The Onlife Manifesto, “Being Human in a Hyperconnected Age , ” was published over a decade ago . Promoted by the European Commission, the document analyzes the social penetration of information and communication technologies and their impact on people’s lives. Based on the premise that technology has ceased to be an external tool that we use at […] … learn more→
Author Archives: Kevin
Are all digital devices equally addictive?
The ‘P’ in PhD does not stand for ‘prompt’
A week or so ago, I posted a little mini rant there about the humble em dash, complaining that it has become an AI ‘tell’ and that I was self censoring to avoid adding them: Look at those stats: I went LinkedIn viral! The most social media excitement I’ve had in a single day since […] … learn more→
Many college students already have well‑formed cheating habits – that, not AI, is the real problem
My colleagues and I recently spoke with a group of talented, interesting students who just completed their first year of college about using artificial intelligence as a research tool. I asked what must have seemed like an unrelated question: “How many of you cheated in high school?” Most of the students raised their hands. Perhaps […] … learn more→
Who decides how to teach when artificial intelligence enters the classroom?
Imagine a journalism professor. For years she’s taught her students how to write reports: how to find sources, how to structure the story, how to find the right tone. Now, her faculty is recommending that she incorporate chatbots into her classes. They offer her a two-hour workshop on how to build effective prompts . She leaves the workshop […] … learn more→
Artificial intelligence raises profound moral questions — for all of humanity to answer
Will you be flagged at the border? Will your mortgage application be approved? During wartime, whose neighbourhood would a weapon system target? These are moral choices — about harm and fairness — and they used to be made by people. Now moral choices like these are made by artificial intelligence (AI) and by the companies […] … learn more→
Have a word or two with your data
When we work with our data we have to decide who and what gets to be in the story. A number goes in the table or it doesn’t. A quote earns half a page, a passing mention, or nothing at all. The participant who said the awkward, off-message thing gets wrapped in a sentence that […] … learn more→
How do ChatGpT, Gemini, and Claude, the three most used AIs in the world, answer the same exam question?
Let’s try something simple. Give ChatGPT, Gemini, and Claude the same question from a real university exam and ask them to answer in Spanish, using the same tone and length. What would we expect? It would be natural to think they would respond similarly. After all, all three produce fluent, well-organized, and seemingly correct texts. […] … learn more→
AI robots can go rogue – a researcher on how easily it happens
Earlier this year in Beijing, a humanoid robot crossed a half-marathon finish line in a blistering 50 minutes, 26 seconds. The feat immediately lit up global headlines for shattering the human world record by almost seven minutes. This performance came with many asterisks. The robot followed a pre-mapped track, stayed in its own dedicated lane, and had a human […] … learn more→
Parents’ groups on WhatsApp: opportunity or challenge for school coexistence?
Miguel, a father of three, arrives home at the end of the day and, while preparing dinner, quickly checks his mobile phone. Among the various notifications, one stands out as particularly active: the WhatsApp group ” The Best Kids at School .” Upon opening it, he discovers that more than 150 messages have accumulated in just one […] … learn more→
‘Technostress’: why many older people feel shut out by the digital world
From personal health portals to AI assistants that draft emails, the digital age has simplified endless everyday tasks. But for many older New Zealanders, the rapid march of technology has helped build a wall rather than open doors. Navigating online forms, changing apps, disappearing face-to-face services and the constant threat of scams can be daunting. There is […] … learn more→
