May 01, 2026

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MAKING FRIENDS WITH AI

THESE DAYS, artificial intelligence (AI) is showing up everywhere in our daily lives--from conference rooms to classrooms, healthcare assessments to dinner table conversations. What sets AI apart from past tech innovations? These advanced systems are capable of doing things that previously only humans could do--and doing them quickly.As a technology journalist for publications like Fortune and VentureBeat, I've been covering AI for a decade and have watched its evolution firsthand. The progress has been remarkable. Although widespread use of AI has been growing since the 2010s (including under the hood of technologies you use every day, like smartphones and social media), the current global obsession with it really began in November 2022, when OpenAI launched ChatGPT.ChatGPT was the first chatbot of its kind, capable of performing a wide variety of tasks and holding humansounding conversations. It quickly captured the public's imagination and became the fastest-growing consumer software application in history, reaching 100 million users in its first two months.Fast-forward to today. One-third of U.S. adults say they've used an AI chatbot, and about the same percentage of teens say they interact with one daily, according to the Pew Research Center.Despite this widespread adoption, the story of AI is very much still unfold- ing, and the technology is far from perfect. But you can still use its unprecedented computing powers to your benefit. To engage safely, effectively and creatively, it's important to understand what you're working with. Here's what you need to know.First: What Is AI? AI is technology that enables computers and machines to perform complex tasks that are typically associated with human intelligence, such as learning and problem-solving. When people talk about AI today, they're usually referring to generative AI, a type of AI system that can create writing, images, videos and computer code.Even more specifically, they're often talking about AI chatbots, assistants and other conversational AI systems powered by `large language models,' sophisticated software trained on vast amounts of human language data. These systems range from generalpurpose tools like ChatGPT and Claude to specialized characters and `agents' made for specific interactions.If you've ever engaged with Alexa or Siri, you've used something similar. Chatbots like OpenAI's ChatGPT, Google's Gemini and Anthropic's Claude can also act as assistants, but they're built on newer AI systems and capable of tasks that are far more varied and intricate. Additionally, they're not confined to a voice mode--you can type to them, send them documents and have them analyze photos.

WAYS TO RELIEVE STRESS

IT IS UNBELIEVABLE. It is always the same drama. When there is a lot to be done at work, things get hectic. And even without professional work, many people become stressed. Exhausted, they all want only one thing: to finally take a deep breath and relax. Is that even possible? "Yes, of course," says happiness and health researcher Tobias Esch from the University of Witten-Herdecke. Because you can create inner peace and contentment yourself. Esch researches what paves the way to this. Let's first consider the opposite of contentment. "It is negative thoughts about ourselves that make us dissatisfied," says Esch. Even the realization that you are under pressure again may be objectively correct, but it is just as fatal. "Because the thought perpetuates your own discontent," he explains. Criticism of oneself leads to unpleasant brooding, which further fuels stress. The same old loops in our thinking lead to persistent dissatisfaction. Mindfulness guides have long identified dissatisfaction and brooding as important sources of bad moods and advise us to stop brooding and getting annoyed. However, "this advice simply doesn't work because the human brain doesn't function that way," says neuropsychologist Julia Christensen from the Max Planck Institute for Empirical Aesthetics in Frankfurt. Determined not to brood, we brood even more, she explains. The first insight: this is definitely not the way to switch off. The reason why many people are so dissatisfied is also linked to modern forms of work. Instead of doing physical labour, more than half of the working population today earns their money sitting down, namely in an office. This builds up tension and encourages repetitive thoughts, "because the entire body is held still and the body's senses are neglected," explains Christensen.According to the neuropsychologist, true relaxation can only be achieved "by taking human biology into account." A reliable way to reduce stress and tension is exercise, and not just sports, but also expressive practices such as dancing or walking in the woods, or even gardening or shovelling snow in winter. This is because when we exert ourselves, the body ensures that it feels good by releasing moodboosting endorphins. The level of the stress hormone cortisol, on the other hand, decreases.In addition, the brain has fewer resources to dwell on thoughts. Exercise challenges it. It has to coordinate and adapt heart beat and breathing to the exertion. Numerous studies document the benefits: to combat stress and depression, the World Health Organization (WHO) has issued a blanket recommendation of 150 minutes of exercise per week. In 2022, more than 400 teachers in Spain tested the WHO proposal. The group that fulfilled the 150-minute quota was significantly more relaxed. The minority who