New MIT class uses anthropology to improve chatbots
MIT computer science students design AI chatbots to help young users become more social, and socially confident.
Personal tech, social media, and the “decline of humanity”
In Compton Lecture at MIT, social psychologist Jonathan Haidt warns of dramatic global decay in cognition, attention spans, and civic life, and urges curbs to tech use.
Stone Center on Inequality and Shaping the Future of Work Launches at MIT
Recent launch event for the center featured discussions on pro-worker AI, wealth inequality, and the future of liberal democracy.
Charts can be social artifacts that communicate more than just data
Researchers find that design elements of data visualizations influence viewers’ assumptions about the source of the information and its trustworthiness.
System lets people personalize online social spaces while staying connected with others
By enabling users to easily create social apps that serve communities’ needs, the Graffiti framework aims to promote healthier online interactions.
Study links rising temperatures and declining moods
An analysis of social media in 157 countries finds hotter weather is associated with more negative sentiments.
School of Architecture and Planning welcomes new faculty for 2025
Four new professors join the Department of Architecture and MIT Media Lab.
Pedestrians now walk faster and linger less, researchers find
A computer vision study compares changes in pedestrian behavior since 1980, providing information for urban designers about creating public spaces.
Processing our technological angst through humor
Associate Professor Benjamin Mangrum’s new book explores how we use comedy to cope with the growth of computer technology in modern life.
Bringing meaning into technology deployment
The MIT Ethics of Computing Research Symposium showcases projects at the intersection of technology, ethics, and social responsibility.
Algorithms and AI for a better world
Assistant Professor Manish Raghavan wants computational techniques to help solve societal problems.
Study reveals AI chatbots can detect race, but racial bias reduces response empathy
Researchers at MIT, NYU, and UCLA develop an approach to help evaluate whether large language models like GPT-4 are equitable enough to be clinically viable for mental health support.
Hank Green to deliver MIT’s 2025 Commencement address
The science communicator, video producer, and entrepreneur has built online communities of people who love diving into complex issues.
Study: Browsing negative content online makes mental health struggles worse
Researchers have developed a web plug-in to help those looking to protect their mental health make more informed decisions.
Misinformation is all around. How can we combat it?
In a lecture at MIT, Professor Adam Berinsky surveyed one of the thorniest ongoing problems in modern politics.