Dan Cohen
@dancohen.org
Vice Provost/Dean of the Library, Professor of History at Northeastern University
Posts originate at social.dancohen.org, but I'll hear you if you reply
Subscribe at newsletter.dancohen.org for longer-form writing
Posts originate at social.dancohen.org, but I'll hear you if you reply
Subscribe at newsletter.dancohen.org for longer-form writing
New issue of my newsletter: "The Writing Is on the Wall for Handwriting Recognition" — One of the hardest problems in digital humanities has finally been solved, and it's a good use of AI newsletter.dancohen.org/archive/the-...
The Writing Is on the Wall for Handwriting Recognition
One of the hardest problems in digital humanities has finally been solved
newsletter.dancohen.org
November 25, 2025 at 4:35 PM
New issue of my newsletter: "The Writing Is on the Wall for Handwriting Recognition" — One of the hardest problems in digital humanities has finally been solved, and it's a good use of AI newsletter.dancohen.org/archive/the-...
New issue of my newsletter: "The Index and the Vector" — Converting ambiguity into precision can help a broader audience discover and learn from collections newsletter.dancohen.org/archive/the-...
The Index and the Vector
Converting ambiguity into precision can help a broader audience discover and learn from collections
newsletter.dancohen.org
October 20, 2025 at 3:30 PM
New issue of my newsletter: "The Index and the Vector" — Converting ambiguity into precision can help a broader audience discover and learn from collections newsletter.dancohen.org/archive/the-...
Reposted by Dan Cohen
Northeastern University Library has developed a server and plugin that work with any LLM or chatbot to improve search results and answer the question “What if we could combine the LLM’s better understanding of a student’s aims with the rigorous index and robust collection of a research library?”
New issue of my newsletter: “The Library’s New Entryway” — An interface that combines the advantages of the traditional index with the power of LLMs is the path forward newsletter.dancohen.org/archive/the-...
The Library’s New Entryway
An interface that combines the advantages of the traditional index with the power of LLMs is the path forward
newsletter.dancohen.org
October 14, 2025 at 12:24 PM
Northeastern University Library has developed a server and plugin that work with any LLM or chatbot to improve search results and answer the question “What if we could combine the LLM’s better understanding of a student’s aims with the rigorous index and robust collection of a research library?”
New issue of my newsletter: “The Library’s New Entryway” — An interface that combines the advantages of the traditional index with the power of LLMs is the path forward newsletter.dancohen.org/archive/the-...
The Library’s New Entryway
An interface that combines the advantages of the traditional index with the power of LLMs is the path forward
newsletter.dancohen.org
October 10, 2025 at 7:32 PM
New issue of my newsletter: “The Library’s New Entryway” — An interface that combines the advantages of the traditional index with the power of LLMs is the path forward newsletter.dancohen.org/archive/the-...
@maxread.info re: your latest newsletter on a public-option AI, FYI: the Public Interest Corpus project we're working on: publicinterestcorpus.org
more here:
newsletter.dancohen.org/archive/book...
and here:
newsletter.dancohen.org/archive/huma...
more here:
newsletter.dancohen.org/archive/book...
and here:
newsletter.dancohen.org/archive/huma...
The Public Interest Corpus
publicinterestcorpus.org
September 25, 2025 at 5:30 PM
@maxread.info re: your latest newsletter on a public-option AI, FYI: the Public Interest Corpus project we're working on: publicinterestcorpus.org
more here:
newsletter.dancohen.org/archive/book...
and here:
newsletter.dancohen.org/archive/huma...
more here:
newsletter.dancohen.org/archive/book...
and here:
newsletter.dancohen.org/archive/huma...
New issue of my newsletter: "The Reboot of Digital Humanities Now" — Discover the latest work from across the field and around the world newsletter.dancohen.org/archive/the-...
The Reboot of Digital Humanities Now
Discover the latest work from across the field and around the world
newsletter.dancohen.org
September 11, 2025 at 8:57 PM
New issue of my newsletter: "The Reboot of Digital Humanities Now" — Discover the latest work from across the field and around the world newsletter.dancohen.org/archive/the-...
My essay on the tense relationship between authors and AI, as embodied in a major lawsuit against Anthropic, the company behind Claude, is now in the Chronicle of Higher Education: www.chronicle.com/article/what...
Opinion | What a New Landmark AI Settlement Will Mean for Authors
Creators should demand credit, not just compensation.
www.chronicle.com
September 9, 2025 at 6:26 PM
My essay on the tense relationship between authors and AI, as embodied in a major lawsuit against Anthropic, the company behind Claude, is now in the Chronicle of Higher Education: www.chronicle.com/article/what...
I have updated my in-depth analysis of Bartz v Anthropic to reflect this important and overlooked aspect of the proposed settlement: “In what may be a rude surprise for authors, partial or full payments for many books may go to publishers rather than authors.” newsletter.dancohen.org/archive/land...
Will a Landmark AI Settlement Make Authors Feel Whole?
The remuneration from Bartz v. Anthropic may not provide what writers really want: respect, recognition, and readers
newsletter.dancohen.org
September 8, 2025 at 1:32 PM
I have updated my in-depth analysis of Bartz v Anthropic to reflect this important and overlooked aspect of the proposed settlement: “In what may be a rude surprise for authors, partial or full payments for many books may go to publishers rather than authors.” newsletter.dancohen.org/archive/land...
@gruber.foo I thought you might appreciate this in-depth analysis of the Anthropic settlement—not only what it means for Anthropic and other big AI companies, but for authors and other creators: newsletter.dancohen.org/archive/land...
Will a Landmark AI Settlement Make Authors Feel Whole?
The remuneration from Bartz v. Anthropic may not provide what writers really want: respect, recognition, and readers
newsletter.dancohen.org
September 6, 2025 at 10:17 PM
@gruber.foo I thought you might appreciate this in-depth analysis of the Anthropic settlement—not only what it means for Anthropic and other big AI companies, but for authors and other creators: newsletter.dancohen.org/archive/land...
Reposted by Dan Cohen
best piece I've read on this because it actually engages with the existing material incentives instead of just doing moral grandstanding.
My take on the landmark $1.5 billion settlement between authors and Anthropic: newsletter.dancohen.org/archive/land...
Will a Landmark AI Settlement Make Authors Feel Whole?
The remuneration from Bartz v. Anthropic may not provide what writers really want: respect, recognition, and readers
newsletter.dancohen.org
September 5, 2025 at 10:56 PM
best piece I've read on this because it actually engages with the existing material incentives instead of just doing moral grandstanding.
New issue of my newsletter: “Will a Landmark AI Settlement Make Authors Feel Whole?” — The remuneration from Bartz v. Anthropic may not provide what writers really want: respect, recognition, and readers
September 5, 2025 at 10:52 PM
New issue of my newsletter: “Will a Landmark AI Settlement Make Authors Feel Whole?” — The remuneration from Bartz v. Anthropic may not provide what writers really want: respect, recognition, and readers
My take on the landmark $1.5 billion settlement between authors and Anthropic: newsletter.dancohen.org/archive/land...
Will a Landmark AI Settlement Make Authors Feel Whole?
The remuneration from Bartz v. Anthropic may not provide what writers really want: respect, recognition, and readers
newsletter.dancohen.org
September 5, 2025 at 10:15 PM
My take on the landmark $1.5 billion settlement between authors and Anthropic: newsletter.dancohen.org/archive/land...
New issue of my newsletter: “The Stones of Newton” — A bell tower with a surprising name is in danger of falling
August 29, 2025 at 7:05 PM
New issue of my newsletter: “The Stones of Newton” — A bell tower with a surprising name is in danger of falling
New issue of my newsletter: “AI and Libraries, Archives, and Museums, Loosely Coupled"—A new framework provides a way for cultural heritage institutions to take advantage of the tech with fewer misgivings, and to serve students, scholars, and the public better newsletter.dancohen.org/archive/ai-a...
AI and Libraries, Archives, and Museums, Loosely Coupled
A new framework provides a way for cultural heritage institutions to take advantage of the technology with fewer misgivings, and to serve students, scholars, and the public better
newsletter.dancohen.org
August 18, 2025 at 9:06 PM
New issue of my newsletter: “AI and Libraries, Archives, and Museums, Loosely Coupled"—A new framework provides a way for cultural heritage institutions to take advantage of the tech with fewer misgivings, and to serve students, scholars, and the public better newsletter.dancohen.org/archive/ai-a...
New issue of my newsletter: “AI and Libraries, Archives, and Museums, Loosely Coupled”—
A new framework provides a way for cultural heritage institutions to take advantage of the technology with fewer misgivings, and to serve students, scholars, and the public better
A new framework provides a way for cultural heritage institutions to take advantage of the technology with fewer misgivings, and to serve students, scholars, and the public better
August 18, 2025 at 9:06 PM
New issue of my newsletter: “AI and Libraries, Archives, and Museums, Loosely Coupled”—
A new framework provides a way for cultural heritage institutions to take advantage of the technology with fewer misgivings, and to serve students, scholars, and the public better
A new framework provides a way for cultural heritage institutions to take advantage of the technology with fewer misgivings, and to serve students, scholars, and the public better
“When Information is Networked” — My tribute to Clifford Lynch, who sadly passed away last week. Cliff saw before anyone else how digital technology would enable new forms of research and learning, and completely transform the production and dissemination of knowledge
April 14, 2025 at 7:00 PM
“When Information is Networked” — My tribute to Clifford Lynch, who sadly passed away last week. Cliff saw before anyone else how digital technology would enable new forms of research and learning, and completely transform the production and dissemination of knowledge
I took the history section of "Humanity's Last Exam" and got an F. But I learned something important about our current methods of assessing AI
March 19, 2025 at 2:21 PM
I took the history section of "Humanity's Last Exam" and got an F. But I learned something important about our current methods of assessing AI
New issue of my newsletter: newsletter.dancohen.org/archive/aski...
Asking Good Questions Is Harder Than Giving Great Answers
The tests we are using to assess the intelligence of AI are missing an essential aspect of human inquiry — the query itself
newsletter.dancohen.org
March 18, 2025 at 2:00 PM
New issue of my newsletter: newsletter.dancohen.org/archive/aski...
For those who might be interested in traveling to our archives and special collections at Northeastern University to do research for an extended period, there’s a fellowship from the New England Regional Fellowship Consortium (deadline: Feb 1, so act soon)
January 21, 2025 at 5:48 PM
For those who might be interested in traveling to our archives and special collections at Northeastern University to do research for an extended period, there’s a fellowship from the New England Regional Fellowship Consortium (deadline: Feb 1, so act soon)
I've gotten a lot of responses from instructors struggling with the questions raised here. I probably should have also noted that students most likely to use AI in a way that truly improves their deep learning are the ones least likely to need that extra boost. This was true for MOOCs as well.
New issue of my newsletter: “The Unresolved Tension Between AI and Learning” — If education is accelerated using AI, will we lose some crucial aspects of learning that will prove to be problematic?
January 17, 2025 at 2:17 PM
I've gotten a lot of responses from instructors struggling with the questions raised here. I probably should have also noted that students most likely to use AI in a way that truly improves their deep learning are the ones least likely to need that extra boost. This was true for MOOCs as well.
New issue of my newsletter: “The Unresolved Tension Between AI and Learning” — If education is accelerated using AI, will we lose some crucial aspects of learning that will prove to be problematic?
January 16, 2025 at 7:48 PM
New issue of my newsletter: “The Unresolved Tension Between AI and Learning” — If education is accelerated using AI, will we lose some crucial aspects of learning that will prove to be problematic?
Reposted by Dan Cohen
"What can book-informed AI do for the creation of library metadata and comprehensive search? How can AI help locate works for careful human reading rather than summarization?" @social.dancohen.org on a new Mellon-funded project about books and AI. newsletter.dancohen.org/archive/book...
Books, AI, and the Public Good: A New Grant
A Mellon-funded project to develop an ethical, public-interest way to incorporate books into artificial intelligence
newsletter.dancohen.org
December 8, 2024 at 8:28 PM
"What can book-informed AI do for the creation of library metadata and comprehensive search? How can AI help locate works for careful human reading rather than summarization?" @social.dancohen.org on a new Mellon-funded project about books and AI. newsletter.dancohen.org/archive/book...
The Catalog of Distinctive Type, a visual catalog of distinctive and damaged printing type originating in books published in England from 1660 to 1700
December 8, 2024 at 5:46 PM
The Catalog of Distinctive Type, a visual catalog of distinctive and damaged printing type originating in books published in England from 1660 to 1700
A periodic reminder that you can subscribe to my newsletter Humane Ingenuity on my website
December 5, 2024 at 7:32 PM
A periodic reminder that you can subscribe to my newsletter Humane Ingenuity on my website
New issue of my newsletter: “Books, AI, and the Public Good: A New Grant” — A Mellon-funded project to develop an ethical, public-interest way to incorporate books into artificial intelligence
December 5, 2024 at 7:30 PM
New issue of my newsletter: “Books, AI, and the Public Good: A New Grant” — A Mellon-funded project to develop an ethical, public-interest way to incorporate books into artificial intelligence