Brian Merchant
@bcmerchant.bsky.social
author of Blood in the Machine, tech writer, luddite newsletter: https://www.bloodinthemachine.com/ books: https://www.hachettebookgroup.com/contributor/brian-merchant/ kofi link: https://ko-fi.com/brianmerchant
One of my first writing gigs was as a climate blogger. When I was coming up, Joe Romm was the north star; fast, sharp, unyielding. His Climate Progress was the OG green blog. I'd often cite his work—and he'd nearly just as often email me to argue a finer point. A real fighter, and a real loss.
David Roberts@volts.wtf · 3d agoAw, no! I just heard the terrible news that Joe Romm, one of the first and most stalwart climate warriors, has passed away unexpectedly. So, so sad.
I'm staggered to learn of the passing of my friend and colleague Dr. Joe Romm, the brilliant scientist and OG climate blogger. He was relentless in defense of physical truth and humanity in the Beltway's postfactual world. Funny, passionate, irascible, impossible, and unique.
Remembering Dr. Joe Romm
It is with great sadness that the Penn Center for Science, Sustainability and the Media shares news of the passing of PCSSM Senior Research Fellow Dr. Joe Romm. Please find below an obituary prepared ...
web.sas.upenn.edu
One of the biggest hits at SF Zine Fest was my pro-human #buttonpins. I made these after absorbing @bcmerchant.bsky.social 's book Blood in the Machine, which chronicles in immersive detail the original Luddite movement.
So, you can all blame @alexhanna.bsky.social, @emilymbender.bsky.social and @bcmerchant.bsky.social for this.
I interviewed @cara.city about her incredible photography project “Records of Enemy Surveillance.” Topics discussed include Flock, borders, and perceived fugutivity. Up now at @coyotemedia.org.
An Oakland Photographer Surveils the Surveillance State
Cara Esten Hurtle’s drone-based art project shows the difference between being seen and being spotted.
coyotemedia.org
"It's the same story time and again: a new technology that promises to alleviate work degrades it instead." - @bcmerchant.bsky.social
Jason Koebler@jasonkoebler.bsky.social · 7d agoAI doom or not, something has shifted with AI recently. The guardrails that kept AI sitting in a chatbox are gone, the models are better, there's more compute. AI agents are everywhere. They are annoying as hell. IMO the situation is going to get much worse www.404media.co/theres-a-100...
Great podcast, great episode. Give it a listen.
Brian Merchant@bcmerchant.bsky.social · last wk.This conversation with @naomiaklein.bsky.social and @astra.bsky.social couldn't be more timely. With the AI industry talking about *its own products' potential to cause human extinction* we drill into who might still want to build such technology, and why. Hint: it's in the title of their new book.
An excellent, timely podcast by @bcmerchant.bsky.social with @naomiaklein.bsky.social and @astra.bsky.social about end times fascism and the current "AI" doomerism. youtube.com/watch?v=rR5U...
Is the AI Industry Run by 'End Times Fascists'?
YouTube video by Blood in the Machine
youtube.com
Great episode! Very timely, both with their book (that I’m very much looking forward to reading) and with the latest AI doomsday news cycle.
Brian Merchant@bcmerchant.bsky.social · last wk.This conversation with @naomiaklein.bsky.social and @astra.bsky.social couldn't be more timely. With the AI industry talking about *its own products' potential to cause human extinction* we drill into who might still want to build such technology, and why. Hint: it's in the title of their new book.
"Pfas companies are launching a “tidal wave” of forever chemicals production to meet demand from the AI industry, a campaign organisation has warned...a survey of the 10 biggest manufacturers found most had plans to increase production." www.theguardian.com/environment/...
‘Tidal wave’ of Pfas being launched to satisfy AI industry, campaigners warn
Big manufacturers planning to produce more of the forever chemicals to meet demand from datacentres
theguardian.com
This is so good. What Klein says about the Earth being an NPC to these people and the loss of their wealth being the true apocalypse in their minds is really it
Brian Merchant@bcmerchant.bsky.social · last wk.This conversation with @naomiaklein.bsky.social and @astra.bsky.social couldn't be more timely. With the AI industry talking about *its own products' potential to cause human extinction* we drill into who might still want to build such technology, and why. Hint: it's in the title of their new book.
Listened to @bcmerchant.bsky.social’s pod with @naomiaklein.bsky.social & @astra.bsky.social on a hike post-INDL9 conference on AI labor supply chains and literally cheered out loud (specifically at the “theft tech” part.) Nature is healing! Listen: www.bloodinthemachine.com/p/ai-may-kil...
AI may “kill all humans,” industry leaders say. So why won’t they stop building it?
Listen now (64 mins) | A conversation with Naomi Klein and Astra Taylor about “end times fascism” in the tech industry.
bloodinthemachine.com
Love @bcmerchant.bsky.social ‘s podcast. This episode is really excellent. Helped me understand what is happening.
Brian Merchant@bcmerchant.bsky.social · last wk.This conversation with @naomiaklein.bsky.social and @astra.bsky.social couldn't be more timely. With the AI industry talking about *its own products' potential to cause human extinction* we drill into who might still want to build such technology, and why. Hint: it's in the title of their new book.
This conversation with @naomiaklein.bsky.social and @astra.bsky.social couldn't be more timely. With the AI industry talking about *its own products' potential to cause human extinction* we drill into who might still want to build such technology, and why. Hint: it's in the title of their new book.
The End Times Fascists of AI, ft. Naomi Klein + Astra Taylor
Listen now (64 mins) | A conversation with Naomi Klein and Astra Taylor about “end times fascism” in the tech industry.
bloodinthemachine.com
My newest piece with proud Appalachian organizer Shawna McCown in @convergencemag.com We argue that while data center resistance is winning many of its immediate fights, it can accomplish something bigger: building a multiracial movement of the many. @surj.org j.org @stanfordpress.bsky.social
Is Data Center Resistance a New Vehicle for Multiracial Democracy?
Anti-data center sentiment, from Kentucky to Michigan, is proving to be an effective way to overcome racial divisions and carve out new winning coalitions.
convergencemag.com
You know what you're doing is good when you have to develop an in-house, real-time surveillance system to help your executives locate the ideal service exit to avoid contact with the public prospect.org/2026/09/09/a...
Turned on the Alcaraz/Shelton game to "check the score" and well that was an hour and a half ago and I have been been unable to look away
Had a great chat with @alexhanna.bsky.social about the rising discontentment with AI among workers, her findings from running the Luddite Lab, which gives workers interested in resisting AI resources and support, and a lot more www.bloodinthemachine.com/p/the-real-a...
The real AI jobs apocalypse
A chat with sociologist and ‘AI Con’ author Dr. Alex Hanna. Plus, the human labor that behind Waymos, NYC bans AI in schools, and why a ‘tech forward future’ is a mirage.
bloodinthemachine.com
An author just emailed me a pitch for his new book, RECLAIM YOUR MIND, that was 100% AI-generated.
“AI is for the bosses.” Good thread analyzing recent data about workers hating AI while management loves it
Brian Merchant@bcmerchant.bsky.social · 3w agoBasically, whether or not you like AI at work will depend on how much power you have; to decide how and how not to use it, to avoid being terminated by an AI-enthused manager, and so on. It further underlines what's long been evident: AI is for the bosses.
Most C-suite leadership (apart from my boss) buy hard into the inevitability narrative. No one's pressuring me to use it anymore, but some of our faculty (particularly in Business programs) are all-in.
Brian Merchant@bcmerchant.bsky.social · 3w agoAcross the US, workers are souring on AI. The tech industry has insisted that AI would make workers’ lives easier and more productive, that the more people understood and used AI, the more they would like it. Something closer to the opposite has happened.
So I managed to avoid AI entirely... Until I got a job and was basically told I had to use it. It's been a weird and interesting journey and sure it's had it's positives but if we were all told to stop using it overnight I would be so much happier.
Brian Merchant@bcmerchant.bsky.social · 3w agoAcross the US, workers are souring on AI. The tech industry has insisted that AI would make workers’ lives easier and more productive, that the more people understood and used AI, the more they would like it. Something closer to the opposite has happened.
Having been made compulsory at my workplace, I can report AI is great for churning out content on projects you don't want to bother with or learn anything about. Standards have dropped so far you can get away with barely half-assing.
Brian Merchant@bcmerchant.bsky.social · 3w agoAcross the US, workers are souring on AI. The tech industry has insisted that AI would make workers’ lives easier and more productive, that the more people understood and used AI, the more they would like it. Something closer to the opposite has happened.
Today on our all hands the guy presenting about AI said the future of work would be managing your AI agents while you attend meetings and I was like "wow that sounds like hell!"
Brian Merchant@bcmerchant.bsky.social · 3w agoAcross the US, workers are souring on AI. The tech industry has insisted that AI would make workers’ lives easier and more productive, that the more people understood and used AI, the more they would like it. Something closer to the opposite has happened.
Workslop is a scourge. It breeds resentment, distrust, and compounding errors.
Brian Merchant@bcmerchant.bsky.social · 3w agoAcross the US, workers are souring on AI. The tech industry has insisted that AI would make workers’ lives easier and more productive, that the more people understood and used AI, the more they would like it. Something closer to the opposite has happened.
Across the US, workers are souring on AI. The tech industry has insisted that AI would make workers’ lives easier and more productive, that the more people understood and used AI, the more they would like it. Something closer to the opposite has happened.
Why office workers are turning against AI
Whether or not you like AI at work ultimately boils down to a question of power.
bloodinthemachine.com
What a great event this was, hosted by the inimitable @jomc.bsky.social. Two booksellers, a librarian, Joanne (an author and writer) and myself discussed the implications of AI companies' mass book harvesting operations, of seeing books vacuumed up and converted into LLMs
joanne mcneil@jomc.bsky.social · 3w agorecording here. Thanks everyone for coming! m.soundcloud.com/losangelesco...
Can't help but think of this hiker-rescue story I saw earlier today
Hypervisible @hypervisible.blacksky.app · 3w ago“Teams will race to navigate three of the planet’s most unforgiving landscapes — the jungle, the desert, and the Arctic — using Gemini to help them identify dangers, survive brutal weather changes, and stay one step ahead.”
