February 15, 2019: Friday News Roundup
Welcome to another weekend, roundup readers! Are you still feeling the Valentine’s Day glow? Well, you’re gonna LOVE this week’s articles! 😂
Should You Take That Promotion? Well, Maybe
Is conventional thinking changing about grabbing any promotion you can get? We shared an article last week about telling your boss you don’t want one, and here’s another that suggests you do some self-reflecting before assuming the best and only way to go is up.
A Human Just Triumphed Over IBM’s Six-Year-Old AI Debater
Woo hoo, victory for the humans! IBM’s “Miss Debater” was defeated by a mere mortal man—though he’s also one of “the world’s most decorated practitioners.” And the AI debater has nothing to be ashamed of here. On the debate topic of subsidizing preschools, it performed admirably and spectators said the machine had enriched their knowledge.
Teams That Played Videogames Together Were 20% More Productive
Okay, maybe the group that gathers around the Playstation to play FIFA isn’t just wasting time in the middle of the work day. They’re actually bonding! And it’s a lot cheaper to sit in front of a gaming console together than to rent out an escape room. However, researchers found that the game being played matters; their experiment used “Rock Band” and “Halo 4.”
Robots Have Already Mastered Games Like Chess And Go. Now They’re Coming For Jenga.
We’ve already seen the robots need more practice in the debate arena, but they’re kicking humans’ butts on board games. To be honest, it isn’t really surprising that a robot would also excel at Jenga. It’s not like their palms get sweaty or start to shake. But beyond just humiliating human opponents, this particular robot “demonstrates that machines can learn how to perform certain tasks through tactile, physical interactions instead of relying more heavily on visual cues.”
Treat Your Weekend Like A Vacation
Yes, please! This research is all about how a small change in mindset can increase your happiness. People who got into vacation mode “were more mindful of and attentive to the present moment throughout their weekend’s activities.” And they subsequently reported feeling better on Monday. Try it yourself—starting now!