AI Ethics and Responsible AI are fields that attempt to make AI function in alignment with societal values. Or you could look at the goal as limiting the risk of harm being caused by AI-backed systems. The question I want to explore today is that can we ever truly have an “ethical” or “responsible” AI…
The Nerd Reich by Gil Duran The tech industry, my professional home, has made what feels like a rapid pivot to supporting authoritarianism. The Nerd Reich helped me make sense of the drivers behind this change and where they plan to take us. Duran not only tells us the story but provides insight about how…
I know that AI labs are buying up books by the bulk load in order to feed more unique training text into their large language models. The reports of OpenAI and Anthropic engaging in this practice are more than a year old at this point, probably more. Ingesting physical books into their digital equivalent involves…
Digital surveillance is becoming increasingly prevalent in our lives. Despite the warnings of privacy rights advocates, many people are unaware of the extent that they are being tracked and recorded. Surveillance is often sold as a tool to prevent and apprehend lawbreakers — a noble goal. In this context, pushback against surveillance programs can be…
Professional networking is often described as essential for career growth, learning, and opportunity. Yet many people hesitate to reach out because they feel they need to offer something of equal value in return. In this episode, I explore a different way of thinking about networking: through the lens of the gift economy rather than the…
Race After Technology by Ruha Benjamin As systemic racism gets encoded into our digital environment, technology becomes a perpetuator and even an accelerator of inequality. The societal implications of technology decisions are often not easy to see when in the weeds; a guide like this is critical to educate all of us on the impact…
For many people work feels different lately. There is uncertainty, there is constant change, there is the pressure to keep up with AI. You may be doing the same job you’ve always done, but it doesn’t feel the same anymore. When our job feels connected to purpose, we feel more satisfaction and less stress. How…
AI is often marketed as the ultimate productivity booster—but is more activity really the same thing as more value? In this episode of Talk to Me Petey D, we explore the difference between real productivity and performative productivity in the age of AI. Drawing on concepts from economics, knowledge work, and organizational behavior, he examines…
AI increases productivity. That is one of the main selling points that AI vendors are hawking these days. AI can certainly do many things much faster than any human could. But does that necessarily mean that it improves productivity? Industrial productivity is straightforward; inputs plus process equals outputs. If you move two machines closer to…
Not a book, but an honorable mention goes to Magnifica Humanitas by Pope Leo XIV for highlighting the inherent dignity of all people and the values of our human flaws. The Palestine Laboratory by Antony Loewenstein An eye-opening account about the Israeli arms and surveillance industry. Perpetual conflict provides a proving ground that is good…