Artificial Intelligence Archives

Duke researchers receive $15M federal grant to expand AI model designed to predict mental illness

DURHAM, N.C. (AP) — Researchers at Duke University have received a $15 million federal grant to expand an artificial intelligence model designed to predict mental illness in adolescents. The Duke Predictive Model of Adolescent Mental Health is used to predict who is most likely to develop a mental illness within a year. It also identifies the key factors driving those predictions, creating the potential to offer preventive interventions. The model achieved 84% accuracy in identifying adolescents ranging in age from 10 to 15 who are at risk for future serious mental health issues. The new grant will fund a study of the tool in evaluating 2,000 adolescents in rural areas in North Carolina, Minnesota and North Dakota.… Continue Reading

Duke University pilot project examining pros and cons of using artificial intelligence in college

DURHAM, N.C. (AP) — Duke University in North Carolina has launched an initiative to examine the opportunities and challenges that artificial intelligence brings to student life. The campus will hold discussions on the use of AI tools and present recommendations at the end of this fall semester. Some professors are embracing AI while others have banned it and are concerned that AI may hurt students’ ability to think critically and solve problems. Professors who allow the use of AI caution students that they still need to understand the topic. Some are assigning in-class writing projects or oral presentations to ensure students understand the material.… Continue Reading

Palantir, Nvidia and other AI stars dim as Wall Street pulls further from its records

NEW YORK (AP) — Wall Street is edging further from its records. The S&P 500 fell 0.3% Tuesday and is on track for a third straight modest loss after setting its all-time high last week. The Dow Jones Industrial Average added 86 points, and the Nasdaq composite was down 1%. Drops for Palantir Technologies, Nvidia and other stars bid up because of the mania around artificial-intelligence technology led the declines. Home Depot helped lift the Dow after standing by its forecast for profit and revenue this year. Treasury yields fell in the bond market on expectations for coming cuts for interest rates.… Continue Reading

Teens say they are turning to AI for friendship

Teenagers are increasingly turning to AI for advice, emotional support and decision-making, according to a new study. Common Sense Media found that over 70% of teens have used AI companions, with many finding the interactions as satisfying as talking to real friends. Experts warn this trend could harm social skills and mental health, as teens rely on AI for validation and avoid real-world challenges. Concerns also include inappropriate content and the lack of regulation of AI platforms. Researchers emphasize that while AI can assist, it should not replace human connections, especially during adolescence, a critical time for social and emotional development.… Continue Reading

Amazon planning $10B investment in North Carolina for data center and AI campus

HAMLET, N.C. (AP) — Amazon is expanding its cloud computing infrastructure and artificial intelligence activities into a rural North Carolina county. The company said Wednesday it intends to invest $10 billion toward building a campus in Richmond County. This will bring a shot in the arm to a region where textile and apparel jobs dried up a generation ago. Amazon said its investment should create at least 500 jobs and support thousands more through construction and data center supply chain providers. Gov. Josh Stein says the investment is one of the largest in state history.… Continue Reading

Schools use AI to monitor kids, hoping to prevent violence. Our investigation found security risks

Schools are turning to AI-powered surveillance technology to monitor students on school-issued devices like laptops and tablets. The goal is to keep children safe, especially amid a mental health crisis and the threat of school shootings. Machine-learning algorithms flag suspected problems like bullying, self-harm or suicide and then alert school officials. But these tools raise serious questions about privacy and security. When The Seattle Times and The Associated Press partnered to investigate school surveillance, reporters inadvertently received access to almost 3,500 unredacted student documents through a records request. The documents were stored without a password or firewall, and anyone with the link could read them.… Continue Reading

Trump’s AI ambition and China’s DeepSeek overshadow an AI summit in Paris

PARIS (AP) — The geopolitics of artificial intelligence will be in focus at a major summit in France this week. World leaders, executives and experts will gather in Paris for the AI Action Summit to hammer out pledges on guiding the development of the rapidly advancing technology. It’s the latest in a series of global dialogues around AI governance. It comes at a fresh inflection point as China’s buzzy and budget-friendly DeepSeek chatbot shakes up the industry. U.S. Vice President JD Vance — making his first trip abroad since taking office — will attend. And China’s President Xi Jinping will be sending his special envoy, signaling high stakes for the meeting.… Continue Reading

DeepSeek’s new AI chatbot and ChatGPT answer sensitive questions about China differently

HONG KONG (AP) — Chinese tech startup DeepSeek’s new artificial intelligence chatbot has sparked discussions about the competition between China and the U.S. in AI development, with many users flocking to test the rival of OpenAI’s ChatGPT. Observers are eager to see whether the Chinese company has matched America’s leading AI companies at a fraction of the cost. The chatbot’s ultimate impact on the AI industry is still unclear, but it appears to censor answers to sensitive topics, a practice commonly seen on China’s internet. For example, when it was asked on Tuesday about Beijing’s bloody crackdown in Tiananmen Square in 1989, it said the event was beyond its scope and suggested talking about something else.… Continue Reading

Tech stocks tumble as a Chinese competitor threatens to upend the AI industry; Nvidia down 16%

NEW YORK (AP) — Wall Street’s superstars are tumbling as a competitor from China threatens to upend the artificial-intelligence frenzy they’ve been feasting on. The S&P 500 fell 1.7% Monday. Big Tech stocks took some of the heaviest losses, with Nvidia down 16%, and they dragged the Nasdaq composite down 3.2%. Stocks outside of AI-related industries held up much better, though, and the Dow Jones Industrial Average was up 137 points. A Chinese company called DeepSeek said it had developed a large language model that can compete with U.S. giants at a fraction of the cost.… Continue Reading

Paul McCartney says he fears AI will rip off artists

LONDON (AP) — Paul McCartney has urged the British government not to make a change to copyright laws that he says could let artificial intelligence companies rip off artists. The government is consulting on whether to let tech firms use copyrighted material to help train artificial intelligence models unless creators opt out. McCartney told the BBC that would make it harder for artists to retain control of their work and undermine Britain’s creative industries. “You get young guys, girls, coming up, and they write a beautiful song, and they don’t own it, and they don’t have anything to do with it. And anyone who wants can just rip it off,” he said in an interview extract released Saturday.… Continue Reading