People used to think AI was smart if it could pass a human test or a school exam. Now, those goals have changed. People are basically admitting that the next big challenge for AI isn't beating humans—it’s solving math problems that have stumped the world for centuries.

At the same time, the physical world is catching up. In Beijing, robots called Linkerbots are actually building and testing their own robotic hands. This means robots are starting to build themselves, which is a major step toward machines that can keep making more of themselves without any help from us.