Electronics & Computing

These creepy fake humans herald a new age in AI

Technology Review: You can see the faint stubble coming in on his upper lip, the wrinkles on his forehead, the blemishes on his skin. He isn’t a real person, but he’s meant to mimic one—as are the hundreds of thousands of…

Something Bothering You? Tell It to Woebot.

New York Times: “I understand that you’re experiencing a relationship problem, is that right?” Yes. “Okay, I’m delighted that you want to work on this K. I’ve good and bad news for you… Which do you want to hear first?” Good news….

Simulation Reveals How Magnetism Helps Form Planets

Quanta Magazine: We like to think of ourselves as unique. That conceit may even be true when it comes to our cosmic neighborhood: Despite the fact that planets between the sizes of Earth and Neptune appear to be the most common…

Why Apple and Google’s Virus Alert Apps Had Limited Success

New York Times: Sarah Cavey, a real estate agent in Denver, was thrilled last fall when Colorado introduced an app to warn people of possible coronavirus exposures. Based on software from Apple and Google, the state’s smartphone app uses Bluetooth signals to…