Oliver Bown
@olliebown.bsky.social
Associate Prof, @UNSW Art&Design.
Research: Creative AI, computational creativity, music, IxD, society, evolution.
Music: Icarus, Tangents.
And: Social justice, equity, cycling, urban planning, 18-19C history.
Don't know why I post, mostly notes to self.
Research: Creative AI, computational creativity, music, IxD, society, evolution.
Music: Icarus, Tangents.
And: Social justice, equity, cycling, urban planning, 18-19C history.
Don't know why I post, mostly notes to self.
The launch of the exhibition Data Dreams is coming soon to the MCA. I'll be joining a line up of talks presented by the UNSW Creative Technologies Research Lab on Saturday 22nd November to accompany the exhibition. Always a good day when Kate Crawford's in the house.
www.mca.com.au/events-progr...
www.mca.com.au/events-progr...
In dialogue: Data Dreams | MCA Australia
www.mca.com.au
November 14, 2025 at 2:30 AM
The launch of the exhibition Data Dreams is coming soon to the MCA. I'll be joining a line up of talks presented by the UNSW Creative Technologies Research Lab on Saturday 22nd November to accompany the exhibition. Always a good day when Kate Crawford's in the house.
www.mca.com.au/events-progr...
www.mca.com.au/events-progr...
No, the BBC may have done a bad edit but this is gross political bullying. This man has normalised flagrant lying and yes he did support the violent insurrection. Nobody should be apologising to him.
November 13, 2025 at 11:01 PM
No, the BBC may have done a bad edit but this is gross political bullying. This man has normalised flagrant lying and yes he did support the violent insurrection. Nobody should be apologising to him.
So wait, Henry Ford completely fabricated the line that he was going to exit Ford, set up a rival to Ford that made cars cheaper than Ford, crashing Ford shares only to buy them all up and take back over, not considered illegal. And he was a raving Nazi. It makes nowtimes seem relatively ok.
November 12, 2025 at 4:09 AM
So wait, Henry Ford completely fabricated the line that he was going to exit Ford, set up a rival to Ford that made cars cheaper than Ford, crashing Ford shares only to buy them all up and take back over, not considered illegal. And he was a raving Nazi. It makes nowtimes seem relatively ok.
Amongst Melbourne's many talents is hanging cool cycle paths underneath freeways.
bigbuild.vic.gov.au/use-west-gat...
bigbuild.vic.gov.au/use-west-gat...
Ride the new cycling paths in Melbourne’s inner west
Check out your new and upgraded cycling paths in Melbourne’s inner west, including the veloway above Footscray Road. All built as part of the West Gate Tunnel Project.
bigbuild.vic.gov.au
November 11, 2025 at 5:23 AM
Amongst Melbourne's many talents is hanging cool cycle paths underneath freeways.
bigbuild.vic.gov.au/use-west-gat...
bigbuild.vic.gov.au/use-west-gat...
BBC editing implied Trump supported Jan 6 insurrectionists.
Trump pardoned those insurrectionists.
Trump pardoned those insurrectionists.
November 10, 2025 at 11:18 AM
BBC editing implied Trump supported Jan 6 insurrectionists.
Trump pardoned those insurrectionists.
Trump pardoned those insurrectionists.
Can't believe this thought has never come fully formed until today -- I know it's been lurking a long time -- but I think we should take a more positive view of gen image models training on their own output as experiments in artificial culture. Who is doing this work right now?
November 9, 2025 at 9:30 PM
Can't believe this thought has never come fully formed until today -- I know it's been lurking a long time -- but I think we should take a more positive view of gen image models training on their own output as experiments in artificial culture. Who is doing this work right now?
Not kidding people are asking ChatGPT to predict the Bitcoin price. We really are in big trouble.
The weekly cartoon
from The Economist Espresso www.economist.com/the-world-th...
The weekly cartoon
from The Economist Espresso www.economist.com/the-world-th...
The weekly cartoon | Nov 8th 2025 Edition
The world this week
www.economist.com
November 8, 2025 at 9:42 PM
Not kidding people are asking ChatGPT to predict the Bitcoin price. We really are in big trouble.
The weekly cartoon
from The Economist Espresso www.economist.com/the-world-th...
The weekly cartoon
from The Economist Espresso www.economist.com/the-world-th...
Reposted by Oliver Bown
FIFA making up a Peace Prize to award Donald Trump is the most on brand thing they’ve done this year.
FIFA to award new peace prize at World Cup draw in Washington
FIFA has announced the creation of a peace prize, which it plans to award for the first time at the World Cup draw on Dec. 5 in Washington.
www.pbs.org
November 7, 2025 at 12:35 PM
FIFA making up a Peace Prize to award Donald Trump is the most on brand thing they’ve done this year.
The world is not mad enough that the company most have entrusted to search information has decided this is the path we all shall take.
AI is fun. AI is clever. It will have great uses, productivity, meaningful cultural value.
Doesn't mean it's ok to close your eyes while driving your car.
AI is fun. AI is clever. It will have great uses, productivity, meaningful cultural value.
Doesn't mean it's ok to close your eyes while driving your car.
November 7, 2025 at 10:37 AM
The world is not mad enough that the company most have entrusted to search information has decided this is the path we all shall take.
AI is fun. AI is clever. It will have great uses, productivity, meaningful cultural value.
Doesn't mean it's ok to close your eyes while driving your car.
AI is fun. AI is clever. It will have great uses, productivity, meaningful cultural value.
Doesn't mean it's ok to close your eyes while driving your car.
The UMG/Udio news affirms my recent research career pivot from being a creative AI technologist to understanding what AI is doing to creative industries. There's a huge need for research energy to go into this.
Short piece with @kathybowrey.bsky.social.
theconversation.com/universal-mu...
Short piece with @kathybowrey.bsky.social.
theconversation.com/universal-mu...
Universal Music went from suing an AI company to partnering with it. What will it mean for artists?
The new deal might seem like a ‘win’ for artists at face value. But how it actually benefits them remains unclear.
theconversation.com
November 6, 2025 at 9:41 PM
The UMG/Udio news affirms my recent research career pivot from being a creative AI technologist to understanding what AI is doing to creative industries. There's a huge need for research energy to go into this.
Short piece with @kathybowrey.bsky.social.
theconversation.com/universal-mu...
Short piece with @kathybowrey.bsky.social.
theconversation.com/universal-mu...
Shakes fist at @springernature.com. You guys are getting into the appalling habit of sending out papers with AI-written abstracts to reviewers. This one "delves into ... rapidly evolving relationships ... fundamentally reshaping our understanding".
November 5, 2025 at 9:29 AM
Shakes fist at @springernature.com. You guys are getting into the appalling habit of sending out papers with AI-written abstracts to reviewers. This one "delves into ... rapidly evolving relationships ... fundamentally reshaping our understanding".
SensiLab Melbourne is hiring. One of the best groups in Australia researching creative tech. sensilab.monash.edu/work-with-us...
Jobs at SensiLab - SensiLab
sensilab.monash.edu
November 3, 2025 at 5:59 AM
SensiLab Melbourne is hiring. One of the best groups in Australia researching creative tech. sensilab.monash.edu/work-with-us...
For now I'm managing to maintain the line to my family: no these creatures are not cute and no I'm not feeling incredibly calm with this little-un in my hand. I can see the cracks forming in my armour.
November 1, 2025 at 5:35 AM
For now I'm managing to maintain the line to my family: no these creatures are not cute and no I'm not feeling incredibly calm with this little-un in my hand. I can see the cracks forming in my armour.
Such a lack of integrity and dignity. Don't be like this, kids. You can be better.
www.abc.net.au/news/2025-11...
www.abc.net.au/news/2025-11...
Nationals ditch net zero support in party platform
The decision by the party's Federal Council does not bind federal parliamentarians but could pave the way for them to make a similar move as early as this week.
www.abc.net.au
November 1, 2025 at 2:14 AM
Such a lack of integrity and dignity. Don't be like this, kids. You can be better.
www.abc.net.au/news/2025-11...
www.abc.net.au/news/2025-11...
Right so today turns out to be a huge day in creative AI copyright debates.
Udio have developed "strategic agreements" with UMG and WMG and are immediately restructuring towards something claiming to be more artist friendly. This says nothing of the ruling.
musically.com/2025/10/30/u...
Udio have developed "strategic agreements" with UMG and WMG and are immediately restructuring towards something claiming to be more artist friendly. This says nothing of the ruling.
musically.com/2025/10/30/u...
UMG settles Udio lawsuit; companies plan new AI-music service together
Universal Music Group has settled its lawsuit with AI-music startup Udio, and the pair are launching a new GenAI music service together.
musically.com
October 30, 2025 at 9:20 AM
Right so today turns out to be a huge day in creative AI copyright debates.
Udio have developed "strategic agreements" with UMG and WMG and are immediately restructuring towards something claiming to be more artist friendly. This says nothing of the ruling.
musically.com/2025/10/30/u...
Udio have developed "strategic agreements" with UMG and WMG and are immediately restructuring towards something claiming to be more artist friendly. This says nothing of the ruling.
musically.com/2025/10/30/u...
Congratulations Dr Kurt Mikolajczyk. PhD thoroughly well deserved. You were a pure joy to work with from start to finish. Anyone looking for an excellent creative/music tech postdoc, look no further.
October 30, 2025 at 8:18 AM
Congratulations Dr Kurt Mikolajczyk. PhD thoroughly well deserved. You were a pure joy to work with from start to finish. Anyone looking for an excellent creative/music tech postdoc, look no further.
Thought this was crocodile themed. Nope, real croc.
October 27, 2025 at 8:40 AM
Thought this was crocodile themed. Nope, real croc.
A mystical creature walked into a bar. Says to the barman, greetings human, I am the hybrid chimera of the sea snake and the fox. Barman says, are you Fur Eel?
October 24, 2025 at 11:10 PM
A mystical creature walked into a bar. Says to the barman, greetings human, I am the hybrid chimera of the sea snake and the fox. Barman says, are you Fur Eel?
Reposted by Oliver Bown
Andrew Cuomo’s campaign just posted — and quickly deleted — this AI-generated ad depicting “criminals for Zohran Mamdani.”
Features a Black man in a keffiyeh shoplifting, an abuser, a trespasser, a trafficker, a drug dealer, and a drunk driver all declaring support for Mamdani.
Features a Black man in a keffiyeh shoplifting, an abuser, a trespasser, a trafficker, a drug dealer, and a drunk driver all declaring support for Mamdani.
October 23, 2025 at 12:08 AM
Andrew Cuomo’s campaign just posted — and quickly deleted — this AI-generated ad depicting “criminals for Zohran Mamdani.”
Features a Black man in a keffiyeh shoplifting, an abuser, a trespasser, a trafficker, a drug dealer, and a drunk driver all declaring support for Mamdani.
Features a Black man in a keffiyeh shoplifting, an abuser, a trespasser, a trafficker, a drug dealer, and a drunk driver all declaring support for Mamdani.
Strong piece. But it's the Brynjolfsson take has crashed. We can't design our way towards AI that serves an old economic order and power. Ownership needs to be rethought. The challenge is that the Nation isn't much of an antidote to the private owner.
www.theguardian.com/technology/2...
www.theguardian.com/technology/2...
October 23, 2025 at 12:00 PM
Strong piece. But it's the Brynjolfsson take has crashed. We can't design our way towards AI that serves an old economic order and power. Ownership needs to be rethought. The challenge is that the Nation isn't much of an antidote to the private owner.
www.theguardian.com/technology/2...
www.theguardian.com/technology/2...
An AI copyright moment, if you can be bothered to register this in the Trump circus. Speaks for first time on big AI and copyright exemptions. Zero people stunned by his position. Watch, he'll back up AI lobbyists in other countries, wrapped into trade warring. www.wsj.com/business/ent...
Exclusive | Trump Administration in Talks to Take Equity Stakes in Quantum-Computing Firms
The discussions signal Washington’s wider involvement in critical parts of the economy.
www.wsj.com
October 23, 2025 at 11:36 AM
An AI copyright moment, if you can be bothered to register this in the Trump circus. Speaks for first time on big AI and copyright exemptions. Zero people stunned by his position. Watch, he'll back up AI lobbyists in other countries, wrapped into trade warring. www.wsj.com/business/ent...
While protest remains possible it is essential. Yes to all these realities unfolding in America.
October 23, 2025 at 4:12 AM
While protest remains possible it is essential. Yes to all these realities unfolding in America.
What's the difference between a dad and a dad joke?
A dad is a grown man with kids.
A dad joke is kidding, man, with groans.
A dad is a grown man with kids.
A dad joke is kidding, man, with groans.
October 17, 2025 at 7:27 AM
What's the difference between a dad and a dad joke?
A dad is a grown man with kids.
A dad joke is kidding, man, with groans.
A dad is a grown man with kids.
A dad joke is kidding, man, with groans.
The phrase "AI will create jobs" has started causing me to visibly convulse.
October 16, 2025 at 6:52 AM
The phrase "AI will create jobs" has started causing me to visibly convulse.
I don't tend towards doom/alarmism generally but I can only see global politics playing out one way at the moment: the gradual, relentless erosion of people power under oligarchic fascism. Thinking because you don't live in the US you're safe from the decimation of democracy? Have you played Risk?
October 16, 2025 at 3:24 AM
I don't tend towards doom/alarmism generally but I can only see global politics playing out one way at the moment: the gradual, relentless erosion of people power under oligarchic fascism. Thinking because you don't live in the US you're safe from the decimation of democracy? Have you played Risk?