BJ Fogg’s “Captology,” or “the study of computers as persuasive technologies,” is the principle that technology can change or influence people’s behaviour. An example of captology at work is Instagram, which uses likes and comments as social rewards for generating and dictating engagement. But aside from the social rewards, users are subtly nudged to keep using Instagram because it makes them feel like artists. With various filters and effects at their fingertips, users can express their creativity and feel good about it even before they post their photos. Read full article here
Research
Researcher uses AI to make texts that are thousands of years old readable
The Gilgamesh Epic, the oldest work of world literature, has been brought back to life by LMU researchers in the Electronic Babylonian Literature project. Using their new Fragmentarium tool, they have discovered hundreds of manuscripts, including the most recent tablet of the Gilgamesh Epic which dates from 130 BC – thousands of years after the earliest known version. This shows how highly valued the Epic was, even at a late period. With the public release of the Fragmentarium, anyone can now explore the thousands of cuneiform fragments and explore the ancient Babylonian literature. Read full article here
Merv
March 12, 2023
