Axios

There’s debate on both sides of the Atlantic as to whether Amazon's mountain of data gives it an inherent — and unfair — advantage over rivals. But critics may be looking at the wrong thing in the data.

What they're saying: James Thomson, a former Amazon executive who now consults for brands that sell on the platform, says the e-commerce giant's singular advantage is behavioral data allowing it to precisely target customers for its private label products.

The ultimate goal of AI research is a system that rivals a human’s thinking power — but it is still far out of sight.

Instead, in the coming years, AI may provide an intelligence boost in a different way: by coordinating still-unsurpassed human brainpower and correcting some of the errors inherent how we think.

Last month, we reported on the silent run-up to the age of artificial intelligence, whose green shoots grow without fanfare only to flower a decade or two in the future.

But, but, but: As we reported yesterday, these quiet, behind-the-scenes developments are transforming modern work now.

There are 200 military veterans running for Congress in the midterm elections, according to With Honor, a non-partisan super PAC. All but one of the women endorsed by the group are Democrats.

Why it matters: This is another 2018 trend that could change the face of Congress. Less than 20% of lawmakers have served in the military and less than 20% of House members are women.

Full automation is projected to increase the use of individually owned vehicles, perhaps by as much as 60%. But what about partially automated vehicles, equipped with features such as lane centering, adaptive cruise control and automatic emergency braking?

The big picture: Early data on partially automated Tesla models suggest a similar trend, showing drivers racking up more miles than in otherwise comparable electric vehicles. This has potential negative consequences for congestion, energy consumption and emissions.

John Hancock, one of the largest North American life insurers, will only sell policies that include the tracking of fitness and health data through wearable devices and smartphones, the company said on Wednesday.

The details: The company's underwriting process will still exist, but all policies will include the wellness program, called Vitality. Policyholders will be rewarded with discounts on their premiums and gift cards to popular stores when they achieve goals in a points system.

Amazon is considering a plan to open 3,000 more cashierless "Amazon Go" stores within the next 3 years, Bloomberg reports.

Why it matters: A few of the automated grocery stores are already open in the U.S., but a major push like this could give traditional grocery and convenience stores serious checkout line-free competition. Shares of Kroger and Walmart moved lower on the news. Go deeper: Amazon Go is a "fist" aimed at the convenience store industry

The top antitrust regulator in the European Union said Wednesday she is investigating Amazon's relationship with independent merchants it hosts on its platform.

Why it matters: If this were to turn into a formal investigation, it would represent a major headache for Amazon, as it faces allegations that it has unfair dominance over the market.

Sen. Marco Rubio sent a letter to Apple CEO Tim Cook today asking him to explain why Apple did not immediately respond to reports it received about an app, Adware Doctor, covertly sending customers’ browsing histories to servers in China.

Flashback: Apple has long prided itself on strong privacy policies, claiming privacy is a “fundamental human right” as recently as June. In March, Cook called for stronger regulation on big tech that could prevent users’ information being aggregated and distributed without their knowledge.

The FBI, Justice Department and Office of the Director of National Intelligence plan to propose redactions for sensitive information regarding sources and methods in the Russia investigation documents that President Trump has ordered to be declassified, reports Bloomberg.

The big picture: Trump and some Republican lawmakers believe the declassified materials — which include documents and texts related to Carter Page, James Comey, Peter Strzok and others — will show the Russia investigation was corrupted by bias. Intelligence officials and Democratic leaders like Sen. Mark Warner and Rep. Adam Schiff believe Trump has crossed a line, and that declassification could compromise the ongoing investigation.

Amazon’s ad business will bring in $4.61 billion this year, according to a new eMarketer study, up a whopping 60% from the projection of $2.89 billion in March.

Why it matters: The new projection puts Amazon ahead of Microsoft in its share of the U.S. digital ad market. While it's still a distant third behind Google and Facebook, Amazon's share is growing so fast that some analysts argue it could one day catch up with those leaders.