Uber's ride-hailing service is set to get smarter. The company announced on Monday that it bought New York-based AI start-up Geometric Intelligence and will soon launch its own AI research lab, creatively named Uber AI Labs. Geometric Intelligence's 15 specialists in machine learning will help drive Uber's research in self-driving cars (confirmed by Geometric Intelligence CEO Gary Marcus to the The Wall Street Journal). Autonomous vehicles are a hot research area for the automotive industry right now, and Uber is keen to make its mark on the cutting-edge technology, along with carmakers like BMW and technology titans like Google. While Uber's own fleet of self-driving cars tool around San Francisco (I've seen them), pick up passengers in Pittsburgh and go on the occasional beer run, it needs to do much more to not be left behind in the dust. In addition to machine learning, Uber can also use AI to help calculate the most efficient route, better match carpool riders and more accurately tell customers when their car will arrive, chief product officer Jeff Holden wrote in Uber's blog post announcement.

SAN FRANCISCO - SEPTEMBER 08: Google Vice President of Search Product and User Experience Marissa Mayer speaks during an announcement September 8, 2010 in San Francisco, California. Google announced the launch of Google Instant, a faster version of Google search that streams results live as you type your query. Google is consistently exploring all facets of virtual learning with the success of online applications, with a new artificial intelligence lab. Focusing on machines learning for the advancement of its products, Google Research Europe would be based in Switzerland. Following Google's recently launched Assistant, the company's European research team on artificial intelligence would be under the expertise of Emmanuel Mogenet plus up to a few hundred colleagues.