In the race to develop humanoid robots, the hardest problem may be creating hands as nimble as human ones. Amy Hawkins reports from Beijing on how 'embodied AI' focuses on dexterous appendages to transform robots from gimmicks into useful products. The human hand, with its nerve-filled structure, enables complex tasks like tying shoelaces or buttoning a shirt, requiring precise neurological instructions.
AI and Language: A Hall of Mirrors
David Shariatmadari explores how AI trains on human writing, and humans are stylistically influenced by AI, creating a linguistic hall of mirrors. It's hard to determine if a piece is AI-generated, fostering paranoia. Novelists including Jennifer Egan and Jeanette Winterson reflect on the future of fiction in the age of ChatGPT.
Stalker Neighbours Turn Dream Home into Nightmare
Amanda Hutton and Richard Burton recount their ordeal when a young couple bought land next to their Welsh farmhouse. The neighbours' behaviour escalated from odd to a full-blown campaign of terror, with the couple stating, 'He hadn't been trying to scare us. He'd been trying to kill us.'
Blue-Space Therapy: The Sea as Medicine
Tamara Davison writes about the growing traction of blue-space therapy, where exposure to oceans, rivers, and lakes benefits brain health. From Victorian-era 'sea cures' to cold-water swimming, the theory of blue mind suggests water induces a state of drift, slowing breathing and softening focus.
Ukraine's Fortress Belt: Kill Zones and Drone Nets
Peter Beaumont visits Ukraine's strategic line of towns where anti-drone nets cover roads and buildings. Technology has transformed warfare, with soldiers and civilians living under constant threat. 'Technology has turned everything upside down,' a soldier notes, highlighting the brutal defence against Russian forces.
Legendary Gigs: Writers Remember
Guardian writers relive historic performances, from Beyoncé at Coachella to Amy Winehouse at the North Sea Jazz Festival. One writer recalls, 'The dialogue she created between screens, props and flesh-and-blood artist was nearly a decade ahead of the curve.'
