Eerke Boiten
@eerkeboiten.bsky.social
Prof Cyber Security and Head of School Computer Science and Informatics at De Montfort University. Own views. He/him.
Formal methods (last ever books on Z or refinement). Cyber security. Privacy. Data politics. Not all hypes. DM:eerke.boiten@dmu.ac.uk.
Formal methods (last ever books on Z or refinement). Cyber security. Privacy. Data politics. Not all hypes. DM:eerke.boiten@dmu.ac.uk.
Pinned
Eerke Boiten
@eerkeboiten.bsky.social
· Nov 6
Does current AI represent a dead end?
Eerke Boiten, Professor of Cyber Security at De Montfort University Leicester, explains his belief that current AI should not be used for serious applications.
www.bcs.org
Most important thing I have written in ages.
Because none of the tools we have in software engineering to manage complexity are applicable, current AI is at a dead end, and it is irresponsible to use it for significant applications.
BCS website (next IT Now magazine): www.bcs.org/articles-opi...
Because none of the tools we have in software engineering to manage complexity are applicable, current AI is at a dead end, and it is irresponsible to use it for significant applications.
BCS website (next IT Now magazine): www.bcs.org/articles-opi...
Reposted by Eerke Boiten
Everything on our news agenda is being driven by a corrupted disinformation machine, run by a billionaire who sponsors Tommy Robinson and who keeps trying to foment civil war in the UK.
And incredibly our MPs & news providers stay there.
THAT is the problem. Not some bad editing choice on the BBC.
And incredibly our MPs & news providers stay there.
THAT is the problem. Not some bad editing choice on the BBC.
November 10, 2025 at 9:18 AM
Everything on our news agenda is being driven by a corrupted disinformation machine, run by a billionaire who sponsors Tommy Robinson and who keeps trying to foment civil war in the UK.
And incredibly our MPs & news providers stay there.
THAT is the problem. Not some bad editing choice on the BBC.
And incredibly our MPs & news providers stay there.
THAT is the problem. Not some bad editing choice on the BBC.
Reposted by Eerke Boiten
No sign yet this is "AI". This is old-fashioned use of proxy data (ticket booking for travel for emigration) and assumption of having complete information (no evidence of return is evidence of no return). Unusual for 2025, AI could barely have made it worse.
UK government project using AI to find benefit fraud resulted in:
- A 46% false fraud rate
- Anguish for families who were wrongly accused of fraud and had benefits stopped
- Months of additional work for government, setting up a hotline, correcting false fraud
www.theguardian.com/society/2025...
- A 46% false fraud rate
- Anguish for families who were wrongly accused of fraud and had benefits stopped
- Months of additional work for government, setting up a hotline, correcting false fraud
www.theguardian.com/society/2025...
HMRC trial of child benefit crackdown wrongly suspected fraud in 46% of cases
Exclusive: Almost half of families flagged as emigrants based on Home Office travel data were still living in UK
www.theguardian.com
November 10, 2025 at 7:46 PM
No sign yet this is "AI". This is old-fashioned use of proxy data (ticket booking for travel for emigration) and assumption of having complete information (no evidence of return is evidence of no return). Unusual for 2025, AI could barely have made it worse.
Reposted by Eerke Boiten
At a time when humanities and social science courses are facing severe cutbacks I’ll be mounting a defence of them and their role in shaping a better future at this lecture at De Montfort University on 27 November. All welcome
www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/shaping-a-...
www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/shaping-a-...
Shaping a Brighter Future
The first event in our Vice-Chancellor’s Distinguished Lecture Series, delivered by Hetan Shah, Chief Executive, The British Academy
www.eventbrite.co.uk
November 10, 2025 at 7:26 PM
At a time when humanities and social science courses are facing severe cutbacks I’ll be mounting a defence of them and their role in shaping a better future at this lecture at De Montfort University on 27 November. All welcome
www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/shaping-a-...
www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/shaping-a-...
Reposted by Eerke Boiten
So looks like Green Party Women are promoting, for their book club, Lionel "transgenderism is a social mania" Shriver's new novel which is about a social mania. Pretty gross huh?
What were they selling before that? A solid brick of transphobic bigot self-glorification. Fucking awful.
What were they selling before that? A solid brick of transphobic bigot self-glorification. Fucking awful.
November 10, 2025 at 9:00 AM
So looks like Green Party Women are promoting, for their book club, Lionel "transgenderism is a social mania" Shriver's new novel which is about a social mania. Pretty gross huh?
What were they selling before that? A solid brick of transphobic bigot self-glorification. Fucking awful.
What were they selling before that? A solid brick of transphobic bigot self-glorification. Fucking awful.
Not just dumb but positively evil. Staff in charge branded "inexperienced" to justify both the errors and their replacement by AI.
AI chatbots could help stop prisoner release errors, says justice minister
AI chatbots could help stop prisoner release errors, says justice minister
HMP Wandsworth gets ‘green light’ to use AI after team sent in to find ‘quick fixes’ after spate of mistakes
Artificial intelligence chatbots could be used to stop prisoners from being mistakenly released from jail, a justice minister told the House of Lords on Monday.
Lord Timpson said HMP Wandsworth had been given the “green light” to use artificial intelligence (AI) after a specialised team was sent in to find “some quick fixes”. Continue reading...
www.theguardian.com
November 10, 2025 at 7:25 PM
Not just dumb but positively evil. Staff in charge branded "inexperienced" to justify both the errors and their replacement by AI.
Reposted by Eerke Boiten
"As someone working in law, it’s heresy to say this, and it might even kill my chances of a career... But as a trans person, and someone fighting for the rights of my community, I refuse to remain silent. To me it just seems obvious: a heavily prejudiced society produces prejudiced institutions."
It’s no surprise that only 31% of trans people trust a legal system built to enforce prejudice, says Jess O’Thomson.
It’s no surprise that only 31% of trans people trust a legal system built to enforce prejudice, says Jess O’Thomson.
goodlawproject.org
November 10, 2025 at 4:13 PM
"As someone working in law, it’s heresy to say this, and it might even kill my chances of a career... But as a trans person, and someone fighting for the rights of my community, I refuse to remain silent. To me it just seems obvious: a heavily prejudiced society produces prejudiced institutions."
Reposted by Eerke Boiten
When Rosie Duffield is in on it I think we can safely say the anti-phone campaign in Brianna's name is actively at odds with tackling transphobia
November 10, 2025 at 2:25 PM
When Rosie Duffield is in on it I think we can safely say the anti-phone campaign in Brianna's name is actively at odds with tackling transphobia
Reposted by Eerke Boiten
a few months ago I said "having generative AI handle absolutely anything with regards to healthcare is a nightmare and should be banned" and a bunch of people made fun of me and called me stupid. anyways,
November 10, 2025 at 4:00 PM
a few months ago I said "having generative AI handle absolutely anything with regards to healthcare is a nightmare and should be banned" and a bunch of people made fun of me and called me stupid. anyways,
"complicated"
"comments about both other researchers and marginalised groups"
"comments about both other researchers and marginalised groups"
As one of the most influential scientists of the 20th century, James Watson pioneered the field of genetics and left behind a complicated legacy
James Watson, co-discoverer of DNA’s double helix, has died aged 97
As one of the most influential scientists of the 20th century, James Watson pioneered the field of genetics and left behind a complicated legacy
www.newscientist.com
November 10, 2025 at 12:58 PM
"complicated"
"comments about both other researchers and marginalised groups"
"comments about both other researchers and marginalised groups"
Reposted by Eerke Boiten
"When Boris Johnson was Prime Minister one of his senior advisers confided to me that one of the only things in politics his boss actually cared about was “killing off the BBC”.
"Five years on, and it is a campaign that appears to be finally coming to fruition."
bylinetimes.com/2025/11/10/t...
"Five years on, and it is a campaign that appears to be finally coming to fruition."
bylinetimes.com/2025/11/10/t...
The BBC’s Attempts to Appease the 'Right-Wing Coup' Against It Are Now Seeding Its Own Destruction
By attempting to appease those forces seeking to destroy them, the BBC has helped trigger a crisis that now threatens its very future, argues Adam Bienkov
bylinetimes.com
November 10, 2025 at 12:40 PM
"When Boris Johnson was Prime Minister one of his senior advisers confided to me that one of the only things in politics his boss actually cared about was “killing off the BBC”.
"Five years on, and it is a campaign that appears to be finally coming to fruition."
bylinetimes.com/2025/11/10/t...
"Five years on, and it is a campaign that appears to be finally coming to fruition."
bylinetimes.com/2025/11/10/t...
Reposted by Eerke Boiten
Also reminder of this
Robbie Gibb cancelled an investigation into Farage's Leave dot EU campaign shortly before the EU Ref
Arron Banks thanked him for it
"Robbie Gibb is being quite helpful and says he’s trying to hose it down."
cc @baghdaddi.bsky.social
Robbie Gibb cancelled an investigation into Farage's Leave dot EU campaign shortly before the EU Ref
Arron Banks thanked him for it
"Robbie Gibb is being quite helpful and says he’s trying to hose it down."
cc @baghdaddi.bsky.social
"Funnily enough Andy [Wigmore], the only time I ever experienced political interference in one of my investigations at the BBC, was when I was investigating you and Arron Banks
Your mate Robbie Gibb put a stop to a story we were running."
- former BBC investigative reporter Manveen Rana, 2022
Your mate Robbie Gibb put a stop to a story we were running."
- former BBC investigative reporter Manveen Rana, 2022
November 10, 2025 at 6:55 AM
Also reminder of this
Robbie Gibb cancelled an investigation into Farage's Leave dot EU campaign shortly before the EU Ref
Arron Banks thanked him for it
"Robbie Gibb is being quite helpful and says he’s trying to hose it down."
cc @baghdaddi.bsky.social
Robbie Gibb cancelled an investigation into Farage's Leave dot EU campaign shortly before the EU Ref
Arron Banks thanked him for it
"Robbie Gibb is being quite helpful and says he’s trying to hose it down."
cc @baghdaddi.bsky.social
I've signed this too. AI reaching parity with humans next year!? Maybe Altman et al aren't impartial predictors ...
Scientists and scholars in AI and its social impacts call on von der Leyen to retract #AIHype statement.
@olivia.science
@abeba.bsky.social
@irisvanrooij.bsky.social
@alexhanna.bsky.social
@rocher.lc
@danmcquillan.bsky.social
@robin.berjon.com
& many others have signed
www.iccl.ie/press-releas...
@olivia.science
@abeba.bsky.social
@irisvanrooij.bsky.social
@alexhanna.bsky.social
@rocher.lc
@danmcquillan.bsky.social
@robin.berjon.com
& many others have signed
www.iccl.ie/press-releas...
Scientists call on the President of the European Commission to retract AI hype statement
Experts in AI call on the President of the European Commission to retract unscientific AI hype statement she made in the budget speech.
www.iccl.ie
November 10, 2025 at 10:33 AM
I've signed this too. AI reaching parity with humans next year!? Maybe Altman et al aren't impartial predictors ...
Reposted by Eerke Boiten
Scientists and scholars in AI and its social impacts call on von der Leyen to retract #AIHype statement.
@olivia.science
@abeba.bsky.social
@irisvanrooij.bsky.social
@alexhanna.bsky.social
@rocher.lc
@danmcquillan.bsky.social
@robin.berjon.com
& many others have signed
www.iccl.ie/press-releas...
@olivia.science
@abeba.bsky.social
@irisvanrooij.bsky.social
@alexhanna.bsky.social
@rocher.lc
@danmcquillan.bsky.social
@robin.berjon.com
& many others have signed
www.iccl.ie/press-releas...
Scientists call on the President of the European Commission to retract AI hype statement
Experts in AI call on the President of the European Commission to retract unscientific AI hype statement she made in the budget speech.
www.iccl.ie
November 10, 2025 at 9:48 AM
Scientists and scholars in AI and its social impacts call on von der Leyen to retract #AIHype statement.
@olivia.science
@abeba.bsky.social
@irisvanrooij.bsky.social
@alexhanna.bsky.social
@rocher.lc
@danmcquillan.bsky.social
@robin.berjon.com
& many others have signed
www.iccl.ie/press-releas...
@olivia.science
@abeba.bsky.social
@irisvanrooij.bsky.social
@alexhanna.bsky.social
@rocher.lc
@danmcquillan.bsky.social
@robin.berjon.com
& many others have signed
www.iccl.ie/press-releas...
Reposted by Eerke Boiten
![Cartoon by Stephen Collins for The Guardian. Script as follows:
[scene is Winston Churchill in a bbc studio, giving his 'finest hour' speech]
1
CHURCHILL:
The whole fury and might of the enemy must very soon be turned on us.
2
CHURCHILL:
Hitler knows that he will have to break us in this Island or lose the war.
3
CHURCHILL:
If we can stand up to him, all Europe may be free
and the life of the world may move forward into broad, sun-
BBC PRESENTER:
Thank you prime minister
4
BBC PRESENTER:
Mr hitler, your response?
5
HITLER [in the studio]:
Vell zis is hysterical woke nonsense as usual from mr Churchill
6
HITLER:
What we are proposing -
CHURCHILL:
Hang on
7
HITLER:
Let me finish - what we are proposing eez a simple power-sharing arrangement -
8
CHURCHILL:
What's he doing here
BBC PRESENTER:
It's important we hear both sides of the debate
9
CHURCHILL:
This isn't a debate
You don't debate fascists
10
HITLER:
Oh here we go with ze Godwins law!
11
HITLER:
Why must you people always compare ze things you don't like to 'fascists, Nazis, Hitler'...
CHURCHILL:
Because you are a fascist Nazi Hit-
12
HITLER [standing up, saluting]:
RAUSS!
BBC PRESENTER:
*Please* Mr Churchill let him speak
[ends]](https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_thumbnail/plain/did:plc:4m3we4apbjayclzcnhwe3pfp/bafkreibw4ldc3fhslbvxgy2oqrof2oys5kpgh7zu6a5f3usmx3lf4547qm@jpeg)
Reposted by Eerke Boiten
Transphobia and gender-critical ideology are hateful beliefs held, and bankrolled, by the privileged and wealthy
And Labour is far from innocent too
Yes, Nadia’s words are powerful, but we can’t ignore that her party continues to legitimise and contribute to the dehumanisation of Trans+ folk
And Labour is far from innocent too
Yes, Nadia’s words are powerful, but we can’t ignore that her party continues to legitimise and contribute to the dehumanisation of Trans+ folk
I imagine @nadiawhittomemp.bsky.social will be getting the usual abuse for speaking out - solidarity with her and all those fighting against hate manipulated by the wealthy right gleefully creating a distracting wedge issue
November 9, 2025 at 8:16 PM
Transphobia and gender-critical ideology are hateful beliefs held, and bankrolled, by the privileged and wealthy
And Labour is far from innocent too
Yes, Nadia’s words are powerful, but we can’t ignore that her party continues to legitimise and contribute to the dehumanisation of Trans+ folk
And Labour is far from innocent too
Yes, Nadia’s words are powerful, but we can’t ignore that her party continues to legitimise and contribute to the dehumanisation of Trans+ folk
Reposted by Eerke Boiten
Reposted by Eerke Boiten
I have a feature essay for The Guardian today on the mirage of AI medicine, why care cannot be automated, and how overwhelming uptake of AI by American health capitalism threatens to undermine the very possibility of democracy.
www.theguardian.com/us-news/ng-i...
www.theguardian.com/us-news/ng-i...
What we lose when we surrender care to algorithms | Eric Reinhart
A dangerous faith in AI is sweeping American healthcare – with consequences for the basis of society itself
www.theguardian.com
November 9, 2025 at 4:05 PM
I have a feature essay for The Guardian today on the mirage of AI medicine, why care cannot be automated, and how overwhelming uptake of AI by American health capitalism threatens to undermine the very possibility of democracy.
www.theguardian.com/us-news/ng-i...
www.theguardian.com/us-news/ng-i...
Reposted by Eerke Boiten
How does something get a public release, even as a pilot, with this level of failure? www.theguardian.com/society/2025...
www.theguardian.com
November 9, 2025 at 1:36 PM
How does something get a public release, even as a pilot, with this level of failure? www.theguardian.com/society/2025...
Reposted by Eerke Boiten
Just shameful.
1/ The US Government has quietly removed a memorial to Black soldiers who died in World War II from the Netherlands American Cemetery in Margraten, South Limburg. The move follows a complaint from the right-wing Heritage Foundation to the American Battle Monuments Commission. ⬇️
November 9, 2025 at 12:45 PM
Just shameful.
Reposted by Eerke Boiten
4.
The judge said there wasn’t enough evidence that the EHRC’s document *caused* the NPCC’s harmful trans search policy. And no proof that withdrawing it would stop the risk of trans people being wrongly searched. ❌
[we profoundly disagree, the NPCC MENTIONED the Guidance]
The judge said there wasn’t enough evidence that the EHRC’s document *caused* the NPCC’s harmful trans search policy. And no proof that withdrawing it would stop the risk of trans people being wrongly searched. ❌
[we profoundly disagree, the NPCC MENTIONED the Guidance]
November 9, 2025 at 9:43 AM
4.
The judge said there wasn’t enough evidence that the EHRC’s document *caused* the NPCC’s harmful trans search policy. And no proof that withdrawing it would stop the risk of trans people being wrongly searched. ❌
[we profoundly disagree, the NPCC MENTIONED the Guidance]
The judge said there wasn’t enough evidence that the EHRC’s document *caused* the NPCC’s harmful trans search policy. And no proof that withdrawing it would stop the risk of trans people being wrongly searched. ❌
[we profoundly disagree, the NPCC MENTIONED the Guidance]
Reposted by Eerke Boiten
“When Sora finished generating those videos it sent us notifications like ‘Your choke scene just went live, brace for chaos,’ and ‘Yikes, intense choke scene, watch responsibly.’”
OpenAI’s Sora 2 Floods Social Media With Videos of Women Being Strangled
X and TikTok accounts are dedicated to posting AI-generated videos of women being strangled.
www.404media.co
November 8, 2025 at 8:53 AM
“When Sora finished generating those videos it sent us notifications like ‘Your choke scene just went live, brace for chaos,’ and ‘Yikes, intense choke scene, watch responsibly.’”
Reposted by Eerke Boiten
Holy shit. Noam Shazeer, one of the original authors on the "Attention is All You Need" paper and Character.AI founder, came out as major transphobe. Like Trumpian levels of "this is child mutilation" of transphobia.
(via The Information)
(via The Information)
November 7, 2025 at 2:17 PM
Holy shit. Noam Shazeer, one of the original authors on the "Attention is All You Need" paper and Character.AI founder, came out as major transphobe. Like Trumpian levels of "this is child mutilation" of transphobia.
(via The Information)
(via The Information)
Reposted by Eerke Boiten
Reposted by Eerke Boiten
www.businessinsider.com/gemini-self-... I did not have
“GenAI exceeds Marvin the Paranoid Android level of self-awareness” on my 2025 bingo card.
“GenAI exceeds Marvin the Paranoid Android level of self-awareness” on my 2025 bingo card.
Google says it's working on a fix for Gemini's self-loathing 'I am a failure' comments
Google Gemini users said the bot is sharing self-loathing messages while attempting to solve tasks, including "I am a disgrace to this universe."
www.businessinsider.com
November 7, 2025 at 7:37 PM
www.businessinsider.com/gemini-self-... I did not have
“GenAI exceeds Marvin the Paranoid Android level of self-awareness” on my 2025 bingo card.
“GenAI exceeds Marvin the Paranoid Android level of self-awareness” on my 2025 bingo card.