Cliff: Artists who embrace these tools are going to create entirely new genres. Just like MIDI sparked electronic music, AI will enable new forms of expression. Studios are already using AI at various stages of production.

But what they still need — and will always need — is human emotion and the ability to interpret art for human audiences. That’s what makes creatives invaluable.

If your daughter understands that relationship — between AI and human creativity — she’ll be in a much better position to thrive in her field. Keith: That’s great advice. I’ll be turning that into a short and showing it to her. Thanks, Cliff!

Let’s bring it back to job seekers for a moment — should people still prioritize in-person networking? Is that the “secret weapon” for getting past all this technology? Cliff: Absolutely. Networking is still the most effective way to get a job.

Whether it’s meeting someone in person, on LinkedIn, or through a mutual contact — any direct connection gives you a serious edge. Just two weeks ago, someone messaged me cold on LinkedIn asking for advice about a role at Phenom. I didn’t know them, but I respected the effort.

I sent them a Zoom link, we talked for 45 minutes, and afterward, I called the hiring VP and said, “This person cares. They’re worth a closer look.” Keith: So the human touch still matters, even in an AI-driven hiring process. Cliff: Yes.

And here’s the truth: a lot of younger professionals missed out on learning how to network because of COVID. We kept them isolated behind screens for years, and now they’re struggling with face-to-face interaction. If you’re job hunting, don’t just rely on online applications. Go find events — any event.

Charity fundraisers, trade shows, local meetups. Talk to people working at the company. Ask, “What’s it like to work here?” That curiosity will open doors.

(TNS) — City leaders are eyeing the next generation of cutting-edge technology to help grade and improve the condition of St. Joseph’s streets and roadways.

St. Joseph Public Works and Transportation is in the process of integrating new AI-powered software called Road AI, a type of specialized road maintenance software capable of detecting defects from cracking and fretting to edge deterioration and larger potholes.

“We’re trying to advance everything in Public Works and AI is the big thing right now, St. Joseph Public Works and Transportation Director Abe Forney said. “This new technology will enhance the ability for our public works department to hit those potholes.”

A $15,380 contract for the new technology is set to be introduced for first reading at Tuesday’s City Council meeting and could be finalized later on Sept. 15.

The program operates by recording street surfaces using smartphones while an inspector drives the route. The video is uploaded nightly to a cloud-based AI program with condition ratings being available within hours.

Data is then exported to Excel and imported into Cartegraph — an operations and asset management software platform — for use in determining overlay lists, concrete repair lists and other maintenance priorities.

“It’ll also give us sign inventory that we’ve never had. So it’s looking at signs. It’s looking at our road conditions. It’s looking at crosswalks where they should be and bike trails that cross the road,” Forney said. “This technology is going to continue to grow.”

RoadAI’s technology will sharply boost efficiency and enhance the long-held process of having a supervisor drive and document 440 lane miles of roadway in St. Joseph.

If approved by council, Forney expects the city will be able to quickly integrate the new software and have it deployed for staff usage in short order. The software is part of a subscription service offered through company Vaisala Inc.

“Taking one of our employees and driving all the roads and him writing on a piece of paper what our road conditions are … this is going to be much better,” Forney said. “This technology is going to free them up to do other things that need attention.”

In the long run, he’s optimistic the AI-powered technology will provide cost savings for the department and could grow in usage in other areas. RoadAI’s website states the software is 50% less expensive that traditional road surveys.

The technology is one key part of the city’s new five-year street master plan, a strategy designed to address top concerns identified in a community survey launched earlier this year.

“The survey that just came out said that our road conditions are in poor shape. We all know that some of our roads need some attention,” Forney said. “There’s so many things that are out there that we can utilize to better our public works department.

© 2025 the St. Joseph News-Press (St. Joseph, Mo.). Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

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Researchers at the University of Minnesota Twin Cities have developed aerial robots equipped with artificial intelligence (AI) to detect, track and analyze wildfire smoke plumes. This innovation could lead to more accurate computer models that will improve air quality predictions for a wide range of pollutants.

The research was recently published in Science of the Total Environment, a peer-reviewed scientific journal.

According to a 2024 Associated Press report, 43 wildfires resulted from 50,000 prescribed burns between 2012 and 2021, creating the need for better smoke management tools. 

Previous simulation tools have worked to model fire and smoke particle behavior, but there were still limitations in accurate collection of data, modeling and the current field tools to observe these smoke plumes. In this paper, the researchers addressed the challenges in accurately modeling how smoke particles behave and spread during wildfires and prescribed burns.

“A key step is understanding the composition of smoke particles and how they disperse,” said Jiarong Hong, a professor in the University of Minnesota’s Department of Mechanical Engineering and senior author on the paper. “Smaller particles can travel farther and stay suspended longer, impacting regions far from the original fire.”