Get all your news in one place.
100's of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
The Conversation
The Conversation
Aaron J. Snoswell, Research Fellow in AI Accountability, Queensland University of Technology

A weird phrase is plaguing scientific papers – and we traced it back to a glitch in AI training data

Elsevier Google Translate OpenAI
Google Deepmind / Unsplash

Earlier this year, scientists discovered a peculiar term appearing in published papers: “vegetative electron microscopy”.

This phrase, which sounds technical but is actually nonsense, has become a “digital fossil” – an error preserved and reinforced in artificial intelligence (AI) systems that is nearly impossible to remove from our knowledge repositories.

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100's of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
One subscription that gives you access to news from hundreds of sites
Already a member? Sign in here
Our Picks
WWE Raw: The Bloodline's Family Reunion Takes a Dangerous Turn as Solo Sikoa Joins The Usos Against 946
Carmelo Hayes made a surprise appearance on WWE Raw, joining The 946 to attack Solo Sikoa and The Usos and end their six-man tag team match without a winner.
International Business Times UK
International Business Times UK
Tyson review – deeply icky … and that’s before Trump shows up
This peculiar – some would say truly irresponsible – hagiography of boxing superstar Mike Tyson veers from psychedelics and sobbing to the inadvisable face tattoo via a cameo from the US president
The Guardian - UK
The Guardian - UK
William Shatner 'auctioned off kidney stone' for affordable housing charity
William Shatner has recalled a time he sold his kidney stone to a gambling company to help raise money for charity.
BANG Premier
BANG Premier
Oregon woman claims Acme is tinting salmon packaging to trick customers. She peels the plastic off the fish and shows exactly what is underneath
What you see isn't what you get.
We Got This Covered
We Got This Covered
Hayley Williams Urges Fans to Vote in November After Calling MAGA Supporters 'Pieces of Sh*t' on Stage
Hayley Williams urged fans to vote in November during a New Orleans concert before directing profane criticism at MAGA and referencing the Ku Klux Klan.
International Business Times UK
International Business Times UK
Reading alone, together is all the rage at book doofs and reading parties. What makes it social?
It’s called a doof, but it’s actually all about quiet reading. There are beanbags, some chairs and a few shared tables, where readers sit (or lie) down and read their separate books. Maybe some music playing in the background. Book Doof’s founder calls it a social experience. But can people…
The Conversation
The Conversation
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.
Download on the AppStore Get it on Google Play