Search results for “site:cacm.acm.org”

Ethics and Cultural Background as Key Factors for an Attractive Metaverse – Communications of the ACM

In recent years, the concept of the metaverse has gained increasing resonance in both research and public discourse, perhaps second only to artificial intelligence. Discussion persists, however, around the nature of the metaverse. Several studies have attempted to offer a definition, also...

Integration of Music and Art in a Science and Engineering-Based University – Communications of the ACM

Integration of Music and Art in a Science and Engineering-Based University “I would argue that science is actually a type of art. To do science, you have to be creative, you have to blend different ideas, you have to communicate those ideas by creating something. In many ways that’s what artists...

In short: Explore how music and art enrich science & engineering research at a top university. Learn about interdisciplinary collaborations, brain effects of music, and the role of creativity in both fields. (AI summary)

Technical Perspective: The Surprising Power of Spectral Refutation – Communications of the ACM

NP-hard problems are assumed to be computationally intractable, meaning that no efficient (polynomial time) algorithm is guaranteed to correctly solve every input instance. One way of coping with NP-hardness is via the use of reliable...

In short: Uncover the surprising power of spectral algorithms in solving NP-hard problems, even when traditional methods fail. (AI summary)

The Transformation of Patient-Clinician Relationships with AI-based Medical Advice – Communications of the ACM

One of the dramatic trends at the intersection of computing and healthcare has been patients' increased access to medical information, ranging from self-tracked physiological data to genetic data, tests, and scans. Increasingly however, patients and clinicians have access to advanced machine...

In short: Learn how AI is reshaping patient-clinician relationships and how to manage this new reality in healthcare. Discover the impact of 'Bring Your Own Algorithm' (BYOA) on interactions and workflows. (AI summary)

Technical Perspective: A Symbolic Approach to Verifying Quantum Systems – Communications of the ACM

Exceptional added value may lie in connecting two complementary areas of computer science. This statement is particularly true when applying mature techniques developed in one area to solve complex problems that arise in a new area. The accompanying paper, “An Automata-Based Framework for...

Technical Perspective: Can AI Keep Accessible Communication in the Picture? – Communications of the ACM

Communication is a vital part of being—a means to affect change in the world, speak with loved ones, or simply get our needs and wants met. However, this can be challenging for people with communication impairments—a growing proportion of...

In short: Explore how AI can use photos to support communication for people with impairments, balancing autonomy and accessibility. Learn about the democratization of ... (AI summary)

Technical Perspective: Ad Hoc Transactions: What They Are and Why We Should Care – Communications of the ACM

Most database research papers are prescriptive. They identify a technical problem and show us how to solve it. They present new algorithms, theorems, and evaluations of prototypes. Other papers follow a different path; they are descriptive rather than prescriptive. They tell us how data systems...

How Science and Engineering Students Use GenAI Tools Throughout Their Academic Journey: A Four-Year Analysis – Communications of the ACM

The integration of generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) tools into higher education has sparked considerable discussion. An analysis of survey responses from 843 science and engineering undergraduate students across four academic...

In short: Uncover patterns in how science & engineering students use GenAI tools throughout their academic journey from a four-year analysis. Learn about the frequency... (AI summary)

Serverless Computing – Communications of the ACM

Full automation of IT infrastructure and the delivery of efficient IT operations as billed services have been long-standing goals of the computing industry since at least the 1960s. A newcomer—serverless computing—emerged in the late 2010s...

Rethinking Social Media’s Future – Communications of the ACM

It was only 15 to 20 years ago that social media platforms like Facebook, Twitter (now X), YouTube, and Instagram were hailed as drivers of social connections, multipliers of knowledge and experiences, and even as catalysts for better-functioning democracy. In fact, Time magazine chose Facebook...