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Ford is investing $1 billion in a secretive artificial intelligence startup headed by former Google and Uber execs to advance its self-driving car efforts.

The startup, Argo AI, was founded by Bryan Salesky, the former director of hardware for Google’s self-driving-car efforts, and Peter Rander, Uber’s engineering lead at its autonomous cars center.

The $1 billion investment will be spread out over five years as Ford looks to commercialize its self-driving technology by 2021.

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My niece shared this with me; and the 1st thing of course that came to mind was VR/ AR funerals/ ceremonials as so many including myself cannot always be there doesn’t mean we could not engage/ participate in an event like a funneral or wedding. Maybe marriage via VR is a business just like a funeral via VR could be.


MEMPHIS, Tenn. (localmemphis.com) — A funeral home off Lamar Avenue is offering a different service from its competitors. You can drive up, say your final goodbyes to your loved ones, and you don’t even have to get out the car.

Ryan Bernard, owner of R. Bernard funeral home, says he got the idea from a funeral home in California. His main goal is to make it more convenient for families who are already dealing with losing a loved one.

Bernard wants his funeral home to stand out from the rest, so his family business is offering drive-thru services.

A story and a question for Valentines — could you fall in love with a robot? Me? the answer is no as I get bored easily and like imagnative conversations; I would get bored after a while of a robot.


Many of us say we have relationships with our dogs, and some—still—with our childhood teddy-bear. Some might claim to have a relationship with their car. And others, although they might not admit it publicly, feel they have some sort of relationship with their sex-doll.

Are all these people deluded? Can we really have relationships with non-human beings?

If so, what about robots? Computerised chat-bots, such as the “personal assistants” Siri (from Apple’s iPhone) and Cortana (from Microsoft), already exist which can remember many of their owner’s likes and dislikes, and respond helpfully to their questions, recognising their individual voice and accent.