Chatbots, conversation and AI as an interface

Peter Skomoroch, an authority on data science and practical AI, offers a deep survey of the artificial intelligence landscape, covering recent developments, popular toolkits and services, and current thinking on strategies for AI.

Progress in enterprise AI workloads, particularly in deep learning, big data, and computing infrastructure, will profoundly impact productivity for users. XD Huang outlines enterprise AI examples to illustrate the collective efforts and exciting opportunities modern AI technologies are making possible.

Voice assistants like Amazon's Alexa have become compelling platforms for bot creators, and voice will become an essential part of any bot creator's toolkit as APIs for Siri, Cortana, and Google Now become available. However, translating functionality into voice user interfaces can be extremely difficult. We've invited Cathy Pearl, an authority on VUI design, to give an overview of the field.

When Hollywood portrays artificial intelligence, it's either a demon or a savior. But the reality is that AI is far more likely to be an extension of ourselves. Strata program chair Alistair Croll looks at the sometimes surprising ways that machine learning is insinuating itself into our everyday lives.

In any human-machine interaction, you need a dialogue model: the machine must understand and be able to respond appropriately. Angela Zhou discusses x.ai's AI personal assistant, Amy Ingram, who schedules meetings for you, focusing on the way x.ai has approached both understanding and responding.

Genevieve Bell explores the meaning of intelligence within the context of machines and its cultural impact on humans and their relationships. Genevieve interrogates AI not just as a technical agenda but as a cultural category in order to understand the ways in which the story of AI is connected to the history of human culture.