Sarah Carmichael
@carmichaelsk.bsky.social
Geologist who studies tiny minerals that tell big stories. Professor at App State, Nat Geo Explorer, EC50'22. Opinions my own.
Reposted by Sarah Carmichael
‘Novice workers who rely heavily on AI to complete unfamiliar tasks may compromise their own skill acquisition… We find that AI use impairs conceptual understanding, code reading, and debugging abilities, without delivering significant efficiency gains on average.’
arxiv.org/pdf/2601.20245
arxiv.org/pdf/2601.20245
February 3, 2026 at 9:00 PM
‘Novice workers who rely heavily on AI to complete unfamiliar tasks may compromise their own skill acquisition… We find that AI use impairs conceptual understanding, code reading, and debugging abilities, without delivering significant efficiency gains on average.’
arxiv.org/pdf/2601.20245
arxiv.org/pdf/2601.20245
Reposted by Sarah Carmichael
As these teens describe, AI can diminish human relationships; devalue art; threaten the environment; lead to laziness; give unreliable results; pose privacy concerns; and be misused.
So, please, stop with the narratives of inevitability and let's embrace a pedagogy and politics of refusal.
So, please, stop with the narratives of inevitability and let's embrace a pedagogy and politics of refusal.
7 Reasons Teens Say No to AI
Some young people only turn to artificial-intelligence chatbots as a last resort, citing concerns about relationships, creativity, the environment and more.
www.wsj.com
February 1, 2026 at 10:24 PM
As these teens describe, AI can diminish human relationships; devalue art; threaten the environment; lead to laziness; give unreliable results; pose privacy concerns; and be misused.
So, please, stop with the narratives of inevitability and let's embrace a pedagogy and politics of refusal.
So, please, stop with the narratives of inevitability and let's embrace a pedagogy and politics of refusal.
Reposted by Sarah Carmichael
The American Dream adage of "you can be rich if you work hard" serves only to convince the rich that they have worked hard.
January 27, 2026 at 6:40 PM
The American Dream adage of "you can be rich if you work hard" serves only to convince the rich that they have worked hard.
Reposted by Sarah Carmichael
Just found this tacked up at the college at which I teach, which has recently signed a deal with Anthropic, which stole 6 of my books and books by 131 colleagues.
January 29, 2026 at 5:28 PM
Just found this tacked up at the college at which I teach, which has recently signed a deal with Anthropic, which stole 6 of my books and books by 131 colleagues.
I hate everything.
NEW: The Transportation Department, which oversees the safety of airplanes, cars and pipelines, plans to use Google Gemini to draft new regulations.
“We don’t need the perfect rule,” said DOT’s top lawyer. “We want good enough.”
By @jessecoburn.bsky.social
“We don’t need the perfect rule,” said DOT’s top lawyer. “We want good enough.”
By @jessecoburn.bsky.social
Government by AI? Trump Administration Plans to Write Regulations Using Artificial Intelligence
The Transportation Department, which oversees the safety of airplanes, cars and pipelines, plans to use Google Gemini to draft new regulations. “We don’t need the perfect rule,” said DOT’s top lawyer....
www.propublica.org
January 27, 2026 at 12:47 PM
I hate everything.
Reposted by Sarah Carmichael
Córy Doctorow with another verbal bullseye: pluralistic.net/2026/01/13/n...
January 18, 2026 at 5:29 PM
Córy Doctorow with another verbal bullseye: pluralistic.net/2026/01/13/n...
Reposted by Sarah Carmichael
I have some bad news. One, if you need to use ChatGPT for your graduate application letter, you are not ready for graduate school.
Two, no, not "everyone is doing it" and those who don't do it aren't "losing out." ChatGPT is not an advantage.
Two, no, not "everyone is doing it" and those who don't do it aren't "losing out." ChatGPT is not an advantage.
An impressive number of graduate applications this year used the phrase “curiosity-driven approach” 🤔
January 17, 2026 at 10:46 PM
I have some bad news. One, if you need to use ChatGPT for your graduate application letter, you are not ready for graduate school.
Two, no, not "everyone is doing it" and those who don't do it aren't "losing out." ChatGPT is not an advantage.
Two, no, not "everyone is doing it" and those who don't do it aren't "losing out." ChatGPT is not an advantage.
Reposted by Sarah Carmichael
“Everybody came, partly to see the girl geophysicist, but also to hear what the revolution could mean for them.”
Absolutely delighted by this story of my friend, mentor, & scientific hero, TANYA ATWATER ⚒️ 🌊 🧪
www.hcn.org/issues/58-1/...
h/t @floragraham.bsky.social
cc @drwendyrocks.bsky.social
Absolutely delighted by this story of my friend, mentor, & scientific hero, TANYA ATWATER ⚒️ 🌊 🧪
www.hcn.org/issues/58-1/...
h/t @floragraham.bsky.social
cc @drwendyrocks.bsky.social
How plate tectonics revolutionized our understanding of Earth - High Country News
And how scientist Tanya Atwater was at the center of it all.
www.hcn.org
January 17, 2026 at 1:49 AM
“Everybody came, partly to see the girl geophysicist, but also to hear what the revolution could mean for them.”
Absolutely delighted by this story of my friend, mentor, & scientific hero, TANYA ATWATER ⚒️ 🌊 🧪
www.hcn.org/issues/58-1/...
h/t @floragraham.bsky.social
cc @drwendyrocks.bsky.social
Absolutely delighted by this story of my friend, mentor, & scientific hero, TANYA ATWATER ⚒️ 🌊 🧪
www.hcn.org/issues/58-1/...
h/t @floragraham.bsky.social
cc @drwendyrocks.bsky.social
Reposted by Sarah Carmichael
In the most desolate, American techno-fascist story one can imagine: ICE descends on a data center construction site in Louisiana to abduct workers.
www.bloomberg.com/news/article...
www.bloomberg.com/news/article...
Immigration Officers Descend on Meta Data Center, Arrest Drivers
Federal immigration officers targeted a construction site in rural Louisiana where Meta Platforms Inc. is building its largest data center, leading to the arrest of two individuals, according to local...
www.bloomberg.com
January 15, 2026 at 4:06 PM
In the most desolate, American techno-fascist story one can imagine: ICE descends on a data center construction site in Louisiana to abduct workers.
www.bloomberg.com/news/article...
www.bloomberg.com/news/article...
Reposted by Sarah Carmichael
Today is one of those days where I’m struck anew by how *bad* the internet has gotten. It’s almost unusable. Clouds, apps, advertising — nothing is where it should be and it’s nigh impossible sometimes to do basic tasks online.
January 6, 2026 at 9:05 PM
Today is one of those days where I’m struck anew by how *bad* the internet has gotten. It’s almost unusable. Clouds, apps, advertising — nothing is where it should be and it’s nigh impossible sometimes to do basic tasks online.
Reposted by Sarah Carmichael
If you have to train students to recognize when a *university provided* resource is lying to them, maybe the university should not provide that resource.
December 12, 2025 at 10:54 AM
If you have to train students to recognize when a *university provided* resource is lying to them, maybe the university should not provide that resource.
Reposted by Sarah Carmichael
They're going to *throw out* one-of-a-kind NASA archives?!
Not even a year since the Inauguration & we're already at the 2nd-time-as-farce version of the burning of the Library of Alexandria.
Not even a year since the Inauguration & we're already at the 2nd-time-as-farce version of the burning of the Library of Alexandria.
December 31, 2025 at 7:55 PM
They're going to *throw out* one-of-a-kind NASA archives?!
Not even a year since the Inauguration & we're already at the 2nd-time-as-farce version of the burning of the Library of Alexandria.
Not even a year since the Inauguration & we're already at the 2nd-time-as-farce version of the burning of the Library of Alexandria.
Reposted by Sarah Carmichael
I can hear @olivia.science now — "What fresh hell is this." Well, it's a doozy, that's for sure. The year ends with all sorts of heLLM nonsense! www.the-geyser.com/can-you-retr...
Can You Retract from an LLM?
Atomized, tokenized, and weighted, papers may not be addressable anymore
www.the-geyser.com
December 29, 2025 at 12:57 PM
I can hear @olivia.science now — "What fresh hell is this." Well, it's a doozy, that's for sure. The year ends with all sorts of heLLM nonsense! www.the-geyser.com/can-you-retr...
Reposted by Sarah Carmichael
No one says to legit business owners, "hey I see there's an underground market selling toxic knock-offs of your product: how will you incorporate the toxic product AND protect your customers against its harms?" But apparently it's fine to make this suggestion to educators with respect to AI.
December 24, 2025 at 7:56 PM
No one says to legit business owners, "hey I see there's an underground market selling toxic knock-offs of your product: how will you incorporate the toxic product AND protect your customers against its harms?" But apparently it's fine to make this suggestion to educators with respect to AI.
Reposted by Sarah Carmichael
It is EXHAUSTING not only being made responsible for coming up with new kinds of assignments for our students; it's also tedious reading op-eds that suggest the core problem is a crisis in teaching. But, as Chris and I lay out here, this isn't a crisis in teaching; it's an attack on learning.
"We envision a resistance that is...a repudiation of the efficiencies that automated algorithmic education falsely promises: a resistance comprising the collective force of small acts of friction."
"How to Resist AI in Education" by me & @cnygren.bsky.social
www.publicbooks.org/four-frictio...
"How to Resist AI in Education" by me & @cnygren.bsky.social
www.publicbooks.org/four-frictio...
Four Frictions: or, How to Resist AI in Education - Public Books
We are calling for resistance to the AI industry’s ongoing capture of higher education.
www.publicbooks.org
December 24, 2025 at 7:39 PM
It is EXHAUSTING not only being made responsible for coming up with new kinds of assignments for our students; it's also tedious reading op-eds that suggest the core problem is a crisis in teaching. But, as Chris and I lay out here, this isn't a crisis in teaching; it's an attack on learning.
Reposted by Sarah Carmichael
I've started to see arguments that we have to get used to AI Slop coding even if it isn't great, because it's fast. Humans could go faster, too, if they're allowed to turn in stuff that only sometimes works. Such a fascinating double standard that will in no way come back to haunt, naw.
December 26, 2025 at 5:10 PM
I've started to see arguments that we have to get used to AI Slop coding even if it isn't great, because it's fast. Humans could go faster, too, if they're allowed to turn in stuff that only sometimes works. Such a fascinating double standard that will in no way come back to haunt, naw.
fiman.nc.gov
There are now flood gauges on the New River! As of December, we finally have river gauges on the North Fork! This is a Christmas present I never would have imagined I'd be so thrilled about, until Helene hit last year. Thank you thank you thank you NC government!
There are now flood gauges on the New River! As of December, we finally have river gauges on the North Fork! This is a Christmas present I never would have imagined I'd be so thrilled about, until Helene hit last year. Thank you thank you thank you NC government!
NC FIMAN
NC FLOOD INUNDATION MAPPING AND ALERT NETWORK (FIMAN)
fiman.nc.gov
December 26, 2025 at 1:41 AM
fiman.nc.gov
There are now flood gauges on the New River! As of December, we finally have river gauges on the North Fork! This is a Christmas present I never would have imagined I'd be so thrilled about, until Helene hit last year. Thank you thank you thank you NC government!
There are now flood gauges on the New River! As of December, we finally have river gauges on the North Fork! This is a Christmas present I never would have imagined I'd be so thrilled about, until Helene hit last year. Thank you thank you thank you NC government!
Reposted by Sarah Carmichael
I've learned a lot of stuff in my life that I rarely have reason to use, but I've also learned a lot of stuff that I never expected to need to use and do use regularly, and the larger point is that there is value to being an educated person, without everything needing to be instrumentalized.
December 21, 2025 at 2:08 PM
I've learned a lot of stuff in my life that I rarely have reason to use, but I've also learned a lot of stuff that I never expected to need to use and do use regularly, and the larger point is that there is value to being an educated person, without everything needing to be instrumentalized.
Reposted by Sarah Carmichael
I do not want to enable location services. I do not want to create an account. I do not want to sign up for special offers and news about your product. I would like to engage in a simple transaction where I give you money in exchange for a good.
September 30, 2025 at 1:30 AM
I do not want to enable location services. I do not want to create an account. I do not want to sign up for special offers and news about your product. I would like to engage in a simple transaction where I give you money in exchange for a good.
Reposted by Sarah Carmichael
if tumblr dies I need this video to make it's seasonal rotation here instead just in case, Happy holidays 🎄
December 18, 2025 at 2:05 AM
if tumblr dies I need this video to make it's seasonal rotation here instead just in case, Happy holidays 🎄
Reposted by Sarah Carmichael
Academics and technologists are sounding the alarm about a growing crisis in scholarship as we know it: AI-generated citations of nonexistent papers that have infested real journals. Despite being fake, the sources are widely assumed to be authentic the more they appear in published literature.
AI Is Inventing Academic Papers That Don't Exist -- And They're Being Cited in Real Journals
Academic articles from authors using large language model are creating an ecosystem of fake research that threatens human knowledge itself.
www.rollingstone.com
December 17, 2025 at 7:45 PM
Academics and technologists are sounding the alarm about a growing crisis in scholarship as we know it: AI-generated citations of nonexistent papers that have infested real journals. Despite being fake, the sources are widely assumed to be authentic the more they appear in published literature.
Reposted by Sarah Carmichael
"Grandiose promises that technology will improve education are nothing new. Such promises have been a refrain for decades. It is remarkable how little they have changed and how consistently they have failed to deliver."
"We envision a resistance that is...a repudiation of the efficiencies that automated algorithmic education falsely promises: a resistance comprising the collective force of small acts of friction."
"How to Resist AI in Education" by me & @cnygren.bsky.social
www.publicbooks.org/four-frictio...
"How to Resist AI in Education" by me & @cnygren.bsky.social
www.publicbooks.org/four-frictio...
Four Frictions: or, How to Resist AI in Education - Public Books
We are calling for resistance to the AI industry’s ongoing capture of higher education.
www.publicbooks.org
December 16, 2025 at 6:14 PM
"Grandiose promises that technology will improve education are nothing new. Such promises have been a refrain for decades. It is remarkable how little they have changed and how consistently they have failed to deliver."
Reposted by Sarah Carmichael
Plus if you’re *pushing* your team to use AI and not seeing productivity gains or real impact, that just means you DO NOT NEED IT and could stop using it at any time. You’re just choosing to feed the machine that makes the world worse because fuck everyone else I guess?
December 16, 2025 at 5:22 PM
Plus if you’re *pushing* your team to use AI and not seeing productivity gains or real impact, that just means you DO NOT NEED IT and could stop using it at any time. You’re just choosing to feed the machine that makes the world worse because fuck everyone else I guess?
Reposted by Sarah Carmichael
Merriam-Webster’s human editors have chosen ‘slop’ as the 2025 Word of the Year.
December 15, 2025 at 2:07 PM
Merriam-Webster’s human editors have chosen ‘slop’ as the 2025 Word of the Year.