Daily News: May 8, 2025
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Today's News
Here are the top 5 recent news items on artificial intelligence:
1./ Alphabet Shares Tumble After Apple Exec Reveals Drop in Google Traffic
Alphabet’s share price plunged over 7% Wednesday, wiping out around $140 billion in market value, after Apple executive Eddy Cue testified in federal court that Google’s search traffic on Apple devices fell last month due to users shifting towards AI-powered alternatives like ChatGPT and Perplexity. Cue’s unprecedented disclosure came during hearings in which U.S. Judge Amit Mehta will decide remedies for his landmark antitrust ruling against Google, potentially including forcing it to divest Chrome or halt default browser payments to Apple—payments which Cue argued significantly support Apple’s investments in new products and services.
Source: https://finance.yahoo.com/news/alphabets-share-price-plunges-traffic-163947084.html
2./ AI Tool Uses Facial Photos to Estimate Biological Age, Predict Cancer Outcomes
Researchers at Mass General Brigham have developed a deep-learning algorithm called "FaceAge" that uses facial photos to estimate a person's biological age and predict cancer survival outcomes. Their study, published in The Lancet Digital Health, found that cancer patients appeared about five years older biologically than their chronological age, and those with higher FaceAge scores had poorer survival rates. FaceAge also significantly improved clinicians' accuracy in predicting short-term life expectancy for patients receiving palliative radiotherapy, suggesting potential clinical value in treatment decision-making. Further research is underway to validate and expand this technology across different diseases and settings.
Source: https://medicalxpress.com/news/2025-05-ai-tool-photos-biological-age.html
3./ Could AI soon translate animal sounds into words? Tech firm hopes so
Chinese tech giant Baidu is exploring whether artificial intelligence could translate animal sounds into human language, according to a new patent filing. Baidu's proposed AI-powered system would collect data such as animal vocalizations, behaviors, and physiological signals to determine an animal's emotional state, translating those emotions into human-understandable language. Although still in the research stage, the project aims to enhance communication between humans and animals. Despite growing interest, some online commentators remain skeptical about its real-world effectiveness.
Source: https://news.sky.com/story/could-ai-translate-animal-sounds-into-words-tech-experts-hope-so-13363743
4./ Using AI at Work Damages Your Professional Reputation, Study Finds
A new Duke University study reveals that workers using generative AI tools like ChatGPT face negative judgments from colleagues, being perceived as lazier, less competent, and less diligent. Published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, the research highlights a widespread social stigma toward AI assistance at work, consistent across demographic groups. Employees even hide their AI usage due to fear of reputational damage. However, managers who regularly use AI themselves viewed AI-using candidates more favorably. The findings suggest hidden social barriers might limit AI adoption despite productivity benefits.
Source: https://arstechnica.com/ai/2025/05/ai-use-damages-professional-reputation-study-suggests/
5./ AI Can Identify Autism with Over 84% Accuracy Using Subtle Hand Movements
A new study published in Autism Research demonstrates that artificial intelligence can identify autism by analyzing subtle patterns in how individuals grasp everyday objects. Researchers from York University recorded small hand movements during simple grasping tasks, finding distinct patterns in autistic versus non-autistic participants. Using minimal equipment and machine learning, their AI models successfully differentiated autistic adults from non-autistic ones with accuracy rates exceeding 84%. These findings suggest that subtle motor differences could become the basis for non-invasive diagnostic tools, potentially improving early identification and intervention strategies for autism.
Source: https://www.psypost.org/new-study-ai-can-identify-autism-from-tiny-hand-motion-patterns/
Today's Takeaway
Today's developments underscore that AI isn't merely reshaping industries; it's rewriting fundamental societal dynamics at an accelerating pace. Alphabet's steep decline signals how swiftly and drastically AI can disrupt established tech giants, highlighting the vulnerability of even the most dominant players as consumer behavior shifts toward AI alternatives. "FaceAge" illustrates AI's enormous potential in healthcare, potentially revolutionizing how we approach diagnosis and treatment, though raising troubling ethical questions about privacy and data use. Meanwhile, Baidu's ambitious quest to translate animal sounds into human language hints at both whimsical possibilities and deeper implications for interspecies understanding, yet skepticism remains warranted until proven practical. The Duke University study reveals a stark hidden cost to workplace AI adoption: stigma that risks sidelining the productivity gains AI promises. Finally, the impressive accuracy of AI diagnosing autism from subtle hand movements shows AI's profound diagnostic potential, though we must navigate carefully to ensure respectful, ethical deployment. These stories collectively remind us that embracing AI demands thoughtful reflection, careful policy-making, and strong ethical oversight, before disruption becomes destruction.
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