Acquisitions targeting artificial intelligence technologies continued to accelerate in the second quarter, at least in number. They fell in value (below $1 billion, in all) because deals like Intel's $15.3 billion first-quarter offer for Mobileye don't come along every quarter.

When a friend introduced me to Esther Dyson -- technology thought leader and investor -- I jumped at the chance to ask about her ideas on AI.

If a career in plastics (according to "The Graduate") was a virtual guarantee of success in the 1960s or 1970s, what is the equivalent for the age of artificial intelligence - i.e., 2017 onward? Data scientist? Maybe; maybe not.

I first met Amy Ingram through an email she sent to arrange a meeting with the CEO of a New York AI company. My exchanges with her were peppered with phrases like "I'm sorry," "Have a nice weekend," "Thank you." I had no idea Amy Ingram was a bot.