<3 this review of The AI Con, not least for the phrase "Slopholm Syndrome"

Never mind the botlickers, ‘AI’ is just normal technology

We desire existential certainty in this world of complexity and amid our sense of powerlessness, but turning to the new oracles isn’t a solution

Tomorrow! ~~~ Chatbots for therapy: Worst idea ever or a good way to drive people into psychosis? On the next Mystery AI Hype Theater 3000 live stream, Maggie Harrison Dupré will join @Alex Hanna and me to process the hype: Monday, August 18, noon Pacific

Twitch

Twitch

Twitch is the world's leading video platform and community for gamers.

Chatbots for therapy: Worst idea ever or a good way to drive people into psychosis? On the next Mystery AI Hype Theater 3000 live stream, Maggie Harrison Dupré will join @Alex Hanna and me to process the hype: Monday, August 18, noon Pacific

Twitch

Twitch

Twitch is the world's leading video platform and community for gamers.

Mystery AI Hype Theater 3000 Episode 60: Vibe Coding: Four Security Nightmares in a Trenchcoat

Buzzsprout

Vibe Coding: Four Security Nightmares in a Trenchcoat (with Susanna Cox), 2025.07.21 - Mystery AI Hype Theater 3000

After many months of making fun of the term "vibe coding," Emily and Alex tackle the LLMs-as-coders fad head-on, with help from security researcher...

In which Susanna Cox, @Alex Hanna and I vibe check claims of efficiency and effectiveness.

The most difficult thing about writing The AI Con was arguably the constraint that we couldn't put numbered endnotes in. The endnotes are there -- 59 pages of them! -- but you have to know to go and look. >>

We're going to need journalists to stop talking about synthetic text extruding machines as if they have *thoughts* or *stances* that they are *trying* to *communicate*. ChatGPT can't *admit* anything, nor *self-report*. Gah. https://www.wsj.com/tech/ai/chatgpt-chatbot-psychology-manic-episodes-57452d14

Fantastic news out of Tucson! None of this is inevitable. Not "AI", not data centers, not the surrendering of public water resources, not the handing over of electrical grid priorities to big tech

AZ Luminaria

Tucson City Council rejects Project Blue data center amid intense community pressure - AZ Luminaria

The Tucson City Council voted to reject the proposed Project Blue data center— tied to Amazon — after weeks of community pushback.

Today! ~~ Trump's AI Action Plan (surprise, surprise) consolidates power and capital to Big Tech. On the next Mystery AI Hype Theater 3000 live stream, @Alex Hanna and I will be joined by AI Now Institute’s Kate Brennan and Sarah Myers West to piece through all the bullshit. Monday, August 4, noon Pacific

Twitch

Twitch

Twitch is the world's leading video platform and community for gamers.

Join us tomorrow! ~~ Trump's AI Action Plan (surprise, surprise) consolidates power and capital to Big Tech. On the next Mystery AI Hype Theater 3000 live stream, @Alex Hanna and I will be joined by AI Now Institute’s Kate Brennan and Sarah Myers West to piece through all the bullshit. Monday, August 4, noon Pacific

Twitch

Twitch

Twitch is the world's leading video platform and community for gamers.

The AI Con Book Tour continues! @Alex Hanna and I will be at WorldCon in Seattle in a couple of weeks, and then also at a hybrid (in person but livestreamed) event at Town Hall Seattle on Oct 21:

UW Public Lectures

The Office of Public Lectures presents: The AI Con with Emily M. Bender and Alex Hanna

(Registration opens Sept 10)