In the months leading up to last year’s presidential election, more than 2,000 Americans, roughly split across partisan lines, were recruited for an experiment: Could an AI model influence their political inclinations? The premise was straightforward—let people spend a few minutes talking with a chatbot designed to stump for Kamala Harris or Donald Trump, then see if their voting preferences changed at all. (Wong, The Atlantic)
Read MoreTilly Norwood, an “actress” built with artificial intelligence, comes from humble beginnings, popping into the mind of Eline Van der Velden while the producer was in the restroom at London’s private Groucho Club. By the time Van der Velden got home, her mind was made up: She was going to make the first AI movie star. (Gamerman, The Wall Street Journal)
Read MoreFor years, the Anglican church had sat on a tiny island in the middle of the Strand between two lanes of traffic. Cab drivers called it “St Mary in the way.” Designed by the renowned Scottish architect James Gibbs, the church had turned ashen from soot and diesel fumes and was dwarfed by the many cultural institutions that had grown up around it. (Shimron, Religion News Service)
Read MoreAI chatbots, like ChatGPT and Character.ai, are getting teens’ attention. Roughly two-thirds report using chatbots, including about three-in-ten who do so daily, according to a new Pew Research Center survey of 1,458 U.S. teens ages 13 to 17. (Faverio, Pew Research Center)
Read MoreAs we do every year, we’ve gathered data around some of the most pivotal news stories of 2025, including President Donald Trump’s return to the White House, the changing U.S. immigration landscape and the rapid rise of artificial intelligence worldwide. Here’s a look back at 2025 through 12 of Pew Research Center’s most striking research findings. (Jackson & Hatfield, Pew Research)
Read MoreAfter what she describes as a spiritual awakening, [Nala] Ray left OnlyFans and has since become an outspoken critic of the platform. Now, she says, she wants to see OnlyFans − the very website she helped turn into a porn empire − destroyed. (Trepany, USA Today)
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