Research

  • Forget about the AI apocalypse -- the real dangers are already here

    Two weeks after members of Congress questioned OpenAI CEO Sam Altman about the potential for artificial intelligence tools to spread misinformation, disrupt elections and displace jobs, he and others in the industry went public with a much more frightening possibility: an AI apocalypse. Emily M. Bender, professor of linguistics at the UW, is quoted.
    06/16/2023 | CNN
  • Words In Review: AI or 'stochastic parrots'?

    You've probably heard chatbots like ChatGPT described as "artificial intelligence." Emily M. Bender, professor of linguistics at the UW, wants you to call it a "text synthesis machine" or "stochastic parrot."

    06/14/2023 | KUOW
  • A nearby supernova could be our chance to hear from aliens

    Astronomers spotted a stellar explosion in the Pinwheel Galaxy last month. Within a week, James Davenport, research assistant professor of astronomy at the UW, and his colleagues were searching the stars for radio signals from alien civilizations who might have seen the same thing.

    06/13/2023 | Inverse
  • Scalpel, forceps, bone drill: modern medicine in ancient Rome

    A 2,000-year-old collection of medical tools, recently unearthed in Hungary, offer insight into the practices of undaunted, much-maligned Roman doctors. Lawrence J. Bliquez, professor emeritus of classics and art history at the UW, is quoted.

    06/13/2023 | The New York Times
  • Analysis: Drawing, making music and writing poetry can support healing and bring more humanity to health care in US hospitals

    "The COVID-19 pandemic shined a light on the deep need that people feel for human touch and connection in hospital settings. Having relatives peering through windows at their loved ones or unable to enter hospitals altogether exacerbated the lack of human intimacy that is all too common in health care settings" writes Marlaine Gray, affiliate assistant professor of anthropology at the UW.

    06/09/2023 | The Conversation
  • Are brain implants a privacy issue?

    Brain-computer interface technology can benefit people with disabilities by restoring mobility and communication. Sara Goering, professor of philosophy at the UW, says it also allows potentially monetizable access to the center of our thoughts and feelings.

    06/09/2023 | Marketplace
  • Analysis: Historians are learning more about how the Nazis targeted trans people

    "In the fall of 2022, a German court heard an unusual case. It was a civil lawsuit that grew out of a feud on Twitter about whether transgender people were victims of the Holocaust. Though there is no longer much debate about whether gay men and lesbians were persecuted, there's been very little scholarship on trans people during this period," writes Laurie Marhoefer, professor of history at the UW.

    06/06/2023 | The Conversation
  • For the Love of Hustle

    Abdiel Jacobsen, graduating with an MFA in dance, found creative ways to share Latin Hustle, their favorite dance, with students and the wider community.

    June 2023 Perspectives
  • STEM and the Symphony

    Meghna Shankar, graduating with degrees in physics and computer science, found joy and balance by also performing in the UW Symphony Orchestra. 

    June 2023 Perspectives
  • Analysis: Including race in clinical algorithms can both reduce and increase health inequities -- it depends on what doctors use them for

    "Health practitioners are increasingly concerned that because race is a social construct, and the biological mechanisms of how race affects clinical outcomes are often unknown, including race in predictive algorithms for clinical decision-making may worsen inequities," writes Anirban Basu, professor of health economics at the UW.

    The Conversation
  • How 'gubernatorial' steered into our language

    In KUOW's new program, "Words in Review," host Bill Radke and Sarah Stroup, professor of classics at the UW, take a virtual trip to the rocky Mediterranean to learn why we say "governor," but also, "gubernatorial."

    KUOW
  • I'm a child psychologist -- I never do these 5 things with my kid

    Parents get an endless supply of rules and unsolicited opinions about what to do and what not to do with their kids. But the truth is there's no handbook. Shannon Dorsey, professor of psychology at the UW, is quoted.

    Today
  • How the conversation around eating disorders is changing for women of color

    All women and girls are susceptible to eating disorders and poor body image, but because of misleading medical terminology, popular-media images, and a lack of overall awareness and training, the issue and remedies are framed almost exclusively around white women. But individuals and organizations are working to shift the discussion and unveil the true complexities of eating disorders, particularly in relation to minoritized communities. Timeka Tounsel, assistant professor of Black studies in communication at the UW, is quoted.

    The Seattle Medium
  • Who is Sam Altman? The man behind ChatGPT is about to have his moment on Capitol Hill

    Altman, the CEO and co-founder of OpenAI, the artificial intelligence company behind viral chatbot ChatGPT and image generator Dall-E, is set to testify before Congress on Tuesday. His appearance is part of a Senate subcommittee hearing on the risks artificial intelligence poses for society, and what safeguards are needed for the technology. Margaret O'Mara, professor of history at the UW, is quoted.

    CNN
  • How AI and ChatGPT are full of promise and peril, according to 5 experts

    Is AI going to kill us? Or take our jobs? Or is the whole thing overhyped? Depends on who you ask. Emily M. Bender, professor of linguistics at the UW, is quoted.

    Vox