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This Happened

This Happened - February 28: Olof Palme Shot Dead

On this day in 1986, Sweden's Prime Minister Olof Palme was shot dead while he was walking home from a movie theater with his wife.


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Who was suspected of killing Olof Palme?

The investigation into Palme's murder has been widely debated and there are several theories about who killed him. Some theories implicate the Swedish security police, while others suggest it was a right-wing extremist or a foreign government.

Was anyone ever convicted of Olof Palme's murder?

In 1989, Christer Pettersson, a convicted criminal, was found guilty of Palme's murder, but his conviction was later overturned on appeal. No one has been convicted for the murder yet.

Is Olof Palme’s case still open?

The case is still open and the Swedishpolice continue to investigate Palme's murder. In 2019, the case was reopened after new evidence emerged and the investigation is ongoing.

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Future

AI As God? How Artificial Intelligence Could Spark Religious Devotion

We may be about to see the emergence of a new kind of religion, where flocks worship — literally — at the altar of Artificial Intelligence.

Image of artificial intelligence as an artificial being

Artificial intelligence generated picture of AI as a god

Neil McArthur

The latest generation of AI-powered chatbots, trained on large language models, have left their early users awestruck —and sometimes terrified — by their power. These are the same sublime emotions that lie at the heart of our experience of the divine.

People already seek religious meaning from very diverse sources. There are, for instance, multiple religions that worship extra-terrestrials or their teachings.

As these chatbots come to be used by billions of people, it is inevitable that some of these users will see the AIs as higher beings. We must prepare for the implications.

There are several pathways by which AI religions will emerge. First, some people will come to see AI as a higher power.

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