What if AI could help emergency responders make split-second decisions that save lives during disasters? And what if that same technology could be used in healthcare to identify which patients desperately need care before it's too late?In this episode, we explore how artificial intelligence is revolutionizing emergency response and healthcare decision-making. Host Randy Scott interviews Aarti Singh, a professor in the Machine Learning Department at Carnegie Mellon University and the director of the National Science Foundation's AI Institute for Societal Decision Making. Professor Singh discusses breakthrough technologies like the CLARKE System, developed by the Institute’s partner Texas A&M University, which can analyze disaster damage to 2,000 homes in just seven minutes using drone footage and AI, compared to hours or days with traditional methods. The Institute has trained more than 60 emergency managers from 38 agencies on using the CLARKE System for rapid damage assessment and resource allocation during disasters like hurricanes and wildfires. In healthcare, Singh discusses how AI is addressing the U.S.'s alarming maternal mortality rate—the worst among developed nations—by creating patient risk profiles and prioritizing health care worker interventions or text-message alerts to the maternal patients. Field tests in India showed a 30 percent improved patient engagement. The conversation also covers the Institute's work on responsible AI adoption frameworks, emphasizing the importance of accountability, proper training, and human-AI collaboration to ensure these life-saving technologies can be trusted and effectively integrated into real-world emergency and healthcare systems.
What if robots could pick apples without bruising them, detect diseases in tomatoes before farmers can see them, or even help prevent catastrophic wildfires?In this episode, host Randy Scott speaks with Professor George Kantor from Carnegie Mellon University's Robotics Institute. Professor Kantor’s two decades of pioneering work in agricultural robotics are shaping the future of food and sustainability.As the global population races toward 10 billion by 2050, robotics and AI may be key to feeding the world while protecting the planet. Professor Kantor shares breakthroughs in robotic harvesters, disease-detecting drones and robots and AI-driven "digital twins" that simulate and optimize farm operations. He also explains how robots are optimizing specialty crops, balancing labor shortages, and reducing reliance on pesticides and fertilizers with real-time monitoring of nitrogen—all while lowering the negative impact of agriculture on the environment. He explains how robots and drones are helping to prevent wildfires in the Safe Forest program by mapping and then clearing potentially flammable vegetation.Building on last July's Season One discussion about teaching robots to pick apples, Professor Kantor shares new "learning from demonstration" methods where robots learn by analyzing videos of humans performing complex tasks. The conversation extends beyond the farm to CMU's new Robotics Innovation Center at Hazelwood Green in Pittsburgh, which will be a world-class testing facility for next-generation robots. He also discusses the Girls of Steel Robotics program, which he co-founded 15 years ago and runs through CMU—a K-12 initiative giving students of all genders and ages hands-on robot-building experiences. The program will soon move to the new facility.From apple orchards to tomato greenhouses to wildfire prevention, discover how robotics is becoming agriculture's most essential tool and a source of hope for a resilient and sustainable future for farming.
Imagine a telescope so powerful it could give us a whole new picture of the cosmos and help answer some of the biggest questions about the universe–if we can handle the data.From a mountaintop in Chile, the Vera C. Rubin Observatory is revolutionizing astronomy. The Observatory began capturing images of the entire night sky in June 2025, launching the most ambitious astronomical survey in history. This powerful telescope–with the world’s largest digital camera–generates 20 terabytes of data daily, creating a decade-long "movie" of the cosmos through its Legacy Survey of Space and Time (LSST) initiative.But without the development of innovative software, algorithms and computational systems, much of what the telescope is capturing would be unusable. In this episode, host Randy Scott talks with Carnegie Mellon University’s Professor Rachel Mandelbaum and Jeremy Kubica, who take us behind the scenes to reveal the computational innovations and interdisciplinary collaborations making this massive data collection scientifically useful. Through the LINCC Frameworks initiative, their team has developed innovative open-source software that enables scientists worldwide to analyze data from the telescope with unprecedented access, collaboration and scale. Professor Mandelbaum is the interim head of Carnegie Mellon's Department of Physics and CMU's lead for the LINCC Frameworks, and Jeremy Kubica is the Director of Engineering for the LINCC Frameworks.Our conversation explores groundbreaking technologies like algorithms for measuring galaxy shapes and gravitational lensing effects, software for detecting faint and distant moving objects in our solar system that we otherwise couldn’t see, and collaborative tools that bring researchers to the data rather than downloading massive datasets locally. Over the next ten years, this project will revolutionize our understanding of dark matter, the formation of our solar system, and the fundamental nature of the universe itself.We first reported on the Rubin Observatory in our podcast’s first season in the episode “Stellar Observations: AI’s Journey Into the Cosmos.”The universe is about to reveal its secrets—if our computers can keep up.
The sound of someone chewing can be annoying. But what if only one specific person's chewing bothered you? And what if it went beyond annoyance to actual pain?In this the second of a two-part episode on the Science of Sound, host Randy Scott discusses with Professor Laurie Heller what happens when our brain's relationship with sound goes wrong. Heller is a professor of psychology at Carnegie Mellon University, where she runs the Auditory Perception and Cognition Lab. The discussion covers various sound-related disorders including tinnitus, auditory processing disorder, and misophonia—a debilitating condition where certain sounds like chewing trigger intense emotional reactions. Through an engaging demonstration on the podcast, Professor Heller reveals how our brain's recognition of where a sound comes from, rather than its actual acoustics, controls our emotional responses. The episode also examines noise pollution's impact on wildlife, technological innovations such as enhanced virtual reality experiences, and AI's role in creating and detecting fake audio. Professor Heller further discusses what’s next for hearing technology, including better treatments for sound disorders and more sophisticated hearing aids that can adaptively filter environmental sounds.
We live in an increasingly noisy world. Our cities are louder than ever. Our devices can pump dangerous levels of sound directly into our ears. One in eight kids has permanent hearing damage. And while we count calories and track our steps, most of us have no idea how much acoustic damage we're absorbing every day. In Part 1 of a two-part episode, we explore the Science of Sound and its profound impact on our lives. Host Randy Scott speaks with Laurie Heller, a professor of psychology at Carnegie Mellon University where she runs the Auditory Perception and Cognition Lab. We speak with Professor Heller about how our brains process sound, the dangers of noise pollution, and the importance of protecting our hearing. The conversation delves into the physiological aspects of hearing and how too much noise can lead to not only hearing loss but other health consequences such as high blood pressure, sleep disturbances and even heart disease. Professor Heller gives us practical tips for safeguarding our auditory health and emphasizes the need for managing a balanced sound environment that promotes hearing safety and well-being.
Happy Fourth of July from the Where What If Becomes What’s Next podcast team and Carnegie Mellon University. As we celebrate independence and look towards the future, our host Randy Scott reflects on the spirit of innovation and forward-thinking embodied by Carnegie Mellon University. For generations, CMU has been a place for questions, like: What if we could teach computers to learn? What if we could create art with algorithms? What if we could build robots that transform industries? These weren't just questions; they were the sparks that ignited groundbreaking research, revolutionary technologies, and world-changing ideas. But the Fourth of July isn't just about looking back; it's about looking forward. And for Carnegie Mellon, the journey from "What if?" is always evolving into "What's Next?" What's next for sustainable energy? What's next for personalized medicine? What's next for the human-AI frontier? As you enjoy your celebrations, take a moment to appreciate the spirit of inquiry and the pursuit of progress. Because between the bold "What if?" and the exciting "What's Next?" – lives the spirit of independence and limitless possibilities!
What if instead of avoiding stress we actually leaned into it – and built resilience for next time?In this episode, we speak with Dr. David Creswell, a psychology and neuroscience professor at Carnegie Mellon University, about reframing our relationship with stress. Creswell argues that modern "comfort culture" contributes to rising stress levels because we avoid discomfort that actually builds resilience. He advocates for "equanimity reps" – deliberately engaging with uncomfortable experiences through meditation, exercise, or journaling to train a more resilient brain. His research led to the creation of Equa, an AI-powered meditation app that uses smartphone sensors to track breathing patterns during sessions, providing personalized feedback on mindfulness skill development. Our conversation also explores the future of stress management, emphasizing the role of AI and technology in understanding and improving mental health.Dr. David Creswell is the William S. Dietrich II Professor in Psychology and Neuroscience at Carnegie Mellon University. He's also a co-founder of Equa Health.
In the second part of a special two-part episode on Game Theory, CMU’s Kevin Zollman discusses how the principles of Game Theory can be used for the betterment of humanity – including improving social interactions, addressing complex global challenges like hunger, and improving personal relationships. He emphasizes the importance of changing the game to create positive outcomes and explores the future of Game Theory in relation to AI, technology and social dynamics.Kevin Zollman is the Herbert A. Simon Professor of Philosophy and Director of the Institute for Complex Social Dynamics at Carnegie Mellon University.
Have you ever been stuck in traffic and switched lanes, only to watch your old lane start moving faster? Or perhaps you've stood in a grocery line, debating whether to move to the shorter line, knowing others are thinking the same thing? Welcome to Game Theory in action. In Part 1 of a two-part episode, we explore the fascinating world of Game Theory with Kevin Zollman, a leading game theorist and professor at Carnegie Mellon University. We discuss the fundamentals of Game Theory, its real-world applications, and how it influences various aspects of life, from parenting to business negotiations. The conversation delves into key concepts such as zero-sum games, the Nash Equilibrium, and the Prisoner's Dilemma, illustrating how these theories can help us understand strategic decision-making in everyday situations. We also touch on the future of Game Theory in scientific research – including the behavior of viruses – and its implications for social dynamics.Kevin Zollman is the Herbert A. Simon Professor of Philosophy and Director of the Institute for Complex Social Dynamics at Carnegie Mellon University.
What if a small startup transformed the future of artificial intelligence in the blink of an algorithm?This conversation explores the transformative impact of DeepSeek, a groundbreaking AI chatbot that has disrupted the AI landscape by offering competitive performance at a fraction of the cost of its counterparts. Plus, DeepSeek’s open source model offers transparency and crowdsourced improvements while providing greater access to AI technology for developers and even nations. Experts discuss the innovations behind DeepSeek, its implications for the future of AI, and the broader trends and challenges in AI development, including its role in scientific discovery, the potential for agentic AI and the possibility of a “zero click” future.The conversation features insights from Param Vir Singh, the Associate Dean for Research and Carnegie Bosch Professor of Business Technologies and Marketing at CMU’s Tepper School of Business; and Graham Neubig, an Associate Professor at the CMU Language Technology Institute in the School of Computer Science.
What role should new technologies – such as robots, artificial intelligence and virtual reality – play in theatrical arts? And how are educators preparing their students for the future of this art form?This episode explores the future of arts education, particularly in theater, focusing on how educators are preparing students for a tech-driven world. It discusses the importance of arts education for social-emotional learning, the challenges faced by theater programs, and the innovative ways technology is being integrated into the arts. The conversation features insights from theater educators Kyle Haden the Senior Associate Head at the Carnegie Mellon School of Drama and Roshunda Jones-Koumba, Theatre Director at George Washington Carver Magnet School in Houston, and the recipient of the 2022 Excellence in Theater Education Tony Award, sponsored by CMU, highlighting the significance of empathy, collaboration, and the evolving landscape of theater education.
What if AI and an emerging new technology called quantum science could save millions of lives from diseases like cancer or pneumonia? In this second part on Healing with Intelligence – we're exploring how quantum science has the potential to transform healthcare by helping doctors to better diagnose, monitor, and treat illness.We meet a pioneer in quantum science and health care – Sridhar Tayur - the Ford Distinguished Research Chair and University Professor of Operations Management at Carnegie Mellon University's Tepper School of Business. Sridhar explains how quantum science not only creates faster diagnoses and medical analysis by astronomical amounts – it can also create better results. He uses pneumonia diagnosis as a case in point. The discussion highlights the differences between quantum and classical computing, the speed and accuracy improvements in diagnostics, and the potential for future innovations in patient care, powered by quantum science and machine learning.
In today’s episode – the first of a two-parter on Healing with Intelligence – we're exploring how robots, artificial intelligence, and an emerging new technology called quantum science are transforming healthcare by helping doctors to better diagnose, monitor, and treat illness. In part one, we provide a sampling of some of those new technologies – including a head-worn device that can command a robot to help those with limited motion perform daily tasks ranging from making dinner to scratching an itch. And then we meet Justin Chan, an assistant professor at CMU in the School of Computer Science, who has invented several AI-powered healthcare devices, including a wearable AI-powered camera that can help clinicians avoid medication errors while reducing risks and improving patient care. Justin discusses some of his other inventions that use AI to leverage ubiquitous smart devices to help diagnose conditions like ear infections and even predict heart attacks – technologies that not only save lives, but also bridge the gap in healthcare access, especially in underserved populations. The episode concludes with a look at the future of AI in public health and the importance of innovation in addressing global health challenges.
Welcome to Season 2 of Where What If Becomes What's Next, a podcast from Carnegie Mellon University where we ask the bold questions that will become innovations for the betterment of humanity. You'll hear about breakthroughs at CMU from scientists, researchers, innovators and artists at the forefront of artificial intelligence, robotics, health science and the arts. With host Randy Scott, every other Thursday we’ll introduce you to the CMU experts and their game-changing stories of innovation. Experts who have already asked, "What if" to make "What's next" a reality. Subscribe to Where What if Becomes What's Next so that you'll never miss an episode. For more, info visit: cmu.edu/whatsnextpodcast.
While we’re working on Season 2 of Where What If Becomes What’s Next, we’d like to introduce you to a new Carnegie Mellon University podcast - DOES COMPUTE — from our School of Computer Science – where CMU experts, alumni and students along with host Stephanie Stricklen will explore what’s next in computer science, robotics and artificial intelligence. In this sample episode from DOES COMPUTE – the first of a two-part episode on ROBOTS IN SPACE – CMU Assistant Professor Zac Manchester discusses nano and swarming satellites, what they're doing now and the role they're going to play in the future of space exploration. You can view additional DOES COMPUTE episodes or subscribe to DOES COMPUTE on your favorite podcast portal.
Artificial intelligence is already revolutionizing almost every aspect of society. But what additional advancements will we see in the near future? And what ethical issues should we address along the way? In this, the second of a two-part episode – and our Season One finale – we explore what’s next for AI in areas such as disaster response, robotics, creativity, health care and transportation. And we discuss the ethical considerations surrounding its use and the importance of regulation to ensure safe and beneficial outcomes for society. Sharing their insights on this episode are AI experts from Carnegie Mellon University and various organizations and companies including: Rachel Mandelbaum, Aarti Singh, Robin Murphy, Tom Mitchell, Dan Green, Deva Ramanan, Jim Garrett, Zach Lipton, Carmel Majidi, Assaf Gad, Martial Hebert, Raj Reddy, Ramayya Krishnan, Chris Mueller, and Drew Thurlow. We’ll see you for Season Two of Where What If Becomes What’s Next from Carnegie Mellon University. Stay tuned!
If you think that Artificial Intelligence was recently invented, think again. The roots of AI go back decades, centuries, even to ancient mythology. So how did AI go from myth to reality? In this, the first of a special two-part episode, we present a brief history of AI. We start with the first imagined robot in ancient Greece, fast-forward to Alan Turing’s groundbreaking work in computer science and then to the seminal 1956 summer workshop at Dartmouth College where the term “artificial intelligence” was coined. At that workshop, two Carnegie Mellon University professors, Herbert A. Simon and Allen Newell, presented what is considered the first artificial intelligence program and the “birth” of the AI industry. We’ll hear from a few of the other early AI pioneers at CMU as they share personal stories and milestones in AI and robot development while discussing the societal impact of AI. In part two, our season finale, we look to the future… and hear from these pioneers and more about where they think – and hope – What’s Next for AI, while discussing the need for guardrails and ethics around AI development. Joining us are: Tom Mitchell, CMU Founders University Professor; Dr. Raj Reddy, Moza Bint Nasser University Professor of Computer Science and Robotics in the School of Computer Science at CMU; and Dr. Manuela Veloso, the head of JP Morgan AI Research and the Herbert A. Simon University Professor Emeritus in the School of Computer Science at CMU.
What if paleontologists could create robot replicas of dinosaurs to better understand them – and how they moved – and in turn learn more about us? In this episode, we’re talking about the intersection of paleontology, robotics, and artificial intelligence. That includes paleobionics… an emerging field at Carnegie Mellon University – that uses robotics and soft robotics to help scientists better understand how dinosaurs and other extinct organisms might have moved. Not only could this lead to new discoveries about dinosaur behavior and evolution, it also could provide new understandings on how we, as humans, move while helping engineers design more agile robots that move better through our world. We’ll meet some of the scientists building these new robots based on fossil records of extinct organisms such as the pleurocystid, an ancient ancestor of the starfish and sea urchin, and the gorgonopsid, a strange dinosaur that’s part mammal, part reptile. And could paleobionic scientists someday build a working, life size Tyrannosaurus Rex? Let’s find out. Joining us are: Dr. Aja Mia Carter, postdoctoral researcher working with Carnegie Mellon University’s Robomechanics Lab; Carmel Majidi, Professor of Mechanical Engineering at CMU; and Aaron Johnson, Associate Professor of mechanical engineering and robotics at CMU and faculty for the University's Robomechanics Lab.
What if a robot could be a compassionate companion - an antidote to loneliness as we age – and in some cases – help those suffering from dementia? Loneliness among the elderly has become something of an epidemic. According to a recent national survey, about 37 % of American adults aged 50 to 80 experienced loneliness, and about 34% of respondents said they felt socially isolated. Companion robots have the potential to alleviate loneliness and improve the well-being of these older adults as well as help those suffering from memory loss from dementia or Alzheimer’s. They can converse about daily activities, connect to new friends around the country, lead workout sessions, suggest and place calls to loved ones, provide gentle reminders for taking medicines, play music, suggest what's for dinner, and even host live bingo games. In this episode, which is Part 2 of a two-part episode on robots and health care, we discuss the challenges and opportunities for developing companion robots to help the elderly with loneliness. We also meet ElliQ, an AI-powered companion robot that is already being used in thousands of older adults' homes. The future of companion robots may involve using softbotic technologies to create anthropomorphic features and lifelike physical interaction. Joining us in part two are four experts in robotics and the elderly: Carmel Majidi, Professor of Mechanical Engineering at Carnegie Mellon University; Selma Šabanović, Professor of Informatics and Cognitive Science and Director of R-House Lab at Indiana University Bloomington; David Crandall, Professor of Computer Sciences and Director of the Luddy Artificial Intelligence Center at Indiana University Bloomington; and Assaf Gad, VP Strategy and GM for Intuition Robotics.
Robots and artificial intelligence are transforming the healthcare industry, from drug development to surgical procedures to personalized healthcare plans. In this, the first of a two-part episode, we'll take a big picture look at these transformational technologies and meet a leader in the emerging field of soft robotics, the creation of robots and wearable devices that look, feel, and move more like humans. And we'll meet a co -founder of a fast-growing healthcare technology company and find out why their AI-powered technology is making life better for doctors and patients one doctor-patient visit at a time. We will also discuss how the use of robots and AI in healthcare raises regulatory and ethical considerations. In part two, coming up in two weeks, we'll do a deep-dive on companion robots, and how they are helping the elderly overcome their loneliness, manage illnesses such as Alzheimers and dementia, and improve their health and well-being. Joining us in part one are three experts in robotics and health care: Dr Christopher Müller, Director of the Statistical Department for the International Federation of Robotics; Carmel Majidi, Professor of Mechanical Engineering at Carnegie Mellon University; and Zach Lipton, the Raj Reddy Associate Professor of Machine Learning at Carnegie Mellon University and Chief Technology Officer and Chief Scientist of ABridge.