Untangled with Charley Johnson

A newsletter and podcast about technology, people, and power.

The hottest Substack posts of Untangled with Charley Johnson

And their main takeaways

A letter to my nephew

412 implied HN points • 09 Jan 24

🎭️ Culture Personal Development Relationships Literature

The author's interests include exploring emotional lives, relationships, attention, and big life questions.
The author is compiling essays about vulnerability, curiosity, and other life topics for their nephew.
Readers are invited to engage by filling out a poll, clicking a heart symbol, and sharing advice for their younger selves.

🧠 Synthetic social media

196 implied HN points • 07 Jan 24

🕹 Technology Social media AI Workshop

Emergence of E-Swift in synthetic social media.
AI alignment is seen as a myth, not a problem.
Author shared top 5 essays from 2023 and a goofy picture.

🧠 The ongoing tug of war between open and closed AI

98 implied HN points • 04 Feb 24

🕹 Technology AI Big Tech Ethics Innovation

Debate between open and closed AI is ongoing and complex.
Openness in AI can democratize access and innovation.
AI models requiring huge resources challenges the idea of democratization through openness.

🗞️ ChatGPT & Copyright; AlphaFold gets an asterisk; Participation & Trust

117 implied HN points • 14 Jan 24

🕹 Technology AI Data Media Ethics Models

High-quality data is crucial for training AI models like ChatGPT.
Media companies are concerned about AI companies using their content without permission.
Ethical considerations arise as technology advances, potentially impacting media and trust.

An “AI Untangled” Update

58 implied HN points • 21 Jan 24

🕹 Technology Ethics Systems Future scenarios Narratives Metaphors

Transition from minimizing harms to transforming sociotechnical systems.
Mindset shifts needed: view technology as entangled in social systems, acknowledge complex dynamics, articulate radical new futures.
Explore framing, metaphors, complex systems, and alternative futures to understand AI better.

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📚Crypto Untangled

19 implied HN points • 11 Feb 24

🔮 Crypto Technology Blockchain Decentralization Smart Contracts Cryptocurrency

Crypto industry needs to work on earning public trust and creating real value in the world
To move forward, the crypto industry should focus on understanding how blockchains interact with social systems
The e-book 'Crypto Untangled' aims to help people understand what's happening in the crypto world and encourage industry participants to address blindspots

🗞️ AI is a 'public problem'; 'Fauxmation'; and the surveillance AI pipeline.

19 implied HN points • 28 Jan 24

🕹 Technology AI Surveillance Ethics Generative AI

Generative AI should be considered a public problem requiring collective consideration.
Technology problems are not just about technology, but also about social, cultural, political, and economic factors.
An important aspect of addressing AI issues is to collectively debate, account for, and manage them.