ChatGPT mate

Haha I saw this. Also side note - that alt text is a work of art

Haha I love this

Make no mistake, we are at a series of crossroads right now and it is essential that we be deliberative, hyper attuned to consequences, and systemic in our thinking.

We know these things deep down, but AI has the power to create convincing and seductive illusions.

It’s not real but if it’s real enough, will enough of us care enough to stop it?

And if we don’t, what does that mean for our minds, our health, our systems, our societies?

AI does a good job of impersonating things that are fundamentally not possible, and humans are suckers for rejection of the impossible.

For instance, we cannot:

- talk to our past or future selves
- reanimate the dead
- read someone’s mind

But don’t we all, sometimes, wish to do these things?

Anyway happy Friday etc

Above all else, AI is an accelerant.

That makes it really important for us to look at the world around us right now and ask: do we want to keep doing this, but faster? If not, what are the necessary interruptions?

For some context, I’ve been working through complex tensions at work this week (between opposing concerns, priorities and ideas - not people, thankfully). It made me think back to this piece I wrote a couple of years ago.

Weirdly, I get this a lot when I’m having an OCD flare up. My most common one is a random line from Toploader’s Dancing in the Moonlight

London’s noise must be cancelled

This is a much better system than my panic-buying spares and then immediately losing them in the tangles of a forgotten bag

Good old Fira Sans ❤️

LOL didn’t even notice

See you again in January

I fear I’ll never top it

I’m really looking forward to a chance to listen to this episode. “Design for real life” is a favourite book - I’ve bought dozens to give away, and now I don’t have to because Eric Meyer and Sara Wachter-Boettcher made it free to read:

abookdeparts-dfrl.netlify.app

Lot of energy in this photo

We discuss why those of us working on design systems are so vulnerable to burning and how we can prevent it. We talk about the importance of living your values, advocating what’s right and — crucially — knowing when to walk away.

Tune into the final episode wherever you get your podcasts. ❤️