In all the conversations, debates and shouting matches about AI that continue to dominate the internet, there is much talk about the insidious danger of anthropomorphising AI. There is something chilling about the deliberate stumbles, inflections and hesitations that are put into AI communications, to try and convince people that they are talking to a sentient being. Explanations of AI deliberately use language such as ‘the model understands’ to make us believe that AI is developing a human level of learning, as that is more appealing than saying ‘the algorithm predictions are expanding’ (and neatly glosses over the increasing error rates and hallucinations). However, in amongst all the noise, I’m paying less attention to how AI is seemingly becoming more human, and more attention to how we are using AI to become robot-like. More →

The new issue of Works magazine is now available for you to read online free here. As another transformative year for the workplace winds down, Works magazine continues to chronicle the most important ideas about people, places and technology. In this issue we have four case studies, a round up of new projects, a showroom full of new products and a whole section dedicated to materials. We profile one of the most influential figures in the industry.

Our round table in partnership with Flokk considers the nature and meaning of innovation in the 21st Century. Jo Knight asks how our attitude towards sustainability is shaped by our aesthetic sensibilities. We travel to Poland to see how one firm is applying ancient materials and crafts in modern design. Rob Kirkbride tracks the details of the biggest deal in the history of the office furniture market. And we look at how lessons from the past might still be relevant today. Plus there are loads more features, including our podcast series with Shaw Contract exploring the different facets of comfort.

Image: Basia Szafranska

Across the UK and over recent years, there has a change in how the general public views mental health and wellbeing. Once seen as an individual responsibility, mental health is now recognised as a shared, community wide issue. Our mental health is both our individual and collective responsibility and requires effort from family members, workplaces and organisations. For many, the workplace is where they spend most of their time. For others, local cafés, gyms, hairdressers, or local shops are their daily social spaces. These are the places that people connect, relax, and interact with other people. It’s in these spaces that local businesses have a unique power to influence how people think and feel as well as their mental health. More →

A new study from researchers at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology has raised questions about the potential impact of artificial intelligence tools on critical thinking and learning, particularly when GenAI is used as a substitute for cognitive effort rather than as an assistant. The researchers examined how the use of large language models affects brain activity, memory and skill development over time. Although the findings have yet to undergo peer review and are based on a relatively small sample, the authors say they chose to release the results early because of the speed with which AI tools are being adopted in education and knowledge work. More →

The idea of diffusion of innovation has become so embedded in our culture, and most recently so associated with the adoption of new technology, that we might assume it happens in predictable ways. The steps between innovators, early adopters, early majority, late majority, and laggards seem intuitive and certain even when their peaks might be unsure. And yet history teaches us that sometimes new ideas can take years or even decades to take hold, even when they are potentially world-changing and relevant for the era in which they were formulated. More →