Malcolm F. Cross
@foozzzball.bsky.social
Lazy. Writes. Is known to write fiction. Is almost fictional. Sometimes furry.
Homepage: https://sinisbeautiful.com/
Patreon: http://patreon.com/MalcolmFCross
Raw live draft for writing/creativity/motivation advice: #HacksawDraft
Homepage: https://sinisbeautiful.com/
Patreon: http://patreon.com/MalcolmFCross
Raw live draft for writing/creativity/motivation advice: #HacksawDraft
Pinned
Malcolm F. Cross
@foozzzball.bsky.social
· Sep 15
For the sake of promoting my own work, my latest novel, Mouse Cage, and its first pages. More details here: sinisbeautiful.com/mouse-cage/
There's fresh discourse on authors using AI to create covers. For anyone uncertain about this:
AI output can only interest the prompter. Everyone else trains themselves to skip their eyes over it the same way we ignore ads, spam, etc.
Do you want your cover ignored?
Better AI can't fix this.
AI output can only interest the prompter. Everyone else trains themselves to skip their eyes over it the same way we ignore ads, spam, etc.
Do you want your cover ignored?
Better AI can't fix this.
December 21, 2025 at 10:34 AM
There's fresh discourse on authors using AI to create covers. For anyone uncertain about this:
AI output can only interest the prompter. Everyone else trains themselves to skip their eyes over it the same way we ignore ads, spam, etc.
Do you want your cover ignored?
Better AI can't fix this.
AI output can only interest the prompter. Everyone else trains themselves to skip their eyes over it the same way we ignore ads, spam, etc.
Do you want your cover ignored?
Better AI can't fix this.
Anyway. Two years ago, in the linked essay, I say: 'The future is here, and has been for three years, and so far I haven’t seen AI generated art that meant anything to me.'
So. Five years in? I still experiment time to time to double-check, but my opinion hasn't changed. AI makes clutter, not art.
So. Five years in? I still experiment time to time to double-check, but my opinion hasn't changed. AI makes clutter, not art.
AI, the Algorithm, and the Attention Economy.
Ignore the way generative AI is created, the ecological and social impact, the abuse of copyright. Pretend it’s a fantastic machine, a cornucopia of content that responds to simple inputs with many…
sinisbeautiful.com
December 19, 2025 at 10:21 PM
Anyway. Two years ago, in the linked essay, I say: 'The future is here, and has been for three years, and so far I haven’t seen AI generated art that meant anything to me.'
So. Five years in? I still experiment time to time to double-check, but my opinion hasn't changed. AI makes clutter, not art.
So. Five years in? I still experiment time to time to double-check, but my opinion hasn't changed. AI makes clutter, not art.
Reposted by Malcolm F. Cross
Monday's Premium: How The AI Bubble Bursts In 2026 - the largest funder of data centers is pulling out, Oracle is suffocated by debt, OpenAI's running out of money, and NVIDIA's debt-powered customer base is shrinking.
Here's $10 off annual.
edzitronswheresyouredatghostio.outpost.pub/public/promo...
Here's $10 off annual.
edzitronswheresyouredatghostio.outpost.pub/public/promo...
December 19, 2025 at 8:33 PM
Monday's Premium: How The AI Bubble Bursts In 2026 - the largest funder of data centers is pulling out, Oracle is suffocated by debt, OpenAI's running out of money, and NVIDIA's debt-powered customer base is shrinking.
Here's $10 off annual.
edzitronswheresyouredatghostio.outpost.pub/public/promo...
Here's $10 off annual.
edzitronswheresyouredatghostio.outpost.pub/public/promo...
Reposted by Malcolm F. Cross
Dear SFWA and surrounding industry:
It's a two-mailout kind of day!
Thank you to everyone who wrote in.
The Board wishes to share the results of two votes held this afternoon, with further amendments to our Nebula Awards Rules.
It's a two-mailout kind of day!
Thank you to everyone who wrote in.
The Board wishes to share the results of two votes held this afternoon, with further amendments to our Nebula Awards Rules.
Press Release - December 19, 2025 - 2 - SFWA - The Science Fiction & Fantasy Writers Association
Guidance from the SFWA Board on the major questions in this year's Nebula Awards Review Process: for poetry, category minimums, and LLMs.
www.sfwa.org
December 19, 2025 at 9:47 PM
Dear SFWA and surrounding industry:
It's a two-mailout kind of day!
Thank you to everyone who wrote in.
The Board wishes to share the results of two votes held this afternoon, with further amendments to our Nebula Awards Rules.
It's a two-mailout kind of day!
Thank you to everyone who wrote in.
The Board wishes to share the results of two votes held this afternoon, with further amendments to our Nebula Awards Rules.
Reposted by Malcolm F. Cross
It appears as though SFWA has had a very quick change of heart and is now back on the right side of this. Shouldn't have happened in the first place. New Nebula Awards eligibility rules for generated text are now:
December 19, 2025 at 9:54 PM
It appears as though SFWA has had a very quick change of heart and is now back on the right side of this. Shouldn't have happened in the first place. New Nebula Awards eligibility rules for generated text are now:
Speaking as a SFWA member, and as someone who has kept a close eye on LLM development and who has experimented with them on an academic/comp-sci interest basis and concluded they have no useful role in the creative arts, this 'let other people figure it out' thing is the wrong road to take.
--> 🧵
--> 🧵
Another Nebula Awards nomination cycle is in full swing, and the addition of poetry and comics, along with the presence of LLMs in industry, required careful consideration.
Read on, and vote well!
We trust our voters & look forward to what they choose to celebrate.
www.sfwa.org/2025/12/19/p...
Read on, and vote well!
We trust our voters & look forward to what they choose to celebrate.
www.sfwa.org/2025/12/19/p...
December 19, 2025 at 9:58 PM
Speaking as a SFWA member, and as someone who has kept a close eye on LLM development and who has experimented with them on an academic/comp-sci interest basis and concluded they have no useful role in the creative arts, this 'let other people figure it out' thing is the wrong road to take.
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Reposted by Malcolm F. Cross
Wild.
Adjusting flight altitude handily reduces contrail generation and the associated climate warming.
Adjusting flight altitude handily reduces contrail generation and the associated climate warming.
this is crazy, how am I just now hearing about this? youtu.be/QoOVqQ5sa08?...
How airlines can halve their climate impact
YouTube video by Simon Clark
youtu.be
December 19, 2025 at 8:14 PM
Wild.
Adjusting flight altitude handily reduces contrail generation and the associated climate warming.
Adjusting flight altitude handily reduces contrail generation and the associated climate warming.
There's an interesting point in here about the iterative elements that AI interferes with. I think this may be a key problem in using GenAI in the long term no matter how good it gets. Another one in the intrinsic problem pile, though I can't fully articulate it yet.
We spoke to a dozen professional concept artists who are currently or have previously worked in game development about whether generative AI image tools have made their jobs any easier.
Zero said it did. Most said it made things harder.
thisweekinvideogames.com/feature/conc...
Zero said it did. Most said it made things harder.
thisweekinvideogames.com/feature/conc...
Concept Artists Say Generative AI References Only Make Their Jobs Harder
“The ‘early ideation stages’, when worlds are being fleshed out by writers and artists, are literally crucial to the development of a game’s vision,” said one artist.
thisweekinvideogames.com
December 19, 2025 at 3:30 PM
There's an interesting point in here about the iterative elements that AI interferes with. I think this may be a key problem in using GenAI in the long term no matter how good it gets. Another one in the intrinsic problem pile, though I can't fully articulate it yet.
Reposted by Malcolm F. Cross
I spoke to a dozen professional concept artists working in games about whether generative AI image tools have made their jobs easier, even if it's just used in "very early ideation stages."
Zero said "yes." Most said it made their job harder.
I learnt a lot about concept artists. You should too!
Zero said "yes." Most said it made their job harder.
I learnt a lot about concept artists. You should too!
We spoke to a dozen professional concept artists who are currently or have previously worked in game development about whether generative AI image tools have made their jobs any easier.
Zero said it did. Most said it made things harder.
thisweekinvideogames.com/feature/conc...
Zero said it did. Most said it made things harder.
thisweekinvideogames.com/feature/conc...
Concept Artists Say Generative AI References Only Make Their Jobs Harder
“The ‘early ideation stages’, when worlds are being fleshed out by writers and artists, are literally crucial to the development of a game’s vision,” said one artist.
thisweekinvideogames.com
December 18, 2025 at 9:07 PM
I spoke to a dozen professional concept artists working in games about whether generative AI image tools have made their jobs easier, even if it's just used in "very early ideation stages."
Zero said "yes." Most said it made their job harder.
I learnt a lot about concept artists. You should too!
Zero said "yes." Most said it made their job harder.
I learnt a lot about concept artists. You should too!
Reposted by Malcolm F. Cross
The future is digital shit
NEW: A hacker gained control of 1,100 mobile phones powering covert, AI-generated ads on TikTok. Then, he shared details of the operation with 404 Media.
A look inside how startup Doublespeed, which is backed by Andreessen Horowitz (a16z), is creating AI spam pages on TikTok to promote products.
A look inside how startup Doublespeed, which is backed by Andreessen Horowitz (a16z), is creating AI spam pages on TikTok to promote products.
Hack Reveals the a16z-Backed Phone Farm Flooding TikTok With AI Influencers
A hacker gained control of a 1,100 mobile phone farm powering covert, AI-generated ads on TikTok.
www.404media.co
December 18, 2025 at 1:27 PM
The future is digital shit
Reposted by Malcolm F. Cross
Visage of a Vermin Vandal (Vermin Vandal Veritas)
When no one values you, how do you find value in yourself?
A new short story, now available to the public at my scribble scrapbook site ( scribbles.malcolmfcross.com/visage-of-a-... ) as well as my main site and on Patreon.
#CrossScribbles
--> 🧵
When no one values you, how do you find value in yourself?
A new short story, now available to the public at my scribble scrapbook site ( scribbles.malcolmfcross.com/visage-of-a-... ) as well as my main site and on Patreon.
#CrossScribbles
--> 🧵
Visage of a Vermin Vandal (Vermin Vandal Veritas)
(7400 words / 30-45 minute read) * Hartley stopped dead in the office corridor, staring at Rick’s arm. “Is that shit?” “Uh, no, sir.” Rick covered the stain with his hand. “It’s iodine. We had to clea...
scribbles.malcolmfcross.com
December 2, 2025 at 1:34 PM
Visage of a Vermin Vandal (Vermin Vandal Veritas)
When no one values you, how do you find value in yourself?
A new short story, now available to the public at my scribble scrapbook site ( scribbles.malcolmfcross.com/visage-of-a-... ) as well as my main site and on Patreon.
#CrossScribbles
--> 🧵
When no one values you, how do you find value in yourself?
A new short story, now available to the public at my scribble scrapbook site ( scribbles.malcolmfcross.com/visage-of-a-... ) as well as my main site and on Patreon.
#CrossScribbles
--> 🧵
Reposted by Malcolm F. Cross
If you are still on X/Twitter in any capacity as an artist, get off there right freaking now.
December 17, 2025 at 2:59 PM
If you are still on X/Twitter in any capacity as an artist, get off there right freaking now.
Reposted by Malcolm F. Cross
Shouting out a fellow indie SF designer, @adamstation.bsky.social : this book is amazing. Everyone who plays Stillfleet, Mothership, or other far-future TTRPGs with starships, hulks, and ultrastructures should pick it up. It's a charming small hardback with amazing art and copy. Genuinely useful.
December 17, 2025 at 3:18 PM
Shouting out a fellow indie SF designer, @adamstation.bsky.social : this book is amazing. Everyone who plays Stillfleet, Mothership, or other far-future TTRPGs with starships, hulks, and ultrastructures should pick it up. It's a charming small hardback with amazing art and copy. Genuinely useful.
Any attempt to involve AI in creative industries must answer one very simple question:
Why should the consumer buy what you made with AI with just a few clicks, when the point of AI is that they can make whatever they want with a few clicks?
'Creative' AI is a suicidal business strategy.
Why should the consumer buy what you made with AI with just a few clicks, when the point of AI is that they can make whatever they want with a few clicks?
'Creative' AI is a suicidal business strategy.
December 17, 2025 at 3:27 PM
Any attempt to involve AI in creative industries must answer one very simple question:
Why should the consumer buy what you made with AI with just a few clicks, when the point of AI is that they can make whatever they want with a few clicks?
'Creative' AI is a suicidal business strategy.
Why should the consumer buy what you made with AI with just a few clicks, when the point of AI is that they can make whatever they want with a few clicks?
'Creative' AI is a suicidal business strategy.
Reposted by Malcolm F. Cross
Ooooof.
This reads to me as a top down report from people looking to the avarice in our sister industries like video games and instead of wanting to protect against it thinking ‘how can we get in on that?’
Don’t worry, I will elaborate
This reads to me as a top down report from people looking to the avarice in our sister industries like video games and instead of wanting to protect against it thinking ‘how can we get in on that?’
Don’t worry, I will elaborate
With the publication of Comic Book UK’s “Vision for growth” white paper today – essentially the blueprint for everything the newly-formed trade association plan to do going forward – Mark Fuller, its Chief Executive outlines their strategy: downthetubes.net/game-on-why-...
December 17, 2025 at 2:51 PM
Ooooof.
This reads to me as a top down report from people looking to the avarice in our sister industries like video games and instead of wanting to protect against it thinking ‘how can we get in on that?’
Don’t worry, I will elaborate
This reads to me as a top down report from people looking to the avarice in our sister industries like video games and instead of wanting to protect against it thinking ‘how can we get in on that?’
Don’t worry, I will elaborate
Reposted by Malcolm F. Cross
i've really leaned into BIG CHORUS with this album, though there are some breather electronic midtempo instrumental tracks on there too. coming soon to a internet near you 👷♂️
heres a song clip, bsky will probably fuck up the sound lmao. ppl on my patreon have this full song already and anyone who joins before the album is released will get a bandcamp download code (catch is that I don't have a release date yet... but should be "soon") 👀 patreon.com/conelrad
December 17, 2025 at 8:15 AM
i've really leaned into BIG CHORUS with this album, though there are some breather electronic midtempo instrumental tracks on there too. coming soon to a internet near you 👷♂️
Reposted by Malcolm F. Cross
Kurt Vonnegut’s definition of what makes something “art” is one of my favorites I’ve seen - from a letter to his brother in 1995.
August 15, 2025 at 7:27 AM
Kurt Vonnegut’s definition of what makes something “art” is one of my favorites I’ve seen - from a letter to his brother in 1995.
Reposted by Malcolm F. Cross
Drew a fucking massive transformer for the Battersea power station shop.
December 16, 2025 at 11:32 PM
Drew a fucking massive transformer for the Battersea power station shop.
Reposted by Malcolm F. Cross
Reposted by Malcolm F. Cross
Reposted by Malcolm F. Cross
As with many other commenters I suspect this will be ignored, begging the question why go through the costly, time-wasting business at all?
🚨 The UK government just published a breakdown of the responses to its consultation on AI & copyright:
- 95% of respondents want AI companies to pay for their training data (made up of 88% saying strengthen copyright law, & 7% saying leave it as is)
🧵 1/2
- 95% of respondents want AI companies to pay for their training data (made up of 88% saying strengthen copyright law, & 7% saying leave it as is)
🧵 1/2
December 15, 2025 at 3:54 PM
As with many other commenters I suspect this will be ignored, begging the question why go through the costly, time-wasting business at all?
Reposted by Malcolm F. Cross
And it *was* extraordinarily time-consuming to go through that questionnaire, and iirc the wording skewed heavily in favour of AI getting a free lunch, so this result shows an extraordinary number of people working v hard to have their opinions registered.
December 15, 2025 at 3:54 PM
And it *was* extraordinarily time-consuming to go through that questionnaire, and iirc the wording skewed heavily in favour of AI getting a free lunch, so this result shows an extraordinary number of people working v hard to have their opinions registered.
Reposted by Malcolm F. Cross
Overheard in the supermarket. Two teenagers.
1: 'Where's Dad?'
2 (with ineffable weariness): 'In the cheese aisle, having the time of his life.'
1: 'Where's Dad?'
2 (with ineffable weariness): 'In the cheese aisle, having the time of his life.'
December 15, 2025 at 11:35 AM
Overheard in the supermarket. Two teenagers.
1: 'Where's Dad?'
2 (with ineffable weariness): 'In the cheese aisle, having the time of his life.'
1: 'Where's Dad?'
2 (with ineffable weariness): 'In the cheese aisle, having the time of his life.'
Reposted by Malcolm F. Cross
Have you ever found pleasant solitude in forgotten, interstitial spaces?
An alley? A rooftop? An overpass?
Have you ever felt kinship with the haecceity of a place?
An alley? A rooftop? An overpass?
Have you ever felt kinship with the haecceity of a place?
Visage of a Vermin Vandal (Vermin Vandal Veritas)
When no one values you, how do you find value in yourself?
A new short story, now available to the public at my scribble scrapbook site ( scribbles.malcolmfcross.com/visage-of-a-... ) as well as my main site and on Patreon.
#CrossScribbles
--> 🧵
When no one values you, how do you find value in yourself?
A new short story, now available to the public at my scribble scrapbook site ( scribbles.malcolmfcross.com/visage-of-a-... ) as well as my main site and on Patreon.
#CrossScribbles
--> 🧵
Visage of a Vermin Vandal (Vermin Vandal Veritas)
(7400 words / 30-45 minute read) * Hartley stopped dead in the office corridor, staring at Rick’s arm. “Is that shit?” “Uh, no, sir.” Rick covered the stain with his hand. “It’s iodine. We had to clea...
scribbles.malcolmfcross.com
December 14, 2025 at 9:57 PM
Have you ever found pleasant solitude in forgotten, interstitial spaces?
An alley? A rooftop? An overpass?
Have you ever felt kinship with the haecceity of a place?
An alley? A rooftop? An overpass?
Have you ever felt kinship with the haecceity of a place?
Reposted by Malcolm F. Cross
this field biologist does a great job highlighting the insidiousness of AI editing
these one-click AI edit buttons are incredibly appealing to many photographers, amateurs and professionals alike, and are framed as innocuous
this is worth sharing and educating people about
these one-click AI edit buttons are incredibly appealing to many photographers, amateurs and professionals alike, and are framed as innocuous
this is worth sharing and educating people about
December 15, 2025 at 2:21 AM
this field biologist does a great job highlighting the insidiousness of AI editing
these one-click AI edit buttons are incredibly appealing to many photographers, amateurs and professionals alike, and are framed as innocuous
this is worth sharing and educating people about
these one-click AI edit buttons are incredibly appealing to many photographers, amateurs and professionals alike, and are framed as innocuous
this is worth sharing and educating people about