The 5 most interesting Machine Learning & AI articles of last month

Last month's content  was all about looking back at 2017 and predicting the course articial intelligence will take in 2018. Many articles mentioned the anxiety people have towards AI and countered this opinion by saying that AI is still in an early stage and we have nothing to worry about. At least not for now.

Also, more and more companies saw the rise of AI and machine learning and its advantages for their business. Machine Learning is starting to deliver results across many industries, for example by making predictions and making it possible to surface the right product for the right person at the right time. That's why many startups, but also big enterprises, are investing in the new technology, leading to a significant shortage of skilled experts in the field.

Enjoy the five articles we've selected this month. They look back but also fast forward to an exciting future in Artificial Intelligence.

Artificial Intelligence in business: Seperating the real from the hype - McKinsey

This article is a transcript of a podcast in which three McKinsey partners elaborate on artificial intelligence and the way business leaders can separate the hype from the true use cases. The men state that a hype doesn't have to be necessarily bad, and talk positive about early investments in the AI technology, so businesses will be prepared when AI is really here.

2017 laid the foundation for faster, smarter AI in 2018 - Engadget

Winning with games like Poker and Go, spotting suicidal users on social networks, composing music and predicting diseases in the medical industry. This article makes clear that 2017 was the year everyone tried different applications of machine learning and artificial intelligence. But, which of them will we really need? With the first big breakthroughs in 2017, 2018 will be the year we hopefully find the ultimate use case for artificial intelligence. The article is visually supported by an informal video. 

AI in E-commerce predictions for 2018 - Forbes

Forbes is our all-time favourite when it comes to the articles about the application of artificial intelligence and machine learning to the work field. Many pieces were written last month about the benefits (and downsides) of AI for your business. We chose one about the retail industry, but there are others that might suit your specific interest better. Like this one, if you are a marketer or this one about the (more technical) machine learning trends. 

Inside 'Fin', the elite human/AI assistant - TechCrunch

We like this article so much because it's, compared to other pieces, realistic about AI: it is just not ready to create optimal working digital assistants at this moment. But the article also gives a great insight into the direction we are heading with machine learning and artificial intelligence; a future where systems will help us in the best possible ways, knowing us thoroughly and learning about our habits and preferences every day.

 AI operators will play a critical role as bots redefine the workplace - Venturebeat

This article elaborates on the way bots and employees should work together in the workplace. Their answer is, with the help of AI operators. These operators will act as conduits between AI and its human colleagues, setting parameters and guidelines for their robotic co-workers. In this way, the growing pains of the newly established cooperation of man and machine will slowly be overstepped. After reading the article, don't click away. There are more interested AI stories if you scroll further down about chatbots, deep learning and bad bots.

Bonus

Are you there Siri? It's me, Margaret: A Look at the Rapidly Changing World of AI - The Takeaway (Podcast)

Every month, we include a more general article about artificial intelligence as well, for everyone who has no idea what the fuzz is all about and is dedicated to learn more. This time, we selected a podcast (48 min) in which the world of Artificial Intelligence is being researched. The hosts visit Silicon Valley,  a neuroscientist, and more experts, and learn about the worries of artificial intelligence. A recommendation for everyone who prefers listening to reading.