Microsoft last week unveiled new tools intended to democratize artificial intelligence by enabling machine smarts to be built into software from smartphone games to factory floors.

It seems everywhere you look, traditional original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) are investing heavily in artificial intelligence (AI). Ford recently announced its plans to invest $1bn over the next five years in Argo AI, a start-up formed just in December whose focus is the development of autonomous vehicles. Similarly, last year GM invested $1bn when it acquired Cruise Automation, another AI start-up.

After almost a decade of research, Google's autonomous car project is close to becoming a real service.

Manufacturing is having a moment. Optimism on Wall Street and rising levels of consumer and business confidence have put manufacturing squarely back into growth territory. One index that tracks global manufacturing performance, the JPMorgan Global Manufacturing PMI, is the highest it's been since 2011. Production growth rates are at a three-year high. So is the rate of expansion in new orders. And factory payrolls are growing faster than they have in over five years.

General Electric Co. shook up the 3-D printer market last year by laying down more than $1bn on two acquisitions. Turns out that may be just the beginning.

German sportswear giant Adidas says it will start selling shoes with 3-D printed soles, taking a new step in expanding its customized sporting goods range.