University of Zürich researchers undertake an ethically shady experiment on a subreddit involving the use of A.I.-generated comments. Astonishingly this was approved the University of Zürich’s Institutional Ethics Review Board.
University of Zürich researchers undertake an ethically shady experiment on a subreddit involving the use of A.I.-generated comments. Astonishingly this was approved the University of Zürich’s Institutional Ethics Review Board.
Way back in 2019, when AI was still a relatively niche topic, and only the primitive GPT-2 had been released, I predicted the technology would usher in a “semantic apocalypse” wherein art and language were drained of meaning… Fast forward six years, and the semantic apocalypse has started in earnest. People now report experiencing the exact internal psychological change I predicted about our collective consciousness all those years ago.
Welcome to the semantic apocalypse - The Intrinsic Perspective
What’s the bet they’re going to try to rent it as-is?
Has anyone written an oral history of the Whirlpoool forums yet?
More than 2,200 jobs being cut across Australian universities.
It was only a few years ago more that 17,000 were lost during COVID.
Beautiful work by Julian Fell and Simon Elvery with this visual storytelling:
Over five decades, here’s how voters have shifted away from the major parties - ABC
Fascinating Bandcanp Daily post on the pioneers of computer music via Bruce Sterling
Happy Easter to those who partake
Interesting list.
We argue instead that populism must be understood as a specific political discourse, a way to articulate all kinds of policies – liberal or protectionist, left-wing or right-wing – as a clash between the virtuous, downtrodden “people” and an unresponsive corrupt “elite”. In this way, one can identify a consistent populist logic in how trade policies are presented regardless of the content of actual policies followed. In our analysis we show that, despite their very opposing trade preferences, the discourses of both protectionist Trump and strongly pro-free trade Conservative Brexiteers in the second half of the 2010s followed very similar articulatory modes flowing from their populism.
The populist logic behind Trump’s tariffs - LSE Blogs
The stunning autumn days will continue until morale improves.
I’m always surprised, given its influence, that HBR remains an evidence-free zone. For example this article makes expansive pronouncements about how A.I. Is being used in 2025. The methodology:
I looked at online forums (Reddit, Quora), as well as articles that included explicit, specific applications of the technology. Perhaps owing to its inherent pseudonymity, Reddit again yielded the richest insights. I read through them myself, and added each relevant post to the tally for that category. Several days later, I emerged with the count and the quotes for each of the new 100 use cases.
The 2025 Top-100 Gen AI Use Case Report lists the top 100 applications now, in 2025, rated according to perceived usefulness and scale of impact (assessed qualitatively by expert review), and includes a quote or several for each.
Seriously?
Looking ahead, the AI Iron Curtain appears likely to extend into space. For instance, China’s Chang’e 6 Lunar Exploration Mission returned first-ever samples from the far side of the moon in June 2024, but US research scientists cannot view the samples because of the restrictive 2011 Wolf Amendment, which forbids NASA from collaborating directly with China without security approval. Although China invited international scientists to study the samples, the US has erected a self-imposed barrier, stifling beneficial cooperation and hindering progress in this and other critical areas of common interests.
Moving Towards Local and People-Centered Artificial Intelligence - Bot Populi
“It’s one part of a very cruel puzzle.”
Inhumane prison hulks return from Australia’s past to its present.
Outstanding work from The Continent. Its arrival is the most welcome message I get each week.
I’m a trade policy advisor, ask me anything.
I rewatched V for Vendetta for the first time since it was in cinemas. I wondered “what did old mate Roger Ebert’s make of it”. Not quite what I was expecting.
18 years old. I know he won’t be around much longer but I’m grateful he is.
Technical and lengthy but super-interesting:
