How does a computer discriminate?

The U.S. ousting of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro is just the latest chapter in a long, troubling history of American intervention in Latin America. NPR immigration correspondent Jasmine Garsd brings us to the New York courthouse where President Maduro was indicted by the U ...  Show more

2026 is off to an intense start, but many of the events we're seeing play out today come out of dynamics that have been building for years. Jelani Cobb, a journalist, historian, and the Dean of Columbia's journalism school, talks to us about his new book, Three of More is a Riot ...  Show more

Artificial intelligence is letting us make predictive algorithms that translate languages and spot diseases as well or better than humans. But these systems are also being used to make decisions about hiring and criminal sentencing. Do computers trained on vast datasets of human ...  Show more

At its simplest, an algorithm is a sequence of step-by-step instructions designed to give a result. They are the building blocks of every computer program and are there to ensure every digital device gives the right results on request. For example, when we type a search query int ...  Show more

When we talk about AI, we’re often talking about a very particular, narrow form of intelligence — the sort of analytical competence that can win you games of GO or solve complex math equations. That type of intelligence is important, but it’s incomplete. Human affairs don’t opera ...  Show more

Hidden from view, complex to understand and often controversial, algorithms are at the heart of computer coding that underpins modern society. Every time we search the internet, every time we pay by credit card, even the romantic partners suggested to us by online dating sites – ...  Show more