AI poses a variety of ethical conundrums, but the NASA teams working on Mars rovers exemplify an ethic of care and human-robot teamwork that could act as a blueprint for AI’s future.
Do you trust AI systems, like this driverless taxi, to behave the way you expect them to?
AP Photo/Terry Chea
People can trust each other because they understand how the human mind works, can predict people’s behavior, and assume that most people have a moral sense. None of these things are true of AI.
The science of human consciousness offers new ways of gauging machine minds – and suggests there’s no obvious reason computers can’t develop awareness.
A new machine learning model can pinpoint anomalies in sports results – whether from match fixing, strategic losses or poor player performance. It could be a useful tool in the fight against cheating.
The seeds of the current commotion over AI were laid years ago.
The government, banks and other financial organisations are now dealing with fraud by using increasingly sophisticated detection methods.
Maksim Shmeljov/Shutterstock
Air quality forecasting is getting better, thanks in part to AI. That’s good, given the health impact of air pollution. An environmental engineer explains how systems warn of incoming smog or smoke.
Artificial intelligence looks like a political campaign manager’s dream because it could tune its persuasion efforts to millions of people individually – but it could be a nightmare for democracy.
An X-ray image comparing a healthy spine and one showing signs of ankylosing spondylitis.
Suttha Burawonk/Shutterstock
Quantum machine learning models could help us create AI systems that are almost impenetrable by hackers. But in the hands of hackers, the same technology could wreak havoc.
Approach all information with some initial skepticism.
Guillermo Spelucin/Moment via Getty Images
Generative AIs may make up information they serve you, meaning they may potentially spread science misinformation. Here’s how to check the accuracy of what you read in an AI-enhanced media landscape.
Researchers are working on untangling the neural circuitry of chronic and acute pain.
Victor Habbick Visions/Science Photo Library via Getty Images
Pain has long been subjectively measured, leading to frustrations for patients and doctors alike. Identifying neural biomarkers of pain could improve diagnosis and lead to better treatments of chronic pain conditions.
You can’t see inside any opaque box, but the color black adds an air of mystery.
chingraph/iStock via Getty Images
Metaphorical black boxes shield the inner workings of AIs, which protect software developers’ intellectual property. They also make it hard to understand how the AIs work – and why things go wrong.
Artificial intelligence tools are making waves in almost every aspect of life, and astronomy is no different. An astronomer explains the history and future of AI in understanding the universe.