Blog Archives

New database features 250 AI tools that can enhance social science research

New database features 250 AI tools that can enhance social science research

AI – or artificial intelligence – is often used as a way to summarize data and improve writing. But AI tools also represent a powerful and efficient way to analyze large amounts of text to search for patterns. In addition, AI tools can assist with developing research products that can be shared widely. It’s with […] … learn more→

AI plus gene editing promises to shift biotech into high gear

AI plus gene editing promises to shift biotech into high gear

During her chemistry Nobel Prize lecture in 2018, Frances Arnold said, “Today we can for all practical purposes read, write and edit any sequence of DNA, but we cannot compose it.” That isn’t true anymore. Since then, science and technology have progressed so much that artificial intelligence has learned to compose DNA, and with genetically modified bacteria, […] … learn more→

What if Meta paid us to use our photos and data from Instagram and Facebook to train the AI?

What if Meta paid us to use our photos and data from Instagram and Facebook to train the AI?

Just a few days ago Meta presented a new update of its large language model called Meta Llama 3, which would be the basis of Meta AI, the artificial intelligence that Mark Zuckerberg’s company wants to deploy on Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp at the level global. This action, as they have proposed it, is not illegal. In […] … learn more→

Eat a rock a day, put glue on your pizza: how Google’s AI is losing touch with reality

Eat a rock a day, put glue on your pizza: how Google’s AI is losing touch with reality

Google has rolled out its latest experimental search feature on Chrome, Firefox and the Google app browser to hundreds of millions of users. “AI Overviews” saves you clicking on links by using generative AI — the same technology that powers rival product ChatGPT — to provide summaries of the search results. Ask “how to keep bananas fresh […] … learn more→

AI chatbots are intruding into online communities where people are trying to connect with other humans

AI chatbots are intruding into online communities where people are trying to connect with other humans

A parent asked a question in a private Facebook group in April 2024: Does anyone with a child who is both gifted and disabled have any experience with New York City public schools? The parent received a seemingly helpful answer that laid out some characteristics of a specific school, beginning with the context that “I […] … learn more→

Artificial intelligence at the university: students ask for new forms of evaluation

Artificial intelligence at the university: students ask for new forms of evaluation

How many college students use ChatGPT and other similar software to generate academic paper content? Faced with the challenge of detecting whether or not a writing has been prepared with artificial intelligence, and being able to guarantee a fair evaluation, we have carried out a study among our students (from the degree in Advertising and Public Relations) to find […] … learn more→

‘Noise’ in the machine: Human differences in judgment lead to problems for A

‘Noise’ in the machine: Human differences in judgment lead to problems for A

Many people understand the concept of bias at some intuitive level. In society, and in artificial intelligence systems, racial and gender biases are well documented. If society could somehow remove bias, would all problems go away? The late Nobel laureate Daniel Kahneman, who was a key figure in the field of behavioral economics, argued in his last book that […] … learn more→

AI-assisted writing is quietly booming in academic journals. Here’s why that’s OK

AI-assisted writing is quietly booming in academic journals. Here’s why that’s OK

If you search Google Scholar for the phrase “as an AI language model”, you’ll find plenty of AI research literature and also some rather suspicious results. For example, one paper on agricultural technology says: As an AI language model, I don’t have direct access to current research articles or studies. However, I can provide you with an […] … learn more→

AI companions can relieve loneliness – but here are 4 red flags to watch for in your chatbot ‘friend’

AI companions can relieve loneliness – but here are 4 red flags to watch for in your chatbot ‘friend’

It’s been seven years since the launch of Replika, an artificially intelligent chatbot designed to be a friend to human users. Despite early warnings about the dangers of such AI friends, interest in friendships and even romantic relationships with AI is on the rise. The Google Play store shows more than 30 million total downloads of Replika and two of its […] … learn more→

AI may be to blame for our failure to make contact with alien civilisations

AI may be to blame for our failure to make contact with alien civilisations

Artificial intelligence (AI) has progressed at an astounding pace over the last few years. Some scientists are now looking towards the development of artificial superintelligence (ASI) — a form of AI that would not only surpass human intelligence but would not be bound by the learning speeds of humans. But what if this milestone isn’t just a remarkable […] … learn more→