Michael Black
@mblack.us
Reposted by Michael Black
I legit don’t know if I will ever get past this ad I saw walking to an appt this morning in soho. And yes, it’s a company that uses human sounding AI voice bots to take over your customer service calls.
February 5, 2026 at 4:44 PM
I legit don’t know if I will ever get past this ad I saw walking to an appt this morning in soho. And yes, it’s a company that uses human sounding AI voice bots to take over your customer service calls.
Reposted by Michael Black
There's something very important in this from @alondra.bsky.social about how a government of bosses understands its relationship to AI: as a means to avoid preexisting, even nominal, deference to popular deliberation or expert consultation. www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
February 6, 2026 at 1:23 AM
There's something very important in this from @alondra.bsky.social about how a government of bosses understands its relationship to AI: as a means to avoid preexisting, even nominal, deference to popular deliberation or expert consultation. www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
Reposted by Michael Black
And instead of seeking out our expertise on AI, which would lead us to abolish it in education, we are asked to be part of a Center of Huambities and AI (or whatever). This is how institutions neutralize dissent.
February 4, 2026 at 2:02 PM
And instead of seeking out our expertise on AI, which would lead us to abolish it in education, we are asked to be part of a Center of Huambities and AI (or whatever). This is how institutions neutralize dissent.
Reposted by Michael Black
this is obvious, but not so obvious that we don’t hear every day about how some new tech improves learning, rather than merely mitigating, slightly if at all, the harm that current norms inflict
February 4, 2026 at 4:55 PM
this is obvious, but not so obvious that we don’t hear every day about how some new tech improves learning, rather than merely mitigating, slightly if at all, the harm that current norms inflict
Reposted by Michael Black
A problem is that there are many of us who read about, research, and publish on AI (and have been doing so for years), but the university puts us on the same playing field of decision-making about it with those who have not.
I’m gonna name it. This isn’t a case of “legitimately differing opinions.” It is blatant professorial malpractice to adopt/allow genAI (or really *any* new edtech) just b/c we are told that we must. Especially in the humanities classroom, the only “ethical use” or reasonable stance is to keep it out
February 4, 2026 at 1:53 PM
A problem is that there are many of us who read about, research, and publish on AI (and have been doing so for years), but the university puts us on the same playing field of decision-making about it with those who have not.
Reposted by Michael Black
Don't make me point to the "Every SaaS company is getting smoked, regardless of how much AI they deployed" sign again
Is it bad if your stock is down almost 40% over a year despite quadrupling down on AI during a stock market bubble?
February 4, 2026 at 12:58 PM
Don't make me point to the "Every SaaS company is getting smoked, regardless of how much AI they deployed" sign again
Reposted by Michael Black
‘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 Michael Black
Give the people what they want.
Firefox will soon let you block all of its generative AI features | TechCrunch
Starting with Firefox 148 arriving later this month, users will find a new AI controls section within the desktop browser settings.
techcrunch.com
February 2, 2026 at 6:51 PM
Give the people what they want.
Reposted by Michael Black
"All Smoke And Mirrors" - Square Localisation Veteran Thinks History Is Repeating Itself With AI.
"All Smoke And Mirrors" - Square Localisation Veteran Thinks History Is Repeating Itself With AI
"That's why I'm very anti-AI right now"
www.timeextension.com
February 2, 2026 at 5:00 PM
"All Smoke And Mirrors" - Square Localisation Veteran Thinks History Is Repeating Itself With AI.
Reposted by Michael Black
One of the best AI critiques I’ve seen read.dukeupress.edu/critical-ai/...
A Pedagogy of the Inevitable
Over the last couple of years, two altogether incompatible discourses of “AI literacy” have emerged. One seeks just enough literacy to support a smooth, perhaps even joyful, integration with new techn...
read.dukeupress.edu
January 16, 2026 at 5:14 AM
One of the best AI critiques I’ve seen read.dukeupress.edu/critical-ai/...
Reposted by Michael Black
"Students must learn to critically evaluate AI output"
Have you seen common arguments for AI usage in schools?
We collected some of the ones we see most often, and counter-points to them.
Did we miss any?
www.aicaution.ca/common-argum...
Have you seen common arguments for AI usage in schools?
We collected some of the ones we see most often, and counter-points to them.
Did we miss any?
www.aicaution.ca/common-argum...
January 31, 2026 at 11:43 PM
"Students must learn to critically evaluate AI output"
Have you seen common arguments for AI usage in schools?
We collected some of the ones we see most often, and counter-points to them.
Did we miss any?
www.aicaution.ca/common-argum...
Have you seen common arguments for AI usage in schools?
We collected some of the ones we see most often, and counter-points to them.
Did we miss any?
www.aicaution.ca/common-argum...
Reposted by Michael Black
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 Michael Black
I know all of the new information released in the Epstein documents is overwhelming. However, please consider that you don’t need to respond to everything people say right now with a picture or story or reference to it. Rape and child molestation and beatings and drugs are sensitive concepts
February 1, 2026 at 3:34 PM
I know all of the new information released in the Epstein documents is overwhelming. However, please consider that you don’t need to respond to everything people say right now with a picture or story or reference to it. Rape and child molestation and beatings and drugs are sensitive concepts
Reposted by Michael Black
Important education message: "independent research has made clear that technology rarely boosts learning in schools—and often impairs it."
A few profit and the most vulnerable pay
www.economist.com/united-state...
A few profit and the most vulnerable pay
www.economist.com/united-state...
Ed tech is profitable. It is also mostly useless
Independent research identifies few learning gains
www.economist.com
February 1, 2026 at 3:25 PM
Important education message: "independent research has made clear that technology rarely boosts learning in schools—and often impairs it."
A few profit and the most vulnerable pay
www.economist.com/united-state...
A few profit and the most vulnerable pay
www.economist.com/united-state...
Reposted by Michael Black
They come up with these weird ideas, all to capture more data and prove that workers are an enemy of profit when workers ARE profit. Just weirdos. Shouldn’t be allowed anywhere near basic needs or civic services.
At least one reason is that people didn’t want more surveillance marketed as convenience.
Empty stores and massage chairs next to produce: Amazon Fresh employees explain the chain's demise
As Amazon Fresh closes stores, workers say the chain struggled to resonate with customers and differentiate itself from Whole Foods
www.businessinsider.com
February 1, 2026 at 1:01 AM
They come up with these weird ideas, all to capture more data and prove that workers are an enemy of profit when workers ARE profit. Just weirdos. Shouldn’t be allowed anywhere near basic needs or civic services.
Reposted by Michael Black
This is the only thing AI dorks are talking about on Twitter. They will read sentience into anything before pausing to engage in critical thought.
'It exploded before anyone thought to check whether the database was properly secured.'
Exposed Moltbook Database Let Anyone Take Control of Any AI Agent on the Site
'It exploded before anyone thought to check whether the database was properly secured.'
www.404media.co
February 1, 2026 at 1:06 AM
This is the only thing AI dorks are talking about on Twitter. They will read sentience into anything before pausing to engage in critical thought.
Reposted by Michael Black
This is amateur-hour shit that is going to keep getting worse as skilled developers are replaced with software that barfs out code snippets sourced from random examples.
And when the VC have cashed in their preferred stock and gone on to their next big thing we'll all be left to nurse the hangover.
And when the VC have cashed in their preferred stock and gone on to their next big thing we'll all be left to nurse the hangover.
Moltbook, the social media site where people were letting AI agents run wild .... had a pretty wild security vulnerability
Exposed Moltbook Database Let Anyone Take Control of Any AI Agent on the Site
'It exploded before anyone thought to check whether the database was properly secured.'
www.404media.co
February 1, 2026 at 1:23 AM
This is amateur-hour shit that is going to keep getting worse as skilled developers are replaced with software that barfs out code snippets sourced from random examples.
And when the VC have cashed in their preferred stock and gone on to their next big thing we'll all be left to nurse the hangover.
And when the VC have cashed in their preferred stock and gone on to their next big thing we'll all be left to nurse the hangover.
Reposted by Michael Black
Good. A stupid car that legitimized a South African racist and makes me carsick
The car that forced the world to take electric vehicles seriously reaches the end of the road. Elon Musk confirms Tesla halts production of Model S to clear factory space for Optimus robots. The move makes a permanent shift from automaker to AI firm, leaving the industry-defining sedan in the dust.
Tesla Just Killed the Most Important Car of the 21st Century
The Model S deserved better than this.
www.theatlantic.com
February 1, 2026 at 1:36 AM
Good. A stupid car that legitimized a South African racist and makes me carsick
Reposted by Michael Black
There is money for "education" if and only if that money is being directly funneled to corporations. Anything involving actual learning, however, well there's no magic money tree
BREAKING: Free AI training will be offered to every adult in the UK, with short courses to teach people how to use simple AI tools effectively in the workplace.
Technology Secretary Liz Kendall tells #BBCBreakfast about the scheme
Technology Secretary Liz Kendall tells #BBCBreakfast about the scheme
January 28, 2026 at 9:40 AM
There is money for "education" if and only if that money is being directly funneled to corporations. Anything involving actual learning, however, well there's no magic money tree
Reposted by Michael Black
When people actually care about government services, and evaluate spending technology in terms of what it actually does rather than FOMO, look what happens!
Mamdani Targets ‘Unusable’ AI Chatbot for Termination
Mamdani Targets ‘Unusable’ AI Chatbot for Termination
Reporting from The Markup and THE CITY exposed how the bot, touted by the Adams administration, repeatedly served up false and damaging information.
buff.ly
January 30, 2026 at 10:51 PM
When people actually care about government services, and evaluate spending technology in terms of what it actually does rather than FOMO, look what happens!
Reposted by Michael Black
This study by people from Anthropic itself should raise huge alarm bells about the use of AI in teaching how to code (and later on in coding itself, but esp. in the learning stage).
And remember: this is by the people who make Claude!
tl;dr: not that long, read it
www.anthropic.com/research/AI-...
And remember: this is by the people who make Claude!
tl;dr: not that long, read it
www.anthropic.com/research/AI-...
How AI assistance impacts the formation of coding skills
Anthropic is an AI safety and research company that's working to build reliable, interpretable, and steerable AI systems.
www.anthropic.com
January 31, 2026 at 1:21 AM
This study by people from Anthropic itself should raise huge alarm bells about the use of AI in teaching how to code (and later on in coding itself, but esp. in the learning stage).
And remember: this is by the people who make Claude!
tl;dr: not that long, read it
www.anthropic.com/research/AI-...
And remember: this is by the people who make Claude!
tl;dr: not that long, read it
www.anthropic.com/research/AI-...
Reposted by Michael Black
“Ghost in the Machine paints the rise of AI as a fascistic project that aims to demean humans and establish the techno-elite as our de facto rulers.”
Sundance doc 'Ghost in the Machine' draws a damning line between AI and eugenics
The Sundance documentary Ghost in the Machine boldly declares that the pursuit of artificial intelligence, and Silicon Valley itself, is rooted in eugenics.
www.engadget.com
January 30, 2026 at 7:03 PM
“Ghost in the Machine paints the rise of AI as a fascistic project that aims to demean humans and establish the techno-elite as our de facto rulers.”
Reposted by Michael Black
Can’t literacy ourselves out of this one, I’m afraid.
"there’s no way that we can become more savvy ... this is not a problem that developing the right skill set is going to solve" @tressiemcphd.bsky.social speaking the things I think some librarians may be afraid to say out loud, but are true nonetheless. www.nytimes.com/2026/01/13/o...
Opinion | The Internet May Look Different After You Listen to This
www.nytimes.com
January 30, 2026 at 2:09 PM
Can’t literacy ourselves out of this one, I’m afraid.
Reposted by Michael Black
How Businesses Are Manipulating ChatGPT Results
You’ve long heard about search engine optimization. Companies are now spending big on generative engine optimization.
my latest for @wsj.com
🎁🔗
www.wsj.com/tech/ai/ai-w...
You’ve long heard about search engine optimization. Companies are now spending big on generative engine optimization.
my latest for @wsj.com
🎁🔗
www.wsj.com/tech/ai/ai-w...
How Businesses Are Manipulating ChatGPT Results
You’ve long heard about search engine optimization. Companies are now spending big to feature prominently in the output of AI chatbots. It’s called GEO.
www.wsj.com
January 30, 2026 at 1:17 PM
How Businesses Are Manipulating ChatGPT Results
You’ve long heard about search engine optimization. Companies are now spending big on generative engine optimization.
my latest for @wsj.com
🎁🔗
www.wsj.com/tech/ai/ai-w...
You’ve long heard about search engine optimization. Companies are now spending big on generative engine optimization.
my latest for @wsj.com
🎁🔗
www.wsj.com/tech/ai/ai-w...
Reposted by Michael Black
January 30, 2026 at 1:29 PM