🌶 David Gray Widder
@davidthewid.bsky.social
Assistant Prof at UT Austin's iSchool.
Big Tech, political economy, AI hype, AI in War
trying to help computer ppl think more critically about computer, including me
art: instagram.com/davidthewid
exCMU/NASA/MSR/IntelLabs.
davidwidder.me
Big Tech, political economy, AI hype, AI in War
trying to help computer ppl think more critically about computer, including me
art: instagram.com/davidthewid
exCMU/NASA/MSR/IntelLabs.
davidwidder.me
Pinned
🪲 What is a "bug"? 🐛
Software bugs may seem obvious.
🚨But in a short piece, eminent bug expert @clegoues.bsky.social I seek to answer this seemingly simple question, and find that it is far from clear cut …
dl.acm.org/doi/10.1145/...
Software bugs may seem obvious.
🚨But in a short piece, eminent bug expert @clegoues.bsky.social I seek to answer this seemingly simple question, and find that it is far from clear cut …
dl.acm.org/doi/10.1145/...
Reposted by 🌶 David Gray Widder
In a theory-building paper on a complex topic like double binds in time- and safety-critical situations, posting an inadequate summary is a disservice to our work, the literature, and earthquake survivors who generously offered their time for interviews.
GenAI summaries perpetuate lazy research.
GenAI summaries perpetuate lazy research.
December 23, 2025 at 9:50 PM
In a theory-building paper on a complex topic like double binds in time- and safety-critical situations, posting an inadequate summary is a disservice to our work, the literature, and earthquake survivors who generously offered their time for interviews.
GenAI summaries perpetuate lazy research.
GenAI summaries perpetuate lazy research.
Reposted by 🌶 David Gray Widder
U.S. military spending is set to hit a record $1 trillion.
Roughly half of defense spending goes to private contractors that routinely price-gouge the government.
Meanwhile, the Pentagon has failed EIGHT straight audits.
This is the military industrial complex on steroids.
Roughly half of defense spending goes to private contractors that routinely price-gouge the government.
Meanwhile, the Pentagon has failed EIGHT straight audits.
This is the military industrial complex on steroids.
December 22, 2025 at 11:01 PM
U.S. military spending is set to hit a record $1 trillion.
Roughly half of defense spending goes to private contractors that routinely price-gouge the government.
Meanwhile, the Pentagon has failed EIGHT straight audits.
This is the military industrial complex on steroids.
Roughly half of defense spending goes to private contractors that routinely price-gouge the government.
Meanwhile, the Pentagon has failed EIGHT straight audits.
This is the military industrial complex on steroids.
Reposted by 🌶 David Gray Widder
simply dreadful: "The Center for European Studies, the African Studies Center, the Carolina Asia Center, the Center for Middle East and Islamic Studies, the Institute for the Study of the Americas and the Center for Slavic, Eurasian and East European Studies are all slated to close"
December 18, 2025 at 2:48 AM
simply dreadful: "The Center for European Studies, the African Studies Center, the Carolina Asia Center, the Center for Middle East and Islamic Studies, the Institute for the Study of the Americas and the Center for Slavic, Eurasian and East European Studies are all slated to close"
Reposted by 🌶 David Gray Widder
🚨🚨 @utaustin.bsky.social is working to eliminate its Black studies, Latin studies, and gender studies depts -- utterly reneging on its mission and depriving students of the full educational opportunities they deserve. Please--scholars AND publishers--share & write to UT leaders. #SaveUT
October 10, 2025 at 4:16 PM
🚨🚨 @utaustin.bsky.social is working to eliminate its Black studies, Latin studies, and gender studies depts -- utterly reneging on its mission and depriving students of the full educational opportunities they deserve. Please--scholars AND publishers--share & write to UT leaders. #SaveUT
Reposted by 🌶 David Gray Widder
No one wants to watch their PhD program be eliminated. It’s nearly the same story when it’s “innovated” away.
Me & @seeshespeak.bsky.social in the Chronicle. Read it below ⬇️
www.chronicle.com/article/a-co...
Me & @seeshespeak.bsky.social in the Chronicle. Read it below ⬇️
www.chronicle.com/article/a-co...
Opinion | A Coup at Carnegie Mellon?
The university is replacing the humanities with more computers.
www.chronicle.com
December 12, 2025 at 6:44 PM
No one wants to watch their PhD program be eliminated. It’s nearly the same story when it’s “innovated” away.
Me & @seeshespeak.bsky.social in the Chronicle. Read it below ⬇️
www.chronicle.com/article/a-co...
Me & @seeshespeak.bsky.social in the Chronicle. Read it below ⬇️
www.chronicle.com/article/a-co...
Reposted by 🌶 David Gray Widder
Faculty opposed this change; current students opposed it; program alum fought it.
It’s happening anyway, because it satisfies administrative priorities and flatters the CMU “brand”—not because it’s needed or wanted, and not because it guarantees better job outcomes for program graduates.
It’s happening anyway, because it satisfies administrative priorities and flatters the CMU “brand”—not because it’s needed or wanted, and not because it guarantees better job outcomes for program graduates.
December 12, 2025 at 6:24 PM
Faculty opposed this change; current students opposed it; program alum fought it.
It’s happening anyway, because it satisfies administrative priorities and flatters the CMU “brand”—not because it’s needed or wanted, and not because it guarantees better job outcomes for program graduates.
It’s happening anyway, because it satisfies administrative priorities and flatters the CMU “brand”—not because it’s needed or wanted, and not because it guarantees better job outcomes for program graduates.
Reposted by 🌶 David Gray Widder
The LCS program at CMU was one of the oldest in the country, inspired by England’s Birmingham School ,and infused with the spirit of critique.
Computers can do many things, but they are incapable of critique. Replacing human critics-in-training with computers keeps institutions safe from criticism
Computers can do many things, but they are incapable of critique. Replacing human critics-in-training with computers keeps institutions safe from criticism
December 12, 2025 at 6:21 PM
The LCS program at CMU was one of the oldest in the country, inspired by England’s Birmingham School ,and infused with the spirit of critique.
Computers can do many things, but they are incapable of critique. Replacing human critics-in-training with computers keeps institutions safe from criticism
Computers can do many things, but they are incapable of critique. Replacing human critics-in-training with computers keeps institutions safe from criticism
Reposted by 🌶 David Gray Widder
Carnegie Mellon’s literature PhD is being liquidated in favor of “computation,” casualized labor, and AI.
That has profound ramifications for, students, faculty, and program alums like myself.
I wrote it about it (w/ Catherine Evans, a current PhD student).
www.chronicle.com/article/a-co...
That has profound ramifications for, students, faculty, and program alums like myself.
I wrote it about it (w/ Catherine Evans, a current PhD student).
www.chronicle.com/article/a-co...
Opinion | A Coup at Carnegie Mellon?
The university is replacing the humanities with more computers.
www.chronicle.com
December 12, 2025 at 6:18 PM
Carnegie Mellon’s literature PhD is being liquidated in favor of “computation,” casualized labor, and AI.
That has profound ramifications for, students, faculty, and program alums like myself.
I wrote it about it (w/ Catherine Evans, a current PhD student).
www.chronicle.com/article/a-co...
That has profound ramifications for, students, faculty, and program alums like myself.
I wrote it about it (w/ Catherine Evans, a current PhD student).
www.chronicle.com/article/a-co...
Reposted by 🌶 David Gray Widder
damn, I wish there was a way to produce interesting, high-quality journalism without this software that make things up
Literally anyone who has spent like one day in a newsroom could have predicted this. I'm just some guy and I predicted it a couple of days ago. How are these people running the Washington Post!?
www.semafor.com/article/12/1...
www.semafor.com/article/12/1...
Exclusive: Washington Post’s AI-generated podcasts rife with errors, fictional quotes
Errors in the Post’s new AI-generated podcasts have frustrated the paper’s journalists.
www.semafor.com
December 12, 2025 at 4:52 PM
damn, I wish there was a way to produce interesting, high-quality journalism without this software that make things up
Reposted by 🌶 David Gray Widder
I wonder how many of the cars parked around NYPD precincts (both department and personal vehicles) are really being used for police work, and how many are just sort of littered about for very occasional use in these various petty grifts nypost.com/2025/12/06/u...
December 7, 2025 at 4:06 PM
I wonder how many of the cars parked around NYPD precincts (both department and personal vehicles) are really being used for police work, and how many are just sort of littered about for very occasional use in these various petty grifts nypost.com/2025/12/06/u...
Reposted by 🌶 David Gray Widder
This is in fact the material point:
“The essay not only fails to meet basic college requirements — such as citing its primary source, the Bible — but fundamentally missed the assignment’s objective,” Tranquill said.
“The essay not only fails to meet basic college requirements — such as citing its primary source, the Bible — but fundamentally missed the assignment’s objective,” Tranquill said.
‘The professor was right’: Oklahoma Republican college leader criticizes essay controversy
The chairman of the Oklahoma Federation of College Republicans is weighing in on controversy surrounding a failed essay submitted by a University of Oklahoma student.
www.kswo.com
December 7, 2025 at 2:28 AM
This is in fact the material point:
“The essay not only fails to meet basic college requirements — such as citing its primary source, the Bible — but fundamentally missed the assignment’s objective,” Tranquill said.
“The essay not only fails to meet basic college requirements — such as citing its primary source, the Bible — but fundamentally missed the assignment’s objective,” Tranquill said.
Also lol "Glitter-glue-as-a-service (GGAAS)"
I would actually pay a subscription for that.
I would actually pay a subscription for that.
I wrote a little Christmas satire of tech hype and the environment called "SparkleTek."
It's always a glitter revolution. Every. Damn. Time.
medium.com/@dnafus/spar...
It's always a glitter revolution. Every. Damn. Time.
medium.com/@dnafus/spar...
SparkleTek
The problem with glitter is it gets everywhere
medium.com
December 4, 2025 at 11:20 PM
Also lol "Glitter-glue-as-a-service (GGAAS)"
I would actually pay a subscription for that.
I would actually pay a subscription for that.
"The third feature of SparkleTek season is that you can’t exactly opt out. [...] the media is always banging on about it, wherever you go. That means that folks who just aren’t that into glitter have a tough time."
Excellent xmas satire from @dawnnafus.bsky.social :)
Excellent xmas satire from @dawnnafus.bsky.social :)
I wrote a little Christmas satire of tech hype and the environment called "SparkleTek."
It's always a glitter revolution. Every. Damn. Time.
medium.com/@dnafus/spar...
It's always a glitter revolution. Every. Damn. Time.
medium.com/@dnafus/spar...
SparkleTek
The problem with glitter is it gets everywhere
medium.com
December 4, 2025 at 11:20 PM
"The third feature of SparkleTek season is that you can’t exactly opt out. [...] the media is always banging on about it, wherever you go. That means that folks who just aren’t that into glitter have a tough time."
Excellent xmas satire from @dawnnafus.bsky.social :)
Excellent xmas satire from @dawnnafus.bsky.social :)
Reposted by 🌶 David Gray Widder
I wrote a little Christmas satire of tech hype and the environment called "SparkleTek."
It's always a glitter revolution. Every. Damn. Time.
medium.com/@dnafus/spar...
It's always a glitter revolution. Every. Damn. Time.
medium.com/@dnafus/spar...
SparkleTek
The problem with glitter is it gets everywhere
medium.com
December 4, 2025 at 6:59 PM
I wrote a little Christmas satire of tech hype and the environment called "SparkleTek."
It's always a glitter revolution. Every. Damn. Time.
medium.com/@dnafus/spar...
It's always a glitter revolution. Every. Damn. Time.
medium.com/@dnafus/spar...
Reposted by 🌶 David Gray Widder
At UCLA + others:
“Long before President Trump adopted the allegation of antisemitism as the central tool in his crusade against higher education, university administrators…have elevated even the flimsiest reports of harm to Jewish students as justification to tamp down on pro-Palestine activism.”
“Long before President Trump adopted the allegation of antisemitism as the central tool in his crusade against higher education, university administrators…have elevated even the flimsiest reports of harm to Jewish students as justification to tamp down on pro-Palestine activism.”
Portrait of a Campus in Crisis
UCLA capitulated to its own hardline pro-Israel activists long before President Trump came calling. As a result, its students have repeatedly become…
jewishcurrents.org
December 3, 2025 at 5:04 AM
At UCLA + others:
“Long before President Trump adopted the allegation of antisemitism as the central tool in his crusade against higher education, university administrators…have elevated even the flimsiest reports of harm to Jewish students as justification to tamp down on pro-Palestine activism.”
“Long before President Trump adopted the allegation of antisemitism as the central tool in his crusade against higher education, university administrators…have elevated even the flimsiest reports of harm to Jewish students as justification to tamp down on pro-Palestine activism.”
me: "I feel like we're too in the weeds"
@aviya.bsky.social: "but I am all weeds :("
me: "HAHAHAHA honestly same"
@aviya.bsky.social: "but I am all weeds :("
me: "HAHAHAHA honestly same"
December 2, 2025 at 3:10 AM
me: "I feel like we're too in the weeds"
@aviya.bsky.social: "but I am all weeds :("
me: "HAHAHAHA honestly same"
@aviya.bsky.social: "but I am all weeds :("
me: "HAHAHAHA honestly same"
Reposted by 🌶 David Gray Widder
“AI is clearly sticking around so you have to get used to it” wrong. I don’t have to get used to shit. I am a practiced hater and I can keep this going for decades if I am required to
December 1, 2025 at 11:29 PM
“AI is clearly sticking around so you have to get used to it” wrong. I don’t have to get used to shit. I am a practiced hater and I can keep this going for decades if I am required to
Reposted by 🌶 David Gray Widder
Hi! Ich bin @hagenblix.bsky.social, ich bin Kognitions- und Sprachwissenschaftler. In den letzten Jahren hat mich vor allem das Verhältnis von Kognition und KI interessiert. Es wird ja gerne behauptet, dass KI ähnliche Dinge tue wie wir, oder sogar direkt wie unser Gehirn. 1/4
[Admin] Sprachwissenschaft und KI, im Kontext der Arbeitsgeschichte! Begrüßt unseren neuen Kurator @hagenblix.bsky.social!
realscientistsde.blogspot.com/2025/11/spra...
realscientistsde.blogspot.com/2025/11/spra...
Sprachwissenschaft und KI, im Kontext der Arbeitsgeschichte! Hagen Blix ist jetzt bei Real Scientists DE!
Diese Woche freuen wir uns auf unseren Kurator Hagen Blix ( @hagenblix.bsky.social )! Hagen ist Kognitionswissenschaftler und Linguist in N...
realscientistsde.blogspot.com
December 1, 2025 at 5:54 PM
Hi! Ich bin @hagenblix.bsky.social, ich bin Kognitions- und Sprachwissenschaftler. In den letzten Jahren hat mich vor allem das Verhältnis von Kognition und KI interessiert. Es wird ja gerne behauptet, dass KI ähnliche Dinge tue wie wir, oder sogar direkt wie unser Gehirn. 1/4
Reposted by 🌶 David Gray Widder
Canadian "sovereign AI" project: Look at this sovereign computing facility we're building in Canada! There will be so much sovereign Canadian compute here!
Facility hardware specifications: Dell, Intel, Nvidia
Facility hardware specifications: Dell, Intel, Nvidia
November 30, 2025 at 6:59 PM
Canadian "sovereign AI" project: Look at this sovereign computing facility we're building in Canada! There will be so much sovereign Canadian compute here!
Facility hardware specifications: Dell, Intel, Nvidia
Facility hardware specifications: Dell, Intel, Nvidia
Reposted by 🌶 David Gray Widder
"The ICLR 2026 team permitted authors and reviewers to use AI tools to polish text, generate experiment codes or analyse results, but mandated disclosure of such uses."
Great example of how policies that allow *any* use of AI in writing and reviewing readily give way to wholesale fabrication.
Great example of how policies that allow *any* use of AI in writing and reviewing readily give way to wholesale fabrication.
Major AI conference flooded with peer reviews written fully by AI
Controversy has erupted after 21% of manuscript reviews for an international AI conference were found to be generated by artificial intelligence.
www.nature.com
November 30, 2025 at 5:20 PM
"The ICLR 2026 team permitted authors and reviewers to use AI tools to polish text, generate experiment codes or analyse results, but mandated disclosure of such uses."
Great example of how policies that allow *any* use of AI in writing and reviewing readily give way to wholesale fabrication.
Great example of how policies that allow *any* use of AI in writing and reviewing readily give way to wholesale fabrication.
Reposted by 🌶 David Gray Widder
Many creative workers have been saying this is unethical vapor since the beginning, and we’ve been told off and mocked.
I welcome people catching up. A lot of money was burned to try and bully people to buy into gen AI.
I welcome people catching up. A lot of money was burned to try and bully people to buy into gen AI.
Three years into the generative-AI wave, demand for the technology seems surprisingly flimsy
Investors expect AI use to soar. That’s not happening
Recent surveys point to flatlining business adoption
econ.st
November 30, 2025 at 12:25 AM
Many creative workers have been saying this is unethical vapor since the beginning, and we’ve been told off and mocked.
I welcome people catching up. A lot of money was burned to try and bully people to buy into gen AI.
I welcome people catching up. A lot of money was burned to try and bully people to buy into gen AI.
Reposted by 🌶 David Gray Widder
Instead, in ten years 1/3 of academic budgets are gonna end up in the hands of five or six people in the world who own AI corporations. 
November 29, 2025 at 1:48 AM
Instead, in ten years 1/3 of academic budgets are gonna end up in the hands of five or six people in the world who own AI corporations. 
Reposted by 🌶 David Gray Widder
If universities would prioritize smaller classes and fewer bells and whistles like third-party technology contracts, a significantly bigger number of PhDs would find a position in higher education.
November 29, 2025 at 1:47 AM
If universities would prioritize smaller classes and fewer bells and whistles like third-party technology contracts, a significantly bigger number of PhDs would find a position in higher education.
Reposted by 🌶 David Gray Widder
New Yorkers BLOCK ICE from leaving their parking garage ahead of a flopped mass raid attempt on Canal Street
November 29, 2025 at 4:39 PM
New Yorkers BLOCK ICE from leaving their parking garage ahead of a flopped mass raid attempt on Canal Street