Why the tech industry can't keep up with the AI backlash

AI's externalities are growing faster than the industry can address them

Why AI Makes Things Worse for Enterprise Teams, by Paul Ford

Why are so few engineering teams reaping the benefits of AI? On this week’s episode, Paul presents Rich with the findings from a recent report from CircleCI and

Something Big Is Happening

A personal note for non-tech friends and family on what AI is starting to change.

Irresponsible AI: big tech's influence on AI research and associated impacts

The accelerated development, deployment and adoption of artificial intelligence systems has been fuelled by the increasing presence of big tech in the AI field. This trend has been accompanied by growing ethical concerns and intensified societal and environmental impacts. This position paper argues that irresponsible AI development is strongly driven by big tech's influence and involvement in the field. First, we examine the growing and disproportionate influence of big tech in AI research and argue that its drive for scaling and general-purpose systems is fundamentally at odds with the responsible, ethical, and sustainable development of AI. Second, we review key current environmental and societal negative impacts of AI and trace their connections to big tech's influence. Third, we discuss the underlying economic forces driving big tech's actions. Finally, as a call to action, we invite AI researchers to counter big tech's influence in irresponsible AI development through strategies that build on the responsibility of implicated actors and collective action.

Irresponsible AI: big tech's influence on AI research and associated impacts

The accelerated development, deployment and adoption of artificial intelligence systems has been fuelled by the increasing presence of big tech in the AI field. This trend has been accompanied by growing ethical concerns and intensified societal and environmental impacts. This position paper argues that irresponsible AI development is strongly driven by big tech's influence and involvement in the field. First, we examine the growing and disproportionate influence of big tech in AI research and argue that its drive for scaling and general-purpose systems is fundamentally at odds with the responsible, ethical, and sustainable development of AI. Second, we review key current environmental and societal negative impacts of AI and trace their connections to big tech's influence. Third, we discuss the underlying economic forces driving big tech's actions. Finally, as a call to action, we invite AI researchers to counter big tech's influence in irresponsible AI development through strategies that build on the responsibility of implicated actors and collective action.

The AI spending boom could have real consequences for the U.S. economy

As revisions to U.S. jobs numbers call into question economic growth, Big Tech is becoming an even more important part of American prosperity.

Tech companies are cutting jobs and betting on AI. The payoff is far from guaranteed

AI experts say we’re living in an experiment that may fundamentally change the model of work

Irresponsible AI: big tech’s influence on AI research and associated impacts

The accelerated development, deployment and adoption of artificial intelligence systems has been fuelled by the increasing presence of big tech in the AI field. This trend has been accompanied by growing ethical concerns and intensified societal and environmental impacts. This position paper argues that irresponsible AI development is strongly driven by big tech’s influence and involvement in the field. First, we examine the growing and disproportionate influence of big tech in AI research and argue that its drive for scaling and general-purpose systems is fundamentally at odds with the responsible, ethical, and sustainable development of AI. Second, we review key current environmental and societal negative impacts of AI and trace their connections to big tech’s influence. Third, we discuss the underlying economic forces driving big tech’s actions. Finally, as a call to action, we invite AI researchers to counter big tech’s influence in irresponsible AI development through strategies that build on the responsibility of implicated actors and collective action.

What we can’t measure about AI – yet | Aeon Essays

The costs of transformative innovations are immediately clear: it’s the longterm gains that are hardest to understand

How the Anthropic saga could threaten American AI dominance

The shutdown of top AI models reverberates abroad.

AI is Creating Peak Software, Media is the Best Analogy

Let's learn more about the world's most important manufactured product. Meaningful insight, timely analysis, and an occasional investment idea.

Inside the AI Index: 12 Takeaways from the 2026 Report | Stanford HAI

The annual report reveals a field hitting breakthrough capabilities while raising urgent questions about environmental costs, transparency, and who benefits from the technology.

"AI" is Automated Inequality

Tech bros still dominate the discussions about so-called "AI" with false claims. Even most "AI"-critical researchers spend much of their time meticulously debunking (always only a subset of) claims, leaving vast areas of the economic consequences of "AI" unexplored. (Even the "AI"-evangelist Economi

Bridging the gap: inequalities that divide those who can and cannot create sustainable outcomes with AI

The widespread use of AI technologies impacts individuals, organisations, and societies in ways that warrant more comprehensive investigation. Inequalities in benefiting from AI advancements may le...