Studies show that our ability to empathise has greatly diminished over the last 30 years. It’s due in part to the uptake of smartphones and social media – we’re all too busy thinking about ourselves. But while it might be part of the problem, could technology also be used to make us more empathetic?

As our lives become more automated, the consumer robotics industry is only set to grow. But something is holding the market back – people find it difficult to trust these machines, especially in their homes and offices. Why do they make us uneasy, and what will convince people to trust robots?

The day when your phone can automatically comfort you when you’re down is a long way off. But emotionally intelligent tech is on the rise, with Affectiva’s Affdex helping the likes of Unilever and CBS to gauge reactions to shows and adverts. Can algorithms judge emotions better than humans?

While for some artificial intelligence may be a thing of science fiction, it could soon have a real world impact. In partnership with Clear Channel and Posterscope, M&C Saatchi has revealed what it dubs as "the first ever artificially intelligent poster campaign in the world."