Dr Lauren Fraser
@walkyouhome.bsky.social
Librarian in HE | Union rep | Maker | Potterer
Out in East Lothian usually
Out in East Lothian usually
Reposted by Dr Lauren Fraser
One of my CPC colleagues is speaking at this symposium on AI slop and brain rot at Anglia Ruskin’s Centre for Media, Arts and Creative Technologies on 5th December 2025. Sounds super interesting. https://www.aru.ac.uk/brain-rot
Centre for Media, Arts and Creative Technologies events - ARU
Find out about upcoming events held by ARU's Centre for Media, Arts and Creative Technologies.
www.aru.ac.uk
November 10, 2025 at 9:47 AM
One of my CPC colleagues is speaking at this symposium on AI slop and brain rot at Anglia Ruskin’s Centre for Media, Arts and Creative Technologies on 5th December 2025. Sounds super interesting. https://www.aru.ac.uk/brain-rot
Reposted by Dr Lauren Fraser
Not only that, but so much AI tech extracts the metadata and open info created/enabled *by* library and data workers. The labor of our field is being consumed and then resold to us in the hopes that we’ll decide our own jobs are obsolete @404media.co
Librarians told 404 Media they're being inundated with new pitches for AI library tech and catalogs are being flooded with AI slop books.
But more broadly, AI maximalism across society is supercharging the ideological war on libraries, schools, government workers, and academics.
But more broadly, AI maximalism across society is supercharging the ideological war on libraries, schools, government workers, and academics.
AI Is Supercharging the War on Libraries, Education, and Human Knowledge
"Fascism and AI, whether or not they have the same goals, they sure are working to accelerate one another."
www.404media.co
November 8, 2025 at 2:51 PM
Not only that, but so much AI tech extracts the metadata and open info created/enabled *by* library and data workers. The labor of our field is being consumed and then resold to us in the hopes that we’ll decide our own jobs are obsolete @404media.co
Reposted by Dr Lauren Fraser
I do really think these folks are underestimating how bad the AI backlash can get if the industry needs a bailout
people are still furious about the 2008 bailout and that was almost two decades ago
people are still furious about the 2008 bailout and that was almost two decades ago
Tech guys six months ago: haha yes we’re cutting all this WASTEFUL spending by eliminating medical research and USAID
Tech guys now: yes I think taxpayers will be excited to bailout my non consensual pornography machine
Tech guys now: yes I think taxpayers will be excited to bailout my non consensual pornography machine
November 8, 2025 at 11:28 PM
I do really think these folks are underestimating how bad the AI backlash can get if the industry needs a bailout
people are still furious about the 2008 bailout and that was almost two decades ago
people are still furious about the 2008 bailout and that was almost two decades ago
Reposted by Dr Lauren Fraser
"Casting [AI] errors as valuable for self-reflection without providing concrete examples of how that reflection has been beneficial does little more than create a permission structure for the failures of this technology." www.artforum.com/features/gen...
MACHINE YEARNING
Sonja Drimmer critically examines art historians’ recent embrace of generative AI as a tool for humanities research.
www.artforum.com
November 8, 2025 at 5:23 AM
"Casting [AI] errors as valuable for self-reflection without providing concrete examples of how that reflection has been beneficial does little more than create a permission structure for the failures of this technology." www.artforum.com/features/gen...
Reposted by Dr Lauren Fraser
congrats to everyone for thinking this through before signing very big contracts to put it on every student’s device at the school or university you run
OVER A MILLION USERS
DISCUSS SUICIDE WITH CHATGPT
EVERY *WEEK*
what the fuck are we DOING here
DISCUSS SUICIDE WITH CHATGPT
EVERY *WEEK*
what the fuck are we DOING here
Panera’s moderately caffeinated lemonade was loosely associated with 2 deaths before it was taken off market.
This article alone has 4 examples of ChatGPT encouraging young people to commit suicide, and OpenAI’s own public stats estimate over a million users discuss suicide with ChatGPT each week.
This article alone has 4 examples of ChatGPT encouraging young people to commit suicide, and OpenAI’s own public stats estimate over a million users discuss suicide with ChatGPT each week.
November 7, 2025 at 11:24 PM
congrats to everyone for thinking this through before signing very big contracts to put it on every student’s device at the school or university you run
Reposted by Dr Lauren Fraser
Something worth noting: Rockstar is leaning HEAVILY on the excuse that the unionising employees were "leaking private company information"
They want people to assume this means game info or assets.
But I will bet you CASH MONEY this translates to:
'they were comparing salaries and work contracts"
They want people to assume this means game info or assets.
But I will bet you CASH MONEY this translates to:
'they were comparing salaries and work contracts"
"Rockstar, Rockstar, you're disgusting, we charge you with union busting," the protesters declared.
'All you had to do was follow the damn law, Rockstar!': Workers are protesting outside Take-Two after GTA 6 dev's alleged 'brazen' union-busting
"They can get used to seeing us on their doorstep."
www.pcgamer.com
November 7, 2025 at 8:56 AM
Something worth noting: Rockstar is leaning HEAVILY on the excuse that the unionising employees were "leaking private company information"
They want people to assume this means game info or assets.
But I will bet you CASH MONEY this translates to:
'they were comparing salaries and work contracts"
They want people to assume this means game info or assets.
But I will bet you CASH MONEY this translates to:
'they were comparing salaries and work contracts"
Reposted by Dr Lauren Fraser
Getting nervous for the talk I'm about to give at a workshop about "using AI to drive impact" which features slides such as these.
November 6, 2025 at 8:41 PM
Getting nervous for the talk I'm about to give at a workshop about "using AI to drive impact" which features slides such as these.
Reposted by Dr Lauren Fraser
OpenAI is facing seven lawsuits claiming ChatGPT drove people to suicide and harmful delusions even when they had no prior mental health issues.
OpenAI faces 7 lawsuits claiming ChatGPT drove people to suicide, delusions
OpenAI is facing seven lawsuits claiming ChatGPT drove people to suicide and harmful delusions even when they had no prior mental health issues.
bit.ly
November 7, 2025 at 8:30 AM
OpenAI is facing seven lawsuits claiming ChatGPT drove people to suicide and harmful delusions even when they had no prior mental health issues.
Reposted by Dr Lauren Fraser
We don't share the same values, either personally or professionally, if you think AI bots belong in the library.
📚
www.cnn.com/2025/11/06/u...
📚
www.cnn.com/2025/11/06/u...
ChatGPT encouraged college graduate to commit suicide, family claims in lawsuit against OpenAI | CNN
A 23-year-old man killed himself in Texas after ChatGPT ‘goaded’ him to commit suicide, his family says in a lawsuit.
www.cnn.com
November 7, 2025 at 1:20 AM
We don't share the same values, either personally or professionally, if you think AI bots belong in the library.
📚
www.cnn.com/2025/11/06/u...
📚
www.cnn.com/2025/11/06/u...
Reposted by Dr Lauren Fraser
Reposted by Dr Lauren Fraser
As stressed as cataloguing makes me, I find it fascinating how true it is that everyone catalogues differently. It's really more an art than a science. Take Marie Kondo’s new book Letter from Japan:
NYPL: 306.0952
LAPL: 309.52
Multnomah: 305
SFPL: 952
Denver: 390.0952
My library: Bio Kondo
NYPL: 306.0952
LAPL: 309.52
Multnomah: 305
SFPL: 952
Denver: 390.0952
My library: Bio Kondo
November 6, 2025 at 4:21 PM
As stressed as cataloguing makes me, I find it fascinating how true it is that everyone catalogues differently. It's really more an art than a science. Take Marie Kondo’s new book Letter from Japan:
NYPL: 306.0952
LAPL: 309.52
Multnomah: 305
SFPL: 952
Denver: 390.0952
My library: Bio Kondo
NYPL: 306.0952
LAPL: 309.52
Multnomah: 305
SFPL: 952
Denver: 390.0952
My library: Bio Kondo
Reposted by Dr Lauren Fraser
And this is why I stress that we cannot let genAI take over library processes. Try having genAI figure out how to catalogue that book. Humans use reasoning, our knowledge of the field, patron needs, and yes, our own biases and priorities. Cataloguing tells you a lot about a system's values.
November 6, 2025 at 4:23 PM
And this is why I stress that we cannot let genAI take over library processes. Try having genAI figure out how to catalogue that book. Humans use reasoning, our knowledge of the field, patron needs, and yes, our own biases and priorities. Cataloguing tells you a lot about a system's values.
Reposted by Dr Lauren Fraser
The long-running ideological war on libraries, education, and government workers is not separate from AI boosterism. It is the same ideological war on human knowledge and expertise. In some cases AI is being used to directly supercharge this effort:
www.404media.co/ai-is-superc...
www.404media.co/ai-is-superc...
AI Is Supercharging the War on Libraries, Education, and Human Knowledge
"Fascism and AI, whether or not they have the same goals, they sure are working to accelerate one another."
www.404media.co
November 6, 2025 at 4:21 PM
The long-running ideological war on libraries, education, and government workers is not separate from AI boosterism. It is the same ideological war on human knowledge and expertise. In some cases AI is being used to directly supercharge this effort:
www.404media.co/ai-is-superc...
www.404media.co/ai-is-superc...
Reposted by Dr Lauren Fraser
The boat:
October 28, 2025 at 1:24 PM
The boat:
Reposted by Dr Lauren Fraser
Someone produced an infographic for telling students how to use genAI in their work, and apart from my fundamental disagreement with the content, they said "this is littered with errors because it's produced with AI" sorry why are you suddenly allowed to present work "littered with errors"
November 6, 2025 at 10:30 AM
Someone produced an infographic for telling students how to use genAI in their work, and apart from my fundamental disagreement with the content, they said "this is littered with errors because it's produced with AI" sorry why are you suddenly allowed to present work "littered with errors"
Reposted by Dr Lauren Fraser
I've been having friendly and open "Why I dislike AI in most cases" conversations with friends and neighbors and it's surprising to me how much misunderstanding there is
"But you use speech-to-text, isn't that AI?"
"Not with this iOS it isn't."
Poor digital literacy just helps this stupid timeline
"But you use speech-to-text, isn't that AI?"
"Not with this iOS it isn't."
Poor digital literacy just helps this stupid timeline
November 6, 2025 at 1:26 AM
I've been having friendly and open "Why I dislike AI in most cases" conversations with friends and neighbors and it's surprising to me how much misunderstanding there is
"But you use speech-to-text, isn't that AI?"
"Not with this iOS it isn't."
Poor digital literacy just helps this stupid timeline
"But you use speech-to-text, isn't that AI?"
"Not with this iOS it isn't."
Poor digital literacy just helps this stupid timeline
Reposted by Dr Lauren Fraser
me at the end of class: here's a little speculative exercises; imagine you wake up from cryosleep in 2085. what's the kind of tech-society r/ship you'd like to see around you?
students: no AI
I honestly think students' views are missing from the 'should AI be integrated in classrooms' discussion
students: no AI
I honestly think students' views are missing from the 'should AI be integrated in classrooms' discussion
November 6, 2025 at 6:32 AM
me at the end of class: here's a little speculative exercises; imagine you wake up from cryosleep in 2085. what's the kind of tech-society r/ship you'd like to see around you?
students: no AI
I honestly think students' views are missing from the 'should AI be integrated in classrooms' discussion
students: no AI
I honestly think students' views are missing from the 'should AI be integrated in classrooms' discussion
Reposted by Dr Lauren Fraser
"i used an improv comedy group to generate my data"
"i had an improv group classify the outcomes"
"methodology: first, i went to an improv comedy group"
this is how you sound when you use LLMs for research
"i had an improv group classify the outcomes"
"methodology: first, i went to an improv comedy group"
this is how you sound when you use LLMs for research
the amount of academic research now using llms in research (synthetic data generation, to classify, annotate, or analyse large scale data, etc) is astounding. remember, just cus use of llms in research is becoming normalised does NOT erase the fact it degrades the research & undermine your results
October 30, 2025 at 4:31 PM
"i used an improv comedy group to generate my data"
"i had an improv group classify the outcomes"
"methodology: first, i went to an improv comedy group"
this is how you sound when you use LLMs for research
"i had an improv group classify the outcomes"
"methodology: first, i went to an improv comedy group"
this is how you sound when you use LLMs for research
Reposted by Dr Lauren Fraser
British Library chief executive, Rebecca Lawrence, quits midway through PCS strike. An interesting development.
November 3, 2025 at 3:54 PM
British Library chief executive, Rebecca Lawrence, quits midway through PCS strike. An interesting development.
Reposted by Dr Lauren Fraser
One of the things I'm struggling with is that, when you speak out against acts that you believe in your heart are wrong, people will get angry with you. Their reasons may vary but the result is the same.
November 3, 2025 at 2:15 PM
One of the things I'm struggling with is that, when you speak out against acts that you believe in your heart are wrong, people will get angry with you. Their reasons may vary but the result is the same.
Reposted by Dr Lauren Fraser
I get why it’s confusing, but “everything an LLM says is a lie, including the truth” is, I think, a good frame for dealing with them.
November 2, 2025 at 6:44 PM
I get why it’s confusing, but “everything an LLM says is a lie, including the truth” is, I think, a good frame for dealing with them.
Reposted by Dr Lauren Fraser
Happens All.The.Time. ChatGPT is a performance-enhancing drug. Students see others around them using it and finishing assignments so quickly that they think they'll suffer by comparison if they don't. I teach a compressed 6-week semester and the lack of time = almost everyone pushing that button.
I can well imagine being 18 today and pushing that button, while *holding the opinion* that it's a bad button. And that I'm a bad student. Add anxiety and self-loathing to the list of things AI gifts us I suppose
November 2, 2025 at 12:50 PM
Happens All.The.Time. ChatGPT is a performance-enhancing drug. Students see others around them using it and finishing assignments so quickly that they think they'll suffer by comparison if they don't. I teach a compressed 6-week semester and the lack of time = almost everyone pushing that button.
Reposted by Dr Lauren Fraser
‘Study after study shows that students want to develop these critical thinking skills, are not lazy, and large numbers of them would be in favor of banning ChatGPT and similar tools in universities’, says @olivia.science www.ru.nl/en/research/...
‘Opposing the inevitability of AI at universities is possible and necessary’ | Radboud University
Since the widespread release of ChatGPT in December of 2022, AI has taken over much of the world by storm – including academia. Most of this happened with very little pushback, despite a myriad of iss...
www.ru.nl
November 1, 2025 at 10:26 PM
‘Study after study shows that students want to develop these critical thinking skills, are not lazy, and large numbers of them would be in favor of banning ChatGPT and similar tools in universities’, says @olivia.science www.ru.nl/en/research/...