James Aylett
@james.tartarus.org
He/him. Working on privacy and responsible AI; usually worried about both. The pandemic isn't over. If I don't follow you it doesn't mean I don't like you. I've built things you've forgotten.
"We normally expect to deliver to your address between <times>" says the Royal Mail tracking site, making me wonder how normal it is to be able to deliver any item to an address in London when it has yet to leave Coventry.
January 31, 2026 at 12:46 PM
"We normally expect to deliver to your address between <times>" says the Royal Mail tracking site, making me wonder how normal it is to be able to deliver any item to an address in London when it has yet to leave Coventry.
RAG does not prevent hallucinations. Drives me crazy that anyone still believes it does given all the evidence, but if you actually think about how LLMs and RAG work it's not hard to see that while in some cases it will reduce problems it can never prevent them.
So, to help illustrate why this thread is so horrifying, Stanford did a study on Lexis+ AI, Westlaw AI-Assisted Research, and Thomson-Reuters Ask Practical Law AI, and found between 17% and 33% hallucinations even though these are supposed to be the retrieval-augmented generation (RAG) tools.
January 31, 2026 at 12:26 PM
RAG does not prevent hallucinations. Drives me crazy that anyone still believes it does given all the evidence, but if you actually think about how LLMs and RAG work it's not hard to see that while in some cases it will reduce problems it can never prevent them.
Reposted by James Aylett
As winner of the FIFA Prize for Literature I demand $60 an hour
X is hiring a creative writing specialist at $40 an hour to make Grok better at writing and a true LOL at the qualifications
January 31, 2026 at 11:53 AM
As winner of the FIFA Prize for Literature I demand $60 an hour
Reposted by James Aylett
Last night, Automatic Noodle won the Octavia Butler Award!! I'm so honored and happy!!! 🤖❤️🎉 www.instagram.com/p/DUI5pCokno...
January 30, 2026 at 5:28 PM
Last night, Automatic Noodle won the Octavia Butler Award!! I'm so honored and happy!!! 🤖❤️🎉 www.instagram.com/p/DUI5pCokno...
Reposted by James Aylett
I offer an alternative. The current vibe is take your meds, try to stretch so you don't eff up your joints, don't work too much because that is dweeb shit, get some movement in, have some hobbies, hang out with entertaining people, eat something delicious, take a nap, maybe key the car of fascists.
January 29, 2026 at 9:51 AM
I offer an alternative. The current vibe is take your meds, try to stretch so you don't eff up your joints, don't work too much because that is dweeb shit, get some movement in, have some hobbies, hang out with entertaining people, eat something delicious, take a nap, maybe key the car of fascists.
We should normalise advent calendars for anything as a countdown to something you're looking forward to. Advent calendars for your nice holiday. Your birthday. Your new job. The release of a game or book or film. Seeing your favourite band live. The end of January. Getting a new advent calendar.
A customer messaged today to tell us she is enjoying her pencil advent calendar that she ordered from us in November. Saved for January, because it’s January.
Normalise advent calendars for this month.
Normalise advent calendars for this month.
January 29, 2026 at 10:48 AM
We should normalise advent calendars for anything as a countdown to something you're looking forward to. Advent calendars for your nice holiday. Your birthday. Your new job. The release of a game or book or film. Seeing your favourite band live. The end of January. Getting a new advent calendar.
Reposted by James Aylett
A customer messaged today to tell us she is enjoying her pencil advent calendar that she ordered from us in November. Saved for January, because it’s January.
Normalise advent calendars for this month.
Normalise advent calendars for this month.
January 12, 2026 at 6:11 PM
A customer messaged today to tell us she is enjoying her pencil advent calendar that she ordered from us in November. Saved for January, because it’s January.
Normalise advent calendars for this month.
Normalise advent calendars for this month.
Reposted by James Aylett
On 29th January 1996, "Threshold", the Star Trek: Voyager episode where Captain Janeway and Tom Paris turned into giant space newts and had babies first aired. Since it's #ThresholdDay we aim to answer a burning question: did Paris and Janeway fuck? If so, how did they fuck?
January 29, 2026 at 10:26 AM
On 29th January 1996, "Threshold", the Star Trek: Voyager episode where Captain Janeway and Tom Paris turned into giant space newts and had babies first aired. Since it's #ThresholdDay we aim to answer a burning question: did Paris and Janeway fuck? If so, how did they fuck?
Bluesky seems to have updated its thread interface to be marginally less awful but still really annoying, and I am once more struck by the thought that we just shouldn't be trying to write essays on a microblogging platform but then microblogging platforms would need to do transclusion properly 🤷
January 29, 2026 at 10:42 AM
Bluesky seems to have updated its thread interface to be marginally less awful but still really annoying, and I am once more struck by the thought that we just shouldn't be trying to write essays on a microblogging platform but then microblogging platforms would need to do transclusion properly 🤷
Reposted by James Aylett
He lasted for just about a single Scaramucci, and it's good to see that unit of time have some relevance once more
wapo.st/4t1U4IJ
wapo.st/4t1U4IJ
Kennedy Center’s new programming head resigns days after hire was announced
Kevin Couch, appointed the Kennedy Center’s senior vice president of artistic programming, resigned less than two weeks after his hire was announced.
wapo.st
January 29, 2026 at 10:20 AM
He lasted for just about a single Scaramucci, and it's good to see that unit of time have some relevance once more
wapo.st/4t1U4IJ
wapo.st/4t1U4IJ
I've recently seen 2 women playing word anagram games by literally trying anything that might be a word and seeing if the computer accepts it. Which both seems pointless (it's likely not engaging your brain in a way that is brain health positive) and dull (isn't the fun from challenging yourself)?
January 29, 2026 at 10:32 AM
I've recently seen 2 women playing word anagram games by literally trying anything that might be a word and seeing if the computer accepts it. Which both seems pointless (it's likely not engaging your brain in a way that is brain health positive) and dull (isn't the fun from challenging yourself)?
Beginning to suspect part of the problem is that the UK needs so much *time* to get back onto a level keel that politicians will clutch at anything pitched as offering short-term solutions. But they're at most bandaids (you still need the long-term change). AI isn't even that, just a photo of one.
I think the Starmer government needs some new ideas. If they really want an educated population and a growing economy, why don't they scrap this nonsense, fund schools and colleges properly, and rejoin the EU?
This government clearly don't really understand the complexity or the danger of the situation. They show no sign of beginning to understand, and every sign of asking the monorail salesman how public transport should work. It's going to be an uphill struggle, but don't leave this to politicians.
January 29, 2026 at 10:27 AM
Beginning to suspect part of the problem is that the UK needs so much *time* to get back onto a level keel that politicians will clutch at anything pitched as offering short-term solutions. But they're at most bandaids (you still need the long-term change). AI isn't even that, just a photo of one.
Reposted by James Aylett
There was a genesis to this phenomenon I've never seen spoken about.
8-10 years ago I used to be in a lot of online hobby spaces. They had long had a 'optimisation culture' where a many folk didn't do stuff guided by enjoyment, but by following an 'optimal' path....
8-10 years ago I used to be in a lot of online hobby spaces. They had long had a 'optimisation culture' where a many folk didn't do stuff guided by enjoyment, but by following an 'optimal' path....
January 29, 2026 at 8:50 AM
There was a genesis to this phenomenon I've never seen spoken about.
8-10 years ago I used to be in a lot of online hobby spaces. They had long had a 'optimisation culture' where a many folk didn't do stuff guided by enjoyment, but by following an 'optimal' path....
8-10 years ago I used to be in a lot of online hobby spaces. They had long had a 'optimisation culture' where a many folk didn't do stuff guided by enjoyment, but by following an 'optimal' path....
Reposted by James Aylett
Andrew has really taken one for the team (ie everyone) here. This thread continues long past the point of despair, and is worth every post
I think I might take one of these "under 20 minutes" AI skills courses the UK Govt. seems very keen on everyone doing and live-post it here... Maybe we can all learn something together! The press release sends me to aiskillshub.org.uk/aiskillsboost/ - let's go and see!
AI Skills Boost - AI Skills Hub
aiskillshub.org.uk
January 29, 2026 at 9:49 AM
Andrew has really taken one for the team (ie everyone) here. This thread continues long past the point of despair, and is worth every post
Reposted by James Aylett
For UK people feeling gaslit by our government’s plans for “AI” “skills” “training”, here’s a series of videos by an actual expert that will tell you how it works and how to engage with it critically (if at all); see also @olivia.science's excellent papers.
I just created a series of seven deep-dive videos about AI, which I've posted to youtube and now here. 😊
Targeted to laypeople, they explore how LLMs work, what they can do, and what impacts they have on learning, well-being, disinformation, the workplace, the economy, and the environment.
Targeted to laypeople, they explore how LLMs work, what they can do, and what impacts they have on learning, well-being, disinformation, the workplace, the economy, and the environment.
Part 1: How do LLMs work?
YouTube video by Andrew Perfors
www.youtube.com
January 28, 2026 at 2:56 PM
For UK people feeling gaslit by our government’s plans for “AI” “skills” “training”, here’s a series of videos by an actual expert that will tell you how it works and how to engage with it critically (if at all); see also @olivia.science's excellent papers.
The Parcelforce website cannot provide tracking information for some Parcelforce services because they are provided by Royal Mail.
January 28, 2026 at 4:05 PM
The Parcelforce website cannot provide tracking information for some Parcelforce services because they are provided by Royal Mail.
Reposted by James Aylett
It’s meeeeeeeee!
Let me know what you think.
Let me know what you think.
Forth Worth teacher Chanea Bond says sticking with pen and paper keeps generative artificial intelligence out of her American literature classes. n.pr/4c3cdzs
To keep AI out of her classroom, this high school English teacher went analog
Forth Worth teacher Chanea Bond says sticking with pen and paper keeps generative artificial intelligence out of her American literature classes.
n.pr
January 28, 2026 at 11:58 AM
It’s meeeeeeeee!
Let me know what you think.
Let me know what you think.
Reposted by James Aylett
fwiw I don't think it is possible to build genAI in such a way that it benefits workers rather than capital because it is fundamentally based on non consensual extraction of labour to get going. what would it actually mean for the workers to own the means of production here
January 28, 2026 at 9:13 AM
fwiw I don't think it is possible to build genAI in such a way that it benefits workers rather than capital because it is fundamentally based on non consensual extraction of labour to get going. what would it actually mean for the workers to own the means of production here
Reposted by James Aylett
Be wary of permissive bigotry; bigotry that you feel entitled to deliver because their actions have rendered them "unworthy of any consideration." Implicit to that you're communicating anyone else near you who belongs to that persecuted group must also earn from you the right to be treated humanely.
January 28, 2026 at 12:11 PM
Be wary of permissive bigotry; bigotry that you feel entitled to deliver because their actions have rendered them "unworthy of any consideration." Implicit to that you're communicating anyone else near you who belongs to that persecuted group must also earn from you the right to be treated humanely.
Reposted by James Aylett
This is no way to live.
January 28, 2026 at 12:15 PM
This is no way to live.
Reposted by James Aylett
Things you can do instead of the government's Free AI training #1.
Watch part four of "Meglos".
Watch part four of "Meglos".
January 28, 2026 at 11:14 AM
Things you can do instead of the government's Free AI training #1.
Watch part four of "Meglos".
Watch part four of "Meglos".
Reposted by James Aylett
The Sultana/Jones interview is IMO Exhibit A on why, on TV*, I think soft questions are underrated. She comes across so much worse with Jones just softly going 'let's talk about ideas' than most politicians do with the 'be berated live on BBC One on Sunday' round.
*broadly defining TV interviews
*broadly defining TV interviews
“Anti imperialism means confronting empire which is why we should leave NATO“ is obviously nonsense and I doubt she could explain or defend it. She’s also noticeably struggled even when sympathetic reporters like Owen Jones try to engage her on economics
January 28, 2026 at 11:15 AM
The Sultana/Jones interview is IMO Exhibit A on why, on TV*, I think soft questions are underrated. She comes across so much worse with Jones just softly going 'let's talk about ideas' than most politicians do with the 'be berated live on BBC One on Sunday' round.
*broadly defining TV interviews
*broadly defining TV interviews
Secretary of State for Simplistic Hope In Technology is living up to her job title. Genuinely thought nothing she did would be more embarrassing than her leadership video which suggested she hid in dark corners and didn't ever talk to people. (Hard to verify as she seems to have deleted them all.)
January 28, 2026 at 11:19 AM
Secretary of State for Simplistic Hope In Technology is living up to her job title. Genuinely thought nothing she did would be more embarrassing than her leadership video which suggested she hid in dark corners and didn't ever talk to people. (Hard to verify as she seems to have deleted them all.)
Reposted by James Aylett
Good news: the UK Government is now offering free short courses on how to use the rabid monkey that comes taped to every computer now for some reason! You'll learn how to...
- dodge the monkey's angry fists!
- understand its tortured screams!
- write invoices in bits of poo he's left on your desk!
- dodge the monkey's angry fists!
- understand its tortured screams!
- write invoices in bits of poo he's left on your desk!
January 28, 2026 at 11:08 AM
Good news: the UK Government is now offering free short courses on how to use the rabid monkey that comes taped to every computer now for some reason! You'll learn how to...
- dodge the monkey's angry fists!
- understand its tortured screams!
- write invoices in bits of poo he's left on your desk!
- dodge the monkey's angry fists!
- understand its tortured screams!
- write invoices in bits of poo he's left on your desk!
Reposted by James Aylett
if they can offer free AI training they could offer free media literacy training too. i know which of those would do more for the public good
January 28, 2026 at 10:19 AM
if they can offer free AI training they could offer free media literacy training too. i know which of those would do more for the public good