Nick Vincent
@nickmvincent.bsky.social
Studying people and computers (https://www.nickmvincent.com/)
Blogging about data and steering AI (https://dataleverage.substack.com/)
Blogging about data and steering AI (https://dataleverage.substack.com/)
Pinned
Nick Vincent
@nickmvincent.bsky.social
· Nov 19
Hi Bluesky (+ many friendly familiar faces). I'm a researcher in HCI + ML, assistant prof at Simon Fraser University up in BC, and working on "healthy data flow". Doing a quick thread recapping some recent writing (blogs, pre-prints, etc.) that capture the things I work on and talk about!
OpenAI launching an overleaf competitor seems like it could be a big deal, and particularly interesting in wake of the NeurIPS hallucinations discourse (an important issue, but a lot of the back-and-forth I saw seemed to be missing a lot of important factors): openai.com/index/introd...
Introducing Prism
Accelerating science writing and collaboration with AI.
openai.com
January 27, 2026 at 6:35 PM
OpenAI launching an overleaf competitor seems like it could be a big deal, and particularly interesting in wake of the NeurIPS hallucinations discourse (an important issue, but a lot of the back-and-forth I saw seemed to be missing a lot of important factors): openai.com/index/introd...
Here's the post: dataleverage.substack.com/p/the-coding...
January 12, 2026 at 12:43 AM
Here's the post: dataleverage.substack.com/p/the-coding...
Writing a follow up post on data aspects of coding agents. One thing that's really under-discussed, IMO -- as far as I can tell, NO coding agent allows for consumer users to trigger server-side deletion of transcripts or even metadata. Anyone seen anything to the contrary?
January 11, 2026 at 6:55 PM
Writing a follow up post on data aspects of coding agents. One thing that's really under-discussed, IMO -- as far as I can tell, NO coding agent allows for consumer users to trigger server-side deletion of transcripts or even metadata. Anyone seen anything to the contrary?
Seems plausible that some motivation for labs to restrict usage of subscription auth tokens is the value of structured data from using the official app, but unfortunate that the current data control for agents is super limited (30 days or 5 yrs, no indiv deletions, etc.)
January 9, 2026 at 8:06 PM
Seems plausible that some motivation for labs to restrict usage of subscription auth tokens is the value of structured data from using the official app, but unfortunate that the current data control for agents is super limited (30 days or 5 yrs, no indiv deletions, etc.)
Coding agents are (1) a big deal, (2) very relevant to data leverage, and (3) able to help build tools that support data leverage!
dataleverage.substack.com/p/coding-age...
dataleverage.substack.com/p/coding-age...
Coding agents are (1) a big deal, (2) very relevant to data leverage, and (3) able to help build tools that support data leverage!
Sharing an early reaction to recent coding agent discourse and two relevant projects
dataleverage.substack.com
January 5, 2026 at 5:00 PM
Coding agents are (1) a big deal, (2) very relevant to data leverage, and (3) able to help build tools that support data leverage!
dataleverage.substack.com/p/coding-age...
dataleverage.substack.com/p/coding-age...
Reposted by Nick Vincent
A bunch of us are working to advance #PublicAI: AI that is publicly accountable, accessible, and sustainable. A lot of us are interested in local-first, community-governed, and more open models of what this technology could be.
We welcome allies in the @publicai.network!
publicai.network/whitepaper/
We welcome allies in the @publicai.network!
publicai.network/whitepaper/
Public AI Network
A coalition to build public AI
publicai.network
December 19, 2025 at 8:09 PM
A bunch of us are working to advance #PublicAI: AI that is publicly accountable, accessible, and sustainable. A lot of us are interested in local-first, community-governed, and more open models of what this technology could be.
We welcome allies in the @publicai.network!
publicai.network/whitepaper/
We welcome allies in the @publicai.network!
publicai.network/whitepaper/
Reposted by Nick Vincent
Happening now! Join us in Upper Level Room 4 for our workshop on Algorithmic Collective Action #NeurIPS2025
We will have stellar talks to kick off the day, followed by contributed talks and posters by authors before lunch break.
We will have stellar talks to kick off the day, followed by contributed talks and posters by authors before lunch break.
December 6, 2025 at 5:00 PM
Happening now! Join us in Upper Level Room 4 for our workshop on Algorithmic Collective Action #NeurIPS2025
We will have stellar talks to kick off the day, followed by contributed talks and posters by authors before lunch break.
We will have stellar talks to kick off the day, followed by contributed talks and posters by authors before lunch break.
Reposted by Nick Vincent
TODAY is the first-ever #NeurIPS position paper track!
Come hear thoughtful arguments about “digital heroin,” the nature of innovation, protecting privacy, machine unlearning, & how we can do ML research better as a community.
See you: ballroom 20AB from 10-11a & 3:30-4:30p!
#NeurIPS2025 #NeurIPSSD
Come hear thoughtful arguments about “digital heroin,” the nature of innovation, protecting privacy, machine unlearning, & how we can do ML research better as a community.
See you: ballroom 20AB from 10-11a & 3:30-4:30p!
#NeurIPS2025 #NeurIPSSD
December 4, 2025 at 3:27 PM
TODAY is the first-ever #NeurIPS position paper track!
Come hear thoughtful arguments about “digital heroin,” the nature of innovation, protecting privacy, machine unlearning, & how we can do ML research better as a community.
See you: ballroom 20AB from 10-11a & 3:30-4:30p!
#NeurIPS2025 #NeurIPSSD
Come hear thoughtful arguments about “digital heroin,” the nature of innovation, protecting privacy, machine unlearning, & how we can do ML research better as a community.
See you: ballroom 20AB from 10-11a & 3:30-4:30p!
#NeurIPS2025 #NeurIPSSD
Longer blog post: AI companies and data creators actually have aligned incentives re: establishing clearer "Data Rules" (norms, rules, contracts that control use of both "fresh" data and of model outputs). Good Data Rules can also support commons!
dataleverage.substack.com/p/almost-eve...
dataleverage.substack.com/p/almost-eve...
Almost Everybody -- Including Both Data Creators and AI Companies -- Stands to Benefit from Clearer "Data Rules".
In fact, anyone who doesn't think they will be a "big winner" long term benefits from clear rules, even if it means training data costs more in the short term.
dataleverage.substack.com
November 26, 2025 at 5:41 PM
Longer blog post: AI companies and data creators actually have aligned incentives re: establishing clearer "Data Rules" (norms, rules, contracts that control use of both "fresh" data and of model outputs). Good Data Rules can also support commons!
dataleverage.substack.com/p/almost-eve...
dataleverage.substack.com/p/almost-eve...
Reposted by Nick Vincent
"There are many challenges to transforming the AI ecosystem and strong interests resisting change. But we know change is possible, and we believe we have more allies in this effort than it may seem. There is a rebel in every Death Star."
🗣️ @b-cavello.bsky.social in our #4DCongress
🗣️ @b-cavello.bsky.social in our #4DCongress
October 28, 2025 at 4:36 PM
"There are many challenges to transforming the AI ecosystem and strong interests resisting change. But we know change is possible, and we believe we have more allies in this effort than it may seem. There is a rebel in every Death Star."
🗣️ @b-cavello.bsky.social in our #4DCongress
🗣️ @b-cavello.bsky.social in our #4DCongress
Heading to AIES, excited to catch up with folks there!
October 19, 2025 at 7:33 PM
Heading to AIES, excited to catch up with folks there!
New blog (a recap post): "How collective bargaining for information, public AI, and HCI research all fit together." Connecting these ideas + a short summary of various recent posts (of which there are many, perhaps too many!). On Substack, but also posted to leaflet
October 14, 2025 at 10:45 PM
New blog (a recap post): "How collective bargaining for information, public AI, and HCI research all fit together." Connecting these ideas + a short summary of various recent posts (of which there are many, perhaps too many!). On Substack, but also posted to leaflet
Reposted by Nick Vincent
V interesting twist on MCP! “user data is often fragmented across services and locked into specific providers, reinforcing user lock-in” - enter Human Context Protocol (HCP): “user-owned repositories of preferences designed for active, reflective control and consent-based sharing.” 1/
October 10, 2025 at 2:41 PM
V interesting twist on MCP! “user data is often fragmented across services and locked into specific providers, reinforcing user lock-in” - enter Human Context Protocol (HCP): “user-owned repositories of preferences designed for active, reflective control and consent-based sharing.” 1/
Anyone compiling discussions/thoughts on emerging licensing schemes and preference signals? eg rslstandard.org and github.com/creativecomm... ? externalizing some notes here datalicenses.org, but want to find where these discussions are happening!
RSL: Really Simple Licensing
The open content licensing standard for the AI-first Internet
rslstandard.org
September 18, 2025 at 6:43 PM
Anyone compiling discussions/thoughts on emerging licensing schemes and preference signals? eg rslstandard.org and github.com/creativecomm... ? externalizing some notes here datalicenses.org, but want to find where these discussions are happening!
Excited to be giving a talk on data leverage to the Singapore AI Safety Hub. Trying to capture updated thoughts from recent years, and have long wanted to better connect leverage/collective bargaining to the safety context.
August 14, 2025 at 8:05 AM
Excited to be giving a talk on data leverage to the Singapore AI Safety Hub. Trying to capture updated thoughts from recent years, and have long wanted to better connect leverage/collective bargaining to the safety context.
About a week away from the deadline to submit to the
✨ Workshop on Algorithmic Collective Action (ACA) ✨
acaworkshop.github.io
at NeurIPS 2025!
✨ Workshop on Algorithmic Collective Action (ACA) ✨
acaworkshop.github.io
at NeurIPS 2025!
About the workshop – ACA@NeurIPS
acaworkshop.github.io
August 14, 2025 at 7:56 AM
About a week away from the deadline to submit to the
✨ Workshop on Algorithmic Collective Action (ACA) ✨
acaworkshop.github.io
at NeurIPS 2025!
✨ Workshop on Algorithmic Collective Action (ACA) ✨
acaworkshop.github.io
at NeurIPS 2025!
🧵In several recent posts, I speculated that eventually, dataset details may become an important quality signal for consumers choosing AI products.
"This model is good for asking health questions, because 10,000 doctors attested to supporting training and/or eval". Etc.
"This model is good for asking health questions, because 10,000 doctors attested to supporting training and/or eval". Etc.
August 8, 2025 at 10:31 PM
🧵In several recent posts, I speculated that eventually, dataset details may become an important quality signal for consumers choosing AI products.
"This model is good for asking health questions, because 10,000 doctors attested to supporting training and/or eval". Etc.
"This model is good for asking health questions, because 10,000 doctors attested to supporting training and/or eval". Etc.
Around ICML with loose evening plans and an interest in "public AI", Canadian sovereign AI, or anything related? Swing by the Internet Archive Canada between 5p and 7p lu.ma/7rjoaxts
Oh Canada! An AI Happy Hour @ ICML 2025 · Luma
Whether you're Canadian or one of our friends from around the world, please join us for some drinks and conversation to chat about life, papers, AI, and...…
lu.ma
July 16, 2025 at 11:30 PM
Around ICML with loose evening plans and an interest in "public AI", Canadian sovereign AI, or anything related? Swing by the Internet Archive Canada between 5p and 7p lu.ma/7rjoaxts
[FAccT-related link round-up]: It was great to present on measuring Attentional Agency with Zachary Wojtowicz at FAccT. Here's our paper on ACM DL: dl.acm.org/doi/10.1145/...
On Thurs Aditya Karan will present on collective action dl.acm.org/doi/10.1145/... at 10:57 (New Stage A)
On Thurs Aditya Karan will present on collective action dl.acm.org/doi/10.1145/... at 10:57 (New Stage A)
Algorithmic Collective Action with Two Collectives | Proceedings of the 2025 ACM Conference on Fairness, Accountability, and Transparency
You will be notified whenever a record that you have chosen has been cited.
dl.acm.org
June 24, 2025 at 12:33 PM
[FAccT-related link round-up]: It was great to present on measuring Attentional Agency with Zachary Wojtowicz at FAccT. Here's our paper on ACM DL: dl.acm.org/doi/10.1145/...
On Thurs Aditya Karan will present on collective action dl.acm.org/doi/10.1145/... at 10:57 (New Stage A)
On Thurs Aditya Karan will present on collective action dl.acm.org/doi/10.1145/... at 10:57 (New Stage A)
“Attentional agency” — talk in new stage b at facct in the session right now!
June 24, 2025 at 7:48 AM
“Attentional agency” — talk in new stage b at facct in the session right now!
Off to FAccT; Excited to see faces old and new!
June 21, 2025 at 9:50 PM
Off to FAccT; Excited to see faces old and new!
Another blog post: a link roundup on AI's impact on jobs and power concentration, another proposal for Collective Bargaining for Information, and some additional thoughts on the topic:
dataleverage.substack.com/p/on-ai-driv...
dataleverage.substack.com/p/on-ai-driv...
On AI-driven Job Apocalypses and Collective Bargaining for Information
Reacting to a fresh wave of discussion about AI's impact on the economy and power concentration, and reiterating the potential role of collective bargaining.
dataleverage.substack.com
June 5, 2025 at 5:25 PM
Another blog post: a link roundup on AI's impact on jobs and power concentration, another proposal for Collective Bargaining for Information, and some additional thoughts on the topic:
dataleverage.substack.com/p/on-ai-driv...
dataleverage.substack.com/p/on-ai-driv...
New data leverage post: "Google and TikTok rank bundles of information; ChatGPT ranks grains."
dataleverage.substack.com/p/google-and...
This will be post 1/3 in a series about viewing many AI products as all competing around the same task: ranking bundles or grains of records made by people.
dataleverage.substack.com/p/google-and...
This will be post 1/3 in a series about viewing many AI products as all competing around the same task: ranking bundles or grains of records made by people.
Google and TikTok rank bundles of information; ChatGPT ranks grains.
Google and others solve our attentional problem by ranking discrete bundles of information, whereas ChatGPT ranks more granular chunks. This lens can help us reason about AI policy.
dataleverage.substack.com
May 27, 2025 at 3:45 PM
New data leverage post: "Google and TikTok rank bundles of information; ChatGPT ranks grains."
dataleverage.substack.com/p/google-and...
This will be post 1/3 in a series about viewing many AI products as all competing around the same task: ranking bundles or grains of records made by people.
dataleverage.substack.com/p/google-and...
This will be post 1/3 in a series about viewing many AI products as all competing around the same task: ranking bundles or grains of records made by people.
Sharing a new paper (led by Aditya Karan):
there's growing interest in algorithmic collective action, when a "collective" acts through data to impact a recommender system, classifier, or other model.
But... what happens if two collectives act at the same time?
there's growing interest in algorithmic collective action, when a "collective" acts through data to impact a recommender system, classifier, or other model.
But... what happens if two collectives act at the same time?
May 2, 2025 at 6:44 PM
Sharing a new paper (led by Aditya Karan):
there's growing interest in algorithmic collective action, when a "collective" acts through data to impact a recommender system, classifier, or other model.
But... what happens if two collectives act at the same time?
there's growing interest in algorithmic collective action, when a "collective" acts through data to impact a recommender system, classifier, or other model.
But... what happens if two collectives act at the same time?
New early draft post: "Public AI, Data Appraisal, and Data Debates"
"A consortium of Public AI labs can substantially improve data pricing, which may also help to concretize debates about the ethics and legality of training practices."
dataleverage.substack.com/p/public-ai-...
"A consortium of Public AI labs can substantially improve data pricing, which may also help to concretize debates about the ethics and legality of training practices."
dataleverage.substack.com/p/public-ai-...
Public AI, Data Appraisal, and Data Debates
A consortium of Public AI labs can substantially improve data pricing, which may also help to concretize debates about the ethics and legality of training practices.
dataleverage.substack.com
April 3, 2025 at 5:52 PM
New early draft post: "Public AI, Data Appraisal, and Data Debates"
"A consortium of Public AI labs can substantially improve data pricing, which may also help to concretize debates about the ethics and legality of training practices."
dataleverage.substack.com/p/public-ai-...
"A consortium of Public AI labs can substantially improve data pricing, which may also help to concretize debates about the ethics and legality of training practices."
dataleverage.substack.com/p/public-ai-...