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Tech Firms Are Persuading Retailers to Put A.I. Everywhere
Stores of all kinds are using artificial intelligence to sell everything from luxury handbags to hay for horses.
Global sports face challenges from 'AI slop' misinformation
A study by AI risk management platform Alethea into the surge in artificial intelligence-generated fake content, dubbed "AI slop," has warned sports teams, leagues and fans of the risks posed by increasingly sophisticated digital misinformation.
Science Center of Iowa unveils new AI exhibit
The Science Center of Iowa is launching a new interactive exhibit on artificial intelligence, opening to the public on January 16.
New UC Merced major teaches how to tackle questions of ethics in science, tech
In a world where artificial intelligence, climate change, epidemics and more compete for our concern, the need for people who can weigh the technical and humanistic sides of an argument is crucial. A new UC Merced major addresses this need.
AI Coding Startup Replit Nears Funding at $9 Billion Valuation
Replit Inc., an artificial intelligence coding startup, is nearing a deal for a new round of funding that would roughly triple its valuation to $9 billion, including the money raised, according to people familiar with the matter.
How everyday foam reveals the secret logic of artificial intelligence
Foams were once thought to behave like glass, with bubbles frozen in place at the microscopic level. But new simulations reveal that foam bubbles are always shifting, even while the foam keeps its overall shape. Remarkably, this restless motion follows the same math used to train artificial intelligence. The finding hints that learning-like behavior may be a fundamental principle shared by materials, machines, and living cells.
China’s "Artificial Sun" Just Smashed a Key Fusion Barrier and Physics May Never Be the Same
Fusion reactor breaches the "Greenwald limit," hinting at smaller, cheaper power plants.
Google Gemini Can Proactively Analyze Users’ Gmail, Photos, Searches
Alphabet Inc.’s Google said its Gemini artificial intelligence assistant can now proactively tap into users’ data across Gmail, Search, Photos and YouTube, an attempt to make its consumer-facing AI product more personalized.
White House Science & Tech Policy Director Testifies on U.S. AI Strategy
White House Office of Science and Technology Policy Director Michael Kratsios testifies before a House Science, Space and Technology subcommittee on the administration's artificial intelligence (AI) strategy.
Bernie Sanders Says 'Science-Fiction Fear Of AI Running The World Is Real' — Then Urges America To Slow 'Most Consequential Technology'
A science-fiction fear about artificial intelligence running the world is no longer theoretical, according to one U.S. senator. "The science-fiction fear of AI running the world is real," Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT.) recently told CNN, calling AI "the most consequential technology of our lifetime" and urging the U.S. to slow its development. Sanders Names Who Is Pushing AI Sanders said the AI boom is being steered by a small group of wealthy tech leaders, naming Tesla Inc. (NASDAQ:TSLA) CEO Elon
White House Science & Tech Policy Director Testifies on U.S. AI Strategy
White House Office of Science and Technology Policy Director Michael Kratsios testifies before a House Science, Space and Technology subcommittee on the administration's artificial intelligence (AI) strategy.
Artificial intelligence tools expand scientists’ impact but contract science’s focus
Nature - Artificial intelligence boosts individual scientists’ output, citations and career progression, but collectively narrows research diversity and reduces collaboration, concentrating...
Amendment 37: New Opportunity: C.12 Foundational Artificial Intelligence for the Moon and Mars
C.12 Foundational Artificial Intelligence for the Moon and Mars (FAIMM) is intended to enable individual researchers to participate as members of teams who
Kuo: Apple's AI Deal With Google Is Temporary and Buys It Time
Apple is preparing to mass-produce its own AI-focused server chips in the second half of 2026 amid reliance on a short-term partnership with Google to meet immediate AI expectations, according to analyst Ming-Chi Kuo. In a new post on X, Kuo said that Apple is facing mounting short-term pressure in artificial intelligence that is shaping its current strategy, even as it continues to pursue long-term control over core AI technologies.
Lefkofsky sees more runway ahead for now-profitable Tempus
Chicago artificial intelligence giant Tempus AI is showing it's operating in the black after 10 years and growing.
Meta Plans to Cut 10% to 15% of Employees in Reality Labs Business
The layoffs are set to be announced this week and would affect Meta’s work on the metaverse, as the company spends heavily on building artificial intelligence.
Tempus and NYU Langone Health Announce Strategic Collaboration to Advance Precision Oncology
CHICAGO, January 12, 2026--Tempus, a leader in artificial intelligence and precision medicine, and NYU Langone Health, one of the nation’s premier academic medical centers, today announced a multi-year strategic collaboration aimed at transforming cancer care through advanced molecular profiling and data-driven insights. The collaboration will support NYU Langone Health’s Center for Molecular Oncology at the Laura and Isaac Perlmutter Cancer Center, a comprehensive, pan-cancer initiative to more
AI can now 'see' optical illusions. What does it tell us about our own brains?
Our eyes can frequently play tricks on us, but scientists have discovered that some artificial intelligence can fall for the same illusions.
JPM26: Anthropic launches Claude for Healthcare to turbocharge AI efficiency at health systems, payers
SAN FRANCISCO—Anthropic is pushing into the healthcare market as it launches artificial intelligence tools and resources purpose-built for providers and payers. | Anthropic is pushing into the healthcare market as it launches artificial intelligence tools and resources purpose-built for providers and payers.
Anthropic Adds Features for Doctors, Patients in Health Care Push
Anthropic is making it easier for patients and clinicians to use its artificial intelligence chatbot to access medical information, part of a broader push into the lucrative health care sector. The San Francisco-based company on Sunday said that its Claude product is launching a new health care offering that is compliant with the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act, or HIPAA, and can be used by hospitals, medical providers and consumers to field protected health data. Anthropic h
How AI can detect health risks — just from the way you sleep
A new artificial intelligence model in the US, SleepFM, has found that patterns in human sleep can be used to predict a person's risk for around 130 diseases, including dementia and certain cancers.
Amazon Has Big Hopes for Wearable AI — Starting With This $50 Gadget
Several months after Amazon.com Inc. bought artificial intelligence hardware startup Bee, the company said it’s working to make its $50 always-listening wearable more proactive, and indicated a larger revamp is in store.
China's 'artificial sun' reactor shatters major fusion limit — a step closer to near-limitless clean energy.
China's EAST nuclear fusion reactor has successfully kept plasma stable at extreme densities, passing a major fusion milestone and potentially bringing humanity closer to wielding near-limitless clean energy.
How Artificial Intelligence Is Rewiring Democracy
Three books on politics and public life to read this month.
'Worst in Show' CES products include AI refrigerators, AI companions and AI doorbells
Artificial intelligence took center stage at this year's CES gadget show, but not always for the right reasons.
Character.AI and Google agree to settle lawsuits over teen mental health harms and suicides
Character.AI has agreed to settle multiple lawsuits alleging the artificial intelligence chatbot maker contributed to mental health crises and suicides among young people, including a case brought by Florida mother Megan Garcia.
ASE president outlines need to lead on AI, sustain echo workforce
ASE President David Wiener, MD, discussed his goals for 2026 in a new video interview. "The imager who doesn't use artificial intelligence will be replaced by the imager who does,” he said.
Health Rounds: AI uses sleep study data to accurately predict dozens of health issues
Artificial intelligence can use brain recordings from a single night in a sleep lab to predict a person's risk of developing more than 100 health conditions, researchers say.
Lenovo, Nvidia unveil AI cloud gigafactory
Lenovo unveiled an artificial intelligence cloud gigafactory with NVIDIA at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas on Tuesday, while also showcasing a slew of other products, including a new AI platform.
Startups to watch: Baton Rouge’s entrepreneurial surge
Put researchers, incubators and investors in the same ecosystem, and you get a region where innovation can thrive. That momentum is showing up in the number of Capital Region startups now drawing attention far beyond Louisiana. CodeGig CodeGig is a Baton Rouge software firm that leverages artificial intelligence and machine learning to help industrial companies […]
AI tool uses data to redefine sports sponsorships
Texas A&M researcher’s effort leverages artificial intelligence to help teams make smarter business decisions.
Business Insider's AI Power List
Business Insider's AI Power List highlights the most powerful people shaping artificial intelligence. See who's driving the next wave.
Exclusive: Samsung to double mobile devices powered by Google's Gemini to 800 mln units this year
Samsung Electronics plans to double this year the number of its mobile devices with AI features powered by Google's Gemini, its co-CEO said, which would give the U.S. firm an edge over rivals as the global race in artificial intelligence hots up.
China’s “artificial sun” just broke a fusion limit scientists thought was unbreakable
Researchers using China’s “artificial sun” fusion reactor have broken through a long-standing density barrier in fusion plasma. The experiment confirmed that plasma can remain stable even at extreme densities if its interaction with the reactor walls is carefully controlled. This finding removes a major obstacle that has slowed progress toward fusion ignition. The advance could help future fusion reactors produce more power.
China’s robot sports craze could eventually put humanoids in homes
On the outskirts of Beijing, young Chinese entrepreneur Cheng Hao sits on an indoor soccer pitch – but this turf isn’t for humans. It’s where engineers working for his start-up, Booster Robotics, train human-like robots to play soccer using artificial intelligence – dribbling, passing, shooting and blocking.
xAI Adds Grok Business Options as it Tries to Win Enterprise Customers
xAI has introduced two new subscription tiers of its Grok artificial intelligence chatbot aimed at business customers. The announcement is part of xAI’s effort to build an enterprise business to compete with the likes of Anthropic and OpenAI. The new offerings include Grok for Business, which is aimed at small-to-medium-sized businesses and costs $30 per user per month, and Grok Enterprise,
Artificial Intelligence Impacts the Art and Science of Dentistry
Dentistry has always been on the cutting edge of science and technology. Now, Artificial Intelligence is transforming dentistry.
Even the Sky May Not Be the Limit for A.I. Data Centers
Some tech leaders are concerned that the artificial intelligence race will exhaust available land and energy. The solution might lie in orbit.
Why some people are turning to artificial intelligence for mental health needs
According to a George Mason University flash poll of about 500 people across the country, about 50% reported using AI for support with mental health issues.
Brookfield to start cloud business amid AI frenzy, The Information reports
Brookfield is starting its own cloud business to lease chips inside data centers directly to artificial intelligence developers, The Information reported on Wednesday, in a bid to gain end-to-end control of the AI value chain.
What if AI becomes conscious and we never know
A philosopher at the University of Cambridge says there’s no reliable way to know whether AI is conscious—and that may remain true for the foreseeable future. According to Dr. Tom McClelland, consciousness alone isn’t the ethical tipping point anyway; sentience, the capacity to feel good or bad, is what truly matters. He argues that claims of conscious AI are often more marketing than science, and that believing in machine minds too easily could cause real harm. The safest stance for now, he says, is honest uncertainty.
Report: Apple's AI Strategy Could Finally Pay Off in 2026
Apple's restrained artificial intelligence strategy may pay off in 2026 amid the arrival of a revamped Siri and concerns around the AI market "bubble" bursting, The Information argues. The speculative report notes that Apple has taken a restrained approach with AI innovations compared with peers such as OpenAI, Google, and Meta, which are investing hundreds of billions of dollars in data centers, chips, and large language model training.
As Corporate America thrives, small businesses tighten their belts
America’s economy is booming—if you’re big enough, The Wall Street Journal writes. While corporate giants are riding record profits and the artificial intelligence rally, many small businesses are quietly cutting back. Firms with fewer than 50 workers have shed jobs steadily over the past six months, trimming 120,000 positions in November alone, even as large […]
Science in 2050: the future breakthroughs that will shape our world
Nature - Nuclear fusion. People on Mars. Artificial general intelligence. These are just some of the advances that could come by the mid-century mark.
Meta to Buy Startup Manus, Adding AI Agents to Woo Business
Meta Platforms Inc. has agreed to acquire Singapore-based AI startup Manus, adding a popular artificial intelligence agent as the social-media company works to build a business around its massive AI investment.
Even Low Doses of Aspartame Could Have Alarming Health Effects, Study Finds
Zero sugar but at what cost?
2025 in Review: ORNL’s Top Science News Stories
The Department of Energy’s Oak Ridge National Laboratory marked another year of research driven by innovation and collaboration in 2025, as reflected in the laboratory’s most-read stories. The year’s top story announced two new AI supercomputers, establishing ORNL’s vital role as part of DOE’s Genesis Mission, a national initiative to accelerate science through artificial intelligence.
Artificial Intelligence Impacts the Art and Science of Dentistry
Artificial Intelligence is a relatively recent tool developed by computer experts. What is it? Here are some definitions to begin with.
Media and Entertainment's Biggest Innovations of 2025
Artificial intelligence brought evolution to the entertainment industry in 2025, but that's not all that changed this year.
Highmark prepares for the future of health care with AI initiatives
Highmark Health is preparing for the future by expanding its artificial intelligence capabilities in 2026. Highmark’s history with AI reaches back...
An LSU professor’s tips for responsible AI adoption in business
As artificial intelligence tools become more accessible, business leaders across a range of industries are having to work out how to adopt them without putting sensitive information or the trust o… Already an INSIDER? Sign in. We are glad you enjoy reading Business Report. Continue reading this story and get ACCESS to all our content […]
OpenAI Sees Better Margins on Business Sales, Report Says
OpenAI has squeezed better margins out of its enterprise business this year, as it races to maintain its pole position in artificial intelligence, according to a report in The Information.
Scientists who use AI tools are publishing more papers than ever before
Science is entering a massive publishing boom, in large part due to artificial intelligence. New research published in the journal Science has revealed that scientists who use large language models (LLMs) ...
Top Strategies for Businesses to Gain AI Recommendations
How to Improve Your Business’s AI Search Visibility Washington, United States – December 17, 2025 / Monic AI Systems / How Businesses Can Improve Visibility in AI Search Tools Like ChatGPT As artificial intelligence tools such as ChatGPT increasingly influence how people find information and evaluate products and services, businesses are adjusting how they present […]
HHS requests advice on using AI for lowering healthcare costs
A new RFI from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services is seeking stakeholder input on how to realize artificial intelligence goals and usher in nationwide, clinical-scale adoption of the technology.
LG Will Let TV Owners Delete Microsoft Copilot After Customer Outcry
LG Electronics Inc. will let owners of its televisions delete Microsoft Corp.’s artificial intelligence software amid a consumer backlash.
Blackstone’s Schwarzman Says Data Center Business Not a Bubble
Blackstone Inc. Chief Executive Officer Steve Schwarzman brushed aside talk of a bubble surrounding the data centers powering artificial intelligence, saying the business is conservative.
AI blueprint from NAACP prioritizes health equity in model development
Artificial intelligence could further widen race-based disparities in healthcare, the organization says. Its new blueprint is meant as a first step in a larger, more ambitious campaign to ensure that racial fairness is a priority for U.S. healthcare AI.
Ri Wrapped 2025: our most-watched science talks
From artificial intelligence to the origins of the Universe, these are the Ri science talks that captivated millions in 2
Kelly Born on All the Ways AI Is Changing Politics
Yascha Mounk and Kelly Born discuss the socioeconomic impact of artificial intelligence.
Roundtable: Did COP30 do enough for health?
As the world heats up, human health needs to be much more firmly on the climate negotiations agenda, say four experts
What’s worse for us, sugar or sweeteners?
We all know eating too much sugar is bad for our health – but would we be better off replacing it with artificial sweetener? It’s a question Science Weekly listener Marion posed recently and, as Madeleine Finlay tells Ian Sample, the answer is complicated. She explains what the science says about sugar v sweeteners with the help of Prof Havovi Chichger, from Anglia Ruskin University, and Prof Jim Krieger, from the University of Washington’s school of public health
Clair Obscur's new Endless Tower bosses are providing quite the challenge for returning players
Whether it's rust or because the bosses are just artificially hard, Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 players are reeling at the free DLC's difficulty.
Bills seek to promote telemedicine and regulate AI in New Hampshire’s health insurance industry
A Nashua lawmaker has filed two bills related to New Hampshire’s health insurance industry: one would prohibit health insurers from using artificial intelligence to overrule doctors while the other would prevent insurers from reimbursing providers less money for equivalent services provided via telemedicine.
Quantum science research is full of promises. When will they happen? : Short Wave
This year, quantum science and computing came up a lot. There have been broad claims that quantum science and engineering could one day help cure diseases, design new materials, optimize supply chains -- or help in other ways not yet fathomable. And, while the Trump administration has made strides to cut scientific funding, quantum research is one of two things they’ve pledged to continue investing in – along with artificial intelligence. Meanwhile, scientists have been hard at work, pushing the research to move quantum engineering from sci-fi to real-world usefulness. All of this got science correspondent Katia Riddle wondering: When will all of this effort actually pay off? She talked to a lot of scientists to figure it out -- and to figure out how much scientist really understand about quantum science. She brings everything she learned onto the show today. To hear more Short Wave reporting on quantum clocks, check out this episode: Quantum Mechanics For BeginnersInterested in more quantum science? Email us your question at shortwave@npr.org.Listen to every episode of Short Wave sponsor-free and support our work at NPR by signing up for Short Wave+ at plus.npr.org/shortwave.
AI Is Getting Dangerously Good at Political Persuasion
For a while last year, scientists offered a glimmer of hope that artificial intelligence would make a positive contribution to democracy. They showed that chatbots could address conspiracy theories racing across social media, challenging misinformation around beliefs in issues such as chemtrails and the flat Earth with a stream of reasonable facts in conversation. But two new studies suggest a disturbing flipside: The latest AI models are getting even better at persuading people at the expense o
Data center boom creates political conundrum for the GOP
President Donald Trump is all in on the artificial intelligence build-out. Other Republicans are being more cautious.
This Could Be a Huge Catalyst for Nvidia's Business in 2026
Nvidia may finally be able to sell its advanced chips to a huge market: China.
Arizona city unanimously rejects AI data center after residents' outcry
The Chandler, Arizona, city council unanimously voted against clearing the way to allow for construction of an artificial intelligence data center
Amputees often feel disconnected from their bionic hands. AI could bridge the gap
Sensors and artificial intelligence help a prosthetic hand act more like a natural one, new research shows.
Local business owner introduces monthly hands-on AI workshops
GRAND JUNCTION Colo. (KREX)- A local business owner and educator is launching a new AI training series designed specifically for small business owners in Grand Junction. Nick Gumpert, owner of the UPS Store on 12th Street and Patterson Road, is introducing a monthly lineup of hands-on artificial intelligence workshops beginning in February. Gumpert said after […]
Hochul signs several bills into law on artificial intelligence regulations
One piece of legislation aims to stop artificial intelligence from being used to essentially recreate people who have died.
Data center boom creates political conundrum for the GOP
President Donald Trump is all in on the artificial intelligence build-out. Other Republicans are being more cautious.
Getting Personal With AI: Microsoft Stock (NASDAQ:MSFT) Slips as Users Turn to AI in Strange Ways
Tech giant Microsoft ($MSFT) has clearly focused on artificial intelligence (AI) of late, even when the system does not work as well as you would hope. But as it tu...
Tech billionaires eye AI moonshots as Trump slashes science funding
Sam Altman, Mark Zuckerberg, and Jeff Bezos are trying to recreate what capitalism destroyed. The key difference is artificial intelligence
New Report: AI + Computer Science Are the Foundation for U.S. K-12 Readiness, But State Policies Lag Behind
Code.org and CSforALL today released the 2025 State of AI + CS Education report, the first national snapshot of state-by-state policies, standards, and graduation requirements for artificial intelligence (AI) and computer science (CS) education.
AI and the Entertainment Industry
In a dramatic reversal that signals a fundamental shift in how the music industry approaches artificial intelligence (AI), Warner Music Group (WMG) announced on Tuesday, December 2, 2025, that it...
The Politics Of Superintelligence
Today’s tech “prophets” push a narrative that God-like artificial superintelligence is inevitable, and only they can ensure humanity’s safety from their creations.
Solid data is essential to making AI and VBC work
As we look to 2026, there's a bright future for well-governed healthcare information to advance artificial intelligence innovation and promote value-based care, an expert says.
Google Says First AI Glasses with Gemini Will Arrive in 2026
Alphabet Inc.’s Google said it’s working to create two different categories of artificial intelligence-powered smart glasses to compete next year with existing models from Meta Platforms Inc.: one with screens, and another that’s audio focused.
From Antarctica to AI: India International Science Festival 2025 brings science enthusiasts under one roof
The festival features over 150 technical and thematic sessions spanning science, technology, innovation, and industry. Key focus areas include artificial intelligence (AI), bio-economy, space, quantum technology, and the integration of traditional knowledge with modern science, alongside sessions on deep-tech entrepreneurship and the blue economy.
Expansive prescribed fire research project brings Montana scientists together
The SMART FIRES project combines smoke and fire science, smart sensors, sociology, artificial intelligence, ethics and more in the context of prescribed fires.
Transformative AI is coming, and so are the risks
Google AI guru Demis Hassabis says artificial general intelligence is just a few years, and a couple of breakthroughs, away.
US health department unveils strategy to expand its adoption of AI technology
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has outlined a new strategy to expand its use of artificial intelligence.
UW Board of Regents approves UW–Madison proposal to create College of Computing and Artificial Intelligence
The new college will build upon the university’s strengths in computer, data, library and information sciences and statistics.
A ‘sleeping giant’ in Michigan politics: Data centers
The spread of artificial intelligence data centers across the Great Lakes state is fueling grassroots backlash and magnifying divisions in an already-competitive 2026 gubernatorial race.
The Rise of AI Reasoning Models Comes With a Big Energy Tradeoff
Nearly all leading artificial intelligence developers are focused on building AI models that mimic the way humans reason, but new research shows these cutting-edge systems can be far more energy intensive, adding to concerns about AI’s strain on power grids.
'Europe has the resources to sustain cutting-edge AI research'
OP-ED. Around 30 artificial intelligence leaders – researchers, engineers and entrepreneurs – urge Europe to invest in talent and science.
AI startup Flex raises $60 million to offer finance tools for mid-sized businesses
Flex, an artificial intelligence startup that aims to be a one-stop shop for the financial needs of mid-sized business owners, said on Thursday it has raised $60 million in a Portage Ventures-led funding round.
Team GB Olympic & Paralympic athletes get online abuse protection
Team GB Olympic and Paralympic athletes are to be offered a new form of artificial intelligence-based protection from online abuse.
Micron to exit consumer memory business amid global supply shortage
Memory chipmaker Micron Technology said on Wednesday it will exit its consumer business, as it doubles down on advanced memory chips used in artificial intelligence data centers amid a global supply shortage of the essential semiconductors.
Gartner (IT) Slid on Weak Business Outlook
Scout Investments, Inc., an affiliate of Carillon Tower Advisers, recently released its third-quarter 2025 investor letter for “Carillon Scout Mid Cap Fund”. A copy of the letter can be downloaded here. The Russell Midcap Index posted positive returns in the quarter, fueled by strong corporate earnings, the continued momentum in artificial intelligence (AI) infrastructure, and the […]
Is AI making us stupid?
Artificial intelligence can execute tasks in seconds that once took humans hours, if not days to complete. While this may be great for productivity, some researchers are concerned that our increasing use of AI could be impacting our ability to tackle difficult problems and think critically. To find out where the science stands, and how worried we should be about the potential of AI to change how we think, Ian Sample hears from Madeleine Finlay and Sam Gilbert, professor of neuroscience at University College London
This organization is trying to use AI to reshape American politics
Using artificial intelligence to identify congressional districts where independent candidates could win, an organization called the Independent Center is aiming to disrupt the two-party system.
Apple Artificial Intelligence Head to Leave After AI Struggles
Apple Inc. artificial intelligence head John Giannandrea plans to step down from the job, ending a challenging stint at the iPhone maker.
Science Power-up: Where Biomanufacturing Can Take Us This Century
Explore how fundamental science is shaping the future of everyday items we all rely on, from food to plastics – and how artificial intelligence and data will power the technologies of tomorrow in biomanufacturing.
An independent effort says AI is the secret to topple two-party power in Congress
Using artificial intelligence to identify Congressional districts where independent candidates could win, an organization called the Independent Center is aiming to disrupt the two-party system.
Accenture dubs 800,000 staff ‘reinventors’ amid shift to AI
Consultancy’s move to embrace artificial intelligence follows Disney’s use of the term ‘imagineers’
Harnessing Emerging Technologies to Power Your Business
Nearly every area of our lives has been transformed by artificial intelligence and other emerging technologies. For small business owners, AI is no longer a
Cities put science in the spotlight
When three European cities launch an initiative next year to boost scientific excellence and collaboration, much of the action is likely to take place in public spaces rather than in the laboratory.That is welcome news for Ana Marušić. A medical doctor and professor at the University of Split Medical School in Croatia, Marušić champions close connections between “town and gown” to encourage citizen involvement in research, raise public health awareness and ignite young people’s interest in science. “Responsible research and innovation cannot be done in an ivory tower, answering only the questions that are relevant for scientists,” explains Marušić, who chairs the Department of Research in Biomedicine and Health and leads the Centre for Evidence-based Medicine. “The role of the university is to be a medium for transferring new discoveries in science to society, but also to listen to society about what is important and what is needed.”Three cities united by scienceMarušić’s efforts stand to gain traction through Science Comes to Town (SCTT), a new European project to highlight science’s role in society and strengthen cross-border collaboration in research, innovation and sustainability. With funding from the European Commission, three cities—Split, Brest (in France) and Kiel (in Germany)—plan more than 1,000 public events, workshops and competitions for citizens of all ages, researchers, businesses and policymakers. The year-long project kicks off in Spilt on 20 January with a conference involving partner institutions, community representatives and European policymakers. The three cities may be geographically far apart, but they share much in common. All are located on coasts and are home to top regional research institutions that are part of SCTT. Among the project's partners, the University of Western Brittany in Brest, Kiel University and the University of Split belong to the SEA-EU university alliance, uniting nine European coastal academic institutions to advance research, student exchanges and sustainable development. “These universities have a very strong connection between gown and town,” explains Marušić, who is one of Split’s SCTT ambassadors. “It's very important that these universities are there for the community so that we can learn from each other and grow together.”Tackling Europe’s STEM shortagesSCTT will also reinforce efforts to address Europe’s widening gap in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) education. Studies show that nearly eight out of ten small- and medium-sized businesses cannot find enough workers with the skills required in advanced computing and artificial intelligence (AI)—hindering initiatives to boost European innovation and competitiveness. In healthcare, the European Commission has estimated a shortfall in medical professionals of 1.2 million, due to fewer young people joining the field and an ageing population that needs more care.Strengthening knowledge and dialogue can also help build trust between scientists and the public at time when disruptive technologies are reshaping research and clinical practice, but are also sparking questions about ethics and accuracy. With experience in the classroom and in clinical epidemiology—a discipline involving monitoring and controlling public health problems—Marušić sees the potential risks of over-reliance on AI and chatbot answers for both research and learning. “AI is a very good tool, but one has to be very critical about it,” she adds. “Delegating brain activities will definitely diminish your neural capacities because you are not developing the circuitry that is important for higher-level cognitive engagement.” She stresses the importance of critical thinking and encourages students to use AI as a researcher’s tool to reinforce rather than supplant human discretion and brainpower.The power of outreachSplit’s experience in bringing scientists and the public together has provided a platform for discussing research ethics and explaining science in simple terms. Local efforts to expand health literacy and awareness have helped reduce cardiovascular disease among women, according to Marušić’s research. The city’s university also hosts events to introduce schoolchildren to science, using hands-on experiments to spark curiosity.Marušić’s own love of science began with an interest in studying molecular biology. “But my parents told me, why don't you study medicine?” she recalls. “I said, OK, why not? And that was the best decision that I made.” Marušić is not a practicing physician, but teaches anatomy and public health. She also co-edits ST-OPEN, an overlay university journal that works on capacity building for research publishing among students and their supervisors. Balancing teaching, research and editorial work, she is a strong advocate for medical studies, urging high school students to consider medicine “because later on it gives you a really wide perspective about human life and about society” as well as many career opportunities.As SCTT prepares to bring science into daily life in 2026, Marušić hopes that it will build permanent bridges between scientists and citizens across Europe. “We can be a showcase for making collaboration with the community stronger to share knowledge, attract young talent and integrate critical and scientific thinking into everyday life,” she explains, adding that "collaborating with businesses to improve cities and communities is also an important aspect of this project."Science|Business, which connects policymakers, academics and industry through its news reporting, analysis and events, is an SCTT partner.