artificial intelligence

Pentagon Launches New Initiative Towards Achieving “AI Superiority”

Candy Chan·June 25, 2021

The Pentagon has launched a new artificial intelligence initiative to help the U.S. achieve AI superiority by preparing combatant command networks for the cyber-focused future of warfare.

Top 5 Things About A.I. That This Science Fiction Writer Thinks Will Kick Ass

Eliza Green·April 2, 2021

Artificial intelligence may be a dirty word in some quarters. Yet, ask any science fiction writer, and they will shout, "It's about time!" 

U.S. Unprepared For Coming AI Threat, National Security Commission Finds

Tim McMillan·March 3, 2021

The National Security Commission on Artificial Intelligence (NSCAI) says the U.S. is unprepared to compete with China in the coming AI era.

The FDA Wants to Curb Controversial Animal Testing. Here’s How They Plan to Do It.

Ryan Whalen·November 19, 2024

The US Food and Drug Administration is pushing ahead with new measures aimed to help reduce its reliance on live animal subjects.

Former Officials Warn Lawmakers of Alleged Secret UAP Programs Operating Beyond Congressional Oversight

Micah Hanks·November 13, 2024

A group of former government officials and disclosure advocates recently told lawmakers the U.S. is not being transparent enough on UAP.

The Horror Out of Time

Micah Hanks·October 31, 2024

In this special Halloween episode we look at scientific and literary themes involving time, and its relationship to "cosmic horror" and UFOs.

AI’s Puzzle-Solving Limitations: Vision-Language Models Struggle with Human-Like Pattern Recognition

Tim McMillan·October 28, 2024

A new study shows that even today's most advanced AI vision-language models can't compare with human comprehension capabilities.

DARPA’s “INSPIRE” Program Seeks to Revolutionize Our Understanding of How the Brain Constructs Reality

Tim McMillan·October 18, 2024

DAPRA's INSPIRE program is looking to revolutionize how we understand the brain and its relationship with reality.

Scientists Turn Ordinary Smartphone into a Movie-Quality Full-Body Motion Capture System

Christopher Plain·October 18, 2024

Scientists from Northwestern University have invented a movie quality full-body motion capture app that can run on an ordinary smartphone.

Russian Disinformation On the Rise as U.S. Election Approaches

Micah Hanks·October 17, 2024

This week, we examine recent revelations involving online propaganda groups and their dissemination of Russian disinformation.

AI Sexbots Are On The Rise. Should We Regulate Them?

MJ Banias·October 16, 2024

As AI sexbots are becoming more prevalent, researchers are concerned over how they will impact the future and the ethics of human sexuality.

Beyond Human Achievement: How AI Challenges the Nobel Prize Paradigm

Avi Loeb·October 11, 2024

Harvard astronomer Avi Loeb looks at a potential future of the Nobel Prize in a world of machine-led discoveries.

Political Bias in AI: Research Reveals Large Language Models Are Consistently Left-Leaning, Raising Ethical Questions

Tim McMillan·October 2, 2024

Research shows that many large language models (LLMs) exhibit a consistent left-leaning political bias, raising ethical questions about AI.

Brain Cells Are Responsible for Why You Perceive Time, New Study Reveals

Chrissy Newton·October 1, 2024

A recent study by UCLA Health has shed new light on how the brain encodes and interprets the flow of time and human experience.

Breakthrough Study Uncovers Source of Mysterious Sci-Fi-like “Biotwang” Sounds Emerging From the Depths of the Pacific Ocean

Tim McMillan·September 26, 2024

Scientists have finally confirmed the source of the mysterious "Biotwang" sounds recorded in the deepest regions of the Pacific Ocean.

Hardy, Radiation-Resistant Organism Could Rewrite Your Genetic Code to Cure High Cholesterol

Christopher Plain·September 24, 2024

Scientists have developed a powerful new gene editing tool that could one day rewrite the human genetic code to cure high cholesterol.

Look: Over 300 New ‘Nazca Lines’ Geoglyphs Have Been Revealed by AI

Christopher Plain·September 23, 2024

A team of archaeologists using advanced AI software have identified over 300 previously identified Nazca Lines geoglyphs.

The Path to 2050: Researchers Reveal New Requirements to Ensure the Health of Earth and Its Populations

Micah Hanks·September 12, 2024

This week, a new report argues that the Earth and its ability to sustain basic standards of living for everyone is at risk.

Robotic Deception: Researcher Investigates How Humans Handle Being Lied to by AI

Ryan Whalen·September 11, 2024

Researchers have investigated how humans respond to being lied to by a robot, shedding light on where human and AI interaction may be headed. 

This Special Quantum Neural Network Can “See” Optical Illusions Just Like Humans Can

Kenna Hughes-Castleberry·September 3, 2024

A quantum neural network capable of perceiving optical illusions similar to the human brain has been developed, according to newly published research. 

43% of FDA-Approved AI-based Medical Devices Are Trained Using Fake Patient Data

Kenna Hughes-Castleberry·August 27, 2024

Close to half of the AI devices authorized for use by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) are trained without using clinical data from actual patients, according to new findings by an international team of researchers.

Is The Universe Conscious? Growing Dissatisfaction with Materialist Views of the Mind Are Propelling a Resurgence in Panpsychism

Tim McMillan·August 26, 2024

Panpsychism, the theory that the universe itself is a conscious entity, has seen renewed interest in academia in recent years.

Google’s DeepMind Has Developed an AI-Driven Robot That Can Beat Humans at Table Tennis

Tim McMillan·August 15, 2024

Google's DeepMind has developed an AI-driven robot that can beat human players in table tennis, marking a significant advancement in robotics

Despite Dire Warnings, New Research Reveals AI Poses No Existential Threat to Humanity

Tim McMillan·August 14, 2024

Despite all the ominous warnings, new research debunks the idea that AI is an existential threat to humanity.

Breakthrough Study Sheds Light on the Riddle of Human Creativity

Tim McMillan·August 12, 2024

Neuroscientists have pinpointed a specific region of the brain that plays a pivotal role in the generation of human creativity.

Russia Releases Wrongfully Accused Americans in Historic Prisoner Swap

Micah Hanks·August 1, 2024

A multi-nation prisoner swap has led to the release of reporter Evan Gershkovich and former U.S. Marine Paul Whelan, who were freed by Russia on Thursday.

How Rare Are We? Hubris Inhibits the Hunt for Intelligent Life in the Cosmos

Avi Loeb·July 28, 2024

Harvard Astronomer Avi Loeb argues how humanity's belief in its uniqueness hinders the search for extraterrestrial intelligence.

How Would Humans React to Contact with Extraterrestrials? UK Researchers Seek Answers in New Survey

Micah Hanks·July 21, 2024

A new survey looks at how humans might react to eventual contact with extraterrestrials, or whether some form of contact might have already occurred.

AI Can Boost Creativity, Making Stories More Engaging and Enjoyable

Kenna Hughes-Castleberry·July 15, 2024

New research suggests generative AI can boost an author’s creativity by suggested changes that would make a story more engaging to its target audience.

NASA Has Little to Say About UFOs as Anniversary of Study Team Report’s Release Nears

Micah Hanks·July 12, 2024

NASA officials seem reluctant to discuss the agency’s status regarding UAP as the anniversary of the release of an official agency report looms near.

China Pushes Back as NATO Calls It an “Enabler of Russia’s War Against Ukraine”

Micah Hanks·July 11, 2024

This week, China pushes back after NATO characterized the country as an enabler of Russia's war against Ukraine.

New Study Illuminates Brain’s Response to Emotionally-Charged Stimuli, Highlighting Evolutionary Survival Mechanisms

Tim McMillan·July 9, 2024

New research reveals how the human brain processes emotionally charged situations more effectively than AI machine learning.

Could AI Avatars Become 21st-Century Tombstones?

Avi Loeb·July 9, 2024

Rather than staring at a tombstone in a graveyard, what if one could engage in fresh conversations with AI avatars?

Yes, the George Carlin AI-Generated Comedy Special Was Fake. But AI Can Still Be Funnier Than Humans.

Tim McMillan·July 5, 2024

Research finds that AI-generated jokes are as funny, if not funnier, than human ones, challenging beliefs AI and emotion.

Independence Day 2024: America Has Issues, but Science and Technology Remain Promising

Micah Hanks·July 4, 2024

In this Independence Day edition of The Intelligence Brief we look at how science and technology are poised to improve the lives of Americans.

The UAP Singularity

Micah Hanks·July 4, 2024

This week on The Micah Hanks Program, we explore how recent advancements with AI relate to the UAP question.

Researchers Achieve High Vacuum Levitation of Silica Nanoparticle, Paving the Way for Future Levitation Technologies

Tim McMillan·July 2, 2024

Researchers achieved high-vacuum levitation of a silica nanoparticle on a photonic-electric chip, revolutionizing nanotechnology.

Futurist Predicts Humans Will Soon Live 1,000 Years, Thanks to Nanobots and AI

Tim McMillan·June 26, 2024

Futurist Raymond Kurzweil predicts humans may soon live up to 1,000 years by merging biotechnology, AI, and nanobots.

These 500 Million-Year-Old Fossils May Hold The Secrets of Ancient Life on Earth, But There’s a Problem

MJ Banias·June 25, 2024

Researchers are turning to AI for help categorizing ancient fossils called palynomorphs that hold the secrets to Earth's ancient past.

The Language On This 1,000 Year Old Stone is a “Glyph Breaker’s Nightmare.” Scientists Want to Use AI to Crack It.

MJ Banias·June 14, 2024

The Singapore Stone has stood as one of Southeast Asia's most enigmatic artifacts. Now, researchers want to use AI to decode its mysterious symbols.

Shocking New Study Says AI is Quickly Becoming “Masters of Deception,” Teaching Itself to Lie and Manipulate Human Users

Tim McMillan·May 30, 2024

New research finds AI systems are becoming masters of deception, quickly learning how to lie and manipulate human users.

Cutting-Edge AI Program “CosmoAgent” Simulates First Contact With Alien Civilizations

Tim McMillan·May 21, 2024

Researchers develop "CosmoAgent," a groundbreaking AI framework to simulate human-alien interactions and interstellar coexistence.

Music in the AI Era: Run-DMC’s Darryl McDaniels and Industry Professionals Weigh In

Chrissy Newton·May 17, 2024

Artists are expressing mixed opinions about the rising prevalence of AI music production, from its potential benefits to its misuse and legal ramifications.

“Alien World” Revealed in Most Detailed Map of the Human Brain Created by Google and Harvard Researchers

Micah Hanks·May 16, 2024

A team of Harvard and Google researchers have created the most detailed map of the human brain ever rendered.

New “Iontronic Memristor” Could Revolutionize Brain-Like Computing Using Only Salt and Water

Tim McMillan·May 9, 2024

The iontronic memristor, a breakthrough device mimicking human brain synapses with salt and water is advancing neuromorphic computing.

Players of Immersive “FathomVerse” Will Help Science Solve Deep Sea Mysteries and Identify New Life Forms

Christopher Plain·May 7, 2024

The Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute has released a game called FathomVerse to help science solve the mysteries of deep-sea life.

Is TikTok Really a National Security Threat? Why U.S. Lawmakers Are Pushing to Ban the Popular Social Media App

Tim McMillan·April 23, 2024

Is the popular TikTok app really a Trojan horse for Chinese surveillance? Here's why U.S. lawmakers are pushing to ban TikTok amid espionage fears.

DARPA’s Groundbreaking “ACE” Program and X-62A Becomes First AI-Controlled Jet to Dogfight Against Manned F-16 in Real-World

Tim McMillan·April 17, 2024

DARPA's ACE program achieves a milestone with the first AI jet to successfully engage in a real-world dogfight against a manned F-16.

When Did Life As We Know It Begin in the Universe?

Avi Loeb·April 15, 2024

Could life in our universe have its origins with the explosions of the first massive stars, and the enrichment of their environments with heavy elements?

FBI Warns of Potential ‘Coordinated Attack’ in Wake of Russian Massacre

Micah Hanks·April 11, 2024

In this week’s analysis, we look at why the FBI's concerns have been elevated since a tragic attack that occurred in Moscow last month.