How British Chinese restaurants’ Chinese names can hide witty messages and clever wordplay

Most of the time, understanding dish names requires some level of fluency in Chinese, though not always. But what happens when names get lost in translation on their way to English? Chinese restaurant Chow in Glasgow, Scotland, has a colloquial phrase as a Chinese name that means “be there or be square”, or “see you … Read more

How the creators of HBO’s The Sympathizer turned the bestselling novel into a dark, comic romp for TV

On the surface, Viet Thanh Nguyen’s The Sympathizer is the perfect target for adaptation. First off, it’s a novel — one of the more lucrative source materials for an industry perpetually hungry for existing IP and a built-in audience.  Second, it’s a Pulitzer Prize winner, a badge of honour that already proved a boon for similar adaptees like Spotlight, Driving Miss … Read more

Canada’s comedy legends celebrated in Hamilton as hall of fame dream gets revived

A comic with a dream 20 years in the making to create a Canadian Comedy Hall of Fame is hoping he’ll soon be a step closer, as he brings comedians together to drum up support for the project this week in Hamilton.  The Canadian Comedy Hall of Fame Festival kicked off Wednesday night, with the finals … Read more

AI chatbots are sparking romance (with the chatbot, that is)

A few months ago, Derek Carrier started seeing someone and became infatuated. He experienced a “ton” of romantic feelings but he also knew it was an illusion. That’s because his girlfriend was generated by artificial intelligence. Carrier wasn’t looking to develop a relationship with something that wasn’t real, nor did he want to become the … Read more

From corny jokes to job applications, ChatGPT’s new store is selling specialized AI software

Prominent artificial intelligence company OpenAI has launched a new way for developers to sell and distribute their own, custom versions of AI software through an online store, with industry participants and watchdogs saying it could change how businesses and consumers use the technology. The GPT Store will include personalized artificial intelligence applications, and will let users discover and build versions … Read more

Meet Oscar, the Canadian-built, AI-driven recycling system helping governments go green

Standing in the middle of a cafeteria at Global Affairs, Soren Antosz was testing Oscar, a new, high-tech tool popping up in federal government buildings. Antosz holds up a paper napkin. That’s compostable, flashes the message on Oscar’s screen. Next is a plastic bottle. Oscar tells him to empty the liquid then drop it into … Read more