Quartz Project Explores A World Where Machines Have Brains

Last year, Quartz took a deep dive into artificial intelligence, one of technology's most complex new frontiers. In a brilliant series titled Machines with Brains, the outlet explored the rapidly evolving intersection of human life and AI. Quartz journalists produced thirteen human stories related to the omnipresent progression of the "thinking" computers, whether it is in Milton, Wisconsin, or Chongqing, China. From looking into the impact of self-driving trucks on small-town economies to examining how algorithms could change cancer treatment, Quartz showed that AI developments expose humans to as many benefits as risks.

“At the heart of each story is the very human desire to feel more whole,” wrote special projects editor Lauren Brown.

Packed into an interactive interface, the series merged long-form journalism with Quartz’s signature mobile-native approach. And it did so in a remarkable way. What deserves special attention is the high-quality, multimedia content, in particular, short videos accompanying the stories.

“[The project] incorporates the first-to-market use of scan-scene vertical video. An homage to ephemeral messaging platforms such as Snapchat, the interactive videos in the project are optimized for mobile, complete with swiping capability, a panning, parallax effect that activates depending on the position of a user's phone and autoplay with closed captioning and mute,” Pointer described Quartz’s Machines with Brains.

Thus, the extra recommendation: this gem is best enjoyed on a mobile phone.