Everything is easier with modern technology – except fulfilling your true potential The convenience of modern life is nothing short of astounding. As I write this, my phone is wirelessly sending some of the greatest hits from the 1700s (Bach, if you must know) to my portable speaker. I could use that same device to, within moments, get a car to pick me up, have food delivered to my house, or start chatting with someone on a dating app. To human beings from even the recent past this technology would be, to quote Arthur C Clarke’s third law, indistinguishable from magic. The fact that, as a culture, we seek out and celebrate such short cuts is understandable. They take much of the tedium out of life, make it easier to have fun, and save us time and energy. That said, most people are able to intuit that convenience has a darker side. Continue reading...

From gamifying your to-do list to going for a regular morning walk, top tips for improving concentration from psychotherapists, health coaches and other experts Forty-seven seconds. That was the average length of time an adult could focus on a screen for in 2021, according to research by Gloria Mark, a professor of informatics at the University of California. Twenty years ago, in 2004, that number stood at two-and-a-half minutes. Our attention spans – how long we’re able to concentrate without being distracted – are shrinking. Our focus – how intensely we can think about things – is suffering too. The causes: technology that’s designed to demand our attention; endless tools for procrastination at our fingertips; rising stress and anxiety disorders; and poor sleep quality. But there are solutions. From quick-fix hacks to major lifestyle changes, we asked experts for their tips on how to think harder for longer. Continue reading...

System built by Google DeepMind team takes individual views and generates a set of group statements Artificial intelligence could help reduce some of the most contentious culture war divisions through a mediation process, researchers claim. Experts say a system that can create group statements that reflect majority and minority views is able to help people find common ground. Continue reading...

Google DeepMind chief believes in benefits of AI but says risks must be taken as seriously as the climate crisis Most 17-year-olds spend their days playing video games, but Britain’s latest Nobel prize winner spent his teenage years developing them. Sir Demis Hassabis, who was jointly awarded the chemistry prize on Wednesday, got his big break in the tech world as co-designer of 1994’s hit game Theme Park, where players create and operate amusement parks. Continue reading...

In a special episode recorded live at the British Science Festival, Madeleine Finlay and guests explore the question: will AI make a good companion? AI could give us new ways to tackle difficult problems, from young people’s mental health issues to isolation in care homes. It also raises challenging questions about the increasing role of tech in our personal lives. To explore these questions, Madeleine is joined by the Guardian’s science editor, Ian Sample; Tony Prescott, a professor of computational robotics at Sheffield University; and Dr Mhairi Aitken, an ethics fellow at the Alan Turing Institute and visiting senior lecturer at Queen Mary University of London. Could AI help cure ‘downward spiral’ of human loneliness? Continue reading...

Young people are evaluating good and bad life decisions on a scale and seeking input from others. To philosophy experts, it sounds familiar You can count calories, steps, streams of your favorite song – and now, you can assign a number to how cool you are. See: aura points, a way to calculate your rizz. (That’s what the kids call charisma, and if you didn’t know that, you just lost 100 aura points.) Ask someone out and get a yes? That’s 100 aura points for you. Still on Snapchat past the age of 19? Gross and suspect … dock 1,000 aura points. Confidently answered a question in class, but got it wrong? You’re in the red now. Continue reading...

Do you feel uncharismatic and awkward in social situations? Aura upgrades are thankfully now available, according to a group of intrepid influencers Name: Auramaxxing. Age: The word “aura” comes from Latin and ancient Greek and originally meant a gentle breeze. These days it’s more commonly used about a subtle pervasive quality emanating from someone. That’s what we’re talking about here. Continue reading...