Editors’ Note: This feature appears as it was published in the edition of UT Dallas Magazine. Titles or faculty members listed may have changed since that time.
04.07.2025
Movies like “The Terminator,” in which an artificial intelligence system goes rogue and tries to wipe out humanity, depict our worst fears about AI.
But outside of science fiction, there’s no need to be afraid of the technology becoming self-aware like the AI in the movies anytime soon, said Dr. Sriraam Natarajan, a professor of computer science in the Erik Jonsson School of Engineering and Computer Science at The University of Texas at Dallas.
“I want to reassure everyone that AI-driven Armageddon is not happening,” Natarajan said. “‘The Terminator’ is a great movie. ‘The Matrix’ is great, but they are fiction and are not going to happen in reality.”
Natarajan, who recently was named a fellow of the Association for the Advancement of Artificial Intelligence, said fear of AI often stems from misconceptions about the technology. There are a number of reasons not to be afraid of AI, he said.
AI does not have consciousness. Instead, AI mimics and predicts, Natarajan said.
“There’s this idea of artificial intelligence becoming all-knowing, pervasive and understanding everything, but we are not even close to having that type of technology,” he said. “It’s science fiction, a fantasy created by humans.”
AI is not close to being as smart as humans, he said. For example, AI would require exponentially more information to be capable of interpreting visual cues such as eye contact, a nod or a wave from another driver that humans easily understand as signals to go first at a four-way stop.
Could AI achieve human-like thinking in the future?
“Not in the frameworks that we have today, not in the next few decades,” Natarajan said.
AI systems are trained on data and cannot generate new knowledge outside of the scope of their training information, which humans control. Claims that AI can “learn” refer to its ability to identify patterns and relationships and to produce insights from the data and make predictions.
“Whatever data is being used to train an AI system is all that it can learn from,” Natarajan said.
But what if humans use AI to harm instead of help people, such as developing toxins instead of treatments? That is why much of current AI research is focused on safeguarding the technology from tampering and malicious use, Natarajan said.
“Safety is of paramount importance as it is with any critical invention, all the way from transportation to nuclear energy,” Nataranjan said. “We need to make sure that the deployment of AI systems is done with human safety in mind.
“However, I don’t fear AI; I fear people who misuse AI. That’s why guardrails are needed to keep AI from falling into the wrong hands.”
Natarajan sees AI as a technology breakthrough that will help increase productivity rather than make people’s jobs obsolete.
“The goal of AI is not to replace jobs but to train people to more effectively do things they are good at,” Natarajan said. “The mundane aspects of a job can be offloaded to AI. The creativity of these jobs will still rely on humans.”
AI has the potential to help humans solve pressing problems, Natarajan said, adding that a major focus of AI research aims to protect the technology from misuse.
“With AI, we have the potential to help cure diseases. We have the potential to better understand the impact of climate change on our environment. We have the potential to predict the next big forest fires and develop strategies to mitigate them,” he said. “There is a lot of potential with AI, and we should first understand the robustness of the AI systems before deploying them.”
–Kim Horner
Note to journalists: Dr. Sriraam Natarajan is available for news media interviews. Contact Kim Horner, 972-883-4463, kim.horner@utdallas.edu.
04.03.2025
The Margaret McDermott Mall on the UT Dallas campus as seen in Polycraft World, a Minecraft modification created by a team of UTD faculty and students.
In “A Minecraft Movie,” which opens in theaters April 4, four misfits transported to the video game’s cubic world must harvest materials to craft their way back home and protect themselves from threats such as zombies and hostile creatures called piglins.
Meanwhile, at The University of Texas at Dallas, a team of researchers has embarked on its own Minecraft mission: to build lessons within the popular game to teach students about semiconductors, batteries, polymers and even help premedical students prepare for the MCAT.
“We deliver complex content fully within Minecraft in an approachable, simple way,” said Dr. Walter Voit BS’05, MS’06, associate professor of materials science and engineering and of mechanical engineering and director of the Center for Engineering Innovation.
Voit, who leads the project, is a longtime Minecraft player who said he is eager to see the new movie starring Jack Black and Jason Momoa. He and fellow researchers recently launched a startup company, Pedegree Studios Inc., which has licensed UT Dallas technology to develop educational games embedded in Minecraft. The company’s efforts include Overqualified! learning modules, which feature a digital replica of the UTD campus that the team previewed at South by Southwest in March.
Dr. Walter Voit BS’05, MS’06 (center), associate professor of materials science and engineering and of mechanical engineering at UT Dallas, discusses how Minecraft can be used as a training ground for students at an event at the Capital Factory in Austin during the SXSW festival.
Minecraft is a sandbox game that gives players freedom to explore, build and experiment without strict constraints. The platform makes it possible for developers to create a replica of a battery prototyping lab in the game, for example.
“It’s a space where you can learn real-life lessons in a realistic environment in a digital abstraction of often restricted spaces,” said Dr. Eric Kildebeck BS’05, research professor at UTD and a senior vice president of education at Pedegree Studios. As undergraduate classmates, Kildebeck and Voit were members of the inaugural cohort of Eugene McDermott Scholars at UT Dallas.
The abstract, blocky Minecraft environment also makes it possible to quickly build complex lab facilities in the game that do not need to be exact replicas of their real-world counterparts to function. A team led by Dr. Robert Steininger, a long-time research scientist in the Center for Engineering Innovation and aptly titled puzzlemaster at Pedegree Studios, carefully studies manuals, blueprints and physical layouts to re-create UTD labs and equipment and model human endeavors, like learning to make a computer chip from scratch, through Minecraft.
“We’ll find a 3D model of a scanning electron microscope, and then we’ll re-create it in the game,” said Steininger, an alumnus of the Eugene McDermott Graduate Fellows Program.
Pedegree Studios builds on the 2014 release of Polycraft World, a Minecraft modification created by a team of UTD faculty and students that incorporates into the game many aspects of polymer science and engineering, from petrochemical harvesting and refining to the creation of specialty items made from many different plastics, rubbers, ceramics and alloys. Researchers also received a Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency grant in 2020 to use Polycraft World to teach artificial intelligence systems to respond to dynamic and unpredictable environments.
“In the beginning, the thought was: We want to provide some bonus experiences for students to poke into Minecraft and learn about polymers. We started by putting seven recyclable polymers in the game,” Voit said.
Now, researchers envision engaging science and engineering lessons matched to state and national accreditation standards that students at UTD and beyond can access on a gaming console, computer or phone.
“We’re here to help faculty package their course content dynamically to take advantage of the ways that students consume content today,” Kildebeck said. “We can teach students wherever they are, whenever they’re awake, using whatever device they’re on.”
–Kim Horner
03.17.2025
Assistant professor of practice Hannah Pourchot Neale MS’13, PhD’18, shown supervising an Accent Modification Program session, spoke of the vast options available within the field of speech-language pathology.
One of The University of Texas at Dallas’ highest-ranked areas of study is also among the top 10 careers in the country, according to U.S. News & World Report.
The publication’s “100 Best Jobs” list, released in January, ranked speech-language pathologist ninth in terms of pay, room for advancement, a satisfying work-life balance and challenging work.
Like many hopeful speech-language pathologists, UT Dallas speech, language, and hearing sciences senior Kate Christi Sampang found her calling after witnessing the healing possibilities of the role. She has spent recent semesters building a strong foundation for graduate school through various clinical and observational experiences.
“I had a speech therapist starting from preschool all the way through second grade,” said Sampang, who is on track to graduate in May from the School of Behavioral and Brain Sciences (BBS). “I had selective mutism, so I grew up in speech therapy and then just always had it in the back of my mind.”
Last April, U.S. News ranked UTD’s speech-language pathology graduate program 21st nationwide. The University’s Doctor of Audiology program tied for third.
Hannah Pourchot Neale MS’13, PhD’18 was drawn to speech-language pathology in high school when she witnessed a speech pathologist help her grandmother regain language skills after a stroke. She was inspired to pursue a bachelor’s in communication sciences and disorders before attending UT Dallas for her graduate studies.
Today, Pourchot Neale works as an assistant professor of practice of speech, language, and hearing at BBS and as a clinical supervisor. She believes that the drive to improve the lives of patients with communication disorders — along with the demand for specialized skills, competitive wages and job stability — make speech-language pathology a desirable career.
“The field is vast, and there’s no lack of need,” Pourchot Neale said. “You could work with infants who have a swallowing disorder or with adults who are struggling to communicate after a stroke. Or you could work with elementary school children who struggle to say specific sounds. A day in the life for each speech pathologist is so different, which is what makes the field exciting.”
Pourchot Neale also teaches courses in which undergraduate students observe and participate in clinical sessions with individuals who have communication disorders. Through these practicums, undergraduates gain firsthand experience while building a strong foundation for graduate studies.
Sampang is one of Pourchot Neale’s students in a practicum focused on non-native English speakers. Offered by the Callier Center for Communication Disorders and UT Dallas Intercultural Programs, the Accent Modification Program provides international students with opportunities to improve their spoken English through individual and group activities.
Sampang took part in another practicum under Pourchot Neale in Callier Center’s Super Speech program, which helps preschool and kindergarten children with speech sound errors.
“I really like how personal the speech program at UTD is,” Sampang said. “I’ve taken six classes with Dr. Neale, so I’ve known her for two or three years. You really get to know the professors and the students, and everyone is super supportive.”
–Javier Giribet-Vargas
11.22.2024
Recent recalls of contaminated carrots, ground beef, deli meat and other grocery items have raised new concerns about food safety.
Researchers at The University of Texas at Dallas are developing sensors aimed at making it possible for consumers to detect contaminants in food and water within minutes in the convenience of their homes.
The UT Dallas bioengineers published three proof-of-concept studies in 2024 that demonstrated their sensors’ ability to detect E. coli, salmonella and a common herbicide.
“Our goal is to develop accurate, rapid sensor technologies that consumers can use to ensure that their food is free of harmful contaminants,” said Dr. Shalini Prasad, department head of bioengineering and a Cecil H. and Ida Green Professor in Systems Biology Science in the Erik Jonsson School of Engineering and Computer Science.
“We are excited to design tools that give people more ability to protect their health,” she said.
In a study published in June in the journal Biosensors, Prasad and her team demonstrated a portable electrochemical sensing platform that detects and quantifies E. coli O157:H7 in water within five minutes. Although the study tested for a different E. coli strain than the one found recently in organic carrots, the researchers plan to expand the sensor to test for other types of the bacteria now that they have proven the technology works.
A study published in February in the journal Microchimica Acta demonstrated a device to screen for salmonella in water samples in less than nine minutes. And another study published in August in Electrochem showed that one of their sensors can detect in drinking water the toxic chemical paraquat dichloride, which is used to kill weeds.
Prasad said her team also is working on a sensor to detect altrazine, another toxic herbicide, and one to detect mycotoxins, which are produced by fungi.
Dr. Shalini Prasad, Cecil H. and Ida Green Professor in Systems Biology Science
Prasad has designed a variety of miniature cellular and molecular platforms that she is using to create faster and more affordable clinical diagnostics. She and her team have designed a wearable sensor that can detect in human sweat molecules associated with health conditions, including diabetes and inflammatory bowel disease, and key biomarkers of infection, which could give users early warnings of infections such as COVID-19 and influenza.
The researchers also have developed sensor technology to test parameters of soil health; the presence in saliva of THC, the active component in marijuana; and a rapid test to detect fentanyl in liquid.
The UTD researchers are advancing their sensor technologies in collaboration with the Allen, Texas-based company EnLiSense, which develops lifestyle-based sensors and devices. Prasad is a co-founder of the company.
–Kim Horner
Note to journalists: Dr. Shalini Prasad is available for news media interviews. Contact Kim Horner, 972-883-4463, kim.horner@utdallas.edu.
10.14.2024
An artist’s concept of NASA’s Europa Clipper. (Courtesy of NASA/JPL-Caltech)
NASA’s $5.2 billion Europa Clipper mission to study Jupiter’s fourth-largest moon – Europa – and assess its potential for harboring life will see the spacecraft travel through the most powerful radiation belt in the solar system.
Concerns surfaced this summer about whether the semiconductor transistors used throughout the on-board spacecraft electronic systems could withstand the radiation. The Jupiter system is particularly harmful to spacecraft because its enormous magnetic field — tens of thousands of times stronger than Earth’s magnetic field — traps charged particles and accelerates them to very high energies, creating intense radiation belts that bombard Europa and other inner moons.
After extensive testing, however, NASA confirmed that the transistors can support the mission. The space agency launched Europa Clipper on Oct. 14, and it should arrive in 2030.
The concerns about transistors, however, raised the question: What happens when electronics are exposed to high levels of radiation?
Dr. Robert Baumann, an expert on radiation effects and reliability in microelectronics, was the former chief technologist for high reliability products at Texas Instruments (TI) and is now director of radiation effects and reliability at the Center for Harsh Environments Semiconductor Systems (CHESS) at The University of Texas at Dallas. He is also lead author of the company’s Radiation Handbook for Electronics.
Baumann said that in this specific case, high-energy protons and electrons can excite electrons in atoms (a process called ionization), creating excess charge carriers.
“This excess charge is accumulated and trapped in the insulating layers and shifts the performance and operation of transistors,” he said.
Dr. Robert Baumann
The damage happens gradually and accumulates as the spacecraft mission progresses.
“Like getting a sunburn, it is not one ultraviolet light ray, or photon, that burns you; it is the accumulation of many UV rays that burns your skin,” Baumann said.
In electronics, one effect of exposure to radiation is the generation, accumulation and trapping of radiation-induced positive charge in the insulator in transistors that leads to an effect called the total ionizing dose, or TID.
Transistors operate as digital on/off switches or analog “volume” controls, where the flow of electric current is controlled by the voltage on the “gate” of the transistor. The transistor acts like a faucet for electrical current, and the gate acts like the handle of a water faucet, Baumann said.
“As transistors are exposed to radiation and start to accumulate TID damage, they start to drift, and eventually, at a high enough dose, the transistor no longer functions as intended,” he said. “Transistors impacted by the TID effect will ultimately either be stuck in the ‘on’ or ‘off’ position. Imagine your home faucet with water gushing out, and no matter how hard you try to turn the handle, nothing happens.”
(Courtesy of NASA/JPL-Caltech)
The Europa Clipper is expected to spend only one day of each of its 21-day orbits in the harshest radiation environment around Jupiter. NASA determined that the Europa Clipper’s transistors will be able to restore themselves through a process called annealing after the spacecraft moves through the part of its orbit outside of Jupiter’s high-radiation environment.
“Looking for life on Europa is a big deal,” said Baumann, who will be keeping tabs on the mission as it progresses. “It is just too bad about the high radiation levels around Jupiter; it makes the whole job significantly more challenging.”
CHESS is part of the UTD North Texas Semiconductor Institute, where researchers focus on developing and characterizing materials, devices and systems to enable technology for harsh environments, including radiation. The institute positions UTD to contribute to the goals of the federal CHIPS [Creating Helpful Incentives to Produce Semiconductors] and Science Act of 2022.
–Kim Horner
08.16.2024
Students build a CubeSat, a small satellite, at the Satellite Workshop at UT Dallas. From left: Nibedita Swain, telecommunications engineering doctoral student; Iniyan Joseph, computer science junior; and Colin Wong, computer science sophomore.
The number of satellites circling Earth has increased 361% over the past five years, with nearly 10,000 active satellites in orbit, according to the Satellite Industry Association.
A predominance of these satellites provide internet access and are used in scientific research and weather monitoring, among other applications.
More satellites, however, also means more potential for cyberattacks, said Dr. Kangkook Jee, assistant professor of computer science in the Erik Jonsson School of Engineering and Computer Science at The University of Texas at Dallas.
“This is a developing field that combines cybersecurity and space,” said Jee, who studies safety and security issues in spacecraft in low Earth orbit. “It is really important to safeguard our assets in space.”
Dr. Kangkook Jee, assistant professor of computer science at UT Dallas, leads a session at the workshop about small satellite communication, which relies on radio waves.
Cyberattacks on satellites could disrupt communications, corrupt sensor systems, inject malicious code and disrupt space operations. For example, a cyberattack disrupted communications in Ukraine at the onset of Russia’s invasion of the country in 2022.
The rapid increase in the number of satellites in orbit has created a demand for experts trained to deal with cybersecurity risks and safety in space. Jee and two other faculty members received a $300,000 grant from the National Science Foundation in 2023 to develop training materials for researchers and students, including a virtual test bed environment for space cyberinfrastructure – the underlying technology that facilitates satellite communication.
Co-principal investigators include Dr. Ovidiu Daescu, professor and department head of computer science and Jonsson School Chair; and Dr. Manuel Quevedo-Lopez, professor and department head of materials science and engineering and Texas Instruments Distinguished University Chair in Nanoelectronics.
Seventeen UT Dallas students and two students visiting from the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology attended the Satellite Workshop, which drew 110 applicants.
This summer the researchers offered a three-day Satellite Workshop, supported by the grant, to teach 17 UT Dallas students and two students visiting from the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology about satellite cybersecurity concerns and the challenges of ensuring that satellites can perform in harsh conditions, such as microgravity, radiation and extreme temperatures. The training included a lab exercise that simulated a war-game scenario in which different satellites compete to interfere with communication and/or steal data from other satellites. Students also built CubeSats, small 4-inch square satellites about the size of a Rubik’s Cube.
Jee, who recruited two students from the workshop to work in his lab, said he plans to organize additional opportunities to increase student interest in satellite technology.
“Engineers and computer scientists who work with satellite technology are in high demand,” Jee said. “This is a very good career area to go into because our nation needs these resources. And to put it simply: It is space; it is cool.”
–Kim Horner
07.30.2024
Two dozen North Texas high school students immersed themselves in research for four weeks at the Summer Biology Research Workshop at UT Dallas. Students learned molecular biology tools and techniques and used advanced equipment to gain new insights into the world of biology and health care.
“A lot of science is waiting.”
That was one of many lessons that aspiring scientist Jordan Peters said she learned this summer during the four-week, hands-on Summer Biology Research Workshop (SBRW) for high school students hosted by the Department of Biological Sciences at The University of Texas at Dallas.
Peters, an incoming sophomore at Plano ISD Academy High School, is one of two dozen North Texas students who immersed themselves in various aspects of research, including learning molecular biology tools and techniques and using advanced equipment to gain new insights into the world of biology and health care.
“I’ve always been very science oriented, especially in biology, and I want to be a biologist,” Peters said. “I thought that having this hands-on experience would not only teach me more about biology itself, but also more about what it’s like to be in the field. I’ve really been enjoying it.”
Dr. Meenakshi Maitra (left), associate professor of instruction in biology at UT Dallas, provides guidance to Divya Sivalenka, an incoming senior at Coppell High School, during the Summer Biology Research Workshop.
Organizers said the workshop can help jump-start students into pursuing research in college and into careers in science or medicine.
“Our vision for SBRW is two-pronged: On one hand we would like to provide our graduate students with an opportunity to mentor budding biologists and show them the path forward, and on the other hand, we aim to build a rich pipeline of talented students that we hope will enroll at UTD and ultimately become the next generation of top doctors and scientists,” said Dr. Meenakshi Maitra, associate professor of instruction in biology and director for STEM outreach in the School of Natural Sciences and Mathematics at UTD.
“This intensive program provides them with a valuable experience in conducting impactful research and an exposure to the world of endless possibilities,” she said.
During the first two weeks of the workshop, students acquired fundamental lab skills applicable to research in molecular and cell biology, biochemistry, genetics, microbiology and computational biology. For example, they learned to conduct an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, or ELISA test. This common laboratory technique underlies several medical tests that use samples of bodily fluids to detect and diagnose a wide range of health conditions, including pregnancy and bacterial and viral infections.
In the program’s second half, students collaborated in small research groups on individual projects, mentored by graduate students. These projects were designed to simulate the kind of research typically undertaken by undergraduates in their first and second years of college.
Stephanie Maina (left), a student at the School for the Talented and Gifted at Yvonne A. Ewell Townview Center in the Dallas ISD, and Yash Goenka, a student at Independence High School in the Frisco ISD, work together on an experiment during the Summer Biology Research Workshop.
Divya Sivalenka, an incoming senior at Coppell High School, said she signed up for the summer camp to gain research experience.
“This is a really good way to start with the basics and learn your way up to going to work in a lab,” she said. “I am getting to learn actual experimental procedures that are used in labs. It’s informative.”
Yash Goenka, a student at Independence High School in the Frisco Independent School District, said he is interested in a career in medicine.
“I chose to come to this lab workshop to gain practical experience in biology, and it has been a good supplement to the instruction I’ve had in biology class,” he said. “Through the experiments, I can visualize and understand how real scientists work in their labs.”
Waris Khuwaja, a molecular and cell biology doctoral student at UT Dallas and one of the workshop’s graduate student mentors, said he relates to the curiosity and drive of the younger students.
“When I was a child, my teacher asked us to grow mold on bread, and then we looked at the fungus under a microscope,” he said. “That was the first time that I saw that biology is more complex than the plants and animals we see outside. That made me more interested in what is happening at the molecular level.”
Khuwaja, whose doctoral research focuses on neuro-immune interactions in urinary tract infections, said working with the high schoolers provided him with important lessons as well.
“Science is all about mentorship, collaboration, and service to people, and this workshop is a great way for me to develop these skills as a researcher and grow as a scientist,” he said.
–Amanda Siegfried
07.01.2024
When University of Texas at Dallas researchers published their working paper “Too Many Managers: The Strategic Use of Titles to Avoid Overtime Payments,” the news media, industry experts and legislators took notice and reevaluated a major labor law’s outdated guidelines.
The study, published online in 2023 by the National Bureau of Economic Research, was co-written by Naveen Jindal School of Management faculty members Dr. Umit Gurun, the Stan Liebowitz Distinguished Professor of accounting and of finance and managerial economics; Dr. Bugra Ozel, associate professor of accounting; and Dr. Lauren Cohen, professor of business administration at Harvard Business School.
“My co-authors and I are a bit like regulatory detectives, each with our own specialties,” Ozel said. “We realized the Fair Labor Standards Act [FLSA] was a fossil from the 1930s, still lumbering around mostly unchanged and disconnected from today’s working environment.”
At the time their research was conducted, the FLSA’s threshold dictating if a nonexempt worker is eligible for overtime pay was $455 per week – a yearly salary of $23,660. Around that threshold is where they noticed an interesting trend.
“Suddenly, everyone and their dog was a ‘manager,’” Gurun said. “It was like companies were playing dress-up with job titles to avoid paying overtime. The deeper we went, the more we realized this wasn’t just a few companies being cheeky. It was a full-blown phenomenon.”
They came across questionable titles like “Carpet Shampoo Manager” and “Assistant Bingo Manager,” even “Directors of First Impressions” for receptionists.
They estimated an individual firm could avoid paying more than $151 million in overtime payments each year by inflating titles. For an employee paid exactly at the threshold, that’s a loss equal to $3,194 per year, or 13.5% of their salary. For businesses cashing in on the loophole, that’s a combined $4 billion a year gained by avoiding overtime payments.
According to the researchers, in all of 2019, the Department of Labor issued overtime violations totaling $226 million in fines. The practice is most notable in industries where competition for labor is low, such as hotels, food and cleaning services, and retail.
Soon after the researchers published their findings, it was clear regulators and politicians were taking note.
“We were surprised by the rapid media attention it received, appearing in national and even international outlets,” Ozel said. “It even made its way to TikTok and Reddit, revealing the public’s significant interest in the issue. Things escalated when politicians’ offices started contacting us for more information.”
The researchers discovered that their paper had been cited in discussions and comment letters for new regulations, including in a letter from 10 members of Congress to the Department of Labor’s Acting Secretary Julie Su.
The Department of Labor’s new regulations, which have the potential to benefit some 4 million U.S. workers, became effective July 1, when the threshold for overtime eligibility increased to the equivalent of an annual salary of $43,888. On Jan. 1, 2025, the threshold will increase to $58,656.
Gurun said the updates are expected to improve what has historically been a profitable tactic.
“Our research does indicate systemic issues with how some businesses interpret current regulations,” he said. “The goal should be to strike a balance, allowing businesses to operate efficiently while ensuring fair worker treatment.”
–Camille Bowens
Note to journalists: Dr. Bugra Ozel is available for news media interviews. Contact Camille Bowens, 972-883-4361, camille.bowens@utdallas.edu.
06.27.2024
Smartphones keep getting smarter with artificial intelligence (AI) features that can transcribe voice memos, search email for concert tickets or translate a conversation with someone who speaks another language in real time.
But the innovative technology comes with new privacy risks.
“Although most people might feel concerned about the AI aspects of this new technology, I think the real concern is the information-access part,” said Dr. Kevin Hamlen, the Louis Beecherl Jr. Distinguished Professor of computer science and executive director of the Cyber Security Research and Education Institute in the Erik Jonsson School of Engineering and Computer Science at The University of Texas at Dallas.
Smartphones store different pieces of information on multiple apps. AI must access as much data as possible to perform various functions, such as finding concert tickets.
“This means it will be a prime target for criminals wanting to steal private information,” said Hamlen. “Hackers will think, ‘Why break into 50 apps to steal a victim’s information when I can just break into one that has access to it all?’”
Criminals who break into smartphones can access users’ information, including a user’s address, contacts, frequently visited places and photos, which could then be used in ransomware attacks, sold over the dark web, or mined for information that helps them guess your passwords to break into other accounts.
Generative AI increasingly is offered on mobile devices, including the Google Pixel 8 Pro and the Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra. Apple recently announced that its AI, Apple Intelligence, will be available on the iPhone 15, iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max.
To protect user data, Apple uses end-to-end encryption, which Hamlen said is highly effective for protecting data “in flight” as it travels to its destination. Even that data, however, is vulnerable before encryption or after decryption, he said. Attacks called remote code execution, or RCE, exploit this vulnerability by hijacking phone apps to steal data before it is encrypted and sent to the cloud.
To protect information processed in the cloud, Apple developed Private Cloud Compute, which ensures the information will not be accessible to anyone other than the user. In addition, the company said it will not store data.
Dr. Kevin Hamlen is the Louis Beecherl Jr. Distinguished Professor of computer science and executive director of the Cyber Security Research and Education Institute at UT Dallas.
“Private Cloud Compute is a good step toward minimizing access to that centralized treasure trove of information, but it still means that any breaches will be more damaging,” Hamlen said. “Users should understand that they’re inevitably trading some of their security for ease of use with this new feature.”
For example, Google advises users that human reviewers read, annotate and process users’ conversations in the Gemini app, an AI assistant, to improve its products. Google suggests that users avoid entering confidential information that they would not want a reviewer to see.
In addition to attacks on a phone or the cloud, the AI model itself could become a target.
“An AI model that has learned your contacts, your scheduling habits, your email history, etc. is incredibly useful to adversaries,” he said. “If hackers can find a way to steal that model, they effectively gain access to the data from which it was trained.”
This type of personal information could fuel additional attacks.
“Such a model could be abused to generate highly convincing spear-phishing [hyper-personalized] attacks against the victim user or even the victim’s contacts,” Hamlen said. “Such risks are why Apple has been taking extensive steps to try to protect this new feature from malicious intrusions.”
Hamlen said he protects his own privacy by being selective about what data – including email accounts that include sensitive data – he puts on his phone.
–Kim Horner
Note to journalists: Dr. Kevin Hamlen is available for news media interviews. Contact Kim Horner, 972-883-4463, kim.horner@utdallas.edu.
06.26.2024
This illustration depicts how a white dwarf star produces a nova (left) by siphoning material from a red giant star. (NASA/Conceptual Image Lab/Goddard Space Flight Center)
Sometime between now and September, a dim star in the constellation Corona Borealis – the Northern Crown – is expected to experience an intense but temporary brightening that will make it visible to the naked eye for a few days.
The small, white dwarf star is known as a recurrent nova. It is visible to viewers in the Northern Hemisphere about every 80 years when the hydrogen it draws from its giant companion star builds up and triggers a thermonuclear explosion. Some astronomers liken it to a giant hydrogen bomb that blasts off the atmosphere of the Earth-size white dwarf.
Away from bright city lights, viewers can find the constellation high in the eastern sky – the star grouping looks like a backward letter “C.”
T Coronae Borealis, nicknamed the “Blaze Star,” will appear just below the bottom right of the C shape.
The “Blaze Star” will appear high in the eastern sky just below the bottom right of the C-shaped constellation Corona Borealis, about midway between the two bright stars Arcturus and Vega. (Screenshot image from stellarium-web.org)
Dr. Marc Hairston, a research scientist in the William B. Hanson Center for Space Sciences at The University of Texas at Dallas, says we will not know how bright the star will get until it actually happens.
“Although it should look like an average star, this nova occurs only every 80 years, so it’s a once-in-a-lifetime event,” Hairston says. The nova’s last appearance was in 1946.
Hairston and Dr. Phillip Anderson, director of the space sciences center, teach astronomy and will be actively tracking the star’s outburst. Anderson talks about the Blaze Star in class discussions on stellar evolution, or how stars change over their lifetimes. The scientists are interested in what causes the nova to occur, and where and how viewers can see it.
–Amanda Siegfried
Note to journalists: Dr. Marc Hairston and Dr. Phillip Anderson are available for news media interviews. Contact Amanda Siegfried, 972-883-4335, amanda.siegfried@utdallas.edu.
