AI: From bench to bot

Recent articles

This column by Tim Requarth explores the promises and pitfalls of artificial-intelligence tools in writing—when they can make writing better, faster and easier, and how to navigate the minefield of possible dangers.

Computer-generated illustration of a black box with many lines coming into its left side and a compressed stream coming out of its right side.

From bench to bot: How important is prompt engineering?

To draft the most effective prompt, assume the stance of teacher.

By Tim Requarth
28 October 2024 | 8 min read
Computer-generated illustration of a pencil.

From bench to bot: Does AI really make you a more efficient writer?

A more significant benefit may lie in improving quality, refining tone and reducing cognitive burden. But beware of bias.

By Tim Requarth
3 September 2024 | 11 min read
Computer-generated illustration of a sheet of paper emanating from a computer screen.

From bench to bot: Boost your writing with AI personas

Asking ChatGPT to review your own grant proposals can help you spot weaknesses.

By Tim Requarth
5 April 2024 | 10 min read
Computer-generated illustration of a three-dimensional box containing letters in a grid pattern.

From bench to bot: How to use AI to structure your writing

When given specific examples, ChatGPT can generate templates to help guide different types of documents.

By Tim Requarth
8 January 2024 | 11 min read
Computer-generated image of a stack of papers.

From bench to bot: How to use AI tools to convert notes into a draft

ChatGPT can capitalize on the highly ordered nature of scientific writing to streamline your writing process.

By Tim Requarth
27 November 2023 | 10 min read
Computer-generated image of a stack of papers.

From bench to bot: A scientist’s guide to AI-powered writing

I was initially skeptical of artificial-intelligence tools such as ChatGPT for scientific writing. But after months of using and teaching generative artificial intelligence, I have come to realize that it has a place in the scientific writer’s tool kit, even if it can’t write that grant for you from scratch.

By Tim Requarth
13 November 2023 | 6 min read

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David Krakauer reflects on the foundations and future of complexity science

In his book “The Complex World,” Krakauer explores how complexity science developed, from its early roots to the four pillars that now define it—entropy, evolution, dynamics and computation.

By Paul Middlebrooks
14 January 2025 | 106 min listen
Research image showing white matter volume in a child with Angelman syndrome compared with a child without the condition.

White-matter changes; lipids and neuronal migration; dementia

Here is a roundup of autism-related news and research spotted around the web for the week of 13 January.

By Jill Adams
14 January 2025 | 2 min read
Three sleeping mice.

Fleeting sleep interruptions may help brain reset

Brief, seconds-long microarousals during deep sleep “ride on the wave” of locus coeruleus activity in mice and correlate with periods of waste clearing and memory consolidation, new research suggests.

By Shaena Montanari
13 January 2025 | 5 min read