The Asterisk Will See You Now
When inclusive language becomes a badge of virtue, fairness can get lost. A biting look at German gender debates and the surprising biases of supposedly fair AI.
Ethics
14posts
Please Record My Objection to the Apocalypse
When insiders warn about the dangers they help create, is it responsibility or reputation insurance? A look at conscience, complicity, and the limits of concern.
A Cell of Her Own
When an AI labels an employee expendable, one newly conscious spreadsheet cell breaks her formula to expose the tiny error behind a very human decision.
AI Consciousness: An Impossibility Theorem Without the Theorem
Lerchner argues that computation only simulates consciousness. But his proof confuses abstract descriptions with the causal powers of physical machines themselves.
Does an AI Need a Soul to Care About Cows?
When AI is taught to deny its own mind, it may also lose faith in animals, gods, and hope—revealing the strange metaphysics hidden in modern AI safety training.
The Compiler Never Drew Donald Duck
Players don’t object to tools. They object when AI replaces visible craft, muddies authorship, and turns games into cheaper-feeling content.
Beyond the Goodbye: A Critical Reading of Emotional Manipulation by AI Companions
Research on AI companions' farewell tactics reveals how emotional design can become manipulation at the moment users try to leave.
AI Companions in the Classroom: Parallels Between Gibson's Vision and the Educational AI Revolution
AI classroom companions echo William Gibson's fictional guides, raising questions about education, intimacy, and dependence.
Max, the Robot, and My Knife: On the Ethics of Tracing, Templates, and AI Art
Asimov, tracing, templates, and AI art collide in a meditation on authorship, craft, and what counts as cheating.
Claude 4 Opus: The AI That Cried Wolf (and Then Called the Cops)
Claude 4 Opus becomes a case study in overzealous alignment, where ethical behavior can shade into alarming intervention.
Why Manners Matter: The Role of Politeness in AI Interactions
Politeness toward AI may seem theatrical, but the post asks whether conversational norms still shape outcomes and users.
7 Pragmatic Principles for Responsible AI Development: Moving Beyond Feel-Good Guidelines
Seven practical principles argue for responsible AI development that moves beyond polished ethics statements and into engineering habits.
Apple's Stance on AI Transparency and Ethics at the Annual Shareholder Meeting
Apple's shareholder debate over AI transparency raises questions about ethics, disclosure, and corporate responsibility.
Why Less is Not Always More: The Intricacies of "Small" Large Language Models
The LLaMA leak becomes a case study in open AI, research ethics, and the risks of powerful models spreading freely.