The field of machine learning is constantly evolving, sometimes slowly, and at other times we experience the tech equivalent of the Cambrian Explosion with rapid advance that makes a good many data scientists experience a serious case of imposter syndrome. It has only been 8 years since the modern era of deep learning began at the 2012 ImageNet competition. Which novel AI approaches will unlock currently unimaginable possibilities in technology and business? This article highlights emerging areas within AI that are poised to redefine the field -- and society -- in the years ahead. Unsupervised learning more closely mirrors the way that humans learn about the world: through open-ended exploration and inference, without a need for the "training wheels" of supervised learning.

Digital initiatives may only be helping companies stay in the game, rather than giving a lift to their competitiveness. But this has been a problem that has been persisting for years. Where's the next great frontier for information technology, and how can IT step up its game? The ubiquity and widespread availability of technology is a double-edged sword: it makes it easier for enterprises to step up their digital games, and at the same time, it becomes more of a "utility" that everyone simply is expected to have. Nicholas Carr, in his work from a couple of decades back, "Does IT Matter," cautioned about this phenomenon, stating that the affordability and availability of technology to all has leveled the playing field, and therefore no one gains any competitive advantage.

Now they look to the sea. Drones capable of underwater operation are little more than novelties at the moment, but the technology could advance marine research, revolutionize undersea cinematography, and let anyone explore places even experienced divers cannot reach. A handful of companies are leading this leap into the water. PowerVision, a Chinese robotics firm with 10 offices around the world, introduced its PowerRay underwater drone earlier this year. OpenROV of Berkeley, California, staged a successful crowdfunding campaign for the Trident, its remotely operated vehicle. These machines offer only limited practicality, but point the way to a future where consumer drones do all sorts of things beneath the waves.