The stock market has been roiled by a combination of anxieties surrounding artificial intelligence, leading to selloffs that have hammered dozens of companies, according to Fortune. Simultaneously, the rise of AI is also impacting personal experiences, with some, like The Verge's Robert Hart, finding their AI-powered pets more of a nuisance than a comfort. These developments highlight the complex and often contradictory ways AI is reshaping both the financial landscape and personal relationships.
The stock market turmoil, as reported by Fortune, stems from two primary fears. One is the potential for AI to disrupt entire sectors of the economy, causing investors to dump stocks of companies perceived to be at risk. The other is a deep skepticism about whether the massive investments tech giants like Amazon, Meta, Microsoft, and Alphabet are making in AI will deliver significant returns anytime soon. These anxieties have been brewing for months, but intensified over the past two weeks, resulting in punishing selloffs.
In the realm of personal technology, the experience with AI is not always positive. Robert Hart, writing for The Verge, shared his frustration with Casio's AI-powered pet, Moflin, stating, "I finally understand why my mother hated my Furby so much." Hart described the robot as a "nuisance," highlighting the gap between the promise of a calming companion and the reality of its presence.
Beyond the financial and technological spheres, AI is also impacting other areas. Vox reported on the rise of AI romance scams, which are particularly prevalent around Valentine's Day. These scams cost Americans $3 billion last year alone, a figure that is likely an undercount due to victims' reluctance to report such incidents. Shayna Korol, a Future Perfect fellow at Vox, warned against letting AI steal hearts and money.
While AI is causing disruption and raising concerns, other technologies continue to develop. Nature News reported on parasitic wasps that use a domesticated virus to castrate caterpillar hosts. Scientists now understand how the virus works, injecting the virus to cause cells in the larvae's testes to die.
Finally, Vox also explored the reasons people enjoy playing games. Philosopher C. Thi Nguyen, in his book "The Score," argues that games offer a clear view into human agency, showing how people choose goals, submit to constraints, and care about things that may not seem important.
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