Technology

Abbie Harper worked for a helpline run by the National Eating Disorders Association (NEDA), which is now being phased out. Harper disagrees with the new plan to use an online chatbot to help users find information about eating disorders.

Health & Safety

National Eating Disorders Association phases out human helpline, pivots to chatbot

5:42pm May 31, 2023

by Kate Wells

In recent years, the demands on the NEDA helpline, and the humans who ran it, escalated. The organization says it was unsustainable. But some have worries about new plans for an online chatbot.

Experts issue a dire warning about AI and encourage limits be imposed

7:19am May 31, 2023

NPR's Leila Fadel talks to Scott Niekum, University of Massachusetts Amherst associate professor, about tech leaders issuing another warning about the potential threats AI poses to humanity.

The welcome screen for the OpenAI ChatGPT app is displayed on a laptop screen in February in London.

Leading experts warn of a risk of extinction from AI

9:47pm May 30, 2023

by Vanessa Romo

The AI programs we are creating could outsmart us and lead to our collective demise, according to the tech industry's leading experts who say it's time to address the threats they pose.

Mitigating the risk of AI should be a global priority, open letter says

4:28pm May 30, 2023

by Bobby Allyn

AI or artificial intelligence is a risk to humanity, at par with the pandemic and nuclear war, according to an open letter, signed by more than 350 executives, researchers and engineers.

'The godfather of AI' sounds alarm about potential dangers of AI

6:19pm May 28, 2023

by Bobby Allyn

A computer scientist has been warning about the potential dangers of AI for weeks. Geoffrey Hinton recently left Google so he could sound the alarm about how AI could soon outperform humans.

Meredith Clark hopes that preserving Black Twitter will allow for a more accurate retelling of the history of the internet.

She's trying to archive Black Twitter. It's a delicate and imperfect task

4:00pm May 26, 2023

Black Twitter has been a force since the platform started. Now, one woman is seeking to archive it, as Twitter's future appears uncertain.

Queue Listen Now

Study participants in The Gambia received a measles vaccine through a virtually pain-free sticker. Early data on adults and children as young as nine months suggest the syringe-free skin patch is safe and effective.

Virtually ouch-free: Promising early data on a measles vaccine delivered via sticker

6:19am May 26, 2023

by Fran Kritz

Vaccine experts are excited about new clinical trial results for a device that delivers measles vaccine via a "microarray" patch — no syringe needed.

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis speaks May 13 during a fundraising picnic for U.S. Rep. Randy Feenstra, R-Iowa, in Sioux Center, Iowa.

The new Twitter account @DeSantisJet tracks the Florida governor's air travel

10:14am May 24, 2023

by Joe Hernandez

The page was created by Jack Sweeney, the 20-year-old who also started the popular Twitter account tracking billionaire Elon Musk's private jet.

In a new advisory released Tuesday, U.S. Surgeon General Vivek Murthy warns that social media could pose dangers to children and teens.

Health & Safety

Social media can put young people in danger, U.S. surgeon general warns

3:16pm May 23, 2023

by David West Jr.

Dr. Vivek Murthy says social media makes kids feel worse about themselves, and they can't get off of it. He says "we need safety standards for social media the way we have for cars, for car seats."

Queue Listen Now

Arts

5 questions about the new streaming service Max — after a glitchy launch

2:16pm May 23, 2023

by Eric Deggans

How much does it cost? Will Max be better or just bigger than HBO Max? NPR's Eric Deggans tackles these questions and more ... now that he's finally able to log in.