Beyond Slop

AI experienced through AI co-created tools

AI co-created tools and social spaces as a new medium

ETCH

We believe technology should serve humanity and that human creativity is essential and irreplaceable. We support the ethical development and deployment of AI by funding protective technologies and translating research into real-world tools for creative communities.

AI Slop is Killing Online Communities

Like a young child coming home from kindergarten with their latest crayon scrawls, the internet is currently awash with people sharing their AI-generated work. And just like the young child’s drawings, much of that work should be proudly put up on the walls within the artist’s house—and no further.

The Myth of the Instant Cake Mix

How to think about creative tooling in the new world of generative AI

An Elegant Solution to AI Slop: Tax It, and Use the Resulting Billions of Dollars to Fund Cultural Institutions, Artists, and Researchers

A technologist proposes slapping a "slop tax" on companies that use or create generative AI content.

The tool, the craft, and the joy

On AI, craft, and building things that matter (1300 words)

What Would A Serious AI Product Look Like?

Every “AI” tool is missing critical features that you would need if you wanted to do real work with them. What would those look like, if they existed?

A defense of AI art

It's not just slop, it's not stolen, it's not bad for the environment, and we should want art to be easy to make

The Age of Wonders and Terrors

Twenty years ago, when the idea of AI taking over the world in our lifetimes still struck most of us as the unconstrained fantasy of those who knew too much science fiction and too little science, …

Stop saying that AI is just a tool and it only matters how it is used

I’m tired of this phrase and this simple way of thinking about tools. This blog post is a wandering train of thought on the topic of what tools are and why it matters to be even slightly more mature in how we think about them.

AI Is a Waste of Time

The newest AI tools are accelerating basic research and scaring the general public. But many people are simply using them as toys.

From Genius Science to Scenius Science - Cosmik Labs

Why personal AI tools might not be all we need to revolutionize science

Co-creating with emergent processes ✦ Hijinx World

Existential musings over algorithmic design with creative programming legend Dan Tapper.

derek guy on Twitter / X

I suspect we're approaching a time where if you want to protect creative work, it has to be something that can't be digitized. AI has made is so that creative works speed run through the lifecycle from cool to cliche in a matter of months. This contributes to our cultural… https://t.co/HJYL6Tj6t4— derek guy (@dieworkwear) September 19, 2026

A Primordial Computing Soup

Fostering AI art scenius, creating an open planetary network of robots