TikTok, AI and other security threats to the EU

 

The geopolitical tensions in the world are making the European Union think twice about the communication apps that are safe, and those that could be manipulated by foreign powers to eavesdrop on politicians' and high-profile officials' sensitive information, Cynthia Kroet & Romane Armangau report in the Euronews article "From TikTok to AI: What the EU now calls a security threat". 

The article is not difficult to read, but many students will not be so familiar with the topic and with the range of vocabulary, particularly the synonyms it displays, so it is recommended for C1 students, who can pick up expressions like: a burner phone, to ban, stripped-down [laptops], surveillance, to black-list, an [EU] agency, the budgetary watchdog, to gather [data], [to deny] these claims, to compel, alleged, to muddle, to launch [an investigation], to breach [a law], to come under fire, to curb [offences], fraud, promotion of terrorism, [to have] leverage, to hold the keys, encryption, [to impose]   restrictions, disinformation, so-called, to be [AI Act] compliant, to decline [to comment], to be charged, a [corruption] probe, to bribe, a backdoor, critical [infrastructure], build-out, to crop up, ongoing [doubts], to be in line with [regulations], to advise against [using], to comply with [the law], [to flee] fled, [fled], dissatisfied, unchecked, a conspiracy theory, hate speech, to quit, [to find yourself] in hot water, to uncover, a [major security] breach, to track [the movements], a high-profile [official], to deploy.

If you want to learn more about hackers and cybersecurity vulnerabilities, you can watch this long BBC News programme, AI Decoded (20':57") which was published 9 months ago, where some experts discuss AI threats to critical national infrastructure, disinformation and deep fakes. This video can be recommended for C2 students, experts and teachers:

The Gates Foundation

Bill Gates talks to Professor Jim Al-Khalili about his life, his philanthropic work, vaccines, conspiracy theories and one of his hobbies, pickleball, on the BBC Radio-4 programme The Life Scientific. 

The interview is rather long (35:59), and has no script, so, it is recommended for C2 students, although they speak slowly and clearly and the vocabulary is not particularly difficult. Next you can find a list of some interesting words, which can be used as a rough listening guide for lower-level students: a [college] drop-out, a super-villain, his ethos, to take on [issues], child-mortality rates, to feed [that enthusiasm], malaria, diarrhea, pneumonia, to partner with [governments], a mind-blowing [successful advent], [to organise] the funding, goofy [things], Slow-Horses, to fit in [exercise], pickleball, a low-key [interest], billionaireland, community [work], a [company] board, Planned-Parenthood, voracious, your niche, a flair for [programming], noughts & crosses, entranced, a [computer] bug, a payroll [programme], a [school] schedule, [to minimize] the disruption, endearing [level of complexity], a grade, hardcore, to reach out to [somebody], a [growing] buzz, exponential [capability], a spreadsheet, to drop out [of university], a fond [memory], to linger on well-trodden ground, a managerial [role], a  mistep, work-centric, commitment, to jump in, empowerment, an evangelist, monomaniacal, to mellow [you out], to overturn, to drag on, to get through, to figure out, to devote [time to something], [to change] the narrative, measles, smallpox, bednets, the chair [of a company], to strike me as [strange], mindset, developing countries, malnourished, to wield [that power], Gavi, a high bar, TB, at the forefront, expertise on [vaccines], an outlandish [conspiracy theory], to cull [the world population], a shortcut, to step down, debt, a [political] upheaval, to deliver [better education], to bridge [the polarization], to pursue [my curiosity].

Melinda French Gates gave an interview to Time magazine two months ago, after she started to pursue her own philanthropic goals away from the Gates Foundation. The YouTube clip (5:05) with subtitles is suitable for C1 students.  You can listen to her below:

Ariane 6

The European Space Agency is planning to launch Ariane 6 rocket today. Here you can listen to a BBC Radio-4 interview to rocket engineer, Kate Underhill, by Amol Rajan on Today programme (3:43), where the scientist discusses the uses of space technology.  You can also find a listening comprehension task with a follow-up oral discussion for B2+ students and above. The recording has no script, but students will come across many technical terms like: a heavy-lift [rocket], [observation] tools, a propulsion [engineer], a launch, intricacies, to underpin, Galileo GPS positioning systems, a [heavy-lift] launcher, low-earth orbit, to deliver [cargo], the Equator, an earthquake, [no] issue, strategic, various [different satellites], the global positioning system, confidence.

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The launch of Ariane 6 yesterday was a success, although an anomaly with one of the computers on board was recorded at the end of the flight, and two re-entry capsules were not dropped as planned, BBC News reports this in "Europe's Ariane-6 rocket blasts off on maiden flight", which includes a short video with the actual take off of the spaceship. This article is recomended for C1 students, as it contains a combination of technical and colloquial terms like: to blast off, maiden [flight], to set off, a launchpad, a clutch of [satellites], a crew, to soar [into the sky], smoothly, onboard, to pressurise [the propulsion system], to set up [the final task], to jettison, nonetheless, relieved, a heavy-lift [rocket], fairing, [upper] stage, booster, a payload, a workhorse [rocket], a backlog [of contracts], expendable, reusable, to carve out a niche [for itself], to harness, state-of-the-art [manufacturing techniques], friction stir welding, augmented reality [design], to result in [faster and cheaper production], to lift, a strap-on booster, core [stage], a [large] batch [of satellites], to pull [itself] back [down to Earth], to linger, [space] junk, to hold up [the Ariane-6 programme], [high] jeopardy, an outright [failure], to blow itself apart, to put [the loss] down to [an error], dominance, to undercut [the competitiveness], an order book, a leading [player], [to supply] components.  The European Space Agency has published a thorough technical description of the rocket in "Ariane 6, Overview", which is recommended for experts ("Ex" level of difficulty).

Telepathy? A Brain Implant Lets Impaired Patients Do Incredible Things with their Thoughts

Mark, a patient with ALS (Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis), can send health notifications and text messages using his thoughts and a Brain Computer Interface (BCI) called Synchron BCI, which was developed by Australian neurosurgeon Dr. Thomas Oxley, and was implanted without major brain surgery by Dr. Raul G. Nogueira, according to the CNN Business video report "An implant in his brain lets him do incredible things with his thoughts".  I would like to thank my colleague Nuria G. for the information about this CNN Business report.

The 5:37 video with subtitles is suitable for B2 students and above, who will come across interesting words like: to send out, a pretty involved [process], [I don't take] lightly, ALS, to sign up to a clinical trial, a stentrode,

 

[brain computer] interface, [to play] pong, FDA [approval], a caregiver, paralysis, [motor] impairment, a wired mesh, [electrode] sensors, a stent, to sit in a [major] vein, deployed in a blood vessel, [minimally] invasive, a device, to fire impulses, an [electrical] signature, [electrical] patterns, [to take] a snapshot, a domain [of function], skull, garbled, [in the patient's] setting, tournament.

If you want further information, you can listen to Dr. Thomas Oxley talking about how close neurosurgery is to telepathy, that is, to a brain-computer interface for people who have lost the capacity to move or speak. This Sydney TED-Talk lasts 15:50, and can be watched with subtitles by B2 students and above.

Flowers by Miley Cyrus on Valentine's Day

For Valentine's Day 2024 there are a number of texts to read and listen to. Below you can watch the Miley Cyrus Backyard Sessions video of her hit "Flowers", which recently won the Grammy Record of the Year Award, and do a fill-in-the gap task for B2 students and check it with the key. You can try to figure out what the lyrics talk about, and if you need some background information about the personal references included in the song, you can read the Glamour article "Miley Cyrus Opend Up About the Origins of her Hit Song 'Flowers", which can be suitable for B2 students. You will find interesting words like: chart-topping, cover, release, a refresher, the chorus, empowering, to wallow, to fake, to make [it], to rebuff [the idea], [album] rollout, to be littered [with something], clues, the craft, to trick, to set [something] on fire, on the nose, [an] outlandish [theory], alledgedly, a tuxedo.

If you want to find out how Artificial Intelligence is changing dating apps, you can read the Cosmopolitan article "How the AI Revolution is Coming for your Dating Life", which publishes the results of a survey about the attitude that actively dating millenials and Gen Zers have on the use of AI tools for dating. But for a more personal prediction on your own Valentines' Day, you can check out your horoscope in the article Your Valentine's Day Horoscope is Here and learn how your Valentine's Day 2024 is going to unfold today, whether you are single or you are in a relationship. These two articles are suitable for C1 students.  

Happy Valentine!

AI's potential Threats (to Privacy, U.S. National Security, Elections & Equality)

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is the buzz word at the turn of this new year. Everybody is exploring the opportunities that the hottest apps, namely Chat GPT, Bing or Bard, offer to improve performance in their jobs. In the previous post, we learnt that the major consumer electronics companies presented an array of AI powered appliances at CES 2024 Las Vegas. In this post we are going to look at some of the concerns that AI is raising in a number of areas, from espionage to personal freedom. 

Lesson plan tip: these interviews and articles can be used as background information for a "flipped-classroom" homework task: each student chooses one story and listens to it during the weekend. Then, on Monday, students share a short oral summary of the interview in small groups of up to 4 students and they talk about some of the key words they have learnt. After that, they can discuss the opportunities and the threats that AI offers, for example with the "For & Against" list published by Phoebe Reynolds in English Teachers Around the World (Facebook). It is a simple, but challenging information gap activity to practice authentic listening/ reading, speaking, summarizing, debating and to activate passive vocabulary. 

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If you are interested in face-recognition technology, you can start by reading the Digital Trends article Clear View AI's facial-recognition app is a nightmare for stalking victims about Clear View, an app that can identify an individual with minimal information, and it is widely used by government and law-enforcement agencies to search for criminals. But the power of Clear View can be used for the wrong purposes in the hands of authoritarian governments or wrongdoers, as you can learn if you listen to Fresh Air's interview to New York Times reporter Kashmir Hill, Inside the Secretive AI Company that Knows your Face. C1 students can read the Digital Trends text first to build up background information and they will find interesting words like: to stalk, hubris, a startup, to snap [a photo], a creep, a boon, a stalker, a nefarious [purpose], a statement, to monetize, to scrape [information], to track [somebody] down, to harass, a flaw, a stark [increase], an ongoing [problem], disruptive [tech], to launch, [sexual] assault, to misuse, to rape). The 42 minute NPR interview with a script is recommended for C2 students who will encounter interesting words like: to unlock [a phone], to scrape [photos], to log into [an app], a beat (area), a [tech] dystopia, Planned Parenthood, to harass, creepy, to wield, chilling, to name and shame, a restroom, to blend in [with the population], a corpse, [to turn the] tide, the toll, an outlet, bodybuilding, workout, a counter, the breadcrumb, state-of-the-art [technology], to be pulled over [by the police], a warrant, larceny, bewildered, a gang, a consignment store, [surveillance] footage, a bunch of [photos], [the charges (law)] to be dropped, shoplifting, [to be in the] lineup, faulty, wrongfully [arrested], [a technological] breakthrough, to rig up, the brim [of a baseball cap], countless [photos], a building block, a cease-and-desist [letter], a whim, to harness [the benefits], to track [someone], to harvest, a seasoned [consultant], a vintage [store], a dive bar, astounding, buggy, to pitch [this technology], a venue, to sue, to hang out with [artists], to shift, to be anointed [the candidate], nefarious [purposes], a fine-tuned [technology], a rioter, to storm [the Capitol], the blowback, to let the cat out of the bag. 

AI tools have long been utilized in cyberwar and espionage. In How AI is Transforming National Security,  Mary Louise Kelly interviews FBI Director Chris Wray and U.S. National Security Agency Director, Paul Nakasone for NPR's Consider This Podcast. The segment lasts 11 minutes and has a script, so, it can be easily accessible to C1 students and above. You will come across interesting words like: a thriller, sneaker, [under] siege, to hack into [computers], to compromise [data], a go-to [tool], devastating [consequences], to ponder, on the flip side, cyber snooping, a formidable [adversary], ransomware, penchant, overreach, what makes [it] tick, a stride.

If you want further information about the race and gender bias of facial recognition tech, you can listen to the Fresh Air interview  Unmasking AI's racism and sexism where the computer scientist and founder of the Algorithmic Justice League, Joy Buolamwini, explains the inbuilt biasses of AI's algorithms.  This is a long, 37 minute interview with a script, so it can be recommended for C2 students, where they will find interesting words like: the male gaze, the coded gaze, to coin [a term], grad school, a glitch, [to issue] an executive order, a landmark [executive order], to endow, fanciful, to debug, to bake in [priorities], messiness, mahogany, a windfall, to floor, a nuance, a slew [of letters], overreliance, to misgender, a benchmark, to take steps, to regulate, a class-action lawsuit, an opt-in [program], to opt-out, groundbreaking [technology], to label, to speak up, a burden, to come off [like an angry black woman], a gimmick, a stake, a gasp, to dip my toe into[something], a hoax, a fraudster, a fallback, a high-paying [job], a low-paying [job], an inmate.

If you want to know how AI tools can be used in modern political campaigns, including deepfake videos, you can listen to AI's Influence on Election 2024  where radio host Meghna Chakrabarti has a conversation with several experts, including Darrell West, author of the book How AI Will Transform the 2024 Elections, for her WBUR (Boston) programme On Point. This 47 minute radio show is fast and very complex audio, due to the references to domestic American politics, and because it deals with several topics in a row, which limits the help that a single context can offer to learners of English, so, although there is a script, it is recommended for teachers and Experts (Ex), above C2 level.  Some key words you will find are: a bill, sparsely, a giveaway, a deepfake [video], a disclaimer, malarkey, heck, to utter [a word], to wreak havoc, a bribe, [highly] polarized, to endorse [a candidate], tinny, shady, a caretaker, to curb [the use of harmful AI content], grass roots [level], a deterrent, a loophole, the boogeyman, to pass the legal muster, to reach out [to voters], to level the playing field, to cast [a vote], to crack down on [misinformation], a purveyor [of this information], wary, to flag [instances of virality], a circuit breaker, mainstream, to open the floodgates, to triple check [information].

CES 2024 Las Vegas, the Latest Gizmos & Gadgets

The Consumer Electronics Show (CES 2024) is the number 1 electronics fair in the world, where the most competitive technological companies showcase their latest innovations, and where the most powerful CEO's meet to do buisness and present their corporate visions for the future. The event is held in Las Vegas, and the speeches can be followed online at ces.tech or on the social media. This Las Vegas tech show is certainly worth watching.

The media around the world cover the event to report about the latest and wierdest gadgets that are going to shape our near domestic future. Here you can find 3 videos which feature different, and, sometimes, the same technological breakthroughs.

The first one, from Euronews, has few words and subtitles, so, it can be accessed by B2 students. It is entitled CES 2024: Some of the weird and the wonderful tech innovations and gadgets unveiled so far, you can find it on the link and just under this list of interesting words: hairdryer, to unveil, gadget, infrared light, thermal rods, to heat, up to  [30% less energy],a valet, a concept [car], weird, angle, an assembly plant, a rental car, a twin, a memo, to claim, to monetise (Am Eng), a 9 to 5 [job], a break, an aero taxi, affordable, aircraft, to target, man-made, regulations, foldable, to showcase, tough, an array, a [temperature] shock, icing, a display, scenario, freezing, a screen, a fair, to run. 

Firstpost, the Indian news website, highlights the Top 5 Gadgets at the CES 2024 Tech Show. C1 students can find a number of AI powered robots and machines like the Afeela car by Sony & Honda, the Mobion car by Hyundai, a digital fishtank and OLEG transparent TV set by Samsung and LG, ¨ballie" a home companion robot by Samsung, and an AI enhanced robot masseuse. Some interesting words in this video are: a tech show, brand, a tech gala, to show off, flavour, AI powered, dashboard, a barista, to crab walk, gadget, a steering wheel, to decree, to come up with [an alternative], a prototype, to manoeuver, run-of-the-mill, a racing game, to charge [the car], a pin, to hit the market, a concept, unique, to take a peek, parallel parking, a viewing experience, wireless, a click, new age, to release, to end up [making TVs], obsolete, altogether, to enhance, to rush, [to change] the game, to map out, appliance, a switch, a stalker, a chore, to get rid of, a pick, to round up, masseuse, some tissue, a hit, a marvel, to get a glimpse.

The Washington Post reports about The Weirdest and best of CES 2024, including an AI ring, an AI cat door, and electric ski shoes. This video is denser and faster so it is recommended for C2 students without subtitles and C1 with subtitles, and you can find words like a glimpse, a backpack, comfy [shoes], a standout, a display, to double, a catch-all, home assistant, to ship, built-in, homebound, seniors, to be [fully] fleshed out, to work out [details], to tote, to track, well-being, veteran, telekinesis, IR blaster, a device, a [flat] switch, a toggle, an appliance, prey, to strap, a handle, a brake, off you go.

The Science and Lawfulness of Cow Belching

Cow belching has recently become central in climate change research. Cows and sheep produce tons of methane, a gas that contributes to global warming 84 times more than CO2 does, so, scientists are trying to figure out how these emissions can be curbed to make farming more competitive in a world with higher environmental standards. 

BBC News has recently published the article How New Zealand is reducing methane emissions from farming, which looks into the latest scientific techniques to measure methane emissions in cows and explores changes in emission reduction policy in New Zealand, a cow and sheep farming country. This long article is tough, and only suitable for C2 learners and Experts for a number of reasons: ordinary language learners will not be very familiar with the complexity of its technical and legal content, and the language is a challenging mixture of different registers (scientific, technical, legal and political): it begins with very precise language to describe the methane emission monitoring device for cows, and moves on to describe emission reduction technologies, in a formal, dense, almost academic style, while, in earlier paragraphs, it also adds some light-hearted words to entice the general public to start reading it. 

In the story you will find a rich set of words like: [to reach] a goal, to curb [emissions], a hood, to scoop up, a pellet, to chew, to flick [his ears], to exhale, a contraption, high-tech, to cook up, to be laced with, the digestive tract, to hoover up, a fan, a gallon, a device, to snack, a burp, to churn out, livestock, to scrutinise, mischief, to be enticed, tasty, a hay cube, a lolly, a barn [stay], [food] intake, weight gain, a cattle breeding [cooperative], and counting, a first step in, to curtail [emissions], an [unusual emissions] profile, to hang around, to tackle a [powerful] lever, to sign up to [a pledge], to focus on, to plug a leak, an oil field, [a gas] pipeline, to brew, a niche, to punch above its weight, biogenic [methane], waste, to be consistent with [global efforts], an [international] commitment, to unveil [its strategy], greenhouse gases, a low-emissions [future], an [important] player, a chunk [of the pie], a pricing scheme, to boost, mitigation tech [development], the demise, a shift in policy, gene editing [technology], [to have] what it takes, to harness [scientific tools], a [methane-blocking] vaccine, a silver bullet, to seek, to fund, the inception, [scientifically] challenging, a shortfall in [feasible options], an [available] approach, to milk, a set of [technologies], the [2030- 2040] bracket, to pay dividends, to be likely, to make the grade, a feed-additive, feedlot [animals], tricky [to implement], grazing, to munch [grass], to figure out, [economically] viable, a holy grail, long-lasting, pasture, elusive, the toolbox, [methane] outputs, [dairy] herd, [to verify] the trait, to breed, a low-emitting cow, a [gut] bug, feed, to be underway, sired, to be monitored, a curveball, to handle, a painstaking [process], to yield, a flock [of sheep], fatty [acid], [the spectre] to loom [large], a levy, to date back to [2003], a [fart tax] furore, a misnomer, a cowpat, to lobby, to be roped into, an outlier [industry], to campaign on [a promise], to secure [a deal], [well-thought-through] policy, to achieve [climate targets], input, a scheme, to be meant to [come into effect], to fall over, expertise, emissions pricing policy, a delay, damaging, to catch up, costly, to reward, invidious, to focus on [mitigation], to level the playing field, to dip [by 1.4%], a blip, a [stubborn] plateau, a [new] trend, to be offset, [not to be] on track, [to meet] the overall [emissions], to result in [reductions], [to be] steadfast in [its commitment to the Paris agreement], a keystone [climate policy], to be set to [be discarded], work-in-progress, proven [interventions], to be up to [the new government], to heed [the commission's advice], to fail [to meet], carbon credits. 

That vocabulary and a first reading of the previous article can be an introduction to help students understand some of the following videos about the same topic. Vice News thoroughly explained in July 2023 the confronting political views and the science of the issue in a very informal and funny report, which features ordinary New Zealanders speaking with their local accents in the video "Are Cow Burps Destroying New Zealand?" (16:21), the video has subtitles and a helpful transcription for C1 learners, and has been copied at the bottom of this entry. Vox News explains the basic chemistry of the issue in the video "Cow burps are a climate problem. Can seaweed help?" (5:58), which can also be watched at C1 level with English subtitles.  Finally, the potential of the cow belching problem to develop brand new high-tech tools can be fully appreciated in the Reuters story "Satellites measure cow belches from space" (2:23), which can also be accessible to C1 students with the English subtitles.