Communications of the ACM
Innovation Is Overrated: A Provocation
Digital innovation is not working in the interest of the whole of society. It is time to radically rethink its purpose without…
From ACM Opinion
Reality Bites: Learning the Future of V.r. at Sundance
Standing in a pink desert landscape, I looked down and realized I'd become a robot, with skinny metal legs and pincers for hands.
From ACM Opinion
Explaining the pside and Downside of D-Wave's New Quantum Computer
D-Wave, a company based in British Columbia, has announced a new version of its quantum annealer: the D-Wave 2000Q. As the name suggests, the number of bits has...
From ACM Opinion
We Rely on the Government For Lots of Data. What Happens to That in the Trump Era of 'alternative Facts'?
During the first 24 hours of the Trump administration, the new White House took a clear, firm stand against publicly available information.
From ACM Opinion
Curiosity Finds An(other) Alien Visitor on Mars
The Curiosity rover has been on Mars since Aug. 6, 2012.
From Communications of the ACM
The Unholy Trinity of Software Development
Tests, documentation, and code.
From ACM Opinion
How to Sit Courtside at a Basketball Game Without Leaving Your Couch
One of the promises that virtual reality offered was that we'd all be able to watch "courtside" sports games without having to leave our couches.
From ACM Opinion
'I Don't Intend to Go Crawl Under a Rock': An Exit Interview with FCC Chairman Tom Wheele
If you're familiar with the comedian John Oliver, then you may also remember the man he once memorably called a "dingo." That's Tom Wheeler, the chairman of the...
From ACM Opinion
He Helped Create the 'google Brain.' Here's What He Thinks About AI Now
Trucks that can drive themselves along delivery routes. Computers capable of defeating world champions in a notoriously complex game. Apps that can translate sentences...
From ACM Opinion
My God. It's Full of Black Holes.
The image above doesn’t look like much at a glance, does it?
From ACM Opinion
At Ces 2017, You Have to Ask: What Makes a Robot a Robot?
Tall, small, dancing, singing, cleaning, sassy, silly, cute and scary—CES 2017 was awash with robots.
From ACM Opinion
Darpa's Biotech Chief Says 2017 Will 'blow Our Minds'
The Pentagon's research and development division, DARPA—the creative force behind the internet and GPS—retooled itself three years ago to create a new office dedicated...
From ACM Opinion
10 Ways the Iphone Changed Everything
Ten years ago, Nokia was the world's largest phone maker. Microsoft was gearing up to launch Windows Vista. And the best new products at CES included a wireless...
From ACM Opinion
Don't Gut Net Neutrality. It's Good For People and Business
The invention and commercialization of the internet is one of the things that makes America great.
From ACM Opinion
Here's What Happens to Tech in 2017 (unless 2016 Was All a Dream)
What does 2017 hold for the world of tech and media?
From ACM Opinion
5 Big Predictions For Artificial Intelligence in 2017
Last year was huge for advancements in artificial intelligence and machine learning. But 2017 may well deliver even more.
From ACM Opinion
Quantum Computers Ready to Leap Out of the Lab in 2017
Quantum computing has long seemed like one of those technologies that are 20 years away, and always will be.
From ACM Opinion
Why frankenstein is Still Relevant, Almost 200 Years After It Was Published
Can I be totally honest? All I remember about Frankenstein is that Frankenstein is the doctor, not the monster. What happens in it?
From ACM Opinion
Heinlein and Clarke Discuss the Moon Landings as They Happen
Chances are that anyone in their 50s or older will remember watching Apollo 11 land on the Moon.
From ACM Opinion
Building Jarvis
My personal challenge for 2016 was to build a simple AI to run my home—like Jarvis in Iron Man.
From ACM Opinion