News/Society
How machine learning is helping to predict the next epidemic
The evolving landscape of epidemic forecasting: The COVID-19 pandemic has underscored the critical importance of accurate and timely epidemic forecasting for decision-makers across various sectors, prompting significant advancements in data-driven computational approaches. The emergence of new data sources, including symptomatic online surveys, retail and commerce data, mobility information, and genomics data, has expanded the scope and potential of epidemic forecasting. These novel data streams enable more sophisticated and nuanced predictions, allowing for a more comprehensive understanding of disease spread and potential interventions. Key methodological advances: Machine learning and data-centric approaches are at the forefront of recent developments in epidemic forecasting,...
read Sep 27, 2024The human aspects of AI adoption Sam Altman may be overlooking
AI's promise and pitfalls: Altman's optimistic vision meets skepticism: OpenAI CEO Sam Altman's recent blog post paints a rosy picture of AI ushering in an "Intelligence Age" of abundance and solutions to humanity's most pressing problems, but this perspective faces substantial criticism. Altman's post argues that AI will be a panacea for major global issues, including climate change, suggesting a future of unprecedented prosperity and problem-solving capability. Critics, however, point out that even with existing solutions to known problems, humanity has often failed to implement them effectively, casting doubt on the idea that AI alone can overcome these obstacles. The...
read Sep 27, 2024AI-made child abuse images are flooding the web
AI-generated child exploitation: The rapid advancement of generative AI technology has led to an alarming increase in the creation and distribution of nonconsensual, sexually explicit images and videos of children, particularly in high school settings. A recent report by the Center for Democracy and Technology revealed that 15% of high school students have heard about AI-generated sexually explicit "deepfakes" of someone at their school within the past year. Another study found that 11% of children aged 9-17 know a peer who has used AI to generate nude images of other kids. Law enforcement agencies worldwide are increasingly encountering AI-generated child...
read Sep 27, 2024Americans more satisfied with car dealerships due to digitization, AI
Digital transformation reshapes car buying experience: A recent study reveals that digitization has significantly impacted the car purchasing process, with most Americans conducting extensive online research before visiting dealerships. Key findings on consumer behavior: 60% of respondents purchased new vehicles, while 40% opted for leases 80% of buyers spent less than $50,000 on their purchase 84% bought from traditional dealerships, while 15% used online platforms like Carvana or CarMax 88% reported their buying experience was the same or better than previous purchases Online research plays crucial role: 54% of respondents spent 1-10 hours researching online before buying 25% dedicated more...
read Sep 26, 2024How our choices now determine whether AI deepens or improves inequality
The digital divide persists: Despite rapid advancements in artificial intelligence and technology, billions of people worldwide still lack access to basic necessities and digital resources, highlighting the stark global inequalities in living conditions and technological access. As of 2023, an estimated 2.7 billion people remain offline, while over 3.5 billion lack reliable electricity, according to the International Telecommunication Union. One in three individuals is unable to afford a healthy diet, and one in two lacks access to basic sanitation, as reported in the 2023 Human Development Report. These statistics underscore the gap between technological progress in wealthier nations and the...
read Sep 26, 2024New trend suggests it is humans who now mimic AI in language
AI's growing influence on human language: Recent studies suggest that artificial intelligence, particularly large language models like ChatGPT, is beginning to shape how humans communicate, creating a feedback loop between AI and human speech patterns. A study analyzing over 280,000 YouTube videos from academic channels found that human language post-ChatGPT is starting to reflect AI-driven patterns. This shift marks a departure from the initial one-way street of AI learning from humans, as we are now adapting to AI's linguistic stylings. The phenomenon reveals an unprecedented dynamic where AI's structured, neutral, and efficient language is subtly infiltrating human speech, often without...
read Sep 25, 2024Half of Americans want AI outlawed in political ads — it won’t happen soon
The rapid advancement of artificial intelligence technology has created new challenges for political advertising and election integrity in the United States, highlighting the need for comprehensive legislative reform. Current landscape of AI misuse in politics: Artificial intelligence has been leveraged in various ways to manipulate public opinion and potentially influence electoral outcomes. The Republican National Committee released an "AI-generated look" ad depicting apocalyptic scenes if President Biden is re-elected, showcasing the potential for AI to create misleading visual content. Fake robocalls using AI-generated voices impersonating President Biden urged New Hampshire residents not to vote in the 2024 primary, demonstrating the...
read Sep 25, 202488% of US Parents Now Consider AI Essential to Children’s Education
AI's growing importance in education: A recent survey reveals that 88% of US parents believe knowledge of AI will be crucial for their children's future education and careers, highlighting the increasing recognition of AI's role in shaping educational outcomes. The survey, commissioned by Samsung Solve for Tomorrow and conducted by Morning Consult, polled over 1,000 US parents of Gen Alpha and Gen Z students. Despite the high percentage of parents acknowledging AI's importance, 81% either don't believe or are unsure if AI is part of their children's current curriculum. This disparity underscores the need for more accessible information about AI...
read Sep 25, 2024Gen AI Adoption Surpasses Early PC and Internet Usage, Study Shows
Generative AI adoption is outpacing historical trends for transformative technologies, with widespread use across industries and demographics just two years after ChatGPT's public release, according to a new study by researchers from the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis, Vanderbilt University, and Harvard Kennedy School. Rapid adoption rates: Generative AI has achieved a 39.4% adoption rate among Americans aged 18-64, with 28% using it at work, surpassing the early adoption rates of personal computers. It took three years for PCs to reach a 20% adoption rate, highlighting the accelerated uptake of generative AI. The accessibility of tools like ChatGPT and...
read Sep 24, 2024Stanford HAI’s ‘The Digitalist Papers’ are A Vision for AI and Democracy
AI's impact on democracy and governance: Stanford's Digital Economy Lab has assembled a multidisciplinary group of experts to address the challenges and opportunities presented by artificial intelligence in relation to democratic institutions and governance. The project, called "The Digitalist Papers," draws inspiration from The Federalist Papers and aims to provide insights on how AI is reshaping the world and what it means for democratic institutions. The volume consists of 12 essays written by 19 contributors, focusing on themes such as AI and governance, civic engagement, regulation, and democratic values. The initiative comes at a time when AI development is accelerating...
read Sep 24, 2024OpenAI CEO Predicts Superintelligent AI Within 10 Years
The dawn of the Intelligence Age: OpenAI CEO Sam Altman envisions a future where superintelligent AI could emerge within the next decade, ushering in an era of unprecedented technological progress and global prosperity. In a personal blog post titled "The Intelligence Age," Altman suggests that superintelligence, a level of machine intelligence that dramatically outperforms humans at any intellectual task, could be achieved in "a few thousand days." Altman's timeline for superintelligence is vague but significant, potentially ranging from 5.5 to 11 years, depending on interpretation. As CEO of OpenAI, Altman's prediction carries weight in the AI community, though it has...
read Sep 23, 2024AI-Driven Internet Freedom Alliance Grows to 41 Nations
Freedom Online Coalition's mission and growth: The Freedom Online Coalition, a group of democratic nations committed to safeguarding internet freedom, has expanded its membership and influence in recent years. The coalition has grown from 32 to 41 members since 2021, with recent additions including Cabo Verde, Slovenia, Colombia, and Taiwan as an observer. This growth reflects an increasing recognition among democracies of the importance of protecting digital rights and freedoms. The United States has played a key role in reinvigorating the coalition, as part of its broader commitment to defending democracy globally. Key initiatives and achievements: The coalition has undertaken...
read Sep 23, 2024AI Uncovers 300 Ancient Nazca Geoglyphs in Peru Desert
AI-powered discovery of ancient Nazca geoglyphs: Artificial intelligence has aided archaeologists in uncovering hundreds of previously unknown ancient drawings in Peru's Nazca desert, shedding new light on the region's rich cultural history. The newly discovered geoglyphs, believed to be around 2000 years old, depict decapitated human heads, domesticated llamas, and other figures associated with the Nazca culture. These images are smaller and older than the famous Nazca lines, typically measuring around 9 meters long compared to the larger geometric shapes and animal figures that can stretch for kilometers. Some of the newly found geoglyphs hint at human sacrifice, portraying decapitated...
read Sep 23, 2024Why Skeptics Think AI in the Classroom is a Bad Idea
The digital dilemma in education: The integration of technology in classrooms, particularly the Internet and smartphones, has sparked a heated debate about its impact on student learning and attention spans. Proponents of artificial intelligence (AI) in education, including OpenAI, Khan Academy, and Bill Gates, advocate for its potential to enhance learning opportunities and access to quality educational content. Critics, including some educational policymakers and educators, are pushing back against digital technology in classrooms, with some districts and countries implementing bans on smartphones and other devices. Examining the access argument: Advocates for technology in education often cite increased access to information...
read Sep 20, 2024AI Voice Calling Scams are on the Rise – Do You Have a Secret Phrase?
AI voice cloning scams gaining traction: A recent survey by a UK bank reveals a concerning trend in the rise of AI-generated voice cloning scams, with 28% of respondents reporting they have been targeted. Voice cloning scams involve criminals using AI technology to create convincing imitations of friends or family members' voices, claiming to be in urgent need of financial assistance. The advancement of AI technology has made it possible to generate realistic voice imitations using as little as three seconds of source material, often easily obtainable from social media videos. These scams represent an evolution of older text-based fraud...
read Sep 20, 2024AI Social Network SocialAI Is Meant to Be a Safe Space for Controversial Ideas
AI-powered social feedback app launches: SocialAI, a new iOS application created by Michael Sayman, offers users a unique platform to post text and receive AI-generated comments from various bot characters. Concept and functionality: The app presents itself as a private social network where users can obtain millions of AI-generated comments providing feedback, advice, and reflections on their posts. Users can select from a range of AI character archetypes to interact with, including Fans, Trolls, Skeptics, Odd-balls, Doomers, and Visionaries. The application utilizes OpenAI's technology alongside custom AI models to generate bot responses. Posts on SocialAI are private by default, allowing...
read Sep 19, 2024How AI and Robotics are Being Integrated into Sex Tech
Sex tech and AI are reshaping human intimacy, offering personalized pleasure while challenging traditional definitions of sexual relationships. As these technologies evolve, they promise experiences that may surpass conventional human interactions in terms of sexual satisfaction, raising questions about their impact on real-world relationships and societal norms. The evolving landscape of sex tech: The rapid advancement of sex technology, combined with artificial intelligence, is creating a new frontier in human sexuality and intimacy. Modern sex tech now includes virtual reality porn, AI-powered chatbots and avatars for sexual interactions, and platforms like OnlyFans that enable direct communication with sex workers during...
read Sep 19, 2024AI Home Surveillance Study Reveals Alarming Biases and Inconsistencies
AI-powered home surveillance raises concerns: A new study by researchers from MIT and Penn State University reveals potential inconsistencies and biases in using large language models (LLMs) for home surveillance applications. The study analyzed how LLMs, including GPT-4, Gemini, and Claude, interpreted real videos from Amazon Ring's Neighbors platform. Researchers found that these AI models often recommended calling the police even when videos showed no criminal activity. The models frequently disagreed with each other on which videos warranted police intervention, highlighting a lack of consistency in their decision-making processes. Inconsistent application of social norms: The study uncovered a phenomenon researchers...
read Sep 18, 2024AI Detection Tools Disadvantage Black Students, Study Finds
Racial bias in AI detection impacts Black students: A new study by Common Sense Media reveals that Black teenagers in the US are approximately twice as likely as their white and Latino counterparts to have their schoolwork falsely flagged as AI-generated by teachers. The study surveyed 1,045 teenagers aged 13-18 and their parents between March 15 and April 20, highlighting a concerning trend in the use of AI detection tools in educational settings. This disparity in AI detection raises concerns about exacerbating existing disciplinary disparities among historically marginalized groups. Black students already face the highest rate of disciplinary measures in...
read Sep 18, 2024Recent AI Developments Beg the Question ‘Have We Reached Peak Human?’
AI's rapid advancement challenges human supremacy: The race to develop superintelligent AI systems is accelerating, with major players like OpenAI and Elon Musk's xAI raising billions in funding to pursue this goal. OpenAI's former chief scientist Ilya Sutskever recently raised $1 billion for his new company, Safe Superintelligence (SSI), which aims to safely build AI systems surpassing human cognitive abilities. Elon Musk's xAI startup secured $6 billion in funding, with Musk predicting the achievement of superintelligence within five to six years. These massive investments add to the billions already poured into companies like OpenAI and Anthropic, highlighting the intense competition...
read Sep 18, 2024AI-Generated Deepfakes are Heralding the Arrival of the ‘Deep Doubt’ Era
The rise of AI-generated media and its impact on trust: The proliferation of AI-generated content is ushering in an era of "deep doubt," where the authenticity of digital media is increasingly questioned, and real events can be more easily denied. The term "deep doubt" refers to skepticism towards genuine media stemming from the existence and widespread use of generative AI technologies. This phenomenon allows individuals to more credibly claim that real events did not occur, suggesting that documentary evidence was fabricated using AI tools. The concept of "deep doubt" builds upon the previously coined term "liar's dividend," which describes how...
read Sep 18, 2024A Majority of Teens Now Use AI Tools — Most of Their Parents Don’t know
Generative AI adoption surges among US teens: A recent survey by Common Sense Media reveals that 70% of American teenagers are now using generative AI tools, outpacing both parental awareness and school policies. Over half of the surveyed teens report using AI text generators, chatbots, and AI-powered search engines, with 34% utilizing image generators and 22% experimenting with video generation tools. The primary motivation for AI use among teens is academic, with "homework help" and idea brainstorming being the most common applications, followed by entertainment and language translation. Educational landscape unprepared for AI integration: The survey highlights a significant gap...
read Sep 17, 2024AI Critic Gary Marcus Warns of Silicon Valley’s Moral Decline
Generative AI's rapid rise has sparked concerns about its societal impact and the ethical implications of Silicon Valley's push for artificial general intelligence (AGI). The big picture: Gary Marcus, NYU professor emeritus and AI critic, argues that Silicon Valley's moral decline and focus on short-term gains have led to the development of flawed generative AI systems with potentially dire consequences. Marcus's new book, "Taming Silicon Valley: How We Can Ensure That AI Works for Us," highlights the immediate threats posed by current generative AI technology, including political disinformation, market manipulation, and cybersecurity risks. The author traces this shift in Silicon...
read Sep 17, 2024How AI Can Enhance Customer Service Accessibility for Deaf Users
Advancing accessibility in the AI era: The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) continues to play a crucial role in promoting equitable communications for deaf and hard of hearing individuals, even as companies rapidly adopt AI-driven customer service solutions. The ADA has been instrumental in expanding the use of sign language interpreters, mandating closed captioning on television, and ensuring access to telecommunications systems. Despite being enacted before the advent of modern AI technologies, the ADA's principles remain highly relevant in guiding accessibility efforts in today's digital landscape. As companies increasingly automate their customer service operations, there's a risk of inadvertently creating...
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