Dr Alex Bowyer
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alexbfree.bsky.social
Dr Alex Bowyer
@alexbfree.bsky.social
Passionate about improving people’s lives through healthier relationships with technology & data. PhD #MyData.

Also: indie films, board games, improv, nature walks, travel, photography, local life/community & a little politics.

#forevereuropean #ND
I still remember first watching the latest pop videos come out by watching The Chart Show on Saturday mornings on ITV growing up in the early 90s - before the Internet and before any of us had Sky and fancy things like MTV
October 10, 2025 at 1:51 PM
Inspiring words from James Felton Keith at #mydata2025

Employers (and the public should start fighting for the fact that) personal data is labour, it is work that deserves recompense. People understand that companies owe them something for proving their data but can’t receive it.
September 25, 2025 at 12:25 PM
Fascinating workshop on death and digital legacy by @cubicgarden.com at #mydata2025.. letters of wishes can be machine readable and even automated according to #mydata principles - but you have to keep a human in the process as an approver.
September 25, 2025 at 9:32 AM
A call to arms from Malik Lakoubay at @radxchange.bsky.social - independent news media are at existential risk from AI. Trusted data intermediaries such as Syft offer a solution.

#mydata2025

(2/2)
September 24, 2025 at 2:30 PM
A call to arms from Malik Lakoubay at @radxchange.bsky.social - independent news media are at existential risk from AI. Trusted data intermediaries such as Syft offer a solution.

#mydata2025

(1/2)
September 24, 2025 at 2:30 PM
Excellent overview of the opportunity and risk of personal agents by Jogi Poikola at #mydata2025

Great set of principles too, drawn from the history of #mydata and #VRM thinking

#personalagents #ai

(2/2)
September 24, 2025 at 12:29 PM
Excellent overview of the opportunity and risk of personal agents by Jogi Poikola at #mydata2025

Great set of principles too, drawn from the history of #mydata and #VRM thinking

#personalagents #ai

(1/2)
September 24, 2025 at 12:29 PM
#mydata2025 founder Jogi reminding us of 1999 prediction by John Hagel III & Marc Singer

“Buyers are losing patience, and you’re losing their trust. It’s only a matter of time before they hire agents to represent them in many of their commercial transactions.”

That time is now.
#personalagents
September 24, 2025 at 12:28 PM
Eric Pol opening the #mydata2025 conference at Aalto University in Finland:

“We are not here to tweak the status quo, we are here to leap past it and shape the human-centric future”

#mydata
September 24, 2025 at 12:19 PM
Does anyone else feel a disproportionate pang of sadness at the WHSmith name disappearing from UK high streets?

(I think it’s because I have many fond memories of browsing for magazines and CD singles here and Woolworths as a young teen)
September 16, 2025 at 12:02 PM
Speaking of #enshittification (last repost) am I right in understanding that the new #Spotify T&Cs forbid you from using the service while travelling or holidaying overseas?!?!?
September 5, 2025 at 7:45 AM
And relatedly, from one of the other talks (by Mariam Hussein) - some thoughts on the dangers of over reliance on AI, and how we need to avoid using it for things that make us uniquely human #bbcdevelop2025
September 4, 2025 at 12:45 PM
At first skim of this headline, I imagined a team of judges with clipboards and hard hats going down manholes and observing underground sewage flows.... 🤦‍♂️😂
September 1, 2025 at 10:15 AM
I'm starting an exciting new chapter today!

This is day 1 of my new role as Senior Software Engineer in Content Metadata at the BBC!
August 27, 2025 at 12:17 PM
In this week's "Who's holding the remote control?" post with @iainh1.bsky.social, we explore how personalised AI could ruin our social lives and how we need to choose personal, ethical AI agents for a healthier future. medium.com/@alexbfree/w...

#mydata #agenticai #personalai #empowermenttech
June 23, 2025 at 1:16 PM
Read the latest post in my and @iainh1.bsky.social's series about the critical turning point we face with AI. In this post we explore AI's potential impacts on our home life if left unchecked:

"Who's holding the remote control?"
Part 2: Home Life
medium.com/@alexbfree/w...
June 17, 2025 at 12:59 PM
Top programming there lad!

£NaN away from free delivery and £0 applied for my £5 off code 🤷 😂
May 30, 2025 at 3:23 PM
“Callister: Into Infinity” might be one of the best #BlackMirror episodes yet - manages to be a smart, engaging sci-fi; a deliciously dark & dystopian Black Mirror fare; a top notch character drama; a v fun Star Trek pastiche & a sequel that actually improves & builds on its original! 5 stars! 🤩
May 1, 2025 at 11:15 PM
Having a sign like this in the shop car park is great user centred design. I always have bags the boot and often forget them!! #ux #everydaydesign
April 8, 2025 at 5:33 PM
Had a play with #chatgpt new image generation capability.. Here's what the boys from Red Dwarf would look like in a Studio Ghibli animation #reddwarf #studioghibli #ai #chatgpt
April 2, 2025 at 3:28 PM
Randomly found online, somehow very apt for the age of AI agents and algorithmic profiling… applies now more than ever…
January 31, 2025 at 10:00 PM
Just upgraded to #macOS Sequoia and going through features. This one made me pause..

Wait, you're telling me ALL my phone notifications are going to come onto my desktop now, distracting me while I try to work? NOT a good thing, Apple. I think sometimes I'd quite like to miss a beat, thanks v much.
January 31, 2025 at 10:06 AM
44 countries visited! Must be about time to add some new ones I think!!

countries-visited.com?countries=Eg...
January 13, 2025 at 3:36 PM
Delighted to get a mini Cherry Ripe in this month’s SnackVerse box, used to love those in Australia. The Twisties were great too!

I’ve got a referral code if anyone wants £5 off. Use coupon: REFDUKNABUVEF snackverse.com
December 21, 2024 at 3:42 PM
My new destressing activity.. good to do a little bit every now and then on breaks from work #jigsaws
December 5, 2024 at 8:14 PM