Conspiracy theories are not new. They’re as old as time itself. But if you feel like they’re everywhere right now, you’re not alone. So, what do you do when somebody you love has fallen down a rabbit hole? CNN’s Donie O’Sullivan has been covering the world of misinformation for more than a decade, but now he's less interested in what people believe than why they believe it. So, he’s trying to find out.
Listen to Persuadable here.
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36:48
How to Recession-Proof Your Personal Finances
With tariffs kicking in and stock prices taking wild swings, uncertainty has racked the US economy in recent weeks. What’s the best way to navigate your personal finances in a moment like this? Jeanne Sahadi, a senior writer for CNN Business, has some tips for weathering the storm.
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25:08
What’s Going on When Airport Security Scans Your Face
If you’ve been to the airport recently, you might have noticed something different while going through security: a TSA agent taking your photo. Face scans can speed up the security process, but according to Dr. Joy Buolamwini, this technology comes with big picture risks. She explains what’s going on with these face scans — and how to opt out.
Read more about Dr. Joy’s nonprofit, the Algorithmic Justice League, here.
What questions do you have about the technology in your life? Email us at CNNTermsofService@Gmail.com.
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28:01
This Tech Could Change Conspiracy Believers’ Minds
Conspiracy theories can take many forms, from misgivings about the first moon landing to false claims that the 2020 election was stolen. As anyone who’s tried to reason with a conspiracy theorist knows, it’s hard to debunk such deeply held beliefs – and arguing with a loved one about them can be emotionally taxing. What if an AI chatbot could help? A recent study, published in Science, asked that very question — and the results were surprising. Thomas Costello, an assistant professor of psychology at American University and co-author of the study, breaks down the findings.
Try chatting with the bot yourself at debunkbot.com.
What questions do you have about the technology in your life? Email us at CNNTermsofService@Gmail.com.
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29:04
Can Grief Bots Help Us Heal?
Grief is one of the most human experiences we have—so what happens when AI gets involved? How are people using it in their healing process? Audio producer Rebecca Nolan shares her own experience creating an AI chatbot based on her deceased father, and University of Arizona psychology professor Mary-Frances O’Connor talks with Clare about whether using AI for the grieving process has therapeutic benefits.
Mary-Frances’s latest book is called The Healing Body: How the Stress of Loss Can Be an Opportunity for Healing.
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New technologies like artificial intelligence, facial recognition and social media algorithms are changing our world so fast that it can be hard to keep up. This cutting-edge tech often inspires overblown hype — and fear. That’s where we come in. Each week, CNN Tech Writer Clare Duffy will break down how these technologies work and what they’ll mean for your life in terms that don’t require an engineering degree to understand. And we’ll empower you to start experimenting with these tools, without getting played by them.