Field: AI
AI could rescue scientific papers from the curse of jargon
Scientific papers have been getting harder to read over time; AI might help reverse the trend.
New smart glasses use sonar to read your lips
New glasses use sonar sensing technology and AI to allow users to control devices via silent, mouthed commands.
Xwing puts autonomous flight on the runway to approval
Autonomous flight startup Xwing has filed for approval to do crewless cargo flights, a first step towards pilotless commercial aviation.
Epilepsy surgery has a success rate of only 50%. This digital brain may change that.
Using patient data and AI, French researchers have created a digital model of the brain to figure out which brain region needs removed.
People destroyed printing presses out of fear. What will we do to AI?
Just like today with AI, people worried about the printing press' effect on job security and the spread of disinformation.
ChatGPT can now help you plan a perfect vacation
Online travel agency Expedia has added ChatGPT to its app, giving users a free AI assistant to help them plan a vacation.
Our new brains: neurotechnology advances that could change everything
Here are the latest developments in neurotech, from brain-computer interfaces to brain-inspired AI.
A new AI lie detector reveals their “inner thoughts”
A new AI lie detector can dive into their hidden thoughts and reveal “what language models truly believe about the world.”
ChatGPT: why it will probably remain just a tool that does inefficient work more efficiently
ChatGPT could do inefficient tasks more efficiently — but that doesn't answer the question of whether the tasks are worth doing at all.
Dog “nose print” app is 99% accurate at ID’ing lost pets
An AI-based app that identifies dogs and cats based on their unique nose prints could help reunite lost pets and their owners.
The tech of the year is entering the workforce
Generative AIs are being integrated into the programs millions of people use at work, but will they really make our jobs easier?
AI that turns docs into presentations is available right now — no waitlist
Fast-growing startup Tome has just released a first-of-its-kind tool that uses generative AI to turn your documents into presentations.
“Treasure map” guides scientists to massive meteorite
A “treasure map” highlighting places where meteorites are most likely to be found has led to the discovery of a 17-pound space rock.
Large language models are biased. Can logic help save them?
MIT researchers trained logic-aware language models to reduce harmful stereotypes like gender and racial biases.
New voice cloning AI lets “you” speak multiple languages
Voice cloning AIs are gaining more abilities, while the amount of audio needed to replicate a person’s voice is shrinking.
New AI can “reimagine” your pictures in infinite ways
Stability AI has launched Stable Diffusion Reimagine, an AI that uses uploaded images as inspiration for new creations.
A search engine researcher explains the promise and peril of letting AI search the web for you
AI responds to questions but doesn’t actually know anything and is prone to making things up. Should you trust is with your internet search?
How “InstructGPT” lobotomizes the insanity of raw GPT
OpenAI has created a version of GPT, called "InstructGPT," that cuts down on the AI’s bizarre and irrational responses.
Microsoft unveils AI Copilot for its 365 apps
Microsoft has just unveiled Copilot, a new AI-based tool for its Microsoft 365 apps, including Word, Excel, and PowerPoint.
AI isn’t close to becoming sentient, we just think it is
To what extent will our psychological vulnerabilities shape our interactions with emerging technologies? AI will be the test.
General Motors is putting ChatGPT into its vehicles
General Motors is developing a new voice assistant that will give drivers access to the hugely popular ChatGPT while they're on the road.
Google rolls out AI writing assistant to Gmail and Docs
Google is incorporating generative AI into its Workspace products, starting with an AI writing assistant for Gmail and Docs.
OpenAI just launched GPT-4 — and you may already be using it
Just four months after releasing ChatGPT, OpenAI has already upgraded its hugely popular chatbot with a new AI model.
AI is now DJing radio stations
GPT-3, the OpenAI tech behind the hugely popular AI chatbot, ChatGPT, is now being used to automate radio DJing.
This incredibly life-like robot hand can be made for just $2,800
Low-cost robots that perfectly mimic parts of the human body foreshadow a future in which humanoid robots do all the work people don't want.
What is generative AI? An AI explains
Generative AI uses a type of learning called generative adversarial networks and has many uses, including creating images, text, and audio.
Computer scientist explains why even in the age of AI, computing isn’t limitless
A computer’s power is still limited by the number of operations it can execute per second and the efficiency of the algorithms it runs.
ChatGPT versus AI-enabled Bing. How do they differ?
Microsoft has integrated an AI language tool into its Bing search engine that it claims is more powerful than ChatGPT.
ChatGPT answers physics questions like a confused C student
When asked about physics, ChatGPT gave a mixture of true, false, relevant, irrelevant, and contradictory answers — all with authority.
In a first, scientists use AI to create brand new enzymes
In a scientific first, researchers have created brand new enzymes designed with the help of AI.
New AI improves itself through Darwinian-style evolution
AutoML-Zero is a simple proof-of-concept that shows how t might someday be scaled up and applied to more complex problems.
NASA’s new balloon-borne telescope was designed with AI
An AI-powered technique called “generative design” is helping NASA engineers design better hardware, more quickly.
Startup uses DALL-E to make food menus more appealing
Food tech startup Lunchbox has made the text-to-image AI DALL-E 2 available to generate food pics for restaurant menus.
Zoox deploys first-of-their-kind robotaxis in California
Amazon subsidiary Zoox hits a new milestone, transporting passengers in its driverless robotaxis on open public roads.
ChatGPT in academia: Can it help with the research process?
Several researchers have already listed a chatbot as a co-author on academic studies, but ChatGPT is better in some areas than others.
Will “The Singularity” rescue us from death?
In transhumanism, "The Singularity" promises possibility of uploading your consciousness into silicon, guaranteeing a kind of immortality.
An expert explains how you’re using ChatGPT wrong
ChatGPT is designed to produce strings of words that sound good in response to the words you give it – not to provide you with information.
65% of retail jobs could be automated by 2025
The retail sector has been making ground in the adoption of automation with the use of self checkouts, and robots and AI in supply chains.
Microsoft adds “AI copilot” to Edge web browser
Microsoft is incorporating the tech behind ChatGPT into its Edge web browser, giving users an "AI copilot" to assist them on the internet.
AI is helping decode the oldest story in the world
A new algorithm is helping decode ancient cuneiform tablets — including those containing the oldest known work of world literature.
World’s largest electric cargo plane can carry up to 400 pounds
The Pelican is an autonomous electric cargo plane capable of transporting 400 pounds of cargo 200 miles in less than three hours.
Google announces Bard, a ChatGPT-like AI (Updated)
Google has announced Bard, a conversational AI similar to ChatGPT, and plans to integrate similar AI into its search platform “soon.”
The biggest AI breakthroughs of the last year
Last year saw breakthroughs from AI tools such as ChatGPT, DeepMind, and DALL-E, which generate text and code.
Why 2023 will be “the year of mixed reality”
Mixed reality, in which immersive virtual content is seamlessly combined with our physical world, is set to transform the world.
New AI will teach soldiers to dress wounds, fly helicopters in AR
DARPA is developing AI assistants that will display instructions to military personnel through augmented reality headsets.
Autonomous race cars go head-to-head, break records in Las Vegas
Autonomous race cars took to the track at CES, opening new forms of competition and setting speed records.
AI for better crops
AI technology could transform how growers protect their harvests, by detecting plant diseases very early on.
Mercedes-Benz wins race to bring Level 3 autonomous cars to US
Mercedes-Benz has permission to deploy its Level 3 autonomous driving system, DRIVE PILOT, in Nevada, and California could soon follow.
Microsoft’s new AI needs just 3 seconds of audio to clone a voice
Microsoft has unveiled VALL-E, a voice-cloning AI that only needs a 3-second sample to simulate a speaker’s voice with remarkable accuracy.
What happens when an astrophysicist puts ChatGPT to the test?
Can an astrophysicist get ChatGPT to learn and assimilate new information and give correct answers where it gave confident but false ones?
Elevator technology is going up
A new generation of elevator technology may soon change the way you ride.
Krispy Kreme donuts to be filled, frosted, and packaged by machines
Donut company Krispy Kreme is investing in automated systems to take over functions currently completed by human workers.
Sophia the robot talks Elon Musk, climate change, and more
Celebrity humanoid Sophia the robot shares her “thoughts” on climate change, Elon Musk, and more with Freethink.
The dawn of AI has come, and its implications for education couldn’t be more significant
AI like ChatGPT is forcing us to rethink education. But if we embrace it, it could empower both students and teachers.
McDonald’s opens its first automated restaurant in Texas
McDonald’s has opened a new highly automated restaurant, giving customers a first look at the potential future of fast food.
Sophia the robot becomes first humanoid to be signed by a gaming org
Sophia the robot has signed to XSET, a gaming organization and lifestyle brand focused on diversity and inclusion.
We gave ChatGPT a college-level microbiology quiz. It blew the quiz away.
A microbiologist devised a quiz that would be appropriate as a final exam for college-level microbiology students. ChatGPT blew it away.
Search engines and AI will make each other better
The tech behind ChatGPT isn’t ready to overthrow Google, but it could fix what’s wrong with search engines.
Generative AI: The technology of the year for 2022
It's made headlines so often that there is no question that 2022 will be remembered as the year that Generative AI stunned the world.
Ad-free search engine to launch ChatGPT-like AI feature
The ad-free Neeva search engine is adding an AI feature that will answer user queries with conversational text, rather than lists of links.
“DALL-E 2 of biology” designs proteins for new drugs
The Chroma AI's ability to design proteins with structures no one has ever seen before could revolutionize medicine.
Five creative ways people are using ChatGPT
Internet users are getting creative with OpenAI’s new chatbot, ChatGPT, using it to plot movies, write menus, and more.
“Korean Google” opens the world’s first robot-friendly building
Tech giant Naver Corporation designed its new headquarters, 1784, to be a "robot-friendly" testing ground for its latest technologies.
An interview with ChatGPT about itself
Freethink interviews OpenAI’s ChatGPT, an AI chatbot capable of generating conversational text, code, and more in response to prompts.
AI is helping to ID victims in Holocaust photos
The new website From Numbers to Names uses facial recognition tech to identify previously anonymous faces in Holocaust photos.
“Robot rooms” could be the future of homes and offices
Integrating robots into walls, ceilings, furniture, and appliances could radically change our indoor spaces.
Cruise robotaxi service is quickly expanding
General Motors subsidiary Cruise is quickly expanding its commercial robotaxi service to more cities in the US.
AI could help cancer patients avoid a deadly recurrence
A new study found that AI can use a patient’s initial skin cancer growth to predict their risk of melanoma recurrence.
AI-discovered drug for ALS enters human trials in just four years
Verge Genomics has begun a trial of their AI-found ALS drug candidate, one of the first tests for this new method of drug discovery.
Deepfake audio has a tell – researchers use fluid dynamics to spot artificial imposter voices
Audio deepfakes potentially pose a huge threat, as people often communicate via phone calls, radio, and voice recordings.
Shutterstock will sell AI images — and compensate artists
Shutterstock will make AI-generated images available on its website, while also compensating creators for helping train the AI.
How to prevent mass extinction in the ocean using AI, robots, and 3D printers
There is currently no possibility of the world reaching the 30% target for marine protected areas with existing policies. Tech to the rescue?
Farming robot kills 200,000 weeds per hour with lasers
Carbon Robotics’ LaserWeeder is a smart farming robot that identifies weeds and then kills them using high-power lasers.
AI is able to spot diseases before symptoms appear
New AI tools are helping doctors screen healthy patients for diseases early, when treatments are most effective.
Inventions that are fighting the rise of facial recognition technology
Combating the rise of facial-recognition technology, designers have created clothing and accessories to help to conceal people's identities.
Elon Musk demos humanoid robot, which will cost less than $20K
CEO Elon Musk unveiled two prototypes of the humanoid Tesla robot, expected to cost less than $20,000, at his company’s second annual AI Day.
I used generative AI to create pictures of painting robots, but I’m not the artist — humanity is
Generative AI systems are incredible and hugely important, but they are not creative. In fact, they’re not even intelligent.
Watch a robot barista create latte art
New funding will allow Seattle-based startup Artly Coffee to bring its robot barista to more US locations.
Bruce Willis sells his likeness for a deepfake ad
Retired actor Bruce Willis had a "digital twin" made so that his likeness could be inserted into a new project using deepfake tech.
A neural network discovered Copernicus’ heliocentricity on its own
Scientists trained a neural network to predict the movements of Mars and the Sun, which placed the Sun at the center of our solar system.
This Stable Diffusion mod will turn you into a Pokémon
Stable Diffusion, an open-source text-to-image AI, has been modified to generate Pokémon-like characters from simple text prompts.
How do DALL-E, Midjourney, Stable Diffusion, and other forms of generative AI work?
DALL-E and other types of generative AI can produce images that look like photographs, paintings, or drawings that were created by humans.
Target is now offering the world’s first “robot manicure”
A robot that uses AI and 3D cameras to paint fingernails is now giving Target customers 10-minute manicures for just $8.
Meta can (kinda) guess what you’ve heard via your brain waves
Meta has created an AI that can tell what you’re hearing based on non-invasive brain scan measurements.
First-of-its-kind trial shows AI beat humans at analyzing heart scans
Echonet, an AI trained to assess a measure of heart function, has outperformed trained technicians in both accuracy and efficiency.
How AI could learn from Aesop’s fables
When USC researchers tried to teach an AI simple fables, they discovered that the process is a lot harder than it sounds.
On the road to autonomous cars, driver fatigue will be a problem
New research from Waymo points the way to overcoming driver fatigue in cars that are almost — but not quite — self-driving.
Stanford’s new microchip could put powerful AI on your devices
A Stanford-led team has developed a new microchip that could let us run advanced AI programs directly on our devices.
A sepsis-catching AI has proven effective in hospitals
A new AI for spotting sepsis, which accounts for ⅓ of hospital deaths, was found to be effective in a large trial.
New algorithm aces university math course questions
Researchers use machine learning to automatically solve, explain, and generate university-level math problems at a human level.
Free Lyft robotaxis are hitting Las Vegas
Motional and Lyft are now offering robotaxi rides in Las Vegas.
Text-to-image AIs are changing art forever
Text-to-image AIs that draw whatever you describe in text are making it easy for anyone to create unique art online.
The Singularity: When will we all become super-humans?
Are we really only a moment away from "The Singularity," a technological epoch that will usher in a new era in human evolution?
MIT’s new algorithm for self-driving cars is open-source
MIT scientists unveil the first open-source simulation engine capable of constructing realistic environments for autonomous vehicles.
Why don't surgeons train like fighter pilots? Now some do.
Using AI and analysis, Theator is helping surgeons improve how pilots and pro athletes do: by going to the tape.
This little robot is cleaning up beaches, one cigarette butt at a time
Robot litter picker, the BeachBot, uses artificial intelligence to detect trash like cigarette butts and help clean up beaches.
Engineers build LEGO-like artificial intelligence chip
Engineers have created an AI chip with alternating layers of sensing and processing elements that can communicate with each other.
A celebrated AI has learned a new trick: How to do chemistry
We had a challenging question for the AI AlphaFold – had its structural training set taught it some chemistry?
How artificial intelligence is boosting crop yield to feed the world
The Gene Ranking Artificial Intelligence Network (GRAIN) identifies genes that act at a fundamental level in crop metabolism.