New from me at Tech Policy Press: Building Trust Infrastructure for Agentic AI. There are challenges coming; let's get out ahead of them, if it's not already too late. www.techpolicy.press/building-tru...

Fantastic thread linking Taiwanese independence, the state of the chip market, and the stability of the US economy.

The Bi of Hormuz@joshstein.bsky.social · 3mo ago

AI drives enormous demand for high-performance chips; I won't get into the technical details here, unless people want. What's important to keep in mind is that, of the actual chip market, there are three companies that can make them: TSMC, Samsung, and Intel. None of those are Chinese.

Pick a Bond from photos you already have on your phone.

Just minding my own business, reading Dungeon Crawler Carl book 8, when all of a sudden ... Hey, what the heck, man! What did redheads do to you?

I am sure I am the first person ever to vibe code while eating dinner and accidentally spill hot sauce on my MacBook, AMA

This is a Peace Corps recruitment poster in the pedestal at the Statue of Liberty. Sure hits different now.

this is just so wonderful

Matt Novak@paleofuture.bsky.social · 5mo ago

Truly a perfect news alert

Excited for this event coming up on Friday: "Who Controls Data in the Age of AI?" luma.com/kpf2voda Sign up and come to UC Law San Francisco to learn about the law and practice of data transfers with several distinguished speakers, and me. (But I organized it, so they had to include me, mwahaha!)

Who Controls Data in the Age of AI? · Luma

Who Controls Data in the Age of AI? Portability, Platforms, and Power Friday, February 27 1:30–5:00 PM 198 McAllister St, San Francisco, CA About the…

luma.com

🎯

Richard Kadrey@richardkadrey.bsky.social · 6mo ago

2026 basically

We are, collectively, struggling to come to terms with the emerging capabilities of AI. Two conversations are happening with no cross-pollination, optimistic and pessimistic. I am trying to create a workable theory to reach both. Here is my chapter on self: mchrisriley.medium.com/chapter-9-th...

Chapter 9: The Nature of a Self

Dr. Landers: “You, Bob, are what most people would call an Artificial Intelligence, although that’s not strictly accurate. You are a copy…

mchrisriley.medium.com

The New Yorker@newyorker.com · 6mo ago

Experiments conducted with the A.I. system Claude are producing fascinating results—and raising questions about the nature of selfhood. Gideon Lewis-Kraus reports from inside the company that designed it, Anthropic. newyorkermag.visitlink.me/rOfXjg

"Doing harm at scale requires infrastructure." So good, from @johnathan.bsky.social @shappy.bsky.social I always read World's Best Newsletter, but this one I am going to save and reread. mailchi.mp/rawsignal/yo...

Federal judge has ordered the release of Liam Ramos (the bunny hat boy) and his father. A brief and rather remarkable order. Clearly written to be shared widely, so please do. storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.us...

NEW: When can states prosecute federal agents? While it may not be easy, especially if federal officials impede an investigation, states have more power than people may realize. @aliciabannon.bsky.social breaks down the tools states have to hold federal officials accountable:

When Can States Prosecute Federal Agents?

Federal precedent permits such prosecutions in limited circumstances, but the legal bar remains high.

statecourtreport.org

Last week in Minnesota, I watched ordinary people risk their lives to protect their neighbors. In the process, they not only won a significant—though not final—victory against authoritarianism, they proved virtually every MAGA social theory wrong. (gift link) www.theatlantic.com/ideas/2026/0...

www.nytimes.com/2026/01/23/s... There is a callout box in the print version of this piece that reads, "Like all gods, this technology is inscrutable." .... sheesh. The piece itself is pretty great though, and reinforces what I wrote about idolatry and dangerous mutual worship dynamics.

It Makes Sense That People See A.I. as God

nytimes.com

Excited to kick off the spring concert prep cycle!

Northwest Repertory Singers@nwrepertorysingers.bsky.social · 7mo ago

Our 25th Anniversary Season has been busy so far, and we aren’t done! In just a few short weeks, we begin rehearsing for our May concert! Stayed tuned for more information about this concert because it’ll feature some amazing compositions and musicians!

This is an incredible conversation, touching on several distinct and worthy issues -- not just AI, but even more so science and how we approach it, the pervasive confusion of correlation and causation, and a bit of current politics/events at the end. Well worth a read.

Benjamin Riley@benjaminjriley.bsky.social · 7mo ago

"Maybe there will be artificial sentience. But I don’t think any sane person thinks large-language models are that. They don’t have inner autonomous agency. They’re a tool that you either use or you don’t. They're not intelligent machines that have lived experiences in the world." - Jessica Riskin

This is a very sad, but of course not surprising, development.

David Sullivan@davidsullivan.bsky.social · 7mo ago

America withdraws from the Freedom Online Coalition (among many other intl orgs) putting itself firmly on the side of lack of freedom online www.whitehouse.gov/presidential...

I'm sure literally no one involved in making this happen will care, but I shudder to think of the child psychologist reaction to this Universal Basic Investment proposal: www.axios.com/2025/12/21/t... Making every kid aware of, and competing over, money seems like a fast way to ruin childhood.

The solve for America's aging crisis: Universal Basic Investment

The goal: Give the next generation a financial leg up, plus a living lesson in compound interest.

axios.com

Breaking recommendation algorithms with my highly specific tastes, 2025 edition. Had a lot of long car rides with kids in the first half of the year...

As a practicing Christian, I genuinely believe God engages with the present world in mysterious ways, and if we but listen quietly and humbly, He will speak to us. ... but not like that. Gift link: www.nytimes.com/2025/11/26/o... (See also, by me: mchrisriley.medium.com/interlude-co...)

Hypervisible @hypervisible.blacksky.app · 8mo ago

When you see only one set of footprints in the sand, it was then when you were texting with a bot.

Here, read this instead: mchrisriley.medium.com/chapter-6-me...

Chapter 6: Memories in the Mind and the Machine

Deckard: Remember when you were six? You and your brother snuck into an empty building through a basement window. You were going to play…

mchrisriley.medium.com

All of Bluesky this morning:

a person holding a bag with a note that says dead dove do not eat

Alt: a person holding a bag with a note that says dead dove do not eat

media.tenor.com

The comments on this post are illuminating.

Eliot Higgins@eliothiggins.bsky.social · 9mo ago

Bellingcat’s contact email has always been a magnet for people with fairly unusual views; paranoid delusions, sprawling conspiracies, the works. But recently, the pattern has shifted, we’re seeing more and more emails clearly written with ChatGPT.

This is, of course, a fascinating thread from Kate asking why Google is effectively cannibalizing its own market for both digital ads on third party properties and search ads, by effectively taking away the incentive to click through to third party sites. I have a theory as to why they're doing it.

Kate Klonick@klonick.bsky.social · 9mo ago

So this ad revenue metric is indicative of such a fascinating and weird set of business decisions by Google to inexplicably kill of SEO-- and I honestly don't get how they think this is going to pay off for them in the long run. 🧵 1/

Today is @dansinker.com 's birthday. If you're not already signed up for his emails, you should! dansinker.com/follow/ And maybe buy some stickers or something. I love my "TRYING" sticker, it is the anchor sticker on my laptop, the first one I put on.

follow my stuff | dansinker.com

dansinker.com

Where will things progress now? Will law enforcement in NYC face thrown slices of pizza? Hot dogs in Chicago? Sushi in LA or SF? Teriyaki in Seattle? Only time will tell.

Dave Jamieson@jamieson.bsky.social · 9mo ago

🚨🚨🚨 The jury has reached a verdict. Sean Dunn, aka the DC Sandwich Guy, has been found NOT GUILTY of assault.

I'm going to say it: I like working with an AI copyeditor. Generally, I hate independent editing, because all of my words are precious butterflies and how dare you (even when you're right). But with AI, I have absolutely zero compunction to say "Ha ha, fuck you, NO" and put the original back in.

AI has no place in beer. Today's edition of "sentences I never thought I'd have to say", but thanks to @404media.co apparently we do? www.404media.co/what-happene...

What Happened When AI Came for Craft Beer

A prominent beer competition introduced an AI-judging tool without warning. The judges and some members of the wider brewing industry were pissed.

404media.co

The longevity cult is going to be ALL OVER the naked mole rats. For science, I guess. Hat tip @404media.co of course, because they are the best.