Depending on AI can also potentially decrease the ability to discern misinformation, research says
A new study from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology is the latest research to find that relying too much on chatbots can diminish critical-thinking skills, and potentially decrease our ability to discern misinformation for ourselves.
As AI tools are becoming more sophisticated and accessible, manipulated images and misleading headlines are becoming more common. AI can be part of the solution, and has proved useful in helping users identify fake content – but there’s a cost to using it this way, the new research suggests. An over-dependence on AI to help figure out what’s real on the internet can lead to trouble making those judgments.
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According to the latest Pew Research poll, 49 percent of Americans report using chatbots at least occasionally, but 63 percent think the tech is advancing too quickly. Overall, use of AI chatbots has increased dramatically since 2024, when only 33 percent reported using them. Specifically, ChatGPT's usage has doubled since 2023, with 44 percent of respondents saying they've used it. But opinions remain negative, with only 16 percent saying that AI will have a positive impact on society.
Interestingly, it's the younger generations who both report using AI more and who are inclined to have a more pessimistic view. 66 percent of Americans betw …
Read the full story at The Verge.
There are concerns about artificial intelligence’s risks to kids’ learning and critical thinking, and tech companies are pushing to get chatbots into schools.
‘Listen, that's not what I'm here for, right?' | Image: Apple
Our early testing has already shown that Siri AI knows when to shut up, and that's very much by design. In an interview with Mostly Human, Apple's Craig Federighi said new Siri won't act all sycophantic like chatbots made by OpenAI, Google, and others.
"As you may know, if you use many of the existing chatbots, they're really focused on engagement to a large degree," said Federighi who is responsible for software at Apple. "And sycophancy, right? They kind of want to pull you in. They might encourage you to reveal things about yourself, and then use that as a basis to establish a connection."
Apple purposely took a different approach with …
Read the full story at The Verge.
There’s a downside to too much convenience: it harms our bodies
There is a seductive fantasy being floated by AI executives that all the efficiency their products will bring us will lead to humans finally returning to their essential, best selves. Picture it: when this day arrives, we’ll spring from our chairs, push aside our keyboards and, supposedly, do all things we’ve been meaning to do: hike, cook and finally take a pilates class.
It’s true – AI has already taken some workday drudgery, such as reading and writing contracts, presentations and quarterly reports, off some people’s plates. Within a few years, we’re told, a team of invisible digital assistants will take over mundane domestic chores too: making medical appointments, renewing our car insurance and planning. The vision is enticing: finally, the moment when we can stop switching-switching-switching between screens and devices, put our health first and flourish. Unfortunately, if the history of innovation teaches us anythin
Modern AI systems have evolved beyond the simple chatbots that quickly became popular. Now they use semantic tools to manage workflows and link machines to machines, providing a flexible and effective framework for the next generation of business automation. What you used to build in Microsoft’s Power Platform or construct inside Biztalk is now an agent, built around large language models (LLMs) that can parse both your data and the APIs that you want to use your data with, orchestrating workflows with a level of autonomy that traditional tooling can’t match.
That shift has offered new opportunities, much like those that came with business platforms like Microsoft Dynamics and Salesforce. Here, tools built to solve one set of business problems could be turned into applications that could be sold to other companies. What worked for you to solve one of your problems could now be an added revenue stream, sold through platform marketplaces that helped customers manage installations and cus
