Lara Groves
@laragroves.bsky.social
Senior Researcher in AI accountability @AdaLovelaceInstitute | interested in participatory methods & research, civic tech, politics, cycling, beer |
Reposted by Lara Groves
In the intro issue of New Left Review, Stuart Hall noted, “The humanist strengths of socialism—which are the foundations for a genuinely popular socialist movement—must be developed in cultural and social terms, as well as in economic and political.“
Zohran Kwame Mamdani‘s campaign got the point!
Zohran Kwame Mamdani‘s campaign got the point!
November 5, 2025 at 12:53 AM
In the intro issue of New Left Review, Stuart Hall noted, “The humanist strengths of socialism—which are the foundations for a genuinely popular socialist movement—must be developed in cultural and social terms, as well as in economic and political.“
Zohran Kwame Mamdani‘s campaign got the point!
Zohran Kwame Mamdani‘s campaign got the point!
Reposted by Lara Groves
NVIDIA and OpenAi:
Concerns that their “increasingly complex and interconnected web of business transactions is artificially propping up the trillion-dollar AI boom.“
@bloomberg.com $NVDA 👀
www.bloomberg.com/news/feature...
Concerns that their “increasingly complex and interconnected web of business transactions is artificially propping up the trillion-dollar AI boom.“
@bloomberg.com $NVDA 👀
www.bloomberg.com/news/feature...
October 7, 2025 at 11:08 PM
NVIDIA and OpenAi:
Concerns that their “increasingly complex and interconnected web of business transactions is artificially propping up the trillion-dollar AI boom.“
@bloomberg.com $NVDA 👀
www.bloomberg.com/news/feature...
Concerns that their “increasingly complex and interconnected web of business transactions is artificially propping up the trillion-dollar AI boom.“
@bloomberg.com $NVDA 👀
www.bloomberg.com/news/feature...
Reposted by Lara Groves
Either real-time bidding data or app SDK data is being bought and used by ICE to seize people from the streets. If you didn’t believe that the adtech stack is a human rights concern, I’m not sure what more evidence you need. www.404media.co/ice-to-buy-t...
ICE to Buy Tool that Tracks Locations of Hundreds of Millions of Phones Every Day
Documents show that ICE has gone back on its decision to not use location data remotely harvested from peoples' phones. The database is updated every day with billions of pieces of location data.
www.404media.co
October 1, 2025 at 5:21 AM
Either real-time bidding data or app SDK data is being bought and used by ICE to seize people from the streets. If you didn’t believe that the adtech stack is a human rights concern, I’m not sure what more evidence you need. www.404media.co/ice-to-buy-t...
Reposted by Lara Groves
It would be good if the only political pushback against Nigel Farage's plans to mass deport hundreds of thousands of our neighbours, friends, family and colleagues didn't just come from a handful of backbench MPs and one regional mayor
September 22, 2025 at 10:29 AM
It would be good if the only political pushback against Nigel Farage's plans to mass deport hundreds of thousands of our neighbours, friends, family and colleagues didn't just come from a handful of backbench MPs and one regional mayor
Reposted by Lara Groves
The headlines — £31bn in investment, new jobs, faster medical treatments — sound almost too good to be true. What are we giving up in return?
Me in @theguardian.com on today's US-UK Tech Deal:
www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...
Me in @theguardian.com on today's US-UK Tech Deal:
www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...
The UK’s £31bn tech deal with the US might sound great – but the government has to answer these questions | Matt Davies
The big firms making these pledges are not charities. We know there will be a quid pro quo; we just don’t know what it is yet, says Matt Davies of the Ada Lovelace Institute
www.theguardian.com
September 18, 2025 at 2:51 PM
The headlines — £31bn in investment, new jobs, faster medical treatments — sound almost too good to be true. What are we giving up in return?
Me in @theguardian.com on today's US-UK Tech Deal:
www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...
Me in @theguardian.com on today's US-UK Tech Deal:
www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...
Reposted by Lara Groves
Met Police’s policy on when they use oppressive facial recognition technology is made pretty clear here…
✅ Black community celebration / event
❌ White supremacist rally
✅ Black community celebration / event
❌ White supremacist rally
September 13, 2025 at 10:18 AM
Met Police’s policy on when they use oppressive facial recognition technology is made pretty clear here…
✅ Black community celebration / event
❌ White supremacist rally
✅ Black community celebration / event
❌ White supremacist rally
Reposted by Lara Groves
Very glad to see that someone is doing the important work of aligning AI alignment. alignmentalignment.ai
Center for the Alignment of AI Alignment Centers
We align the aligners
alignmentalignment.ai
September 11, 2025 at 1:04 PM
Very glad to see that someone is doing the important work of aligning AI alignment. alignmentalignment.ai
Reposted by Lara Groves
hey im putting something together for my boss for his birthday. yeah can you write a letter or better yet an insane poem or horrifying drawing about the unspeakable crimes you all have committed together
September 9, 2025 at 2:48 AM
hey im putting something together for my boss for his birthday. yeah can you write a letter or better yet an insane poem or horrifying drawing about the unspeakable crimes you all have committed together
Reposted by Lara Groves
Radical right accommodation really does not work.
New paper out with this exceptionally talented team
@katharinalawall.bsky.social @robjohns75.bsky.social @drjennings.bsky.social @sarahobolt.bsky.social @zachdickson.bsky.social @danjdevine.bsky.social & @jack-bailey.co.uk
doi.org/10.31235/osf...
New paper out with this exceptionally talented team
@katharinalawall.bsky.social @robjohns75.bsky.social @drjennings.bsky.social @sarahobolt.bsky.social @zachdickson.bsky.social @danjdevine.bsky.social & @jack-bailey.co.uk
doi.org/10.31235/osf...
September 5, 2025 at 6:50 AM
Radical right accommodation really does not work.
New paper out with this exceptionally talented team
@katharinalawall.bsky.social @robjohns75.bsky.social @drjennings.bsky.social @sarahobolt.bsky.social @zachdickson.bsky.social @danjdevine.bsky.social & @jack-bailey.co.uk
doi.org/10.31235/osf...
New paper out with this exceptionally talented team
@katharinalawall.bsky.social @robjohns75.bsky.social @drjennings.bsky.social @sarahobolt.bsky.social @zachdickson.bsky.social @danjdevine.bsky.social & @jack-bailey.co.uk
doi.org/10.31235/osf...
Reposted by Lara Groves
Please apply for / pass on this vacancy with @tuc.org.uk!
You'll be working with the brilliant @adamc-c.bsky.social and with us @connectedbydata.org to ensure workers' voices are an effective countervailing force that shape the adoption of AI.
tuc.current-vacancies.com/Jobs/Advert/...
You'll be working with the brilliant @adamc-c.bsky.social and with us @connectedbydata.org to ensure workers' voices are an effective countervailing force that shape the adoption of AI.
tuc.current-vacancies.com/Jobs/Advert/...
Policy and Campaigns Officer - London
Policy & Campaigns Officer, Technology and Artificial Intelligence
Grade 6 £44,228 per annum (pro rata), plus London Weighting £6,154 per annum (pro rata)
Temporary – 18 months, Four days (28 hours)...
tuc.current-vacancies.com
September 4, 2025 at 9:13 AM
Please apply for / pass on this vacancy with @tuc.org.uk!
You'll be working with the brilliant @adamc-c.bsky.social and with us @connectedbydata.org to ensure workers' voices are an effective countervailing force that shape the adoption of AI.
tuc.current-vacancies.com/Jobs/Advert/...
You'll be working with the brilliant @adamc-c.bsky.social and with us @connectedbydata.org to ensure workers' voices are an effective countervailing force that shape the adoption of AI.
tuc.current-vacancies.com/Jobs/Advert/...
Reposted by Lara Groves
1. Incitement to violence is a serious offence, carrying a sentence of up to six months in prison.
2. What's it got to do with the health secretary?
3. I'm sure if I posted that Wes Streeting needed a good kicking, he would be very eager to send the cops round.
www.theguardian.com/politics/202...
2. What's it got to do with the health secretary?
3. I'm sure if I posted that Wes Streeting needed a good kicking, he would be very eager to send the cops round.
www.theguardian.com/politics/202...
Police should focus on ‘streets not tweets’, says Wes Streeting after Graham Linehan arrest
Health secretary criticises Tory policing record after Father Ted co-creator arrested over posts on transgender issues
www.theguardian.com
September 3, 2025 at 11:12 AM
1. Incitement to violence is a serious offence, carrying a sentence of up to six months in prison.
2. What's it got to do with the health secretary?
3. I'm sure if I posted that Wes Streeting needed a good kicking, he would be very eager to send the cops round.
www.theguardian.com/politics/202...
2. What's it got to do with the health secretary?
3. I'm sure if I posted that Wes Streeting needed a good kicking, he would be very eager to send the cops round.
www.theguardian.com/politics/202...
Keir Starmer: cut me and I bleed union j
September 2, 2025 at 4:22 PM
Keir Starmer: cut me and I bleed union j
the level of disorder on show in the UK right now in terms of kneejerk conspirational thinking against every possible intervention or source of authority is quite the concern!!
Incredible comment on a story about building a new school
August 21, 2025 at 3:23 PM
the level of disorder on show in the UK right now in terms of kneejerk conspirational thinking against every possible intervention or source of authority is quite the concern!!
Reposted by Lara Groves
Spending on AI data centers is now so great that it’s crowding out investment in housing and other critical parts of the real economy, through higher energy costs and by propping up interest rates, argues The Economist
economist.com/finance-and-...
economist.com/finance-and-...
August 19, 2025 at 11:20 PM
Spending on AI data centers is now so great that it’s crowding out investment in housing and other critical parts of the real economy, through higher energy costs and by propping up interest rates, argues The Economist
economist.com/finance-and-...
economist.com/finance-and-...
Reposted by Lara Groves
Far right demagoguery - thanks to crucial, repeated validation from the political mainstream - has painted a target on the back of every man of colour in this country.
Everyone knows what is likely to happen next.
Everyone knows what is likely to happen next.
Family in fear after Tommy Robinson shares video of black man with white granddaughters.
Exclusive: Olajuwon Ayeni racially abused and falsely labelled a paedophile as far right weaponises clip of family in park
www.theguardian.com/world/2025/a...
Exclusive: Olajuwon Ayeni racially abused and falsely labelled a paedophile as far right weaponises clip of family in park
www.theguardian.com/world/2025/a...
Family in fear after Tommy Robinson shares video of black man with white granddaughters
Exclusive: Olajuwon Ayeni racially abused and falsely labelled a paedophile as far right weaponises clip of family in park
www.theguardian.com
August 20, 2025 at 7:20 AM
Far right demagoguery - thanks to crucial, repeated validation from the political mainstream - has painted a target on the back of every man of colour in this country.
Everyone knows what is likely to happen next.
Everyone knows what is likely to happen next.
Reposted by Lara Groves
Interesting work from Turing, adding to the growing evidence that significant performance gains — and possibly real-world utility — can still be gleaned from smaller and previous-generation foundation models
www.turing.ac.uk/blog/why-we-...
www.turing.ac.uk/blog/why-we-...
Why we still need small language models – even in the age of frontier AI
Lean, locally run models can unlock huge benefits for public sector and compute-constrained environments
www.turing.ac.uk
August 13, 2025 at 7:42 AM
Interesting work from Turing, adding to the growing evidence that significant performance gains — and possibly real-world utility — can still be gleaned from smaller and previous-generation foundation models
www.turing.ac.uk/blog/why-we-...
www.turing.ac.uk/blog/why-we-...
resonates with what we're finding in forthcoming Ada research on transcription tools in social work.
these tools are being rolled out without systematic evaluation, often with a singular theory of change -'productivity gains' - which risks obscuring other important impacts on work & care
these tools are being rolled out without systematic evaluation, often with a singular theory of change -'productivity gains' - which risks obscuring other important impacts on work & care
August 11, 2025 at 10:30 AM
resonates with what we're finding in forthcoming Ada research on transcription tools in social work.
these tools are being rolled out without systematic evaluation, often with a singular theory of change -'productivity gains' - which risks obscuring other important impacts on work & care
these tools are being rolled out without systematic evaluation, often with a singular theory of change -'productivity gains' - which risks obscuring other important impacts on work & care
Reposted by Lara Groves
Last month, Anas al-Sharif sounded the alarm on starvation in Gaza. Israel accused him of terrorism.
"We warned this felt like a precursor to justify assassination," said Jodie Ginsberg of the Committee to Protect Journalists.
Today he was killed in a targeted strike on a tent housing reporters.
"We warned this felt like a precursor to justify assassination," said Jodie Ginsberg of the Committee to Protect Journalists.
Today he was killed in a targeted strike on a tent housing reporters.
Israel murders five Al Jazeera staff in Gaza, including Anas al-Sharif
Al-Sharif was killed along with Mohammed Qreiqeh two cameramen and an assistant in an Israeli attack on Gaza City.
www.aljazeera.com
August 10, 2025 at 11:31 PM
Last month, Anas al-Sharif sounded the alarm on starvation in Gaza. Israel accused him of terrorism.
"We warned this felt like a precursor to justify assassination," said Jodie Ginsberg of the Committee to Protect Journalists.
Today he was killed in a targeted strike on a tent housing reporters.
"We warned this felt like a precursor to justify assassination," said Jodie Ginsberg of the Committee to Protect Journalists.
Today he was killed in a targeted strike on a tent housing reporters.
Reposted by Lara Groves
Arresting 400+ people for the "terrorist" offence of protesting against mass murder while large segments of the right are openly encouraging riots against immigrants is a tale of a very unhappy country and government.
August 10, 2025 at 12:08 PM
Arresting 400+ people for the "terrorist" offence of protesting against mass murder while large segments of the right are openly encouraging riots against immigrants is a tale of a very unhappy country and government.
Reposted by Lara Groves
'It is less that AI is the cause of degradation in reading and thinking, and more that the creation of a culture that views knowledge primarily in an instrumental manner has made it easier to misuse AI.'
AI thrives where education has been devalued | The Observer
A culture that views knowledge as a means to an end invites the misuse of new technology
observer.co.uk
August 2, 2025 at 6:48 AM
'It is less that AI is the cause of degradation in reading and thinking, and more that the creation of a culture that views knowledge primarily in an instrumental manner has made it easier to misuse AI.'
fascinating paper on 'character training' LLMs - models fine-tuned to be 'warmer' are significantly more likely to promote conspiracy theories or validate incorrect facts, particularly when users express sadness 🤯 arxiv.org/abs/2507.21919
Training language models to be warm and empathetic makes them less reliable and more sycophantic
Artificial intelligence (AI) developers are increasingly building language models with warm and empathetic personas that millions of people now use for advice, therapy, and companionship. Here, we sho...
arxiv.org
July 31, 2025 at 3:29 PM
fascinating paper on 'character training' LLMs - models fine-tuned to be 'warmer' are significantly more likely to promote conspiracy theories or validate incorrect facts, particularly when users express sadness 🤯 arxiv.org/abs/2507.21919
Reposted by Lara Groves
Stand by this: www.politico.com/newsletters/...
February 19, 2025 at 4:42 PM
Stand by this: www.politico.com/newsletters/...
Reposted by Lara Groves
The Online Safety Act assumes that all tech, social networks, etc, are run by big tech, raking in profit from illegal advertising. Community-run and funded networks/sites — real non-Big Tech alternatives — are left in the dirt. I have never seen OSA proponents consider their needs or their value.
Amid all the noise of the last week, this is a vital reminder from Chris Sherwood @nspcc.bsky.social as to why we have the #onlinesafetyact, why parents and campaigners backed it and why it had broad cross-party support in Parliament when it passed. ⬇️ www.politicshome.com/opinion/arti...
If anything, the Online Safety Act doesn't go far enough
It’s deeply concerning to see the rhetoric around the Online Safety Act shift toward loss of free expression, writes the NSPCC chief executive
www.politicshome.com
July 31, 2025 at 9:02 AM
The Online Safety Act assumes that all tech, social networks, etc, are run by big tech, raking in profit from illegal advertising. Community-run and funded networks/sites — real non-Big Tech alternatives — are left in the dirt. I have never seen OSA proponents consider their needs or their value.
Reposted by Lara Groves
This, and it doesn't work.
Now, it is possible to address the harms of mass engagement-driven platforms. But doing so requires pushing back on the core biz models of the platforms, not tinkering on the edges w surveillant 'solutions' that increase surveillance w/o addressing the root cause.
Now, it is possible to address the harms of mass engagement-driven platforms. But doing so requires pushing back on the core biz models of the platforms, not tinkering on the edges w surveillant 'solutions' that increase surveillance w/o addressing the root cause.
It is my opinion that introducing age verification now is irresponsible, mainly because we have now reached the point where Western governments *are* using "the database state" and exploiting online surveillance to be repressive - just as privacy activists warned for decades. This applies to UK & US
July 24, 2025 at 11:53 AM
This, and it doesn't work.
Now, it is possible to address the harms of mass engagement-driven platforms. But doing so requires pushing back on the core biz models of the platforms, not tinkering on the edges w surveillant 'solutions' that increase surveillance w/o addressing the root cause.
Now, it is possible to address the harms of mass engagement-driven platforms. But doing so requires pushing back on the core biz models of the platforms, not tinkering on the edges w surveillant 'solutions' that increase surveillance w/o addressing the root cause.