Is artificial intelligence a force for evil? Kriti Sharma is a chief product officer for legal technology at Thomson Reuters and the founder of AI for Good. She believes that AI can be used for social good and that it should be built in the right way. The goal is to establish trust in AI technology so that people feel comfortable adopting and using it. Sharma cites the example of rAInbow, a chatbot designed to help domestic abuse victims in South Africa understand their legal rights. She believes that AI can improve the justice system and make it more efficient by speeding up processes such as legal drafting and court proceedings. Sharma also highlights the importance of diversity in the field of AI, stating that people from different backgrounds can contribute to its development and implementation.
The relentless ‘culture wars’ are turning all debates toxic. Despite the perception of deepening divides in British social attitudes, research suggests that we are becoming increasingly aligned on issues such as race, immigration, gender, and sexual identities. The 2022 British Social Attitudes Survey shows that a majority of people believe that equal rights for marginalized groups have not gone far enough. Additionally, there is a growing consensus on economic issues, with most of the British public supporting the idea of bringing essential services back into public ownership.
There’s nothing but horror on the telly. Mathias Clasen, director of the Recreational Fear Lab at Aarhus University, Denmark, explores the potential benefits of watching horror movies. In a study analyzing the psychological resilience of individuals during the first lockdown of the pandemic, Clasen found that those who had watched many scary movies reported fewer symptoms of psychological distress. He suggests that horror movies allow us to imaginatively explore worst-case scenarios and the collapse of societal structures, offering a way to engage with social danger safely and learn from it.
Is there any room for climate optimism? Marcy Franck, author of The Climate Optimist newsletter from The Center for Climate, Health, and the Global Environment at Harvard University, argues that climate optimism is not about denying the problems we face but recognizing the progress that has been made. Franck points out that global spending on carbon-free energy has surpassed spending on fossil fuels, and clean energy is projected to supply a significant portion of electricity in the near future. She emphasizes that climate action is not only crucial for addressing climate change but also brings numerous benefits, including lower energy costs, improved health, and job creation.
Young people don’t want sex anymore. There has been a decline in partnered sexual activities among adolescents, leading to speculation about the reasons behind this trend. Dr. Debby Herbenick, a professor of Public Health at Indiana University, suggests that factors such as decreased substance use and increased awareness of consent and boundaries may contribute to this change. She also acknowledges that some individuals may identify as asexual or choose to abstain from sex. Herbenick believes that the decline in sexual activity among young people is not necessarily a cause for concern.
I feel my best days are behind me. Contrary to the popular belief that the best years of our lives are in the past, research on happiness and mental well-being shows that different age groups experience varying levels of fulfillment. While one study suggests that people in their early 30s are the happiest, another indicates that individuals in their late 70s, 80s, and 90s are the most fulfilled. Overall, the data on happiness and fulfillment is inconclusive, but there is evidence to suggest that mental health generally improves over time.
The kids spend all day on their screens. While excessive screen time can be detrimental, a study from the University of Portsmouth suggests that supervised television viewing can have cognitive development benefits. The key is to ensure that screen time is focused and monitored, allowing children to engage with educational content.