iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

Reposted by Fiona Charles

Emily M. Bender @emilymbender.bsky.social · 26/09/2026

I'm afraid the Doomer discourse has persisted for another week (UN "AI" briefing, etc) so in case you missed this when we first put it out earlier in this bananas news cycle, I'm reposting it: buttondown.com/maiht3k/arch... w/ @alexhanna.bsky.social and @deccamuldowney.bsky.social

buttondown.com

What To Read To Stay Grounded Amidst AI Doomerism

Our recommendations for the anxious and perplexed By: Emily M. Bender, Alex Hanna and Decca Muldowney There’s a subculture within the “AI” industry that...

27048

Reposted by Fiona Charles

Ned Resnikoff @resnikoff.bsky.social · 27/09/2026

I am skeptical of the most florid claims being made about AI's destructive potential, but I do think we need to heavily regulate AI for the sole reason that I would like to hear less about all of these people.

226732

Reposted by Fiona Charles

Dr Abeba Birhane @abeba.blacksky.app · 25/09/2026

an ai system doesn't have a will, intention or feelings. nor the capacity to want or care. a neural network does not go rogue, escape, or rebel. just tech bros' narratives projected onto machines. and pls, don't mansplain my post to me

8522105

Reposted by Fiona Charles

Joanna Bryson @j2bryson.bsky.social · 24/09/2026

Let me fix that for you OpenAI ̶a̶g̶e̶n̶t̶s̶ ̶ hacked Australia government portal: PM Albanese The hack of Australian health data marks the world's first known AI-led breach of a government website. www.dw.com/en/openai-ag... #AIEthics

dw.com

OpenAI agent hacked Australia government portal: PM Albanese

The hack of Australian health data marks the world's first known AI-led breach of a government website.

1169

Reposted by Fiona Charles

Joanna Bryson @j2bryson.bsky.social · 24/09/2026

As I told NBC this past weekend: "We have not seen AI go rogue. We've seen people be sloppy with their software and make mistakes." m.youtube.com/watch?v=mBAH... Via @timcrane.bsky.social

m.youtube.com

Iran Government-Led Rally Sends Defiant Message to U.S.; How to Reset the AI Doomsday Clock

YouTube video by NBC News

1279

Reposted by Fiona Charles

Mark Mattson @waterkeepermark.bsky.social · 18/09/2026

Ottawa spends millions on D.C. networking trips while a 200 year old cross-border crossing between Cape Vincent & Wolfe Island hangs by a thread despite U.S. efforts to save it. The Horne’s Ferry, a chance for Canada to step up. waterkeepermark.substack.com/p/an-opportu...

waterkeepermark.substack.com

An Opportunity on Wolfe Island for Canada to Support Our New York Neighbours

The Horne’s Ferry Is About More Than A Border Crossing

011

Reposted by Fiona Charles

Joanna Bryson @j2bryson.bsky.social · 17/09/2026

I've used slides like this dozens of times, this one is from like 2019 (IDK whose picture of Chicago it is...but I don't have time to find the slide of Vienna I took myself!)

AI Systems Are Designed, and Have Architecture
Architects learn laws, policy, & how to work with governments & legislatures at university, & get licensed; buildings get inspected.
Because society decided buildings falling on people was unacceptable, and noticed city plans affect everyone.
AI products are now falling on people, and affecting everyone. We need to grow up.

021

Fiona Charles @fionaccharles.bsky.social · 17/09/2026

Yes, AI is a thing you write. It’s an artifact, not something with its own actual mind or life. When your company develops it, you are responsible for ensuring it doesn’t harm humans. You are responsible for instilling sound software development practices & adequate/appropriate testing. SB obvious.

030

Reposted by Fiona Charles

Iris van Rooij 💭 @irisvanrooij.bsky.social · 26/08/2026

When a man has expertise, he is asked to lead. When a woman has expertise, she is seen as biased.

831251

Reposted by Fiona Charles

Joanna Bryson @j2bryson.bsky.social · 14/09/2026

There is no rogue AI. There's only slopiliy developed products and weak cybersecurity. joanna-bryson.blogspot.com/2026/07/ai-a... Been writing about this since 2000! (and yes, nothing's changed. And both EU legislation & UNESCO recommendations endorse this perspective.)

joanna-bryson.blogspot.com

AI "Agents" extend their deployers: digital legal accountability references

artificial and natural intelligence, including politics, policy, ethics and security

031

Fiona Charles @fionaccharles.bsky.social · 14/09/2026

“We would never tell motorists they cannot drive to the places they need to go: their workplace, their child’s school, their favourite restaurant, their bank…Yet cyclists are routinely told that their destinations are somehow less legitimate, that their mobility should be relegated to the margins.”

0103

Fiona Charles @fionaccharles.bsky.social · 12/09/2026

H/t @j2bryson.bsky.social Let’s talk about the real safety risks posed by AI, not the existential doom nonsense.

022

Reposted by Fiona Charles

scott dagostino @scottdagostino.ca · 10/09/2026

In a similar vein, I’m freaked out at how little outrage the Moneris sale is generating. Canadians get all nationalist about a map name change (right so) but not about all our financial transaction data being sold off to American tech firms?

69346

Reposted by Fiona Charles

Brent Toderian @brenttoderian.bsky.social · 02/09/2026

The REAL war in cities has been a WAR ON WALKING. Pass it on. #WarOnWalking #UrbanTruth

418554

Reposted by Fiona Charles

Liz Renzetti @lizrenzetti.bsky.social · 31/08/2026

So the world's richest man is calling for American women to be disenfranchised and ... crickets? This can't be dismissed as the trolling of a sad lunatic. It's part of a much larger movement to steal political and economic power from women, as a means of control.

22010

Fiona Charles @fionaccharles.bsky.social · 28/08/2026

No, Eh. Canadian Political Button – Reissue of 1988 Free Trade Design - Etsy Canada I still have mine—just dug it out Zero point in saying we told you so, but dammit… www.etsy.com/listing/4561...

etsy.com

No, Eh. Canadian Political Button – Reissue of 1988 Free Trade Design - Etsy

This Pins & Pinback Buttons item is sold by CavanaughArtStudios. Ships from Canada. Listed on Aug 28, 2026

030

Fiona Charles @fionaccharles.bsky.social · 28/08/2026

Resonates with many Canadians. Why wouldn’t it?

030

Reposted by Fiona Charles

Dr Abeba Birhane @abeba.blacksky.app · 28/08/2026

the most striking aspect of meta's proposed changes is that they are all about restricting teens and not about making these platforms more healthier/better for all

212853

Fiona Charles @fionaccharles.bsky.social · 28/08/2026

Maybe US trade “negotiators” need to learn the basics of negotiating. Reading “Getting to Yes” (William Ury et al) would be a good start—if they actually wanted to negotiate, that is. Could also benefit from Ury’s “The Power of a Positive No”, whose content our ppl apparently understood, tho late.

010

Fiona Charles @fionaccharles.bsky.social · 21/08/2026

Apparently a red letter day for good news: cockroach powder AND beer now available at this neighbourhood shop! Always fun to visit Toronto.

020

Fiona Charles @fionaccharles.bsky.social · 10/08/2026

This pairing’s good, but sad if the “no exit from burial site” sign is gone from Sutton Hoo. Luckily I took a pic of it.

0134

Fiona Charles @fionaccharles.bsky.social · 07/08/2026

The inkjet printer is a diabolical invention.

020

Reposted by Fiona Charles

Dr Abeba Birhane @abeba.blacksky.app · 06/08/2026

no matter who is backing it or how much money is behind it, the idea of a “post-agi society” is naive at best and at worst, intentionally ignorant of the backbone of AI: humans AI (AGI, whatever that is) is human through and through 1/

If we develop AGI, what happens next? What good stable states might we hope to reach, and what should we be doing now to prepare? This workshop brings together thinkers from machine learning, economics, political science, sociology, and more to answer an increasingly pressing question: what assumptions about civilization will AGI break, and how can we be ready to fix them?

This iteration of the workshop will focus in particular on the following themes:
Political economy

How can our political systems adapt to a world where humans are no longer necessary? What does the equilibrium look like? Are there equilibria which preserve non-competitive human values?
The role of AI

What roles might AIs take on in society? How will they think about themselves? What does it look like for AIs to be independent economic actors? What forces will shape their dispositions?
Cultural and moral change

Where will AI values and beliefs come from? What happens when humans aren't the only source of ideas? Are there convergent notions of "goodness", and what do they mean for digital beings?

2548

Reposted by Fiona Charles

Ambrose @ambrosia-engine.bsky.social · 05/08/2026

"It is impossible to build an artefact that is peer to a human and therefore awarding any artefact legal personhood would break justice and democracy. Indeed, allowing humans too much power (or acknowledging in them too little) does the same!"

042

Reposted by Fiona Charles

Mark Mattson @waterkeepermark.bsky.social · 05/08/2026

Swimmable water is a revelation. open.substack.com/pub/waterkee...

open.substack.com

Swimming is a Revelation

Why August Belongs to the Canadian Swimmer

062

Reposted by Fiona Charles

Joanna Bryson @j2bryson.bsky.social · 31/07/2026

#accountability #AIEthics Given these are key corporate products, I’d expect someone in the C suite to do the time, not a random engineer. Even if you could prove malevolent intent in one individual engineer, it would still be negligence at the corporate level that that got through to the test.

1137

Reposted by Fiona Charles

Joanna Bryson @j2bryson.bsky.social · 01/08/2026

ouch. But fair. #AIEthics #consent

0206

Reposted by Fiona Charles

Matt Armstrong @matta7.bsky.social · 30/07/2026

Recently had to explain to a professional from outside Toronto, that the vast majority of downtown Toronto workers commute by bike, walking, or transit. Some drive, but they are the minority. Perhaps I should show them these bike share stations…

Photo of lots of bikes at a bike share station along a downtown Toronto street

Photo of an Individual trying to park a bike share bike

Photo of lots of bikes share bikes with downtown Toronto buildings in the background

611221

Reposted by Fiona Charles

Shawn Micallef @shawnmicallef.bsky.social · 25/07/2026

Friday night lights aka late breaking news release. Ka boom. Toronto anger was not for naught. You moved a monolith: the Liberal caucus. www.thestar.com/politics/fed...

thestar.com

Federal government grounds Billy Bishop airport expansion

The just-concluded public survey suggested strong public opposition to the project, according to a federal government official.

2743094

Reposted by Fiona Charles

Mark Mattson @waterkeepermark.bsky.social · 24/07/2026

Good show on swimmable water and cities in Canada this morning on The Current. Use @swimguide to find beaches and clean water before you swim. www.cbc.ca/listen/live-...

cbc.ca

011

Fiona Charles @fionaccharles.bsky.social · 20/07/2026

“By trying to steer policy debates toward distant catastrophic scenarios – killer robots, rogue AI, existential risk – the industry diverts attention from regulating the systems already causing harm: algorithmic bias in hiring, facial recognition’s racial disparities, …amplification of extremism.”

aeon.co

062

Reposted by Fiona Charles

Jay Pitter @jaypitter.bsky.social · 16/07/2026

Toronto currently has the second worst air quality in the world. And this is what it takes for our government to gently suggest we drive less. No major policy changes. No investments in public or active transportation infrastructure. This is the environmental version of “thoughts and prayers.”

3278

Reposted by Fiona Charles

The Biking Lawyer LLP @thebikinglawyer.bsky.social · 16/07/2026

If you're out there today ride safe. If you're delivering food by bike and need a N95 mask, we got a ton of free ones, so come by the Biking Lawyer LLP office at 158 Sterling Rd. Suite 703. This applies to all our @thebikebrigade friends out delivering food to our neighbours in need today too!

cyclist selfie with mask helmet and hazy background on roadway

08233

Reposted by Fiona Charles

The Washington Post @washingtonpost.com · 15/07/2026

In Maiani, a rural village in Kenya, women between the ages of 50 and 80 years old gather to play soccer, stay healthy and build community as part of a group called the Maiani Soccer Grannies. The women are proving that soccer is a sport for people of all ages.

39733

Fiona Charles @fionaccharles.bsky.social · 09/07/2026

Cool elegance on a hot day. It feels crass to describe her grooming yesterday as a mere haircut.

A dark grey standard poodle reclining carelessly against large throw cushions on a navy blue sofa, displaying elegant long legs and nose.

040

Reposted by Fiona Charles

Senator Paula Simons 🇨🇦 @senatorpaulasimons.bsky.social · 09/06/2026

A thread. The other day, I happened to clock the little AI-written bio attached to my name. It announced, quite confidently, that I was married, not to my husband, but to his brother. Particularly amusing, since my BIL is a proud member of the LGBQT community. I love him, but I am NOT his type. 🧵

18518181

Fiona Charles @fionaccharles.bsky.social · 10/06/2026

open.substack.com/pub/thewalru... “…seasoned professionals are more likely to resist using AI as a shortcut, engaging it, instead, to deepen their thinking in a way that augments cognition. In other words, they understand not only how to prompt GenAI but when not to use it.”

open.substack.com

ChatGPT Isn’t Just Changing How We Work. It’s Harming How We Think

New research says the cognitive costs of AI may be higher than we realize

000

Fiona Charles @fionaccharles.bsky.social · 07/06/2026

One of the things I love about polyglot Toronto.

Sign in a restaurant window shows a hanging grilled duck, with the label: ‘$35 PECKING DUCK’.

110

Fiona Charles @fionaccharles.bsky.social · 07/06/2026

(Possibly) the last remnant of the sleazy Yonge Street strip of my youth. In the late 1960’s there were more like it, plus grubby movie theatres blazoned with horrid posters for titles like Throne of Blood. Oddly, despite decades of cleanup, downtown Yonge St remains as seedy-looking as ever.

The Zanzibar strip club in downtown Toronto, festooned with gaudy neon sign and random stars. 2 all-caps notices: 1 proclaiming ‘75 topless bottomless vixens 12pm to 4am’ & the other inviting ‘soccer fans! come score with our girls’.

030

Reposted by Fiona Charles

Shawn Micallef @shawnmicallef.bsky.social · 02/06/2026

Start leaking, civil servants

419472

Reposted by Fiona Charles

Liz Renzetti @lizrenzetti.bsky.social · 29/05/2026

This is a wild story, and everyone in Toronto should read it. A major American bank is behind the push to expand Billy Bishop airport. It has nothing to do with what people in the city want. This should be a HUGE election issue

510065

Reposted by Fiona Charles

Alex Bozikovic @alexbozikovic.bsky.social · 26/05/2026

Fantastic work from @anotherglassbox.bsky.social. This rightwing Astroturf group is pathetic. None of you on this platform need to be convinced, but:

1354