Ruminations
How to keep thinking when AI writes so nicely
Several friends of mine work in higher education and keep coming back to the same observation: another PhD chapter that is technically fine – sentences in the right order, structure obediently in place – but somehow it reads like a choir where every singer has the...
When techbros play God
Techbros, shrouded in a pale blue glow, hoodies and the lingering scent of overcooked ramen, have let their latest project loose — AI, sprinting out of the server farms with the vigor of a very determined billy goat. It multiplies at unbelievable rates, before you can...
Why your newsfeed feels like a family reunion gone haywire – Part 1
Picture this: You land on the couch, exhausted, and reach for your phone. Instantly, you’re bombarded by angry rants, polarizing memes, doomscroll news… and then, every so often, a raccoon in a shower cap baking banana bread. Thank goodness for that reminder that the...
AI ‘Black Box’ enigma’s magic is all answers but buries the how
It was lunchtime, and my carefully-prepared bowl of Hungarian goulash stared back at me from the microwave—a hopeful hero doomed to disappoint. I pressed “start,” listened for the beep, and out came a bowl still cold in the centre, mocking my faith in modern...
The PDF goes to AI rehab
I am casting my mind back to the chaotic, paper-heavy ’90s. Digital was supposed to save us from the tyranny of paperwork, but let's be honest, how much have we ever really escaped the avalanche? If paper was on the way out, the forest sure never heard about it. And...
Crypto and the fine art of bluffing at dinner
The crypto world’s costly and loud, With Trump memes attracting a crowd. You dream of a prize, But soon realize— Most fortunes are lost in the cloud. Off the bat: cryptocurrency (“crypto”) is digital money you store, send, and (sometimes) spend online—there’s...