An important thing to realize about the grandest conversations surrounding AI is that, most of the time, everyone is making things up. This isn't to say that people have no idea what they're talking about or that leaders are lying. But the bulk of the conversation about AI's greatest capabilities is premised on a vision of a theoretical future. It is a sales pitch, one in which the problems of today are brushed aside or softened as issues of now, which surely, leaders in the field insist, will be solved as the technology gets better. What we see today is merely a shadow of what is coming.

Arianna Huffington's Thrive Global is eyeing greater expansion into clinical operations with its latest acquisition of artificial intelligence platform Boundless Mind. Thrive was founded as a way to end the stress and burnout associated with the demands of the modern workplace, primarily from people being constantly plugged in. The acquisition of Boundless Mind -- which uses technology to interpret and influence behavior -- could nudge Thrive toward deeper involvement in health care. It's a path the tech company has been pursuing since its founding back in November 2016. At that time, Thrive was looking to partner with a South African company with insurance partners across the world, but the arrangement didn't work out.

Are you addicted to your smartphone? Do you bring your mobile device with you wherever you go, including your bed at night? How long can you go without using or checking your phone? Smartphone addiction is rising with potential consequences on physical and mental health. One media mogul is making moves to help people form healthy habits.

Thrive Global, the wellness and behaviour change tech firm founded by Arianna Huffington, has acquired neuroscience-based AI company Boundless Mind. Its technology fuses neuroscience and artificial intelligence to optimise, personalise and target recommendations to users and to inspire positive change. The technology has been used effectively to improve outcomes for products in categories spanning health, fitness, productivity, finance and e-commerce. Huffington said the deal would allow Thrive to further develop its platform to "end the stress and burnout epidemic" and help individuals and organisations "unlock their full potential". "This acquisition is an exciting milestone for Thrive Global," Huffington said.

Last week, an emotional Elon Musk described how he was working so hard to keep production of the Tesla Model 3 on track that he missed his own birthday. "All night – no friends, nothing," he told the New York Times, apparently "struggling to get the words out". Musk had, he said, been working 120-hour weeks, often not leaving the factory for three or four days. When he did get home, he said, the choice was between no sleep or taking an Ambien, an insomnia drug intended for short-term use (and blamed by some of Tesla's board members for his erratic night-time tweeting). Musk has long been celebrated by the business press for his work ethic.

Uber's rocky year: Travis Kalanick's resignation is just the latest thing Uber co-founder Travis Kalanick resigned as chief executive of the ride-hailing giant Wednesday, pushed out by investors just a week after he announced he was going on an indefinite leave of absence. The San Francisco startup, valued at near $70 billion, has been rocked this year by allegations of a corrosive culture that allowed sexual harassment and other bad behavior to go unchecked for years. Uber drivers have their say about Kalanick's resignation Column: With Travis Kalanick out, we'll see the real value of Uber -- and it won't be pretty Column: With Travis Kalanick out, we'll see the real value of Uber -- and it won't be pretty Facing mounting investor pressure brought on by a torrent of scandals, Travis Kalanick, co-founder and chief executive of ride-hailing company Uber, resigned -- just a week into a leave of absence meant to quell concerns about his management style. The New York Times reported that five of Uber's major investors demanded Kalanick's immediate resignation because the company needed a change in leadership. Kalanick reached his decision to resign after hours of talks with some of the investors.

It was billed as one of the most important company-wide meetings in the history of Uber. Yet as staff gathered on Tuesday morning at Uber's headquarters in San Francisco, there was one very conspicuous absence. "Let us address the elephant in the room," said Arianna Huffington, perhaps the most high-profile member of Uber's board. The answer: Travis Kalanick, Uber's 40-year-old co-founder and chief executive, was taking a leave of absence from the taxi-hailing app he has transformed into a global behemoth valued at almost $70bn. Huffington told Uber's staff that the company would not await Kalanick's return, choosing instead to act immediately on the findings of a damning investigation, accepted by the board, into the company's workplace culture amid claims of sexual harassment. "Uber is his life," she said of Kalanick.

It seems like hardly a week goes by without Uber fending off bad press. The situation has gotten so bad that employees are leaving in droves; President Jeff Jones left last month, AI Labs director Gary Marcus did as well, and so has VP of Product Ed Baker. Rachel Whetstone, Uber's head of policy and communications for two years, announced this week she was stepping down too. But until CEO and founder Travis Kalanick leaves and Uber changes its "Always be hustlin'" mantra, it's highly unlikely that anything will change. Take the most recent Uber scandal, for example.

Embattled Uber CEO Travis Kalanick is the "heart and soul" of the ride-hailing giant and should not step down, Uber board member and Thrive Capital founder Arianna Huffington said Monday. "You cannot judge people by their worst moments, (Kalanick) is changing, he's evolving," she told CNN, adding that "we would not be where we are without Travis," a reference to how the company took on taxi associations and city lawmakers to push its disruptive tech. Huffington also is involved in an ongoing investigation into accusations by former engineer Susan Fowler that Uber's environment is a toxic workplace for women. Former U.S. attorney general and Uber advisor Eric Holder is leading that investigation, which should conclude by the end of April, Huffington said. Beyond the internal probe into the company's frat-like culture, Uber also is contending with a lawsuit from Google-owned Waymo over alleged theft of proprietary self-driving car sensor technology.

After weeks of scandals Kalanick wrote of hiring Jones Despite Jones' best efforts, the public perception of Uber has deteriorated in the past few weeks controversy and boycotts Video provided by TheStreet Newslook SAN FRANCISCO -- Embattled Uber CEO Travis Kalanick is the "heart and soul" of the ride-hailing giant and should not step down, Uber board member and Thrive Capital founder Arianna Huffington said Monday. "You cannot judge people by their worst moments, (Kalanick) is changing, he's evolving," she told CNN, adding that "we would not be where we are without Travis," a reference to how the company took on taxi associations and city lawmakers to push its disruptive tech. Huffington also is involved in an ongoing investigation into accusations by former engineer Susan Fowler that Uber's environment is a toxic workplace for women. Former U.S. attorney general and Uber advisor Eric Holder is leading that investigation, which should conclude by the end of April, Huffington said. Beyond the internal probe into the company's frat-like culture, Uber also is contending with a lawsuit from Google-owned Waymo over alleged theft of proprietary self-driving car sensor technology.