This article argues that bilingualism is a fundmental cognitive adaptation where the brain manages multiple, sometimes incompatible, systems. It goes beyond just language switching, acting as a domain-level translation mechanism for flexible, context-dependent selection that improves cognitive adaptability and reflects a unique form of human intelligence. Key insights on translation as adaptation Cognitive flexibility: Bilinguals constantly manage context-dependent selection, choosing the…
Why we struggle to translate words when we don’t experience the concept The article explores why certain terms remain “untranslatable” due to the lack of shared cultural experiences or conceptual frameworks between speakers of different languages. The author argues that translation is not just about swapping words, but about bridging conceptual gaps. If you are fluent in any language other…
AI amplifies, rather than erases, human developmental skills. The article argues that Artificial Intelligence should be viewed as a replacement for human cognition, but as an evolutionary extension of it – much like the development of reading and writing. The literacy comparison Encoding and decoding: Literacy is defined as the ability to both consume and create using symbols. The article…
Two recent studies have unveiled the staggering ability of Artificial Intelligence (AI) to replicate itself and mimic human personalities, setting the stage for what could be a seismic shift in organisational dynamics. Scientists say AI may have crossed a critical ‘red line’. How can humans ensure AI serves us rather than outgrows our control? Think of a craftsman whose…
. 2025 will be a year of expectations. Will new leaders be able to deliver? It seems appropriate that 2025 has been designated the year of quantum science and technology by the United Nations. Because like Schrödinger’s cat, which (in a quantum thought-experiment) was both alive and dead at the same time inside a closed box, 2025 has hovered in…
Will AI be the spreadsheet of the 21st century? Large language models have changed how big corporations function, and the arrival of AI ‘agents’ – essentially automated Moneypennys – could prove irresistible. If 2024 was the year of large language models (LLMs), then 2025 looks like the year of AI “agents”. These are quasi-intelligent systems that harness LLMs to go…
Linguistic content emerges in the speaker’s brain before word articulation and rapidly re-emerges in the listener’s brain after word articulation. The contextual embeddings better capture word-by-word neural alignment between speaker and listener than syntactic and articulatory models. Summary: Researchers have discovered that brain-to-brain coupling during conversation is significantly influenced by the context in which words are used, not just by linguistic…
The European Parliament has approved the world’s first comprehensive framework for constraining the risks of Artificial Intelligence (AI). The sector has seen explosive growth – driving huge profits but also stoking fears about bias, privacy and even the future of humanity. The AI Act works by classifying products according to risk and adjusting scrutiny accordingly. The law’s creators said it would make…
The word “risk” is often seen in the same sentence as “Artificial Intelligence” (“AI”) these days. While it is encouraging to see world leaders consider the potential problems of AI, along with its industrial and strategic benefits, we should remember that not all risks are equal. On Wednesday, June 14, the European Parliament voted to approve its own draft proposal for…
