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
When Mind Melds With Machine, Who's in Control?
Brain-computer interfaces are getting better all the time—and they're about to land us in a philosophical quagmire.
From ACM News
The Future of Robot Nannies
A machine can't love our children, but our children might love them.
From ACM News
See Little Robots Get Swole in This Virtual 'Gym'
The bizarre robots look like cobbled-together Tetris pieces. A new system "evolves" them to run, climb, and throw stuff better.
From ACM News
The Movement to Hold AI Accountable Gains More Steam
A New York City law requires algorithms used in hiring to be "audited" for bias. It's the first in the US—and part of a larger push toward regulation.
From ACM News
Renewable Energy Is Great—but the Grid Can Slow It Down
Many solar and wind projects face a problem: getting the energy from where it's made to where it's needed.
From ACM News
AI Finds Superbug-Killing Potential in Human Proteins
A team scoured the human proteome for antimicrobial molecules and found thousands, plus a surprise about how animals evolved to fight infections.
From ACM News
Meet the Cyberpunk Albatrosses Scanning for Secret Explosions
Acoustic waves can detect all kinds of explosions and volcanic activity, but it's hard to place sensors at sea—unless you've got a bird with a backpack.
From ACM News
Robots Won't Close the Warehouse Worker Gap Anytime Soon
Even Amazon's new AI-powered machines aren't nearly capable enough to handle the most important fulfillment tasks.
From ACM News
Amazon's Dark Secret: It Has Failed to Protect Your Data
For years, the retail giant has handled your information less carefully than it handles your packages.
From ACM News
Another Intel Chip Flaw Puts a Slew of Gadgets at Risk
The vulnerability allows an attacker with physical access to the CPU to bypass the security measures protecting some of its most sensitive data.
From ACM News
This Group Pushed More AI in US Security—and Boosted Big Tech
The National Security Commission on AI included members from Oracle, Google, Microsoft, and Amazon. Some of its recommendations are already federal law.
From ACM News
Companies Are Rushing to Use AI—But Few See a Payoff
A study finds that only 11% of firms that have deployed artificial intelligence are reaping a "sizable" return on their investments.
From ACM News
How to Fix Facebook, According to Facebook Employees
Internal research documents provide a blueprint for solving the company's biggest problems.
From ACM News
A Look Inside Apple's Silicon Playbook
Plus: The infamous 2016 Macbook Pro, Gödel's ontological proof, and a mascot's moment of weakness.
From ACM News
AI's Smarts Now Come With a Big Price Tag
As language models get more complex, they also get more expensive to create and run. Some companies are locked out.
From ACM News
How Supercomputers Can Help Fix Our Wildfire Problem
Fires spread with a complexity that scientists can pick apart little by little, thanks to lasers, sensors, and some of the most powerful computers.
From ACM News
Why Robots Can't Sew Your T-Shirt
Machines can print textiles, cut fabric, and fold clothes, but it's hard to train them to sew as fast and precisely as humans.
From ACM News
It's Not Easy to Control Police Use of Tech—Even With a Law
A key backer of a 2018 Oakland law to rein in tools like automated license plate readers says the city is not following the rules.
From ACM News
A Stanford Proposal Over AI's 'Foundations' Ignites Debate
A research paper that dubs some artificial intelligence models "foundational" is sparking a dispute over the future of the field.
From ACM News