Hidden Brain

Share this post

Babies versus bots

news.hiddenbrain.org

Babies versus bots

Plus, a surprising ripple effect of increased immigration

Feb 24
Share this post

Babies versus bots

news.hiddenbrain.org

“The answer to the question, ‘what is your purpose?’ is not something you can crowdsource. It's an internal quest.” – Psychologist Anthony Burrow

BRAIN WAVES

  • Baby steps. Contrary to what the latest news headlines would suggest, AI can’t do everything human beings can – at least, not yet. In a new study, researchers found that 11-month-old babies beat AI when it came to “commonsense psychology.” Specifically, the babies seemed to be better at understanding drivers of human behavior. The researchers built and trained AI tools to recognize patterns and simulate human intelligence, then had both the AI and the infants watch a video of animated shapes that were designed to mimic human behavior. When those shapes didn’t respond in expected ways, the babies seemed to recognize the discrepancy. In other words, they were surprised and curious. The AI? Not so much. As one of the study authors said in a press release, “If AI aims to build flexible, commonsense thinkers like human adults become, then machines should draw upon the same core abilities infants possess.” To the bots’ credit, they probably do a better job of sleeping through the night.

  • Golden door. Immigration is a contentious topic in the United States. But a new paper finds evidence of one clear advantage of a welcoming policy toward immigrants. Researchers were curious about how immigration trends might affect certain sectors –  specifically, they looked at nursing homes, which they said are served heavily by immigrants yet also face labor shortages. Analyzing a variety of different datasets, the paper concluded that “increased immigration significantly raises the staffing levels of nursing homes in the U.S.” What’s more, this trend is associated with a positive effect on patient outcomes. They concluded by saying the data suggests “immigration improves both the supply and the quality of the nursing home workforce.”

  • Happy dance. Hard work and persistence are key to achieving our goals. But is that true when it comes to the pursuit of happiness? Listen to learn more.

ON THE HIDDEN BRAIN PODCAST

Feb 21: Having a sense of purpose can be a buffer against the challenges we all face at various stages of life. Purpose can also boost our health and longevity. Cornell University psychologist Anthony Burrow explains why purpose isn’t something to be found — it’s something we can develop from within.

Listen on Apple

Listen on Spotify

ON THE MY UNSUNG HERO PODCAST

Feb 22: After a tropical storm in Houston destroyed all of young Sarah Feldman's books, a librarian from across the country sent her a beautiful book – and unforgettable inscription – to rebuild her collection.

Listen on Apple

Listen on Spotify

Don’t forget to send us the story of your unsung hero! Record a voice memo on your phone and email it to myunsunghero@hiddenbrain.org.

MIND GAMES

What common English verb becomes its own past tense by rearranging its letters?

LAST WEEK’S PUZZLE

Stephen was looking at a photo. Someone asked him, "Whose picture are you looking at?" He replied: "I don't have any brother or sister, but this man's father is my father's son." So, whose picture was Stephen looking at?

The answer: The man in the photo is Stephen's son. 

FROM THE TWITTERATI…

Twitter avatar for @jackie_colburn
Jackie Colburn @jackie_colburn
This short video by @ShankarVedantam of @HiddenBrain is a must-watch for anyone who wants to influence the future. He explains the profound impact of the "illusion of continuity," and how we can proactively craft the people we are to become.
ted.comShankar Vedantam: You don’t actually know what your future self wants“You are constantly becoming a new person,” says journalist Shankar Vedantam. In a talk full of beautiful storytelling, he explains the profound impact of something he calls the “illusion of continuity” -- the belief that our future selves will share the same views, perspectives and hopes as our cur…
6:15 PM ∙ Feb 21, 2023
Twitter avatar for @JosephKopser
Joseph Kopser @JosephKopser
As a former 4H kid myself, I was particularly impressed with the way @LiPurposeFe explained the "cultivation" of life's purpose rather than simply "finding" your purpose in life. If you are not subscribed, be sure to check out @HiddenBrain. And @abmarkman!
Twitter avatar for @HiddenBrain
Hidden Brain @HiddenBrain
“The answer to the question, ‘what is your purpose?’ is not something you can crowdsource. It's an internal quest.”—@LiPurposeFe More in this week’s episode: https://t.co/FN4cZ7HuRi
9:10 PM ∙ Feb 21, 2023
Twitter avatar for @ASubtracting
AddBySubtracting @ASubtracting
@IrisMauss THANK YOU for sharing your knowledge on @HiddenBrain. I listened to the episode twice in order to soak it all in. It's amazing truly learning about something i thought i knew. I'm looking forward to incorporating what I learned into my existence.
3:36 PM ∙ Feb 7, 2023

A MOMENT OF JOY

AI might have some work to do when it comes to “commonsense psychology,” but it’s great at getting us out of meetings.

Twitter avatar for @rcarmo
Rui Carmo 📶 @rcarmo
This is just too hilarious not to share. #ChatGPT
Write me a long excuse for not attending a meeting, in the style of Werner Herzog

I regret to inform you that I will be unable to attend the meeting. As I was making my way there, I was overcome by a feeling of unease. A voice in my head told me that this was not the path I was meant to be on, and that I must follow a different course. So, I turned around and began walking in the opposite direction, not knowing where I would end up, but trusting that it was the right thing to do. I apologize for any inconvenience this may cause, but sometimes we must listen to the whispers of our innermost selves and act on them, no matter how strange or unpredictable they may seem.
1:27 PM ∙ Dec 12, 2022
619Likes116Retweets

Have an idea for Hidden Brain? A story you want to share with us? Send an email to ideas@hiddenbrain.org. And if you’d like to support our work, you can do so here. Listen to us on Spotify, Apple, Amazon Music or your favorite podcast platform.

Share this post

Babies versus bots

news.hiddenbrain.org
TopNew

No posts

Ready for more?

© 2023 Shankar Vedantam
Privacy ∙ Terms ∙ Collection notice
Start WritingGet the app
Substack is the home for great writing