Jonathan Katz-Ouziel
@possumrabbi.bsky.social
Possum in a human suit. Accessibility person, avid home cook, and I read too much. I don't post work stuff or politics here.
Reposted by Jonathan Katz-Ouziel
Way too much press coverage of "AI" is spent debating the hypemerchants' claims of speed & efficiency & scale of impact, & not nearly enough is time spent on 2 very basic questions:
Are these systems outputs anything like correct? And, if & when they get things wrong, how much harm will that cause?
Are these systems outputs anything like correct? And, if & when they get things wrong, how much harm will that cause?
August 22, 2024 at 3:51 PM
Way too much press coverage of "AI" is spent debating the hypemerchants' claims of speed & efficiency & scale of impact, & not nearly enough is time spent on 2 very basic questions:
Are these systems outputs anything like correct? And, if & when they get things wrong, how much harm will that cause?
Are these systems outputs anything like correct? And, if & when they get things wrong, how much harm will that cause?
it's not that i ever doubted that being a barista was a skilled position, but my year-long effort to try to produce a half-decent latte at home has convinced me that a good barista is easily more skilled than virtually every c-suite executive on the planet
November 11, 2025 at 7:47 PM
Reposted by Jonathan Katz-Ouziel
Japanese maple leaves show off their most glorious crimson. Hope you all have a great week!
#VT365
#NaturePhotography
#VT365
#NaturePhotography
November 10, 2025 at 11:33 AM
Japanese maple leaves show off their most glorious crimson. Hope you all have a great week!
#VT365
#NaturePhotography
#VT365
#NaturePhotography
Reposted by Jonathan Katz-Ouziel
Recently met someone who was very surprised to hear I didn’t use ChatGPT or any LLM.
I said my job depended on doing distinctive work. That was my selling point. If I started to sound like ChatGPT and turn out what it did, then how on earth could I justify doing it? What would that make me?
I said my job depended on doing distinctive work. That was my selling point. If I started to sound like ChatGPT and turn out what it did, then how on earth could I justify doing it? What would that make me?
November 7, 2025 at 6:53 AM
Recently met someone who was very surprised to hear I didn’t use ChatGPT or any LLM.
I said my job depended on doing distinctive work. That was my selling point. If I started to sound like ChatGPT and turn out what it did, then how on earth could I justify doing it? What would that make me?
I said my job depended on doing distinctive work. That was my selling point. If I started to sound like ChatGPT and turn out what it did, then how on earth could I justify doing it? What would that make me?
Reposted by Jonathan Katz-Ouziel
I get this a lot too. I don't use ChatGPT or any LLMs in my work because I want my writing to sound like me, not like the averaged-out voice of the internet. But also, writing is thinking, and thinking is a habit. I don't want to get out of that habit.
A friend recently texted me the same thing. “Do you really not use ChatGPT?!” It was a sign of where we are culturally on this. People are compelled to use it but also starting to question the normalcy?
Recently met someone who was very surprised to hear I didn’t use ChatGPT or any LLM.
I said my job depended on doing distinctive work. That was my selling point. If I started to sound like ChatGPT and turn out what it did, then how on earth could I justify doing it? What would that make me?
I said my job depended on doing distinctive work. That was my selling point. If I started to sound like ChatGPT and turn out what it did, then how on earth could I justify doing it? What would that make me?
November 8, 2025 at 1:43 PM
I get this a lot too. I don't use ChatGPT or any LLMs in my work because I want my writing to sound like me, not like the averaged-out voice of the internet. But also, writing is thinking, and thinking is a habit. I don't want to get out of that habit.
Reposted by Jonathan Katz-Ouziel
When you are this cute, does anything else really matter?
#🪶
#birds
#nature
#wildlife
#birding
#photography
#birdsofbluesky
#mallardducks
#naturephotography #birdphotography #nikon #nikonZ8 #nikonphotographer
#🪶
#birds
#nature
#wildlife
#birding
#photography
#birdsofbluesky
#mallardducks
#naturephotography #birdphotography #nikon #nikonZ8 #nikonphotographer
November 7, 2025 at 12:44 AM
When you are this cute, does anything else really matter?
#🪶
#birds
#nature
#wildlife
#birding
#photography
#birdsofbluesky
#mallardducks
#naturephotography #birdphotography #nikon #nikonZ8 #nikonphotographer
#🪶
#birds
#nature
#wildlife
#birding
#photography
#birdsofbluesky
#mallardducks
#naturephotography #birdphotography #nikon #nikonZ8 #nikonphotographer
Reposted by Jonathan Katz-Ouziel
"This long-running war on knowledge and expertise has sown the ground for the narratives widely used by AI companies and the CEOs adopting it. Human labor, inquiry, creativity, and expertise is spurned in the name of “efficiency.” With AI, there is no need for human expertise"
AI Is Supercharging the War on Libraries, Education, and Human Knowledge
"Fascism and AI, whether or not they have the same goals, they sure are working to accelerate one another."
www.404media.co
November 7, 2025 at 4:20 PM
"This long-running war on knowledge and expertise has sown the ground for the narratives widely used by AI companies and the CEOs adopting it. Human labor, inquiry, creativity, and expertise is spurned in the name of “efficiency.” With AI, there is no need for human expertise"
This was a great piece, and while it is temporally specific I'm thinking of how this is also useful in the accessibility realm.
"You need to use the tools of the job you've chosen to do"
www.baldurbjarnason.com/2025/use-the...
There's a very good chance this piece will make people angry at me.
www.baldurbjarnason.com/2025/use-the...
There's a very good chance this piece will make people angry at me.
You need to use the tools of the job you've chosen to do
Web dev at the end of the world, from Hveragerði, Iceland
www.baldurbjarnason.com
November 7, 2025 at 8:44 PM
This was a great piece, and while it is temporally specific I'm thinking of how this is also useful in the accessibility realm.
Reposted by Jonathan Katz-Ouziel
That's the big shame here. Some of the work he does has been extremely useful and important and him running a PR firm with clients in the tech and "AI" industry directly undermines that work. It makes the work easy for those criticised to dismiss and it makes it harder for others to build on it.
October 28, 2025 at 12:31 AM
That's the big shame here. Some of the work he does has been extremely useful and important and him running a PR firm with clients in the tech and "AI" industry directly undermines that work. It makes the work easy for those criticised to dismiss and it makes it harder for others to build on it.
Reposted by Jonathan Katz-Ouziel
i see you're doing something online that you have effortlessly done 100,000 times. would you like to use this ai tool? would you like to use this ai tool? would you like to use this ai tool? would you like to use this ai tool? would you like to use this ai tool? would you like to use this ai tool? w
October 20, 2025 at 2:38 PM
i see you're doing something online that you have effortlessly done 100,000 times. would you like to use this ai tool? would you like to use this ai tool? would you like to use this ai tool? would you like to use this ai tool? would you like to use this ai tool? would you like to use this ai tool? w
Reposted by Jonathan Katz-Ouziel
New digital #a11y food analogy in latest update to "Accessibility is Delicious" (1st written in 2020, updated ever since) This one about swiss cheese, thanks to @possumrabbi.bsky.social. Read it here. I welcome accessibility food analogies from all over the world! www.lflegal.com/2020/05/acce...
Accessibility is Delicious: Food analogies for digital inclusion
I'm always looking for ways to talk about digital inclusion without reference to legal hammers. This post gathers some yummy analogies for accessibility that can be used to raise awareness and help de...
www.lflegal.com
November 2, 2025 at 6:37 PM
New digital #a11y food analogy in latest update to "Accessibility is Delicious" (1st written in 2020, updated ever since) This one about swiss cheese, thanks to @possumrabbi.bsky.social. Read it here. I welcome accessibility food analogies from all over the world! www.lflegal.com/2020/05/acce...
Reposted by Jonathan Katz-Ouziel
Yep. Anything to keep it going. Andreessen said that "any deceleration of AI will cost lives," and called slowing down AI "a form of murder." These billionaires are so entitled — and so terrified of their own inevitable deaths — that they frame any limits on their own power in apocalyptic terms.
"fearing or regulating it, or opposing technological progress, would hasten the coming of the Antichrist, Thiel said"
what the fuck
what the fuck
New argument against AI regulation just dropped. Checkmate, atheists.
www.wsj.com/tech/peter-t...
www.wsj.com/tech/peter-t...
September 24, 2025 at 2:44 PM
Yep. Anything to keep it going. Andreessen said that "any deceleration of AI will cost lives," and called slowing down AI "a form of murder." These billionaires are so entitled — and so terrified of their own inevitable deaths — that they frame any limits on their own power in apocalyptic terms.
Reposted by Jonathan Katz-Ouziel
there really is something inherently abusive about AI. Buying into the hype means you are perpetually gaslighting your workers while desperately explaining away its faults as if they're either your own or your employees. Very nasty stuff.
September 19, 2025 at 4:11 PM
there really is something inherently abusive about AI. Buying into the hype means you are perpetually gaslighting your workers while desperately explaining away its faults as if they're either your own or your employees. Very nasty stuff.
Reposted by Jonathan Katz-Ouziel
When people say "We used to drink raw milk from our own cow and it was fine,"
That's... usually not the case!
In families w their own cow, the mom usually boiled it before using.
We just forgot bc that's a boring chore that mom did. And who pays attention to that?
youtu.be/vKDPast9WFk
That's... usually not the case!
In families w their own cow, the mom usually boiled it before using.
We just forgot bc that's a boring chore that mom did. And who pays attention to that?
youtu.be/vKDPast9WFk
"Everyone Drank Raw Milk!" No They Didn't
YouTube video by Farm to Taber
youtu.be
September 3, 2025 at 6:30 PM
When people say "We used to drink raw milk from our own cow and it was fine,"
That's... usually not the case!
In families w their own cow, the mom usually boiled it before using.
We just forgot bc that's a boring chore that mom did. And who pays attention to that?
youtu.be/vKDPast9WFk
That's... usually not the case!
In families w their own cow, the mom usually boiled it before using.
We just forgot bc that's a boring chore that mom did. And who pays attention to that?
youtu.be/vKDPast9WFk
Reposted by Jonathan Katz-Ouziel
If you think the LLM told you something, ask yourself: What is your belief about who's talking? What is feeding that belief?
September 7, 2025 at 5:57 PM
If you think the LLM told you something, ask yourself: What is your belief about who's talking? What is feeding that belief?
Reposted by Jonathan Katz-Ouziel
Something I didn't get to say yesterday:
We heard over and over during the event about "human-centered" approaches to "AI". But if refusal is not on the table (at every level: individual students and teachers right up through UNESCO) then we have in fact centered the technology, not the people.
We heard over and over during the event about "human-centered" approaches to "AI". But if refusal is not on the table (at every level: individual students and teachers right up through UNESCO) then we have in fact centered the technology, not the people.
It has been really interesting to attend UNESCO's Digital Learning Week (though unfortunately I'm not able to stick around). My public lecture from yesterday can be found here:
www.youtube.com/live/l-OWi6V...
>>
www.youtube.com/live/l-OWi6V...
>>
September 3, 2025 at 10:35 AM
Something I didn't get to say yesterday:
We heard over and over during the event about "human-centered" approaches to "AI". But if refusal is not on the table (at every level: individual students and teachers right up through UNESCO) then we have in fact centered the technology, not the people.
We heard over and over during the event about "human-centered" approaches to "AI". But if refusal is not on the table (at every level: individual students and teachers right up through UNESCO) then we have in fact centered the technology, not the people.
Reposted by Jonathan Katz-Ouziel
Every person who says "of course there are some uses for LLMs" should be forced to immediately list what those uses are, taking into account that:
a) they cannot be accurate and there is no way to make them accurate
b) they have been repeatedly shown to make users dumber and worse at their jobs
a) they cannot be accurate and there is no way to make them accurate
b) they have been repeatedly shown to make users dumber and worse at their jobs
September 4, 2025 at 3:14 PM
Every person who says "of course there are some uses for LLMs" should be forced to immediately list what those uses are, taking into account that:
a) they cannot be accurate and there is no way to make them accurate
b) they have been repeatedly shown to make users dumber and worse at their jobs
a) they cannot be accurate and there is no way to make them accurate
b) they have been repeatedly shown to make users dumber and worse at their jobs
Wow a lot of people are hitting on the National Guard guys in DC
September 3, 2025 at 10:55 PM
Wow a lot of people are hitting on the National Guard guys in DC
Reposted by Jonathan Katz-Ouziel
I also really appreciate this advice from @emilymbender.bsky.social and @karenhao.bsky.social, which tracks with my own experience teaching high school students and college students and talking with my own kids. Emphasize environmental costs and - once more - that GenAI is *not* inevitable.
August 30, 2025 at 7:21 PM
I also really appreciate this advice from @emilymbender.bsky.social and @karenhao.bsky.social, which tracks with my own experience teaching high school students and college students and talking with my own kids. Emphasize environmental costs and - once more - that GenAI is *not* inevitable.
Reposted by Jonathan Katz-Ouziel
Mic drop from @abeba.bsky.social at UNESCO Digital Learning Week
September 2, 2025 at 3:07 PM
Mic drop from @abeba.bsky.social at UNESCO Digital Learning Week
Inspired by @alexhanna.bsky.social, @emilymbender.bsky.social, @edzitron.com, and my dear friend @msabbaghi.bsky.social, I'm including this very direct image on what I think about "AI" "accessibility solutions" on a professional presentation
[icon: Stick figure throwing object into trash can]
[icon: Stick figure throwing object into trash can]
August 28, 2025 at 2:52 PM
Inspired by @alexhanna.bsky.social, @emilymbender.bsky.social, @edzitron.com, and my dear friend @msabbaghi.bsky.social, I'm including this very direct image on what I think about "AI" "accessibility solutions" on a professional presentation
[icon: Stick figure throwing object into trash can]
[icon: Stick figure throwing object into trash can]
Reposted by Jonathan Katz-Ouziel
This is a funny tweet because she's actually right, this the story of Berkeley. An Americanized Chinese food restaurant that appealed to WASPs happily sold out after the owners reached their elderly age and the new business serves the booming Asian population downtown. And the WASPs think its bad
August 27, 2025 at 8:32 PM
This is a funny tweet because she's actually right, this the story of Berkeley. An Americanized Chinese food restaurant that appealed to WASPs happily sold out after the owners reached their elderly age and the new business serves the booming Asian population downtown. And the WASPs think its bad
Reposted by Jonathan Katz-Ouziel
Love this photo of Monarch Butterflies in Ontario Canada probably Point Peel National that i went to yearly in Sept in my twenties as they gathered to cross Lake erie migrating south waited for the wind to change
August 25, 2025 at 3:17 PM
Love this photo of Monarch Butterflies in Ontario Canada probably Point Peel National that i went to yearly in Sept in my twenties as they gathered to cross Lake erie migrating south waited for the wind to change
This book has helped me explain to business partners why stochastic parrots are a mess!
We're seeing sales creep up for The AI Con (thecon.ai) and for that, we're really thankful!
Let us know if you've put it on a syllabus, or shared with your AI skeptic friends who are wondering what all this mess is all about.
@emilymbender.bsky.social
Let us know if you've put it on a syllabus, or shared with your AI skeptic friends who are wondering what all this mess is all about.
@emilymbender.bsky.social
THE AI CON
How to Fight Big Tech's Hype and Create the Future We Want
thecon.ai
August 24, 2025 at 8:05 PM
This book has helped me explain to business partners why stochastic parrots are a mess!
Reposted by Jonathan Katz-Ouziel
New on the Mystery AI Hype Theater 3000 newsletter: A bit of historical context for the past week's news that, gee, "AI" isn't all it's cracked up to be
buttondown.com/maiht3k/arch...
w/@alexhanna.bsky.social and @deccamuldowney.bsky.social
buttondown.com/maiht3k/arch...
w/@alexhanna.bsky.social and @deccamuldowney.bsky.social
“AI” skepticism went mainstream this week
After years of non-stop hype and bloviation, a flood of recent news stories suggest the tide may be turning on “AI”. Headlines this week announced AI is a...
buttondown.com
August 23, 2025 at 11:57 PM
New on the Mystery AI Hype Theater 3000 newsletter: A bit of historical context for the past week's news that, gee, "AI" isn't all it's cracked up to be
buttondown.com/maiht3k/arch...
w/@alexhanna.bsky.social and @deccamuldowney.bsky.social
buttondown.com/maiht3k/arch...
w/@alexhanna.bsky.social and @deccamuldowney.bsky.social