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Nick Seaver

@nickseaver.website

anthropology, algorithms, attention | he/him | The conversation is characterized by Nick's use of language, but the content of the discussion remains unknown.

3126 Posts6375 Follower1094 Folgt
Ingrid Burrington@lifewinning.com · 6d ago

networksofny2026.bigcartel.com/product/netw... if you would like a copy of your own you should preorder a copy!

Networks of New York, 2026 Edition (PRE-ORDER)

SHIPPING SEPTEMBER 2026! Networks of New York is a book by me, Ingrid Burrington. It helps readers identify indicators of physical internet and telecommunications infrastructure in New York City. Usin...

networksofny2026.bigcartel.com

Ingrid Burrington@lifewinning.com · 6d ago

Got proofs for Networks of New York 2026 edition!!

Mockup cover of Networks of New York with loose page proofs inside
Nick Seaver@nickseaver.website · 2w ago

reminds me of what Helmreich calls "informalisms" here: journal.culanth.org/index.php/ca... The question in anthro of science is often whether the metaphors are just for public communication (whether that's simplifying or gaslighting) or if they reflect/inform how practitioners actually think.

Travis LaCroix@travislacroix.bsky.social · 4mo ago

New paper pre-print, accepted at FAccT 2026, wherein @fintanmallory.com , @sashamtl.bsky.social , and I argue that hype-laden AI terms like “hallucination”, “reasoning”, and “agent” are doing strategic, rhetorical work, which we call "glosslighting".

Image of title, authors, and abstract for "Strategic Polysemy in AI Discourse: A Philosophical Analysis of Language, Hype, and Power" (Travis LaCroix, Fintan Mallory, and Sasha Luccioni). "This paper examines the strategic use of language in contemporary artificial intelligence (AI) discourse, focusing on the wide- spread adoption of metaphorical or colloquial terms like “hallucination”, “chain-of-thought”, “introspection”, “language model”, “alignment”, and “agent”. We argue that many such terms exhibit strategic polysemy: they sustain multiple interpretations simultaneously, combining narrow technical definitions with broader anthropomorphic or common-sense associations. In contemporary AI research and deployment contexts, this semantic flexibility produces significant institutional and discursive effects, shaping how AI systems are understood by researchers, policymakers, funders, and the public. To analyse this phe- nomenon, we introduce the concept of glosslighting: the practice of using technically redefined terms to evoke intuitive—often anthropomorphic or misleading—associations while preserving plausible deniability through restricted technical definitions. Glosslighting enables actors to benefit from the persuasive force of familiar language while maintaining the ability to retreat to narrower definitions when challenged. We argue that this practice contributes to AI hype cycles, facilitates the mobilisation of investment and institutional support, and influences public and policy perceptions of AI systems, while often deflecting epistemic and ethical scrutiny. By examining the linguistic dynamics of glosslighting and strategic polysemy, the paper highlights how language itself functions as a sociotechnical mechanism shaping the development and governance of AI."
Nick Seaver@nickseaver.website · 2w ago

looking up a guy who ran a word processing company and wrote a thing about killing the "social office" that got cited in Braverman's Labor and Monopoly Capital, and, well, this is an exciting obit detail

Last but not least, George spent years working for God uncovering hidden meanings in words of the English language. The language that he uncovered, “ET Corn Gods Language,” was based on logic and mathematics. George was contacted and told that he had been chosen to break the code and teach the world the hidden language.
Will Deringer@calculatedvalues.bsky.social · 2w ago

I'm looking for fellow scholars who are working on the history financial infrastructures from a history of technology and/or STS perspective. (Exploring potential conference panels etc etc.) If that sounds like you -- or someone you know -- let me know!

Elizabeth Lopatto@lopatto.bsky.social · 2w ago

I see a lot of you talking about "dopamine" and I wish you'd go back to talking about your astrological signs because at least then you wouldn't be confusing yourself about a real thing

E z r a@bruit.eurosky.social · 3w ago

I'm looking to interview anyone who has worked at an electronics assembly (components or systems) factory, anywhere in the world, before 1990. I can offer $100CAD / hour, though I don't think my questions will run the full hour. If you know anyone who is still able and willing to answer, plz lmk