart assistant would soon be gaining two new features: Routines and location-based reminders. Google has been promising Routines were in the works for some time. The feature, which lets Google Assistant users string together multiple commands, was first announced back in October 2017. With Routines, you can create personalized commands and responses – for example, saying "OK Google, I'm home," could turn on the lights, adjust the thermostat, and play some music. It's a feature that rival Alexa announced in September 2017, and launched the following month. Google is playing catch up here, but it's doing it quickly.