News Room

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign computer science professor Dr. Sheldon Jacobson joins John Williams to break down the ways that listeners can have minimal risk when selecting their picks for the tournament. Dr. Jacobson talks about the success of underdogs in March Madness as well as the seeding matchups you should keep an eye on. His website, BracketOdds, allows AI to fill out a bracket for you.

March Madness is fast approaching. The men’s and women’s college basketball teams, 68 of each, are gearing up for three weeks of frenzy on the court, as each team dreams of reaching the Sweet Sixteen, the Elite Eight or the Final Four. A few even have their sights set on being crowned the national champion.

The recent Consumer Price Index report from the Bureau of Labor Statistics showed that prices have risen by three percent from one year ago. This is one percent above the Federal Reserve’s two percent inflation target, which they base on the Personal Consumption Expenditure Price Index.

In today s economy, many workers have transitioned from manual labor toward knowledge work, a move driven primarily by technological advances, and workers in this domain face challenges around managing non-routine work, which is inherently uncertain. Automated interventions can help workers understand their work and boost performance and trust. In a new study, researchers explored how artificial intelligence (AI) can enhance performance and trust in knowledge work environments. They found that when AI systems provided feedback in real-time, performance and trust increased.

Robert F. Kennedy Jr., as the new secretary of Health and Human Services, is the nation’s de facto healthcare czar. He will have influence over numerous highly visible agencies, including the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the National Institutes of Health and the Food and Drug Administration, among others. Given that healthcare is something that touches everyone’s life, his footprint of influence will be expansive.