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It seems like artificial intelligence is everywhere in our virtual lives. It's in our search results and our phones. But what happens when AI moves out of the chat and into the real world? NPR science editor and correspondent Geoff Brumfiel took a trip to the Intelligence through Robotic Interaction at Scale Lab at Stanford University to see how scientists are using AI to power robots and the large hurdles that exist for them to perform even simple tasks.

Read Geoff's full story.

Interested in more AI stories? Email us your ideas at shortwave@npr.org.

It seems like artificial intelligence is everywhere in our virtual lives. It's in our search results and our phones. But what happens when AI moves out of the chat and into the real world? NPR science editor and correspondent Geoff Brumfiel took a trip to the Intelligence through Robotic Interaction at Scale Lab at Stanford University to see how scientists are using AI to power robots and the large hurdles that exist for them to perform even simple tasks. Read Geoff's full story. Interested in more AI stories? Email us your ideas at shortwave@npr.org.

America is a deeply spiritual nation. Over 70% of us say that we feel spiritual in some way. But – at the same time – we're getting less religious. So for people who are spiritual-but-not-religious – what's replacing organized religion? What do they believe – and where does that show up in their day-to-day lives? In Brittany's series called Losing My Religion, It's Been a Minute is going to find out.

In her final episode of the series, Brittany is investigating so-called manifestation. It's this popular belied that if you want something badly enough, it'll come to you. You might know this idea by other names, like The Law of Attraction, or The Secret. Manifestation spiked in 2020, according to Google Trends, and it's still riding that wave online. Brittany calls on with Tara Isabella Burton, an author and journalist, and New York Magazine's Rebecca Jennings to get to the bottom of this trend: the appeal of manifestation, its symbiotic relationship with the internet, and why it might make us less aware of our humanity.

Want to get to know Brittany? Follow her at @bmluse on socials.

Support public media and receive ad-free listening & bonus content. Join NPR+ today.

America is a deeply spiritual nation. Over 70% of us say that we feel spiritual in some way. But – at the same time – we're getting less religious. So for people who are spiritual-but-not-religious – what's replacing organized religion? What do they believe – and where does that show up in their day-to-day lives? In Brittany's series called Losing My Religion, It's Been a Minute is going to find out. In her final episode of the series, Brittany is investigating so-called manifestation. It's this popular belied that if you want something badly enough, it'll come to you. You might know this idea by other names, like The Law of Attraction, or The Secret. Manifestation spiked in 2020, according to Google Trends, and it's still riding that wave online. Brittany calls on with Tara Isabella Burton, an author and journalist, and New York Magazine's Rebecca Jennings to get to the bottom of this trend: the appeal of manifestation, its symbiotic relationship with the internet, and why it might make us less aware of our humanity. Want to get to know Brittany? Follow her at @bmluse on socials. Support public media and receive ad-free listening & bonus content. Join NPR+ today.

We investigate how the tech industry is thinking about its environmental footprint as it invests in energy-consuming new AI models.

We investigate how the tech industry is thinking about its environmental footprint as it invests in energy-consuming new AI models.

What do Moo Deng the pygmy hippo, social media sensation Hawk Tuah, and the President of the United States all have in common? They've all inspired highly valuable, highly volatile memecoins. The memecoin began as a sort of joke cryptocurrency, but it soon became very real.

On today's episode of The Sunday Story, we turn to our friends at NPR's Planet Money to help us understand the phenomenon of memecoins. What are they, and how did they go from a one-off joke to a speculative frenzy worth tens of billions of dollars? Who are the winners and losers in this brazen new market?

What do Moo Deng the pygmy hippo, social media sensation Hawk Tuah, and the President of the United States all have in common? They've all inspired highly valuable, highly volatile memecoins. The memecoin began as a sort of joke cryptocurrency, but it soon became very real. On today's episode of The Sunday Story, we turn to our friends at NPR's Planet Money to help us understand the phenomenon of memecoins. What are they, and how did they go from a one-off joke to a speculative frenzy worth tens of billions of dollars? Who are the winners and losers in this brazen new market?

A federal judge barred administration officials from destroying messages sent over the encrypted messaging app about the sensitive details of plans for a U.S. military strike against Yemen's Houthis.

A federal judge barred administration officials from destroying messages sent over the encrypted messaging app about the sensitive details of plans for a U.S. military strike against Yemen's Houthis. (Image credit: Kiichiro Sato)

The legal fight could have far-reaching implications for the media and artificial intelligence industries.

The legal fight could have far-reaching implications for the media and artificial intelligence industries. (Image credit: Michael Dwyer)

The race is on for control over deposits of rare earth elements and critical minerals that are necessary in much of the technology we use today. The U.S. is lagging behind it's main rival in this global competition, China. We hear about why these resources are so sought after and the stakes in the race to control them.

The race is on for control over deposits of rare earth elements and critical minerals that are necessary in much of the technology we use today. The U.S. is lagging behind it's main rival in this global competition, China. We hear about why these resources are so sought after and the stakes in the race to control them.

The Atomic Spectroscopy Group provides standardized measurements used across wide swaths of science and industry. The Trump administration plans to cut it.

The Atomic Spectroscopy Group provides standardized measurements used across wide swaths of science and industry. The Trump administration plans to cut it. (Image credit: N. Phillips/NIST)

The use of civilian software to discuss sensitive military and government matters came to light after a journalist from The Atlantic magazine said he was mistakenly added to a group chat on Signal.

The use of civilian software to discuss sensitive military and government matters came to light after a journalist from The Atlantic magazine said he was mistakenly added to a group chat on Signal. (Image credit: J. Scott Applewhite)

The breach left military and intelligence experts asking the same questions as the public: Why would top U.S. officials use a free messaging app to discuss classified military plans?

The breach left military and intelligence experts asking the same questions as the public: Why would top U.S. officials use a free messaging app to discuss classified military plans? (Image credit: Anna Moneymaker)

The start-up’s valuation, which has nearly doubled in six months, shows continued enthusiasm for A.I. among investors.

Eric Trump and Donald Trump Jr. are investing in a Bitcoin-mining company called American Bitcoin, created by the merger of two firms.

The company, which uses artificial intelligence to develop new treatments, now counts the venture capital firm Thrive Capital as a backer.

The deal combined two of Mr. Musk’s companies, which have been on different trajectories. The transaction valued xAI at $80 billion and X at $33 billion, the billionaire said.

In Britain, amid growing evidence of harm to young people from extreme content online, a “Smartphone Free Childhood” campaign is going viral.

What did they think about the national security breach, in which Trump administration officials discussed attack plans in Yemen on a commercial messaging app?

The chairman, Brendan Carr, sent a letter to the company accusing it of violating equal employment opportunity regulations.

The Swedish retailer H&M said it was exploring the use of artificial intelligence in producing “digital twins” of models.

The start-up, which provides the processing power to help develop A.I. systems, faces questions about its debt and the overall economy.

President Trump’s intervention came while Mr. Milton was appealing his conviction on securities and wire fraud charges.

“The group chats are popping off at the highest levels of government.”

Carmakers are likely to face higher costs regardless of how they respond to President Trump’s 25 percent tariffs on cars and auto parts.

The company, which originally expected its shares to be priced between $47 and $55, will ask for $40 a share in a sign of stock market uncertainty.

An update to ChatGPT made it easy to simulate Hayao Miyazaki’s style of animation, which has flooded social media with memes.

Rebecca Kelly Slaughter and Alvaro Bedoya, who were fired from the agency this month, accused President Trump in a lawsuit of executive overreach.

A new Friends Tab will feature posts from a user’s friends and relatives, which was the original mission of the app.

The scale of the damage depends on the circumstances of each company’s supply chain.

Companies like OpenAI and China’s DeepSeek offer chatbots designed to take their time with an answer. Here’s how they work.

With a national ban increasingly unlikely, let’s reflect on how the app both sparks joy among users and raises mental health concerns.

A journalist’s inclusion in a national security discussion served as a reminder that you might not know every number in the chat — and that could be a big problem.

The app, which was introduced in 2014 and has hundreds of millions of users, is widely viewed as the safest messaging tool because of its encryption technology.

The company’s chatbot can now create elaborate and unusual images.

The popular video app, which could be banned in the United States next month if it is not sold to a non-Chinese owner, is portraying itself as a savior of Americans and a champion of small businesses in a new campaign.

World Liberty Financial, the crypto business created by President Trump and his sons, unveiled a cryptocurrency called a stablecoin, furthering his ties to an industry his administration regulates.

Nvidia showcased robots that could work in warehouses, pedal around like “Star Wars” droids and manipulate surgical equipment at its weeklong A.I. conference

The unemployment rate for college graduates has risen faster than for other workers over the past few years. How worried should they be?