After his father was diagnosed with stage IV lung cancer, James Vlahos began programming a chatbot that could emulate his father using stories from his life.
tech
California’s Housing Crisis Is About Jobs, Not Houses
It’s not the pace of housing construction. It’s that the world’s most successful companies are gathered in a small number of cities.
The Netflix Prize: How a $1 Million Contest Changed Binge-Watching Forever
In 2006, Netflix launched a competition to increase the efficiency of its recommender system by 10 percent, bringing together a ragtag group of engineers from around the world who helped make large strides in the fields of artificial intelligence and machine learning.
Another Tech Casualty: Dating
“I’ve lived in Seattle for seven years, single most of them. The only thing that has changed is the increase in men I’d never want to go out on a date with.”
Introducing the ‘Davos for Happiness,’ Powered by Coconut Water
Who needs fear and loathing in Las Vegas when you can have joy and harmony in Miami?
My Weekend at a Conference for the Super-Happy
In Miami, a motley crew of scientists, new-age gurus, and TED-flavored influencers join forces to help us all “choose happiness.”
The “Facebook of Money” That Wasn’t
Tilt was once a start-up with extravagant soirées, hazy business plans, and a $375 million valuation. Then it came to the end.
The Demise of Tilt
A brash, charismatic CEO. Big funding rounds. The inevitable beer-pong-on-the-office-roof-deck. How could the “Facebook of money” fail?
Amazon’s New Stores Aren’t Happy to See You Either
As the company begins its bookstore expansion, a joyless retail experience awaits.
ESPN Has Seen the Future of TV and They’re Not Really Into It
No matter how innovative or cutting-edge ESPN makes itself, the cable money is just too lucrative, and the costs of licensing live sports are just too great, to finally cut the cord and offer itself as a standalone internet subscription service the way HBO did with HBO Now.
