How AI video games can help unlock the mysteries of the human mind

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How AI video games can help unlock the mysteries of the human mind

Video game companies are applying large-scale language models to generate new game characters with detailed backgrounds – characters that players can engage with in different ways. By inputting a few personality traits, catchphrases, and other details, you can create a character that can have infinite, unscripted conversations that never get repeated. (Read our story here to learn more about that.)

But it's a development with fascinating possibilities for much more than just games. Could AI video games help neuroscientists and psychologists dig deeper and solve long-standing mysteries about our brains and behavior? Senior reporter Jessica Hamzerou decided to find out the answer. Here's what she learned:

This article is from The Checkup, our weekly newsletter on biotech and health. Sign up to receive it in your inbox every Thursday.

Inside the US government's wonderfully boring website

Before the internet, Americans might interact with the federal government by stepping into a grand building adorned with impressive stone columns and gleaming marble floors.

Today, the neoclassical architecture of those physical spaces has been (at least partially) replaced by the digital architecture of website design: HTML code, tables, forms, buttons.

There are about 26,000 federal government websites in the United States. And for a long time, those websites were buggy or poorly designed. But that changed in 2014 when President Obama created two new teams to help improve the government's technology. Read about what these teams have accomplished since then.

This story is from the latest issue of MIT Technology Review, which is all about play. If you haven't already, be sure to subscribe to it to read the full story.

Must-read

I've scoured the internet to find today's most fun/important/scary/fascinating stories in tech.

1. Trump-Biden debate conspiracy theories are already spreading online
And much of it is being driven by Trump himself. (Wired)
+ Election misinformation is also being replicated by AI tools such as ChatGPT and Copilot.(NBC)
+ Think about pollsters: their job has become increasingly difficult these days. (Ars Technica)

2 The voice of AI has a lot to teach us
The technology is new, but the stereotype of the submissive, infinitely empathetic female assistant is long gone. (NYT $)

3 Efforts underway to promote responsible use of AI in music
But of course, it depends on getting enough adoption, and that's a big ask. (CNET)
+ In particular, there is a major legal battle underway over getting AI companies to pay for the use of records for training data.MIT Technology Review
+ Content licensing resellers form first AI dataset trade group. (Reuters $)
+ Time is the latest publisher to enter into a licensing agreement with OpenAI. (Axios)

4 The efficacy of weight loss drugs is becoming clear
The researchers focused on two groups of neurons in the brain that seem to regulate satiety. (Nature)

5 According to Google, Gemini AI is 20% faster than ChatGPT
And executives say they can now cite sources, which is perhaps even more important. (Quartz)
+ It's not just Nvidia. Here are some AI stocks to watch. (WP$)

6 Amazon is investigating AI search startup Perplexity
About whether scraping the company's website violated rules. (Wired $)
+ Perplexity's CEO openly admitted to some pretty shady data practices when the company launched.(404 Media)

Russian satellite disintegrates, forcing seven astronauts to evacuate International Space Station
It broke into over 100 pieces, sparking speculation that it may have been the target of an anti-satellite missile test. (Gizmodo)
+ Why is the first-ever space junk fine such a big deal? (MIT Technology Review)

8 Many Gen Zers describe themselves as content creators
Being passive online is no longer an option. (WP $)

9 Would you clone your dog?
It costs $50,000, so in a way you have to ask what you want to do. Really That's what you get for it. (New Yorker $)
+ These scientists are working to extend the lifespan of pet dogs and their owners. (MIT Technology Review)

10 Reasons the Internet is Obsessed with NARS Gummy Clusters
No joke, some people have tattoos. (Slate $)

Quote of the Day

“Let's not go overboard on this. Data centers are an additional 6% in the most extreme cases. [in energy demand] But it's probably only 2% to 2.5%. The question is, will AI accelerate that reduction to 6% or more? The answer is, 'Absolutely.'”

–Bill Gates argues that AI will help, not hinder, achieving climate goals amid growing concerns about our energy footprint, The Guardian reports.

The big story

NASA's efforts to make spacecraft as small as possible

October 2023

We've sent a lot of big things to Mars since the 1970s, but when NASA successfully sent its twin, cereal-box-sized Mars Cube One spacecraft in November 2018, it marked the first time we'd ever sent something so small.

Just getting this far signaled the beginning of a new era of space exploration, offering NASA and the planetary science research community a glimpse into a long-anticipated future: much more affordable space exploration using smaller, cheaper spacecraft. Read the full story.

—David W. Brown

There are still some nice things

A place that's comfortable, fun, and light-hearted enough to brighten your day. (Any ideas?) Contact me or Tweet me.

+Without the late Mr. Bourdain, The Bear would not exist.
+ Feeling exhausted? Remember that energy is a limited resource. Use it wisely.
+ Always late to everything? This is one of the funniest excuses I've ever heard.