Reposted by Alan MackworthAlan Richardson @alanrichardson.bsky.social · 13/08/2026Canadians—you might want to sign this. 041
Reposted by Alan MackworthUBC Science @science.ubc.ca · 15/06/2026"It's stealing intellectual property. These systems have been trained on the entire internet without any regard for copyright. So people's photos, videos, books, etc. have been essentially stolen," says UBC computer scientist Dr. Alan Mackworth. @alanmackworth.bsky.social @cs.ubc.ca bit.ly/4ecCn3Cbit.ly'It's a big bet': What impact could big AI data centres have in Vancouver?As advocates rally against them, two experts warn against betting too hard on AI while acknowledging its usefulness if used ethically. 145
Reposted by Alan MackworthUBC Science @science.ubc.ca · 01/06/2026Canada released its draft AI strategy today that will modernize online safety laws to protect Canadians in the digital age. However, it doesn't specify what those modernizations will look like. Here's what UBC AI pioneer Dr. Alan Mackworth recommends. @alanmackworth.bsky.social @cs.ubc.cabit.lyCan Canada constrain AI?Dr. Alan Mackworth — professor emeritus with UBC Computer Science — has been studying AI since the 1970s. He’s served as president of the… 034
Reposted by Alan MackworthAlan Richardson @alanrichardson.bsky.social · 25/05/2026The Pope sounds like he’s read Marcuse. 27416
Reposted by Alan MackworthUBC Science @science.ubc.ca · 14/05/2026Dr. AlanMackworth has been studying AI since the 1970s. In this conversation the UBC Computer Science professor emeritus discusses the challenges of regulating AI, if age-based bans make sense and how chatbots are trained to flag harmful actors. @cs.ubc.ca @alanmackworth.bsky.social bit.ly/4tw1enzmedium.comCan Canada constrain AI?Dr. Alan Mackworth — professor emeritus with UBC Computer Science — has been studying AI since the 1970s. He’s served as president of the… 053
Reposted by Alan MackworthCambridge University Press @universitypress.cambridge.org · 14/03/2026Congratulations to authors @davpoole.bsky.social and @alanmackworth.bsky.social on receiving the 2026 AAAI/EAAI Patrick Henry Winston Outstanding Educator Award 🎉 Learn more about 'Artificial Intelligence: Foundations of Computational Agents' 🔗 cup.org/4sjPDI8 073
Reposted by Alan MackworthUBC Science @science.ubc.ca · 03/03/2026“We just can't rely on the companies to voluntarily stand up,” says Dr. Alan Mackworth, UBC computer science prof. emeritus. “There needs to be some public accountability by having a regulatory agency with enforcement powers to check standards.” @cs.ubc.ca @alanmackworth.bsky.social bit.ly/3N2V3rHbit.lyWhat the Tumbler Ridge mass shooting reveals about regulating AI | CBC NewsCan AI systems reliably detect real threats? And where’s the line between safety and privacy? Following the mass shooting in Tumbler Ridge, B.C., questions are mounting about what artificial intellige... 065
Reposted by Alan MackworthStewart Prest @stewartprest.ca · 28/02/2026Several points: 1) Iran's regime is odious. Its citizens deserve support. 2) That does not mean an attack will help. 3) Canada will find it hard to be so selective in its support for international law. 4) Canada does not benefit from a US administration unbound by the US constitution. 7366112
Reposted by Alan MackworthUBC News @news.ubc.ca · 24/02/2026"[Duty to report] obligations are enshrined in law and/or professional ethics. Similar obligations should be placed on social media and AI companies." @alanmackworth.bsky.social discusses AI safety as OpenAI is called to Ottawa over the Tumbler Ridge shooter's AI interactions buff.ly/eHBfD9tthecanadianpressnews.caEby says it looks like OpenAI could have prevented 'horrific' Tumbler Ridge killingsVICTORIA - British Columbia Premier David Eby said it "looks like" OpenAI had the opportunity to prevent the recent mass shootings in Tumbler Ridge, B.C., in which nine people died, 011
Reposted by Alan MackworthUBC Science @science.ubc.ca · 24/02/2026Computer scientist Dr. Alan Mackworth said that many professionals, such as teachers and doctors, have a "duty to report" any suspected case of harm to or abuse of a minor. "Similar obligations should be placed on social media and AI companies." @cs.ubc.ca @alanmackworth.bsky.social bit.ly/4ayhYnUcbc.caOpenAI safety reps called to Ottawa after Tumbler Ridge, B.C., mass shooting: minister | CBC NewsArtificial Intelligence Minister Evan Solomon has called representatives of OpenAI to Ottawa to discuss safety concerns after learning the killer in the mass shooting in Tumbler Ridge, B.C., was banne... 022
Reposted by Alan MackworthUBC Computer Science @cs.ubc.ca · 23/02/2026UBC Computer Science Professors Emeriti Alan Mackworth and David Poole were awarded the AAAI/EAAI Patrick Henry Winston Outstanding Educator Award for developing free online resources to learn foundations of AI. Congratulations! Read more: www.cs.ubc.ca/news/2026/02... 143
Reposted by Alan MackworthStewart Prest @stewartprest.ca · 21/01/2026Yesterday, @mark-carney.bsky.social may have given the most important speech of our era. Whether it proves to be so, however, depends on what happens next. If Canada is serious about charting a third way, it must act—notably in deploying to Greenland, and saying no to the "Board of Peace." 39611
Reposted by Alan MackworthStewart Prest @stewartprest.ca · 20/01/2026This post to Truth Social requires an immediate response from the international community and either impeachment or invocation of the 25th amendment by Congress. Republicans, you are sleepwalking the world towards an entirely preventable catastrophe. 1327489
Alan Mackworth @alanmackworth.bsky.social · 19/01/2026Delighted to receive this award with @davpoole.bsky.social. @cs.ubc.ca @aaai.org Talk details here aaai.org/conference/a... #aiaaai.orgAAAI-26 Invited Speakers - AAAI 173
Reposted by Alan MackworthStewart Prest @stewartprest.ca · 18/01/2026Canada must not do this. It is a mockery of international political governance, legitimizing the idea that Trump can simply push aside other countries' sovereignty. www.politico.com/news/2026/01...politico.comCarney mulling $1B membership to Trump’s ‘Board of Peace’The Canadian PM said the POTUS invite came "a few weeks ago." 47352135
Reposted by Alan MackworthDr Dan Shugar 🇨🇦 @watershedlab.bsky.social · 11/01/2026Honourable @evansolomon.bsky.social - my question to you is why isn't the GoC considering banning X considering the harm that platform is doing and the obvious We-Don't-Give-A-Shit attitude of its owner? Let's get this trending, people! #BanX #BanGrok 514270
Reposted by Alan MackworthCaroline Haskins @carolinehaskins.bsky.social · 08/01/2026Thousands of people on X are using Grok to create sexualized images of adults + minors wearing minimal clothing. This not only violates X's own content policy, it may violate the guidelines of Apple’s App Store and the Google Play store: www.wired.com/story/x-grok...wired.comWhy Are Grok and X Still Available in App Stores?Elon Musk’s chatbot has been used to generate thousands of sexualized images of adults and apparent minors. Apple and Google have removed other “nudify” apps—but continue to host X and Grok. 5384133
Reposted by Alan MackworthSenator Paula Simons 🇨🇦 @senatorpaulasimons.bsky.social · 08/01/2026In 2024, I rose in Senate QP to ask why the Govt of Canada was still using X for official communications. Today, they are still there. What exactly will it take to break the spell? 581040380
Reposted by Alan MackworthRachel Gilmore @rachelgilmore.bsky.social · 02/01/2026There’s an epidemic of people using Grok to do sexual violence to women on Twitter. Yet Canadian politicians, media etc have failed to adopt another platform en masse, making it near-impossible to fully disengage and be tapped in to vital conversations and information. What are we doing. 35746172
Reposted by Alan MackworthCanada's National Observer @nationalobserver.com · 02/01/2026It's well past time for Canadian government officials to get off of X, @jameswsthomson.com writes. This latest — disgusting — incident is just one more reason.nationalobserver.comCanadian government officials, what are you still doing on X in 2026?The platform's own chatbot started posting sexualized material of children and other people who couldn't consent. With no moral bottom in sight, it's well past time our officials found other ways to c... 441331484
Alan Mackworth @alanmackworth.bsky.social · 01/01/2026Highly recommended read for anyone in AI/Robotics. Complete with @rodneyabrooks.bsky.social's usual acerbic wit and hype-busting. Nice elucidation of the distinction between situated AI and embodied AI, with an argument that we need both. #AI #robotics 000
Reposted by Alan MackworthSeth Klein @sethdklein.bsky.social · 11/11/2025UPDATE: If you want to speak (in person or by phone) at tomorrow's important city council meeting – at which these proposed Vancouver budget cuts will be considered – you can sign up here (BUT NOTE: the deadline to sign up is 5:00pm today, Nov 11): vancouver.ca/your-governm... 🧵...vancouver.caRequest to speak at a Council meetingRequest to speak at a Council meeting 13017
Reposted by Alan MackworthVincent Conitzer @conitzer.bsky.social · 01/09/2025more to be said here than could ever fit in such a short article but it covers some of it, and happy to get a few quotes in it (no paywall I think) www.cnet.com/tech/service...cnet.comAI Lies to You Because It Thinks That's What You WantAI is being trained to please users and, in doing so, is becoming indifferent to the truth. 001
Reposted by Alan MackworthMichiel van de Panne @mvandepanne.bsky.social · 24/08/2025Excellent talk by Joëlle Pineau at the Reinforcement Learning Conference (RLC 2025) youtu.be/PZcaMKxljxc?...youtu.beJoelle Pineau, Beyond Bellman's Legacy - RLC 2025YouTube video by Amii 1182
Alan Mackworth @alanmackworth.bsky.social · 12/08/2025The 3rd edition of "Artificial Intelligence: Foundations of Computational Agents" by @davpoole.bsky.social & @alanmackworth.bsky.social is freely available. artint.info You can order a hardcopy of the book for 30% off and free shipping through mid-September: lnkd.in/gzbyUpKt Code: 102519 #AI 041
Reposted by Alan MackworthMax Colbert @mc00.bsky.social · 30/07/2025This is one of the best ideas I've heard in ages. 6157282057
Reposted by Alan MackworthMelanie Mitchell @melaniemitchell.bsky.social · 26/06/2025I was interviewed by the journalist Jessica Nordell for her newsletter. We discussed some deep questions related to AI touching on humanities, politics, & dualistic assumptions underlying the conception of "intelligence" in AI. I hope you will read it! jessicanordell.substack.com/cp/166912581jessicanordell.substack.comHow Your Cheese-Powered Baby Trounces AIAn O.G. AI Researcher on How Being Social and Cultural Makes us Intelligent--and Whether Machines Can Ever Learn Empathy 34011
Reposted by Alan MackworthChristian Muise @cjmuise.bsky.social · 12/05/2025Off-cycle faculty position in AI at Queen's University School of Computing!! employment.cs.queensu.ca/2025/05/06/c... The framing of the position is so that it opens the pool to both anyone who does research in an AI sub-field, or uses AI largely for their research (AI applied to X). 1/3employment.cs.queensu.caComputational Intelligence Faculty Position - Employment Opportunities - Queen's School of Computing 112
Reposted by Alan MackworthMariel Goddu @marielgoddu.bsky.social · 18/03/2025Revisiting this classic from Paul Cisek today- "Resynthesizing behavior through phylogenetic refinement" link.springer.com/content/pdf/... Fave figure: "conceptual taxonomy implicit in mainstream cognitive science" ––which the article proceeds to systematically undermine/dismantle 183
Reposted by Alan MackworthCharlie Angus @charlieangus104.bsky.social · 05/05/2025Dear Democrats + American "friends" Even when your president says it is "unlikely" that he will use military force against our country it still worthy of a resounding response. Right? But we hear crickets. You might be okay with the end of the rule of law. Not us. www.ctvnews.ca/world/articl...ctvnews.caTrump says ‘highly unlikely’ U.S. ever uses military force to annex CanadaU.S. President Donald Trump says it is 'highly unlikely' the United States would ever use military force to annex Canada. 1591501508
Reposted by Alan MackworthPEIPolitical 🇨🇦 @peipolitical.bsky.social · 03/05/2025Prime Minister Mark Carney 🇨🇦 "Large American online platforms have become seas of racism, misogyny, antisemitism, Islamophobia and hate in all its forms ... My government will act." #cdnpoli 1432337647
Reposted by Alan MackworthEoin Brodie @elbrodie.bsky.social · 11/04/2025US students. Looking to apply to graduate school? Had an offer rescinded recently? The University of British Columbia in Canada will re-open the application portal in some departments for US students from April 14-18. Details: www.grad.ubc.ca/us-applicant... #ubc #AcademicSky #PhDSky #ScienceSkygrad.ubc.caUS Applicant Week 141065660
Reposted by Alan Mackworthbbor @robb.doering.ai · 19/03/2025Random #EduSky aside in dark times: I just learned that Russell & Norvig's dominant textbook for #AI survey courses has a challenger in Poole & Mackworth's book, which is much heavier on stochastic ML approaches than the former (as opposed to symbolic, logical ones). I wonder who's winning... 🤔 231
Reposted by Alan MackworthMark Crowley @compthink.bsky.social · 27/03/2025I couldn't find a list of Artificial Intelligence Researcher in Canada who are on Blue Sky, but every day there are more and more coming over from the other place. So here's my Starter Pack for it! Drop me a line in the responses to let me know who I'm missing. go.bsky.app/3HYHS4r 92613
Reposted by Alan MackworthCheryl in Nova Scotia 🇨🇦🍁🍁 @minibubbly.bsky.social · 07/03/2025X Threatens Our Democracy. Canada Should Ban It The risks of election interference, misinformation and attempts to support a US takeover are too great. #Canada #BanTwitter thetyee.ca/Opinion/2025...thetyee.caX Threatens Our Democracy. Canada Should Ban It | The TyeeThe risks of election interference, misinformation and attempts to support a US takeover are too great. 48574158
Reposted by Alan Mackworth24Hours Ukraine @24hoursukraine.bsky.social · 02/03/2025🇨🇦🇺🇦“I stand with Volodymyr Zelenskyy. And I stand with the people of Ukraine,” - Justin Trudeau Prime Minister of Canada 12569134
Alan Mackworth @alanmackworth.bsky.social · 02/03/2025Who needs yet another report on The Future of AI Research aaai.org/about-aaai/p.... Well, you do! I was lucky to lead the Embodied AI theme. It was fun to step back and rethink the very idea of intelligence as action not just thinking. Dive into the report and let us know what you think.aaai.orgAAAI 2025 Presidential Panel on the Future of AI Research - AAAIThe AAAI President has commissioned a study to explore and address potential long-term societal influences of AI research and development. 030
Reposted by Alan MackworthKen Forbus @kforbus.bsky.social · 02/03/2025Today we published the report from the AAAI 2025 Presidential Panel on the Future of AI Research. You can download it from here: aaai.org/about-aaai/p.... It's designed to be readable by a general audience. Enjoy!aaai.orgAAAI 2025 Presidential Panel on the Future of AI Research - AAAIThe AAAI President has commissioned a study to explore and address potential long-term societal influences of AI research and development. 021
Reposted by Alan MackworthBF Francis Ouellette @bffo.bsky.social · 23/02/2025An article from “La Presse”. à Montréal paper. Trudeau has a great historical opportunity… let us see if he takes it! lp.ca/3wzha3?shari... 031
Reposted by Alan MackworthGary Marcus @garymarcus.bsky.social · 11/02/2025Congratulations Donald Trump, you have united all three of Canada’s largest political parties against you! 2525
Reposted by Alan MackworthAlex Usher @alexusherhesa.bsky.social · 10/02/2025Ppl are talking about "picking up" scholars leaving the US bc of cutbacks, but that's not the right way to think about talent flows. Few USians will leave US; rather US will cease to be the unrivalled academic destination point. The play is for intl scholars who otherwise would have gone to US. 917833
Reposted by Alan MackworthCheryl in Nova Scotia 🇨🇦🍁🍁 @minibubbly.bsky.social · 07/02/2025'Welcome to Sen̓áḵw': A sneak peek inside Canada's largest Indigenous-led housing development #BritishColumbia CBC Vancouver’s The Early Edition was offered a tour of the building as part of a special live broadcast www.cbc.ca/news/canada/...cbc.ca'Welcome to Sen̓áḵw': A sneak peek inside Canada's largest Indigenous-led housing development | CBC NewsCBC was recently offered a sneak peek of the building as part of a special live broadcast of The Early Edition on Friday, Feb. 7, which will also highlight the Squamish Nation's culture, community, an... 3288
Reposted by Alan MackworthThe Beaverton @thebeaverton.com · 01/02/2025Seems like as good a day as any to link to this shirt in the Beaverton's merch store.the-beaverton.myshopify.comCanada: Looking Good By Comparison Since 1867 Unisex T-ShirtIt's not great. It's just slightly better than the countries we hear a lot about. Yay? • 100% combed and ring-spun cotton (Heather colors contain polyester) • Fabric weight: 4.2 oz/yd² (142 g/m²) • Pr... 14572112
Alan Mackworth @alanmackworth.bsky.social · 21/12/2024Important work on learning Probabilistic Circuits showing how to incorporate domain knowledge as constraints 140
Reposted by Alan MackworthBreen Ouellette (he/him) @breeno.bsky.social · 21/12/2024Canada's limit is $1,650 per party. Plus a limit of $1,650 toward split between individual candidates. For a total contribution limit of $3,300. The limit increases modestly every year. in 2025, it will increase to a total contribution limit of $3,500. 1016840
Reposted by Alan MackworthGary Marcus @garymarcus.bsky.social · 14/12/2024The late Suchir Balaji’s blog post on AI, copyright and fair use, reposted in his memory. suchir.net/fair_use.htmlsuchir.netWhen does generative AI qualify for fair use? 412436
Alan Mackworth @alanmackworth.bsky.social · 10/12/2024Check it out at AIPython.org! Comments welcome.aipython.orgAIPython 030
Alan Mackworth @alanmackworth.bsky.social · 30/11/2024Canadian news orgs sue OpenAI for copyright violation. "OpenAI is capitalizing and profiting from the use of this content, without getting permission or compensating content owners," www.cbc.ca/news/busines...cbc.caCanadian news organizations, including CBC, sue ChatGPT creator | CBC NewsA group of Canadian news outlets, including CBC/Radio-Canada, Postmedia, Metroland, the Toronto Star, the Globe and Mail and Canadian Press have launched a joint lawsuit claiming copyright infringement against ChatGPT creator OpenAI. 000
Reposted by Alan MackworthMike Hudema @mikehudema.bsky.social · 25/11/2024Emissions from the world's largest fossil fuel project - the Canadian tarsands, are up to 6,300% higher than reported: buff.ly/497ucjB If we want a future, this is a project we need to stop. #ActOnClimate #climate #energy #renewables #cdnpoli #abpolibuff.lyCanadian tar sands pollution is up to 6,300% higher than reported, study findsCall for companies to ‘clean up their mess’ as Athabasca oil sands emissions vastly exceed industry-reported levels 48053