Communications of the ACM
An edited collection of advanced computing news from Communications of the ACM, ACM TechNews, other ACM resources, and news sites around the Web.
From ACM News
'Very Harmful' Lack of Data Blunts U.S. Response to Outbreaks
Major data gaps, the result of decades of underinvestment in public health, have undercut the government response to the coronavirus, and now to monkeypox.
From ACM News
This Ad's for You (Not Your Neighbor)
Data mining plus streaming can target political ads household by household, mostly unregulated.
From ACM News
Clearview AI, Used by Police to Find Criminals, Is Now in Public Defenders' Hands
After a Florida man was accused of vehicular homicide, his lawyer used Clearview AI's facial recognition software to prove his innocence.
From ACM TechNews
The Animal Translators
Researchers are using machine learning systems to decode animal communication.
From ACM News
Did My Cat Just Hit On Me? An Adventure in Pet Translation
Entrepreneurs are aiming to put A.I.-powered pet translation tools into our pockets.
From ACM News
The Animal Translators
Scientists are using machine learning to eavesdrop on naked mole rats, fruit bats, crows, and whales—and to communicate back.
From ACM News
Google Finds 'Inoculating' People Against Misinformation Helps Blunt Its Power
British researchers and a team from Google found that teaching people how to spot misinformation made people more skeptical of it.
From ACM News
A.I. Predicts the Shape of Nearly Every Protein Known to Science
DeepMind has expanded its database of microscopic biological mechanisms, hoping to accelerate research into all living things.
From ACM News
In a Post-Roe World, the Future of Digital Privacy Looks Even Grimmer
The sheer amount of tech tools and knowledge required to discreetly seek an abortion underlines how wide open we are to surveillance.
From ACM News
Can Virtual Reality Help Autistic Children Navigate the Real World?
One company, Floreo, is hoping their tools will lead the way, despite some criticisms from autism self-advocates.
From ACM TechNews
Meta Agrees to Alter Ad Technology in Settlement with U.S.
Meta agreed to change its advertising technology and to pay a penalty as part of a settlement over allegations it had discriminated against Facebook users.
From ACM News
Killer Asteroids Are Hiding in Plain Sight. A New Tool Helps Spot Them
Researchers have built an algorithm that can scan old astronomical images for unnoticed space rocks, helping to detect objects that could one day imperil Earth....
From ACM News
Chinese Hackers Tried to Steal Russian Defense Data, Report Says
The campaign detailed by a cybersecurity firm highlights Beijing's increasingly sophisticated tactics to spy on an array of targets, including countries it considers...
From ACM News
Which Animal Viruses Could Infect People? Computers Are Racing to Find Out
Machine learning is known for its ability to spot fraudulent credit charges or recognize faces. Now researchers are siccing the technology on viruses.
From ACM TechNews
Can Robots Save Nursing Homes?
As more nursing home and assisted living facility staff leave the profession, some facilities are turning to robots to fill in the gaps.
From ACM TechNews
Can AI All but End Car Crashes? The Potential Is There
Proponents of artificial intelligence believe it can be used to predict, and help to prevent, dangerous driving behaviors.
From ACM News
A.I. Is Mastering Language. Should We Trust What It Says?
OpenAI's GPT-3 and other neural nets can now write original prose with mind-boggling fluency — a development that could have profound implications for the future...
From ACM TechNews
Facial Recognition Goes to War
Hoan Ton-That enlisted his facial recognition company Clearview AI in Russia’s war on Ukraine by tapping its technology to help bring some clarity to the conflict...
From ACM News
You're Still Being Tracked on the Internet, Just in a Different Way
Apple and Google are pushing privacy changes, but a shift in digital tracking is giving some platforms a bigger advertising advantage.
From ACM TechNews