Dr Abeba Birhane
@abeba.bsky.social
Founder & PI @aial.ie. Assistant Professor of AI, School of Computer Science & Statistics, @tcddublin.bsky.social
AI accountability, AI audits & evaluation, critical data studies. Cognitive scientist by training. Ethiopian in Ireland. She/her
AI accountability, AI audits & evaluation, critical data studies. Cognitive scientist by training. Ethiopian in Ireland. She/her
Pinned
Dr Abeba Birhane
@abeba.bsky.social
· Jun 25
Computer-vision research powers surveillance technology - Nature
An analysis of research papers and citing patents indicates the extensive ties between computer-vision research and surveillance.
www.nature.com
New paper hot off the press www.nature.com/articles/s41...
We analysed over 40,000 computer vision papers from CVPR (the longest standing CV conf) & associated patents tracing pathways from research to application. We found that 90% of papers & 86% of downstream patents power surveillance
1/
We analysed over 40,000 computer vision papers from CVPR (the longest standing CV conf) & associated patents tracing pathways from research to application. We found that 90% of papers & 86% of downstream patents power surveillance
1/
if anything like this was happening in a broad daylight in an African country, western governments would be issuing warnings left and right decrying how unsafe it is for their citizens to travel there
December 5, 2025 at 8:36 AM
if anything like this was happening in a broad daylight in an African country, western governments would be issuing warnings left and right decrying how unsafe it is for their citizens to travel there
Reposted by Dr Abeba Birhane
60,000 African penguins starve to death after sardine numbers collapse – study
60,000 African penguins starve to death after sardine numbers collapse – study
Climate crisis and overfishing contributed to loss of 95% of penguins in two breeding colonies in South Africa, research finds
More than 60,000 penguins in colonies off the coast of South Africa have starved to death as a result of disappearing sardines, a new paper has found.
More than 95% of the African penguins in two of the most important breeding colonies, on Dassen Island and Robben Island, died between 2004 and 2012. The breeding penguins probably starved to death during the moulting period, according to the paper, which said the climate crisis and overfishing were driving declines. Continue reading...
www.theguardian.com
December 5, 2025 at 6:10 AM
60,000 African penguins starve to death after sardine numbers collapse – study
Reposted by Dr Abeba Birhane
Spotify has laid off thousands in recent years, while reportedly paying artists $0.003 per stream.
Spotify profits rose 28% in Q3. Its CEO is worth $9.8 billion. It's making money off ICE recruitment ads.
Don't you think it's time put a wrap on corporate greed and exploitation?
Spotify profits rose 28% in Q3. Its CEO is worth $9.8 billion. It's making money off ICE recruitment ads.
Don't you think it's time put a wrap on corporate greed and exploitation?
December 4, 2025 at 5:10 PM
Spotify has laid off thousands in recent years, while reportedly paying artists $0.003 per stream.
Spotify profits rose 28% in Q3. Its CEO is worth $9.8 billion. It's making money off ICE recruitment ads.
Don't you think it's time put a wrap on corporate greed and exploitation?
Spotify profits rose 28% in Q3. Its CEO is worth $9.8 billion. It's making money off ICE recruitment ads.
Don't you think it's time put a wrap on corporate greed and exploitation?
Reposted by Dr Abeba Birhane
Hi! If you know of good reporting on consequences of data centers to nearby communities, please share! They're trying to build a data center near me and I would like to do some reeeeesearch please and thank you
December 4, 2025 at 8:18 PM
Hi! If you know of good reporting on consequences of data centers to nearby communities, please share! They're trying to build a data center near me and I would like to do some reeeeesearch please and thank you
Reposted by Dr Abeba Birhane
a problem we currently face is that people are not scientifically literate enough to avoid getting into fields that are based in pseudoscience. Then once they’re in they deal with a very real sunk cost issue. Chiropractic is the easy example but there are others which are less obvious
December 4, 2025 at 8:33 PM
a problem we currently face is that people are not scientifically literate enough to avoid getting into fields that are based in pseudoscience. Then once they’re in they deal with a very real sunk cost issue. Chiropractic is the easy example but there are others which are less obvious
tech/AI has always been about profit maximisation and world domination at all costs (even if it means the end of democracy) only now, thanks to the rise of fascism, they can say the quite part out loud
Palantir CEO Says Making War Crimes Constitutional Would Be Good for Business
Palantir CEO Says Making War Crimes Constitutional Would Be Good for Business
Alex Karp vows to use his "whole influence" on immigration and defense policy.
gizmodo.com
December 4, 2025 at 9:12 PM
tech/AI has always been about profit maximisation and world domination at all costs (even if it means the end of democracy) only now, thanks to the rise of fascism, they can say the quite part out loud
Reposted by Dr Abeba Birhane
This is probably as good a time as any to announce that my next book, which I start drafting on research leave in January, will be about AI as an agent of cognitive, epistemic, emotional, physical, economic and political dispossession.
NEW: AI chatbots used inaccurate information to change people’s political opinions, study finds www.nbcnews.com/tech/tech-ne...
AI chatbots used inaccurate information to change people’s political opinions, study finds
A paper published in the journal Science found that chatbots become more persuasive when they share large amounts of information.
www.nbcnews.com
December 4, 2025 at 8:54 PM
This is probably as good a time as any to announce that my next book, which I start drafting on research leave in January, will be about AI as an agent of cognitive, epistemic, emotional, physical, economic and political dispossession.
Reposted by Dr Abeba Birhane
Agents in Key Largo, Florida ripped this woman wearing medical scrubs out of her car as she screamed she is a US citizen. Agents cuffed her and put her in one of their cars.
She was eventually let go, per David Goodhue of the Miami Herald, who also took this footage:
She was eventually let go, per David Goodhue of the Miami Herald, who also took this footage:
December 3, 2025 at 5:20 PM
Agents in Key Largo, Florida ripped this woman wearing medical scrubs out of her car as she screamed she is a US citizen. Agents cuffed her and put her in one of their cars.
She was eventually let go, per David Goodhue of the Miami Herald, who also took this footage:
She was eventually let go, per David Goodhue of the Miami Herald, who also took this footage:
Reposted by Dr Abeba Birhane
Public smoking bans just got in under the wire, too. Younger folks might not realize how rare they used to be and how hard they were to enact.
it is MIRACULOUS that we got rid of lead paint and asbestos when we did. if we had tried that today, there would be people whining about how we're restricting their rights.
Bring back residential-use lead paint, you cowards.
December 4, 2025 at 3:44 PM
Public smoking bans just got in under the wire, too. Younger folks might not realize how rare they used to be and how hard they were to enact.
Reposted by Dr Abeba Birhane
At least four countries have announced they are pulling out of next year’s Eurovision Song Contest. This decision follows the organizers' choice to allow Israel to compete, despite concerns over its conduct in the Gaza war.
At least 4 countries pull out of 2026 Eurovision contest as Israel’s participation sows discord
At least four countries have announced they are pulling out of next year’s Eurovision Song Contest. This decision follows the organizers' choice to allow Israel to compete, despite concerns over its conduct in the Gaza war.
bit.ly
December 4, 2025 at 8:35 PM
At least four countries have announced they are pulling out of next year’s Eurovision Song Contest. This decision follows the organizers' choice to allow Israel to compete, despite concerns over its conduct in the Gaza war.
Reposted by Dr Abeba Birhane
The top-10 carmakers by market cap make up 75% of global passenger car sales.
Tesla makes up less than 2%.
The Tesla bubble will be widely documented in history books.
Tesla makes up less than 2%.
The Tesla bubble will be widely documented in history books.
December 4, 2025 at 2:27 PM
The top-10 carmakers by market cap make up 75% of global passenger car sales.
Tesla makes up less than 2%.
The Tesla bubble will be widely documented in history books.
Tesla makes up less than 2%.
The Tesla bubble will be widely documented in history books.
Reposted by Dr Abeba Birhane
Is my mirror conscious? The being reflected in it is able to duplicate everything I do, even very hard things.
December 4, 2025 at 8:39 PM
Is my mirror conscious? The being reflected in it is able to duplicate everything I do, even very hard things.
Reposted by Dr Abeba Birhane
Ireland to boycott the Eurovision due to Israel’s participation in the competition
Spain and The Netherlands are also withdrawing from the competition for the same reason
www.rte.ie/entertainmen...
Spain and The Netherlands are also withdrawing from the competition for the same reason
www.rte.ie/entertainmen...
RTÉ to boycott Eurovision Song Contest over Israel
Ireland will not participate in next year's Eurovision Song Contest, and it will not be broadcast on RTÉ, after organiser the European Broadcasting Union confirmed today that Israel will be allowed to...
www.rte.ie
December 4, 2025 at 6:08 PM
Ireland to boycott the Eurovision due to Israel’s participation in the competition
Spain and The Netherlands are also withdrawing from the competition for the same reason
www.rte.ie/entertainmen...
Spain and The Netherlands are also withdrawing from the competition for the same reason
www.rte.ie/entertainmen...
Reposted by Dr Abeba Birhane
What if I told you that Kenya has a Data Protection Act linked to a constitutional right to privacy which prohibits the processing of data collected in the country outside the country? But the person who calls himself president has signed this MOU with zero public or parliamentary participation?
December 4, 2025 at 7:12 PM
What if I told you that Kenya has a Data Protection Act linked to a constitutional right to privacy which prohibits the processing of data collected in the country outside the country? But the person who calls himself president has signed this MOU with zero public or parliamentary participation?
this sounds like a reasonable assessment to me
Big tech companies have projects that are purely for PR purposes and will never actually go beyond a bit of research. Datacenters in space are (imo, not speaking for my employer) exactly that. It sounds cool and futuristic, but it's not gonna happen.
December 3, 2025 at 10:52 PM
this sounds like a reasonable assessment to me
Reposted by Dr Abeba Birhane
In addition to these virtues, this essay also shows how people with actual technical knowledge and experience speak and write. In the 'AI' vibes era of tech capitalist bullshittery, this is what I sorely miss. Engineering!
an important read for at least 2 reasons:
1. shows how big tech operates on intuitions and vibes and not rigorous research
2. this is a masterpiece in how to breakdown complex scientific concepts in simple language and elegant pros that captivate the lay reader
taranis.ie/datacenters-...
1. shows how big tech operates on intuitions and vibes and not rigorous research
2. this is a masterpiece in how to breakdown complex scientific concepts in simple language and elegant pros that captivate the lay reader
taranis.ie/datacenters-...
Datacenters in space are a terrible, horrible, no good idea.
There is a rush for AI companies to team up with space launch/satellite companies to build datacenters in space. TL;DR: It's not going to work.
taranis.ie
December 3, 2025 at 9:05 PM
In addition to these virtues, this essay also shows how people with actual technical knowledge and experience speak and write. In the 'AI' vibes era of tech capitalist bullshittery, this is what I sorely miss. Engineering!
Reposted by Dr Abeba Birhane
(a) this really is a bloody great piece and
(b) it occurs to me that Data Centres In Space are very similar to Musk's Mars colonisation promise in that the obvious actual goal is to enable and excuse more harm on Earth today and tomorrow, rather than sincerely aim for the stated goal years from now
(b) it occurs to me that Data Centres In Space are very similar to Musk's Mars colonisation promise in that the obvious actual goal is to enable and excuse more harm on Earth today and tomorrow, rather than sincerely aim for the stated goal years from now
an important read for at least 2 reasons:
1. shows how big tech operates on intuitions and vibes and not rigorous research
2. this is a masterpiece in how to breakdown complex scientific concepts in simple language and elegant pros that captivate the lay reader
taranis.ie/datacenters-...
1. shows how big tech operates on intuitions and vibes and not rigorous research
2. this is a masterpiece in how to breakdown complex scientific concepts in simple language and elegant pros that captivate the lay reader
taranis.ie/datacenters-...
Datacenters in space are a terrible, horrible, no good idea.
There is a rush for AI companies to team up with space launch/satellite companies to build datacenters in space. TL;DR: It's not going to work.
taranis.ie
December 3, 2025 at 7:17 PM
(a) this really is a bloody great piece and
(b) it occurs to me that Data Centres In Space are very similar to Musk's Mars colonisation promise in that the obvious actual goal is to enable and excuse more harm on Earth today and tomorrow, rather than sincerely aim for the stated goal years from now
(b) it occurs to me that Data Centres In Space are very similar to Musk's Mars colonisation promise in that the obvious actual goal is to enable and excuse more harm on Earth today and tomorrow, rather than sincerely aim for the stated goal years from now
an important read for at least 2 reasons:
1. shows how big tech operates on intuitions and vibes and not rigorous research
2. this is a masterpiece in how to breakdown complex scientific concepts in simple language and elegant pros that captivate the lay reader
taranis.ie/datacenters-...
1. shows how big tech operates on intuitions and vibes and not rigorous research
2. this is a masterpiece in how to breakdown complex scientific concepts in simple language and elegant pros that captivate the lay reader
taranis.ie/datacenters-...
Datacenters in space are a terrible, horrible, no good idea.
There is a rush for AI companies to team up with space launch/satellite companies to build datacenters in space. TL;DR: It's not going to work.
taranis.ie
December 3, 2025 at 7:07 PM
an important read for at least 2 reasons:
1. shows how big tech operates on intuitions and vibes and not rigorous research
2. this is a masterpiece in how to breakdown complex scientific concepts in simple language and elegant pros that captivate the lay reader
taranis.ie/datacenters-...
1. shows how big tech operates on intuitions and vibes and not rigorous research
2. this is a masterpiece in how to breakdown complex scientific concepts in simple language and elegant pros that captivate the lay reader
taranis.ie/datacenters-...
Reposted by Dr Abeba Birhane
atlantablackstar.com/2025/01/21/b...
Frankly, I don't care what "critics" speaking in defense of hate groups say.
Frankly, I don't care what "critics" speaking in defense of hate groups say.
'Thought I Was Going to Die': Black Musician Attacked While Recording White Nationalist Group Marching In Boston Receives $2.7M Judgment, Critics Say It's Tactic to 'Bankrupt the Group'
The white nationalist group Patriot Front and its leader, Thomas Rousseau, have been hit where it hurts most in a civil rights violation ruling. On Jan.
atlantablackstar.com
December 2, 2025 at 6:21 PM
atlantablackstar.com/2025/01/21/b...
Frankly, I don't care what "critics" speaking in defense of hate groups say.
Frankly, I don't care what "critics" speaking in defense of hate groups say.
Reposted by Dr Abeba Birhane
copyright question: are things that are not copyrightable automatically considered to be "in the public domain" or are they just not copyrightable? this has come up in a student paper and i dont actually know the answer
December 2, 2025 at 4:51 PM
copyright question: are things that are not copyrightable automatically considered to be "in the public domain" or are they just not copyrightable? this has come up in a student paper and i dont actually know the answer
Reposted by Dr Abeba Birhane
the other side of "to keep functioning, society has to discourage baldfaced lying, especially by authorities" is "to keep functioning, society has to circulate accurate information, especially information that constrains authorities"
2/ Every cause you care about — housing, education, safety, transit, arts — depends on trustworthy information.
Without independent reporting, who’s tracking needs, solutions, and accountability?
Here's more on what our people-powered newsroom has achieved so far:
Without independent reporting, who’s tracking needs, solutions, and accountability?
Here's more on what our people-powered newsroom has achieved so far:
A first birthday worth recapping
Celebrating the wins of the last 12 months and scheming for the future
51st.news
December 2, 2025 at 7:10 PM
the other side of "to keep functioning, society has to discourage baldfaced lying, especially by authorities" is "to keep functioning, society has to circulate accurate information, especially information that constrains authorities"
I hope reports like this directly result in more people leaving his platform and boycotting his products
Elon Musk’s charitable foundation grew larger than ever in 2024. But, for the fourth year in a row, the huge charity failed to give away the minimum amount required by law — and the donations it did make went largely to charities closely tied to Musk himself, who is the world's richest man.
Elon Musk’s Foundation Grows to $14 Billion, but Gives Little to Outsiders
The philanthropy has become one of America’s biggest, but most of its giving went to charities closely tied to the world’s richest man.
nyti.ms
December 2, 2025 at 9:28 PM
I hope reports like this directly result in more people leaving his platform and boycotting his products
a demarcation I could work with while dying on my 'critique is service' hill 😀
"You know the difference between a real science and a pseudoscience? A real science recognizes and accepts its own history without feeling attacked." - Foucault
December 2, 2025 at 9:03 PM
a demarcation I could work with while dying on my 'critique is service' hill 😀
Reposted by Dr Abeba Birhane
During his visit to Lebanon, Pope Leo XIV held a silent prayer and met with families of the victims of the 2020 Beirut port explosion, which killed 218 people.
December 2, 2025 at 8:48 PM
During his visit to Lebanon, Pope Leo XIV held a silent prayer and met with families of the victims of the 2020 Beirut port explosion, which killed 218 people.
Reposted by Dr Abeba Birhane
The real question is not "Why is Bluesky so left-coded," the real question is "Why can't the right exist in a social media environment without algorithmic assistance, where people can ignore them"
December 2, 2025 at 3:08 PM
The real question is not "Why is Bluesky so left-coded," the real question is "Why can't the right exist in a social media environment without algorithmic assistance, where people can ignore them"