In aging South Korea, AI dolls care for the elderly
In her tiny apartment in South Korea, where she lives alone, 78-year-old Bang Chun-ja spends her days with a childlike AI-powered doll she says she prefers to people.
Jun 11, 2026
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Robotics
Page 8: Research news on AI chatbot safety
AI chatbot safety concerns the psychological, social, and informational risks posed by conversational AI systems and the mechanisms for mitigating those risks. Work in this area examines how chatbots can influence user behavior, propagate misinformation, exhibit bias, or respond inadequately to crises such as suicidality, with particular attention to children and adolescents. The field integrates technical alignment and auditing methods with legal, regulatory, and ethical frameworks, including parental controls, age restrictions, liability standards, and governance of persuasive or anthropomorphic chatbot designs.
Computer Sciences
Thirty-five AI comedians walked into a workshop, and what happened next could reshape how machines learn humor
Workshopping, an iterative process in which creators share ideas, test what works and refine what doesn't through collective feedback, is at the heart of any writers group. This collaborative dynamic inspired George Mason ...
Jun 10, 2026
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Consumer & Gadgets
Chatbot teddies for three‑year‑olds? Why AI toys are risky for kids
ChattyBear, a soft, brown-furred teddy bear, begins every conversation with a jubilant, "Hello, my buddy!"
Jun 3, 2026
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Machine learning & AI
Survey finds generational gap in attitudes to AI romance
Almost 50% of young adults in six major economies think AI romantic companionship will improve human happiness through emotional support in the next decade, the results of a large survey suggested Monday.
Jun 1, 2026
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Consumer & Gadgets
People prefer to talk to chatbots that share similar personality traits to their own, research shows
It's well understood that people tend to be naturally drawn to those with bubbly and extroverted personalities. And those outgoing and gregarious types may naturally consider themselves people-persons and gravitate toward ...
May 29, 2026
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Consumer & Gadgets
Research finds hotel booking chatbots can 'creep out' customers
Travelers who use AI-powered chatbots on hotel booking platforms often feel uneasy. That discomfort can cause them to disengage or delay booking decisions, according to new research from the Texas A&M College of Agriculture ...
May 25, 2026
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Software
Free tool aims to speed research on how AI chatbots shape trust, learning, and decisions
With artificial intelligence upending how people seek, interpret, and act on information, efforts are underway to design AI systems that are equitable, efficient, and inclusive. A University of Oklahoma data scientist has ...
May 18, 2026
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Consumer & Gadgets
Audio cues can make AI feel more human, though some users may judge it as rude
Researchers at Carnegie Mellon University are investigating how humans respond to artificial intelligence agents that sound physically present in the same room, work that could shape the future of audio-only AI systems used ...
May 18, 2026
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9
Internet
More and more websites want proof you're human: Blame the bots
You're trying to book concert tickets before they sell out. You click the link and before you can make the payment, you're asked to identify traffic lights, bicycles or blurry crosswalks in a grid of tiny images.
May 15, 2026
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Computer Sciences
Blind ambition: AI agents can turn tasks into digital disasters
Computer scientists at UC Riverside have identified troubling flaws in a new generation of artificial intelligence (AI) agents designed to take over routine computer chores while users are away—sorting emails, organizing ...
May 14, 2026
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