Steph Wright

Had so much fun recording this in the summer!

Recent hostility towards refugee and asylum-seeking communities stands in direct contrast to our country's long and proud tradition of welcoming those in need of protection. This hostility is fuelled by the deliberate weaponisation of misconceptions about some of society’s most vulnerable people.

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Abstract: Under the banner of progress, products have been uncritically adopted or even imposed on users — in past centuries with tobacco and combustion engines, and in the 21st with social media. For these collective blunders, we now regret our involvement or apathy as scientists, and society struggles to put the genie back in the bottle. Currently, we are similarly entangled with artificial intelligence (AI) technology. For example, software updates are rolled out seamlessly and non-consensually, Microsoft Office is bundled with chatbots, and we, our students, and our employers have had no say, as it is not considered a valid position to reject AI technologies in our teaching and research. This is why in June 2025, we co-authored an Open Letter calling on our employers to reverse and rethink their stance on uncritically adopting AI technologies. In this position piece, we expound on why universities must take their role seriously toa) counter the technology industry’s marketing, hype, and harm; and to b) safeguard higher education, critical thinking, expertise, academic freedom, and scientific integrity. We include pointers to relevant work to further inform our colleagues.

Figure 1. A cartoon set theoretic view on various terms (see Table 1) used when discussing the superset AI (black outline, hatched background): LLMs are in orange; ANNs are in magenta; generative models are in blue; and finally, chatbots are in green. Where these intersect, the colours reflect that, e.g. generative adversarial network (GAN) and Boltzmann machine (BM) models are in the purple subset because they are both generative and ANNs. In the case of proprietary closed source models, e.g. OpenAI’s ChatGPT and Apple’s Siri, we cannot verify their implementation and so academics can only make educated guesses (cf. Dingemanse 2025). Undefined terms used above: BERT (Devlin et al. 2019); AlexNet (Krizhevsky et al. 2017); A.L.I.C.E. (Wallace 2009); ELIZA (Weizenbaum 1966); Jabberwacky (Twist 2003); linear discriminant analysis (LDA); quadratic discriminant analysis (QDA).

Table 1. Below some of the typical terminological disarray is untangled. Importantly, none of these terms are orthogonal nor do they exclusively pick out the types of products we may wish to critique or proscribe.

Protecting the Ecosystem of Human Knowledge: Five Principles

Finally! 🤩 Our position piece: Against the Uncritical Adoption of 'AI' Technologies in Academia:
doi.org/10.5281/zeno...

We unpick the tech industry’s marketing, hype, & harm; and we argue for safeguarding higher education, critical
thinking, expertise, academic freedom, & scientific integrity.
1/n

“… the incoherence is the point. Fascism is a temper-tantrum disguised as an ideology”

“AI isn’t taking your job, the people making the decisions are”

“Responsibility must be shared, not outsourced”

“Being able to ignore the doom and gloom is a privileged position”

“Be hopeful AND cynical”

Necessary truth bombs from @elmosmoe.bsky.social at @sdingov.bsky.social #sdingov

Better Images of AI We are a non-profit creating more realistic and inclusive images of artificial intelligence. Visit our growing repository available for anyone to use for free under CC licences, or just to use as insp...

Fantastic talk from @elmosmoe.bsky.social about AI.

"AI doesn't automatically serve the public good because it's new"

I'm so glad discussions about equity and justice in AI are in a keynote at #sdingov

Also, great link to artist created images of AI: betterimagesofai.org

Johnson and Cummings’ secret meeting with Palantir founder revealed Non-disclosure of apparent meeting a year before firm won NHS role raises serious questions over transparency

Johnson and Cummings’ secret meeting with Palantir founder revealed Non-disclosure of apparent meeting a year before firm won NHS role raises serious questions over transparency www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2025...

There needs to be an “Eugh” reaction

Edinburgh University had ‘outsized’ role in creating racist scientific theories, inquiry finds Investigation finds one of Britain’s oldest and most prestigious universities benefited from transatlantic slavery and was haven for white supremacist theories

Pleased this is finally published after I proposed it a few years ago. A lot of work by brilliant colleagues & some expected and some shocking findings. It’ll upset some (it’s a long time ago etc) but if a uni can’t speak truth to its own power what’s its point? www.theguardian.com/education/20...

Someone on here compared AI produced material as "digital asbestos " which in a few decades' time we will have to work out how to eradicate from the fabric of research.

Open Letter to the UK Government - Prioritising AI Literacy for All Citizens On 9th June the Prime Minister announced a skills drive on AI focussed technical/functional skills for students and workers, with the announcement centred on industry collaborations, and economic impa...

📢 Open Letter to UK Govt: we're urging Keir Starmer, Peter Kyle & @bphillipsonmp.bsky.social to prioritise critical AI literacy for ALL. It's time everyone had access to learning that supports them to choose how they want to engage with AI. Read here: connectedbydata.org/blog/2025/07... #AILiteracy

Four arrested under Terrorism Act during Liverpool pro-Palestine protest Merseyside police says material in support of Palestine Action was reportedly seen in possession of protesters

"In the last 24 hours in Gaza, 19 people reportedly died due to starvation, 79 were killed seeking aid, and another 40 killed by Israeli bombing - Meanwhile in the UK OAPs are being arrested on the suspicioun of holding signs supporting Palestine Action"
www.theguardian.com/world/2025/j...

How long is the world going to allow this horror to go on?

28 children have been killed each day in Gaza since Oct 7, 2023.

Nothing justifies killing more than 20,000 children in Gaza. Nothing. Not self defense. Not human shields. Not a damn thing.

This is not a movie scene. This is Childhood in Gaza.

Israel has killed “a classroom full of children” every single day since October 7, 2023.

🤞🏼 you’re free… get well soon! x

Oh gosh Shannon! Scary stuff! Hope you’re on the mend!

Well, Amazon just cancelled my pre order of @karenhao.bsky.social ‘s Empire of AI. Considering I pre ordered it in March, I’m trying to understand how they have no stock??

Next read arrived today! @emilybender.bsky.social #AICon

news report: In the Vatican's translation of his speech, Pope Leo XIV explained that his name references Pope Leo XII, who presided over the church at the dawn of the industrial revolution. QuoteL “...l chose to take the name Leo XIV. There are different reasons for this, but mainly because Pope Leo XIII in his historic Encyclical Rerum Novarum addressed the social question in the context of the first great industrial revolution. In our own day, the Church offers to everyone the treasury of her social teaching in response to another industrial revolution and to developments in the field of artificial intelligence that pose new challenges for the defence of human dignity, justice and labour.”

The Pope gets it.

The most important question about AI isn’t a technical question.

The most important a question is about how to maintain and grow a just society in the age of AI.

YouTube video by LastWeekTonight Trump & Deportations: Last Week Tonight with John Oliver (HBO)

Here’s last night’s story about the recent deportations by the Trump administration, the flimsy pretexts behind them, and what the song “Closing Time” is actually about. Trust us, it’s not what you think: youtu.be/F2hN3JKZ-Go

The Fish Doorbell — The Fish Doorbell Did you spot a fish? Press the Fish Doorbell! This alerts our lock operator to let the fish through. The Fish Doorbell is in Utrecht, NL.

Thank you @lastweektonight.com for introducing me to the most wonderful thing on the internet visdeurbel.nl/en/

Bubble Trouble An AI bubble threatens Silicon Valley, and all of us.

Today's feature from our latest print issue is from researcher and writer Bryan McMahon about AI, and specifically the *business* of AI. Though hundreds of billions have been poured in, that money hasn't bought dominance, & a gaping hole in the public markets may result.
prospect.org/power/2025-0...

An image of a folder with the front cover of a report - the report is Engineering Responsible AI: foundations for environmentally sustainable AI.

𝗡𝗲𝘄 𝗥𝗲𝘀𝗼𝘂𝗿𝗰𝗲: 𝗘𝗻𝗴𝗶𝗻𝗲𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗥𝗲𝘀𝗽𝗼𝗻𝘀𝗶𝗯𝗹𝗲 𝗔𝗜 🤖

We’re excited to share a new addition to the Scottish AI Playbook: the Royal Academy of Engineering's latest report - Engineering Responsible AI: Foundations for Environmentally Sustainable AI - buff.ly/ximiri7

No second state visit for Trump Unbelievable. Keir Starmer has handed Donald Trump a letter from King Charles, inviting him for a second state visit to the UK. It’s totally unprecedented, and should not go ahead.  This is the...

Unbelievable. Donald Trump has been invited to a state visit to the UK. We should not be rolling out the red carpet to celebrate this man. Agree? Add your name to the petition today: you.38degrees.org.uk/petitions/no...

This week’s main story is about Facebook’s controversial new plans to eliminate certain content moderation practices. Watch the full piece at the link in our bio.

A promotional graphic for the "People’s Panel" on AI & Climate by the Scottish AI Alliance. The image has a light grey background with bold black text stating “People’s Panel” and “AI & Climate” below it. In the top left corner, the Scottish AI Alliance logo is displayed, featuring an orange and purple stylized "AI" icon. Below the main text, a dark blue button reads "Join the conversation". To the right of the text, there is a simple outlined illustration of Earth with a thermometer, symbolizing climate change.

A call-to-action image from the Scottish AI Alliance, inviting participants to join the People’s Panel on AI & Climate. The light grey background features the Scottish AI Alliance logo at the top left, followed by the bold black text “Our Request”. Below, a message invites individuals to add their voice to discussions on AI and climate. The listed requirements include: Being based in Scotland No technical expertise needed Interest in AI discussions

A recruitment graphic for the Scottish AI Alliance's People’s Panel on AI & Climate. The background is light grey, with the Scottish AI Alliance logo in the top left. The bold black text reads “Apply Now”, followed by the deadline: “Monday 10 March”. Below, the question "How should AI shape climate action? Share your perspective." encourages applications. At the bottom right, there is a QR code for applying, alongside the text “Apply Now” with a URL: forms.office.com/e/tAEQVCS9Wp.

𝗞𝗻𝗼𝘄 𝘀𝗼𝗺𝗲𝗼𝗻𝗲 𝗽𝗮𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗮𝗯𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝗰𝗹𝗶𝗺𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗴𝗲 who would be interested in getting involved in climate & AI discussions? 🌎

No prior AI or climate knowledge is needed, just your curiosity and perspective.

Find out more and apply via this link https://buff.ly/3EK2dg8

The Paris AI Action Summit: Steph Wright’s Thoughts — Scottish AI Alliance Steph Wright, Head of the Scottish AI Alliance, attended the Paris AI Action Summit recently and has put pen to paper to share her thoughts.

My ramblings on the Paris #AIActionSummit for the @scottishaialliance.bsky.social www.scottishai.com/news/the-par...

Session on Public Interest AI at the Paris AI Action Summit

So grateful for @abeba.bsky.social on stage at the AI Action Summit, challenging us to be honest about the fact that we’re moving backward, not forward toward a shared social contract as Big Tech have now walked back nearly every voluntary commitment they once made to be responsible social actors.