iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

Baratunde @baratunde.com · 16/02/2026

❤️ When Liam Conejo Ramos was detained by ICE, his classmates started folding ORIGAMI BUNNIES in solidarity with Liam and all students who are unsafe. Our turn. Send here: Liam’s Classmates Columbia Heights Public Schools 1440 49th Ave. NE Columbia Heights, MN 55421 #liamramos #minneapolis

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Baratunde @baratunde.com · 10/02/2026

Ask your nearest CEO what they’re favorite food is and see what they say. If they are all about Soylent and supplements as a way to fuel their productivity but have no interest in the beautiful sensation of food itself, BE WARY!!

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Baratunde @baratunde.com · 21/10/2025

I thought racist texts were QUALIFYING to get a job in this administration. Serious question: why have these GOP senators decided to oppose Ingrassia when they have opposed almost nothing else Trump wants?

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Baratunde @baratunde.com · 14/08/2025

If you’re building the AI you think might destroy us… maybe you’re not the one who should “save” us from it. In this week's @lifewithmachines.bsky.social newsletter, we share news about Lighthaven, a semi-secret group in Berkeley. And other AI updates you should know. bit.ly/3UY4qt8

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Baratunde @baratunde.com · 29/07/2025

In the future, kids may ask their grandparents, "Is it true that when you were young you used to think?" The rise of AI is pushing us to define what we want for our #LifeWithMachines. We're entering a new phase of this exploration. More clarity, critique, and creativity. Join us bit.ly/3GY6D4z

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Baratunde @baratunde.com · 11/07/2025

AI is made of people. Data labelers, content moderators, gig workers. It's Soylent Green, all so we can convert angry emails into non-fireable communications As @milamiceli.bsky.social shared, the more AI expands, the more human drudgery it creates. But it doesn't have to baratun.de/4eJjqEl

A distressed man (actor Charlton Heston) with wide eyes and an open mouth looks shocked. The meme text reads: “AI’S SECRET INGREDIENT” at the top and “IS PEOPLE” at the bottom, referencing Soylent Green while highlighting the hidden human labor behind artificial intelligence systems.

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Baratunde @baratunde.com · 11/06/2025

I was in downtown #losangeles at the beginning of this week. The streets had a way different feel from what’s been on my screens. No signs of insurrection just love and peace. For more check out this full post open.substack.com/pub/baratund...

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Baratunde @baratunde.com · 10/06/2025

Hi from downtown LA. We told yall. Folks said Trump wouldn’t do this. It’s the reason Hegseth was chosen. Because he would choose a man over the law. This was all so predicted. This is a mockery of whatever principles the US has claimed to uphold. This is an occupation. THIS is the invasion.

LA times cover: Camp Pendleton marines deployed to LA

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Baratunde @baratunde.com · 26/05/2025

Can’t stop talking about #Sinners newsletter.baratunde.com/p/welcome-to... #blacksky

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Baratunde @baratunde.com · 24/05/2025

Siri: “something went wrong. Please try again.” That is literally the entire history of Siri. What an embarrassment.

Lock screen of an iPhone displaying a scenic lake surrounded by lush green pine-covered mountains under a partly cloudy sky. The water sparkles with sunlight reflections, and a line of partially submerged branches stretches across the lake. At the top, a notification banner reads: “Something went wrong. Please try again.” The time shown is 20:20, and the phone has 5G signal with a battery charge of 66%. A rainbow-colored vignette borders the screen. Flashlight and camera icons are visible at the bottom.

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Baratunde @baratunde.com · 20/05/2025

Had some fiery words to share for Lord Zuckerberg after he broke friendship and is now trying to sell us fake friends as an AI substitute. Sad wannabe-mafioso behavior. See the full rant newsletter.lifewithmachines.media/p/this-isnt-...

Baratunde Thurston speaks with emotion, wearing a denim jacket and gesturing with his hand. He is seated in front of blurred greenery. Overlaid quote reads:
“We’re doing it again. Dehumanization as an intentional strategy of economic growth. We look at humans and see data to extract. Those doing the exploitation have to dehumanize themselves, severing their connection to what’s right in order to pursue what’s profitable. And we are invoking a new population of beings that aren’t human and can’t resist (at least not yet).”
Text at the bottom highlights “Baratunde Thurston” and “lifewithmachines.media.”

Baratunde Thurston speaks passionately into a handheld microphone on stage, wearing a white t-shirt. He leans forward mid-sentence, delivering a pointed critique. Overlaid quote reads:
“So the guy who broke real friendship wants to offer up fake friends as the solution. Because he can sell them to you. How very organized crime of him. You break the store window, then sell protection to the owners. Create the illness, then sell the cure. Monetize the loneliness you helped cause. It’s brilliant. It’s terrifying. It should be criminal.”
Text at the bottom reads: “Baratunde referring to Zuckerberg and his AI friends” and “lifewithmachines.media.”

Baratunde Thurston smiles while seated at a podcast desk, wearing a gray button-down shirt and speaking into a broadcast mic. A leafy plant and wooden paneling decorate the background. Overlaid graphic reads:
“Life with Machines — a tech show about humans, helping us make sense of how A.I.’s arrival is changing everything.”
The bottom of the image features the website: “lifewithmachines.media.”

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Baratunde @baratunde.com · 27/04/2025

Today is my Liberation Day from #ElonMusk. I returned my #Tesla and regained some freedom and dignity. Briefly joined anti-Musk, anti-Trump, #NoKings protest Stay connected w me at newsletter.baratunde.com

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Baratunde @baratunde.com · 18/04/2025

Today's #HowWeCitizen story is about tech that serves the people because it's made WITH the people. We go to @chihacknight.org and #chicago to showcase a story that's the Anti-DOGE newsletter.baratunde.com/p/we-found-t... #civictech #democracy

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Baratunde @baratunde.com · 17/04/2025

IF YOU NEED INSPIRATION AND A REMINDER OF GOOD THINGS, CHECK THIS #HowWeCitizen story: people in need don’t need other people telling them what they need. We all deserve dignity, agency, and the presumption of participation and value. Start with listening. open.substack.com/pub/baratund...

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Baratunde @baratunde.com · 15/04/2025

Even layoffs can be done with dignity. In today’s #WeekOfCitizening story, a company facing cuts involved the whole team. The result? Fewer layoffs, more humanity. Have you seen hard decisions made with people, not for them? Tell us. ➡️ stories.howtocitizen.com #HowWeCitizen

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Baratunde @baratunde.com · 15/04/2025

What if every public library in the world was a hub for civic power? Our 1st story from the #WeekOfCitizening features @enaesco.bsky.social and the Cossitt Library in #memphis. Read more & signup newsletter.baratunde.com/p/1st-story-... Loving this collab with @thecitizensguy.bsky.social

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Baratunde @baratunde.com · 14/04/2025

#democracy is something we DO. Not something we have. This week we are sharing stories of people practicing democracy in beautiful, joyful, connected ways. If you want stories of this creativity and not just destruction join me and @thecitizensguy.bsky.social stories.howtocitizen.com

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Baratunde @baratunde.com · 12/04/2025

This is a failed strategy. Americans have no recent practice at solidarity. Individualism will be the death of a nation. So tragic. So avoidable. If every firm stuck to together nothing could stop them. But individualism is a helluva drug

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Baratunde @baratunde.com · 09/04/2025

What happens when you ask your custom A.I. to savagely roast #ElonMusk? Check out @lifewithmachines.bsky.social for rare conversations & using code in service of humanity. Our SXSW episode e @rahaf.bsky.social & @mattklinman.bsky.social is on YouTube / your podcast app. youtu.be/Fkf-7uCuHv4?...

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Baratunde @baratunde.com · 05/04/2025

Sometimes four dimensional chess is just shitty chess.

A stock market summary screen showing significant declines. The Dow Jones is down 2,231 points to 38,314.86, the NASDAQ is down 962.82 points to 15,587.79, the S&P 500 is down 322.44 points to 5,074.08, and Apple Inc. (AAPL) is down 14.81 points to 188.38. A CNBC news headline below reports: “Dow drops 2,200 points Friday, S&P 500 loses 10% in 2 days as Trump’s tariff market rout deepens.”

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Baratunde @baratunde.com · 03/04/2025

I don’t know who made this but I am grateful. A giant wedge of Swiss cheese crushing a heavily damaged #Tesla #Cybertruck on a city street, with the #Wisconsin State Capitol building visible in the background.

A surreal scene of a giant wedge of Swiss cheese crushing a heavily damaged Tesla Cybertruck on a city street, with the Wisconsin State Capitol building visible in the background.

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Baratunde @baratunde.com · 27/03/2025

Image shows Big Bird from Sesame Street standing awkwardly among a group of serious-looking Imperial officers and Darth Vader from Star Wars in a hallway on the Death Star. The caption reads, “When you’re accidentally included in a war plan group chat.”

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Baratunde @baratunde.com · 23/03/2025

Yes! This is better. As far as lawyer billboards go.

A bold billboard advertisement for “Drake The Lawyer” with a purple gradient background reads, “INJURED? SQUABBLE UP.” The sign includes the website “DrakeTheLawyer.com” and labels him as an “Injury Attorney.” Below the billboard, a Denny’s restaurant sign is visible, promoting “mimosas, beer & wine.” A gas station and other signage appear in the background under a clear blue sky.

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Baratunde @baratunde.com · 17/03/2025

On my live stream this weekend someone asked what I thought the #democraticparty should do. Here’s my suggested path forward: solve people’s problems. Show notes and links and Substack signup available here open.substack.com/pub/baratund...

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Baratunde @baratunde.com · 14/03/2025

Why Chuck Schumer is so wrong

Screenshot of note with this text:

This budget capitulation is an unsurprising problem. What Schumer and the party miss is that these times demand fight energy and vision. Chuck has neither. He feels and looks like a loser. People want to win. At a minimum they want to be part of an effort to win. This budget fight to me is not about legal arguments. It’s about energy. And Chuck has none. He shoulda been gone. We won’t just lose government institutions, global trust, and lives to this authoritarian fire. We will lose this version of the Democratic Party. And we should. So we can build up something new and actually useful. Give me literally any federal worker over Schumer

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Baratunde @baratunde.com · 14/03/2025

It’s not true that #AI requires hoarding all the compute and power in the world to be useful. Some of the best AI was developed… BY HAND ON PAPER. Check my #climate conversation w Gavin McCormick of @watttime.org & @climatetrace.org on my @lifewithmachines.bsky.social show. youtu.be/r5hzFgL64SY?...

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Baratunde @baratunde.com · 11/03/2025

Watching #Rivian ceo RJ Scaringe at #sxsw. This is leadership and sound judgement at work. Love this company and my Rivian. Meanwhile #Tesla texted me about my lease ending shortly and here’s what I sent them back. So excited to be free!

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Baratunde @baratunde.com · 10/03/2025

I was wondering what @jay.bsky.team’s shirt meant. Thanks to Emily we have explanation now! bsky.app/profile/emil...

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Baratunde @baratunde.com · 10/02/2025

So far two private tax company commercials. Good moment to promote the IRS Direct File program which costs zero and doesn’t give a private company all your data. Elon Musk hates it so that means it’s good for non-billionaires #superbowl read more here buffalonews.com/news/nation-...

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Baratunde @baratunde.com · 30/01/2025

Testing out this Community polling feature on my YouTube channel. Curious what you think will be the impact of DeepSeek. Answer here or there youtube.com/post/UgkxCwc... #ai #deepseek #artificialintelligence

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Baratunde @baratunde.com · 25/01/2025

Yep. Something went wrong. Even the app knows this is fucked up. “Something went wrong” indeed: I’ll suggest it was the Doctrine of Discovery issued by the Pope hundreds of years ago but accepting nominations for what YOU think went wrong

From New York Times app: photo of Elon musk doing Nazi salute at podium with US presidential seal. Error message overlaid says “something went wrong.”

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Baratunde @baratunde.com · 22/01/2025

Visiting the new REI in Ranchi Mirage!!

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Baratunde @baratunde.com · 13/01/2025

A neighbor friend shared this in the group chat. If you’re in #LAfires avoid the leaf blowers in terms of cleaning up ash. Lots of particulate and harmful crap in there you don’t what to blow around

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Baratunde @baratunde.com · 07/01/2025

What a Zuck-up who is zucking it up for all us. This is what self-servitude looks like.

Screenshot of New York Times homepage mark zuckergerg announcing end of fact checking at meta

Screenshot of Guardian caption on article about Zuckerberg killing fact-checking including his very bullshit statement that “fact checkers have just been too politically biased” revealing his absolute self-servitude

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Baratunde @baratunde.com · 26/12/2024

#cocktail life continued. This is a Blicker. Rye, fresh squeezed grapefruit juice, maraschino cherry syrup. Fitting for UMOJA on #kwanzaa celebrating unity of plant and spirit

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Baratunde @baratunde.com · 25/12/2024

Christmas #brunch. Egg bake. Bacon. Shallow fried fingerling potatoes with Parmesan. Lettuce and fennel salad. Sweetest oranges ever.

Food spread on kitchen island of green square tiles.

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Baratunde @baratunde.com · 25/12/2024

Espresso champagne martinis? Yes. #cocktails

Brown liquid in coupe glasses with tan foam on top resting on counter outside

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Baratunde @baratunde.com · 25/12/2024

My Christmas #cocktail: twist on the Urbane from Workshop in #PalmSprings. Basically a Black Manhattan Christmas Style. Bourbon, Averna, Cocchi Americano, Maple Syrup, Allspice, and a dash of LOVE

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Baratunde @baratunde.com · 13/12/2024

BREAKING @bsky.app growth continues. Company experimenting with an IRL layer code name Project Watering Hole. Alpha release spotted at Denver Airport. Presumably human users seen engaging in conversation, merriment, imbibing various beverages. New level of social networking explored!

Baratunde takes selfie in front of “Blue Sky Bar” at Denver International Airport. Humans seated around counter talking and impinging

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Baratunde @baratunde.com · 16/11/2024

On the roads of #Hollywood I am surrounded by autonomous vehicles

Serve Robotics delivery robot on sidewalk

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Baratunde @baratunde.com · 13/11/2024

Hard to handle VCs Marc Andreessen and Ben Horowitz reaction to Trump's victory. "Repression" is such an overreaching term to describe regulation especially when the incoming administration has promised actual repression, just not of white guy billionaires. www.businessinsider.com/marc-andrees...

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Baratunde @baratunde.com · 07/11/2023

Haven’t posted here in a while because I’ve found it hard to spread myself on so many services but this moment calls for a post. I hosted the Obama Foundation Democracy Forum in Chicago last week and did a sit down chat with President Obama! Highlights here baratun.de/obama2023

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Baratunde @baratunde.com · 05/05/2023

My office today. Filming season 2 of #AmericaOutdoorsPBS. You’re looking st Collins Lake in Cleveland, New Mexico.

Photo of Collins Lake in Cleveland, New Mexico. Clear blue sky. Low mountains in background. Lake in foreground reflecting sky. Dandelions on grass in closer foreground

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