💬 Quoted:“Any organization that deals with human beings… and faces situations where deception has a negative impact on their business model, on their business operations and so forth, can use this.”

Cal Lightman from Lie to Me could soon have some competition. A growing number of startups are working on lie detection technology powered by AI that could potentially be used on corporate earnings calls, Zoom interviews, for law enforcement purposes, etc.

One such startup, CyberQ – which was cofounded by former CIA officer Phil Houston (who wrote the book on detecting deception; his techniques are used by US intelligence agencies, businesses, and billionaires) – uses generative AI to parse transcripts and statements and can reportedly detect misleading statements with 92% accuracy.

• “Q”, the company’s chatbot, was trained on hundreds of verified examples of truths and lies, including police interviews with OJ Simpson, testimony from Enron CEO Jeffrey Skilling’s infamous congressional appearance, and statements from the management of Wirecard, a German company that imploded in scandal.
• Other companies building AI-powered lie detectors include: Arche AI, Coyote AI, and Deceptio.AI, which all claim to detect lies with varying degrees of accuracy.
• But… People have been unsuccessfully trying to build a reliable lie detection tool ever since Eve tricked Adam. Case in point: The use of polygraphs, which measure physiological responses like heart rate, blood pressure, and sweating, has been federally restricted for private companies and in legal proceedings due to evidence concluding the results are “little better” than a coin toss.

🚭🏫 Stat of the Day: In recent years, younger Americans have adopted a new smoking-related slogan: “Puff, puff? Pass.” In a report published yesterday, the CDC and FDA said rates of vaping among middle- and high-school students has fallen by nearly 25% over the past year. Overall, 7.8% of high school students and 3.5% of middle school students say they currently use e-cigarettes, down from a recent peak of 27.1% and 7.2% in 2018 – the last year before the US government raised the minimum smoking age from 18 to 21.

🤔 Did You Know? The NCAA was founded in the early 1900s in part to protect young athletes from the brutality of college football. During the 1904 season alone, there were 18 deaths and 159 serious injuries on the college football field.

📰 Worth a Read: Getting a divorce? There’s a coach for that → (The Hustle)