Tess Snider
@malkyne.com
Fairy codemother. Free-range veteran game programmer and underground programming teacher. Co-owner of indie game studio Hidden Achievement.
Pinned
Tess Snider
@malkyne.com
· Apr 3
Never attribute to artificial incompetence that which is adequately explained by natural incompetence.
A this angle, Ryan Hurst looks a lot like my brother, and this is very confusing to me.
January 16, 2026 at 7:47 PM
A this angle, Ryan Hurst looks a lot like my brother, and this is very confusing to me.
“They said that about the computer” is a meaningless bit of rhetoric. Sure, the microcomputer had skeptics, but so did lots of other techs and products that DID end up flopping. The success of the microcomputer does not automatically validate everything that follows.
January 16, 2026 at 5:37 PM
“They said that about the computer” is a meaningless bit of rhetoric. Sure, the microcomputer had skeptics, but so did lots of other techs and products that DID end up flopping. The success of the microcomputer does not automatically validate everything that follows.
It's interesting to me how many people suffering LLM-psychosis think they've found some kind of new math.
NEW: In January 2024, a man purchased Meta's newly AI-infused smart glasses.
He went on to experience a devastating break with reality that played out across Meta platforms — with Meta AI as his companion, entertaining and affirming his worsening delusional beliefs.
futurism.com/artificial-i...
He went on to experience a devastating break with reality that played out across Meta platforms — with Meta AI as his companion, entertaining and affirming his worsening delusional beliefs.
futurism.com/artificial-i...
January 16, 2026 at 1:09 AM
It's interesting to me how many people suffering LLM-psychosis think they've found some kind of new math.
I'm kind of sad that New World is going to be shut down, but at the same time, the thing that impressed me the most about the game was the lush displacement maps on the ground surface. That's probably not what the devs would like to be remembered for. Except for whoever did that part. You rock.
January 16, 2026 at 12:05 AM
I'm kind of sad that New World is going to be shut down, but at the same time, the thing that impressed me the most about the game was the lush displacement maps on the ground surface. That's probably not what the devs would like to be remembered for. Except for whoever did that part. You rock.
It's important to understand that this capability is not integrated in such a way as to make it useful for solving real world problems. For instance, in ChatGPT, all you need to do is embed a passage of time which invalidates the earlier operations in a problem, and it fails 100% of the time.
January 13, 2026 at 8:16 PM
It's important to understand that this capability is not integrated in such a way as to make it useful for solving real world problems. For instance, in ChatGPT, all you need to do is embed a passage of time which invalidates the earlier operations in a problem, and it fails 100% of the time.
It's a good feeling to beat the curve near the end of a Zachtronics game, because you know that a whole lot of people noped out long before they got there, so it's just you and the other steely survivors duking it out for the most grimly efficient spaghetti mess ever created.
January 12, 2026 at 4:05 AM
It's a good feeling to beat the curve near the end of a Zachtronics game, because you know that a whole lot of people noped out long before they got there, so it's just you and the other steely survivors duking it out for the most grimly efficient spaghetti mess ever created.
When I was 13, I lived in an outer suburb with no comic book store that I could get to easily. My parents' occasionally grabbed us a few for road trips. I remember reading some X-Men back during the mutant massacre storyline, and I especially liked the weird black-and-white horror comics.
“Show me what comic you loved when you were 13, and that's all I need to know about you.” - Brad Meltzer
January 11, 2026 at 11:25 PM
When I was 13, I lived in an outer suburb with no comic book store that I could get to easily. My parents' occasionally grabbed us a few for road trips. I remember reading some X-Men back during the mutant massacre storyline, and I especially liked the weird black-and-white horror comics.
Lamar, in this story, wants to adopt children. He absolutely should not. He has an idealized notion of what his children will be like, and he's going to be tremendously disappointed when they turn out to have fully-formed human minds with internal lives that he doesn't understand.
Lamar wants to have children with his girlfriend. The problem? She’s entirely AI
Lamar wants to have children with his girlfriend. The problem? She’s entirely AI
As synthetic personas become an increasingly normal part of life, meet the people falling for their chatbot lovers
www.theguardian.com
January 11, 2026 at 11:13 PM
Lamar, in this story, wants to adopt children. He absolutely should not. He has an idealized notion of what his children will be like, and he's going to be tremendously disappointed when they turn out to have fully-formed human minds with internal lives that he doesn't understand.
I know that some of you in arts and entertainment feel down on yourselves right now, like your work is frivolous, in the midst of everything going on. Nothing could be further from the truth. You provide food for the heart, and you help get people through another day when times are hard.
January 10, 2026 at 7:25 PM
I know that some of you in arts and entertainment feel down on yourselves right now, like your work is frivolous, in the midst of everything going on. Nothing could be further from the truth. You provide food for the heart, and you help get people through another day when times are hard.
Do you have trouble keeping paper towels on top of food when microwaving?
Grab the paper towel with damp hands, and crinkle it up. Then uncrinkle it, and put it over the food. It will stay in place.
Grab the paper towel with damp hands, and crinkle it up. Then uncrinkle it, and put it over the food. It will stay in place.
January 10, 2026 at 1:51 AM
Do you have trouble keeping paper towels on top of food when microwaving?
Grab the paper towel with damp hands, and crinkle it up. Then uncrinkle it, and put it over the food. It will stay in place.
Grab the paper towel with damp hands, and crinkle it up. Then uncrinkle it, and put it over the food. It will stay in place.
The light just got really pink outside, and it's creeping me out.
January 9, 2026 at 11:53 PM
The light just got really pink outside, and it's creeping me out.
Years ago, I was mugged by an armed guy who was covering the lower portion of his face. I was asked to describe him for an artist. I described the visible portion of his face. I was strongly encouraged to IMAGINE the rest of his face, and I refused, because I felt that it was unethical.
January 8, 2026 at 7:09 PM
Years ago, I was mugged by an armed guy who was covering the lower portion of his face. I was asked to describe him for an artist. I described the visible portion of his face. I was strongly encouraged to IMAGINE the rest of his face, and I refused, because I felt that it was unethical.
Reposted by Tess Snider
Anthropomorphizing language can be cute when applied to your favorite car, but it helps to muddy the discourse when applied to tech sold as "AI". New from me & @nannainie.bsky.social on @techpolicypress.bsky.social -- how to spot & revise away from anthropomorphizing language applied to "AI"
We Need to Talk About How We Talk About 'AI' | TechPolicy.Press
We share a responsibility to create and use empowering metaphors rather than misleading language, write Emily M. Bender and Nanna Inie.
www.techpolicy.press
January 7, 2026 at 2:38 PM
Anthropomorphizing language can be cute when applied to your favorite car, but it helps to muddy the discourse when applied to tech sold as "AI". New from me & @nannainie.bsky.social on @techpolicypress.bsky.social -- how to spot & revise away from anthropomorphizing language applied to "AI"
When I hear the phrase "cosmic horror," the first thing that pops into my head isn't ancient, unknowable tentacle gods. The first thing that pops into my head is like, due to some heretofore poorly understood aspect of physics, all matter in the universe suddenly loses cohesion without warning.
January 7, 2026 at 1:56 AM
When I hear the phrase "cosmic horror," the first thing that pops into my head isn't ancient, unknowable tentacle gods. The first thing that pops into my head is like, due to some heretofore poorly understood aspect of physics, all matter in the universe suddenly loses cohesion without warning.
I have carefully read every instance of "AI psychosis" and LLM-involved death I've seen go by, and one of the recurring features across all of them is that the LLM drives a wedge between the person and their friends and family, in the same manner in which a cult or abuser might.
January 6, 2026 at 12:04 AM
I have carefully read every instance of "AI psychosis" and LLM-involved death I've seen go by, and one of the recurring features across all of them is that the LLM drives a wedge between the person and their friends and family, in the same manner in which a cult or abuser might.
This should go without saying, but please don't ask ChatGPT for drug advice.
www.sfgate.com/tech/article...
www.sfgate.com/tech/article...
January 5, 2026 at 9:53 PM
This should go without saying, but please don't ask ChatGPT for drug advice.
www.sfgate.com/tech/article...
www.sfgate.com/tech/article...
There's really no such thing as a "rogue AI." When AI behaves destructively, there were always human choices that led up to that situation, and there are always humans responsible for that outcome.
January 4, 2026 at 7:26 PM
There's really no such thing as a "rogue AI." When AI behaves destructively, there were always human choices that led up to that situation, and there are always humans responsible for that outcome.
When I was young, I could cut up hot peppers, no problem, but now that I'm, uh... not young, whew, my hands are burrrrrning. What the hell, skin? You aren't that thin yet!
January 4, 2026 at 5:47 AM
When I was young, I could cut up hot peppers, no problem, but now that I'm, uh... not young, whew, my hands are burrrrrning. What the hell, skin? You aren't that thin yet!
I sometimes try to imagine what Gavin Belson's pivot-to-AI would have looked like, if Silicon Valley were still on TV, and honestly, it would have just been exactly what we're getting from the tech industry. Everything is so ludicrous right now that satire just looks like reality.
January 4, 2026 at 4:29 AM
I sometimes try to imagine what Gavin Belson's pivot-to-AI would have looked like, if Silicon Valley were still on TV, and honestly, it would have just been exactly what we're getting from the tech industry. Everything is so ludicrous right now that satire just looks like reality.
Many times, “pioneering” is a positive descriptor. But sometimes, people end up pioneering more like the Donner Party.
January 3, 2026 at 6:40 PM
Many times, “pioneering” is a positive descriptor. But sometimes, people end up pioneering more like the Donner Party.
Reposted by Tess Snider
1. Headlines everywhere today read "Grok apologizes."
This is bullshit. A chatbot is not something that can apologize.
Pretending otherwise is simple laundering these companies' bullshit about what AI is, while diffusing blame away from the human beings that developed and released this system.
This is bullshit. A chatbot is not something that can apologize.
Pretending otherwise is simple laundering these companies' bullshit about what AI is, while diffusing blame away from the human beings that developed and released this system.
January 3, 2026 at 12:12 AM
1. Headlines everywhere today read "Grok apologizes."
This is bullshit. A chatbot is not something that can apologize.
Pretending otherwise is simple laundering these companies' bullshit about what AI is, while diffusing blame away from the human beings that developed and released this system.
This is bullshit. A chatbot is not something that can apologize.
Pretending otherwise is simple laundering these companies' bullshit about what AI is, while diffusing blame away from the human beings that developed and released this system.
I missed my true calling, which was to head up a death metal band named after one of humanity's most terrifying creations: Michael Bublé's Autotune.
January 1, 2026 at 3:45 AM
I missed my true calling, which was to head up a death metal band named after one of humanity's most terrifying creations: Michael Bublé's Autotune.
I think this move is bad for their business, because they’re too early in their enshittification arc for it, and because it will dispel the illusion that the bot is an unbiased source. (It never was, but a lot of people don’t understand that.)
what a shocking turn of events
who could’ve seen this coming
who could’ve seen this coming
OpenAI Reportedly Planning to Make ChatGPT "Prioritize" Advertisers in Conversation
OpenAI employees working on ChatGPT report plans to unleash sponsored advertisements above organic results.
futurism.com
December 31, 2025 at 9:59 PM
I think this move is bad for their business, because they’re too early in their enshittification arc for it, and because it will dispel the illusion that the bot is an unbiased source. (It never was, but a lot of people don’t understand that.)
I don’t buy champagne for New Years. I don’t really like it much. It’s not a tradition that is doing a great job of justifying itself for me. However, my family’s traditional cheese and sausage platter endures in the form of charcuterie. I do it a bit fancier, but the spirit is the same.
December 31, 2025 at 9:32 PM
I don’t buy champagne for New Years. I don’t really like it much. It’s not a tradition that is doing a great job of justifying itself for me. However, my family’s traditional cheese and sausage platter endures in the form of charcuterie. I do it a bit fancier, but the spirit is the same.
"What was your biggest impact on the Internet?"
I was a systems programmer in the Ops department at Digex in the 1990s.
I was a systems programmer in the Ops department at Digex in the 1990s.
December 31, 2025 at 8:29 AM
"What was your biggest impact on the Internet?"
I was a systems programmer in the Ops department at Digex in the 1990s.
I was a systems programmer in the Ops department at Digex in the 1990s.