@VickiTurk

Journalist focusing on tech and longform. Formerly @restofworld, @WiredUK, @NewScientist, @Motherboard. Email: vturk.writes@gmail (no PR please!)

 London
Joined January 2009
  • Tweets1.4K
  • Following1.9K
  • Followers13K
79Media
All right it's been a while since I went on a sexism in tech rant so HERE WE GO. All of you gleefully sharing this Marissa Mayer quote like it shows what a negligent mother she is are telling on yourselves.
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There are so many legitimate criticisms of AI and tech folks, can we not jump to just disingenuously criticising a woman as a bad mum?
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I mean there's even a very clear sentence here - "She felt overwhelmed by the range and complexity of potential answers." All of you trying to use this as some sort of bad-mum-gotcha either lack reading comprehension or are just wilfully misrepresenting things
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AI-written text is baked into software that millions, if not billions, of people use every day, @VickiTurk writes. How will it influence how we communicate with one another? theatlantic.com/technology/a…

The Great Language Flattening

Chatbots learned from human writing. Now it’s their turn to influence us.

theatlantic.com
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TONIGHT: our super important discussion on how tech is shaping our worldviews, our politics and our trust in each other - @frontlineclub at 7pm with the brilliant @oliviasolon @VickiTurk @FaisalAlYafai - last few tickets available here: eventbrite.com/e/feeds-fakes…?

Feeds, Fakes and Fractures: The New Frontlines of Democracy

How AI, algorithms and disinformation are reshaping truth, power and politics — and what it means for democracy’s future

eventbrite.com
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London journos! I'm speaking at the Frontline Club on Friday alongside @oliviasolon, hosted by @lsmwilson and @FaisalAlYafai. We'll be talking about how AI, algorithms, and disinformation are reshaping truth and power. Come join the discussion, it's free! eventbrite.com/e/feeds-fakes…

Feeds, Fakes and Fractures: The New Frontlines of Democracy

How AI, algorithms and disinformation are reshaping truth, power and politics — and what it means for democracy’s future

eventbrite.com
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We're back @frontlineclub this Friday, for a fascinating discussion on how AI, algorithms and disinformation are reshaping truth, power and politics. With the brilliant @oliviasolon @VickiTurk @lsmwilson. Join us @newlinesmag eventbrite.com/e/feeds-fakes…
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It's rare that I venture outside the tech beat, but I loved writing this piece about councils' various restrictions on dogs. Are blanket rules necessary to address poorly behaved pooches, or do they mainly penalise responsible dog owners? theguardian.com/lifeandstyle…

‘Poo and punishment’ – is there really a war on dogs in England and Wales?

From fines to outright bans, many councils are clamping down on canines and their owners. But not all the measures – especially the ones that prevent dogs exercising freely – are welcome

theguardian.com
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🚨Freelance writers!🚨 I'm looking for *experienced tech writers* to pitch stories related to the future of manufacturing. Think: advanced manufacturing tech; use of AI, IoT or robotics; sustainable processes; supply chain shifts, future workforce Pitch [email protected]
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Do you work in tech? Have you found yourself talking to Claude, ChatGPT, or other AI chatbots like a friend or confidant - beyond using it as a purely professional tool? I'd like to talk to you! DM me or email in bio.
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I've always been sceptical of productivity apps but thought I'd give the new wave of AI workflow tools a go... Here's how it went theguardian.com/technology/2…

‘Have your bot speak to my bot’: can AI productivity apps turbocharge my life?

I tried out organisational software to help streamline my work and build a ‘second brain’. I never knew there were so many different ways to take notes…

theguardian.com
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What is in audio datasets? Check out this excellent writeup of our recent paper!
Vicki Turk@VickiTurk12 Nov 2024
What could go wrong if you train audio AI models on readings of public domain books? (They could learn outdated racist slurs, for one.) newscientist.com/article/245…

Audio AIs are trained on data full of bias and offensive language | New Scientist

Seven major datasets used to train audio-generating AI models are three times more likely to use the words "man" or "men" than "woman" or "women", raising fears of bias

newscientist.com
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What could go wrong if you train audio AI models on readings of public domain books? (They could learn outdated racist slurs, for one.) newscientist.com/article/245…

Audio AIs are trained on data full of bias and offensive language | New Scientist

Seven major datasets used to train audio-generating AI models are three times more likely to use the words "man" or "men" than "woman" or "women", raising fears of bias

newscientist.com
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Vicki Turk retweeted
Andrew Deck@decka22715 Oct 2024
Proud to share that my feature with @Raksha_Kumar won a 2024 SAJA Award for outstanding culture reporting this weekend! @sajahq
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Well this was fun! I got suitably @WIRED on mushrooms (/placebo effect) while exploring the new trend of adaptogenic drinks wired.com/story/adaptogenic-…

The Race to Make Your Coffee Do More and More

Adaptogenic drinks are having a moment, as brands embrace ingredients with claims to improve focus, energy, and productivity, without caffeine jitters. And this is only the beginning.

wired.com
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Humanoid robots are having a moment, but robot bodies lag behind advances in AI. It was fascinating to talk to people at the forefront of robotics to learn more about the challenges still hindering a properly multipurpose robot theguardian.com/science/2024…

‘It’s the robot we were all expecting – like C3PO’: why aren’t humanoids in our homes yet?

Tesla and others are trying to infuse robots with artificial intelligence, yet their development is dogged by technical and safety challenges. But the dream of a multipurpose domestic droid lives on

theguardian.com
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I'm also intrigued by the idea suggested by one of my interviewees that AGI is not be possible without a physical embodiment... Really interesting take
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Also one commenter is "surprised and disappointed" in me for even writing about this topic, which is apparently "normalizing something deeply disturbing and abnormal." Not a subject I thought would be that controversial!
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"Hand-wringing about the possibility that AI developers will lose control of their creation distracts from the more plausible scenario that they’ll use it as planned."
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