As artificial intelligence (AI) technology becomes more mainstream in a wide range of applications, settings and domains, we must address the issues of establishing trust in AI systems. Practitioners, users and organizations need to trust how a system reaches decisions, how it operates and the fact that it won't exhibit erratic or dangerous behavior. The question of trust between humans and machines has a long-standing history built on product and engineering. Elevators and ATMs make life easier, but it's not enough to be told a thing works. There needs to be an acceptance or conviction that a machine will work as designed and intended.

Inventor and futurist Ray Kurzweil, says intelligent machines are your friends. In this podcast, Kurzweil talks about how artificial intelligence is helping overcome our human limitations and creating better-paying jobs. "That's the purpose of technology, and we are the only species that creates technology. That was enabled by the expansion of the neocortex 2 million years ago--we used that additional neocortex to invent technology. The first technology was language so we could share ideas. Technology is a body and brain extender."