🌶 David Gray Widder
@davidthewid.bsky.social
Assistant Prof at UT Austin's iSchool.
Big Tech, political economy, AI hype, AI in War
trying to help computer ppl think more critically about computer, including me
art: instagram.com/davidthewid
exCMU/NASA/MSR/IntelLabs.
davidwidder.me
Big Tech, political economy, AI hype, AI in War
trying to help computer ppl think more critically about computer, including me
art: instagram.com/davidthewid
exCMU/NASA/MSR/IntelLabs.
davidwidder.me
Pinned
🪲 What is a "bug"? 🐛
Software bugs may seem obvious.
🚨But in a short piece, eminent bug expert @clegoues.bsky.social I seek to answer this seemingly simple question, and find that it is far from clear cut …
dl.acm.org/doi/10.1145/...
Software bugs may seem obvious.
🚨But in a short piece, eminent bug expert @clegoues.bsky.social I seek to answer this seemingly simple question, and find that it is far from clear cut …
dl.acm.org/doi/10.1145/...
Reposted by 🌶 David Gray Widder
“some top Virginia Republicans were shocked” 🧐
Oh hell yes, Gov. Spanberger! www.nytimes.com/2026/01/16/u... [gift link]
Some U.Va. Board Members Asked to Resign as a Democratic Governor Takes Power
www.nytimes.com
January 16, 2026 at 10:40 PM
“some top Virginia Republicans were shocked” 🧐
Reposted by 🌶 David Gray Widder
Tech sovereignty should not be a subscription model ft.trib.al/v2MPMD0 | opinion
Tech sovereignty should not be a subscription model
Concern about the loss of jurisdiction and agency to US companies is becoming more pressing for Europeans
ft.trib.al
January 14, 2026 at 3:12 PM
Tech sovereignty should not be a subscription model ft.trib.al/v2MPMD0 | opinion
Reposted by 🌶 David Gray Widder
AI for Peace workshop at @iclr-conf.bsky.social
26/27 April, Rio de Janeiro
Confirmed speakers:
🔥 @davidthewid.bsky.social
🔥 Gisela Luján Andrade
🔥 @pjreddie.bsky.social
🔥 @timnitgebru.bsky.social
aiforpeaceworkshop.github.io/speakers/
26/27 April, Rio de Janeiro
Confirmed speakers:
🔥 @davidthewid.bsky.social
🔥 Gisela Luján Andrade
🔥 @pjreddie.bsky.social
🔥 @timnitgebru.bsky.social
aiforpeaceworkshop.github.io/speakers/
Speakers
Building Bridges, Not Weapons: AI for Peaceful Progress
aiforpeaceworkshop.github.io
January 10, 2026 at 10:55 PM
AI for Peace workshop at @iclr-conf.bsky.social
26/27 April, Rio de Janeiro
Confirmed speakers:
🔥 @davidthewid.bsky.social
🔥 Gisela Luján Andrade
🔥 @pjreddie.bsky.social
🔥 @timnitgebru.bsky.social
aiforpeaceworkshop.github.io/speakers/
26/27 April, Rio de Janeiro
Confirmed speakers:
🔥 @davidthewid.bsky.social
🔥 Gisela Luján Andrade
🔥 @pjreddie.bsky.social
🔥 @timnitgebru.bsky.social
aiforpeaceworkshop.github.io/speakers/
Reposted by 🌶 David Gray Widder
@miriamposner.com bringing it like she always does
I've put together a list of the most helpful activities/visualizations/tools I've found for introducing students to the mechanics of LLMs (which I do every year). miriamposner.com/blog/introdu...
Introducing beginners to the mechanics of machine learning – Miriam Posner
miriamposner.com
January 12, 2026 at 11:30 PM
@miriamposner.com bringing it like she always does
Reposted by 🌶 David Gray Widder
hey!
hey!!!
if you are an academic of any rank in the critical tech studies space who cares about how money, finance, and business structures work in science and technology, i want to see your abstracts for a collected volume! they're due tomorrow!!!
https//oddletters.com/tech-money/
hey!!!
if you are an academic of any rank in the critical tech studies space who cares about how money, finance, and business structures work in science and technology, i want to see your abstracts for a collected volume! they're due tomorrow!!!
https//oddletters.com/tech-money/
January 5, 2026 at 1:30 PM
hey!
hey!!!
if you are an academic of any rank in the critical tech studies space who cares about how money, finance, and business structures work in science and technology, i want to see your abstracts for a collected volume! they're due tomorrow!!!
https//oddletters.com/tech-money/
hey!!!
if you are an academic of any rank in the critical tech studies space who cares about how money, finance, and business structures work in science and technology, i want to see your abstracts for a collected volume! they're due tomorrow!!!
https//oddletters.com/tech-money/
Reposted by 🌶 David Gray Widder
Nicolás Maduro Charged With Felony Oil Possession
January 5, 2026 at 7:00 PM
Nicolás Maduro Charged With Felony Oil Possession
Reposted by 🌶 David Gray Widder
In a theory-building paper on a complex topic like double binds in time- and safety-critical situations, posting an inadequate summary is a disservice to our work, the literature, and earthquake survivors who generously offered their time for interviews.
GenAI summaries perpetuate lazy research.
GenAI summaries perpetuate lazy research.
December 23, 2025 at 9:50 PM
In a theory-building paper on a complex topic like double binds in time- and safety-critical situations, posting an inadequate summary is a disservice to our work, the literature, and earthquake survivors who generously offered their time for interviews.
GenAI summaries perpetuate lazy research.
GenAI summaries perpetuate lazy research.
Reposted by 🌶 David Gray Widder
U.S. military spending is set to hit a record $1 trillion.
Roughly half of defense spending goes to private contractors that routinely price-gouge the government.
Meanwhile, the Pentagon has failed EIGHT straight audits.
This is the military industrial complex on steroids.
Roughly half of defense spending goes to private contractors that routinely price-gouge the government.
Meanwhile, the Pentagon has failed EIGHT straight audits.
This is the military industrial complex on steroids.
December 22, 2025 at 11:01 PM
U.S. military spending is set to hit a record $1 trillion.
Roughly half of defense spending goes to private contractors that routinely price-gouge the government.
Meanwhile, the Pentagon has failed EIGHT straight audits.
This is the military industrial complex on steroids.
Roughly half of defense spending goes to private contractors that routinely price-gouge the government.
Meanwhile, the Pentagon has failed EIGHT straight audits.
This is the military industrial complex on steroids.
:-( but ive had such a lovely sabbatical :)
December 17, 2025 at 5:10 PM
:-( but ive had such a lovely sabbatical :)
okay so this "is GPT a get out of jail free?" paper actually has a release date tho, @jtlg.bsky.social and I recently agreed :)
December 17, 2025 at 5:10 PM
okay so this "is GPT a get out of jail free?" paper actually has a release date tho, @jtlg.bsky.social and I recently agreed :)
its funny I actually am planning a theory/conceptual article on "general purpose tech" and this is a fun distinction to toy with, ty for pinging me in :)
December 17, 2025 at 4:30 PM
its funny I actually am planning a theory/conceptual article on "general purpose tech" and this is a fun distinction to toy with, ty for pinging me in :)
I actually suspect that once we do that we won't necessarily find clearer/ obviously better disciplinary lines - and that "we study the computer" may end up seeming coherent (even if arbitrary) in retrospect
December 15, 2025 at 3:29 PM
I actually suspect that once we do that we won't necessarily find clearer/ obviously better disciplinary lines - and that "we study the computer" may end up seeming coherent (even if arbitrary) in retrospect
not against this - CS is a poorly specified field - but how would process differ from Operations Research? Or, is CS just a subset of Information Science?
December 15, 2025 at 3:19 PM
not against this - CS is a poorly specified field - but how would process differ from Operations Research? Or, is CS just a subset of Information Science?
scholar.google.com
December 13, 2025 at 5:06 AM
Reposted by 🌶 David Gray Widder
🚨🚨 @utaustin.bsky.social is working to eliminate its Black studies, Latin studies, and gender studies depts -- utterly reneging on its mission and depriving students of the full educational opportunities they deserve. Please--scholars AND publishers--share & write to UT leaders. #SaveUT
October 10, 2025 at 4:16 PM
🚨🚨 @utaustin.bsky.social is working to eliminate its Black studies, Latin studies, and gender studies depts -- utterly reneging on its mission and depriving students of the full educational opportunities they deserve. Please--scholars AND publishers--share & write to UT leaders. #SaveUT
Reposted by 🌶 David Gray Widder
No one wants to watch their PhD program be eliminated. It’s nearly the same story when it’s “innovated” away.
Me & @seeshespeak.bsky.social in the Chronicle. Read it below ⬇️
www.chronicle.com/article/a-co...
Me & @seeshespeak.bsky.social in the Chronicle. Read it below ⬇️
www.chronicle.com/article/a-co...
Opinion | A Coup at Carnegie Mellon?
The university is replacing the humanities with more computers.
www.chronicle.com
December 12, 2025 at 6:44 PM
No one wants to watch their PhD program be eliminated. It’s nearly the same story when it’s “innovated” away.
Me & @seeshespeak.bsky.social in the Chronicle. Read it below ⬇️
www.chronicle.com/article/a-co...
Me & @seeshespeak.bsky.social in the Chronicle. Read it below ⬇️
www.chronicle.com/article/a-co...
If 50% of Carnegie Mellon's funding comes from DoD and DHS and it is killing humanities departments, is it really a real university or is it just a research institute for the Military?*
*(with a Drama Department tacked on for funsies!)
*(with a Drama Department tacked on for funsies!)
December 12, 2025 at 6:42 PM
If 50% of Carnegie Mellon's funding comes from DoD and DHS and it is killing humanities departments, is it really a real university or is it just a research institute for the Military?*
*(with a Drama Department tacked on for funsies!)
*(with a Drama Department tacked on for funsies!)
from a CMU CS alumni - fuck this shit. thanks for writing this.
December 12, 2025 at 6:35 PM
from a CMU CS alumni - fuck this shit. thanks for writing this.
Reposted by 🌶 David Gray Widder
Faculty opposed this change; current students opposed it; program alum fought it.
It’s happening anyway, because it satisfies administrative priorities and flatters the CMU “brand”—not because it’s needed or wanted, and not because it guarantees better job outcomes for program graduates.
It’s happening anyway, because it satisfies administrative priorities and flatters the CMU “brand”—not because it’s needed or wanted, and not because it guarantees better job outcomes for program graduates.
December 12, 2025 at 6:24 PM
Faculty opposed this change; current students opposed it; program alum fought it.
It’s happening anyway, because it satisfies administrative priorities and flatters the CMU “brand”—not because it’s needed or wanted, and not because it guarantees better job outcomes for program graduates.
It’s happening anyway, because it satisfies administrative priorities and flatters the CMU “brand”—not because it’s needed or wanted, and not because it guarantees better job outcomes for program graduates.
Reposted by 🌶 David Gray Widder
The LCS program at CMU was one of the oldest in the country, inspired by England’s Birmingham School ,and infused with the spirit of critique.
Computers can do many things, but they are incapable of critique. Replacing human critics-in-training with computers keeps institutions safe from criticism
Computers can do many things, but they are incapable of critique. Replacing human critics-in-training with computers keeps institutions safe from criticism
December 12, 2025 at 6:21 PM
The LCS program at CMU was one of the oldest in the country, inspired by England’s Birmingham School ,and infused with the spirit of critique.
Computers can do many things, but they are incapable of critique. Replacing human critics-in-training with computers keeps institutions safe from criticism
Computers can do many things, but they are incapable of critique. Replacing human critics-in-training with computers keeps institutions safe from criticism
Reposted by 🌶 David Gray Widder
Carnegie Mellon’s literature PhD is being liquidated in favor of “computation,” casualized labor, and AI.
That has profound ramifications for, students, faculty, and program alums like myself.
I wrote it about it (w/ Catherine Evans, a current PhD student).
www.chronicle.com/article/a-co...
That has profound ramifications for, students, faculty, and program alums like myself.
I wrote it about it (w/ Catherine Evans, a current PhD student).
www.chronicle.com/article/a-co...
Opinion | A Coup at Carnegie Mellon?
The university is replacing the humanities with more computers.
www.chronicle.com
December 12, 2025 at 6:18 PM
Carnegie Mellon’s literature PhD is being liquidated in favor of “computation,” casualized labor, and AI.
That has profound ramifications for, students, faculty, and program alums like myself.
I wrote it about it (w/ Catherine Evans, a current PhD student).
www.chronicle.com/article/a-co...
That has profound ramifications for, students, faculty, and program alums like myself.
I wrote it about it (w/ Catherine Evans, a current PhD student).
www.chronicle.com/article/a-co...
Reposted by 🌶 David Gray Widder
damn, I wish there was a way to produce interesting, high-quality journalism without this software that make things up
Literally anyone who has spent like one day in a newsroom could have predicted this. I'm just some guy and I predicted it a couple of days ago. How are these people running the Washington Post!?
www.semafor.com/article/12/1...
www.semafor.com/article/12/1...
Exclusive: Washington Post’s AI-generated podcasts rife with errors, fictional quotes
Errors in the Post’s new AI-generated podcasts have frustrated the paper’s journalists.
www.semafor.com
December 12, 2025 at 4:52 PM
damn, I wish there was a way to produce interesting, high-quality journalism without this software that make things up
Also v good on this are books by @biella.bsky.social "Coding Freedom, and Christina Dunbar-Hester (is she on this platform?) "Hacking Diversity", but they're books so not short! But maybe the intros from either of those?
December 10, 2025 at 10:47 PM
Also v good on this are books by @biella.bsky.social "Coding Freedom, and Christina Dunbar-Hester (is she on this platform?) "Hacking Diversity", but they're books so not short! But maybe the intros from either of those?