Daragh Ó Briain
@daraghobrien.bsky.social
Flumping along in the world of data since Long Ago. Posts as @castlebridge-chief here & on Mastodon at https://mastodon.ie/@CastlebridgeChief CEO @ Castlebridge.ie.
Doctoral candidate at UL looking at #DataGovernance. Author of several books on data stuff.
Doctoral candidate at UL looking at #DataGovernance. Author of several books on data stuff.
It’s also got a lot of the smaller spaces an Arts Centre would need as well as a big performance space.
It was a fantastic building (and a nice man there used to give me coffee as we bounced ideas around).
It was a fantastic building (and a nice man there used to give me coffee as we bounced ideas around).
February 11, 2026 at 9:07 AM
It’s also got a lot of the smaller spaces an Arts Centre would need as well as a big performance space.
It was a fantastic building (and a nice man there used to give me coffee as we bounced ideas around).
It was a fantastic building (and a nice man there used to give me coffee as we bounced ideas around).
Reposted by Daragh Ó Briain
“We're predisposed to personalise inanimate objects.”
It’s all the worse when the object manipulates language. Language-using humans have an intrinsic bias to assume that something reflecting language back at us must also be thinking.
It’s all the worse when the object manipulates language. Language-using humans have an intrinsic bias to assume that something reflecting language back at us must also be thinking.
February 11, 2026 at 6:23 AM
“We're predisposed to personalise inanimate objects.”
It’s all the worse when the object manipulates language. Language-using humans have an intrinsic bias to assume that something reflecting language back at us must also be thinking.
It’s all the worse when the object manipulates language. Language-using humans have an intrinsic bias to assume that something reflecting language back at us must also be thinking.
We are reaching the “Find Out” stage of the process it seems #SpeirGorm
Fascist thugs Derek Blighe and Ross Lahive sent forward for trial on garda harassment charge #SpeirGorm
www.irishtimes.com/crime-law/co...
www.irishtimes.com/crime-law/co...
Anti-immigration activist Derek Blighe sent forward for trial on garda harassment charge
Blighe, who has pleaded not guilty, ‘skirting quite close to online commentary’ regarding case, court told
www.irishtimes.com
February 10, 2026 at 11:57 PM
We are reaching the “Find Out” stage of the process it seems #SpeirGorm
Reposted by Daragh Ó Briain
This is a framing error, NYT. It's different technologies. Chatbots are not the same as the machine learning involved in reading scans (better defined inputs, clearer evaluation of outputs). Calling both AI is like conflating bombs dropped from planes with cars, because they both involve explosions.
February 10, 2026 at 4:39 AM
This is a framing error, NYT. It's different technologies. Chatbots are not the same as the machine learning involved in reading scans (better defined inputs, clearer evaluation of outputs). Calling both AI is like conflating bombs dropped from planes with cars, because they both involve explosions.
Reposted by Daragh Ó Briain
Next time someone asks you about energy and land use, maybe remind them that the ~35 million acres that currently grow corn for ethanol in the US could produce ~15 PWh per year of electricity from solar photovoltaics. That's ~3.5 times more than *total annual generation from all US power plants*.
February 1, 2026 at 8:55 PM
Next time someone asks you about energy and land use, maybe remind them that the ~35 million acres that currently grow corn for ethanol in the US could produce ~15 PWh per year of electricity from solar photovoltaics. That's ~3.5 times more than *total annual generation from all US power plants*.
What ever you do DON’T THINK OF AN ORANGE ELEPHANT
Thank you for your attention to this matter.
There. That’ll stop the orange elephant speculation and concern right there. Nobody is thinking of orange pachyderms right now, are they?
Thank you for your attention to this matter.
There. That’ll stop the orange elephant speculation and concern right there. Nobody is thinking of orange pachyderms right now, are they?
February 10, 2026 at 12:00 AM
What ever you do DON’T THINK OF AN ORANGE ELEPHANT
Thank you for your attention to this matter.
There. That’ll stop the orange elephant speculation and concern right there. Nobody is thinking of orange pachyderms right now, are they?
Thank you for your attention to this matter.
There. That’ll stop the orange elephant speculation and concern right there. Nobody is thinking of orange pachyderms right now, are they?
Reposted by Daragh Ó Briain
Ok. The Department is correct that the @dpcireland.bsky.social own volition investigation didn’t focus on question of harm. It assessed if there was a valid legal basis for processing of biometric data to produce the card produced by a company called Biometric Card Services.
But…
But…
February 9, 2026 at 10:42 PM
Ok. The Department is correct that the @dpcireland.bsky.social own volition investigation didn’t focus on question of harm. It assessed if there was a valid legal basis for processing of biometric data to produce the card produced by a company called Biometric Card Services.
But…
But…
Reposted by Daragh Ó Briain
Yes be warned, if you travel to the UK without use of a VPN and need to access a DM, you will be blocked from doing so unless you comply with age verification.
TIL that Bluesky DMs are a victim of age gating in the UK.
February 9, 2026 at 6:23 PM
Yes be warned, if you travel to the UK without use of a VPN and need to access a DM, you will be blocked from doing so unless you comply with age verification.
Hogans Heroes was allegedly satirical comedy not predictive documentary…
Sergeant Schultz See Nothing Hear Nothing Know Nothing GIF
Alt: Sergeant Schultz See Nothing Hear Nothing Know Nothing GIF
media.tenor.com
February 9, 2026 at 6:47 PM
Hogans Heroes was allegedly satirical comedy not predictive documentary…
Actually it was a bit longer ago than that. Was lucky to have a colleague on my team in @castlebridge.bsky.social who’s PhD thesis was on what EU might learn from African traditions like Ubuntu.
February 9, 2026 at 6:40 PM
Actually it was a bit longer ago than that. Was lucky to have a colleague on my team in @castlebridge.bsky.social who’s PhD thesis was on what EU might learn from African traditions like Ubuntu.
Interesting. This is precisely what I recommended to an African government 2 years ago in some work I was engaged by the UN for on Ethical Regulation of AI.
February 9, 2026 at 6:37 PM
Interesting. This is precisely what I recommended to an African government 2 years ago in some work I was engaged by the UN for on Ethical Regulation of AI.
Reposted by Daragh Ó Briain
Without deliberate choices, AI could deepen inequality in Africa, argues Mpho Primus. To avoid this, Africa should pursue a framework that treats AI as relational and social, rather than purely technical or proprietary.
Why Africa Needs an Ubuntu-Inspired AI Framework
Mpho Primus discusses the risks of artificial intelligence widening inequality in Africa and the Ubuntu AI Framework as a response.
www.techpolicy.press
February 9, 2026 at 5:56 PM
Without deliberate choices, AI could deepen inequality in Africa, argues Mpho Primus. To avoid this, Africa should pursue a framework that treats AI as relational and social, rather than purely technical or proprietary.
Reposted by Daragh Ó Briain
one chatbot told a participant in this study to go lay down in the dark when he was presenting with a brain hemorrhage... what are we even doing
www.404media.co/chatbots-hea...
www.404media.co/chatbots-hea...
Chatbots Make Terrible Doctors, New Study Finds
Chatbots provided incorrect, conflicting medical advice, researchers found: “Despite all the hype, AI just isn't ready to take on the role of the physician.”
www.404media.co
February 9, 2026 at 4:06 PM
one chatbot told a participant in this study to go lay down in the dark when he was presenting with a brain hemorrhage... what are we even doing
www.404media.co/chatbots-hea...
www.404media.co/chatbots-hea...
Reposted by Daragh Ó Briain
Ofcom under fire after refusing to investigate ‘misleading’ GB News Trump interview www.theguardian.com/media/2026/f...
Ofcom under fire after refusing to investigate ‘misleading’ GB News Trump interview
US president not challenged over false claims climate change is ‘hoax’ and parts of London have sharia law
www.theguardian.com
February 9, 2026 at 5:51 PM
Ofcom under fire after refusing to investigate ‘misleading’ GB News Trump interview www.theguardian.com/media/2026/f...
Reposted by Daragh Ó Briain
This stuff isn't hard to look up, it took me literaly 15 mins sitting on the train on the way home, so why couldn't the @irishtimes.com do it? Ill informed attacks on lawyers and the judiciary attacks the rule of law
February 9, 2026 at 5:12 PM
This stuff isn't hard to look up, it took me literaly 15 mins sitting on the train on the way home, so why couldn't the @irishtimes.com do it? Ill informed attacks on lawyers and the judiciary attacks the rule of law
Reposted by Daragh Ó Briain
Gemini (or any other LLM) can describe DockChain quite well. And that's great. The concern about LLMs for regulated industries is that the description is never QUITE the same two times in a row. Still, a good description of DockChain is nice!
February 9, 2026 at 3:03 PM
Gemini (or any other LLM) can describe DockChain quite well. And that's great. The concern about LLMs for regulated industries is that the description is never QUITE the same two times in a row. Still, a good description of DockChain is nice!
Perhaps we should just start sending each other cryptic missives just in case any of us get caught up in events of future historical interest.
I know future conspiracy theorists would jump at references to “sticky bun” in my correspondence with @tupped.bsky.social as being code for something.
I know future conspiracy theorists would jump at references to “sticky bun” in my correspondence with @tupped.bsky.social as being code for something.
February 9, 2026 at 3:05 PM
Perhaps we should just start sending each other cryptic missives just in case any of us get caught up in events of future historical interest.
I know future conspiracy theorists would jump at references to “sticky bun” in my correspondence with @tupped.bsky.social as being code for something.
I know future conspiracy theorists would jump at references to “sticky bun” in my correspondence with @tupped.bsky.social as being code for something.
Reposted by Daragh Ó Briain
In Boston ICE randomly pulled over this huge white Irish guy with a Mass drivers license, 20 years in the states, legal status, pending green card and have held him for 5 months, his citizen wife paid a $4k bond that was ignored(!) ICE forged his signature on deportation agreement, no appeal
Kerryman who is married, living and working legally in the United States for >20 years has been incarcerated by US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (Ice) since September 2025.
Profoundly disturbing report by Karlin Lillington @klillington.bsky.social
www.irishtimes.com/world/us/202...
Profoundly disturbing report by Karlin Lillington @klillington.bsky.social
www.irishtimes.com/world/us/202...
‘Absolute hell’: Irish man with valid US work permit held by Ice since September
Seamus Culleton has been in a detention facility in Texas for nearly five months despite having no criminal record
www.irishtimes.com
February 9, 2026 at 12:42 PM
In Boston ICE randomly pulled over this huge white Irish guy with a Mass drivers license, 20 years in the states, legal status, pending green card and have held him for 5 months, his citizen wife paid a $4k bond that was ignored(!) ICE forged his signature on deportation agreement, no appeal
Reposted by Daragh Ó Briain
ec.europa.eu/commission/p... The EU seems to have mandated agentic AI without thinking very hard about the security, scraping and other risks. Hard anti-competition makes bad law.
Press corner
Highlights, press releases and speeches
ec.europa.eu
February 9, 2026 at 12:04 PM
ec.europa.eu/commission/p... The EU seems to have mandated agentic AI without thinking very hard about the security, scraping and other risks. Hard anti-competition makes bad law.
Reposted by Daragh Ó Briain
These are heartrending
1/ ProPublica collected handwritten letters in mid-January from children held at the Dilley Immigration Processing Center, the same facility where 5-year-old Liam Conejo Ramos was taken.
Hundreds of kids are still detained.
We’ll let the children’s words speak for themselves. 🧵
Hundreds of kids are still detained.
We’ll let the children’s words speak for themselves. 🧵
February 9, 2026 at 12:51 PM
These are heartrending
Reposted by Daragh Ó Briain
I came out of retirement to write this story, because what the actual what
‘Absolute hell’: Irishman with valid US work permit held by Ice since September
www.irishtimes.com/world/us/202...
‘Absolute hell’: Irishman with valid US work permit held by Ice since September
www.irishtimes.com/world/us/202...
www.irishtimes.com
February 9, 2026 at 12:26 PM
I came out of retirement to write this story, because what the actual what
‘Absolute hell’: Irishman with valid US work permit held by Ice since September
www.irishtimes.com/world/us/202...
‘Absolute hell’: Irishman with valid US work permit held by Ice since September
www.irishtimes.com/world/us/202...
I wonder what row Amazon is having with Paramount that has resulted in shows being blocked like this.
February 9, 2026 at 8:02 AM
I wonder what row Amazon is having with Paramount that has resulted in shows being blocked like this.
Jebus H Christ on a bike. They just did an advert that openly says “we have tech that allows someone to be tracked by a network of CCTV cameras on every door we’ve sold to”
I predict the next advert will be lost kid then missing grandparents. Dial up the emotion to sanewash the surveillance state.
I predict the next advert will be lost kid then missing grandparents. Dial up the emotion to sanewash the surveillance state.
February 9, 2026 at 6:53 AM
Jebus H Christ on a bike. They just did an advert that openly says “we have tech that allows someone to be tracked by a network of CCTV cameras on every door we’ve sold to”
I predict the next advert will be lost kid then missing grandparents. Dial up the emotion to sanewash the surveillance state.
I predict the next advert will be lost kid then missing grandparents. Dial up the emotion to sanewash the surveillance state.
I did a keynote on AI back in 2024 where I spent 5 minutes of my 30 minutes telling everyone the story of Radium.
February 9, 2026 at 6:34 AM
I did a keynote on AI back in 2024 where I spent 5 minutes of my 30 minutes telling everyone the story of Radium.
So, it appears Amazon have flagged the content for “maintenance” with no reason or fix date given.
Perhaps the licensing fee for Paramount content is what paid for the Melamine movie.
I am curious if it is a wider issue or just Ireland or just gingers or just me.
Perhaps the licensing fee for Paramount content is what paid for the Melamine movie.
I am curious if it is a wider issue or just Ireland or just gingers or just me.
February 9, 2026 at 12:07 AM
So, it appears Amazon have flagged the content for “maintenance” with no reason or fix date given.
Perhaps the licensing fee for Paramount content is what paid for the Melamine movie.
I am curious if it is a wider issue or just Ireland or just gingers or just me.
Perhaps the licensing fee for Paramount content is what paid for the Melamine movie.
I am curious if it is a wider issue or just Ireland or just gingers or just me.