Imagine a Personal Assistant Bot, a machine or application that you could ask to organise a meeting or arrange bookings just as you would a live, human assistant. As Artificial Intelligence (AI) becomes more prevalent and approaches advance, such a scenario may be more realistic than you think. This is according to DataProphet MD Frans Cronje, who highlights that there will be a number of exciting developments and new approaches to AI in the short- and long-term future as the application matures and continues being explored. "A subset of AI, Machine Learning has driven the majority of advances in recent years, many of which are improvements on or augmentations to existing processes." Cronje explains that there are multiple cases where improved machine learning models have extended the capability of AI.

Consider a personal assistant bot, a machine or application that you could ask to organise a meeting or arrange bookings just as you would a live, human assistant. As artificial intelligence (AI) becomes more prevalent and approaches advance, such a scenario is becoming increasingly realistic. This is according to DataProphet managing director, Frans Cronje who highlights that there will be a number of exciting developments and new approaches to AI in the short- and long-term future as the application matures and continues being explored. Machine learning extends AI "A subset of AI, machine learning has driven the majority of advances in recent years, many of which are improvements on or augmentations to existing processes." Cronje explains that there are multiple cases where improved machine learning models have extended the capability of AI.

Assistants are all the rage right now. Everyone seems to be working on one. People imagine them becoming the new interface to computers -- why bother with apps and searching the web when you can just ask your assistant to do it for you? Yet, a major challenge stands between the dream assistant and the current reality. It's called the multi-agent problem, and most companies are reluctant to talk about it.

"Yet, a major challenge stands between the dream assistant and the current reality. It's called the multi-agent problem, and most companies are reluctant to talk about it," Jolley writes. "The solution will ultimately determine how much of an impact assistants will have." Jolley writes, "How does an assistant, with limited knowledge of the world and a limited set of isolated agents, many of which might claim to do the same thing – choose which one to activate for every command in a way that will make users happy?" Much more in the full article – recommended – here. MacDailyNews Take: We're still in the infancy of personal assistants and artificial intelligence.