I try my hand at remote surgery via a special glove, virtual reality and 5G. If there's a phenomenon that's dominated this week's trade show besides the return of a 17-year-old phone, it's the reality that the next generation of cellular technology has arrived. Above the Qualcomm booth flashed the slogan: "5G: From the company that brought you 3G and 4G." If you took a few more steps, you could hear an Intel representative shout about the benefits of 5G. If you hopped over to Ericsson, you'd find a "5G avenue" with multiple exhibits demonstrating the benefits of the technology.

In his bestselling book, Up the Organization, former Avis president Robert Townsend captured the problem of automation precisely. Writing at a time when the vast paper systems of corporate America were being transferred to computers, he warned that it was important first to make sure that a company's paper systems are actually effective and accurate. "Otherwise," he quipped, "your new computer will just speed up the mess." Today, we are faced with a new wave of optimism about the prospects of what is called artificial intelligence (AI). It is important to parse these words carefully for they will tell you why artificial intelligence as it is currently conceived will very likely "just speed up the mess."

Millions are combing online shopping sites for last-minute gifts, but some things are selling out in the blink of an eye. The culprits may be computer programs that perform specific, repetitive tasks at breakneck speed, like buying things online en masse to be resold elsewhere at inflated prices. From online shopping, to ticket sales for concerts and events – and even fake identities that troll social media – these bots have made headlines in 2017. They'll continue to seep into our lives in myriad ways next year, too. They can be a scourge.