#99

04 June 2025

There’s a theme today: let’s all understand AI some more, whether you’re a fan of it or not.

It’s not a focus on what tool does what, but more, a focus on what’s under the surface because I think we’re all forgetting what’s important right now.

A history lesson on polyester and how it rose, then dramatically fell out of favour. This is then compared to generative AI “art”.

You really need to read this one. AI is rather useful for programmers, but:

As many have written, there may actually be actually valid applications of this technology, but any that weaken your role as a laborer should be viewed with intense scrutiny.

It’s not just that they didn’t ask. If these tools have so much promise, could this have been a communal effort rather than a heist? I don’t even know what that would’ve looked like, but I can say I would feel much differently about AI if I could use a model built on communal contributions and opt-ins, made for the advancement of everyone, not just those who can pay the monthly subscription.

I’d be a lot more into this stuff if it wasn’t being steamrolled by a handful of tech companies, off the back of exploitation and theft.

Another must read:

In the face of this reckless pursuit of hype-over-craft, I can’t help but find myself longing to be part of something that makes good on the industry’s early promise of responsible change.

And let’s wrap up with this one:

AI is, of course, at the center of this moment. It’s a mediocrity machine by default, attempting to bend everything it touches toward a mathematical average. Using extraordinary amounts of resources, it has the ability to create something good enough, a squint-and-it-looks-right simulacrum of normality.

It’s very important to care, regardless of your opinion on AI. It’s our job to care. It our job to be human — an empathetic human.

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P.S. this is a good demo.

Back to the fun stuff in Friday’s issue #100!

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Until the next issue, take it easy 👋
Andy