Shannon Vallor

@shannonvallor.bsky.social

16K followers 1.9K following 2.2K posts

Philosopher/AI Ethicist at Univ of Edinburgh, co-Director @technomoralfutures.bsky.social and BRAID @braiduk.bsky.social, author of Technology and the Virtues (2016) and The AI Mirror (2024). Views my own. Trying not to lose it. .. more

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Shannon Vallor is an American philosopher of technology. She is the Baillie Gifford Chair in the Ethics of Data and Artificial Intelligence at the Edinburgh Futures Institute. She previously taught at Santa Clara University in Santa Clara, California where she was the Regis and Dianne McKenna Professor of Philosophy and William J. Rewak, S.J. Professor at SCU. .. more

Neuroscience 30%

Computer science 22%

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Shannon Vallor @shannonvallor.bsky.social · 46m

Very tired of having to explain to people old enough to know better that it has NOT, in fact, always been true that we allow technology to get ever more dangerous and damaging as it ‘advances’. Please stop memory-holing the entire 20th century

Reposted by Shannon Vallor

Soren Lorenson @soren-lorenson.bsky.social · 14h

Just a reminder that the people who run AI companies talk like this when amongst themselves and when you ask me if I'm anti-AI, well, I'm anti whatever the fuck this is

From Empire of AI by Karen Hao

"Sutskever now spoke in increasingly messianic overtones, leaving even his longtime friends scratching their heads and other employees ap-prehensive. During one meeting with a new group of researchers, Suts-kever laid out his plans for how to prepare for AGI.

"Once we all get into the bunker-" he began.

"I'm sorry," a researcher interrupted, "the bunker?"

"We're definitely going to build a bunker before we release AGI," Suts-kever replied matter-of-factly. Such a powerful technology would surely become an object of intense desire for governments globally. It could es-calate geopolitical tensions; the core scientists working on the technol-ogy would need to be protected. "Of course," he added, "it's going to be optional whether you want to get into the bunker."

Shannon Vallor @shannonvallor.bsky.social · 17h

Thanks Clay! That’s lovely to hear. You’re the second person today to tell me they have shared the book with others and you can imagine how much that helps with the motivation to write the next one!

Shannon Vallor @shannonvallor.bsky.social · 1d

Not mad about having to buy this book twice!

Ickletayto @ickletayto.bsky.social · 1d

Exciting book post today for beautifying my shelves.

The special edition sprayed edge version of How To Lose the Time War by @amalelmohtar.com & @maxgladstone.bsky.social ..

It's so pretty

Shannon Vallor @shannonvallor.bsky.social · 1d

The budget levy on international fees seems to confirm that the UK government is, for reasons that defy economic logic, determined to break the backs of its own world-class universities just as the US government does the same. Now why would a government want to destroy the modern university I wonder

Reposted by Shannon Vallor

Centre for Technomoral Futures @technomoralfutures.bsky.social · 1d

It was wonderful to hear from EFI Visiting Fellow, Dr Ramsha Naeem, yesterday!

During her talk, Dr Naeem discussed the differences between what AI ethics is & what management theorists think AI can be, & her work towards proposing an integrated model to bridge that gap.

@shannonvallor.bsky.social

Professor Shannon Vallor and Dr Ramsha Naeem standing together, in front of a slide that reads: "AI Ethics and Future of Management Theory, Dr Ramsha Naeem, EFI Visiting Fellow, 25/11/2025." They are both smiling. Professor Vallor is wearing a grey jacket and scarf and Dr Naeem is wearing a traditional Pakistani outfit in black with red, green and gold floral embroidery.

Dr Naeem presenting to the audience during her talk.

Reposted by Shannon Vallor

Ickletayto @ickletayto.bsky.social · 1d

Exciting book post today for beautifying my shelves.

The special edition sprayed edge version of How To Lose the Time War by @amalelmohtar.com & @maxgladstone.bsky.social ..

It's so pretty

Reposted by Timnit Gebru, Shannon Vallor, Lisa W. Fazio , and 3 more Timnit Gebru, Shannon Vallor, Lisa W. Fazio, Mark A. Lemley, Simon J. Greenhill, Gerry Canavan

Gerrit De Vynck @gerritd.bsky.social · 1d

Additionally, OpenAI argues its not liable because Raine, by using ChatGPT for self-harm, broke its terms of service

Shannon Vallor @shannonvallor.bsky.social · 1d

Amazing news Ruha - such a fantastic team coming together!

Shannon Vallor @shannonvallor.bsky.social · 1d

Posted about liking a thing. Rookie mistake

Shannon Vallor @shannonvallor.bsky.social · 1d

Soylent green was a documentary only they got the substrate wrong

Shannon Vallor @shannonvallor.bsky.social · 1d

Sure, I’m not asking for anyone’s permission though! I know I’m allowed to like whatever I like. I am just curious about the specificity of its appeal

Reposted by Shannon Vallor, Lisa W. Fazio, Lesley A. Hall

𝙲𝚑𝚊𝚛𝚕𝚎𝚜 𝙲. 𝙼𝚊𝚗𝚗 @charlescmann.bsky.social · 1d

For a yr, I've been working on a series for The New Atlantis about the vast systems that underlie our lives. Our ancestors built them up over decades to fend off hunger, thirst, darkness and disease. But too few of us know about them—and they're all at risk. The conclusion is now available online:

Why We Are Better Off Than a Century Ago

Our ancestors built grand public systems to conquer hunger, thirst, darkness, and squalor. That progress can be lost if we forget it.

www.thenewatlantis.com

Reposted by Shannon Vallor, Steve Peers, Rebecca Tushnet , and 3 more Shannon Vallor, Steve Peers, Rebecca Tushnet, Michael Zimmer, Alessandro Nai, Aleksandra Urman

Rory Blank @roryblank.bsky.social · 1d

Is this cheese grater conscious? Many users feel they're talking to a real person. Scientists say it's time to consider whether they're onto something.

a cheese grater that, if viewed from the correct angle, appears to have a friendly, stupid face, an example of Pareidolia

Shannon Vallor @shannonvallor.bsky.social · 1d

maybe but I’m not sure I want to sit next to a drunk octopus

Shannon Vallor @shannonvallor.bsky.social · 1d

In any era but this one, a reasonable person would rightly assume that the FT and HSBC had concluded that setting fire to all the money was bad

Shannon Vallor @shannonvallor.bsky.social · 1d

I know. I can’t even. My summary in the replies:

Shannon Vallor @shannonvallor.bsky.social · 1d

Yet the article’s takeaway reads more like:

who cares if it loses money

who needs money

what even is money

we will all fill our bellies with AI

Shannon Vallor @shannonvallor.bsky.social · 1d

Yet the article’s takeaway reads more like:

who cares if it loses money

who needs money

what even is money

we will all fill our bellies with AI

Shannon Vallor @shannonvallor.bsky.social · 1d

Because this is Bluesky someone will probably come here to yell at me for plagiarizing dril without a proper citation, please just laugh

Reposted by Adrian Daub

Shannon Vallor @shannonvallor.bsky.social · 1d

somebody who is good at the economy please help them budget this, their bullshit factory is dying

Financial Times @financialtimes.com · 1d

OpenAI needs to raise at least $207bn by 2030 so it can continue to lose money, HSBC estimates on.ft.com/4ij0yh8

OpenAI needs to raise at least $207bn by 2030 so it can continue to lose money, HSBC estimates

A burning platform

on.ft.com

Reposted by Robert W. Wallace

Shannon Vallor @shannonvallor.bsky.social · 1d

[Americans peering over the fence at Brazil]:

“That rule of law looks nice, you’ve really been putting some work into it. Ours was getting pretty rickety.”

[Brazil]: “So then you took care of it?”

[America]: long pause

“in a manner of speaking”

The New York Times @nytimes.com · 1d

Breaking News: Brazil’s top court ordered former President Jair Bolsonaro to begin a 27-year prison term for a failed plot to stay in power. nyti.ms/3LSSs2S

Bolsonaro To Start Serving 27-Year Prison Sentence Over Coup Plot

Brazil’s Supreme Court court ordered former President Jair Bolsonaro to begin serving a prison term for conspiring to remain in power after losing the last election.

nyti.ms

Reposted by Shannon Vallor, Peter Campbell, Carolyne Larrington , and 3 more Shannon Vallor, Peter Campbell, Carolyne Larrington, David Murakami Wood, Olúfẹ́mi Táíwò, Peter Jacobs

Financial Times @financialtimes.com · 1d

OpenAI needs to raise at least $207bn by 2030 so it can continue to lose money, HSBC estimates on.ft.com/4ij0yh8

OpenAI needs to raise at least $207bn by 2030 so it can continue to lose money, HSBC estimates

A burning platform

on.ft.com

Reposted by Shannon Vallor

The New York Times @nytimes.com · 1d

Breaking News: Brazil’s top court ordered former President Jair Bolsonaro to begin a 27-year prison term for a failed plot to stay in power. nyti.ms/3LSSs2S

Bolsonaro To Start Serving 27-Year Prison Sentence Over Coup Plot

Brazil’s Supreme Court court ordered former President Jair Bolsonaro to begin serving a prison term for conspiring to remain in power after losing the last election.

nyti.ms