The basic configuration of traditional propellers has not fundamentally changed since the first powered flight by the Wright brothers in 1903. However, as engineers learn more about aerodynamics and attempt new experiments, propellers are evolving to more complex shapes. These feature multiple blades, high sweep angles, blade tip devices and other features to optimise performance in […] … learn more→
Blog Archives
What is a ‘toroidal propeller’ and could it change the future of drones? An expert explains
Are you part robot? A linguistic anthropologist explains how humans are like ChatGPT – both recycle language
ChatGPT is a hot topic at my university, where faculty members are deeply concerned about academic integrity, while administrators urge us to “embrace the benefits” of this “new frontier.” It’s a classic example of what my colleague Punya Mishra calls the “doom-hype cycle” around new technologies. Likewise, media coverage of human-AI interaction – whether paranoid or starry-eyed – tends […] … learn more→
Why so few women in scientific careers?
There are about 8 billion humans in 2022, 50% of them women. The latter, although as numerous as men, are under-represented in scientific fields. Also, among the 956 Nobel laureates, are there only 60 women , or 6%: would the differences between women and men be such as to justify such a disparity? Natural differences? The first difference […] … learn more→
3 ways to use ChatGPT to help students learn – and not cheat
Since ChatGPT can engage in conversation and generate essays, computer codes, charts and graphs that closely resemble those created by humans, educators worry students may use it to cheat. A growing number of school districts across the country have decided to block access to ChatGPT on computers and networks. As professors of educational psychology and educational technology, we’ve found that the main […] … learn more→
How does ChatGPT work? Deciphering its name to understand language patterns
We see a lot of opinions on ChatGPT, but in the end, what do we know? Just that it’s an artificial neural network with billions of parameters, capable of holding a high-level discussion, but also of falling into crude traps set by facetious Internet users. We hear a lot about it, but ultimately we know very little […] … learn more→
AI clones made from user data pose uncanny risks
Imagine, if you will, a digital doppelgänger. A clone that looks, talks and behaves just like you, created from the depths of artificial intelligence, reflecting your every mannerism with eerie precision. As thrilling as it might sound, how would you feel about it? Our research at the University of British Columbia turns the spotlight onto […] … learn more→
No, AI probably won’t kill us all – and there’s more to this fear campaign than meets the eye
Doomsaying is an old occupation. Artificial intelligence (AI) is a complex subject. It’s easy to fear what you don’t understand. These three truths go some way towards explaining the oversimplification and dramatisation plaguing discussions about AI. Yesterday outlets around the world were plastered with news of yet another open letter claiming AI poses an existential threat to […] … learn more→
Are machines smarter or do they fool us better?
Alan Turing, one of the fathers of modern computing and precursor of artificial intelligence, argued that in the future there would be machines advanced enough that their actions would be difficult to distinguish from humans. This idea has been extensively covered in literature and brought to the big screen on numerous occasions. Examples include the films The Stepford […] … learn more→
ChatGPT and other generative AI could foster science denial and misunderstanding – here’s how you can be on alert
Until very recently, if you wanted to know more about a controversial scientific topic – stem cell research, the safety of nuclear energy, climate change – you probably did a Google search. Presented with multiple sources, you chose what to read, selecting which sites or authorities to trust. Now you have another option: You can […] … learn more→
Is generative AI bad for the environment? A computer scientist explains the carbon footprint of ChatGPT and its cousins
Generative AI is the hot new technology behind chatbots and image generators. But how hot is it making the planet? As an AI researcher, I often worry about the energy costs of building artificial intelligence models. The more powerful the AI, the more energy it takes. What does the emergence of increasingly more powerful generative AI […] … learn more→
