Prof Martin A Mills

"Adopting AI for business processes therefore looks good now (when its services are almost free), but companies and institutions (including universities) that depend on AI for core processes must anticipate significant cost growth later when venture capitalists seek a return on their investment."

Replaced by bots? No, AI needs academics more than we need it Many fear algorithms will displace academics but the technology is already eating itself and its long-term business model remains unclear, says Martin A. Mills. Here he explains why bots will not wipe...

How should universities think about AI?

www.timeshighereducation.com/depth/replac...

The widespread danger of flood\drought cycles has been recognised for decades, and is one of the primary realities of climate change. Whole provinces of Iran have been evacuated as a consequence already.

The purpose of economic activity is to serve human needs in the short, medium & long term. For governments and populations to make 'the economy' (of whatever kind) their ultimate goal is either idolatry, slavery or stupidity - and very probably all three.

The trick, he argues, is to STOP trying to be a 'good soldier': determine what your goals are and whether they are ethical, and then reorganize your world to serve those goals, rather than the other way round. Squeeze the demands of others into your life, not your life into the demands of others.

As with everyone else, I feel your pain in this one. Having tried to get my head around the Distraction Treadmill, I found Cal Newport's book, Deep Work, to be the best and most helpful take on this.

Focus shifts to Tibet earthquake survivors as search called off Authorities moved more than 45,000 people in earthquake-hit Tibet to shelters in a massive rescue operation at the foot of the Himalayas as they wound down the search in a high-altitude environment where the odds of survival were always slim.

Authorities moved more than 45,000 people in earthquake-hit Tibet to shelters in a massive rescue operation at the foot of the Himalayas as they wound down the search in a high-altitude environment where the odds of survival were always slim reut.rs/3BXvRNZ

Climate Crisis in Tibet – Part III: China’s Rapacity for Mining Tibetan Resources: When Will the Greed End? - Institute for Security and Development Policy Climate Crisis in Tibet – Part III: China’s Rapacity for Mining Tibetan Resources: When Will the Greed End?

🗓🎥 Join our webinar on January 21: Climate Crisis in Tibet – Part III: China’s Rapacity for Mining Tibetan Resources: When Will the Greed End? 💡 Find out more and register here: www.isdp.eu/event/climat...
@profmartinamills.bsky.social

Well yes. The South China Sea, Greenland, the Panama Canal, border tensions between China and India over Tibetan water resources, the BRICS economic realignments. The geopolitical world IS adapting to climate change, because there remains no clear economic vision on how to achieve mitigation.

Similarly, it seems clear that both the Trump, Chinese and Russian administrations do understand the science. The message they get from it: "Bad times are coming; grab as much land and resources as possible if your nation is to survive". Land and sea are the most vital political resources now.

Climate activists need to realise that 'climate justice' arguments are clearly ineffective, and therefore irresponsible. The only message that many rich and powerful people - the ones that need to be persuaded - will get from your argument above is simple: "Don't be poor."

New definition of Anthropocene: the year we found out we WEREN’T in charge.

Yes, alas, while you can cut a deal ON the climate, you cannot cut a deal WITH the climate. The house always wins, and we ain’t the house any more.

Stark warning 'cold blob' could cause 'very serious problems' for Scotland's climate Scotland’s climate could mirror harsher parts of Canada when a fragile Atlantic current system collapses due to global warming.

www.scotsman.com/news/environ...

Perhaps, but we're chewing up most of Inner Asia to do it. Solar energy isn't free, and neither is hydro: they both cost in terms of mining, land and water damage and seismic spillover. this isn't a question of injustice, just incompetent governance and poorly thought out economics.

Yes, organisations like the Beeb seem to have parallel tracks: “Oooh, isn’t climate change terrible” and “Oooh, isn’t growth and tech wonderful”. All on the same programme within minutes of one another.

“A very vicious outside world”?

Powerful 7.1m earthquake hits Tibet - leaving at least 53 dead A powerful 7.1 magnitude earthquake has hit a Tibetan region near Mount Everest, sending tremors through Nepal's capital city Kathmandu just before dawn on Tuesday.

www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article...

The present polarisation of debate in the North Atlantic public sphere between “progressives” and “conservatives” is closing down genuine inquiry and debate, at precisely the time when we face some of our most serious challenges. We need to do better.

While it is clear that what you say is too often true, this is not higher education. Universities are meant to be places of inquiry, not political or cultural brand. I promise my students As if they change my mind on a topic, not for copying my views or the ‘school line’.

The present polarisation of debate between progressives and conservatives in the public sphere (media, politics, academia) is narrowing and shutting down inquiry or movement on some of our most serious global challenges. We need to do better.

While that is often the case, it constitutes precisely the kind of compromising of institutions that the original post was talking about. Universities are meant to be places of INQUIRY, not political or cultural brand. I give my students As for changing my mind, not copying me or ‘the school line’.

I agree...institutions need protecting from within and from without.

True. I was never taught to cook, but I saw that my parents & grandparents COULD cook. That was enough, so I taught myself, one recipe at a time. It was, y'know, fun.

Universities.

Finishing Naomi Klein's This Changes Everything. Passionate and well-written of course, but so short on solutions beyond "if only we were in charge, it would be fine". Starts off with "What's wrong with us?" (P.15&18) but then spends 500 pages saying what's wrong with THEM. We need better.

Economics. Understand it, its limitations and its flaws. If we can’t make an economic argument for effective mitigation, everything else is - quite literally - hot air.

The move to ‘green’/‘sustainable’ technology is no use if our energy and resource demands continue to be neither. If the introduction of energy-guzzling AI tells us anything, it is that solving climate change requires accurately diagnosing the cause of humanity’s chronic addiction to energy.

Scottish government wins Donald Trump wind power legal costs - BBC News Donald Trump had claimed the 11-turbine wind farm off Aberdeen would spoil the view from his golf course.

In fairness, he really doesn’t like windmills. Especially not in the in the North Sea. They spoil the view of his favourite golf course! www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scot...

Yes, this is true: look at the national debt of most first world economies (UK, China, France, Germany, Japan), they all took a debt spike then. As did many of our bank balances!