After Amazon’s “Amazon Go” 100% self-service stores with no cashiers and cameras tracking the purchases, now Walmart is opening a store without any cashier personnel in it. It’s seems like employee-free stores are coming, and they’re coming at a massive scale, the market is definitely not ready for it – for the simple fact that in... Continue Reading →
20 top lawyers were beaten by legal AI. Here are their surprising responses
In a landmark study, 20 top US corporate lawyers with decades of experience in corporate law and contract review were pitted against an AI. Their task was to spot issues in five Non-Disclosure Agreements (NDAs), which are a contractual basis for most business deals. The study, carried out with leading legal academics and experts, saw... Continue Reading →
Japan’s Princess Ayako surrenders her royal status as she marries for love
Under crisp blue skies, about 1,000 well-wishers turned out at the Meiji Shrine in Tokyo Monday to catch a glimpse of Japan's Princess Ayako and her groom Kei Moriya on their wedding day. As the smiling couple entered the shrine, the crowd shouted their congratulations with the Japanese word "Banzai" -- meaning an auspicious wish... Continue Reading →
People want self-driving cars to prioritize young lives over the elderly
Today, MIT released the results of a global survey on the moral and ethical decisions that autonomous vehicles should be programmed to make. The survey reveals that general preferences include prioritizing human lives over animals, younger and healthier people over the elderly and saving more lives over fewer lives. People also preferred to spare bystanders... Continue Reading →
DARPA wants to build ‘contextual’ AI that understands the world
We owe a lot to the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA), a division of the U.S. Department of Defense responsible for the development of emerging technologies. The 60-year-old agency proposed and prototyped the precursor to the world wide web. It developed an interactive mapping solution akin to Google Maps. And its personal assistant —... Continue Reading →
In 2 years, renewables will be cheaper than fossil fuels
The cost of renewable energy sources like wind and solar continue to fall drastically, and it was only a matter of time before they were cheaper than fossil fuels. The International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) believes that’ll happen by 2020 based on their new report. Prices could be as low as three cents per kilowatt-hour... Continue Reading →
Nasa photographs rectangular iceberg
The US space agency said the object's sharp angles and flat surface suggested it had recently broken away from an ice shelf. The edges are still pointed, and have not yet been worn down by the ocean waves. The picture was taken last week by scientists on a Nasa research plane. Such objects are not... Continue Reading →
Here’s the tax bite on $1.6 billion Mega Millions and $620 million Powerball jackpots
While it's anyone's guess who will end up winning the Mega Millions and Powerball jackpots, there's at least one guaranteed recipient of a chunk of the loot — the IRS. With the Mega Millions jackpot at $1.6 billion and Powerball's top prize at $620 million, that tax bill will be hefty even if the winner... Continue Reading →
It’s better to be born rich than gifted
http://wapo.st/1TGJi1b A revolution in genomics is creeping into economics. It allows us to say something we might have suspected, but could never confirm: money trumps genes. Using one new, genome-based measure, economists found genetic endowments are distributed almost equally among children in low-income and high-income families. Success is not. The least-gifted children of high-income parents... Continue Reading →
Rolls Royce Partners With Intel to Build Autonomous Ships
Rolls Royce is partnering with Intel with an ambition to build the first completely autonomous ship. Rolls Royce, a company known for its luxury cars, has taken the challenge of building autonomous ships since 2016. The company announced on Monday that it is working with Intel to develop a full fleet of autonomous cargo vessels... Continue Reading →