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Computer Programming

The Limits of Precision: How AI Can Help Us Reach the Edge of What Physics Allows

Scientists have uncovered how close we can get to perfect optical precision using AI, despite the physical limitations imposed by light itself. By combining physics theory with neural networks trained on distorted light patterns, they showed it’s possible to estimate object positions with nearly the highest accuracy allowed by nature. This breakthrough opens exciting new doors for applications in medical imaging, quantum tech, and materials science.

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The concept of precision has been a cornerstone in physics for centuries. For 150 years, it has been known that no matter how advanced our technology becomes, there are fundamental limits to the precision with which we can measure physical phenomena. The position of a particle, for instance, can never be measured with infinite precision; a certain amount of blurring is unavoidable.

Recently, an international team of researchers from TU Wien (Vienna), the University of Glasgow, and the University of Grenoble posed a question: where is the absolute limit of precision that is possible with optical methods? And how can this limit be approached as closely as possible? The team’s findings have significant implications for a wide range of fields, including medicine.

To address this question, the researchers employed a theoretical measure known as Fisher information. This measure describes how much information an optical signal contains about an unknown parameter – such as the object position. By using Fisher information, the team was able to calculate an upper limit for the theoretically achievable precision in different experimental scenarios.

However, the calculation of this limit does not necessarily mean that it is impossible to achieve. In fact, a corresponding experiment designed by Dorian Bouchet from the University of Grenoble, together with Ilya Starshynov and Daniele Faccio from the University of Glasgow, showed that using artificial intelligence (AI) algorithms for neural networks can come very close to this limit.

In the experiment, a laser beam was directed at a small, reflective object located behind a turbid liquid. The measurement conditions varied depending on the turbidity – and therefore also the difficulty of obtaining precise position information from the signal. The recorded images only showed highly distorted light patterns that looked like random patterns to the human eye.

But when fed into a neural network, which was trained with many such images each with a known object position, the network could learn which patterns are associated with which positions. After sufficient training, the network was able to determine the object position very precisely, even with new, unknown patterns.

The precision of the prediction achieved by the AI-supported algorithm was only minimally worse than the theoretically achievable maximum calculated using Fisher information. This means that our AI-supported algorithm is not only effective but almost optimal, achieving almost exactly the precision permitted by the laws of physics.

This realisation has far-reaching consequences: with the help of intelligent algorithms, optical measurement methods could be significantly improved in a wide range of areas – from medical diagnostics to materials research and quantum technology. In future projects, the research team wants to work with partners from applied physics and medicine to investigate how these AI-supported methods can be used in specific systems.

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The Quiet Threat to Trust: How Overreliance on AI Emails Can Harm Workplace Relationships

AI is now a routine part of workplace communication, with most professionals using tools like ChatGPT and Gemini. A study of over 1,000 professionals shows that while AI makes managers’ messages more polished, heavy reliance can damage trust. Employees tend to accept low-level AI help, such as grammar fixes, but become skeptical when supervisors use AI extensively, especially for personal or motivational messages. This “perception gap” can lead employees to question a manager’s sincerity, integrity, and leadership ability.

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The use of artificial intelligence (AI) in writing and editing emails has become a common practice among professionals, with over 75% of them utilizing tools like ChatGPT, Gemini, Copilot, or Claude in their daily work. While these generative AI tools can make writing easier, research reveals that relying on them too heavily can undermine trust between managers and employees.

A study conducted by researchers Anthony Coman and Peter Cardon surveyed 1,100 professionals about their perceptions of emails written with low, medium, and high levels of AI assistance. The results showed a “perception gap” in messages written by managers versus those written by employees. When evaluating their own use of AI, participants tended to rate it similarly across different levels of assistance. However, when rating others’ use, the magnitude of AI assistance became important.

The study found that low levels of AI help, such as grammar or editing, were generally acceptable. However, higher levels of assistance triggered negative perceptions, especially among employees who perceived their managers’ reliance on AI-generated content as laziness or a lack of caring. This perception gap had a substantial impact on trust: only 40% to 52% of employees viewed supervisors as sincere when they used high levels of AI, compared to 83% for low-assistance messages.

The findings suggest that managers should carefully consider message type, level of AI assistance, and relational context before using AI in their writing. While AI may be suitable for informational or routine communications, relationship-oriented messages requiring empathy, praise, congratulations, motivation, or personal feedback are better handled with minimal technological intervention.

In essence, the quiet threat to trust posed by overreliance on AI emails is a reminder that while technology can enhance productivity and efficiency, it cannot replace human touch and emotional intelligence in workplace relationships.

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Computer Programming

Revolutionizing Materials Discovery: AI-Powered Lab Finds New Materials 10x Faster

A new leap in lab automation is shaking up how scientists discover materials. By switching from slow, traditional methods to real-time, dynamic chemical experiments, researchers have created a self-driving lab that collects 10 times more data, drastically accelerating progress. This new system not only saves time and resources but also paves the way for faster breakthroughs in clean energy, electronics, and sustainability—bringing us closer to a future where lab discoveries happen in days, not years.

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The article you provided showcases a groundbreaking achievement in materials discovery research. A team of scientists has developed an AI-powered laboratory that can collect at least 10 times more data than previous techniques, drastically expediting the process while slashing costs and environmental impact. This self-driving laboratory combines machine learning and automation with chemical and materials sciences to discover materials more quickly.

The innovation lies in the implementation of dynamic flow experiments, where chemical mixtures are continuously varied through the system and monitored in real-time. This approach generates a vast amount of high-quality data, which is then used by the machine-learning algorithm to make smarter, faster decisions, honing in on optimal materials and processes.

The results are staggering: the self-driving lab can identify the best material candidates on its very first try after training, reducing the number of experiments needed and dramatically cutting down on chemical use and waste. This breakthrough has far-reaching implications for sustainable research practices and society’s toughest challenges.

The article highlights the work of Milad Abolhasani, corresponding author of the paper, who emphasizes that this achievement is not just about speed but also about responsible research practices. The future of materials discovery, he says, is not just about how fast we can go, but also about how responsibly we get there.

The paper, “Flow-Driven Data Intensification to Accelerate Autonomous Materials Discovery,” was published in the journal Nature Chemical Engineering and showcases a collaborative effort from multiple researchers and institutions. The work has been supported by the National Science Foundation and the University of North Carolina Research Opportunities Initiative program.

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Computer Programming

Revolutionizing AI Efficiency: Breakthrough in Spin Wave Technology

A groundbreaking step in AI hardware efficiency comes from Germany, where scientists have engineered a vast spin waveguide network that processes information with far less energy. These spin waves quantum ripples in magnetic materials offer a promising alternative to power-hungry electronics.

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The rapid advancement of Artificial Intelligence (AI) has put an immense strain on our energy resources. In response, researchers are racing to find innovative solutions that can make AI more efficient and sustainable. A groundbreaking discovery in spin wave technology could be the game-changer we’ve been waiting for. A team from the Universities of Münster and Heidelberg, led by physicist Prof. Rudolf Bratschitsch, has successfully developed a novel way to produce waveguides that enable spin waves to travel farther than ever before.

The scientists have created the largest spin waveguide network in history, with 198 nodes connected by high-quality waveguides. This achievement is made possible by using yttrium iron garnet (YIG), a material known for its low attenuation properties. The team employed a precise technique involving a silicon ion beam to inscribe individual spin-wave waveguides into a thin film of YIG, resulting in complex structures that are both flexible and reproducible.

One of the key advantages of this breakthrough is the ability to control the properties of the spin wave transmitted through the waveguide. Researchers were able to accurately alter the wavelength and reflection of the spin wave at specific interfaces, paving the way for more efficient AI processing. This innovation has the potential to revolutionize the field of AI by making it 10 times more efficient.

The study was published in Nature Materials, a prestigious scientific journal. The project received funding from the German Research Foundation (DFG) as part of the Collaborative Research Centre 1459 “Intelligent Matter.” This groundbreaking discovery is poised to take AI to new heights and make our energy resources go further than ever before.

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