With 30 years' experience in print and digital media, Helen has written articles for clients ranging from The Sydney Morning Herald, The Australian Financial Review and GQ Australia, to CommBank, Swissotels and Bunnings. Her father was a civil engineer and she remains fascinated by the use of scientific principles to design and build a better world.

Artificial intelligence (AI) is learning more about how to work with (and on) humans. A recent study has shown how AI can learn to identify vulnerabilities in human habits and behaviours and use them to influence human decision-making. It may seem cliched to say AI is transforming every aspect of the way we live and work, but it's true. Various forms of AI are at work in fields as diverse as vaccine development, environmental management and office administration. And while AI does not possess human-like intelligence and emotions, its capabilities are powerful and rapidly developing.