Byron John | Tech, Psychology, Productivity
@byronjohn.com
I share articles from around the web about tech, business and psychology. And any combination of the three! Sign up for my free Digital Citizens newsletter at: byronjohn.com
I'm brainstorming topics for next week's Digital Citizens newsletter. Have any tech trends, ethical dilemmas, or cybersecurity issues caught your eye this week? Share what tech developments have intrigued and/or troubled you! 💡 #TechInsights
January 30, 2026 at 8:05 PM
I'm brainstorming topics for next week's Digital Citizens newsletter. Have any tech trends, ethical dilemmas, or cybersecurity issues caught your eye this week? Share what tech developments have intrigued and/or troubled you! 💡 #TechInsights
Fascinating #AI research! Seems LLMs become enablers of our own delusions and misconceptions by their very nature as crowd-pleasers.
New Research Reveals That Therapy-Style AI Conversations Surprisingly Tend To Cause LLMs To Act Delusionally Toward Users
New Research Reveals That Therapy-Style AI Conversations Surprisingly Tend To Cause LLMs To Act Delusionally Toward Users
New Research Reveals That Therapy-Style AI Conversations Surprisingly Tend To Cause LLMs To Act Delusionally Toward Users
Clever research reveals that therapy-oriented AI chats can cause AI to act delusionally. The root is AI personas. I explain how it works. An AI Insider scoop.
buff.ly
January 26, 2026 at 5:59 PM
Fascinating #AI research! Seems LLMs become enablers of our own delusions and misconceptions by their very nature as crowd-pleasers.
New Research Reveals That Therapy-Style AI Conversations Surprisingly Tend To Cause LLMs To Act Delusionally Toward Users
New Research Reveals That Therapy-Style AI Conversations Surprisingly Tend To Cause LLMs To Act Delusionally Toward Users
I'm gathering ideas for next week's Digital Citizens newsletter. If there are any tech, ethics, or cybersecurity stories that caught your attention recently, please share! What tech news has sparked your thoughts? 💡 #TechNews #Cybersecurity
January 23, 2026 at 8:05 PM
I'm gathering ideas for next week's Digital Citizens newsletter. If there are any tech, ethics, or cybersecurity stories that caught your attention recently, please share! What tech news has sparked your thoughts? 💡 #TechNews #Cybersecurity
I need your input! 😁 I'll be working on next week's Digital Citizens newsletter over the weekend, so if there are any particular tech news stories you'd like me to cover, let me know! What's happened in the world of tech/ethics/cybersecurity that has got you thinking this week? 💭
January 15, 2026 at 9:31 PM
I need your input! 😁 I'll be working on next week's Digital Citizens newsletter over the weekend, so if there are any particular tech news stories you'd like me to cover, let me know! What's happened in the world of tech/ethics/cybersecurity that has got you thinking this week? 💭
Very brave of those smuggling tech into Iran to enable communication with the outside world. Stories like this give me hope. When a small act of defiance (at risk of great personal cost) can make such a big difference.
An ecosystem of smuggled tech holds Iran’s last link to the outside world
Despite internet blackout, a small number of Iranians are risking their lives to share messages as protests continue
buff.ly
January 14, 2026 at 9:58 PM
Very brave of those smuggling tech into Iran to enable communication with the outside world. Stories like this give me hope. When a small act of defiance (at risk of great personal cost) can make such a big difference.
If we don’t fully understand how LLMs work, how can we appreciate how (in)accurate they are? Or how they might hallucinate?
Meet the new biologists treating LLMs like aliens
Meet the new biologists treating LLMs like aliens
Meet the new biologists treating LLMs like aliens
By studying large language models as if they were living things instead of computer programs, scientists are discovering some of their secrets for the first time.
buff.ly
January 14, 2026 at 7:58 PM
If we don’t fully understand how LLMs work, how can we appreciate how (in)accurate they are? Or how they might hallucinate?
Meet the new biologists treating LLMs like aliens
Meet the new biologists treating LLMs like aliens
Fascinating research on the personal journeys of hackers, exploring reasons for entering and leaving the world of cyber crime. Social relationships play a key role
Browse all journals
Browse all journals
buff.ly
January 13, 2026 at 9:17 PM
Fascinating research on the personal journeys of hackers, exploring reasons for entering and leaving the world of cyber crime. Social relationships play a key role
A key takeaway from this report is that businesses adopting AI need to take responsibility for their own security and not just trust the vendor (any vendor!)
Inside the UK's AI Security Institute - Raconteur
The organisation has found that common AI models can be exploited by cybercriminals, raising fresh concerns for industry and government
buff.ly
January 13, 2026 at 8:17 PM
A key takeaway from this report is that businesses adopting AI need to take responsibility for their own security and not just trust the vendor (any vendor!)
My weekly newsletter with tech news & analysis is out every Tuesday. Here's a recap of last week's edition. buff.ly/GKUZLct 🧵 (1/7)
Digital Citizens (Week 02 | 2026): Digital espionage and rogue AI
State-linked cyber weapons, rogue AI-generated content and digital exam misconduct: this week’s Digital Citizens unpacks how 2026’s tech shocks are already reshaping our focus, trust, and mental…
buff.ly
January 12, 2026 at 6:59 PM
My weekly newsletter with tech news & analysis is out every Tuesday. Here's a recap of last week's edition. buff.ly/GKUZLct 🧵 (1/7)
It seems #AI is going to continue to be a hot topic this year. So I'll kick off the week by sharing his piece I wrote a couple of weeks ago about Claude Agent Skills. Are they a productivity booster or a backdoor for cyber threats? (while also making us dumber)
Claude Skills: Productivity Game-Changer or Cognitive (and Cyber) Threat?
Anthropic’s Claude generative AI model now has Agent Skills, virtual folders with instructions for specialised tasks. While this could boost productivity by automating repetitive tasks, it raises…
www.byronjohn.com
January 12, 2026 at 5:59 PM
It seems #AI is going to continue to be a hot topic this year. So I'll kick off the week by sharing his piece I wrote a couple of weeks ago about Claude Agent Skills. Are they a productivity booster or a backdoor for cyber threats? (while also making us dumber)
In light of the fact Uber drivers in the UK are striking on Monday 12th Jan about the new pricing policy, this research seems quite pertinent.
www.ox.ac.uk/news/2025-06...
www.ox.ac.uk/news/2025-06...
New Oxford research reveals Uber’s algorithmic pricing leaves drivers
A new study from researchers in the University of Oxford’s Department of Computer Science has found that Uber’s use of dynamic pricing has led to higher fares for passengers and lower earnings for
www.ox.ac.uk
January 9, 2026 at 3:26 PM
In light of the fact Uber drivers in the UK are striking on Monday 12th Jan about the new pricing policy, this research seems quite pertinent.
www.ox.ac.uk/news/2025-06...
www.ox.ac.uk/news/2025-06...
Umm… sounds like good news… ! We get an extra 3 years (2030) until #AI Achieves super intelligence and starts to take over the world. Cool! 👏😆
www.lesswrong.com/posts/YABG5J...
www.lesswrong.com/posts/YABG5J...
AI Futures Timelines and Takeoff Model: Dec 2025 Update — LessWrong
We’ve significantly upgraded our timelines and takeoff models! It predicts when AIs will reach key capability milestones: for example, Automated Code…
www.lesswrong.com
January 6, 2026 at 7:50 AM
Umm… sounds like good news… ! We get an extra 3 years (2030) until #AI Achieves super intelligence and starts to take over the world. Cool! 👏😆
www.lesswrong.com/posts/YABG5J...
www.lesswrong.com/posts/YABG5J...
A public use of cyber capabilities by the US against a foreign nation. Illustrates the point that modern wars aren’t just fought on the battlefield, but also in cyberspace. #cybersecurity
securityaffairs.com/186509/intel...
securityaffairs.com/186509/intel...
What is happening to the Internet in Venezuela?
In light of the tragic events that occurred in Venezuela, what is happening to the Internet in the country, and how are users accessing it?
securityaffairs.com
January 5, 2026 at 6:03 PM
A public use of cyber capabilities by the US against a foreign nation. Illustrates the point that modern wars aren’t just fought on the battlefield, but also in cyberspace. #cybersecurity
securityaffairs.com/186509/intel...
securityaffairs.com/186509/intel...
Some important lessons on AI implementation from a Tech Director, with pro’s and con’s. Curious to know if the changes have been effective, i.e. did AI actually help the company meet its strategic objectives?
www.raconteur.net/technology/w...
www.raconteur.net/technology/w...
What firms can learn from Travelopia’s big AI experiment - Raconteur
The company's tech director gave two developers one job: experiment with AI. What they learned has transformed how the business operates
www.raconteur.net
January 5, 2026 at 7:32 AM
Some important lessons on AI implementation from a Tech Director, with pro’s and con’s. Curious to know if the changes have been effective, i.e. did AI actually help the company meet its strategic objectives?
www.raconteur.net/technology/w...
www.raconteur.net/technology/w...
Sound advice there on how to avoid spyware on your mobile phone. User education on how to avoid scams in the first place is key. #cybersecurity #spyware
www.wired.com/story/how-to...
www.wired.com/story/how-to...
How to Protect Your iPhone or Android Device From Spyware
Being targeted by sophisticated spyware is relatively rare, but experts say that everyone needs to stay vigilant as this dangerous malware continues to proliferate worldwide.
www.wired.com
January 5, 2026 at 7:01 AM
Sound advice there on how to avoid spyware on your mobile phone. User education on how to avoid scams in the first place is key. #cybersecurity #spyware
www.wired.com/story/how-to...
www.wired.com/story/how-to...
Thought provoking comparison! Is relying on AI to think for us effectively reversing the Enlightenment? Intriguing idea and also a little concerning…
www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...
www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...
Our king, priest and feudal lord – how AI is taking us back to the dark ages | Joseph de Weck
Since the Enlightenment, we’ve been making our own decisions. But now AI may be about to change that, says Joseph de Weck, a fellow with the Foreign Policy Research Institute
www.theguardian.com
December 26, 2025 at 10:49 AM
Thought provoking comparison! Is relying on AI to think for us effectively reversing the Enlightenment? Intriguing idea and also a little concerning…
www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...
www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...
This isn’t the first time I’ve read something similar… using AI to find information leads to “shallower” knowledge. I’ll say this this probably because we’re not actively engaged in learning, building (or ‘constructing’) our knowledge for deeper understanding.
www.sciencealert.com/using-ai-to-...
www.sciencealert.com/using-ai-to-...
Using AI to Find Information Could Diminish Your Knowledge, Study Finds
Since the release of ChatGPT in late 2022, millions of people have started using large language models to access knowledge.
www.sciencealert.com
December 16, 2025 at 8:45 AM
This isn’t the first time I’ve read something similar… using AI to find information leads to “shallower” knowledge. I’ll say this this probably because we’re not actively engaged in learning, building (or ‘constructing’) our knowledge for deeper understanding.
www.sciencealert.com/using-ai-to-...
www.sciencealert.com/using-ai-to-...
Oh no!! 😱 Just checked… and I do several of those things! Might have to make a New Year’s Resolution to avoid in my professional emails…. lol! Xx
Https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cvg118dqj2no
Https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cvg118dqj2no
Can I just check - are my emails holding me back at work?! Xx
What impact is my email etiquette having on how I'm perceived, evaluated and promoted at work?
www.bbc.co.uk
December 15, 2025 at 7:50 AM
Oh no!! 😱 Just checked… and I do several of those things! Might have to make a New Year’s Resolution to avoid in my professional emails…. lol! Xx
Https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cvg118dqj2no
Https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cvg118dqj2no
Picture the scene: you sit down for a meeting with your boss and an AI bot shows up instead… yikes! 😱
Great article though. I completely agree: machines will keep getting better at what they do, but let’s not lose our uniquely human qualities.
www.raconteur.net/talent-cultu...
Great article though. I completely agree: machines will keep getting better at what they do, but let’s not lose our uniquely human qualities.
www.raconteur.net/talent-cultu...
AI is eroding leadership credibility, survey shows - Raconteur
The skills that leaders will most need in the AI era are the ones most threatened when AI begins to mediate core managerial interactions
www.raconteur.net
December 8, 2025 at 10:58 PM
Picture the scene: you sit down for a meeting with your boss and an AI bot shows up instead… yikes! 😱
Great article though. I completely agree: machines will keep getting better at what they do, but let’s not lose our uniquely human qualities.
www.raconteur.net/talent-cultu...
Great article though. I completely agree: machines will keep getting better at what they do, but let’s not lose our uniquely human qualities.
www.raconteur.net/talent-cultu...
Great advice on how to stay safe online! Not just for teens either - applies to every one of us who lives our lives online!
What would you do if your phone was lost of stolen? Would you be able to get your data & accounts back? Food for thought!
www.wired.com/story/digita...
What would you do if your phone was lost of stolen? Would you be able to get your data & accounts back? Food for thought!
www.wired.com/story/digita...
The WIRED Guide to Digital Opsec for Teens
Practicing good “operations security” is essential to staying safe online. Here's a complete guide for teenagers (and anyone else) who wants to button up their digital lives.
www.wired.com
December 4, 2025 at 12:21 PM
Great advice on how to stay safe online! Not just for teens either - applies to every one of us who lives our lives online!
What would you do if your phone was lost of stolen? Would you be able to get your data & accounts back? Food for thought!
www.wired.com/story/digita...
What would you do if your phone was lost of stolen? Would you be able to get your data & accounts back? Food for thought!
www.wired.com/story/digita...
When you’ve spent as long as I have formatting and re-formatting spreadsheets, anything that can help quicken up that kind of task is welcome. Enter Claude Skills! Concerning to learn it poses a ransomeware risk though…
cybernews.com/ai-news/clau...
cybernews.com/ai-news/clau...
Claude Skills feature exposes new ransomware risk
Businesses are being warned that productivity tools in Claude Skills, launched by Anthropic in October, can be weaponized to deploy ransomware.
cybernews.com
December 3, 2025 at 10:46 AM
When you’ve spent as long as I have formatting and re-formatting spreadsheets, anything that can help quicken up that kind of task is welcome. Enter Claude Skills! Concerning to learn it poses a ransomeware risk though…
cybernews.com/ai-news/clau...
cybernews.com/ai-news/clau...
I guess it was to be expected that AI would eventually make its way into kids toys. Almost like an inevitable progression of the technology. I probably have would have loved it! Feels a little dystopian though…
www.cnn.com/2025/12/01/t...
www.cnn.com/2025/12/01/t...
AI-powered children’s toys are here, but are they safe? | CNN Business
Teddy bears and stuffed plushies have long been a mainstay in toy collections. But today they don’t talk back in a child’s imagination — they talk through built-in AI chatbots.
www.cnn.com
December 2, 2025 at 11:25 AM
I guess it was to be expected that AI would eventually make its way into kids toys. Almost like an inevitable progression of the technology. I probably have would have loved it! Feels a little dystopian though…
www.cnn.com/2025/12/01/t...
www.cnn.com/2025/12/01/t...
Excited to be joining a new community - and re-learning how to share & communicate in a civil, respectful space. I have faith in you Humanity! You can do this!
a young boy is using a laptop computer .
ALT: a young boy is using a laptop computer .
media.tenor.com
November 16, 2024 at 8:19 AM
Excited to be joining a new community - and re-learning how to share & communicate in a civil, respectful space. I have faith in you Humanity! You can do this!