Press about my work
January 17, 2022: The Washington Post
Former Google scientist says the computers that run our lives exploit us — and he has a way to stop them
On Monday, Cowen is expected to announce a set of ethical guidelines he hopes will be agreed to by the companies that use the platform. Its beta launch, he will announce, will happen in March, with a more formal unveiling to follow. It will be free for many researchers and developers.
“We know this is going to be a long fight,” Cowen said in an interview. “But we need to start optimizing for well-being and not for engagement.”
Translation: The goal for algorithms should not be to keep us constantly clicking and buying but to make us better people and our society more just. And Cowen said his psychologically based approach can help.
December 17, 2021: BBC
Why tiny words like 'yup' can send you into a tailspin
“Non-verbal vocal utterances – sighs, screams, laughs and so on – are extremely rich,” says Alan Cowen, chief scientist and CEO of Hume AI, a research lab on human emotions. “Our science is uncovering much more meaning in these sounds than previously appreciated. We now know that they convey at least 28 kinds of emotional meaning, and counting. We bring these same sounds into speech.”
May 13, 2021: Bloomberg
A crash course in decoding voices at work
Decoding isn’t that hard, says Alan Cowen of Hume AI, a company that uses recordings of voices to teach software such as digital assistants to recognize emotions. He’s mapped thousands of vocalizations and speech-pattern recordings, revealing the meanings in the volume, tone, inflection, cadence, and pauses. “There aren’t many experts who are better at decoding emotional expression than laypeople,” he says.
January 20, 2021: Times of India
16 facial expressions ‘universal’, overlap in 70% social contexts globally
Emotions do transcend geographies and cultures.
January 18, 2021: The Wall Street Journal
Covid Face Masks Are Disrupting a Key Tool of Human Communications, New Research Shows
Take a quiz to guess the emotions behind the masks
December 22, 2020: Futura Sciences (France)
L'humanité partage 70 % de ses expressions faciales (Humanity shares 70% of their facial expressions)
Les quelque sept milliards d'humains peuplant la Terre auraient un autre point commun. Enfin, 16 points communs. Ils partageraient 16 expressions faciales dans des contextes similaires. (The roughly seven billion humans inhabiting the Earth have at least one thing in common. Actually, 16 things in common. They use 16 facial expressions in similar contexts.)
December 18, 2020: Fast Company
These are the 16 most common facial expressions worldwide (that we can’t see anymore behind masks)
Academics partnered with Google for a machine learning analysis of facial expressions in 6 million YouTube clips from 144 countries.
December 18, 2020: National Geographic (Poland)
Tych 16 emocji okazujemy tak samo na całym świecie. Udowadnia to interaktywna mapa (These 16 emotions are expressed similarly around the world. An interactive map proves it)
Niezależnie od tego, czy na przyjęciu urodzinowym w Brazylii, na pogrzebie w Kenii czy na protestach w Hongkongu, wszyscy ludzie używają różnych odmian tego samego wyrazu twarzy w podobnych kontekstach społecznych – wynika z badania przeprowadzonego przez Uniwersytet Kalifornijski w Berkeley. (Whether at a birthday party in Brazil, a funeral in Kenya, or protests in Hong Kong, people worldwide use different variations of the same facial expression in similar social contexts, according to a study from the University of California, Berkeley.)
December 17, 2020: Scientific American
A Smile at a Wedding, a Cheer at a Soccer Game Are Alike the World Over
A survey of 6 million videos from 144 countries suggests facial expressions are near universal
December 17, 2020: Globo (Brazil)
Cientistas identificam 16 expressões faciais usadas no mundo todo (Scientists identify 16 facial expressions used worldwide)
Com ajuda da tecnologia, pesquisadores confirmam que a forma humana de expressar emoções é universal e ultrapassa barreiras geográficas e culturais (With the help of technology, researchers confirm that human emotional expression transcends geographical and cultural barriers)
December 16, 2020: The Daily Mail (UK)
One smile fits all: People around the world pull the same faces when watching fireworks, seeing their sports team win or attending a wedding, AI-powered study finds
Researchers trained an AI to analyse expressions in 6 million YouTube videos
December 16, 2020: ZME Science
Human facial expressions may be universal across cultures, AI study found
Smiling at weddings and frowning at funerals seem to be natural across the world.
December 16, 2020: ORF (Austria)
Die ganze Welt lächelt ähnlich (The whole world smiles alike)
Gefühle wie Angst, Freude und Ekel spiegeln sich im Gesicht. Dass die entsprechende Mimik universell oder gar angeboren ist, gilt mittlerweile als eher zweifelhaft. Eine automatisierte Videoanalyse liefert den Universalisten nun neue Argumente: In ähnlichen Situationen schauen Menschen weltweit sehr wohl recht ähnlich drein. (Feelings like fear, joy and disgust are reflected in the face. There has been debate about whether these facial expressions are universal or even innate. However, an automated video analysis now provides new evidence: In similar situations, people around the world form very similar facial expressions.)
August 27, 2020: Smithsonian Magazine
What Ancient Sculptures Reveal About Universal Facial Expressions
New research suggests displays of emotion may transcend time and culture
August 20, 2020: The Conversation (Australia)
Ancient faces, familiar feelings: expressions may be recognizable across time and cultures
Alan Cowen and Dacher Keltner have published research in Scientific Advances showing a new way to explore evidence for the universality of facial expressions.
August 19, 2020: The Daily Mail (UK)
Say cheese! Mayans used the same facial expressions as we do today - proving facial expressions are a universal language, scientists say
Experts had 325 people study the expressions of 63 ancient American sculptures
August 19, 2020: Science News
Ancient sculptures hint at universal facial expressions across cultures
Researchers take a novel approach to interpreting expressions of emotion
August 19, 2020: SINC (Spain)
Emociones universales: del dolor a la euforia en los rostros de las esculturas precolombinas (Universal emotions: from pain to euphoria in the faces of pre-Columbian sculptures)
El análisis de las expresiones faciales de decenas de figurillas, esculturas y relieves mesoamericanos antiguos muestra que se corresponden con emociones presentes hoy, como el dolor, la ira o la euforia. Los investigadores han tratado de evitar el sesgo occidental estudiando rostros y contextos por separado. (The analysis of facial expressions of dozens of ancient Mesoamerican figurines, sculptures and reliefs shows that they correspond to present-day emotions such as pain, anger or euphoria. Researchers have tried to avoid Western bias by studying faces and contexts separately.)
March 3, 2020: The Washington Post
Does that song make you sad? You’re not alone.
Researchers found that people across the world had the same responses to music.
January 12, 2020: Business Insider (Italy)
La musica scatena 13 sensazioni universali: dalla gioia alla paura ecco la mappa delle canzoni divise per sentimento (Music unleashes 13 universal sensations: from joy to fear, here is the map of the musical sentiment)
E’ il linguaggio dell’anima, quello che esprime parole che non possono essere dette. Ricercatori dell’Università della California Berkeley si sono però domandati se il potere di queste melodie è universale, ovvero se scatena le stesse reazioni in tutta la popolazione mondiale e ha delle caratteristiche che valgono in ogni caso, o se invece c’è un’ampia varietà individuale. (It is the language of the soul, the one that expresses words that cannot be said. However, researchers at the University of California, Berkeley wondered if the power of these melodies is universal — that is, if it triggers the same reactions around the world and has characteristics that are appreciated universally.)
January 9, 2020: Big Think
This incredible interactive map plays the 13 emotions music makes us feel
It doesn't matter where you're from — music is an emotional powerhouse.
January 7, 2020: Psychology Today
Music Evokes Over a Dozen Distinct (But Universal) Emotions
Across different cultures, music evokes at least 13 key emotions.
January 6, 2020: Scientific American
Is a Sad Song Sad for Everyone?
Researchers explore how different cultures respond to the same music
March 18, 2019: Netz.de (Germany)
Interaktive Karte der menschlichen Emotionen: Sie stöhnt, lacht, kreischt (Interactive map of human emotions: moans, laughs, screeches)
Menschliche Emotion findet viele Ausdrucksformen. Vieles davon äußern wir verbal verständlich, allerdings bleiben eine Menge Gefühle ohne direkte Erklärung. Eine Gruppe von Wissenschaftlern der UC Berkeley hat nun diese Ausbrüche analysiert. Das Ergebnis ist so unheimlich wie eindrucksvoll: Eine hörbare, interaktive Karte unserer Emotionen. (Human emotion finds many forms of expression. Much of what we express is verbal, but a lot of feelings are expressed nonverbally. A group of scientists from UC Berkeley has now analyzed these outbursts. The result is as eerie as it is impressive: an audible, interactive map of our emotions.)
March 5, 2019: Slate (France)
Quelques onomatopées suffisent à faire passer nos émotions (A few onomatopoeias are enough to convey our emotions)
Des chercheurs ont mis au point une carte interactive de nos expressions vocales et les sentiments qui y sont associés. (Researchers have developed an interactive map of our vocal expressions and the feelings associated with them.)
February 14, 2019: Vice
This Interactive Map of Human Emotional Sounds Is Both Horny and Horrifying
Researchers plotted “vocal bursts” on a map, and found that we experience around 24 nonverbal emotions.
February 12, 2019: Discover Magazine
These Are the 24 Sounds Humans Use to Communicate Without Words
A frustrated sigh, a squeal of delight, a gasp of terror and more.
February 12, 2019: Sciences et Avenir (France)
24 émotions dans les « ha », les « hmm » et les « oh » (24 emotions conveyed by "ha", "hmm" and "oh")
Les exclamations non verbales qui parsèment les conversations font l’objet d’une carte interactive sonore réalisée par des chercheurs de l’université de Berkeley. Elle révèle la diversité insoupçonnée des émotions que ces sons véhiculent. (The non-verbal exclamations that punctuate conversations are the subject of an interactive map produced by researchers at UC Berkeley. It reveals the unsuspected diversity of the emotions that these sounds convey.)
February 8, 2019: Hindustan Times (India)
Non-verbal exclamations like ‘ooh’, ‘aah’, ‘woohoo’ convey 24 types of emotions
Scientists conducted a statistical analysis of listener responses to more than 2,000 non-verbal exclamations known as “vocal bursts” and found they convey a lot more about what we are feeling than previously thought.
February 6, 2019: The Economic Times (India)
From elation to embarrassment, 'oohs' and 'aahs' convey 24 types of emotion
These 'vocal bursts' convey a lot more about what we are feeling than previously thought.
February 6, 2019: The Daily Mail (UK)
First ever interactive audio map lets you hear over 2000 different sounds like 'ooh', 'aah' and 'haha' so AI can match them to human emotions
Scientists analyzed over 2000 different sounds like oohs, 'aahs' and 'haha' to match them to human emotions
December 6, 2017: The Boston Globe
An embarrassment of human emotions
Humans are complicated, emotional creatures — and to date, scientists haven’t been able to define the full spectrum of their feelings.
October 9, 2017: Reader’s Digest
Yes, There’s a Scientific Reason You Love Emojis—Here’s Why
Can't communicate how you feel? A new study reveals our emotions are quite complex.
October 5, 2017: Tabi Labo (Japan)
人間のすべての感情をナンバリングした大学院生 (A graduate student who counted human emotions)
人間が抱く全ての感情を数えたら、いくつになると思う？ (How many emotions do you think humans have?)
September 14, 2017: Teen Vogue
Study finds Humans Have 27 Emotions
You're not the only one who feels all the feels.
September 13, 2017: Big Think
Scientists Chart 27 Distinct Human Emotions on This Interactive Map
This conceptual framework is the most advanced representation of human emotions to date.
September 11, 2017: Psychology Today
There Are 27 Different Emotions, New Study Suggests
There are more emotions than we used to think.
September 9, 2017: Forbes
Here Are The 27 Different Human Emotions, According To A Study
Alan S. Cowen and Dacher Keltner, PhD from the University of California, Berkeley, identified 27 distinct categories of emotions.
September 28, 2015: BBC Focus Magazine (UK)
Neurotelepathy: rise of the mind-reading machines
Facebook’s Mark Zuckerberg claims that technology will one day allow us to update our friends via thought. But as Rita Carter reveals, mind-reading machines can already decipher our brains.
November 14, 2014: NBC News
Wishful Thinking: Can Scientists Really Read Your Brain?
Scientists have found ways to send messages from brain to brain, and developed methods to scan a person's gray matter and sketch an image of their thoughts.
April 29, 2014: Wired
Scientists Can't Read Your Mind With Brain Scans (Yet)
As a journalist who writes about neuroscience, I've gotten a lot of super enthusiastic press releases touting a new breakthrough in using brain scans to read people's minds. They make it sound like a brave new future has arrived. But whenever I read these papers and talk to the scientists, I end up feeling conflicted. What they've done--so far, anyway--really doesn't live up to what most people have in mind when we think about mind reading. Then again, the stuff they actually can do is pretty amazing. And they're getting better at it, little by little.
April 22, 2014: USA Today
Scientists explore possibilities of mind reading
At Yale University, researchers recently used a brain scanner to identify which face someone was looking at — just from their brain activity.
April 12, 2014: CNN
Scan a brain, read a mind?
Over the last few years, researchers have made significant strides in decoding our thoughts based on brain activity.
April 4, 2014: The Huffington Post
‘Mind-Reading’ Scientists Reconstruct Human Faces From Brain Scans
Scientists have now used brain scanners to hack into our thoughts like never before.
March 28, 2014: The Wall Street Journal
Pulling a Face From a Mind
Researchers using brain-imaging technology were able to read a face in someone's mind and recreate the unseen visage with the help of a computer.
March 28, 2014: Gizmodo
Scientists Can Reconstruct Faces by Reading Your Mind
Researchers from Yale have been using functional MRI scans to reconstruct images of people's face from subjects that are thinking about a particular person.