A seat at the AI table

+ samurai swords in the classroom US Edition - Today's top story: Experts alone can't handle AI – social scientists explain why the public needs a seat at the table [View in browser]( US Edition | 5 September 2023 [The Conversation] [The Conversation]( Top headlines - [California and Florida: from semitropical paradise to climate risk]( - [Coral’s spiritual, religious and cultural significance]( - [Why do you feel anxiety in your body if it’s in your brain?]( Lead story Building cars takes a lot of expertise, and few people doubt that the engineers and technicians who make cars are experts. But would you say that it’s OK for carmakers to be the only voices policymakers hear when deciding which safety features cars should have, where roads should be built and what the speed limit should be on your street? It’s easier to answer no to that question for an established technology, like cars, than it is for emerging technologies such as gene editing and artificial intelligence. University of Wisconsin-Madison science communication scholars Dietram Scheufele, Dominique Brossard and Todd Newman [explain why societies have a hard time]( giving everyone a seat at the table where decisions are made about advances in science and technology, and why doing so is necessary to safely and fairly roll them out. Finally, a note about the growth of The Conversation’s global network. Today, [The Conversation Brasil]( launched, bringing our model of academic journalism to the fourth-largest democracy in the world, with stories written in Portuguese. The site joins our network of editions in Africa, Australia, Canada, France, Indonesia, New Zealand, Spain, the the U.K. and the United States. Parabéns ao The Conversation Brasil! [ [Inscreva-se na newsletter semanal brasileira.]( ] Eric Smalley Science + Technology Editor Tech leaders like Alphabet CEO Sundar Picha and OpenAI CEO Sam Altman, seen here entering the White House, are just one piece of the AI regulation puzzle. AP Photo/Evan Vucci [Experts alone can’t handle AI – social scientists explain why the public needs a seat at the table]( Dietram A. Scheufele, University of Wisconsin-Madison; Dominique Brossard, University of Wisconsin-Madison; Todd Newman, University of Wisconsin-Madison Industry leaders, scientists and policymakers may see AI’s technical potential, but societies have trouble adapting to revolutionary advances without broad public participation. Science + Technology - [If anxiety is in my brain, why is my heart pounding? A psychiatrist explains the neuroscience and physiology of fear]( Arash Javanbakht, Wayne State University Although emotions like fear and anxiety originate in your brain, they ultimately travel through your body and make your heart race and your stomach twist. - [What is geospatial intelligence? A geographer explains the powerful melding of maps and data]( Darren Ruddell, University of Southern California The combination of data and maps is useful for a lot more than just helping you get from point A to point B. Think natural disasters, global supply chains and climate change. Economy + Business - [Congress needs to pass 12 funding bills in 11 days to avert a shutdown – here’s why that isn’t likely]( Raymond Scheppach, University of Virginia Lawmakers have given themselves a virtually impossible task – and the stakes are high. - [The US broke global trade rules to try to fix climate change – to finish the job, it has to fix the trade system]( Noah Kaufman, Columbia University; Chris Bataille, Columbia University; Gautam Jain, Columbia University; Sagatom Saha, Columbia University Joe Biden’s ‘buy American’ effort with EVs likely violated World Trade Organization rules that the US helped create. The US has an opportunity now to update the system – if it’s willing to take it. Politics + Society - [Paper ballots are good, but accurately hand-counting them all is next to impossible]( Barry C. Burden, University of Wisconsin-Madison Hand-counting every ballot might sound like a great idea, but it’s both slower and less accurate than machine-counting votes. Education - [I love swords, so I designed a course on how to use them to succeed in life]( Lancing C. England, University of Tennessee A former fencer who fell in love with the samurai sword explains how learning to wield the weapon can help people stave off trouble in other areas of life. Ethics + Religion - [Saudi reforms are softening Islam’s role, but critics warn the kingdom will still take a hard line against dissent]( Nathan French, Miami University A scholar who has closely followed reforms that MBS has made to Wahhabism, an austere form of Islam, explains the changes taking place in the Saudi kingdom and their impact. - [Climate change is destroying reefs, but the effects are more than ecological – coral’s been woven into culture and spirituality for centuries]( Michele Currie Navakas, Miami University Coral has been woven into traditions, art and even religion in communities around the world. Environment + Energy - [California and Florida grew quickly on the promise of perfect climates in the 1900s – today, they lead the country in climate change risks]( Henry Knight Lozano, University of Exeter From semitropical playgrounds to life-endangering climate risks: Going back over a century, California’s and Florida’s growth has been predicated on climate – and promises of the good life. Arts + Culture - [How video games like ‘Starfield’ are creating a new generation of classical music fans]( J. Aaron Hardwick, Wake Forest University The genre has long been viewed as too exclusive, too expensive and too stuffy. Thanks to video games, that’s starting to change. Trending on site - [Researchers dig deep underground in hopes of finally observing dark matter]( - [Many people think cannabis smoke is harmless − a physician explains how that belief can put people at risk]( - [How individual, ordinary Jews fought Nazi persecution − a new view of history]( Today's graphic 📈 [Black carbon pollution levels had been declining as vehicles, power plants and factories became cleaner. Since 2015, however, several bad wildfire years have pushed airborne black carbon levels up again. Data for 2023 is not yet available.]( From the story, [North America’s summer of wildfire smoke: 2023 was only the beginning]( - - More of The Conversation Like this newsletter? You might be interested in our weekly and biweekly emails: • [Weekly Highlights]( • [Science Editors' Picks]( • [This Week in Religion]( • [Politics Weekly]( • [Global Perspectives]( • [Global Economy & Business]( Trying out new social media? 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