Today in Tech

People using artificial intelligence tools continue to create mischief, such as winning photography contests, imitating famous singers, and generating video from text prompts. As more tools get introduced, are we going to benefit from the results or go down a path where we might inadvertently begin losing our usefulness as humans? Keith chats with Alex Lawrence, an associate professor of business at Weber State University, about the benefits and potential disruptions of generative AI.

The rumor mill around the possibility of an Apple AR/VR (augmented reailty / virtual reality) headset announcement at the June Worldwide Developers’ Conference kicks into high gear. Computerworld’s Ken Mingis and Macworld’s Michael Simon join Keith to discuss the latest potential announcements from Apple.

Governments and car companies continue to push the adoption of electric vehicles (EVs) to become more environmentally friendly. But as more people experience the technology, there are increasing concerns about potential battery issues, limited range, fire possibilities and other problems. Keith and Chris discuss whether this means an EV backlash is coming soon.

A scientific project that can create digital representations of the cardiovascular system aims to predict and diagnose diseases in virtual scenarios before applying them to real-world settings. The system can help doctors make better decisions on treatment options, as well as predict potential illnesses down the road. Iris Shelly, a research scientist with NTT Research, joins the show to discuss the project. 

Recent employment reports suggest that layoffs from tech companies did have an impact on IT-related jobs, but with extremely low unemployment for those positions, it remains a hot market for many companies looking for IT workers. Lucas Mearian from Computerworld joins the show to discuss the latest reports on tech employment, and what skills are now valued by employers. 

PC shipments around the world plunged in Q1 2023 compared to 2022, due to excess inventory and economic fears about new purchases. Also, governments around the world begin to flex their muscles over AI and big tech companies like Google and Apple. Also, can ChatGPT write a better fortune cookie fortune than a human?

Amazon’s Sidewalk expansion to outside developers is showing increased enthusiasm for low-power networks that could compete with 5G to support Internet of Things infrastructures. Analyst Jack Gold joins the show to discuss the latest developments around IoT and 5G and how it could provide better tracking capabilities for packages and other services.

Apple, AI and Amazon all had interesting technology news last week, with more hints at augmented reality device from Apple; deepfake imagery continues to haunt the internet, and a Wired article exposes the problems of Amazon’s Prime Air Delivery service. Keith and Chris comment on these topics and more. 

With accelerating developments in artificial intelligence, are we now on a path towards AI achieving greater intelligence than humans? Keith is joined by a panel of AI experts to discuss whether we are going down that road, and how to ensure that humans remain in control of AI development.

To recover from pandemic-era challenges, many restaurants are attempting to innovate with new technologies such as AI voice, mobile phone point of sale ordering systems, and drone deliveries. Are these efforts just experimental or will they be a part of our future dining experiences? Keith chats with Michael Atkinson, a noted leader in the restaurant technology space, to separate the wheat from the chaff.