DeepMind artificial intelligence AI abstract. Ever since deep learning burst into the mainstream in 2012, the hype around AI research has often …

First, in this post, we'll take a look at the year's top articles from Singularity Hub, and next week we'll post some of our favorite writing from around the web. The year was a bit of a rollercoaster. We got the Impossible Whopper, an advanced robot dog called Spot, a "word processor" for gene editing, and the first image of a black hole. We also marked the dubious anniversary of the first genetically modified babies, scientists called for a global moratorium on germline engineering, and big tech continued to face a backlash from within and without. Machine learning algorithms beat top players in multiplayer video games, and a former world champion in the game of Go retired, saying AI cannot be defeated.

Dmitry Kaminskiy speaks as though he were trying to unload everything he knows about the science and economics of longevity--from senolytics research that seeks to stop aging cells from spewing inflammatory proteins and other molecules to the trillion-dollar life extension industry that he and his colleagues are trying to foster--in one sitting. At the heart of the discussion with Singularity Hub is the idea that artificial intelligence will be the engine that drives breakthroughs in how we approach healthcare and healthy aging--a concept with little traction even just five years ago. "At that time, it was considered too futuristic that artificial intelligence and data science … might be more accurate compared to any hypothesis of human doctors," said Kaminskiy, co-founder and managing partner at Deep Knowledge Ventures, an investment firm that is betting big on AI and longevity. Artificial intelligence in healthcare is attracting more investments and deals than just about any sector of the economy, according to data research firm CB Insights. In the most recent third quarter, AI healthcare startups raised nearly $1.6 billion, buoyed by a $550 million mega-round from London-based Babylon Health, which uses AI to collect data from patients, analyze the information, find comparable matches, then make recommendations.

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Artificial intelligence in space exploration is gathering momentum. Over the coming years, new missions look likely to be turbo-charged by AI as we voyage to comets, moons, and planets and explore the possibilities of mining asteroids. "AI is already a game-changer that has made scientific research and exploration much more efficient. We are not just talking about a doubling but about a multiple of ten," Leopold Summerer, Head of the Advanced Concepts and Studies Office at ESA, said in an interview with Singularity Hub. The history of AI and space exploration is older than many probably think. It has already played a significant role in research into our planet, the solar system, and the universe.

Artificial intelligence in space exploration is gathering momentum. Over the coming years, new missions look likely to be turbo-charged by AI as we voyage to comets, moons, and planets and explore the possibilities of mining asteroids. "AI is already a game-changer that has made scientific research and exploration much more efficient. We are not just talking about a doubling but about a multiple of ten," Leopold Summerer, Head of the Advanced Concepts and Studies Office at ESA, said in an interview with Singularity Hub. The history of AI and space exploration is older than many probably think. It has already played a significant role in research into our planet, the solar system, and the universe.

New planets found in distant corners of the galaxy. Climate models that may improve our understanding of sea level rise. These scientific advances and discoveries have been in the news in recent months. While representing wildly divergent disciplines, from astronomy to biotechnology, they all have one thing in common: Artificial intelligence played a key role in their scientific discovery. One of the more recent and famous examples came out of NASA at the end of 2017.

The end of the world as we know it is near. And that's a good thing, according to many of the futurists who are predicting the imminent arrival of what's been called the technological singularity. The technological singularity is the idea that technological progress, particularly in artificial intelligence, will reach a tipping point to where machines are exponentially smarter than humans. It has been a hot topic of late. Well-known futurist and Google engineer Ray Kurzweil (co-founder and chancellor of Singularity University) reiterated his bold prediction at Austin's South by Southwest (SXSW) festival this month that machines will match human intelligence by 2029 (and has said previously the Singularity itself will occur by 2045).

The multiverse of science fiction is populated by robots that are indistinguishable from humans. They are usually smarter, faster, and stronger than us. They seem capable of doing any job imaginable, from piloting a starship and battling alien invaders to taking out the trash and cooking a gourmet meal. The reality, of course, is far from fantasy. Aside from industrial settings, robots have yet to meet The Jetsons.

The end of the world as we know it is near. And that's a good thing, according to many of the futurists who are predicting the imminent arrival of what's been called the technological singularity. The technological singularity is the idea that technological progress, particularly in artificial intelligence, will reach a tipping point to where machines are exponentially smarter than humans. It has been a hot topic of late. Well-known futurist and Google engineer Ray Kurzweil (co-founder and chancellor of Singularity University) reiterated his bold prediction at Austin's South by Southwest (SXSW) festival this month that machines will match human intelligence by 2029 (and has said previously the Singularity itself will occur by 2045).