Category: Status

Developed by Microsoft’s research division Tay is a…

Developed by Microsoft’s research division, Tay is a virtual friend with behaviors informed by the web chatter of some 18–24-year-olds and the repartee of a handful of improvisational comedians (Microsoft declined to name them). Her purpose, unlike AI-powered virtual assistants like Facebook’s M, is almost entirely to amuse. And Tay does do that: She is simultaneously entertaining, infuriating, manic, and irreverent.

http://www.buzzfeed.com/alexkantrowitz/microsoft-introduces-tay-an-ai-powered-chatbot-it-hopes-will#.ytYzABj6o

Granted these stories are all data driven and…

Granted, these stories are all data-driven and lack literary flair, so human journalists still own deep reporting and analysis—for now. Narrative Sciences predicts that work written by its program will earn a Pulitzer Prize any day now, and that computers will control 90 percent of journalism in roughly 15 years. If you’re dubious about robo-journalism, check out this quiz by the New York Times to see if you can distinguish between human and robot writing.

http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2016/03/20/the-next-picasso-is-a-robot.html

By eating less meat and more fruit and…

By eating less meat and more fruit and vegetables, the world could prevent several million deaths per year by 2050, cut planet-warming emissions substantially, and save billions of dollars annually in healthcare costs and climate damage, researchers said.

http://www.nbcnews.com/health/diet-fitness/vegan-eating-would-slash-cut-food-s-global-warming-emissions-n542886

FBI Looking to Delay Tomorrow’s Hearing on Apple Encryption

“On Sunday, March 20, 2016, an outside party demonstrated to the FBI a possible method for unlocking [terrorist Syed] Farook’s iPhone,” federal prosecutors said in a filing Monday afternoon. “Testing is required to determine whether it is a viable method that will not compromise data on Farook’s iPhone. If the method is viable, it should eliminate the need for the assistance from Apple Inc. (“Apple”) set forth in the All Writs Act Order in this case.”

http://www.politico.com/story/2016/03/feds-move-to-cancel-iphone-hearing-221062

Episode 40: Thinking Out Loud 104: Yours, Mine, and Ours – Thinking.FM

 

How many writing projects are you working on? Elisabeth and Merianna talk about their joint writing project, individual projects, and ghost writing projects and how to keep them all going at the same time. They also ask the question, “Can you make it as a loner writer?” No!

So, join Elisabeth and Merianna for the first ever Thinking Out Loud Writers’ Conference.

Mentioned:

What are Elisabeth and Merianna reading?

The post Thinking Out Loud 104: Yours, Mine, and Ours appeared first on Thinking.FM.

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Episode 39: Thinking Religion 70: “And you never ask questions when God’s on your side” – Thinking.FM

 

Dr. Thomas Whitley and Rev. Sam Harrelson discuss the religion of college football, Rip and Dip vs Common Cup vs Shot Glasses, Rubio’s odd theological farewell speech, the power of professing God’s Will, and why the Republican Party enabled Trump.

Mentioned:

The post Thinking Religion 70: “And you never ask questions when God’s on your side” appeared first on Thinking.FM.

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