@tailcalled.bsky.social
Reposted
A challenge with AI adoption is that organizations are not built to a Grand Plan where AI can just be slotted in by leaders, but rather socially constructed, semi-random & in flux
Here's an anecdote from a paper on how a CEO realized he didn't understand how things really worked (& that nobody did)
Here's an anecdote from a paper on how a CEO realized he didn't understand how things really worked (& that nobody did)
July 1, 2025 at 10:15 PM
A challenge with AI adoption is that organizations are not built to a Grand Plan where AI can just be slotted in by leaders, but rather socially constructed, semi-random & in flux
Here's an anecdote from a paper on how a CEO realized he didn't understand how things really worked (& that nobody did)
Here's an anecdote from a paper on how a CEO realized he didn't understand how things really worked (& that nobody did)
Ayn Rand's book "The Fountainhead" is an accidental deconstruction of patriarchy that shows how it is fractally terrible.
June 17, 2025 at 8:48 AM
Ayn Rand's book "The Fountainhead" is an accidental deconstruction of patriarchy that shows how it is fractally terrible.
Reposted
![5-panel comic. (1) [teacher with long hair next to whiteboard] TEACHER: I’m supposed to give you the tools to do good science. (2) [teacher addressing students] But what *are* those tools? Methodology is hard and there are so many ways to get incorrect results. What is the magic ingredient that makes for good science? (3) TEACHER: To figure it out, I ran a regression with all the factors people say are important: [embedded list in sub-panel, cut off at end] Outcome variable: correct scientific results. Predictors: collaboration; skepticism of others’ claims; questioning your own beliefs; trying to falsify hypotheses; checking citations; statistical rigor; blinded analysis; financial disclosure; open data (4) TEACHER: The regression says two ingredients are the most crucial: 1) genuine curiosity about the answer to a question, and 2) ammonium hydroxide. (5) STUDENT: Wait, why did *ammonia* score so high? How did it even get on the list? LONG HAIR: ...And now you’re doing good science!](https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_thumbnail/plain/did:plc:cz73r7iyiqn26upot4jtjdhk/bafkreigzaphhj4mfgfrxddlvdmw47335gnwzqbfqvrnff5x4oovgpf36nq@jpeg)
June 12, 2025 at 8:28 PM
Reposted
"If your decentralised protocol is missing features, the market will add them with centralisation." — @goat.navy
*This*:
- is why why the web was captured;
- is why email became concentrated;
- is why ActivityPub, as defined today, isn't capture-resistant.
*This*:
- is why why the web was captured;
- is why email became concentrated;
- is why ActivityPub, as defined today, isn't capture-resistant.
June 13, 2025 at 1:38 PM
"If your decentralised protocol is missing features, the market will add them with centralisation." — @goat.navy
*This*:
- is why why the web was captured;
- is why email became concentrated;
- is why ActivityPub, as defined today, isn't capture-resistant.
*This*:
- is why why the web was captured;
- is why email became concentrated;
- is why ActivityPub, as defined today, isn't capture-resistant.
Idea: instead of all the convoluted procurement rules that have built up as a result of convoluted conflict, all citizens should have a non-transferable right to sell a certain amount (measured in money) of goods to the state, and this should be the sole line of procurement.
May 27, 2025 at 7:47 PM
Idea: instead of all the convoluted procurement rules that have built up as a result of convoluted conflict, all citizens should have a non-transferable right to sell a certain amount (measured in money) of goods to the state, and this should be the sole line of procurement.
I use OpenAI's Deep Research several times per day to collect information on topics I don't know much about.
May 15, 2025 at 1:07 PM
I use OpenAI's Deep Research several times per day to collect information on topics I don't know much about.
Reposted
A lot of the worst dark / annoying UI patterns arise from growth teams engaging in goodharting. In SaaS, this often happens by impacting one metric at the expense of another, eg commonly an increase in trial conversion rate will also increase churn. You won’t see the churn part though …
April 27, 2025 at 3:43 PM
A lot of the worst dark / annoying UI patterns arise from growth teams engaging in goodharting. In SaaS, this often happens by impacting one metric at the expense of another, eg commonly an increase in trial conversion rate will also increase churn. You won’t see the churn part though …
Reposted
It's not even just a "technically this is consistent" thing; based on the self-reports far more Americans would be better off working in factories than currently do, and while that doesn't quite mean America would be better off if more people worked in factories it definitely seems to point that way
April 14, 2025 at 6:01 AM
It's not even just a "technically this is consistent" thing; based on the self-reports far more Americans would be better off working in factories than currently do, and while that doesn't quite mean America would be better off if more people worked in factories it definitely seems to point that way
Reposted
"Hm. I've never really read about Canola oil before, let's see what wikipedia has to say"
"it's rapeseed oil, but safer"
"ok but what's rapeseed"
"it's a Brassica"
(not oleracea, but Brassica nonetheless)
"it's rapeseed oil, but safer"
"ok but what's rapeseed"
"it's a Brassica"
(not oleracea, but Brassica nonetheless)
April 9, 2025 at 11:19 PM
"Hm. I've never really read about Canola oil before, let's see what wikipedia has to say"
"it's rapeseed oil, but safer"
"ok but what's rapeseed"
"it's a Brassica"
(not oleracea, but Brassica nonetheless)
"it's rapeseed oil, but safer"
"ok but what's rapeseed"
"it's a Brassica"
(not oleracea, but Brassica nonetheless)
Reposted
If far-UVC doesn't hurt people's eyes, does that mean it's going to be of similar scale of improvement to public health as like, antibiotics, vaccines and sanitation? Or?
April 7, 2025 at 5:38 PM
If far-UVC doesn't hurt people's eyes, does that mean it's going to be of similar scale of improvement to public health as like, antibiotics, vaccines and sanitation? Or?
Reposted
The truth is I'm disgusted in that kind of vile overwhelming way that's difficult to put into words. Even VK Rao's relative optimism here seems kind of like cope, the situation really is just that bad. America seems to be over. I thought it was over no matter who won but this is ghastly.
Note I posted on substack.
Substack has turned into my default posting place now for broader topics.
Substack has turned into my default posting place now for broader topics.
March 3, 2025 at 8:24 AM
The truth is I'm disgusted in that kind of vile overwhelming way that's difficult to put into words. Even VK Rao's relative optimism here seems kind of like cope, the situation really is just that bad. America seems to be over. I thought it was over no matter who won but this is ghastly.
Reposted
I think this is the right sentiment about a lot of things but not about inflation. The levels that followed the pandemic were enough to crush incumbents, and did all over the world.
February 2, 2025 at 2:45 PM
I think this is the right sentiment about a lot of things but not about inflation. The levels that followed the pandemic were enough to crush incumbents, and did all over the world.
Reposted
If we go by Thiel's theory of the ideal scapegoat as someone combining the traits of an extreme insider and extreme outsider, or combining extreme positive traits like being powerful, wealthy, etc with negative traits like being petty, a cheater, etc, then Elon is clearly in danger.
I’ve been thinking about how monumentally stupid the Elon video game cheating thing is and I think it comes back to this post
there aren’t a ton of people who work in cars, or rockets, or even software
but everyone - everyone! - understands cheating at video games
totally unnecessary self-own
there aren’t a ton of people who work in cars, or rockets, or even software
but everyone - everyone! - understands cheating at video games
totally unnecessary self-own
January 16, 2025 at 10:59 PM
If we go by Thiel's theory of the ideal scapegoat as someone combining the traits of an extreme insider and extreme outsider, or combining extreme positive traits like being powerful, wealthy, etc with negative traits like being petty, a cheater, etc, then Elon is clearly in danger.
Reposted
Reposted
Maybe I have long timelines, but I confidently predict AI will not solve any of the following within the next 6 months:
• atomically precise manufacturing
• Dyson sphere creation
• extreme life extension
• whole brain emulation
• advanced femtotechnology
• Alcubierre drive
• atomically precise manufacturing
• Dyson sphere creation
• extreme life extension
• whole brain emulation
• advanced femtotechnology
• Alcubierre drive
December 23, 2024 at 11:35 AM
Maybe I have long timelines, but I confidently predict AI will not solve any of the following within the next 6 months:
• atomically precise manufacturing
• Dyson sphere creation
• extreme life extension
• whole brain emulation
• advanced femtotechnology
• Alcubierre drive
• atomically precise manufacturing
• Dyson sphere creation
• extreme life extension
• whole brain emulation
• advanced femtotechnology
• Alcubierre drive
CSS is the most powerful force in the universe
December 11, 2024 at 9:27 PM
CSS is the most powerful force in the universe
Reposted
A human bioactuator inspects the entire factory and turns a single screw, fixing the problem. The next day, he bills the company $10,000.
“$10,000? My AI could’ve figured out the problem in an instant!”
The bioactuator relied: “It’s $1 for knowing which screw to turn, and $9,999 for turning it”
“$10,000? My AI could’ve figured out the problem in an instant!”
The bioactuator relied: “It’s $1 for knowing which screw to turn, and $9,999 for turning it”
November 15, 2024 at 1:30 AM
A human bioactuator inspects the entire factory and turns a single screw, fixing the problem. The next day, he bills the company $10,000.
“$10,000? My AI could’ve figured out the problem in an instant!”
The bioactuator relied: “It’s $1 for knowing which screw to turn, and $9,999 for turning it”
“$10,000? My AI could’ve figured out the problem in an instant!”
The bioactuator relied: “It’s $1 for knowing which screw to turn, and $9,999 for turning it”
Jean Valjean's redemption arc was to receive a large donation from government-supported woke radicals and use that as initial investment to make status-enhancing decorations for the upper classes.
November 15, 2024 at 10:13 PM
Jean Valjean's redemption arc was to receive a large donation from government-supported woke radicals and use that as initial investment to make status-enhancing decorations for the upper classes.
Thesis: consciousness is a property of just about any intelligent system where output bandwidth << input bandwidth << compute. Implication: causally masked self-attention layers are conscious.
November 15, 2024 at 10:15 AM
Thesis: consciousness is a property of just about any intelligent system where output bandwidth << input bandwidth << compute. Implication: causally masked self-attention layers are conscious.
Diffusion of many lognormals is the best latent variable model.
June 27, 2024 at 8:47 AM
Diffusion of many lognormals is the best latent variable model.
New survey technology WIP
May 9, 2024 at 5:13 PM
New survey technology WIP