Marketplace Tech

Should you learn prompt engineering, or maybe a physical trade? There's almost no skill that AI won't eventually surpass, according to neuroscientist Vivienne Ming.

In her new book, "Robot-Proof: When Machines Have All the Answers, Build Better People," she argues humans still have qualities AI can't replicate, like curiosity, social intelligence and a sense of inner purpose. And honing those makes us better partners to AI.

Ming has found in experiments that the most capable form of intelligence is neither human nor AI on its own, but both working together in ways that play to each of their strengths. She calls this the Cyborg model.

Earth keeps getting hotter. And despite some efforts to slow planet-warming greenhouse gas emissions, they're still rising, leaving a lot of people hungry for alternative climate solutions. One idea: reflect sunlight away from Earth. Amy Scott, host of the Marketplace climate podcast, “How We Survive,” looked into one out-there proposal to do just that, and whether it could one day become a reality.

File this under the definition of irony: last month, The New York Times reported that a high-profile new book, "The Future of Truth: How AI reshapes reality," includes several quotes that appear to be made up or misattributed. Author Steven Rosenbaum acknowledged he'd used AI in the writing process.

One of the quotes came, allegedly, from a book by data journalist and NYU professor Meredith Broussard. It was a critique of trusting algorithms to make decisions in medicine.

Here at “Marketplace Tech,” we have an unexpected connection to this story. We called up Broussard to discuss it.

Enforcement of the Take It Down Act began last month. If tech firms don’t comply and take down non-consensual intimate images — AI-generated or not — within 48 hours of being notified, they face financial and criminal penalties.

Lauren Feiner is a senior policy reporter at The Verge, who’s been writing about the law. She walked us through how platforms have been responding.

SpaceX is targeting a $1.77 trillion valuation, but some analysts think it's worth half that. Plus, Florida sues OpenAI — the first state to take legal action against an AI company.

But first, President Donald Trump signed an executive order this week, similar to the one he called off last month, asking AI companies to give the government a first look at advanced models that could have national security implications. It comes after models like Anthropic's Mythos have raised cybersecurity concerns for reportedly being too good at finding and exploiting software vulnerabilities.

Marketplace’s Meghan McCarty Carino spoke with Liz Lopatto, senior reporter at The Verge, to learn more.

Everything we talked about:

“PROMOTING ADVANCED ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE INNOVATION AND SECURITY” from the White House

“Trump Signs Executive Order Seeking Oversight of A.I. Models” from The New York Times

“SpaceX: What Investors Need to Know About Its Enormous Upcoming IPO” from Morningstar

“SpaceX is worth less than half of its $1.75 trillion IPO target, Morningstar says” from CNBC

“Attorney General James Uthmeier Files First-in-the-Nation State-Led Lawsuit Against OpenAI, CEO Sam Altman for Deceptive Practices and Harms to Floridians” from Florida’s Attorney General

“OpenAI Sued by Florida’s Attorney General Over AI Harms” from The Wall Street Journal