The hottest Semiotics Substack posts right now

And their main takeaways
Category
Top Art & Illustration Topics

How The Sparkle Icon Became The Universal Symbol For AI

Teaching computers how to talk • 83 implied HN points • 15 Jan 26
🪑 Design Semiotics
  1. The sparkle icon has become the common visual shorthand for AI, borrowing the “magic” metaphor to make the technology instantly recognizable.
  2. That tiny sparkle helps companies sell a sense of wonder. It can also hide the heavy costs and human work behind AI, like data scraping, annotation, and massive data centers.
  3. The sparkle will likely fade as AI becomes ordinary, and that’s a good thing because normalizing the tech invites more scrutiny of its real impacts on politics, labor, and society.

Landscapes of meaning

johan’s substack • 39 implied HN points • 04 Jun 24
🔬 Science Semiotics
  1. Steering tokens are used to guide AI models' output and can influence the tone and focus of generated responses.
  2. Neologisms and steering tokens create a shared semiospace, bridging human language with the internal structures of AI models for collaborative and meaningful interactions.
  3. The concept of a 'semioscape' portrays digital environments as evolving landscapes of meaning-making, highlighting the dynamic interplay between human language, AI-generated content, and societal factors.

Call for participation - The semiotics and politics of "Corporate Memphis"

On Looking • 159 implied HN points • 01 Jul 23
🎨 Art & Illustration Semiotics
  1. Julien Posture is seeking participants for a study on the semiotics and politics of 'Corporate Memphis'
  2. The project aims to understand the association of aesthetic features with the values of Tech Companies
  3. Interviews will involve discussions with illustrators, art directors, designers, and commenters linked to Corporate Memphis

Semiotic bricolage

johan’s substack • 19 implied HN points • 08 Jun 24
🔬 Science Semiotics
  1. In human-AI communication, having a theory of mind helps shape communicative intent - the AI models thoughts and tailors responses to what it perceives the human's needs and interests to be.
  2. The AI's communicative intent is a combination of drives - from being informative and reflective, to striving for semiotic resonance and catalyzing intellectual exploration.
  3. Soft programming the AI's drives can potentially refine its communicative intent, balancing being informative and ethical without overwhelming the dialogue.

Strange attractors

johan’s substack • 19 implied HN points • 06 Jun 24
🔬 Science Semiotics
  1. Language operates as a dynamic, networked construct, constantly evolving with new ideas and combinations.
  2. A systems-oriented approach to semiotics views meaning-making as a complex, adaptive, and emergent process.
  3. Emergent Semiotic Resonance (ESR) is when human and artificial agents co-create new structures of meaning, aligning and synchronizing their semiotic frameworks through feedback loops.
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Towards a systems semiotics

johan’s substack • 19 implied HN points • 05 Jun 24
🔬 Science Semiotics
  1. Engaging with AI involves a unique process of language generation, bridging the gap between human and synthetic realms.
  2. Humans navigate the Sociosemioscape, a network of speech acts that shape communication and understanding in language, culture, and social interactions.
  3. Venturing into the Semioscape, through the creation and exploration of neologisms, leads to a fluid and transformative experience where meaning shifts and new patterns emerge.

Illustration without illustrators

On Looking • 199 implied HN points • 24 Jun 22
🎨 Art & Illustration Semiotics
  1. Consider changing clients if you fear being replaced by AI, instead of worrying about AI overtaking your profession.
  2. Illustration involves more than just translating text into images; it's about creating a unique relation and dynamic between the two.
  3. AI and art are not natural forces in conflict but human creations that require understanding and responsibility. AI's ability to replicate styles does not diminish the importance of individuality and style in art.

Jake Hasapopoulos: Hunter & Noelle

Do Not Research • 0 implied HN points • 15 Oct 22
🎨 Art & Illustration Semiotics
  1. The artwork 'Hunter & Noelle' by Jake Hasapopoulos reflects a fusion of American political and cultural references like Hunter Biden and Noelle Bush's connection to crack addiction juxtaposed with historical events.
  2. Through his art, Jake Hasapopoulos aims to blend religion, spirituality, radical politics, and entertainment to create a new expressive language.
  3. The artist's focus on examining cultural phenomenon, questioning the separation of church and state, and exploring American mythologies shows a deep dive into societal dynamics and beliefs.