Kester
@kesterbrewin.com
Writer, and Associate Director at the Institute for the Future of Work. Views my own. Latest book, God-like: a 500-Year History of AI, is out now. All my books: http://www.kesterbrewin.com
Reposted by Kester
We now have a full-blown European-American crisis, and for no reason that the president is able to articulate
January 18, 2026 at 2:08 PM
We now have a full-blown European-American crisis, and for no reason that the president is able to articulate
This.
London will face specific job losses from an AI wave but its economy will grow to absorb a lot of the displacement - especially with policy support.
The bigger risks are that the gains are concentrated in a super elite and it becomes more socially disconnected.
www.theguardian.com/politics/202...
The bigger risks are that the gains are concentrated in a super elite and it becomes more socially disconnected.
www.theguardian.com/politics/202...
Sadiq Khan to urge ministers to act over ‘colossal’ impact of AI on London jobs
In Mansion House speech, mayor will talk of opportunities technology offers but highlight mass unemployment risk
www.theguardian.com
January 15, 2026 at 9:04 PM
This.
Reposted by Kester
This is clearly depressing and radicalising in a way a tax wouldn't have been.
January 15, 2026 at 7:53 AM
This is clearly depressing and radicalising in a way a tax wouldn't have been.
Not trying to make too big a claim here, but it's been a rough time for the world but now #InOurTime is back, so I'm pretty sure we'll see an uptick in wisdom, thoughtfulness, empathy, and general smarts.
Will always miss Bragg - but loving MG already. Thanks BBC team.
Will always miss Bragg - but loving MG already. Thanks BBC team.
January 15, 2026 at 9:17 AM
Not trying to make too big a claim here, but it's been a rough time for the world but now #InOurTime is back, so I'm pretty sure we'll see an uptick in wisdom, thoughtfulness, empathy, and general smarts.
Will always miss Bragg - but loving MG already. Thanks BBC team.
Will always miss Bragg - but loving MG already. Thanks BBC team.
Reposted by Kester
The new framing by promoters of AI Scientists is that you still need an experienced human in the loop (as stated in this article). But HOW do you get such a human if these tools are used earlier and earlier in training and education. Also, the article gives the answer to the title's question: no.
Can A.I. Generate New Ideas?
www.nytimes.com
January 14, 2026 at 7:43 PM
The new framing by promoters of AI Scientists is that you still need an experienced human in the loop (as stated in this article). But HOW do you get such a human if these tools are used earlier and earlier in training and education. Also, the article gives the answer to the title's question: no.
From Sept 2024.
Only now, doubly.
Only now, doubly.
This government owes X nothing. It is a company run by an increasingly dangerous figure, who is increasingly set against the government's agenda. Simple solution: move every department and MP over to something like BlueSky, and Musk can go do one.
www.theguardian.com/society/arti...
www.theguardian.com/society/arti...
Deluge of abuse sent on X to prominent UK politicians in election period
Rishi Sunak, Keir Starmer, Diane Abbott, Suella Braverman and Sadiq Khan received between them 85,000 abusive messages, study finds
www.theguardian.com
January 14, 2026 at 10:09 AM
From Sept 2024.
Only now, doubly.
Only now, doubly.
Reposted by Kester
Immense skill issue to not have found this immediately obvious in 2016
January 12, 2026 at 5:34 PM
Immense skill issue to not have found this immediately obvious in 2016
Reposted by Kester
A global shift to plant-based diets could free an area of land as big as the US, China, the EU and Australia combined: restored ecosystems could draw down CO2, making our diets carbon negative. Average food emissions per person would be reduced from about 2,000 kg CO2eq/year to -160 kg CO2eq/year.
From nuts to kelp: The 'carbon-negative' foods that help reverse climate change
Eating low-carbon foods helps reduce emissions, but some foods actually suck up carbon from the atmosphere for good, leaving the climate in a better place. Could we eat more of them?
www.bbc.co.uk
January 11, 2026 at 7:04 AM
A global shift to plant-based diets could free an area of land as big as the US, China, the EU and Australia combined: restored ecosystems could draw down CO2, making our diets carbon negative. Average food emissions per person would be reduced from about 2,000 kg CO2eq/year to -160 kg CO2eq/year.
Reposted by Kester
If a Pakistani Muslim owned X, distributed indecent images of girls on a platform where govt do their PR, where some receive payments for posts, they would have distanced themselves by now. X would be shutdown and Braverman and Farage would be calling for a ban and investigation into Pakistani men.
January 9, 2026 at 4:12 PM
If a Pakistani Muslim owned X, distributed indecent images of girls on a platform where govt do their PR, where some receive payments for posts, they would have distanced themselves by now. X would be shutdown and Braverman and Farage would be calling for a ban and investigation into Pakistani men.
Reposted by Kester
EXCLUSIVE: Leaked WhatsApp messages show Labour MPs urging govt to leave X, arguing that it should "show direction to others in the UK"
The MPs said X owner Elon Musk is "fascist" and that the platform's AI tool, Grok, had put "children in harm's way"
The MPs said X owner Elon Musk is "fascist" and that the platform's AI tool, Grok, had put "children in harm's way"
January 9, 2026 at 2:20 PM
EXCLUSIVE: Leaked WhatsApp messages show Labour MPs urging govt to leave X, arguing that it should "show direction to others in the UK"
The MPs said X owner Elon Musk is "fascist" and that the platform's AI tool, Grok, had put "children in harm's way"
The MPs said X owner Elon Musk is "fascist" and that the platform's AI tool, Grok, had put "children in harm's way"
Time might not be money.
Time could be gift.
Time could be gift.
January 8, 2026 at 8:36 PM
Time might not be money.
Time could be gift.
Time could be gift.
Aggression: the surest sign of a weak argument.
January 4, 2026 at 1:27 AM
Aggression: the surest sign of a weak argument.
Reposted by Kester
for the love of god, AI systems aren't "just tools that are neither good nor evil in and of themselves". AI systems *are* tools of capitalism. they exist as tools of capitalism. there is no AI system "in and of itself" outside of capitalism
December 29, 2025 at 4:24 PM
for the love of god, AI systems aren't "just tools that are neither good nor evil in and of themselves". AI systems *are* tools of capitalism. they exist as tools of capitalism. there is no AI system "in and of itself" outside of capitalism
Would do it for $111k more.
www.theguardian.com/technology/2...
www.theguardian.com/technology/2...
‘This will be a stressful job’: Sam Altman offers $555k salary to fill most daunting role in AI
New head of preparedness at OpenAI will face unnerving in-tray amid fears from some experts that AI could ‘turn on us’
www.theguardian.com
December 29, 2025 at 5:34 PM
Would do it for $111k more.
www.theguardian.com/technology/2...
www.theguardian.com/technology/2...
Wow, true spirit of the season from @grantamag.bsky.social sending out rejections on Christmas Day morning. Super classy!
Seriously… even if this is automated… having a fuc*ing word with yourselves about appropriate settings etc. All tech is social, and this is grossly anti-
Seriously… even if this is automated… having a fuc*ing word with yourselves about appropriate settings etc. All tech is social, and this is grossly anti-
December 25, 2025 at 7:40 AM
Wow, true spirit of the season from @grantamag.bsky.social sending out rejections on Christmas Day morning. Super classy!
Seriously… even if this is automated… having a fuc*ing word with yourselves about appropriate settings etc. All tech is social, and this is grossly anti-
Seriously… even if this is automated… having a fuc*ing word with yourselves about appropriate settings etc. All tech is social, and this is grossly anti-
Reposted by Kester
I mean yeah it’s an authoritarian takeover but can we take some comfort in the fact that the people doing it are INSANELY stupid?
December 23, 2025 at 8:15 PM
I mean yeah it’s an authoritarian takeover but can we take some comfort in the fact that the people doing it are INSANELY stupid?
Hi Sky people. Quick favour… I’ve pitched at @sxsw.com #London to do a talk, and it’s down to a public vote. Be great if you were able to give this some love… and a share if poss! 🤖🙌 ☑️ sxswlondon.awardsplatform.com/entry/vote/b...
December 8, 2025 at 10:20 PM
Hi Sky people. Quick favour… I’ve pitched at @sxsw.com #London to do a talk, and it’s down to a public vote. Be great if you were able to give this some love… and a share if poss! 🤖🙌 ☑️ sxswlondon.awardsplatform.com/entry/vote/b...
Reposted by Kester
My dad abhors any negative comments about immigrants. Asked him recently why he’s so strong on it: ‘Because we’re always happy to take the rich and clever ones. Which means it’s not about disliking immigrants. It’s about disliking the poor and vulnerable. And that’s a bad human instinct.’
December 7, 2025 at 8:31 AM
My dad abhors any negative comments about immigrants. Asked him recently why he’s so strong on it: ‘Because we’re always happy to take the rich and clever ones. Which means it’s not about disliking immigrants. It’s about disliking the poor and vulnerable. And that’s a bad human instinct.’
Cultural change should be accompanied by legal changes.
Caught speeding once: points and course.
Caught again, compulsory black box to track your driving.
We have a right to privacy. We abdicate this right if we fail to act responsibly.
www.bbc.com/news/article...
Caught speeding once: points and course.
Caught again, compulsory black box to track your driving.
We have a right to privacy. We abdicate this right if we fail to act responsibly.
www.bbc.com/news/article...
A driver killed my parents - attitudes to speeding need to change
Claire Corkery wants cultural change on road safety after her parents were killed by a speeding driver.
www.bbc.com
December 4, 2025 at 8:17 AM
Cultural change should be accompanied by legal changes.
Caught speeding once: points and course.
Caught again, compulsory black box to track your driving.
We have a right to privacy. We abdicate this right if we fail to act responsibly.
www.bbc.com/news/article...
Caught speeding once: points and course.
Caught again, compulsory black box to track your driving.
We have a right to privacy. We abdicate this right if we fail to act responsibly.
www.bbc.com/news/article...
December 3, 2025 at 1:55 PM
“while efforts to align the rapidly advancing technology to human interests had to date been successful,”
Aligned to human interests?! 😆😆😆😆🙈🙈🙈🙈🙈👀👀👀😩😩
Stunning example of #AI #hallucination from Anthropic’s Jared Kaplan.
www.theguardian.com/technology/n...
Aligned to human interests?! 😆😆😆😆🙈🙈🙈🙈🙈👀👀👀😩😩
Stunning example of #AI #hallucination from Anthropic’s Jared Kaplan.
www.theguardian.com/technology/n...
‘The biggest decision yet’: Jared Kaplan on allowing AI to train itself
Anthropic’s chief scientist says AI autonomy could spark a beneficial ‘intelligence explosion’ – or be the moment humans lose control
www.theguardian.com
December 3, 2025 at 6:48 AM
“while efforts to align the rapidly advancing technology to human interests had to date been successful,”
Aligned to human interests?! 😆😆😆😆🙈🙈🙈🙈🙈👀👀👀😩😩
Stunning example of #AI #hallucination from Anthropic’s Jared Kaplan.
www.theguardian.com/technology/n...
Aligned to human interests?! 😆😆😆😆🙈🙈🙈🙈🙈👀👀👀😩😩
Stunning example of #AI #hallucination from Anthropic’s Jared Kaplan.
www.theguardian.com/technology/n...
Reposted by Kester
i know WHY this is but that just makes it even more of a kick in the pants lmao
November 28, 2025 at 3:28 AM
i know WHY this is but that just makes it even more of a kick in the pants lmao
Reposted by Kester
Brexit has caused almost twice as much damage to the UK economy than estimated by official forecasts, according to new paper from a group of experts including a senior Bank of England economist
Brexit Hit to UK Economy Double Official Estimate, Study Finds
Brexit has caused almost twice as much damage to the UK economy than estimated by official forecasts, according to new paper from a group of experts including a senior Bank of England economist.
bloom.bg
November 21, 2025 at 9:30 AM
Brexit has caused almost twice as much damage to the UK economy than estimated by official forecasts, according to new paper from a group of experts including a senior Bank of England economist
Reposted by Kester
Sea lions are seals that are missing an electron
July 19, 2025 at 10:42 AM
Sea lions are seals that are missing an electron