Reposted by Zeerak Talat زیرک طلعت (they/them)Johnny Ryan @johnnyryan.bsky.social · 29/09/2026Google event in Brussels this evening “to celebrate Ireland’s Presidency” of the EU Council. “Google is delighted to bring together Irish policymakers…” rsvp.withgoogle.com/events/irish... (they have wisely now removed some of this text) 44136
Reposted by Zeerak Talat زیرک طلعت (they/them)Tressie McMillan Cottom @tressiemcphd.bsky.social · 28/09/2026In practice, AI literacy doesn’t start with building the tool for your personal use. It starts with understanding yourself as a collection of tasks who should subcontract those out to a machine. Almost no regular person’s life currently exists as such. 9834211
Reposted by Zeerak Talat زیرک طلعت (they/them)Dan Sohege @danielsohege.bsky.social · 23/09/2026Anything short of total and vocal condemnation of these far right thugs, and none of this bs about "understanding legitimate concerns" from Labour can at this stage only be seen as a tacit acceptance of their actions, which is exactly how the far right sees it and which ultimately emboldens them. 216034
Reposted by Zeerak Talat زیرک طلعت (they/them)Dan Sohege @danielsohege.bsky.social · 23/09/2026Not a dicky bird about thugs trying to sink a dinghy with a rescue worker on board or their claims to be "forming an army". Two boats of people seeking safety land and bingo bango they're the ones portrayed as the issue. Labour is complict in the rise of the far right. www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...bbc.co.ukHome Secretary hits out at 'unacceptable' migrant landings in KentUsually brought ashore by Border Security Command or the RNLI, these are the first uncontrolled landings since 2025. 44949317
Reposted by Zeerak Talat زیرک طلعت (they/them)Hypervisible @hypervisible.blacksky.app · 23/09/2026I’m sure they do!businessinsider.comOpenAI wants you to 'blurt out your thoughts' to your phoneOpenAI's ChatGPT adds more voice capabilities. It's pushing further into AI agents and has been rolling out launches ahead of its big DevDay event. 26412
Reposted by Zeerak Talat زیرک طلعت (they/them)James Bridle @jamesbridle.bsky.social · 22/09/2026Ugh, two emails from students on the same day, saying how important my work is to them and asking for help and collaboration. Both 100% AI-generated verbiage, referencing disparate works no human would put together. Because they don't, in fact, know my work. What a waste of everything. 1223
Reposted by Zeerak Talat زیرک طلعت (they/them)Shannon Vallor @shannonvallor.bsky.social · 23/09/2026They’re gonna hold hearings one day about what happens to these kids 3245
Reposted by Zeerak Talat زیرک طلعت (they/them)Catelli @catelli.bsky.social · 07/09/2026In summary, the tool has become more important than the people using the tool. The tool is good, the tool is god. All hail the tool. 084
Zeerak Talat زیرک طلعت (they/them) @zeerak.bsky.social · 28/08/2026Turns out the link isnt working anymore so here's the list or less-than-acceptable colleagues: johnarmstrongmaths.com/openletters/... And here's the letter and space to sign the letter supporting due process: docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1F...johnarmstrongmaths.comAs academics, we are concerned that Ghent University's disciplinary proceedings against Dr Cofnas appear to constitute retaliation, at least in part, for publicizing academic misconduct that occurred in British universities. 312
Zeerak Talat زیرک طلعت (they/them) @zeerak.bsky.social · 28/08/2026Well. That was somewhat expected and also it sucks. Here's the direct link to the list: johnarmstrongmaths.com/openletters/...johnarmstrongmaths.comAs academics, we are concerned that Ghent University's disciplinary proceedings against Dr Cofnas appear to constitute retaliation, at least in part, for publicizing academic misconduct that occurred in British universities. 110
Zeerak Talat زیرک طلعت (they/them) @zeerak.bsky.social · 28/08/2026And now friends there is a counter letter, asking Ghent university to uphold its own standards. It's a good letter. I think you should go sign your names, if you want to. docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1F...?docs.google.comOpen letter on the suspension of Nathan Cofnas at Ghent UniversityTo sign this letter, please scroll down to the bottom of the page ***Version française en dessous*** We, colleagues of Nathan Cofnas - supported by many colleagues internationally - want to respond t... 0127
Reposted by Zeerak Talat زیرک طلعت (they/them)I Scare You Like Sound Dog @chadstanton.blacksky.app · 25/08/2026Again this guy is in charge of publicly traded companies totally propped up by public dollars allocated by ostensibly democratic governments. 4400104
Zeerak Talat زیرک طلعت (they/them) @zeerak.bsky.social · 24/08/2026It's nice when racists name themselves. In case you wanted to check if you need to have a chat with anyone, here's the list of people who've signed the letter in support of cofnas and in favour of academic misconduct and harassment without consequences. xcancel.com/priyamvadago...xcancel.comVerifying your browser… 170
Reposted by Zeerak Talat زیرک طلعت (they/them)Ireland against Fascism @irlagainstfascism.bsky.social · 22/08/2026WTF ❗️ 6287
Reposted by Zeerak Talat زیرک طلعت (they/them)Olivia Guest · Ολίβια Γκεστ @olivia.science · 19/08/2026We should keep posting this until the media writes about this and more... I did not become an academic to watch it go more racist. We're supposed to improve year on year — and not revert back to full blown eugenics and scientific racism. 14515
Reposted by Zeerak Talat زیرک طلعت (they/them)Olivia Guest · Ολίβια Γκεστ @olivia.science · 15/08/2026With respect to Cofnas, why is nobody talking about this in the MSM? > We find it [improbably] that [he] was the best out of 14 candidates for this job[. His boss] repeatedly stated in the press that [he] published in highly ranked journals and had been affiliated with leading institutions. 1/n 10587239
Reposted by Zeerak Talat زیرک طلعت (they/them)Steve Peers @stevepeers.bsky.social · 15/08/20267/ "Lying is wrong" I agree! It pisses me off greatly. And there should be proportionate consequences for it, which might extend to losing a job in serious cases. But seriously: in a world when Trump etc lie massively and daily with real consequences for millions, you're obsessed with *this* guy? 654760
Reposted by Zeerak Talat زیرک طلعت (they/them)Steve Peers @stevepeers.bsky.social · 15/08/2026Ok, some thoughts, as an olde tyme academic, on the Arday tragedy. First, allegations about causes. We don't know what was in his mind, but many people are keen to blame him, or woke lefties/academia, or the media. Some people are absolutely certain that the media are faultless. 1/ 19707253
Reposted by Zeerak Talat زیرک طلعت (they/them)Hypervisible @hypervisible.blacksky.app · 17/08/2026One more time. 0103
Reposted by Zeerak Talat زیرک طلعت (they/them)ddɐ˙ʎʞsʞɔɐlq˙uǝʌs@ @sven.blacksky.app · 31/07/2026"AI" is indeed transformative in the sense that it makes every day stupider than the day before. 1407
Reposted by Zeerak Talat زیرک طلعت (they/them)Jo Grady @drjogrady.bsky.social · 14/08/2026Rest in peace, Jason. 318536
Reposted by Zeerak Talat زیرک طلعت (they/them)Timnit Gebru @timnitgebru.blacksky.app · 13/08/2026🔇 🔇 🔇 My book, Deep Unlearning, is now available for preorders! I don't know how people write so many books because this one took a lot out of me. It turns out, I had a lot to say 😂, with editors cutting out 50k of my words 🫣 ✴️ You can now preorder it at www.simonandschuster.com/books/Deep-U.... 762211771
Zeerak Talat زیرک طلعت (they/them) @zeerak.bsky.social · 14/08/2026Come through and say hi if you're in Edinburgh on the 22nd! 010
Zeerak Talat زیرک طلعت (they/them) @zeerak.bsky.social · 09/08/2026👀👀 if I wasn't before I am now! 010
Zeerak Talat زیرک طلعت (they/them) @zeerak.bsky.social · 08/08/2026There's a lot more in the paper and I really recommend reading the draft version, it's available here: zeerak.org/papers/Speec...zeerak.org 010
Zeerak Talat زیرک طلعت (they/them) @zeerak.bsky.social · 08/08/2026Our starkest finding is that while almost all papers engage in some form of veillance, it is rarely discussed or even mentioned: only 3 papers mention dual use and just 2 (!) mention surveillance. 110
Zeerak Talat زیرک طلعت (they/them) @zeerak.bsky.social · 08/08/2026To examine this we read and analyse 229 papers published at @interspeech.bsky.social 2025 for how their work affords different kinds of veillances. Specifically, we map the work presented in papers onto Steve Mann's Veillance Compass by considering what kinds of veillances they afford. 100
Zeerak Talat زیرک طلعت (they/them) @zeerak.bsky.social · 08/08/2026I don't normally post about new papers coming out, but this one gets an exception: My student has just had her first paper (and my first paper with my own PhD student) accepted to AIES! We look at how speech technology research engages, or rather doesn't engage, with questions of surveillance! 2132
Reposted by Zeerak Talat زیرک طلعت (they/them)Elle Cordova @ellecordova.bsky.social · 08/08/2026Data centers 732612921
Reposted by Zeerak Talat زیرک طلعت (they/them)michael veale @michae.lv · 03/08/2026You can now access many more digital laws, not just the GDPR, at the UCL Massively Crossreferenced Digital Laws page: EU: GDPR, DSA, DMA, AI Act, UCPD, NIS2 UK: OSA, DPA18, ...+ Each article/para/recital, links to what-cites-it in int'l cases/statutes/guidance homepages.ucl.ac.uk/~ucqnmve/law... 56240
Reposted by Zeerak Talat زیرک طلعت (they/them)Jason Koebler @jasonkoebler.bsky.social · 04/08/2026New: Police are being told to hide the fact that they're using Flock to pull people over and arrest them in both encounters with citizens but ALSO in their official police reports: www.404media.co/do-not-menti...404media.co‘DO NOT MENTION ALPR USAGE’: How Cops Are Trying to Hide Their Use of Flock“DO NOT MENTION ALPR USAGE TO THE OCCUPANTS OF THE VEHICLE. DO NOT MENTION ALPR USAGE IN YOUR REPORT OR COMPLAINT." 151176569
Reposted by Zeerak Talat زیرک طلعت (they/them)DM Howlcroft 👻 @davehowcroft.com · 04/08/2026Are you a new researcher in #NLG? An MSc or PhD student or a postdoc new to natural language generation? Do you want to find advice and community? Check out the #YNLG workshop happening at #INLG2026! (One week left to submit) ynlg-workshop.github.ioynlg-workshop.github.ioYNLG 2026 - Young Researchers in Natural Language Generation 032
Reposted by Zeerak Talat زیرک طلعت (they/them)the Mountain Goats @themountaingoats.bsky.social · 29/07/2026cursed age 223533
Reposted by Zeerak Talat زیرک طلعت (they/them)Dr. Amanda Licastro @amandalicastro.bsky.social · 28/07/2026Ok, I have been MIA on this platform because life has been busy, but I want to remind you Digital Humanities Quarterly invites abstracts for a special issue on the topic of artificial intelligence (AI) in relation to digital humanities pedagogy due August 1 dhq.digitalhumanities.org/submissions/...dhq.digitalhumanities.orgDHQ: Digital Humanities Quarterly: Calls for Proposals 0159
Reposted by Zeerak Talat زیرک طلعت (they/them)Board Certified Skramz Enthusiast @tysche.bsky.social · 28/07/2026Interesting that the "trans women are predators" crowd are all predators 11148
Reposted by Zeerak Talat زیرک طلعت (they/them)Oisín McGann @oisinmcgann.bsky.social · 28/07/2026All the perverts following women around with Meta glasses saying 'JK Rowling told me to do it.' 23914
Reposted by Zeerak Talat زیرک طلعت (they/them)Murderers As Leaders @morbidhegel.bsky.social · 28/07/2026Fascist account posing as antifascist: 👀 1142
Reposted by Zeerak Talat زیرک طلعت (they/them)Aparna Nair @disabilitystor1.bsky.social · 28/07/2026But all jokes aside, this is deeply cynical and manipulative. As with "AI in education", Musk and his fellow billionaires are pushing this line of thinking so they can secure funding, but also to build consensus for a 2-tier system: humans for them, robots for the rest of us. 99133
Reposted by Zeerak Talat زیرک طلعت (they/them)Hypervisible @hypervisible.blacksky.app · 27/07/2026“Barring a dramatic overhaul, it’s going to be hard for Meta and Big Tech at large to change the current narrative [about smart glasses].” Worth a read.theverge.comWith smart glasses, Meta holds all the cards but fails to play them wellIt’s Meta’s move. 25312
Zeerak Talat زیرک طلعت (they/them) @zeerak.bsky.social · 27/07/2026The workshop accepts ARR-reviewed papers, so if you've got one, then do submit by the 3rd of August! 011
Reposted by Zeerak Talat زیرک طلعت (they/them)Chaucer Doth Tweet @levostregc.bsky.social · 25/07/2026Academic organizations hadde bettir actuallye be brave and protecte each othir or else the last one ther will have no taske besydes turninge out the lightes and leavinge the key yn the envelope for big businesse. 114336
Zeerak Talat زیرک طلعت (they/them) @zeerak.bsky.social · 26/07/2026Yeahhhhhh a lot to be said here about the link to athletes / musicians / famous minoritised people too. The model minority / capture into capitalist modes of production / white gaze is EVIDENT in capes. Looking forward to reading it though! 040
Reposted by Zeerak Talat زیرک طلعت (they/them)Dale Vince @dalevince.com · 24/07/2026There’s massive fallacy at the very start and heart of this story - no amount of new oil and gas from the North Sea can bring down the cost of living - global markets set the price, even when we make it here - not us. www.thetimes.com/uk/politics/... 1825498
Reposted by Zeerak Talat زیرک طلعت (they/them)e.w. niedermeyer @niedermeyer.online · 22/07/2026this comparison leaves out a key point: the Edsel sold roughly twice the Cybertruck's volume at a time when the overall car market was just 6m units/year instead of the current 16m units/year that makes the Cybertruck the much, much bigger flop, hands down 8742761130