BROADCASTS.com

Your virtual assistant is not without a sense of humor. Its repertoire includes the classic story involving a chicken and a road.\xa0But will Alexa laugh at\xa0your\xa0jokes? Will she groan at your puns?\xa0\nTelling jokes is one thing. Teaching a computer to recognize humor is another, because a clear definition of humor is lacking. But doing so is a step toward making more natural interactions with A.I.\xa0\nFind out what\u2019s involved in tickling A.I.\u2019s funny bone. Also, an interstellar communication challenge: Despite debate about the wisdom of transmitting messages to space, one group sends radio signals to E.T. anyway. Find out how they crafted a non-verbal message and what it contained.\nPlus, why using nuanced language to connive and scheme ultimately turned us into a more peaceful species. And yes, it\u2019s all gouda: why melted cheese may be the cosmic message of peace we need.\nGuests:\n\n\nJulia Rayz\xa0\u2013\xa0Computer scientist and associate professor at Purdue University\u2019s Department of Computer and Information Technology\n\n\nSteve Adler\xa0\u2013 Mayor of Austin, Texas\n\n\nDoug Vakoch\xa0\u2013\xa0Psychologist and president of the non-profit organization METI International\n\n\nRichard Wrangham\xa0\u2013 Biological anthropologist at Harvard University and author of \u201cThe Goodness Paradox: The Strange Relationship Between Virtue and Violence in Human Evolution\u201d\n\nOriginally aired April 22, 2019\nLearn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices