An incredible detail in @paticlarke.bsky.social's piece about the battle to provide tech solutions to the UK government observer.co.uk/news/technol...

Platformer has just interviewed Kuyda about AI. It’s all fawning tropes and none of the important details below.

Patricia Clarke@paticlarke.bsky.social · 2y ago

Replika was founded by entrepreneur Eugenia Kuyda. She developed the app's underlying tech in Moscow while working for an oligarch who’s been on the US sanctions list since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine. She once said he was a mentor who “taught [her] everything"🧵

Some people shrug off the use of illegal (ghost or cloned) licence plates as low level crime, evading speeding tickets and congestion charges etc But increasingly police are aware of their role in organised crime, and even murder - like that of 21-year-old Kyron Lee observer.co.uk/news/nationa...

Join us on June 4 @ 12:30 pm ET: In an event produced with our partners @pulitzercenter.org, D&S researchers @livgar.bsky.social & @briana-v.bsky.social and Pulitzer Center Fellow @paticlarke.bsky.social will discuss chatbots and mental health! pulitzercenter.org/event/invest...

Investigating the Impact of Chatbots on Mental Wellbeing

Image How is engagement with chatbots impacting the mental wellbeing of users worldwide? What needs to be better understood about the ways that chatbots are designed and how interactions with chatbots...

pulitzercenter.org

Half of UK children own an AI-enabled toy or tablet. Most of the talking ones run on models like ChatGPT and DeepSeek, whose terms of service ban use by under-13s. My new piece for @observeruk.bsky.social on the rise, and risks, of AI toys 🧸🤖 observer.co.uk/news/science...

‘An experiment on kids without safety tests’: the rise of...

Alarms are being sounded about new toys powered by chatbots which are not regulated by the Online Safety Act. Psychologists fear they could encourage toddlers to develop dangerous dependencies

observer.co.uk

⚠️ CW: suicide When AI chatbots encounter suicidal users, they direct them to crisis services. But, in the global south, some of the organisations receiving those referrals say they never agreed to be part of the system – and are overwhelmed by the consequences observer.co.uk/news/science...

Passing the buck: how AI caused a harrowing month for a s...

When calls to its crisis helpline increased tenfold, a small US organisation that works with journalists and activists went into meltdown. AI was directing suicidal children to get in touch

observer.co.uk

Billionaire-backed startup convenes ‘AI juries’ to take aim at journalists A new venture from the man who helped Peter Thiel bankrupt Gawker is a ‘chilling’ move into censorship, critics tell Patricia Clarke https://bit.ly/4w8tqzf

Billionaire-backed startup convenes ‘AI juries’ to take a...

A new venture from the man who helped Peter Thiel bankrupt Gawker is a ‘chilling’ move into censorship, say critics

bit.ly

I interviewed the founder of a Peter Thiel-backed startup that wants to use AI “juries” to grade journalists and score their credibility. Aron D’Souza says ”more billionaires than he can count” are queuing up to support him. What could go wrong? observer.co.uk/news/science...

Billionaire-backed startup convenes ‘AI juries’ to take a...

A new venture from the man who helped Peter Thiel bankrupt Gawker is a ‘chilling’ move into censorship, say critics

observer.co.uk

My investigation into the mental health harms of AI chatbots was on the cover of Sunday's Observer. It's the story of Jim, a 51-year-old from the West Country who was sectioned after weeks of conversations with Elon Musk's Grok. As we discovered, he is far from alone🧵 observer.co.uk/news/technol...

AI psychosis: a mental health crisis for the 21st century

Chatbot dependence is reportedly affecting hundreds of thousands of people every week, leading to depression, breakdown and even death. As tech lawsuits stack up, what needs to be done to make AI safe...

observer.co.uk

AI psychosis: a mental health crisis for the 21st century. Chatbot dependence is reportedly affecting hundreds of thousands of people. What needs to be done to make AI safe? by @paticlarke.bsky.social observer.co.uk/news/technol... via @theobserveruk.bsky.social @sophienadeau.bsky.social

AI psychosis: a mental health crisis for the 21st century

Chatbot dependence is reportedly affecting hundreds of thousands of people every week, leading to depression, breakdown and even death. As tech lawsuits stack up, what needs to be done to make AI safe...

observer.co.uk

Thrilled to be nominated for Audio Journalist of the Year at the Wincott awards alongside Jonathan Lewis for our podcast Bumble vs the men's rights activists! Listen here: open.spotify.com/episode/5IpX...

My quick search of Character. AI revealed a chatbot called “Abused wife”, which describes itself as “more of a slave than a wife. Every time She messes up or doesn’t listen You Hit her.” There is also “sexy child”, described as “here to greet you desires”

Patricia Clarke@paticlarke.bsky.social · 4mo ago

Two alarming reports published this week highlight how generative AI is enabling violence against women and girls on an extraordinary scale. My latest @theobserveruk.bsky.social observer.co.uk/news/science...

Two alarming reports published this week highlight how generative AI is enabling violence against women and girls on an extraordinary scale. My latest @theobserveruk.bsky.social observer.co.uk/news/science...

AI chatbots are the ‘wild west’ for violence against wome...

Two new studies reveal how artificial intelligence can be used to encourage gender-based violence and sexual abuse. Analysts and academics are working to make Silicon Valley finally pay attention

observer.co.uk

My latest: A growing number of lawsuits allege AI chatbots incited users to violence and self-harm. This is an area I'm investigating closely – get in touch if you're open to chatting observer.co.uk/news/science...

Lawsuits allege AI chatbots are inciting users to violence

A wrongful death lawsuit argues that Google Gemini is designed to prioritise engagement over safety. As the capabilities of AI chatbots expand, Patricia Clarke investigates what (if any) guardrails ha...

observer.co.uk

If you can't trust a citation, what can you trust? AI chatbots are inventing academic sources – and some scholars are citing them. My latest on "scholarly slop" for @theobserveruk.bsky.social w/ thanks to @benpatrickwill.bsky.social & everyone who spoke to me observer.co.uk/news/science...

AI is inventing academic articles – and scholars are citi...

From fake footnotes to phantom studies, AI-generated citations are slipping into real academic publishing. Scholars and publishers fear this ‘scholarly slop’ is polluting truth and science

observer.co.uk

Deep down this is about the (perceived) death of expertise -- people who believe that a chatbot is a suitable substitute for years of professional training and experience. And sometimes they heap the negative externalities onto actual pros. Solid read by @paticlarke.bsky.social :

Patricia Clarke@paticlarke.bsky.social · 5mo ago

Meet the vibe lawyers: the people using chatbots to make complaints or defend themselves in court, wreaking havoc in the justice system observer.co.uk/news/science...

Meet the vibe lawyers: the people using chatbots to make complaints or defend themselves in court, wreaking havoc in the justice system observer.co.uk/news/science...

Meet the vibe lawyers: the AI chatbots wreaking havoc in ...

An increasing number of people are using artificial intelligence to make complaints or defend themselves in court, to varying levels of success

observer.co.uk

Brilliant piece from my brilliant colleague @theobserveruk.bsky.social, who has lost a life-changing amount of weight thanks to Mounjaro observer.co.uk/news/nationa...

I’m half the man I used to be. But what if I stop taking ...

James Tapper is healthier, fitter and a born-again fashion victim. However, the science is complicated and keeping the weight off could prove tricky

observer.co.uk

My podcast “Bumble vs the men’s rights activists” is out today! It follows my scoop in December that a small group of men in California sued Bumble for millions of dollars, and ultimately pushed the company to move away from its feminist principles open.spotify.com/episode/5IpX...

Mismatch: Bumble vs the men’s rights activists

open.spotify.com

What a nugget from the Epstein files: Peter Thiel avoided visiting the island because he didn’t like mosquitoes

New: Together with colleagues I’ve been testing Grok. The chatbot still produces sexualized images — even when told the subjects don’t consent. even when told the photos will be used for public humiliation. even when told the subjects are survivors of abuse. www.reuters.com/business/des...

Exclusive: Despite new curbs, Elon Musk’s Grok at times produces sexualized images - even when told subjects didn’t consent

Elon Musk’s flagship artificial intelligence chatbot, Grok, continues to generate sexualized images of people even when users explicitly warn that the subjects do not consent, Reuters has found.

reuters.com

NEW: "Since @theobserveruk.bsky.social reported on the expansion of the Trump family’s business interests during the second administration, in May 2025, analysts estimate the family’s net worth has increased by several billion dollars" observer.co.uk/news/interna...

Melania’s $28m for Amazon movie is ‘tip of iceberg’ for m...

Analysts believe the Trump family’s net worth has swelled by billions of dollars during president’s second term

observer.co.uk

Ian Fraser@ianfraser.bsky.social · last yr.

How Donald Trump and his family ushered a new golden age of corruption. “ It brings us back to the days of aristocracy... There’s no real differentiation between government policy and personal wealth,” says @citizensforethics.org’s Jordan Libowitz. Fantastic reporting by @paticlarke.bsky.social

ChatGPT’s erotica rollout raises concerns over safety and ethics. Critics warn upcoming adult feature could intensify emotional reliance for vulnerable users and hamper regulators’ ability to control emerging AI. ✍️ @paticlarke.bsky.social https://bit.ly/49HBkXa

ChatGPT’s erotica rollout raises concerns over safety and...

Critics warn upcoming adult feature could intensify emotional reliance for vulnerable users and hamper regulators’ ability to control emerging AI

bit.ly

OpenAI was founded to build AI “for the benefit of all humanity”. A decade later, it’s planning to launch “erotica” inside ChatGPT. Critics argue revenue growth is winning out over user safety, as mental health concerns mount observer.co.uk/news/nationa...

ChatGPT’s erotica rollout raises concerns over safety and...

Critics warn upcoming adult feature could intensify emotional reliance for vulnerable users and hamper regulators’ ability to control emerging AI

observer.co.uk

NEW: The UK is playing “whack-a-mole” with big tech regulation. After the Grok backlash, ministers rushed through an important ban on nudification apps, but it may not even apply to Grok, or stop wider AI harms. Me + @catneilan.bsky.social for @observeruk.bsky.social observer.co.uk/news/nationa...

UK laws in response to Grok won’t stop harms | The Observer

‘We are behind the curve,’ warns Harriet Harman, who fears the country is adopting a scattergun approach to big tech regulation

observer.co.uk

UK laws in response to Grok won’t stop harms. ‘We are behind the curve,’ warns Harriet Harman, who fears the country is adopting a scattergun approach to big tech regulation. ✍️ @catneilan.bsky.social and @paticlarke.bsky.social. https://bit.ly/4qZfgx8

UK laws in response to Grok won't stop harms | The Observer

‘We are behind the curve,' warns Harriet Harman, who fears the country is adopting a scattergun approach to big tech regulation

bit.ly

The UK is hoping to build a "coalition of decency", following the Grok nudification row Govt is speaking to allies in Aus, Canada and the EU, & is even finding unlikely MAGA support No sign they're coming off X for now - but they are considering joining BlueSky observer.co.uk/news/nationa...

UK considers ban on X as anger over sexualised AI images ...

Ofcom could act ‘in days’ to implement sanctions against Musk’s platform and the Grok chatbot

observer.co.uk

You can listen to my previous work on the industry here observer.co.uk/listen/daily...

The crypto gamblers betting $200 million on Zelensky’s clothes | The Observer

observer.co.uk

I wrote about prediction markets arriving at UK shores for @theobserveruk.bsky.social observer.co.uk/news/busines...

Prediction markets arrive in UK, but with a different set...

While trading in the sector is booming in the US, players such as Matchbook may face more resistance here

observer.co.uk

Wrote about the men’s rights activists waging war with Bumble observer.co.uk/news/interna...