• For-Profit Companies Cant Easily Replace NOAAs Weather-Forecasting Prowess
    theconversation.com
    Auteurs Christine Wiedinmyer Associate Director for Science at CIRES, University of Colorado Boulder Kari Bowen Atmospheric Scientist, Program Manager at CIRES, University of Colorado Boulder Dclaration dintrtsChristine Wiedinmyer is the CIRES Associate Director for Science. CIRES is a CU Boulder research institute that has a cooperative agreement (grant) with NOAA called the Cooperative Institute for Earth Systems Research and Data Science, CIESRDS. Wiedinmyer's funding is primarily from NOAA, which supports more than 400 CIRES CU Boulder employees. Kari Bowen is the Science and Administration Manager. CIRES is a CU Boulder research institute with a cooperative agreement (grant) with NOAA called the Cooperative Institute for Earth Systems Research and Data Science, CIESRDS. Bowen's funding is from NOAA, which supports more than 400 CIRES CU Boulder employees. PartenairesUniversity of Colorado apporte un financement en tant que membre adhrent de TheConversation US.Voir les partenaires de TheConversation FranceWhen a hurricane or tornado starts to form, your local weather forecasters can quickly pull up maps tracking its movement and showing where its headed. But have you ever wondered where they get all that information?The forecasts can seem effortless, but behind the scenes, a vast network of satellites, airplanes, radar, computer models and weather analysts are providing access to the latest data and warnings when necessary. This data comes from analysts at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, known as NOAA, and its National Weather Service.Atmospheric scientists Christine Wiedinmyer and Kari Bowen, who is a former National Weather Service forecaster, explained NOAAs central role in most U.S. weather forecasts.When people see a weather report on TV, what went on at NOAA to make that forecast possible?A lot of the weather information Americans rely on starts with real-time data collected by NOAA satellites, airplanes, weather balloons, radar and maritime buoys, as well as weather stations around the world.All of that information goes into the agencys computers, which process the data to begin defining whats going on in different parts of the atmosphere. NOAA forecasters use computer models that simulate physics and the behavior of the atmosphere, along with their own experience and local knowledge, to start to paint a picture of the weather whats coming in a few minutes or hours or days. They also use that data to project seasonal conditions out over weeks or months.NOAAs data comes from many sources to provide a more complete picture of developing climate and weather conditions. Communities and economies rely on that constantly updated information.NOAAWhen severe weather is on the way, the agency issues the official alerts youll see in the news and on your phone. All of this analysis happens before the information reaches private weather apps and TV stations.No matter who you are, you can freely access that data and the analyses. In fact, a large number of private companies use NOAA data to create fancy maps and other weather products that they sell.It would be extremely difficult to do all of that without NOAA.The agency operates a fleet of 18 satellites that are packed with instruments dedicated to observing weather phenomena essential to predicting the weather, from how hot the land surface is to the water content of the atmosphere. Some are geostationary satellites which sit high above different parts of the U.S. measuring weather conditions 24/7. Others orbit the planet. Many of these are operated as part of partnerships with NASA or the Air Force.Some private companies are starting to invest in satellites, but it would take an enormous amount of money to replicate the range of instrumentation and coverage that NOAA has in place. Satellites only last so long and take time to build, so NOAA is continually planning for the future, and using its technical expertise to develop new instruments and computer algorithms to interpret the data.NOAAs low earth orbiting satellites circle the planet from pole to pole and across the equator 14 times a day to provide a full picture of the year twice a day. The agency also has geostationary satellites that provide continuous coverage over the U.S.NOAAMaritime buoys are another measuring system that would be difficult to replicate. Over 1,300 buoys across oceans around the world measure water temperature, wind and wave height all of which are essential for coastal warnings, as well as long-term forecasts.Weather observation has been around a long time. President Ulysses S. Grant created the first national weather service in the War Department in 1870. It became a civilian service in 1880 under the Department of Agriculture and is now in the Commerce Department. The information its scientists and technologists produce is essential for safety and also benefits people and industries in a lot of ways. Could a private company create forecasts on its own without NOAA data?It would be difficult for one company to provide comprehensive weather data in a reliable way that is also accessible to the entire public.Some companies might be able to launch their own satellite, but one satellite only gives you part of the picture. NOAAs weather observation network has been around for a long time and collects data from points all over the U.S. and the oceans. Without that robust data, computer models and the broad network of forecasters and developers, forecasting also becomes less reliable.Analyzing that data is also complex. Youre not going to be able to take satellite data, run a model on a standard laptop and suddenly have a forecast. And theres a question of whether a private company would want to take on the legal risk of being responsible for the nations forecasts and severe weather warnings. Neil Jacobs, nominated to oversee NOAA, explains why the agency is essential for accurate national weather forecasting, and why private companies might not want to take on the legal risk on their own.NOAA is taxpayer-funded, so it is a public good its services provide safety and security for everyone, not just those who can pay for it.If weather data was only available at a price, one town might be able to afford the weather information necessary to protect its residents, while a smaller town or a rural area across the state might not. If youre in a tornado-prone area or coastal zone, that information can be the difference between life or death.Is climate data and research into the changing climate important for forecasts?The Earths systems its land, water and the atmosphere are changing, and we have to be able to assess how those changes will impact weather tomorrow, in two weeks and far into the future.Rising global temperatures affect weather patterns. Dryness can fuel wildfires. Forecasts have to take the changing climate into account to be accurate, no matter who is creating the forecast.Drought is an example. The dryness of the Earth controls how much water gets exchanged with the atmosphere to form clouds and rainfall. To have an accurate weather prediction, we need to know how dry things are at the surface and how that has changed over time. That requires long-term climate information.NOAA doesnt do all of this by itself who else is involved?NOAA partners with private sector, academia, nonprofits and many others around the world to ensure that everyone has the best information to produce the most robust weather forecasts. Private weather companies and media also play important roles in getting those forecasts and alerts out more widely to the public.A lot of businesses rely on accuracy from NOAAs weather data and forecasts: aviation, energy companies, insurance, even modern tractors precision farming equipment. The agencys long-range forecasts are essential for managing state reservoirs to ensure enough water is saved and to avoid flooding.The government agency can be held accountable in a way private businesses are not because it answers to Congress. So, the data is trustworthy, accessible and developed with the goal to protect public safety and property for everyone. Could the same be said if only for-profit companies were producing that data?
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  • Tomb Raider 4-6 Remastered completes a trip down memory lane that remains unwelcoming despite its historical value
    www.vg247.com
    Old LessonsTomb Raider 4-6 Remastered completes a trip down memory lane that remains unwelcoming despite its historical valueWe must understand the past to prepare for the future.Image credit: Aspyr Article by Fran Ruiz Contributor Published on Feb. 16, 2025 Tomb Raider I-III Remastered was one of the biggest 'retro' releases of 2024, so we weren't entirely surprised to see Aspyr taking on IV-VI next (though we did have some burning questions). Now, the second volume of this collection has finally arrived, and I was lucky enough to spend some time revisiting The Last Revelation, Chronicles, and The Angel of Darkness ahead of the February 14 launch.Yes, these three games aren't nearly as good as the first trilogy, but they're still part of the long-running series' history and key to understanding why and how the transition into the 'Crystal Dynamics era' of the franchise happened. As you all know, three more mainline games (if you consider the Anniversary remake one of them) were released before a full reboot that was far gnarlier. Whether Aspyr will get to that trio following these entries remains a mystery for now.To see this content please enable targeting cookies. It's understandable to read about some fans who are choosing to sit this one out. After all, The Last Revelation shows signs of fatigue, Chronicles is Lara Croft's strange Lost Levels moment, and The Angel of Darkness was a shoddy, largely unfinished transition to PS2. However, this second set of remastered games should at the very least be the best way to experience this chunk of Lara's history, and there's a lot of value in there for both completionists and people interested in learning about the action-adventure genre and how it became (years before Nathan Drake's arrival) what it is today.I'm happy to admit that I'm not as familiar with IV-VI as I was with the first three games. At some point during my childhood, Tomb Raider games on PS1 blurred together and I just began not to give a s**t until the 2013 reboot. Digging into The Last Revelation reminded me, however, that I'd actually played a decent amount of the game back in the day. My brain had totally suppressed the young Lara model for reasons unknown, and the race for fun against her mentor Werner Von Croy was another surprise after all these years even though it felt familiar. Image credit: Aspyr, VG247Things quickly get crazy in the fourth game, and I'd even say it has a better initial narrative hook than some of the previous entries. Moreover, the controls, even when using the original 'tank' ones (for science, as I don't want to put myself through that ever again) immediately feel snappier than I-III's. Mind you, Lara's notably elaborate animations for the time and more complex moves remain tough to fully adjust to; most of the difficulty in these old games comes from the controls, no matter how much Aspyr tinkers with them.The developers' commitment to fidelity and keeping the original games as intact as possible (also seen in recent Star Wars remasters such as Jedi Power Battles) continues to be a double-edged sword: These are polished iterations of the games as they were with some much-needed tweaks and even restored content, but if you found them brutal back then, chances are you won't feel differently nowadays. It's abundantly clear by now that Aspyr has committed to this vision for their remastering efforts (no matter the IP), and so far, it has an audience. Image credit: Aspyr, VG247Chronicles is an odd one. On the one hand, it was clearly a side project while a bigger team worked on The Angel of Darkness. On the other hand, the graphical and playable improvements are noticeable (as a reminder, you can switch with one button between the old and remastered presentations). Its biggest sin was not iterating enough on the formula, but looking back, it feels like an alright way to consume more old-school Lara Croft action and loopy exploration without worrying about the half-baked innovations seen later. That first Rome level alone (seen above) has some sweet layout design going on, so if anything, it's an interesting look at how Core Design continued to improve and try new things on that front.The elephant in the room, of course, is The Angel of Darkness, the game that killed Core Design's renewed plans for the series and made it end up with Crystal Dynamics. I'm not gonna lie: It's still pretty bad. Aspyr has clearly put a lot of effort into this one, making it somewhat bearable, but when even getting out of a room early on is troublesome, you know this one is only for the sickos. Image credit: AspyrThe premise (which I won't spoil here) is an enticing one though, and things get very weird plot-wise very fast, at least during the early hours, so it's not surprising to see diehards encouraging doubters to this day to give it a fair shake and power through the worst bits to find some gold. I don't think I'll do so, at least not right now, but I'm always into 'black sheep' getting a second chance, so perhaps we'll see some interesting writing and video essays done around this sixth entry in the near future.Overall, I've had a fun time with Tomb Raider IV-VI Remastered so far because they sort of feel like odd, ancient artifacts that Lara would find in some godforsaken temple; they're hard to fully understand if you didn't play through them when they first released, but it's obvious from the get-go they're needed to complete the history behind one of gaming's most enduring legacies. Lots of patience are required not to bounce off almost instantly, but researchers and aspiring archaeologists shouldn't skip this one.Tomb Raider IV-VI Remastered is now available on PC (Steam, Epic Games, and GOG), PS4/5, Xbox Series X/S plus One, and Nintendo Switch.
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  • The Nixplay Touch 10 digital photo frame makes the perfect gift, and it's 33% off
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    The Nixplay Touch 10 displays your loved one's favorite memories by freeing them from your phone and bringing them to a physical frame. Plus, it's $60 off for Presidents' Day.
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  • This air purifier is a must for pet parents, and it's on sale for up to $70 off
    www.zdnet.com
    Get cleaner air for less with the Blueair Blue Pure 211i Max air purifier for up to 20% off as a Presidents' Day deal.
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  • Quordle Hints And Answers For Monday, February 17
    www.forbes.com
    Here's some help with today's Quordle, including hints and the answers.SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty ImagesLooking for Sundays Quordle hints and answers? You can find them here:Hey, folks! Hints and the answers for todays Quordle words are just ahead.How To Play QuordleFor any newcomers joining us, heres how to play Quordle: Just start typing in words. You have four five-letter words to guess and nine attempts to find them all. The catch is that you play all four words simultaneously.If you get a letter in the right place for any of the four words, it will light up in green. If a word contains a letter from one of your guesses but its in the wrong place, it will appear in yellow. You could always check out the practice games before taking on the daily puzzle.Here are some hints for todays Quordle game, followed by the answers:What Are Todays Quordle Hints?Word 1 (top left) hint sorrowfullyWord 2 (top right) hint a thin crisp cracker, cake or candyWord 3 (bottom left) hint adjective for a thin, supple and graceful personWord 4 (bottom right) hint type of expression that has a non-literal meaningOne of the words has a pair of repeated lettersTodays words start with S, W, L and IWhat Are Todays Quordle Answers?Spoiler alert! Dont scroll any further down the page until youre ready to find out todays Quordle answers.This is your final warning!Todays words are...SADLYWAFERLITHEIDIOMThats all there is to it for todays Quordle clues and answers. Be sure to check my blog for hints and the solution for Tuesdays game if you need them.
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  • NYT Connections Today: Hints And Answers For Monday, February 17
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    Find the links between the words to win today's game of Connections.gettyLooking for Sundays Connections hints and answers instead? You can find them here:Hey there, folks! Welcome to the start of a new week.I normally leave the music/movie/game/life recommendations until the end of the column, but Im going to give you a second one today. Simply because its Monday, and we probably could all use a pick-me-up. So turn this one up loud, dance it out and get some of that sweet dopamine flowing:Before we begin, Ive set up a discussion group for Connections and this column on Discord. You can chat about each game (and other topics) with me and other folks. Im always interested to find out how other people approach the game, so join us! Its fun.Its also the best way to give me any feedback about the column, especially on the rare(!) occasions that I mess something up.Todays NYT Connections hints and answers for Monday, February 17, are coming right up.MORE FOR YOUHow To Play ConnectionsConnections is a free, popular New York Times daily word game. You get a new puzzle at midnight every day. You can play on the Youre presented with a grid of 16 words. Your task is to arrange them into four groups of four by figuring out the links between them. The groups could be things like items you can click, names for research study participants or words preceded by a body part.Theres only one solution for each puzzle, and youll need to be careful when it comes to words that might fit into more than one category. You can shuffle the words to perhaps help you see links between them.Each group is color coded. The yellow group is usually the easiest to figure out, blue and green fall in the middle, and the purple group is usually the most difficult one. The purple group often involves wordplay.Select four words you think go together and press Submit. If you make a guess and youre incorrect, youll lose a life. If youre close to having a correct group, you might see a message telling you that youre one word away from getting it right, but youll still need to figure out which one to swap.If you make four mistakes, its game over. Lets make sure that doesnt happen with the help of some hints, and, if youre really struggling, todays Connections answers. As with Wordle and other similar games, its easy to share results with your friends on social media and group chats.If you have an NYT All Access or Games subscription, you can access the publications Connections archive. This includes every previous game of Connections, so you can go back and play any of those that you have missed.Aside from the first 60 games or so, you should be able to find my hints for each grid via Google if you need them! Just click here and add the date of the game for which you need clues or the answers to the search query.What Are Todays Connections Hints?Scroll slowly! Just after the hints for each of todays Connections groups, Ill reveal what the groups are without immediately telling you which words go into them.Todays 16 words are...DOUBLEBLOWSNAKEBREAKLEAVEWINDCATSTRIKESPARERESTSWORDWEAVEVACATIONCURVETURKEYGOLDAnd the hints for todays Connections groups are:Yellow group get away from it allGreen group take the long roadBlue group Purple group "go" and "angel" would fit in hereWhat Are Todays Connections Groups?Need some extra help?Be warned: were starting to get into spoiler territory.Todays Connections groups are...Yellow group time offGreen group follow a meandering courseBlue group bowling resultsPurple group ____fishWhat Are Todays Connections Answers?Spoiler alert! Dont scroll any further down the page until youre ready to find out todays Connections answers.This is your final warning!Todays Connections answers are...Yellow group time off (BREAK, LEAVE, REST, VACATION)Green group follow a meandering course (CURVE, SNAKE, WEAVE, WIND)Blue group bowling results (DOUBLE, SPARE, STRIKE, TURKEY)Purple group ____fish (BLOW, CAT, GOLD, SWORD)Hooray, a perfect game for me today (and I don't mean in bowling). That takes my overall streak up to 11 wins. Here's how I fared: I had no problems at all with this one. I spotted the bowling terms right away. No lie, I got three strikes in a row, a.k.a. a TURKEY, as a kid. Admittedly, it was a type of bowling with smaller balls and pins, but it still counts!I had to use that video for the clue. It made for an easier hint than Id normally like to have for a blue, but I couldnt resist (plus, this is supposed to be fun!).The yellows were next. I had time off over the holidays, but I'm ready for some more please universe, thank you.The greens then jumped out at me, but I had to submit the purples first, because of course I did. I figured out the connection for those before sending them through this time around.With a little more patience, I probably could have had a reverse rainbow here. But as though Id like to be able to write everything out and methodically figure out all the groups and the likely colors for each before submitting anything, Im much too impatient for that.I am an agent of chaos and live life through vibes. I trust my gut and tend to just go with that most of the time. That often leads to mistakes (both in Connections and in life), but the strategy works for me more often than it doesnt. Both in life and in Connections.Thats all there is to it for todays Connections clues and answers. Be sure to check my blog tomorrow for hints and the solution for Tuesdays game if you need them.P.S. I wrote a bit the other day about Tropic Thunder and how much I enjoy silly comedy movies. One Ive always liked thats relevant to todays game is Kingpin, given that bowling is at the heart of the story.It's often vulgar and frequently crosses the line between good and bad taste. But goodness, is it funny:Have a great day! Stay hydrated! Call someone you love!If youre so inclined, please do follow my blog for more coverage of Connections and other word games and even some video game news, insights and analysis. It helps me out a lot! Also, follow me on Bluesky! Its fun there.
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  • Third-party mod delivers the Start Menu Windows 11 deserves
    www.techspot.com
    The big picture: Many people continue to complain about the Start menu in Windows 11. While Microsoft has rolled out several updates, they arguably still don't match the beloved Windows 10 version at least, in terms of flexibility. However, thanks to third-party tweaks, there's now a working solution that could offer the best of both worlds. The hero here is Windhawk, a veritable treasure trove of Windows 11 mods created by an active community of tinkerers. One standout tweak allows you to enjoy a new, significantly more usable Start menu layout. It combines pinned apps front and center with the full apps list alongside, eliminating extra clicks needed to find a program buried in the list.Getting this upgraded Start menu up and running is easy. Once downloaded and installed, navigate to the 'Windows 11 Start Menu Styler' mod, install it, and simply paste in the code for whichever custom layout you prefer from the included presets. Within seconds, your new Start experience will be ready to rock.However, the customization potential doesn't stop there. This mod allows tinkerers to adjust practically every aspect of the Start menu through various settings and parameters. For example, the entire menu can be made much more transparent. Additionally, you can even remove the Recommended section entirely, leaving only your pinned apps visible.Now, a quick disclaimer: this is a third-party mod we're talking about, so the usual security caveats apply. However, Windhawk has a strong community presence and open-source code, so it should be relatively safe.Windhawk is also able to tweak app behaviors and overhaul entire elements, such as the taskbar and desktop. // Related StoriesIt's worth noting that installing Windhawk provides a hub to browse and add the mods you want. Each mod displays screenshots and the actual code for preview. The transparency extends further, allowing you to fork existing mods and distribute your own custom versions if you have the know-how.
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  • Uber sues DoorDash, alleging anti-competitive practices in food delivery war
    www.techspot.com
    What just happened? Uber has filed a lawsuit against rival DoorDash, accusing the company of anti-competitive tactics. The complaint, submitted to the Superior Court of California, claims DoorDash's business practices unfairly disadvantage competitors and harm restaurant partners by limiting their ability to work with multiple delivery platforms. At the heart of the lawsuit, Uber accuses DoorDash the leading US food delivery service of pressuring restaurants into exclusive or near-exclusive agreements for first-party delivery services. These services involve fulfilling orders placed directly through the restaurants' websites and apps.Uber claims DoorDash's alleged tactics include threatening restaurants with substantial financial penalties or reducing their visibility on the platform if they choose to partner with competing services. According to Uber, several customers have likened the pressure to having a "gun to their head" and referred to DoorDash as a "monopolist."The lawsuit highlights an example involving an unnamed "significant restaurant company" that reportedly withdrew from a planned Uber Direct rollout across several brands. Uber asserts that the restaurant made this decision after DoorDash allegedly threatened to raise rates for its third-party delivery services if Uber Direct continued to be used.Sarfraz Maredia, Uber's head of delivery for the Americas, added that the company has increasingly received complaints from restaurants. According to Maredia, these restaurants claim that DoorDash's tactics are restricting their freedom and punishing them for seeking better alternatives.DoorDash, however, has strongly refuted these allegations. A company spokesperson dismissed Uber's claims as "unfounded" and attributed them to Uber's "inability to offer merchants, consumers, or couriers a quality alternative."This legal battle underscores the intense competition in the food delivery market, particularly within the white-label delivery services sector. Both Uber and DoorDash launched such services in 2020. Both allow restaurants to manage orders through their own platforms, while the delivery companies handle the logistics behind the scenes. // Related StoriesUber claims that DoorDash currently manages first-party deliveries for over 90 percent of the largest enterprise restaurants in the US, and alleges that this dominant position was achieved through anti-competitive practices.If Uber's lawsuit is successful, DoorDash could face several significant consequences. It may be required to pay substantial damages to Uber. While the exact amount is not specified in the lawsuit, Uber asserts that it has lost millions of dollars in revenue due to DoorDash's alleged practices.The court could also order DoorDash to adjust its business model, particularly in how it negotiates contracts with restaurants. This could potentially involve prohibiting exclusive or near-exclusive agreements for first-party delivery services.Additionally, a favorable ruling for Uber might allow smaller competitors to gain traction, potentially creating a more diverse and competitive market landscape.Furthermore, a victory could trigger increased antitrust scrutiny from regulators in this space an outcome Uber might ultimately regret.
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  • Breaking Bad creator Vince Gilligan is urging Hollywood to tell more stories about good guys
    www.digitaltrends.com
    Vince Gilligan is responsible for creating one of the signature antiheroes in all of TV history with Breaking Bad, but now, even he thinks that Hollywood spends too much time focused on bad people. In a speech accepting the Writers Guild Awards top writing honor, the Paddy Chayefsky Laurel Award for Television Writing Achievement, Gilligan said that Hollywood should spend more of its energy telling stories about good people.Walter White is one of the all-time great bad guys, Gilligan said. But all things being equal, I think we Id rather be celebrated for creating someone a bit more inspiring. In 2025 its time to say that out loud because we are living in an era where bad guys, the real life kind, are running amok. Bad guys who make their own rules, bad guys who, no matter what they tell you, are really out for themselves. Who am I talking about? Well, this is Hollywood, so guess.Recommended VideosGilligan said that stories about bad guys have now become too appealing and that many of them send the wrong message to their audience.Please enable Javascript to view this contentI really think that, when we create characters as indelible as Michael Corleone or Hannibal Lecter or Darth Vader or Tony Soprano, viewers everywhere, all around the world, they pay attention, he said. They say, Man, those dudes are badass. I want to be that cool. When that happens, fictional bad guys stop being the cautionary player that they were created to be. God help us, theyve become aspirational. So maybe what the world needs now are some good, old-fashioned, Greatest Generation types who give more than they take. Who think that kindness, tolerance and sacrifice arent strictly for chumps.One of the longest-running critiques of Breaking Badwas that, even though Walter White was obviously a bad dude in the world of the show, far too many people saw him as aspirational. Now, it seems Gilligan is taking those critiques to heart, and trying to tell a different kind of story.Editors RecommendationsThe 10 best performances in the Breaking Bad universe
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  • ChatGPT is making homework a lot easier - for parents
    www.businessinsider.com
    Some parents are resorting to ChatGPT to find answers to their children's homework.Those who spoke with Business Insider said it makes learning more engaging and jump-starts assignments.AI tools like ChatGPT are debated for educational use, with concerns about critical thinking.Roughly two years ago, Phil Birchenall's 11-year-old daughter, Daisy, was having a hard time with math."She's a bright girl," Birchenall, an AI consultant based in a suburb of Manchester, England, told Business Insider. Yet her long division skills were stopping her from acing the standardized tests known as SATs, which are required for secondary school in the UK.Birchenall said he last learned math in the eighties, and problem-solving techniques have changed since then. He could have hired a tutor, but he resorted to what he felt was a more personal, and cost-effective approach. He built a GPT, a customizable version of ChatGPT, one evening to help his daughter get back on track. "I fed in all of the subject areas that Daisy was falling behind on. I added in that she was in the UK, and she was doing a SAT," he said. To keep her engaged, he gave it the personality of a dog, inspired by his daughter's love for their cocker spaniel. It didn't take more than a few weeks with the "tutor" for Daisy to get up to speed. "She smashed her SATs in the end," he said.Parents in the US can also share the stress of homework and exam preparation. Nearly 60% of parents said they struggle to help their children with homework, according to a September 2024 survey of 1,006 parents of students in kindergarten through eighth grade in the US, conducted by Prodigy, a maker of educational games.Math may be the most feared subject. Over 80% of parents said they avoid helping their children with it, while 20% of parents spurn science, and 19% steer clear of language arts. And they're turning to generative AI for help 44% of parents said they use ChatGPT to find answers to their children's homework.Data shows that students rely heavily on ChatGPT for homework, as visits often spike while school is in session. But the merits of the bot are still up for debate. Educators in support of it say it can make assignments more approachable, helping students get over their writer's block, or coaching them through math problems. Critics worry that it could foster a kind of mental inertia, with students outsourcing too much intellectual work to a chatbot.New skills for a new learning paradigmStephen Salaka, a software engineering director from Florida, and his 14-year-old son both identify as neurodivergent. They excel under clear directions, but tend to struggle with more open-ended, creative work. He said they turn to ChatGPT to work things out through the Socratic method."He'll get an assignment, it'll be like, hey, draw a poster about, you know, the Civil War or something. It's very nebulous," he told BI. The bot helps his son get organized, talk through his thoughts, and move forward with the assignment.As generative AI technology becomes more integrated into students' lives, Salaka encourages parents to help them cultivate new critical thinking skills. "At some point in time, AI work is going to be distinguishable from human sources, and because of that, there's no way for us to track the provenance of information," Salaka said. "So disinformation, deepfakes, all of these things are going to become much more prevalent as we move forward."Students, he said, should learn to start asking questions like: "Is that source valid? What is the rationale behind that source to say, hey, this is true? Are there other sources that corroborate?"For now, AI tools are beginning to display sources in their outputs. Earlier this month, OpenAI launched "deep research", a new agent that conducts extensive research online, synthesizes it, and documents its outputs with "clear citations and a summary of its thinking." In January, Anthropic launched Citations, an API feature that lets its chatbot, Claude, provide "detailed references to the exact sentences and passages it uses to generate responses." AI-powered search engine, Perplexity, also includes footnotes linking to original sources in every answer it generates.There are still many parents who are apprehensive about tools like ChatGPT, according to Audrey Wisch, cofounder of Curious Cardinals, a tutoring and mentorship network based in San Francisco. Over the past 20 months, Wisch has taught over 75 workshops for parents on how to use AI to optimize their productivity. Before the workshops, she asks parents to fill out a registration form detailing their AI anxieties, among other points, and has collected more than 2,000 responses to date."They have this anxiety that they're going to screw up their kids," she said. "So there's just so much fear and there's so much misunderstanding. I think some of the biggest fears are cutting corners will my kid not know how to write?"Curious Cardinals pairs students in kindergarten through 12th grade with mentors to help them with schoolwork, pursue passion projects, or provide career guidance, and has incorporated AI education into those services. Wisch said that a few parents have started asking for AI mentoring, too. "We have two mentors who are teaching moms AI one on one," she said. "What I love is seeing these women become very digitally empowered who otherwise are digitally insecure."
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