Spotlight: How much of a threat is AI?

This ICYMI takes you back to 1992, when the European Union was in it's infancy. Twelve countries had already signed on to be part of a union that would include a new government, a central bank, and a shared currency. But it was a controversial plan. Several nations had taken the idea to a national vote leading to dramatic referendums playing out throughout Europe that year. After French voters elected to join the EU, Cross Country Checkup took to the airwaves and asked callers "Should Europe unite?" Here's an extended cut from first 30 minutes of that episode which aired September 27th, 1992.

This is an abbreviated version of Checkup's Ask Me Anything on the threat posed by artificial intelligence. Are the recent dire warnings about AI based on science or science fiction? A professor of computer science and an associate deal of communication and technology we'll answer questions and tell you how worried you need to be about AI.

This ICYMI episode takes you back to September 12, 2001. It was the day after the deadliest act of terrorism on US soil. A total of four planes were hijacked and eventually crashed leaving now survivors. And a total of 2753 lives were lost inside the World Trade Centre. Here are callers on a special edition of Cross Country Checkup which aired on September 12th, 2001.

We'll take a closer look at an international report that shows that while our kids' academic scores are still strong, they are falling -- especially in reading and math. Education expert Kelly Gallagher-Mackay will tell us why. Also, we'll hear from two people living with dyslexia who have a view on how reading is taught in schools, and a university student has struggled with math her whole life, and believes her phone may be partly to blame. And we'll hear from Canadians who have struggled with math and reading -- and what they think should be done about it.

With AI engineers and researchers past and present sounding the alarm over the rapid progress of artificial intelligence, we take your questions over the existential threat posed by AI. If it is able to make the human race extinct -- how would that even happen? AI experts Francis Syms and Kevin Leyton-Brown help us sort out what's science and what's science fiction in this Ask Me Anything on artificial intelligence.

This is an abbreviated version of Checkup's topic on Canadian's travel during the trade war. We hear whether fresh tariffs from the Trump administration have Canadians ready to renew their travel boycotts to the United States. Where are they going instead? And if it's in Canada -- what were the highlights?

Students are heading back to school around the country. Is AI going to be there waiting for them? Many teachers and school boards are looking for ways to incorporate artificial intelligence into what they do -- we'll hear from a university professor who has made an AI-version of himself to respond to questions when he's not around. In other places, like New York City, AI is being banned for most students. We'll hear from parents, students and teachers about where they stand on AI in the classroom.

This ICYMI episode takes you back to September of 1992. Kids were headed back to school, but there were concerns that Canadian students were falling behind -- spurred by a recent international report on education. There was plenty of blame to go around, but on this day Checkup asked whether parents were part of the problem. Here are voices from Checkup callers from September 6th 1992, reacting to the question: “Are parents failing the school system?”

With new U.S. tariffs in place on Canadian goods, we'll hear whether travellers in this country are renewing their boycotts to the United States. Recent data suggests those boycotts may have been softening this summer, but tourism professor Wayne Smith has a different view. And with more money being spent in Canada this year, travel writer Robin Esrock tells us some hidden travel gems in this country.

This is an abbreviated version of Checkup's topic on a new law in Quebec that would ban the purchase of energy drinks for kids under 16 years of age. We'll hear what Canadians think about the law. And we'll hear from both sides of the debate -- a registered dietitian who helped push the law forward, and a representative from the Canadian Beverage Association will weigh in.