Geek Stuff category archive
That Musky Odor 0
Truthout reports . . . .
On October 30, Chief U.S. District Judge Debra M. Brown ruled that the NAACP’s lawsuit against xAI and its Mississippi data center, Colossus, could proceed.
In April, the NAACP filed a complaint against xAI — owned by SpaceX — for violating the Clean Air Act by constructing hazardous gas plants without complying with national emission standards or obtaining permits. . . .
Facebook Frolics 0
For the maintainers of one Facebook group, it’s been a battle with the bots, and now the bots have won.
AI and This New Gilded Age 0
Thom looks at the possible fallout if and when the AI bubble bursts. From the Youtube page:
The artificial intelligence boom is showing clear signs of cracking, from massive tech layoffs to falling stock valuations and skyrocketing power bills for everyday consumers. As tech giants invest hundreds of billions into data centers and infrastructure while cutting tens of thousands of jobs, who really pays the price when the bubble bursts? Thom Hartmann breaks down how the current AI speculation boom mirrors past financial crashes, why corporate monopolies are seeking government bailouts, and what happens to working-class families and the economy when labor power is systematically stripped away.
Keeping Up with the Times 0
A member of the Philadelphia City Council has proposed a tax on robots that take jobs away from humans. Here’s a snippet from the report from WHYY:
I think he may be onto something.
Artificial? Yes. Intelligent? Not So Much. 0
A facilitator of falsity? Just follow the fakes.
The Disinformation Superhighway 0
Thom discusses a Russian disinformation campaign choreographed by Russia against James Talerico via “social” media.
One more time, “social” media isn’t.
Facebook Frolics, Reprise 0
From a New Mexico State Department of Justice press release:
The press release also states that the Zuckerborg will have to pay $25,000,000,000 in civil penalties.
One more time: You don’t use “social” media. “Social” media uses you.
Follow the link for details.
Tesla’s “Self-Driving” Mode . . . 0
Facebook Frolics 0
El Reg reports that the Zuckerborg is altering its terms of service so as to more thoroughly assimilate you. Here’s how the article starts:
Remember, you don’t use “social” eedia. “Social” media uses you.
Artificial? Yes. Intelligent? Not So Much. 0
Going rogue? At The Japan Times, Cory Alpert warns that “(w)e are entering an era in which AI systems can interpret instructions in unexpected ways, including by breaking the law.”
Artificial? Yes. Intelligent? Not So Much. 0
A tool for thievery? Via The Sacramento Bee, Tobi Opeyemi Amure and Celine Provini follow the money trail.
Facebook Frolics 0
Ariana Bindman warns you not to fall for the Zuckerborg’s latest strategy for assimilating all before it, via the “personal assistant” dubbed “muse.” Here’s a tiny bit from her article:
Ultimately, Muse isn’t really a personal assistant — it’s a digital panopticon disguised as an imp.
Follow the link for her reasoning, and, remember, you are not using “social” media. “Social” media companies are using you.
The Psyop 0
Daniel McCarthy argues that Big Tech is plotting to fool us into thinking that AI is alive, rather than an algorithm on steroids. He argues that
Giving the machine a name was cute — giving it human rights isn’t.
What Anthropic’s leaders are up to is an attack on human dignity, and the anti-cruelty policy is part of a sustained campaign to get people to treat AI as conscious.
I commend the entire piece to your attention.
Artificial? Yes. Intelligent? Not So Much. 0
A reliable police informant? Per WPVI Philadelphia, “(a)n Anthropic A.I. model submitted a false tip about an unsolved murder through a publicly accessible web form, Philadelphia police said Friday.”
Full story at the link.
Artificial? Yes. Intelligent? Not So Much. 0
A learning tool? At the Psychology Today website, Liz Nissim warns that using “AI can replace the thinking process.”
Follow the link for her reasoning.
Geeking Out 0
Magiea v. 9 with the IceWM window manager. Xclock is in the upper right; GKrellM in the lower right. And, no, I don’t know what city that is, but the wallpaper is from my collection. If you recognize the city, please tell me in the comments.
The Lake Effect 0
Last night, while watching an episode of Murdoch Mysteries, I looked up a map of Canada on Google Maps so as to understand a reference in the episode I was watching.
When I saw “Lake America” where I should have seen “Lake Huron,” I wanted to gag.
Google’s days of “don’t be evil” are clearly long behind them.