Technology

Making AI more “human”: A conversation with Northeastern AI professor Lawson Wong

What is “intelligence”? Large language models like ChatGPT have showcased an impressive ability to generate human-like responses that appear highly intelligent. The current trend in AI development seems to revolve around creating increasingly larger models, with billions upon billions of parameters, as a path toward achieving general-purpose AI. However, Yann Lecun, chief AI scientist at […]

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Defeating paralysis: revolutionary brain implant allows woman to speak after 18 years 

In 2004, a sudden brainstem stroke left the then 30-year-old Ann Johnson completely paralyzed. It took years of physical therapy for her to regain enough muscle control to express emotion on her face and breathe independently, but the muscles controlling her speech remained stagnant. Her daughter, 13 months old at the time of the stroke,

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ChatGPT, an AI chatbot and now a published author?

The public has scoffed at students for “cheating” their way through classes with AI homework helpers. Many feel as though it is dishonest to use technology for assignments, so how would those same people feel if they knew that reliable and credible scientific journals are starting to list one of these same “homework helpers” as

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How AI is changing the journalism industry

In the age of Hollywood writers striking over the use of artificial intelligence in writers’ rooms and AI-written articles, many have expressed concerns over the capabilities of artificial intelligence to replace journalists and media producers alike. Instead, some see artificial intelligence as a tool to expand the capabilities of the creative and journalistic industries.  For

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New snowmaking tech is helping New England ski resorts beat climate change

Preparations for ski season start early in Vermont’s Green Mountains. In early October, Greg Gleason, who runs snowmaking at Killington Ski Resort, gives his staff the all-clear. Over the next four hours the system of artificial snow production on which Vermont’s tourism industry increasingly depends roars to life. Hundreds of thousands of gallons of water

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Cracking the code behind TikTok’s ‘For You’ algorithm

Taylor Swift. Northeastern memes. That concert you went to last weekend. Endless scrolling through countless short videos until you zone back into reality. This is a typical experience on TikTok’s “For You” page. Somehow, the mysterious TikTok algorithm never fails to yield an entertaining assortment of content, stealing hundreds of precious active hours with its

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New trends in space tourism: Can we actually reach the stars?

For many, the idea of going beyond the boundaries of Earth’s atmosphere is exhilarating. Curiosity has propelled human development, allowing us to reach the stars. From inventing the airplane to landing on the moon, humanity has an obsession with what lies above. To explore the stars and be launched into the midst of a tenebrous

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