The essays in a writing intensive first-year lit class on mad science. The last batch has so many AI essays.

That's what I tried, but it has not worked. 😞

AI is absolutely destroying my love of teaching. 😞

When you use AI to do your writing, you are telling your audience: “I deserve your attention, but you do not deserve my effort.”

@amtrak.com claimed this was "fake news" when I asked if they had any suggestions for customers affected. At the same time, they said, "this is just part of the world we live in." I'm glad they're taking it so seriously...

Yes! Thank you!

Another day, another data breach. Any chance you're going to let customers know about this, @amtrak.com?

There was an image of an AI google overview saying Mary Shelley and Jane Austin were sisters circulating a while ago. Does anyone have it?

Description of a workshop about resisting AI

Very happy to be on this panel!

Ew

I genuinely don't understand why this would make "shares soar"... it sounds like business suicide to me.

Also, maybe I can finally afford to but a pair of these? Think they'll have moral decay sales?

Last day for free downloads!

Grinning lion

Grinning unicorn

Back home after a day-long journey. Hoping to catch up on emails today. In the meantime, here's a goofy lion and unicorn from Glasgow Cathedral.

Presented some material that didn't quite make it into Gothic Dementia today at @thebsls.bsky.social! The full book is free to download through Sunday if you missed it. Lots of great competing panels! www.cambridge.org/core/element...

Sad to be missing the @asecsoffice.bsky.social conference next weekend but super excited for my first @thebsls.bsky.social conference! It was quite a tricky decision. And the locations didn't make it easier!

I've seen people trying to defend it today by saying "No, no, I just use it to brainstorm, bounce ideas, I do the actual writing" and with all the kindness in the world I need to tell you: if there is a stage of writing you are not good at, you need to get good, not use the plagiarism machine.

Whoever's saying "all writers use AI" is clearly just trying to defend their own dependence on it. It's pathetic. Real writers aren't swayed.

It's students I worry about being convinced that they need to use it. They're already the target of so much $$$$ in marketing to get them hooked forever.

Why would I use "AI," I actually know how to fucking write

I keep seeing "all authors use AI, the real issue is they're being forced to be sneaky about it" headlines.

Full stop No. This is a lie peddled for normalization. It's schoolyard-level pressure tactics "C'mon, all the cool kids are already doing it. We won't tell. It's fine. We're on your side."

You wanna block this.

Chromebook Remorse: Tech Backlash at Schools Extends Beyond Phones

“But after tens of billions of dollars of school spending…studies have found that digital tools have generally not improved students’ academic results or graduation rates. Some researchers &organizations like UNESCO even warn that overreliance on technology can distract students and impede learning”

In the middle of teaching F451. I wish I had fewer real world examples to share with them. 🚒

It's here!!!

Gothic Dementia Cambridge Core - English Literature 1700-1830 - Gothic Dementia

Digital publication day! 🎉
I'm very proud of this little book on a difficult subject, one I take very much to heart (as I try to do with all my work, but especially this one). Gothic Dementia is free to download until April 12th!
www.cambridge.org/core/element...

Wikipedia Bans AI-Generated Content “In recent months, more and more administrative reports centered on LLM-related issues, and editors were being overwhelmed.”

Wikipedia does what is essentially a full ban on AI content: www.404media.co/wikipedia-ba...

The book Whack Job next to a cupcake that has been axe murdered

A successful book club

Cue frantic Saturday night grading. 🫩

As someone currently up for tenure, I would be heartbroken. People work so hard for this, and it's one of the few ways that academic sacrifice is recognized.

Two years ago I had my agents ask authors seeking blurbs if they had used LLMs in the writing or research for their novels. If yes, then I won’t read their books. I know I could be lied to. If I am lied to, I will LOUDLY retract my endorsement. I hope more writers might adopt a similar policy.

Open Letter: End the University of Edinburgh's Contract with OpenAI Dear EDINA Leadership Team and those responsible for the University's contract with OpenAI, We are publicly writing to you as the University of Edinburgh's contract with OpenAI is coming to an end, a...

So a great thing about contracts is that they usually have and end date and/or means of ending them. If your university or other organization bent the knee to OpenAI or any of the other chatbot providers, when a contract is up, there is an opportunity for pressure:

forms.gle/ZGn5brEGU4t9...