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Shannon Vallor is an American philosopher of technology. She is the Baillie Gifford Chair in the Ethics of Data and… more

Shannon Vallor
H-index: 18
Neuroscience 30%
Computer science 22%
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by Shannon Vallor

shannonvallor.bsky.social
Will share when it’s up!
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by Shannon Vallor

shannonvallor.bsky.social
For those who enjoyed this thread, I have a short piece forthcoming in Harvard Data Science Review expanding this argument

(within a commentary on Sabina Leonelli’s wise call to replace philosophies that seek artificial intelligence (AI) with one that seeks ‘environmental intelligence’ (EI))
shannonvallor.bsky.social
Shannon Vallor @shannonvallor.bsky.social · 13d
Since it resonated with the audience, I’ll recap my main argument against AGI here. ‘General intelligence’ is like phlogiston, or the aether. It’s an outmoded scientific concept that does not refer to anything real. Any explanatory work it did can be done better by a richer scientific frame. 1/3
shannonvallor.bsky.social
Shannon Vallor @shannonvallor.bsky.social · 13d
This was a truly heartening day, with deeply thoughtful challenges to the dominant narrative framed around AGI, coming from across disciplines and perspectives. Felt like the tide might finally be turning a bit, at least among the scientific community. Thanks @royalsociety.org!
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Reposted by Shannon Vallor, James O’Sullivan

abeba.bsky.social
i don't have the words to emphasise how seriously bad things are gonna get
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by Shannon Vallor

shannonvallor.bsky.social
The bar really is very low
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by Shannon Vallor — Reposted by Shannon Vallor

shannonvallor.bsky.social
Is AI actually a sound social investment? Or a net drain of value? Come to Edinburgh and help us @braiduk.bsky.social develop a more holistic and rigorous methodology for measuring AI’s real worth!
ewaluger.bsky.social
Ewa Luger @ewaluger.bsky.social · 2d
New research job alert! Come and join the amazing @braiduk.bsky.social team, working with me and @shannonvallor.bsky.social. The post is exploring the social return of AI investments. Feel free to reach out, and apply here - www.jobs.ac.uk/job/DPA010/r...
Research Associate at The University of Edinburgh
An opportunity for an academic position as a Research Associate is available, as advertised on jobs.ac.uk. Apply now and explore other academic job openings.
www.jobs.ac.uk
10 22

by Shannon Vallor

shannonvallor.bsky.social
Still time to register!
technomoralfutures.bsky.social
Centre for Technomoral Futures @technomoralfutures.bsky.social · 21d
Join us for our CTMF Flagship Lecture, where we will hear from Professor @jpsullins.bsky.social on the surprising role human wisdom is playing to help us navigate the challenges of AI technologies and create a more humane future.

🗓️ 15 October 18.00 - 19.30 BST
📍 EFI & online
🎟️ edin.ac/3Kl8em6
Event image for our Flagship Lecture. There is headshot photo of Professor Sullins, and text reading: 'Wisdom for an Artificial Age,' Professor John P. Sullins III (Sonoma State University). Location: Edinburgh Futures Institute (in person & online), Date: Wednesday 15 October 6.00 - 7.30pm BST, There will be a reception following the lecture.
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Reposted by Shannon Vallor, Lesley A. Hall

phdhurtbrain.bsky.social
I don’t think a long book is even primarily about plot, or character, or any of the patterned information on its pages. A long book is practicing over time a way of being in the world. Reading even a very good summary is not the same as giving over some portion of your own life to that practice.
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by Shannon Vallor

shannonvallor.bsky.social
I call my cat Simon because this is her every damn day
a cartoon character is standing in a kitchen with a bowl of cereal on the counter .
Alt: a cartoon skeleton character in a sweater vest is standing in a kitchen pushing a bowl of cereal off the counter
media.tenor.com
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by Shannon Vallor

shannonvallor.bsky.social
I am following for the handle alone. Although I rewatched FD a month ago and it does not all age as well as I had hoped
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by Shannon Vallor

shannonvallor.bsky.social
Yes. That is the point of the OP. Klein is the other butt of this joke. He is the literal punchline.
3

by Shannon Vallor

shannonvallor.bsky.social
sir you are very confused
1 5

Reposted by Shannon Vallor, Jonathan M. Gilligan

nytpitchbot.bsky.social
Elon Musk is doing Enron the right way.

by Ezra Klein

electrek.co/2025/10/13/e...
Elon Musk's SpaceX and xAI are buying Tesla's unsold Cybertrucks
Hundreds of Tesla Cybertrucks have been spotted being delivered Elon Musk’s private companies, SpaceX and xAI, as Tesla is having...
electrek.co
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by Shannon Vallor

shannonvallor.bsky.social
tbh she was extremely cranky and difficult but she made good sauce and wasn’t a slave trader so that puts her ahead already
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by Shannon Vallor

shannonvallor.bsky.social
My grandmother
katelynburns.com
Katelyn Boo-urns @katelynburns.com · 2d
name an italian more worthy of an american holiday than columbus
3 1 28

Reposted by Shannon Vallor, Alan Richardson, Fiona Moore

katelynburns.com
name an italian more worthy of an american holiday than columbus
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Reposted by Shannon Vallor, Rebecca Solnit, Fabián Muniesa , and 3 more

sciam.bsky.social
Despite early, and familiar, copyright growing pains, Sora may be the prelude to AI-generated on-demand TV and movies
Want to See Marilyn Monroe in Game of Thrones? AI Could Make It Soon
Despite early, and familiar, copyright growing pains, Sora may be the prelude to AI-generated on-demand TV and movies
www.scientificamerican.com
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Reposted by Shannon Vallor

ewaluger.bsky.social
New research job alert! Come and join the amazing @braiduk.bsky.social team, working with me and @shannonvallor.bsky.social. The post is exploring the social return of AI investments. Feel free to reach out, and apply here - www.jobs.ac.uk/job/DPA010/r...
Research Associate at The University of Edinburgh
An opportunity for an academic position as a Research Associate is available, as advertised on jobs.ac.uk. Apply now and explore other academic job openings.
www.jobs.ac.uk
8 9

Reposted by Shannon Vallor

philipcball.bsky.social
This is a good piece that tries to caveat the language. But no AIs "lie, cheat, plot murder, blackmail, or scheme". They produce outputs, which may or may not be correlated with reality and which can mislead us.
www.nature.com/articles/d41...
AI models that lie, cheat and plot murder: how dangerous are LLMs really?
Tests of large language models reveal that they can behave in deceptive and potentially harmful ways. What does this mean for the future?
www.nature.com
5 5 40

Reposted by Shannon Vallor, Charles West

cordeliabeattie.bsky.social
Firth of Forth today. #TimelineCleanse
Picture of blue sea merging with blue sky.
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by Shannon Vallor

shannonvallor.bsky.social
Paused on Black Mirror S7 this summer after the first two episodes. Common People was brilliant but watching it felt like swallowing broken glass. Bete Noire was OK but had no heart. Needed a break from the darkness so I didn’t come back to Ep3 until tonight. Damn. Hotel Reverie was worth the wait.
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by Shannon Vallor

shannonvallor.bsky.social
LOVE IT

by Shannon Vallor

shannonvallor.bsky.social
Some of my favorite people are retired engineers, but hooboy…every time I go to my department mailbox and see a hand-addressed manila envelope I know I’m about to open a typewritten manifesto on asteroid consciousness or a self-published manual for a WD40-powered time machine
pookleblinky.bsky.social
Pookleblinky @pookleblinky.bsky.social · 4d
Think about how for decades, one of the ingredients of a crackpot was: retired engineer.

Retired engineers, for *generations* have been a fertile ground for crackpot theories in everything.

They get that golden watch and bam, incoherent manifesto about quantum archeology inbound.
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by Shannon Vallor

shannonvallor.bsky.social
Three million years of cognitive evolution learning new ways to save our own asses, wasted by a guy with a golden toilet.
sherylnyt.bsky.social
Sheryl Gay Stolberg @sherylnyt.bsky.social · 5d
BREAKING: Friday night massacre underway at CDC. Doznes of "disease detectives," high-level scientists, entire Washington staff and editors of the MMWR (Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report) have all been RIFed and received the following notice:
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Reposted by Shannon Vallor, Lesley A. Hall

pookleblinky.bsky.social
Think about how for decades, one of the ingredients of a crackpot was: retired engineer.

Retired engineers, for *generations* have been a fertile ground for crackpot theories in everything.

They get that golden watch and bam, incoherent manifesto about quantum archeology inbound.
12 110 780

Reposted by Shannon Vallor

drsurekhadavies.bsky.social
Vital words on why educators should push back against using plagiarism-slop machines for grading: "grading written responses is messy by design. It’s also one of the most human activities we can do within teaching." 1/2
biblioracle.bsky.social
John Warner @biblioracle.bsky.social · 5d
I strongly urge everyone to not just read this warning from @marcwatkins.bsky.social, but heed it, and be vocal and forceful pushing back against using AI to grade student writing. This must be anathema if we're going to have a world where learning means something. substack.com/inbox/post/1...
The Dangers of using AI to Grade
Nobody Learns, Nobody Gains
substack.com
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Reposted by Shannon Vallor, Lisa W. Fazio, Nandita Sharma , and 36 more

sherylnyt.bsky.social
BREAKING: Friday night massacre underway at CDC. Doznes of "disease detectives," high-level scientists, entire Washington staff and editors of the MMWR (Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report) have all been RIFed and received the following notice:
860 8.5K 15K

by Shannon Vallor

shannonvallor.bsky.social
Me accepting new projects while everyone in my life tries to help me slow down
inchargeofthegirls.bsky.social
AmeriKraut @inchargeofthegirls.bsky.social · 6d
sherman, for the love of god!
27

Reposted by Shannon Vallor, Rosemary A. Joyce, Ian Hall , and 1 more

brendelbored.bsky.social
I like how the news will be like “while the President claiming Portland was ruled by a giant skeleton named Mr Nibbles is not strictly true, it does speak to the anxiety of many Americans”
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Reposted by Shannon Vallor, Rosemary A. Joyce, Olúfẹ́mi Táíwò , and 1 more

utopia-defer.red
anyone else notice that the west took a turn for the worse once the concept of signaling one’s own social virtue became derogatory, almost as if cynically deriding all displays of charity and good will is indicative of a deeply cynical and nihilistic society capable of collaborating in genocide
larrrrrry.bsky.social
larry @larrrrrry.bsky.social · 5d
her advocacy for Palestinians doesn't bother me nearly as much as she is so desperately doing all this as an actual act of transparent virtue signaling, to fill the absence she has in depth of character
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Reposted by Shannon Vallor, Robert C. Richards, Jacob T. Levy , and 5 more

lmacthompson1.bsky.social
I am writing this because it has swiftly become crystal clear to me that many people have no idea what is happening or how this works. Here is a thread for non-academics to put into context what just happened to Dr. Mark Bray, a fellow historian.
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