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AI chatbots sway political opinions but education could offer protection
If youve faced the frustrating challenge of trying to pull a friend or family member with opposing political views into your camp, maybe let a chatbot make your case. New research from the UW found that politically biased chatbots could nudge Democrats and Republicans toward opposing viewpoints. Jillian Fisher, doctoral student of statistics and of computer science and engineering at the UW, is quoted.08/06/2025 | GeekWire -
TikTok predicts a looming recession economists do not
Lady Gaga topping the charts with her pop tunes. Fashionistas stepping out in low-rise jeans and chunky belts. Coke bottles with names, again. These are just a few things social media users see as signs of a recession in the U.S. But experts dont share the same assessment as actual economic indicators hold steady despite clouds of uncertainty. Zack Almquist, an associate professor of sociology at the UW, is quoted.08/04/2025 | The Seattle Times -
Seven suspected tuberculosis cases at Tacoma ICE processing facility
Seven suspected tuberculosis cases at the Northwest ICE Processing Center in Tacoma have sparked urgent questions about health conditions and medical care at the federal immigration detention facility. Angelina Godoy, professor of law, societies, and justice and of international studies, as well as director of the Center for Human Rights at the UW, is quoted.08/01/2025 | KING 5 -
UW researcher lands grant to bring chip-based beam-steering LIDAR to market with new startup
Basic research is critical to innovation, but to have a real impact, that innovation has to make its way out of the lab. Thats the reasoning behind the Activate Fellowship, one of the nations most prestigious awards for science-based entrepreneurship. Now Bingzhao Li, a postdoctoral scholar in electrical and computer engineering at the UW, has been named one of its latest recipients. Hes also the UWs first.Mo Li, professor of physics and of electrical and computer engineering at the UW, is quoted.07/29/2025 | GeekWire -
Scientists create prototype of robot designed to cannibalize parts of other robots and build them into itself
Should robots be able to cannibalize each other so they can accelerate their evolution, bringing them closer to resembling self-sufficient lifeforms capable of living independently of their human masters? Philippe Martin Wyder, a postdoctoral fellow of applied mathematics at the UW, is quoted.07/29/2025 | Futurism -
Analysis: When socialists win Democratic primaries: Will Zohran Mamdani be haunted by the Upton Sinclair effect?
"It has happened before: an upset victory by a Democratic Socialist in an important primary election after an extraordinary grassroots campaign," writes James Gregory, professor of history at the UW.07/29/2025 | The Conversation -
Seattle-area suburbs try to keep up as population trends shift
Seattles population growth has brought its own frustrations for both new and longtime residents. Housing prices, traffic congestion and overall cost of living are among the growing pains. Sara Curran, director of the UW's Center for Studies in Demography and Ecology and professor of international studies, of sociology and of public policy and governance, is quoted.07/29/2025 | KNKX -
Los Angeles' 1936 'bum blockade' targeted American migrants fleeing poverty and drought during the Great Depression
The two-month patrol stopped supposedly suspicious individuals from crossing into California from other states. But its execution was uneven, and the initiative proved controversial. James Gregory, professor of history at the UW, is quoted.07/25/2025 | Smithsonian Magazine -
Is AI the new electricity?
Microsoft is spending $4 billion dollars on workshops, technology, and other initiatives to get artificial intelligence into the hands of millions of people around the world. So, what does it mean for all of us? Margaret O'Mara, professor of history at the UW, is interviewed.07/24/2025 | KUOW -
Scientists just invented robots that feed on other robots
Cannibal robots create entirely new dimension of autonomy for AI, researchers say. Philippe Martin Wyder, a postdoctoral fellow of applied mathematics at the UW, is quoted.07/23/2025 | The Independent