The Conversation

Blurry, morphing and surreal – a new AI aesthetic is emerging in film

Written by Holly Willis, Professor of Cinematic Arts, University of Southern California

A still from Theo Lindquist's short film 'Electronic Dance Experiment #3.'Theo Lindquist

Type text into AI image and video generators, and you’ll often see outputs of unusual, sometimes creepy, pictures.

In a way, this is a feature, not a bug, of generative AI. And artists are wielding this aesthetic to create a new storytelling art form.

The...

Companies are still committing to net-zero emissions, even if it’s a bumpy road – here’s what the data show

Written by L. Beril Toktay, Professor of Operations Management, Georgia Institute of Technology

Companies are cutting emissions fastest from energy use. Falling solar prices help.CFOTO/Future Publishing via Getty Images

Companies around the world are increasingly committed to cutting their greenhouse gas emissions to slow and ultimately reverse climate change.

One indicator is the number of companies that have set emissions targets as part of...

Legal complications await if OpenAI tries to shake off control by the nonprofit that owns the rapidly growing tech company

Written by Jill Horwitz, Professor of Law and Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles

Severing ties to its nonprofit owner would be far more easily said than done.rob dobi/Moment via Getty Images

OpenAI, the tech company that created the popular ChatGPT chatbot, is at a crossroads.

It began as a nonprofit dedicated to developing artificial intelligence systems smarter than humans. Since its founding, OpenAI has boasted that it was up...

Trump’s agenda will face hurdles in Congress, despite the Republican ‘trifecta’ of winning the House, Senate and White House

Written by Charlie Hunt, Assistant Professor of Political Science, Boise State University

Trump may have a majority in Congress, but that doesn't mean he can move ahead with his entire agenda.Al Drago/Bloomberg via Getty Images

Beginning in January 2025, Republicans in Washington will achieve what’s commonly known as a governing “trifecta”: control over the executive branch via the president, combined with majorities...

Why does the Senate confirm Trump’s picks for key posts — and how? A legal scholar explains the confirmation process and the ‘constitutional loophole’ of recess appointments

Written by Jennifer Selin, Associate Professor of Law, Arizona State University

Will Trump nominee Matt Gaetz be able to ascend to the top position at the Justice Department?Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images

Since Election Day, President-elect Donald Trump has moved quickly to name his picks for key cabinet posts such as attorney general and the secretaries of defense, health and human services, and state.

Reaction...

An 83-year-old short story by Borges portends a bleak future for the internet

Written by Roger J. Kreuz, Associate Dean and Professor of Psychology, University of Memphis

Fifty years before the architecture for the web was created, Jorge Luis Borges had already imagined an analog equivalent.Sophie Bassouls/Sygma via Getty Images

How will the internet evolve in the coming decades?

Fiction writers have explored some possibilities.

In his 2019 novel “Fall,” science fiction author Neal Stephenson imagined a...

Carbon offsets can help bring energy efficiency to low-income Americans − our Nashville data shows it could be a win for everyone

Written by Zdravka Tzankova, Associate Professor of the Practice in Climate & Environmental Studies, Vanderbilt University

Replacing windows and adding a heat pump in place of a furnace can save energy, reducing emissions.Tristan Spinski for The Washington Post via Getty Images

Under pressure from customers and investors, many U.S. companies have pledged to voluntarily reduce their impact on the climate. But that doesn’t always mean they’re cutting their...

Workplace diversity training programs are everywhere, but their effectiveness varies widely

Written by Yekaterina Bezrukova, Associate Professor Organization and Human Resources, University at Buffalo

Diversity training programs had positive results when they implemented skills training and role-playing, according to a new study.Mikolette/Getty Images

Despite recent efforts to restrict them, diversity training programs have become as ubiquitous in American offices as the water cooler. They’re everywhere.

But our recent update on the state...

Black entrepreneurs are often shut out from capital, but here’s how some are removing barriers

Written by SherRhonda Gibbs, Dean, Division of Business and Economics, Morehouse College

Daymond John and Tracee Ellis Ross attend Black Entrepreneurs Day at the Apollo Theater on Oct. 22, 2022, in New York City. Johnny Nunez/WireImage via Getty Images

It’s never easy to create a successful business, but it’s a lot harder if you’re Black.

Research shows that Black startup founders face significant, racially specific...

Climate change is encouraging unsanitary toilet practices among vulnerable communities

Written by James Harper, Assistant Teaching Professor of Engineering Design, University of Colorado Boulder

A latrine shelter with a floodwater mark about 4 feet above ground level, leading to toilet dysfunction, in Kampong Thom province, Cambodia.Author supplied/iDE Cambodia, CC BY

Everyone knows that climate change has consequences, such as a higher likelihood of severe floods, hurricanes and droughts. But here’s a lesser-known problem: Climate...