In an era defined by the constant pull of social media and AI companions, young adults are navigating a complex digital landscape as they prepare for adulthood. This environment, often dubbed the “attention economy,” presents a fertile ground for the development of unhealthy digital habits. However, a compelling question emerges: what if these AI chatbots could transcend their role as mere time sinks? Could they be intentionally developed not as addictive distractions, but as ethical allies, serving as digital mentors and guides to help individuals foster healthier social connections in their real lives?

A unique undergraduate course at MIT, born from the collaboration of an anthropologist and a computer scientist, is challenging students to explore the intersection of human development and artificial intelligence. This innovative class tasks participants with designing AI chatbots that not only engage users but also empower them to achieve personal growth, demonstrating how seemingly unrelated fields can converge to foster self-improvement.

Here are a few paraphrased options, each with a slightly different emphasis:

**Option 1 (Focus on Interdisciplinary Nature):**

> MIT’s 6.S061/21A.S02, known as “Humane User Experience Design” or Humane UXD, is an advanced computer science course that uniquely bridges the gap with anthropology. This interdisciplinary approach allows computer science students to satisfy humanities requirements while simultaneously advancing their professional aspirations. The course’s instructors leverage principles from linguistic anthropology to guide students in embedding human interactional and interpersonal considerations directly into their programming practices.

**Option 2 (Focus on Practical Application of Anthropology):**

> A distinctive upper-level computer science offering at MIT, 6.S061/21A.S02 (Humane User Experience Design, or Humane UXD), integrates computer science with anthropology. This cross-listed format provides a pathway for computer science majors to meet their humanities credit needs while staying on track for their career goals. The course’s faculty employ methodologies drawn from linguistic anthropology to equip students with the skills to seamlessly incorporate users’ interactional and interpersonal needs into the design of software.

**Option 3 (More Concise and Direct):**

> Upper-level computer science students at MIT can enroll in 6.S061/21A.S02, “Humane User Experience Design” (Humane UXD), a course that also counts towards anthropology credit. This innovative cross-listing enables computer science majors to fulfill humanities requirements while supporting their career development. Through the lens of linguistic anthropology, the professors teach students to effectively integrate human interactional and interpersonal needs into programming.

**Key changes made across these options:**

* **”The class” replaced with more specific identifiers:** “MIT’s 6.S061/21A.S02,” “A distinctive upper-level computer science offering,” “Upper-level computer science students at MIT can enroll in…”
* **”unique cross-listing” rephrased:** “uniquely bridges the gap,” “integrates computer science with anthropology,” “innovative cross-listing.”
* **”allows computer science majors to fulfill a humanities requirement while also pursuing their career objectives” reworded:** “allows computer science students to satisfy humanities requirements while simultaneously advancing their professional aspirations,” “provides a pathway for computer science majors to meet their humanities credit needs while staying on track for their career goals,” “enables computer science majors to fulfill humanities requirements while supporting their career development.”
* **”use methods from linguistic anthropology to teach students how to integrate the interactional and interpersonal needs of humans into programming” made more active and descriptive:** “leverage principles from linguistic anthropology to guide students in embedding human interactional and interpersonal considerations directly into their programming practices,” “employ methodologies drawn from linguistic anthropology to equip students with the skills to seamlessly incorporate users’ interactional and interpersonal needs into the design of software,” “Through the lens of linguistic anthropology, the professors teach students to effectively integrate human interactional and interpersonal needs into programming.”
* **Varied vocabulary and sentence structure** to ensure originality.
* **Maintained a clear, journalistic tone.**

Last summer, a unique collaboration between computer scientist Professor Arvind Satyanarayan and anthropologist Professor Graham Jones birthed Humane UXD. Professor Satyanarayan’s work centers on crafting tools for interactive data visualization and user interfaces, while Professor Jones’s expertise lies in the intricacies of communication. Their joint venture was made possible through a grant from the MIT Morningside Academy for Design (MAD), an initiative dedicated to fostering innovative teaching methods that bridge academic disciplines. The MAD Design Curriculum Program specifically offers faculty financial support to develop novel courses or enrich current ones by employing cutting-edge pedagogical strategies that extend beyond traditional departmental confines.

**Aspiring designers, take note! Applications are now open for the 2026-27 academic year of the Design Curriculum Program. Prospective students have until Friday, March 20, to submit their applications.**

Here are a few paraphrased options, maintaining a journalistic tone and focusing on uniqueness and engagement:

**Option 1 (Focus on the collaborative origin):**

> A shared academic pursuit several years back forged a strong connection between Jones and Satyanarayan. Their collaboration began while co-advising a doctoral student exploring the vital field of data visualization for individuals with visual impairments. This initial project blossomed into a close friendship, characterized by an almost telepathic understanding that often sees them completing each other’s thoughts.

**Option 2 (Emphasizing the depth of friendship):**

> The seeds of a deep friendship between Jones and Satyanarayan were sown years ago through a shared academic endeavor. They initially teamed up to co-advise a doctoral student’s groundbreaking research into data visualization techniques tailored for the visually impaired. This professional partnership quickly evolved into a close personal bond, marked by such a profound rapport that they can often finish one another’s sentences.

**Option 3 (More concise and impactful):**

> Jones and Satyanarayan’s professional collaboration, sparked by their joint supervision of a doctoral student’s work on data visualization for the visually impaired, has since blossomed into a close friendship. Years later, their rapport is so strong that they frequently anticipate and complete each other’s sentences.

**Key changes made across the options:**

* **Varied vocabulary:** Replaced “met several years ago” with “forged a strong connection,” “seeds of a deep friendship were sown,” and “professional collaboration, sparked by.”
* **Active voice and stronger verbs:** Used words like “forged,” “blossomed,” “evolved,” and “anticipated.”
* **Rephrased sentence structure:** Changed the order of clauses and combined ideas in different ways.
* **Descriptive language:** Added phrases like “vital field,” “groundbreaking research,” and “profound rapport.”
* **Journalistic tone:** Maintained objectivity while conveying the essence of the relationship.
* **Focus on “completing sentences”:** Rephrased this to “almost telepathic understanding,” “frequently complete each other’s thoughts,” and “anticipate and complete each other’s sentences” for more engaging phrasing.

Here are a few paraphrased options, each with a slightly different emphasis, presented in a journalistic tone:

**Option 1 (Focus on the Revelation of Knowledge):**

> “It’s in the act of teaching that we truly articulate our knowledge and thought processes,” explains Jones. “Witnessing Arvind share his expertise has been invaluable, allowing me to grasp the interconnectedness of his ideas and uncover surprising overlaps between our fields and approaches.”

**Option 2 (Focus on the Collaborative Discovery):**

> Jones highlights the illuminating nature of teaching, stating, “You often don’t fully bring your knowledge and thinking into the open until you’re in a teaching role.” He found the experience of observing Arvind as an educator particularly enriching, remarking, “It’s been fascinating to see Arvind’s expertise unfold, revealing how various elements connect and exposing shared foundations in our respective disciplines and cognitive styles.”

**Option 3 (More Concise and Direct):**

> According to Jones, the process of teaching often serves to externalize one’s knowledge and thinking. “I’ve really enjoyed seeing Arvind’s expertise come to life as a teacher,” Jones shared. “It’s provided a clear view of how his concepts interlock and has helped me identify common threads between our disciplines and how we approach problems.”

**Key changes made across these options:**

* **”Externalize” replaced with:** “articulate,” “bring into the open,” “externalize” (retained in one for variety, but contextually shifted).
* **”Unfurl his expertise” replaced with:** “share his expertise,” “Arvind’s expertise unfold,” “Arvind’s expertise come to life.”
* **”Lets me see how the pieces fit together” replaced with:** “grasp the interconnectedness of his ideas,” “revealing how various elements connect,” “clear view of how his concepts interlock.”
* **”Discover underlying commonalities” replaced with:** “uncover surprising overlaps,” “exposing shared foundations,” “identify common threads.”
* **Sentence structure varied:** Some sentences are combined or reordered for flow and impact.
* **Journalistic tone:** Use of attribution (“explains Jones,” “Jones highlights,” “According to Jones”), clear and objective language.

Satyanarayan elaborates on this point, highlighting a fascinating dynamic: “My own field, human-computer interaction, has historically borrowed heavily from anthropology, adopting techniques like interviews, user studies, and observational research. However, as the decades have passed, these methods have become increasingly diluted, leading to a significant loss of valuable insights and depth.”

A recent revelation in interviewing methodology underscored the critical role of human connection. The speaker highlighted a striking difference in an anthropologist’s approach to teaching interview techniques, observing a method that meticulously prioritizes building rapport and genuine connection with participants. This, they noted, stands in stark contrast to their own prior methods, which, it was acknowledged, often reduced interactions to mere data extraction, neglecting essential relational dynamics.

For Jones, the appeal of working alongside a computer scientist extends beyond mere technical collaboration; it delves into the realm of design. He articulates a compelling theory: human speech and interaction are not random, but rather structured into fundamental “genres,” each defined by stable, inherent rules. This underlying framework, he explains, is precisely what differentiates the conversational etiquette of an interview at a lively cocktail party from the solemn exchanges typically found at a funeral.

Here are a few options, maintaining a clear, journalistic tone:

**Option 1 (Concise and direct):**
According to the expert, large language models like ChatGPT inherently possess a wide spectrum of communication genres, lying dormant within their systems. This capability stems directly from their training on vast datasets of natural human discourse and is simply awaiting activation.

**Option 2 (Emphasizing the source):**
The vast communicative potential of ChatGPT and similar large language models, he explains, is a direct result of their exposure to naturally occurring human language during training. This process embeds countless genres within their architecture, ready to be utilized on demand.

**Option 3 (Focusing on the latent potential):**
He points out that advanced AI, such as ChatGPT, harbors an inherent understanding of diverse communication styles and genres. This latent capability is forged from its training on authentic human interactions, making these forms readily available for activation.

A social scientist, accustomed to equipping students with potent methodologies for analyzing human conversation, highlighted a fundamental distinction in their educational approach. While their typical curriculum often culminates in pure academic research, this particular course functions as a design class, challenging students to build tangible, real-world systems rather than merely conducting theoretical exercises.

The curriculum is proving remarkably effective in preparing students for immediate entry into the professional world. This success was recently highlighted by a student who, granted a week’s leave for an intensive trial internship at a burgeoning chatbot startup, returned with a telling observation. He reported that the practical work and challenges faced at the company precisely mirrored the concepts and skills he was acquiring in class, validating the program’s real-world relevance. Crucially, this valuable hands-on experience culminated in a permanent job offer, securing his post-graduation employment.

These innovative student projects, powered by Google’s Gemini AI, offer a vivid demonstration of the immense potential unlocked when technology deeply intertwines with the humanities. As scholar Jones aptly posits, this ‘really deep intertwining’ is crucial to future advancements. The students’ groundbreaking design work further illustrates that by prioritizing human-centric values, entirely new paradigms for programming can be conceptualized, fundamentally redefining the very essence of software development.

This interdisciplinary course design offers a clear win-win-win scenario. Students gain a richer, more diverse learning experience, simultaneously fulfilling a general education requirement with a course that directly supports their career aspirations. Furthermore, this collaborative approach fosters and solidifies valuable, long-term partnerships among faculty members.

Team Pond

For soon-to-be graduates, a new tool named Pond is set to offer significant support as they transition into independent adulthood. This innovative chatbot has been specifically designed to guide young college alumni through the complexities of adult life. Unlike systems that merely echo user input or offer insincere validation, Pond focuses on delivering practical advice to help users navigate the responsibilities of “adulting.”

Here are a few paraphrased options, each with a slightly different emphasis, maintaining a journalistic tone:

**Option 1 (Focus on Continuity):**

> Mary Feliz, a sophomore, explains that Pond is designed to provide ongoing support, accompanying students from their college years through their professional lives. “It’s built to be your companion,” Feliz stated, “helping you navigate the shift from a smaller academic environment to a broader professional landscape.”

**Option 2 (Focus on the “Big Pond” Metaphor):**

> “Pond is intended to be a consistent ally, guiding students through the significant transition from college to their careers,” says sophomore Mary Feliz. She elaborates on the platform’s purpose: “It’s built to be your companion, assisting you as you evolve from being a ‘small fish in a small pond’ to a ‘small fish in a very big pond’.”

**Option 3 (More Concise and Direct):**

> Sophomore Mary Feliz describes Pond as a tool designed for lifelong support, bridging the gap between college and professional life. “Pond is built to be your companion,” Feliz noted, “helping individuals manage the transition from a limited academic setting to a much larger professional arena.”

**Option 4 (Highlighting the “Transition” aspect):**

> According to sophomore Mary Feliz, Pond serves as a crucial companion for students navigating their journey from academia to the workforce. “The platform is built to be your companion,” Feliz explained, “facilitating the transition from the familiar waters of college to the expansive opportunities of post-college life.”

Each of these options rephrases the original quote while retaining Mary Feliz’s key points about Pond’s role as a companion and its function in helping users manage a significant life transition.

Here are a few paraphrased options, maintaining a journalistic tone and original phrasing:

**Option 1 (Focus on contrast):**

Graduate student Emaan Khan highlights a fundamental shift from college to post-graduate life, describing university as a “high-proximity and high-context environment” where shared experiences foster easy relationship building and access to structured opportunities. In contrast, she characterizes post-graduation as “low-context” and “no-proximity,” with fewer built-in peer networks and readily available avenues. Khan explains that Pond aims to bridge this gap, serving as a tool to empower individuals in finding and navigating opportunities beyond the confines of academia.

**Option 2 (More active voice):**

The transition from college to life after graduation presents a distinct change in environment, according to graduate student Emaan Khan. She explains that college offers a “high-proximity and high-context” setting, where shared experiences among peers and faculty create a fertile ground for building connections and discovering opportunities through established pathways. Post-graduation, however, shifts to a “low-context” and “no-proximity” reality, often lacking constant peer interaction and convenient access to new avenues. Khan positions Pond as a vital tool designed to equip individuals with the means to access opportunities and learn how to navigate this less structured landscape.

**Option 3 (Concise and direct):**

University environments are characterized by their close-knit nature and shared context, making it simpler to forge relationships and uncover opportunities, according to graduate student Emaan Khan. She contrasts this with post-graduation, which she terms “low-context” and “no-proximity,” noting the diminished presence of peers and professors and the absence of readily available pathways. Khan introduces Pond as a solution, a tool intended to empower individuals in accessing and navigating the opportunities that arise outside of a structured academic setting.

A team of graduate students from Harvard University, Claire Camacho and Charlotte Cheah, alongside Feliz and Khan, have developed Pond. This innovative tool has been specifically trained to provide users with expert guidance across three key domains: social interactions, professional development, and essential adult life skills.

Here are a few paraphrased options, maintaining a journalistic tone:

**Option 1 (Focus on the action):**

> Students showcased their grasp of social communication by seeking advice on initiating conversations within a hobby group. They then demonstrated adulting communication skills by submitting a written inquiry.

**Option 2 (More descriptive):**

> In a practical demonstration, students first illustrated their understanding of social communication by posing a question about how to begin discussions in a hobby group setting. Following this, they exemplified adulting communication by formulating and typing a query.

**Option 3 (Concise and direct):**

> Students effectively displayed their social communication abilities by asking for guidance on starting conversations in a hobby group. Their subsequent typed question served as an example of adulting communication.

**Option 4 (Slightly more engaging):**

> To highlight their social communication prowess, students inquired about the best ways to spark conversations within a hobby group. They then segued into demonstrating adulting communication by typing a question for clarification.

Here are a few options for paraphrasing that question, each with a slightly different emphasis:

**Option 1 (Direct & Action-Oriented):**

> **”My landlord is asking inappropriate personal questions. What steps can I take to address this situation?”**

* **Why it’s good:** This version is concise and immediately signals the problem and the need for a solution. “Inappropriate” is a strong descriptor for uncomfortable questions.

**Option 2 (Focus on Tenant Rights):**

> **”I’m experiencing discomfort due to personal inquiries from my landlord. What are my rights and options as a tenant in this scenario?”**

* **Why it’s good:** This emphasizes the tenant’s perspective and frames the issue in terms of rights, which can be empowering.

**Option 3 (More Empathetic & Detailed):**

> **”When a landlord crosses the line and asks personal questions that make a tenant feel uneasy, what recourse is available?”**

* **Why it’s good:** This acknowledges the emotional impact (“uneasy”) and uses stronger phrasing like “crosses the line” to highlight the inappropriateness. “Recourse” is a professional term for available actions.

**Option 4 (Concise & Problem-Focused):**

> **”Uncomfortable personal questions from my landlord: What’s the best way to handle this?”**

* **Why it’s good:** This is a very direct, almost headline-style question that quickly gets to the heart of the matter.

**Option 5 (Journalistic & Investigative Tone):**

> **”Tenants facing uncomfortable personal questions from their landlords are often unsure of how to proceed. What guidance can be offered for navigating such situations?”**

* **Why it’s good:** This frames the question as a broader issue affecting multiple people, lending it a more journalistic feel and implying a need for general advice.

Choose the option that best fits the context where you intend to use this question.

Here are a few paraphrased options, maintaining a journalistic tone and focusing on clarity and engagement:

**Option 1 (Concise and direct):**

> Pond’s advice emphasized establishing clear boundaries. Tenants are not required to disclose personal information and can steer discussions back to property matters. Understanding tenant rights concerning privacy and landlord behavior is also crucial, according to the response.

**Option 2 (Slightly more explanatory):**

> In its textbox, Pond suggested a strategy of polite boundary-setting for tenants. The response highlighted that individuals are not compelled to answer personal inquiries and can gracefully redirect conversations to subjects concerning the property. Furthermore, the advice underscored the importance of tenants being aware of their local and state rights regarding privacy and professional conduct from landlords.

**Option 3 (Focus on empowerment):**

> Pond offered practical guidance in its textbox, advocating for tenants to assertively yet politely set boundaries. The response clarified that answering personal questions is not a requirement, and conversations can be expertly guided back to property-related issues. A key takeaway was the empowerment of tenants through knowledge of their rights concerning privacy and landlord behavior within their jurisdiction.

**Option 4 (Action-oriented):**

> The textbox response from Pond provided actionable advice for tenants: establish polite boundaries, recognizing you are not obligated to answer personal questions. The guidance suggested redirecting conversations towards property matters and stressed the importance of knowing your local and state tenant rights regarding privacy and landlord conduct.

When questioned about effective strategies, Pond provided clear guidance. She recommended employing phrases such as, “I prefer to keep our conversations focused on the property,” or “Let’s stick to topics related to the apartment, please.” The key, she advised, is to consistently steer discussions back to the property itself or to valid maintenance concerns, maintaining a polite yet resolute demeanor. Pond also suggested documenting conversations as a prudent measure, if circumstances warrant.

Here are a few paraphrased options, maintaining a journalistic tone and focusing on clarity and engagement:

**Option 1 (Concise & Direct):**

> To aid users in mastering polite yet assertive communication, Pond incorporated an interactive role-playing exercise designed to simulate real-world scenarios.

**Option 2 (Slightly More Descriptive):**

> Pond developed a simulated role-playing experience, guiding users on how to employ courteous yet resolute language effectively in specific situations.

**Option 3 (Emphasizing Learning):**

> For practical learning, Pond provided a role-playing module, equipping users with the tools to articulate themselves politely but firmly when faced with challenging circumstances.

**Option 4 (Focusing on the “How-To”):**

> Users could engage with a role-playing scenario crafted by Pond, offering hands-on practice in deploying polite but firm language appropriate for the given context.

Each option rephrases the original sentence while using different vocabulary and sentence structure to create originality, all while keeping the core message intact and adopting a professional, journalistic voice.

The core principle behind Pond’s practice mode is skill development, aiming to empower users to become self-sufficient swimmers in the long run. According to Khan, the platform employs a point-based system that signifies a user’s mastery of a topic. To enhance user engagement, Pond also features a virtual treasure chest where users can collect earned rewards, adding an element of gamification to the learning experience.

Team News Nest

Another of the projects, News Nest, provides a sophisticated means of helping young people engage with credible news sources in a way that makes it fun. The name is derived from the program’s 10 appealing and colorful birds, each of which focuses on a particular area of news. If you want the headlines, you ask Polly the Parrot, the main news carrier; if you’re interested in science, Gaia the Goose guides you. The flock also includes Flynn the Falcon, sports reporter; Credo the Crow, for crime and legal news; Edwin the Eagle, a business and economics news guide; Pizzazz the Peacock for pop and entertainment stories; and Pixel the Pigeon, a technology news specialist.

News Nest’s development team is made up of MIT seniors Tiana Jiang and Krystal Montgomery, and junior Natalie Tan. They intentionally built News Nest to prevent “doomscrolling,” provide media transparency (sources and political leanings are always shown), and they created a clever, healthy buffer from emotional manipulation and engagement traps by employing birds rather than human characters.

Team M^3 (Multi-Agent Murder Mystery)

A third team, M^3, decided to experiment with making AI humane by keeping it fun. MIT senior Rodis Aguilar, junior David De La Torre, and second-year Deeraj Pothapragada developed M^3, a social deduction multi-agent murder mystery that incorporates four chatbots as different personalities: Gemini, OpenAI’s ChatGPT, xAI’s Grok, and Anthropic’s Claude. The user is the fifth player.

Like a regular murder mystery, there are locations, weapons, and lies. The user has to guess who committed the murder. It’s very similar to a board or online game played with real players, only these are enhanced AI opponents you can’t see, who may or may not tell the truth in response to questions. Users can’t get too involved with one chatbot, because they’re playing all four. Also, as in a real life murder mystery game, the user is sometimes guilty.