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James Temperton

@jtemperton.bsky.social

1.2K followers 370 following 160 posts

Deputy managing editor, thelogic.co. Got a pitch? james[dot]temperton[at]thelogic[co]. How to pitch: https://thelogic.co/how-to-pitch/ About me: jtemperton.my.canva.site 📌 Montréal, Canada

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James Temperton @jtemperton.bsky.social · Nov 13

🚨 Send me your pitches 🚨

I'm looking for stories about the downstream impacts of business and tech on our everyday lives here in Canada. Email your short, punchy pitches to james[dot]temperton[at]thelogic[dot]co. Competitive rates!

More details here: thelogic.co/how-to-pitch/

How to pitch to The Logic - The Logic

We want to encourage more writers to pitch amazing stories to us. This is a guide to what we’re looking for, and how much we pay. The Logic is one of Canada’s leading sources of business and technol...

thelogic.co

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James Temperton @jtemperton.bsky.social · 6d

Scoop: We got hold of the memo new Shopify COO Jess Hertz sent to staff after the sudden departure of three of the firm's most senior execs.

Hertz said their departure was a "turning point" for the firm after it had "drifted" from its "core".

By @aleksagan.bsky.social.

thelogic.co/news/exclusi...

Shopify’s new COO said sudden departure of key execs was a ‘turning point’ - The Logic

The firm had shifted too far from its “core,” new chief operating officer Jess Hertz told staff in an internal message seen by The Logic

thelogic.co

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James Temperton @jtemperton.bsky.social · 6d

If you work (or worked) at Shopify, we're interested in speaking to you. You can contact my colleague Aleksandra Sagan securely via Signal at aleksagan.12.

Reposted by James Temperton

Aleksandra Sagan @aleksagan.bsky.social · 6d

"The AI is just not there," says one merchant who pays for a premium tier that promises 24/7 support and a dedicated service rep, but is now faced w/ an "endless back and forth" with AI. How Shopify's plan to turnaround its struggling customer-service dept. by using more AI has left merchants angry:

Shopify merchants left angry and confused as company goes big on AI support - The Logic

Following years of layoffs, Shopify has turned to AI to improve its floundering merchant support service. Many paying customers aren’t happy.

thelogic.co

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James Temperton @jtemperton.bsky.social · 6d

When Amazon ditched Quebec, Ottawa suggested it might ditch AWS as part of a review of its deals with the firm.

Documents obtained by @thelogic.co show that Ottawa concluded it would take years, and cost huge sums of money, to do so.

Scoop by @lauraosman.bsky.social.

thelogic.co/news/ottawa-...

Documents reveal why Ottawa can’t stop using Amazon Web Services - The Logic

When Amazon pulled out of Quebec, Ottawa said it would review its contracts with the firm. Documents obtained by The Logic reveal how much it depends on the tech giant.

thelogic.co

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James Temperton @jtemperton.bsky.social · 6d

Shopify unleashed AI on its support system—and merchants aren't happy.

An early version of the firm's support chatbot made merchants so angry that devs created a feature that connected them to a human faster if they started swearing.

Story by @aleksagan.bsky.social.

thelogic.co/news/shopify...

Shopify merchants left angry and confused as company goes big on AI support - The Logic

Following years of layoffs, Shopify has turned to AI to improve its floundering merchant support service. Many paying customers aren’t happy.

thelogic.co

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James Temperton @jtemperton.bsky.social · 7d

Retailers that sell cannabis accessories online are frustrated that Houseplant, Seth Rogen's store for "people who love weed," appears to be getting preferential treatment from Shopify.

Story by @aleksagan.bsky.social.

thelogic.co/news/shopify...

Cannabis accessory retailers accuse Shopify of Seth Rogen bias - The Logic

Shopify has blocked many cannabis accessory retailers from using its tech to process orders. Some claim a different set of rules apply to Rogen.

thelogic.co

Reposted by James Temperton

Aleksandra Sagan @aleksagan.bsky.social · 9d

If you work(ed) at #Shopify and have been a part of the ongoing quiet layoffs, and want to speak about it securely, reach me at aleksagan.12 on Signal or pop into my DMs.

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James Temperton @jtemperton.bsky.social · Sep 4

All credit to the excellent Christopher Katsarov for making the mundane fun

James Temperton @jtemperton.bsky.social · Sep 3

"When it came to explaining how his government overshot a half-billion dollar contract by half a billion dollars, Legault sounded suddenly laissez-faire."

@patriquin.bsky.social on Quebec premier François Legault's terrible Tuesday.

thelogic.co/news/quebec-...

François Legault is cooked - The Logic

Legault told the Gallant commission that he would have liked to have known about SAAQclic’s $500-million overspend. That he didn’t speaks volumes.

thelogic.co

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James Temperton @jtemperton.bsky.social · Sep 3

Telecoms are scrambling to catch copper thieves running riot across their networks. Stopping the thieves, though, is a little like playing Whac-A-Mole. And so far, the thieves are winning.

thelogic.co/news/copper-...

Copper thieves are running riot. Telecoms are trying to stop them - The Logic

Bell, Telus and Rogers are engaged in a game of Whac-a-Mole against increasingly sophisticated copper thieves. So far, the thieves are winning.

thelogic.co

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Reposted by James Temperton

David Reevely @davidreevely.bsky.social · Sep 2

Parliament's back this month and Bill C-2, the "border bill," will be on the agenda. Cybersecurity leaders warn that the legal authority it will give authorities to bug virtually any electronic service is (among other objections) bad for Canadian business.

thelogic.co/news/bill-c2...

Canada's border security bill risks scaring off new business, critics warn - The Logic

Cybersecurity leaders say the bill would compromise firms’ security and make Canada a less attractive place to invest

thelogic.co

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Reposted by James Temperton

David Reevely @davidreevely.bsky.social · Aug 29

AI Minister Evan Solomon says he used an AI tool to get briefed up on the Liberals’ last AI bill. We tried it and, well … if a human briefer briefed a minister like this, I don’t think they’d get a second call up.

https://thelogic.co/news/evan-solomon-ai-podcast

We tried the AI tool Evan Solomon used to summarize an AI bill. It didn't go well - The Logic

Canada's AI minister used a Google tool to learn about an unpassed bill on privacy and AI. When The Logic did the same, the results were far from perfect.

thelogic.co

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James Temperton @jtemperton.bsky.social · Aug 29

The Logic is hiring!

We’re looking for a reporter to join our finance desk to break news and write sharp analysis about the companies, markets and trends shaping the Canadian economy.

Full-time gig, based in Toronto, salary range is $69,073.20 to $107,760.

thelogic.applytojobs.ca/editorial/41...

The Logic Job Board - Business reporter

Job vacancy for the role of Business reporter

thelogic.applytojobs.ca

James Temperton @jtemperton.bsky.social · Aug 28

Montreal-based fashion retailer Ssense faces a liquidity crisis and plans to imminently file an application in bankruptcy court to protect its assets from indebted lenders, The Logic has learned.

Story by @catherinemcintyre.bsky.social.

thelogic.co/news/exclusi...

Ssense to file for creditor protection as lenders look to sell the company - The Logic

In an email sent to all staff this morning, Ssense said its hand was forced by its main creditor which it claims was trying to sell the company without its consent

thelogic.co

James Temperton @jtemperton.bsky.social · Aug 28

Cohere president Martin Kon is stepping down from his position weeks after the AI firm raised US$500 million in new financing, The Logic has learned.

Scoop by @muradhem.bsky.social.

thelogic.co/news/exclusi...

Cohere president Martin Kon steps aside in leadership shuffle - The Logic

The Toronto-based AI firm has made a series of leadership changes after raising US$500 million in new financing

thelogic.co

James Temperton @jtemperton.bsky.social · Aug 28

Donald Trump's attacks on Canada's sovereignty and economy have done little to dissuade snowbirds looking for some winter sun.

In fact, many Canadians reserving winter breaks in Florida are booking earlier and paying higher rates than last year.

thelogic.co/news/canada-...

Canada's snowbirds are still planning to flock to the U.S. in droves - The Logic

Snowbirds with deep financial and social ties to the U.S. haven’t been put off by the actions of the Trump administration, with many booking earlier and paying a premium to secure long-term stays

thelogic.co

James Temperton @jtemperton.bsky.social · Aug 26

"The model's safety training may degrade," is like a quote straight out of Black Mirror. But it's not Black Mirror. It's OpenAI responding to @kashhill.bsky.social's story about a kid who died by suicide after spending months talking to ChatGPT about ending his life.

www.nytimes.com/2025/08/26/t...

James Temperton @jtemperton.bsky.social · Aug 10

Eurgh. Facebook and X are still littered with them, too. The scam is so consistent you'd think it'd be very easy for automated systems to detect and block... and yet.

Reposted by James Temperton

Matt Burgess (WIRED) @mattburgess1.bsky.social · Aug 6

NEW: In a likely first, security researchers have shown how generative AI agents can be hijacked to cause physical consequences.

They tricked Google's Gemini AI into turning off smart home lights, opening windows, and turning on a boiler.

They hid instructions to the AI in a *calendar invitation*

Hackers Hijacked Google’s Gemini AI With a Poisoned Calendar Invite to Take Over a Smart Home

For likely the first time ever, security researchers have shown how AI can be hacked to create real world havoc, allowing them to turn off lights, open smart shutters, and more.

www.wired.com

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James Temperton @jtemperton.bsky.social · Jul 30

Today, Mark Zuckerberg claims that "superintelligence is now in sight."

Two years ago, Mark Zuckerberg invented legs.

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James Temperton @jtemperton.bsky.social · Jul 28

There's no lesson here, really. But I'm so proud to see my kids growing up in Montreal and also proud of the decision that we took to change our lives for the better.

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James Temperton @jtemperton.bsky.social · Jul 28

We moved to Canada—well, Montreal, specifically—for a bunch of reasons. Quality of life for us and the kids, a more inclusive and tolerant society, bilingualism, a chance to really put down roots, easy access to poutine.

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James Temperton @jtemperton.bsky.social · Jul 28

Our kids are now fluent in French, I'm semi-fluent after spending months studying after work, our eldest has started school, we've bought an apartment, my partner has continued to build an incredible career, I've been laid off, got two new jobs and, earlier this year, I ran my first marathon.

James Temperton @jtemperton.bsky.social · Jul 28

Three years ago today, my family and I left London and moved to Montreal. It's been a hell of a ride...

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Reposted by James Temperton

Joanna Smith @joannasmith.bsky.social · Jul 28

"A few things can pierce Donald Trump’s delusion. Nine of them live in Quebec. They are aluminum smelters, and together they produce three million tons of something the U.S. cannot get as cheaply and easily anywhere else in the world." - @patriquin.bsky.social thelogic.co/news/quebec-... #TradeSky

The hot, hard truth that’s undermining Donald Trump’s trade war - The Logic

Only a few things can pierce the U.S. president’s delusion. Nine of them live in Quebec.

thelogic.co

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