Evaluating 4 ways to regulate AI

+ it's not easy to stop a lava flow US Edition - Today's top story: Reining in AI means figuring out which regulation options are feasible, both technically and economically [View in browser]( US Edition | 17 January 2024 [The Conversation] [The Conversation]( Top headlines - [The role of diet in getting healthy sleep]( - [A DeSantis super PAC flouted campaign rules in Iowa]( - [Ways to solve the helium shortage]( Lead story The rise of generative AI in 2023 made one thing abundantly clear: the screaming need to regulate it. AI text, audio and image generators are now readily available, which means the ability to produce deepfakes is within reach of most people. This has stoked well-founded fears of fraud and disinformation. Congress and state legislatures are weighing a range of options for building guardrails for AI. Purdue University computer scientist Saurabh Bagchi explains that for any AI regulation to work, it has to be both technologically and economically feasible. Bagchi [gives his assessment]( of the feasibility of four approaches to regulating AI. Spoiler: They don’t all pass the test. [ [Science from the scientists themselves. Sign up for our weekly science email newsletter.]( ] Eric Smalley Science + Technology Editor One form of regulating AI is watermarking its output – the equivalent of AI signing its work. R_Type/iStock via Getty Images [Reining in AI means figuring out which regulation options are feasible, both technically and economically]( Saurabh Bagchi, Purdue University There are many ideas about how to regulate AI, but not all of them are technologically feasible, and some of those that are won’t fly economically. Health + Medicine - [What’s the best diet for healthy sleep? A nutritional epidemiologist explains what food choices will help you get more restful z’s]( Erica Jansen, University of Michigan A growing body of research is finding a robust link between diet and sleep quality. But it’s not just the usual suspects like caffeine and alcohol that can get in the way of restful sleep. Environment + Energy - [Iceland battles a lava flow: Countries have built barriers and tried explosives in the past, but it’s hard to stop molten rock]( Loÿc Vanderkluysen, Drexel University Iceland, Hawaii and Italy have all tried to control lava to save cities in the past. A volcanologist explains the methods. Science + Technology - [Connecting researchers and legislators can lead to policies that reflect scientific evidence]( Taylor Scott, Penn State Researchers want real-world impact. Lawmakers want programs that work. The public wants to benefit from taxpayer-funded research. Building a bridge from academia to legislatures is key to all three. - [Helium is an essential material for research and medical equipment, but it’s nonrenewable and difficult to recycle]( Nicholas Fitzkee, Mississippi State University With the fourth significant shortage of helium in a decade continuing, companies and researchers are looking for alternative sources. Politics + Society - [Iowa was different this time – even if the outcome was as predicted]( Timothy Hagle, University of Iowa; Stephen J. Farnsworth, University of Mary Washington From the ‘static’ polls to Trump’s ‘dissing’ of voters, two political scientists look at the Iowa caucus and see more than just the fact that Trump won it, resoundingly. - [DeSantis-linked super PAC broke new ground in pushing campaign finance rules in Iowa in support of a 2nd-place finish]( Barbara A. Trish, Grinnell College In Iowa, the Ron DeSantis super PAC Never Back Down seemed intent on mocking the dividing line federal regulators set between campaigns and the PACs that support them. Ethics + Religion - [Gaza’s oldest mosque, destroyed in an airstrike, was once a temple to Philistine and Roman gods, a Byzantine and Catholic church, and had engravings of Jewish ritual objects]( Stephennie Mulder, The University of Texas at Austin Gaza’s Omari Mosque embodies the history of Gaza – as a site of frequent destruction, but also of renewal, writes a scholar of Islamic architecture and archaeology. Arts + Culture - [Chef Bill Granger’s inadvertent legacy – the avocado toast meme]( Aarushi Bhandari, Davidson College Granger, who died in December 2023, is credited with making avocado toast fashionable. Little did he know that his lasting legacy would inspire a meme that symbolized generational tension. Trending on site - [Laundry is a top source of microplastic pollution – here’s how to clean your clothes more sustainably]( - [Your body already has a built-in weight loss system that works like Wegovy, Ozempic and Mounjaro – food and your gut microbiome]( - [1 good thing about the Iowa caucuses, and 3 that are really troubling]( Today's graphic 📈 [The National Rifle Association slashed its spending on many of its programs from 2017 to 2022 as it contended with legal and financial troubles. The most drastic decline was in spending for field services, a broad category that includes volunteer organizing, promoting the NRA at gun shows and other outreach activities.]( From the story, [Wayne LaPierre leaves a financial mess behind at the NRA − on top of the legal one that landed him in court]( - - More of The Conversation Like this newsletter? 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