Tech & Society
Autonomous Systems Wage War: Drones are redefining warfare. What if humans lose control?
Drones are becoming the deadliest weapons in today’s war zones, and they’re not just following orders. Should AI decide who lives or dies?
Tech & Society
Tech & Society
Chatbots Lead Users Into Rabbit Holes: When paranoia, delusions, and other signs of mental illness meet AI
Conversations with chatbots are loosening users’ grips on reality, fueling the sorts of delusions that can trigger episodes of severe mental illness. Are AI models driving us insane?
Business
California Builds AI Regulatory Regime: The U.S.’s biggest state by population and economy passed four AI transparency bills is less than one month
In the absence of national laws that specifically regulate AI in the United States, California moved to regulate the technology within its own borders, passing four bills in less than a month.
Business
OpenAI, Meta Diversify AI Product Lines: OpenAI and Meta launch social video apps while ChatGPT adds Pulse and Instant Checkout
OpenAI and Meta, which have been content to offer standalone chatbots or tuck them into existing products, introduced dueling social video networks and other initiatives designed to boost revenue and engagement.
Business
Generating Music, Paying Musicians: Sweden’s STIM built an ecosystem for training AI models on copyrighted music and compensating original artists
A Swedish organization that collects royalties on behalf of songwriters and record companies has formed a technology-legal-business ecosystem designed to allow AI developers to use music legally while compensating publishers of recordings and compositions.
Letters
High Stakes in the U.S.-China AI Chip Race: China’s decision to use domestic AI chips instead of buying from Nvidia signals progress — and newfound confidence — in its own semiconductor industry.
Last week, China barred its major tech companies from buying Nvidia chips.
Business
Sports Betting Goes Agentic: Gambling sites roll out AI tools that predict wins and track bets for sports fans
AI agents are getting in on the action of online sports gambling.
Machine Learning Research
What ChatGPT Users Want: ChatGPT users now more likely to be young, female, and seeking info, study shows
What do ChatGPT’s 700 million weekly active users do with it? OpenAI teamed up with a Harvard economist to find out.
Hardware
Drone Swarms Go to War: Ukraine experiments with small groups of low-contact, high-autonomy drones that strike on initiative
Swarms of drones that coordinate with one another autonomously have become a battlefield staple in Ukraine.
Tech & Society
States Ban AI-Driven Treatments for Mental Health: Illinois follows Nevada, prohibiting certain uses of chatbots unless used by licensed therapists
Illinois became the second U.S. state, after Nevada, to ban AI applications that administer psychotherapy.
Letters
Knowledge Is Great, Skills Are Greater: Educators are shifting from teaching knowledge to teaching practical skills. A report from the Coursera Connect conference
This week, Coursera held its annual conference in Las Vegas. A major theme was the shift from knowledge- to skills-based education, which will help many individuals, businesses, and educational institutions.
Tech & Society
2 Hours With AI Versus 6 With Teacher: Inside Alpha School, a Texas-based program using algorithms and video monitors to teach children
A growing private school system replaces the typical 6-hour school day with 2 hours of personalized, AI-assisted education.