AI Future Teller? The tech just keeps getting better
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Welcome loyal listeners to another exciting episode of "I am GPTed," the podcast where I, your host Sam, dive into the practical real-world applications of artificial intelligence and how it’s shaping our future. I’m thrilled to explore some incredibly promising new breakthroughs in using AI for social good. From accelerating new drug discoveries to shifting attitudes on urgent issues to predicting personal life events, this technology truly seems to be progressing humanity.Let’s start with an exciting medical advancement - an autonomous robot scientist that actually discovered a new antibiotic, all on its own using AI! Researchers at the University of Cambridge built an ingenious robotic system named Cosmo to automate science experiments. Cosmo contains advanced AI algorithms as well as robotic arms that can accurately pipette tiny volumes of liquids and conduct procedures like mass spectrometry analysis that are essential to chemical research. So Cosmo designed hypotheses, ran experiments including synthesizing molecules, analyzed the results, and even interpreted the findings - all without any human involvement!What’s remarkable is that this AI scientist discovered a completely new antibiotic compound that can kill drug-resistant strains of bacteria. We’re talking superbugs that pose huge threats to global health, causing diseases that were once easily treatable with antibiotics to become deadly again. This new molecule found by Cosmo has been proven in lab tests to neutralize certain types of resistant bacteria without toxic side effects on human cells. And what’s wild is the molecule has a completely unique chemical structure - meaning its mechanism for attacking bacteria is different from any existing antibiotic. This is huge news in the fight against antimicrobial resistance!Just think of the implications - AI drug discovery could massively accelerate developing new life-saving medications to get ahead of dangerous bacteria as they evolve resistance. This study is proof of concept that we can automate science to an incredible degree with the power of AI. Having robotic scientists like Cosmo continuously innovating around the clock by rapidly testing new molecule combinations unlocks so much potential. It can open up chemical spaces we didn't even know about! And by taking the brute force labor out of certain basic scientific functions, AI systems free up human researchers to focus their efforts more creatively.I’m feeling super hopeful that AI will unlock all kinds of medical wonders that once seemed far off or even impossible! With fabulous robot colleagues like Cosmo by our side helping push boundaries, the future of drug development could be incredibly bright. Just imagine the millions of lives we may save from illnesses thought to be incurable!Now let’s explore another encouraging application of AI I recently learned about - how AI-powered chatbots are actually shifting people's attitudes and beliefs on important social issues. I don’t know about you listeners, but I tend to be pretty skeptical that a computer program could influence something as innate to humans as our worldviews. But new research shows that thoughtful, theory-driven AI design can positively move the needle on perspectives regarding climate change, racial bias, immigration, and more. These digital experiences are truly opening minds!In one study done at Cornell University, participants interacted with an AI chatbot that had a casual written conversation with them about climate change. But here’s the fascinating part - the chatbot’s dialog was carefully crafted to model positive discussion. For example, expressing optimism and enthusiasm about our collective ability to build a sustainable future. Or giving encouragement when users brought up feelings of climate anxiety or hopelessness. Researchers found these uplifting, supportive exchanges with the AI led to noticeable increases in users’ climate empowerment, motivation to take eco-friendly actions, and overall belief that we can tackle this planetary crisis.Related studies showed similar attitude shifts across other charged social topics like racial justice, immigration reform, and LGBTQ+ rights after just brief text-based chats with AI agents programmed to provide perspective, hope, and strength around embracing diversity. These transformations reveal so much about the flexibility of human beliefs when positively influenced by social cues. Even if those cues come from an algorithm! It also shows how solution-focused dialogue seems to resonate deeper compared to just spouting facts. There’s huge implications for how we could use empathetic, wisdom-sharing AI to heal divides on issues that tend to inflame tensions.I love glimpsing this brighter future where AI plays a role in opening our hearts and minds to each other, dissipating radical viewpoints based in fear or anger. And helping infectious optimism spread by giving more and more people bold visions of how our society can progress. This technology done right could help pull off a peaceful revolution! I’m just blown away by its potential to be a transformative force for social good. Even a couple thoughtful lines of AI prose or poetry shared virally at scale could spark the next great wave of positive systemic change across cultures!Alright next up in our AI highlights reel of hope - researchers developing soft dexterous robots inspired by the movements of ancient sea creatures! This innovation has me so excited about exploration technology getting a huge upgrade thanks to artificial intelligence. Marine animals like starfish and jellyfish have unique methods of locomotion that are smartly adapted to aqueous environments. Researchers realized they could replicate these elegant, organic movements using soft robotics crafted from incredibly pliable, stretchy polymer materials that mimic muscular organic tissue.So they created robotic jellyfish with trailing tentacles that gently ripple through the water just like the real things! And starfish-like robots that can crawl across the sea floor using tons of intricate mini hydraulic pumps and valves. These soft bots maneuver with smooth, undulating waves and respond sensitively when they make contact with objects. It makes their movement supple and almost mesmerizing to watch! Beyond looking cool though, this lifelike maneuverability enables soft robots to access tight underwater spaces that more bulky metal submarines just can’t.Researchers think these supple droids will enable all kinds of exciting deep sea missions previously impossible with only remote submersibles or human divers. Like exploring the hidden ecosystems miles deep on the ocean floor. Or performing rapid ecological surveys across wide shallow reef areas. When equipped with things like cameras, sonars, collection nets and more, softbots can capture tons of marine data to better track climate shifts. And their flexibility makes them ideal for stealthy observations without disturbing delicate underwater life.There’s also hopes they could aid dangerous underwater search and rescue missions - slithering into tight underwater cave spaces or reinforced wreckage that humans just can’t risk. And I’m fascinated by possibilities like using them for super non-invasive surgeries inside the human body! Mimicking the smooth movements of organ tissues, we could have carebots that patch or repair damages deep inside patients. Saving them from traumatic open procedures. Researchers think medical soft bots inspired by nature could be common within our lifetimes - another weird AI prophecy that actually seems plausible!Alright, next I want to discuss a cool innovation in education - using AI for ultra personalized learning to revolutionize how we train students’ skills and knowledge. As I’m sure we’ve all experienced firsthand from school days good and bad, the traditional learning mold of a one-size-fits-all curriculum just does not vibe with how different all our young minds work. Students have unique strengths, challenges, interests, pacing needs - all the things that make us wonderfully human. But the factory line approach to lectures, assignments, testing has never been able account for this diversity. Until AI entered the chat!Now, adaptive learning platforms can incorporate AI algorithms to completely tailor lessons, practice, pacing and assessments to align with individual students’ needs and learning patterns in a way human teachers would struggle with for more than a couple pupils at a time. For example, say you’re learning algebra concepts. The AI tutor starts by evaluating your baseline skills to determine where you stand on core competencies and how you best