Critical AI
@critical-ai.bsky.social
Highlighting voices critical of AI and algorithmic systems. A project by the Birkbeck Institute for Data Science and AI.
https://critical-ai.uk/
https://critical-ai.uk/
Reposted by Critical AI
There is absolutely no good faith reason to use the term “AI” for any technology one is selling.
It serves only for dazzling people into thinking the technology has capabilities that it doesn’t.
If one wants a technology to be trustworthy, just use a transparent, informative term without hype.
It serves only for dazzling people into thinking the technology has capabilities that it doesn’t.
If one wants a technology to be trustworthy, just use a transparent, informative term without hype.
September 26, 2025 at 10:31 PM
There is absolutely no good faith reason to use the term “AI” for any technology one is selling.
It serves only for dazzling people into thinking the technology has capabilities that it doesn’t.
If one wants a technology to be trustworthy, just use a transparent, informative term without hype.
It serves only for dazzling people into thinking the technology has capabilities that it doesn’t.
If one wants a technology to be trustworthy, just use a transparent, informative term without hype.
Reposted by Critical AI
Gen AI challenges the idea that tech under capitalism means increased productivity, so trade unions should demand a greater share of the benefits. It reveals instead the underlying truth of an all out attack on workers and planet, and a lust for for power at any cost.
August 30, 2025 at 6:20 AM
Gen AI challenges the idea that tech under capitalism means increased productivity, so trade unions should demand a greater share of the benefits. It reveals instead the underlying truth of an all out attack on workers and planet, and a lust for for power at any cost.
Reposted by Critical AI
ChatGPT cannot write and is an automated plagiarism machine irisvanrooijcogsci.com/2022/12/29/a...
August 9, 2025 at 3:42 PM
ChatGPT cannot write and is an automated plagiarism machine irisvanrooijcogsci.com/2022/12/29/a...
For anyone publishing research here, have you had any experience with AI submissions or AI reviews recently? I have grown a thick skin when it comes to reviews, but a recent AI-written review hit me much harder than any mean review I've received in my 15 years of publishing.
July 23, 2025 at 10:06 PM
For anyone publishing research here, have you had any experience with AI submissions or AI reviews recently? I have grown a thick skin when it comes to reviews, but a recent AI-written review hit me much harder than any mean review I've received in my 15 years of publishing.
Join us online tonight or in person if you're in London!
As part of the Birkbeck Science Week (www.bbk.ac.uk/annual-event...) I will be giving a talk on "Machine Commands: Society in the Age of AI" on June 11. If you're interested, register here www.bbk.ac.uk/events/event...
Science Week — Birkbeck, University of London
The Faculty of Science holds a week of lectures and events each year to spotlight the research taking place in its departments.
www.bbk.ac.uk
June 11, 2025 at 12:35 PM
Join us online tonight or in person if you're in London!
As part of the Birkbeck Science Week (www.bbk.ac.uk/annual-event...) I will be giving a talk on "Machine Commands: Society in the Age of AI" on June 11. If you're interested, register here www.bbk.ac.uk/events/event...
Science Week — Birkbeck, University of London
The Faculty of Science holds a week of lectures and events each year to spotlight the research taking place in its departments.
www.bbk.ac.uk
May 22, 2025 at 3:12 PM
As part of the Birkbeck Science Week (www.bbk.ac.uk/annual-event...) I will be giving a talk on "Machine Commands: Society in the Age of AI" on June 11. If you're interested, register here www.bbk.ac.uk/events/event...
Managers who think AI can replace human workers usually simply don't understand the nuance of the work. Case in point: fortune.com/2025/05/09/k...
As Klarna flips from AI-first to hiring people again, a new landmark survey reveals most AI projects fail to deliver
Just 1 in 4 AI investments bring in the ROI they promise—but CEOs just can’t resist the technology.
fortune.com
May 10, 2025 at 3:17 PM
Managers who think AI can replace human workers usually simply don't understand the nuance of the work. Case in point: fortune.com/2025/05/09/k...
Gareth Watkins' (@garethwatkins.bsky.social) article on AI aesthetics and fascism has a great explanation for the right's embrace of AI slop newsocialist.org.uk/transmission...
AI: The New Aesthetics of Fascism
It's embarrassing, destructive, and looks like shit: AI-generated art is the perfect aesthetic form for the far right.
newsocialist.org.uk
April 22, 2025 at 7:04 AM
Gareth Watkins' (@garethwatkins.bsky.social) article on AI aesthetics and fascism has a great explanation for the right's embrace of AI slop newsocialist.org.uk/transmission...
Reposted by Critical AI
'Careless People' Is the Book About Facebook I've Wanted for a Decade
'Careless People' Is the Book About Facebook I've Wanted for a Decade
I've reported on Facebook for years and have always wondered: Does Facebook care what it is doing to society? Careless People makes clear it does not.
www.404media.co
April 8, 2025 at 11:30 PM
'Careless People' Is the Book About Facebook I've Wanted for a Decade
The Institute of Philosophy, UoL, is hosting an event on "Responsible AI" (philevents.org/event/show/1...) which might be of interest to some. Check it out.
Responsible AI
Artificial intelligence is transforming society, raising urgent questions about responsibility, ethics, and governance. Responsible AI, hosted by the London AI and Humanity Project, the ...
philevents.org
April 8, 2025 at 1:26 PM
The Institute of Philosophy, UoL, is hosting an event on "Responsible AI" (philevents.org/event/show/1...) which might be of interest to some. Check it out.
Reposted by Critical AI
yeah! what is it about them? 🤔
March 13, 2025 at 4:22 PM
yeah! what is it about them? 🤔
Reposted by Critical AI
Apple just paused its AI LLM Siri upgrade indefinitely.
The writing is on the wall.
The writing is on the wall.
iPhone sales are down after they focus on AI instead of something people want. But Microsoft went all in on AI for Windows 11, they must be doing well—
They’re losing market share to windows 10, their own operating system that’s 9 years old.
They’re losing market share to windows 10, their own operating system that’s 9 years old.
March 13, 2025 at 3:56 AM
Apple just paused its AI LLM Siri upgrade indefinitely.
The writing is on the wall.
The writing is on the wall.
I think here we have the raw, unfiltered view of how the powerful plan to wield AI systems: as bureaucratic systems with little human oversight.
February 25, 2025 at 8:29 AM
I think here we have the raw, unfiltered view of how the powerful plan to wield AI systems: as bureaucratic systems with little human oversight.
Reposted by Critical AI
This is an excellent primer on some of the privacy dangers posed by large scale AI, from a cybersecurity perspective. Written in clear language, it's the most accessible rundown I've seen yet on these topics!
desfontain.es/blog/privacy...
desfontain.es/blog/privacy...
Five things privacy experts know about AI - Ted is writing things
… and that AI salespeople don't want you to know!
desfontain.es
January 14, 2025 at 11:31 AM
This is an excellent primer on some of the privacy dangers posed by large scale AI, from a cybersecurity perspective. Written in clear language, it's the most accessible rundown I've seen yet on these topics!
desfontain.es/blog/privacy...
desfontain.es/blog/privacy...
Reposted by Critical AI
"Critical computing expert Dan McQuillan argues that, on top of the clear social and environmental harms, Labour's vapid fixation on AI-led growth in lieu of real change will further enable the far right. Instead, he proposes a strategy of 'decomputing'. " www.computerweekly.com/opinion/Labo...
Labour's AI Action Plan - a gift to the far right | Computer Weekly
Critical computing expert Dan McQuillan argues that, on top of the clear social and environmental harms associated with the technology, Labour's vapid fixation on AI-led growth in lieu of real change ...
www.computerweekly.com
January 14, 2025 at 2:39 PM
"Critical computing expert Dan McQuillan argues that, on top of the clear social and environmental harms, Labour's vapid fixation on AI-led growth in lieu of real change will further enable the far right. Instead, he proposes a strategy of 'decomputing'. " www.computerweekly.com/opinion/Labo...
Reposted by Critical AI
In anticipation of the UK government launching it's much-heralded 'AI Plan' next week, I've just drafted a 3000 word piece titled 'Labour and AI - a gift to the far right'. Looking for an outlet/platform for it; suggestions welcome.
January 10, 2025 at 11:41 AM
In anticipation of the UK government launching it's much-heralded 'AI Plan' next week, I've just drafted a 3000 word piece titled 'Labour and AI - a gift to the far right'. Looking for an outlet/platform for it; suggestions welcome.
Reposted by Critical AI
'UK proposes letting tech firms use copyrighted work to train AI' www.theguardian.com/technology/2... creatives won't be the last people sacrificed to this government's 'growth through AI' delusion
UK proposes letting tech firms use copyrighted work to train AI
Consultation suggests opt-out scheme for creatives who don’t want their work used by Google, OpenAI and others
www.theguardian.com
December 18, 2024 at 10:34 AM
'UK proposes letting tech firms use copyrighted work to train AI' www.theguardian.com/technology/2... creatives won't be the last people sacrificed to this government's 'growth through AI' delusion
If you missed it, you can now watch a recording of Kinga's talk "Can AI hear everyone?" on youtube youtu.be/1VdZ1hY1Gl4
Can AI hear everyone?
YouTube video by Critical AI
youtu.be
December 9, 2024 at 6:25 PM
If you missed it, you can now watch a recording of Kinga's talk "Can AI hear everyone?" on youtube youtu.be/1VdZ1hY1Gl4
If you've missed any of the recent talks, we now have a YouTube channel (m.youtube.com/@CriticalAI-...) with the recordings!
Critical AI
m.youtube.com
December 7, 2024 at 8:50 AM
If you've missed any of the recent talks, we now have a YouTube channel (m.youtube.com/@CriticalAI-...) with the recordings!
Thanks to everyone who joined us for Kinga's talk last week, both offline and online! We're continuing tomorrow (Dec 03) with Felix' talk on "The AI future sucks" --- hope to see you all!
December 2, 2024 at 11:33 AM
Thanks to everyone who joined us for Kinga's talk last week, both offline and online! We're continuing tomorrow (Dec 03) with Felix' talk on "The AI future sucks" --- hope to see you all!
Thanks to everyone who joined us for Joel's talk yesterday, both offline and online! We're continuing next week on Nov with Kinga's talk on "Can AI Hear Everyone?" --- hope to see you all! (also please follow us on@critical-ai.bsky.social, this platform is cursed)
November 20, 2024 at 4:39 PM
Thanks to everyone who joined us for Joel's talk yesterday, both offline and online! We're continuing next week on Nov with Kinga's talk on "Can AI Hear Everyone?" --- hope to see you all! (also please follow us on@critical-ai.bsky.social, this platform is cursed)
Tonight!
Thanks for everyone who joined us for Alex' talk yesterday, both offline and online! We're continuing next week on Nov 19 with Joel's talk on "Fake Physics and Simulated Worlds" --- hope to see you all!
November 19, 2024 at 8:22 AM
Tonight!
Thanks for everyone who joined us for Alex' talk yesterday, both offline and online! We're continuing next week on Nov 19 with Joel's talk on "Fake Physics and Simulated Worlds" --- hope to see you all!
November 15, 2024 at 10:17 AM
Thanks for everyone who joined us for Alex' talk yesterday, both offline and online! We're continuing next week on Nov 19 with Joel's talk on "Fake Physics and Simulated Worlds" --- hope to see you all!
For everyone joining us tonight for Alex' talk, please note the last-minute room change: We will now meet in Room 206 of Birkbeck Central! See you there! maps.app.goo.gl/o1CPJ59tpNpQ...
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Find local businesses, view maps and get driving directions in Google Maps.
maps.app.goo.gl
November 14, 2024 at 5:21 PM
For everyone joining us tonight for Alex' talk, please note the last-minute room change: We will now meet in Room 206 of Birkbeck Central! See you there! maps.app.goo.gl/o1CPJ59tpNpQ...