The Download: election tech fears, and AI for teachers
This is today’s edition of The Download, our weekday newsletter that provides a daily dose of what’s going on in the world of technology.
AI’s impact on elections is being overblown
—Felix M. Simon is a research fellow in AI and News at the Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism; Keegan McBride is an assistant professor in AI, government, and policy at the Oxford Internet Institute; Sacha Altay is a research fellow in the department of political science at the University of Zurich.
This year, close to half the world’s population has the opportunity to participate in an election. And according to a steady stream of pundits, institutions, academics, and news organizations, there’s a major new threat to the integrity of those elections: artificial intelligence.
The internet is full of doom-laden stories proclaiming that AI-generated deepfakes will mislead and influence voters, as well as enabling new forms of personalized and targeted political advertising.
Though such claims are concerning, it is critical to look at the evidence. With a substantial number of this year’s elections concluded, it is a good time to ask how accurate these assessments have been so far. The preliminary answer seems to be not very. Read the full story.
Here’s how ed-tech companies are pitching AI to teachers
This back-to-school season marks the third year in which AI models like ChatGPT will be used by thousands of students around the globe. A top concern among educators remains that when students use such models to write essays or come up with ideas for projects, they miss out on the hard and focused thinking that builds creative reasoning skills.
But this year, educational technology companies are pitching schools on a different use of AI. Rather than scrambling to tamp down the use of it in the classroom, these companies are coaching teachers how to use AI tools to cut down on time they spend on tasks like grading, providing feedback to students, or planning lessons.
They’re positioning AI as a teacher’s ultimate time saver. But will teachers buy it? And should they? Read the full story.
—James O’Donnell
This story is from The Algorithm, our weekly newsletter covering all the latest developments in AI. Sign up to receive it in your inbox every Monday.
The must-reads
I’ve combed the internet to find you today’s most fun/important/scary/fascinating stories about technology.
1 Nvidia is getting into data center design
Not content with dominating chipmaking, it wants to control how they’re used, too. (WSJ $)
+ China’s attempts to build an Nvidia rival aren’t going to plan. (FT $)
+ Things are going from bad to worse for US chipmaker Intel. (Reuters)
+ What’s next in chips. (MIT Technology Review)
2 Brazil’s Supreme Court has voted to uphold the ban on X
Residents who seek to bypass the ban using a VPN will face fines. (Bloomberg $)
+ The country’s president says other countries should look to it as an example. (WSJ $)
3 Left-leaning conspiracy theories are on the rise
And they’re likely to increase in the run up to the US Presidential election. (NYT $)+ Hackers linked to the Chinese state impersonated US voters online. (Reuters)
4 Water supplies are at risk of contamination from wildfires
Ash and charred soil can alter watersheds’ conditions—sometimes permanently. (Wired $)
+ Canada’s 2023 wildfires produced more emissions than fossil fuels in most countries. (MIT Technology Review)
5 India is becoming increasingly reliant on China’s imports
Which has US policymakers concerned. (WP $)
+ Taiwan has accused China’s chipmakers of illegally poaching its top talent. (Bloomberg $)
6 Cryptobiotic soil is essential to dryland ecosystems
But climate change—and overzealous hikers—aren’t helping. (The Atlantic $)
7 Tech firms are paying attention to this reclusive mathematician’s ideas
Alexander Grothendieck’s concepts could give AI greater semantic understanding of the world—if they work, that is. (The Guardian)
+ What is AI? (MIT Technology Review)
8 Cutting-edge fishing equipment does away with ropes
But the fishing community isn’t convinced by the fiddly new tech. (Undark Magazine)
+ How fish-safe hydropower technology could keep more renewables on the grid. (MIT Technology Review)
9 ‘Founder mode’ is the latest Silicon Valley buzz-term
Are you a founder or a manager? (Insider $)
10 Everyone hates dynamic pricing models
Everyone except the businesses that profit off them, that is. (Bloomberg $)
+ The British government is investigating their use to sell event tickets. (Wired $)
+ How pricing algorithms learn to collude. (MIT Technology Review)
Quote of the day
“You don’t have to pay pensions to robots.”
—Brian Jones, a foreman at the Port of Philadelphia, tells the New York Times why he fears the inevitable creep of automation into his industry.
The big story
Inside the cozy but creepy world of VR sleep rooms
March 2023
People are gathering in virtual spaces to relax, and even sleep, with their headsets on. VR sleep rooms are becoming popular among people who suffer from insomnia or loneliness, offering cozy enclaves where strangers can safely find relaxation and company—most of the time.
These rooms are created to induce calm. Some imitate beaches and campsites with bonfires, while others mimic hotel rooms or cabins.
The opportunity to sleep in groups can be particularly appealing to isolated or lonely people who want to feel less alone, and safe enough to fall asleep. The trouble is, what if the experience doesn’t make you feel that way? Read the full story.
—Tanya Basu
We can still have nice things
A place for comfort, fun and distraction to brighten up your day. (Got any ideas? Drop me a line or tweet ’em at me.)
+ Why Hollywood studio tours are raking in the big bucks.
+ The UK’s new Prime Minister is welcoming a new furry friend to Downing Street 
+ Here’s how scientists traced back the origin of life on Earth to the last universal common ancestor, known as Luca.
+ There’s no avoiding pop-up restaurants these days.
