Tech

  1. Artificial Intelligence

    Can we train AI to be creative? One lab is testing ideas

    Artificial intelligence explores new ideas by tapping human intuition, a step toward humanlike intelligence.

    By Matthew Hutson
  2. Artificial Intelligence

    Want to spot a deepfake? The eyes could be a giveaway

    Reflections in the eyes of AI-generated images of people don’t always match up, researchers report.

    By Ananya
  3. Oceans

    This AI can predict ship-sinking ‘freak’ waves minutes in advance

    The model, which was trained on data from ocean buoys to identify potential rogue waves, could help save lives.

    By Nikk Ogasa
  4. Artificial Intelligence

    AI’s understanding and reasoning skills can’t be assessed by current tests

    Assessing whether large language models — including the one that powers ChatGPT — have humanlike cognitive abilities will require better tests.

    By Ananya
  5. Tech

    This 3-D printer can fit in the palm of your hand

    Researchers developed a chip-based device for 3-D printing objects on the go.

    By Claire Yuan
  6. Artificial Intelligence

    Reinforcement learning AI might bring humanoid robots to the real world

    Reinforcement learning techniques could be the keys to integrating robots — who use machine learning to output more than words — into the real world.

    By Matthew Hutson
  7. Artificial Intelligence

    Should we use AI to resurrect digital ‘ghosts’ of the dead?

    Technology that creates deepfake bots of dead loved ones may need safeguards, experts warn.

    By Kathryn Hulick
  8. Artificial Intelligence

    This robot can tell when you’re about to smile — and smile back

    Using machine learning, researchers trained Emo to make facial expressions in sync with humans.

    By Helen Bradshaw
  9. Artificial Intelligence

    AI learned how to sway humans by watching a cooperative cooking game

    New research used the game Overcooked to show how offline reinforcement learning algorithms could teach bots to collaborate with — or manipulate — us.

    By Matthew Hutson
  10. Artificial Intelligence

    Why large language models aren’t headed toward humanlike understanding

    Unlike people, today's generative AI isn’t good at learning concepts that it can apply to new situations.

    By Tom Siegfried
  11. Agriculture

    Could a rice-meat hybrid be what’s for dinner?

    A hybrid food that combines rice, animal cells and fish gelatin could one day be a more sustainable way to produce meat.

    By Meghan Rosen
  12. Artificial Intelligence

    How do babies learn words? An AI experiment may hold clues

    Using relatively little data, audio and video taken from a baby’s perspective, an AI program learned the names of objects the baby encountered.

    By Laura Sanders