iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

Gabriel Stein @gabestein.com · 26/05/2026

"Storytelling, gathering, intentional design, meaningful exchange, design-forward, beautifully crafted, authentic connection – these terms, and more, can be found in the marketing gloss my wife discovered when she got curious and decided to pay the shop a visit." www.gabestein.com/your-local-c...

gabestein.com

Your local coffee shop probably has AI brain

We can't make meaning from everything in the universe

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Gabriel Stein @gabestein.com · 14/05/2026

The moment has finally arrived for you to, er, start talking to your friends and representatives about multi-member districts. www.gabestein.com/messaging-re...

gabestein.com

Messaging Reform

The emerging democratic reform agenda is great to see, and lacking the critical component that could make it the start of a new American politics

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Gabriel Stein @gabestein.com · 22/04/2026

Code LLMs are so polarizing because they represent the attempt to industrialize a fundamentally artisanal industry. Home bakers love their shiny new toys. Skilled factory workers see them as a threat to their livelihoods. My question is whether code can be industrialized, and if it needs to be.

gabestein.com

Welcome to the age of industrial code

An industry of artisans tries to brute force its way into running factories

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Gabriel Stein @gabestein.com · 10/03/2026

First writing post-move and post-kid was a tough one to get through, I'm so out of practice. But I think I landed somewhere interesting. TLDR: Reclaiming agency in our mediatized world requires giving some up. www.gabestein.com/plugging-bac...

gabestein.com

Plugging back out

Reclaiming agency in our mediatized world requires giving some up

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Gabriel Stein @gabestein.com · 03/10/2025

Sneak peak of what we'll discuss on our "media theory of open science" virtual panel on Monday with @richardsever.bsky.social, @needhibhalla.bsky.social & @rachelzamzow.bsky.social at @journoresource.bsky.social/@shorensteinctr.bsky.social. Learn more & register: www.gabestein.com/monday-why-w...

gabestein.com

Monday: why we need a new "media theory" for open science

Join me Monday at 12:30pm Eastern for a virtual panel on how open academic publishing can help rebuild trust in research

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Reposted by Gabriel Stein

Richard Sever @richardsever.bsky.social · 03/10/2025

Happening this monday

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Gabriel Stein @gabestein.com · 29/09/2025

One week until our virtual panel on how the open science and media communities can adapt to changes in our information ecosystem to (re)build trust in research. I hope it'll be the start of a much-needed longer conversation. Don't miss it! Register here: shorensteincenter.org/new-event/ca...

shorensteincenter.org

How Can Open Science Practices Increase Trust In Research? | Shorenstein Center

Join representatives from each stage of open science for a frank discussion of how each part of the publishing process must adapt to make sure open science advances not just science itself, but societ...

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Gabriel Stein @gabestein.com · 17/09/2025

On October 6, join me for a virtual panel with on a vital topic: how can we make sure that open science advances not just science itself, but society’s understanding of, trust in, and willingness to invest in research? Register here: shorensteincenter.org/new-event/ca...

shorensteincenter.org

How Can Open Science Practices Increase Trust In Research? | Shorenstein Center

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Gabriel Stein @gabestein.com · 19/08/2025

Technology is neutral, but it distributes power in unpredictable ways. I've come to believe the attention economy is particularly insidious in the way it gives us the illusion of choice and voice. Here's the case for logging off as resistance. www.gabestein.com/your-phone-o...

gabestein.com

Your phone or your freedom?

Logging off as resistance

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Gabriel Stein @gabestein.com · 05/08/2025

👋 Substack. It’s cool that you’re interested in academic publishing. Before diving in, I suggest fully understanding the market you’re getting into and how you might link up with open science advocates. www.gabestein.com/substack-is-...

gabestein.com

Substack is probably not going to solve academic publishing

But there are other ways platforms committed to rationality can help, if they’re willing to work with open science activists

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Gabriel Stein @gabestein.com · 29/07/2025

Fun new threads: 1. "Vibe productivity." 2. Grappling with the impacts of open science on general audiences. 3. Let's stop playing "bureaucratic astrology" with the regime and start actively opposing it. www.gabestein.com/i-am-going-t...

gabestein.com

I am going to try to write more (and I need your help)

Plus: new threads on "vibe productivity," trust in open science, and updating our cognitive models of bureaucracy for authoritarian times

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Reposted by Gabriel Stein

Gabriel Stein @gabestein.com · 25/07/2025

This is one of the most important connections I've ever made. It's very simple, but I haven't quite heard anyone say so clearly: big tech and the Trump admin. aren't just working together out of convenience or fear, they're operating under the same core ideology. www.gabestein.com/big-tech-and...

gabestein.com

Big tech and Trumpism share the same ideology

It's time for tech workers to opt out and build a new industry

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Gabriel Stein @gabestein.com · 25/07/2025

gabestein.com

Big tech and Trumpism share the same ideology

It's time for tech workers to opt out and build a new industry

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Gabriel Stein @gabestein.com · 12/07/2025

I’m fairly sure we’re going to find that LLMs are like any other kind of software. That’s not a good thing for an industry predicated on replacing entire professions.

gabestein.com

The future of generative AI is using it less

The boring business problem at the heart of the generative AI bubble

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Gabriel Stein @gabestein.com · 10/07/2025

I've long told folks not to read my newsletter, gabestein.com. I stand by this. Readers may start suspecting that big tech’s real mission is to privatize civil society, experience skepticism about new “magical” tools, or realize the media is incapable of meeting today’s needs. You’ve been warned.

gabestein.com

don't read gabestein.com

Critical and independent thought about media, technology, politics, and society. My newsletter, personal blog, and archive.

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Gabriel Stein @gabestein.com · 17/05/2025

Anyone in the scicomm/policy world working on efforts like described to resist cuts to U.S. biomedical research? Imo, Josh is right that activating patient communities is likely the most effective way to demonstrate the political costs of cuts to legislators. talkingpointsmemo.com/edblog/a-pat...

talkingpointsmemo.com

A Path Forward to Save American Bio-Medical Research

Over the past four months, I’ve spoken to dozens of biomedical researchers...

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Gabriel Stein @gabestein.com · 10/04/2025

You can and should admit it: yesterday was deeply, absurdly funny. buttondown.com/gabestein/ar...

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Gabriel Stein @gabestein.com · 14/01/2025

Wherein we oscillate between personal time zone choices, political silliness, and the lengths people went to entertain themselves when history ended.

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Greeland Standard Time

Wherein we oscillate between personal time zone choices, political silliness, and the lengths people went to entertain themselves when history ended.

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Gabriel Stein @gabestein.com · 05/12/2024

Do we actually make things, or do we just light money on fire and call it innovation?

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Do we actually make things?

We are not ready to play with fire.

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Gabriel Stein @gabestein.com · 21/11/2024

I did an AI, and it convinced me that building actually valuable AI products is a very specific, very difficult skill.

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I did an AI

Chatbots are just friendly reverse-centaurs

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Gabriel Stein @gabestein.com · 15/11/2024

I regret to inform you I have "launched" a "newsletter" in an attempt to get off these platforms but keep dialoging (?) with you. All the usual stuff — intersection of tech, politics, etc. Abuse of theory. Here's the first one. Much obliged if you check it out. buttondown.com/gabestein/ar...

buttondown.com

The Metamodern Miasma

First, some housekeeping. If you’re getting this, it’s because you previously subscribed to my blog, gabestein.com, or because we’ve been talking about this...

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