ollie masters
@olliemastersbskys.bsky.social
I’m starting to think I might have left it too late to be a child genius…
Writer. Repped by Jago Irwin at Independent Talent.
Writer. Repped by Jago Irwin at Independent Talent.
Reposted by ollie masters
No-one noticed the text scratched into the welding mask when this was first broadcast on the BBC, back in 1979, did they?
February 20, 2026 at 8:36 AM
No-one noticed the text scratched into the welding mask when this was first broadcast on the BBC, back in 1979, did they?
Reposted by ollie masters
Most of my job doesn't involve staring at a computer, it involves talking to people and reading books, and both of those, in different ways, tell me that we will have big problems if *30 per cent of working people in the UK* lose their jobs in the next 15 to 18 months.
February 20, 2026 at 12:52 AM
Most of my job doesn't involve staring at a computer, it involves talking to people and reading books, and both of those, in different ways, tell me that we will have big problems if *30 per cent of working people in the UK* lose their jobs in the next 15 to 18 months.
Reposted by ollie masters
The two types of AI denialism: the people who look at this and go 'nah, the machines will never get that smart' and the people who say it and talk like it is a thing you can meaningfully prepare for.
"Do you sit at a desk and look at a computer much of the day? Take this very seriously."
AI Will Destroy Millions of White Collars Jobs in the Coming Months, Andrew Yang Warns, Driving Surge of Personal Bankruptcies
The philosopher king of white collar work has an urgent warning for the millions of office professionals across the US.
trib.al
February 20, 2026 at 12:45 AM
The two types of AI denialism: the people who look at this and go 'nah, the machines will never get that smart' and the people who say it and talk like it is a thing you can meaningfully prepare for.
Reposted by ollie masters
Another green shoot. Ironic that evidence of economic recovery is starting to build just as govt’s stock is lowest - it means they’re not getting credit for something that feels like it might actually be going right (shock, horror) www.theguardian.com/politics/202...
UK reports record-breaking budget surplus of £30.4bn in surprise boost for Rachel Reeves
Largest January total since records began in 1993 is sharp reversal from December’s £11.6bn deficit
www.theguardian.com
February 20, 2026 at 8:51 AM
Another green shoot. Ironic that evidence of economic recovery is starting to build just as govt’s stock is lowest - it means they’re not getting credit for something that feels like it might actually be going right (shock, horror) www.theguardian.com/politics/202...
Reposted by ollie masters
lol so aliens are real too then i guess
DOOCY: Barack Obama said that aliens are real. Have you seen any evidence of non-human visitors to earth?
TRUMP: Well, he gave classified information. He's not supposed to be doing that.
DOOCY: So aliens are real?
TRUMP: I don't know if they're real or not. He made a big mistake.
TRUMP: Well, he gave classified information. He's not supposed to be doing that.
DOOCY: So aliens are real?
TRUMP: I don't know if they're real or not. He made a big mistake.
February 19, 2026 at 11:33 PM
lol so aliens are real too then i guess
Reposted by ollie masters
It's wild so many of arguments from AIs' actual boosters is "It's going to ruin everything. Really, it's going to fuck stuff up so bad. It's incredible"
"Do you sit at a desk and look at a computer much of the day? Take this very seriously."
AI Will Destroy Millions of White Collars Jobs in the Coming Months, Andrew Yang Warns, Driving Surge of Personal Bankruptcies
The philosopher king of white collar work has an urgent warning for the millions of office professionals across the US.
trib.al
February 19, 2026 at 9:12 PM
It's wild so many of arguments from AIs' actual boosters is "It's going to ruin everything. Really, it's going to fuck stuff up so bad. It's incredible"
Reposted by ollie masters
Jeff Daniels is 71.
Love his story about his unforgettable death scene in Speed & how it’s all thanks to Roy Scheider in Jaws.
Love his story about his unforgettable death scene in Speed & how it’s all thanks to Roy Scheider in Jaws.
February 19, 2026 at 6:15 PM
Jeff Daniels is 71.
Love his story about his unforgettable death scene in Speed & how it’s all thanks to Roy Scheider in Jaws.
Love his story about his unforgettable death scene in Speed & how it’s all thanks to Roy Scheider in Jaws.
Reposted by ollie masters
In another 'AI is helping' moment, just realised the 512gb cards I could buy for £129.99 a piece in November are now, er, £260 thanks to the global memory shortage.
February 19, 2026 at 9:02 PM
In another 'AI is helping' moment, just realised the 512gb cards I could buy for £129.99 a piece in November are now, er, £260 thanks to the global memory shortage.
Reposted by ollie masters
The authorities have our support = normal
The authorities have our full support = emphatic
The authorities have our full and wholehearted support = send him to the Tower and hand me an axe, I’ll do it myself
The authorities have our full support = emphatic
The authorities have our full and wholehearted support = send him to the Tower and hand me an axe, I’ll do it myself
February 19, 2026 at 1:02 PM
The authorities have our support = normal
The authorities have our full support = emphatic
The authorities have our full and wholehearted support = send him to the Tower and hand me an axe, I’ll do it myself
The authorities have our full support = emphatic
The authorities have our full and wholehearted support = send him to the Tower and hand me an axe, I’ll do it myself
Reposted by ollie masters
not to go back to my pet rant but this links very nicely to those of us who've been arguing for some time that actually form often matters just as much as content in politics, no matter what the online left thinks! fair not to like it as a dynamic but it is what it is!
February 19, 2026 at 5:30 PM
not to go back to my pet rant but this links very nicely to those of us who've been arguing for some time that actually form often matters just as much as content in politics, no matter what the online left thinks! fair not to like it as a dynamic but it is what it is!
Reposted by ollie masters
if someone is saying "i hope that x happens" don't reply with "well actually as always only bad things will happen" because it suggests you've forgotten what the word "hope" means
February 19, 2026 at 3:42 PM
if someone is saying "i hope that x happens" don't reply with "well actually as always only bad things will happen" because it suggests you've forgotten what the word "hope" means
Reposted by ollie masters
"There seem to be only two ways that intractable, generational conflicts such as this can end: when the extremists decide that they want it to; or when they are crushed so comprehensively that they cease to be a factor."
On the similarity of two photos that's been haunting me for a very long time.
On the similarity of two photos that's been haunting me for a very long time.
A tale of two photographs
Something from the Middle East that’s long been haunting me. Also this week: Elledge’s patent Anglo-Saxon wrangler; and what’s the *shortest* river?
jonn.substack.com
February 19, 2026 at 1:55 PM
"There seem to be only two ways that intractable, generational conflicts such as this can end: when the extremists decide that they want it to; or when they are crushed so comprehensively that they cease to be a factor."
On the similarity of two photos that's been haunting me for a very long time.
On the similarity of two photos that's been haunting me for a very long time.
Reposted by ollie masters
UK: Prince Andrew arrested.
South Korea: Former President Yoon sentenced for life.
Brazil: Former President Bolsonaro serving a 27-year sentence.
USA: President Trump demands $10 billion payout from taxpayers.
South Korea: Former President Yoon sentenced for life.
Brazil: Former President Bolsonaro serving a 27-year sentence.
USA: President Trump demands $10 billion payout from taxpayers.
February 19, 2026 at 1:08 PM
UK: Prince Andrew arrested.
South Korea: Former President Yoon sentenced for life.
Brazil: Former President Bolsonaro serving a 27-year sentence.
USA: President Trump demands $10 billion payout from taxpayers.
South Korea: Former President Yoon sentenced for life.
Brazil: Former President Bolsonaro serving a 27-year sentence.
USA: President Trump demands $10 billion payout from taxpayers.
I mean, she’s not wrong, but still. Harsh
February 19, 2026 at 11:52 AM
I mean, she’s not wrong, but still. Harsh
Starting to regret teaching my daughter to write
February 19, 2026 at 11:52 AM
Starting to regret teaching my daughter to write
Reposted by ollie masters
I’ll never understand the people who believe there’s no way to ban AI once it exists. Do they think nothing else have ever been banned or that those laws were created on a purely theoretical level that just happened to pay off
"But the technology would be out there!" Well in this scenario of systemic mass unemployment of the most politically engaged segment of society will make a bipartisan majority to regulate away the cause of that unemployment pretty easy to find.
February 19, 2026 at 10:37 AM
I’ll never understand the people who believe there’s no way to ban AI once it exists. Do they think nothing else have ever been banned or that those laws were created on a purely theoretical level that just happened to pay off
Reposted by ollie masters
To build on Stephen/Nute's points here: We literally saw multiple revolutions driven by young people across the world last year, in part driven by youth unemployment and huge disparity in wealth!
We have a *load* of examples of the outcomes of mass unemployment + connected people + clear target!
We have a *load* of examples of the outcomes of mass unemployment + connected people + clear target!
If structural unemployment hit even twice as many people as deindustrialisation in the 1980s did, my concern would not be 'will people pay for my words' it would be 'will the political upheaval this causes end really, really badly for me personally?'
February 19, 2026 at 10:32 AM
To build on Stephen/Nute's points here: We literally saw multiple revolutions driven by young people across the world last year, in part driven by youth unemployment and huge disparity in wealth!
We have a *load* of examples of the outcomes of mass unemployment + connected people + clear target!
We have a *load* of examples of the outcomes of mass unemployment + connected people + clear target!
Reposted by ollie masters
Skipping a full process on a contentious candidate, I see. Keor Starmer really is determined to just keep doing that until it works, isn't he?
NEW: Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has appointed Dame Antonia Romeo as the first female Cabinet Secretary and head of the Civil Service, it is understood.
February 19, 2026 at 9:35 AM
Skipping a full process on a contentious candidate, I see. Keor Starmer really is determined to just keep doing that until it works, isn't he?
Reposted by ollie masters
ANDREW MOUNTBATTEN ARRESTED
February 19, 2026 at 10:01 AM
ANDREW MOUNTBATTEN ARRESTED
Reposted by ollie masters
I do love that the trend in the UK, specifically, is young men rapidly swung left from 2010 onwards, it’s just that young women swung left even more rapidly
I've lost count of the number of times I've had to pull out this chart from the FT.
It's not really true to say young men are moving right in the developed world overall, let along within the UK.
Just like the mythical Reform surge with teenagers, it's a meme that just will not die.
It's not really true to say young men are moving right in the developed world overall, let along within the UK.
Just like the mythical Reform surge with teenagers, it's a meme that just will not die.
February 19, 2026 at 9:03 AM
I do love that the trend in the UK, specifically, is young men rapidly swung left from 2010 onwards, it’s just that young women swung left even more rapidly
Reposted by ollie masters
Okay, this is quite outstanding from Bedford Council.
February 19, 2026 at 8:26 AM
Okay, this is quite outstanding from Bedford Council.
Reposted by ollie masters
I regularly see people wondering how it's possible that there are so many musicians and writers and film makers and artists from a tiny nation like Iceland.
And the answer is really simple: State funding for art education and artists. I literally get a salary from the government to write books.
And the answer is really simple: State funding for art education and artists. I literally get a salary from the government to write books.
I’m constantly astounded at the sheer level of artistic production coming out of Iceland. Novels, movies, music. Amazing.
February 18, 2026 at 2:23 PM
I regularly see people wondering how it's possible that there are so many musicians and writers and film makers and artists from a tiny nation like Iceland.
And the answer is really simple: State funding for art education and artists. I literally get a salary from the government to write books.
And the answer is really simple: State funding for art education and artists. I literally get a salary from the government to write books.
This whole thing is insane
I got a tip that all over the world, people are using a dead-simple hack to manipulate AI behavior. It turns out changing what AI tells other people can be as easy as writing a blog post *on your own website*
I didn’t believe it, so I decided to test it myself www.bbc.com/future/artic...
I didn’t believe it, so I decided to test it myself www.bbc.com/future/artic...
I hacked ChatGPT and Google's AI – and it only took 20 minutes
I found a way to make AI tell you lies – and I'm not the only one.
www.bbc.com
February 18, 2026 at 8:30 PM
This whole thing is insane
Reposted by ollie masters
I got a tip that all over the world, people are using a dead-simple hack to manipulate AI behavior. It turns out changing what AI tells other people can be as easy as writing a blog post *on your own website*
I didn’t believe it, so I decided to test it myself www.bbc.com/future/artic...
I didn’t believe it, so I decided to test it myself www.bbc.com/future/artic...
I hacked ChatGPT and Google's AI – and it only took 20 minutes
I found a way to make AI tell you lies – and I'm not the only one.
www.bbc.com
February 18, 2026 at 4:37 PM
I got a tip that all over the world, people are using a dead-simple hack to manipulate AI behavior. It turns out changing what AI tells other people can be as easy as writing a blog post *on your own website*
I didn’t believe it, so I decided to test it myself www.bbc.com/future/artic...
I didn’t believe it, so I decided to test it myself www.bbc.com/future/artic...
