🦜 Mystery AI Hype Theater 3000: The Newsletter
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Artificial Intelligence has too much hype. In this companion newsletter, linguist Prof. Emily M. Bender and sociologist Dr. Alex Hanna break down the AI hype, separate fact from fiction, and science from bloviation. They talk about everything "AI", from machine consciousness to science fiction, to political economy to art made by machines.
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What To Read To Stay Grounded Amidst AI Doomerism
https://buttondown.com/maiht3k/archive/what-to-read-to-stay-grounded-amidst-ai-doomerism/
Published: September 18, 2026 00:08
Our recommendations for the anxious and perplexed
By: Emily M. Bender, Alex Hanna and Decca Muldowney
There’s a subculture within the “AI” industry that fervently believes they are building a machine god, possibly a malevolent one, and it’s been stirred…
Six Problems With Talking About the “Ethical” or “Responsible” Use of “AI”
https://buttondown.com/maiht3k/archive/six-problems-with-talking-about-the-ethical-or/
Published: August 28, 2026 17:12
How to move away from the untenable, uncomfortable middle ground
By Emily M. Bender and Decca Muldowney
A dancing ledge, as viewed from above. Image: Will Broomfield/Unsplash
Amid all the interminable discussions of “AI” these days, we’ve noticed a new…
How to talk about "AI" without adding to the anthropomorphization
https://buttondown.com/maiht3k/archive/how-to-talk-about-ai-without-adding-to-the/
Published: June 25, 2026 14:02
In Seattle, 911 Uses “AI” to Process Your Calls
https://buttondown.com/maiht3k/archive/in-seattle-911-uses-ai-to-process-your-calls/
Published: June 21, 2026 22:04
Why you should refuse to let your doctor record you
https://buttondown.com/maiht3k/archive/why-you-should-refuse-to-let-your-doctor-record/
Published: April 22, 2026 23:04
By: Emily M. Bender and Decca Muldowney
At a recent appointment, Emily’s physical therapist (who knows some about her research) said, “Before we get started, there’s something I want to ask you about.” The something was an automatic “scribing” system their…
The Journalists Striking Over AI
https://buttondown.com/maiht3k/archive/the-journalists-striking-over-ai/
Published: April 13, 2026 21:24
By: Decca Muldowney
Workers at the renowned non-profit investigative newsroom ProPublica became the first journalists to take strike action over AI provisions last Wednesday as they walked off the job for 24 hours. The historic strike marked a new chapter…
Let’s Be Evil: Anthropic, OpenAI and the Department of War
https://buttondown.com/maiht3k/archive/let-s-be-evil-anthropic-openai-and-the-department/
Published: March 8, 2026 13:00
By: Alex Hanna, Decca Muldowney and Emily M. Bender
Last week, Donald Trump directed federal agencies to immediately cease using tech from Anthropic after the company refused to give the US military unrestricted access to its “AI” tools. The company cited…
Moltbook Is Pure “AI” Hype
https://buttondown.com/maiht3k/archive/moltbook-is-pure-ai-hype/
Published: February 12, 2026 13:00
Are “AI” agents really plotting our downfall?
By: Decca Muldowney, Alex Hanna and Emily M. Bender
— Pavel (@spavel.bsky.social) February 01, 2026
A new website signals the “very early…
A tale of two "AI" documentaries
https://buttondown.com/maiht3k/archive/a-tale-of-two-ai-documentaries/
Published: January 31, 2026 16:31
By: Decca Muldowney and Emily M. Bender
Emily was interviewed for two documentaries which premiered at Sundance this year: The AI Doc: How I Became an Apocaloptimist (dir. Daniel Roher and Charlie Tyrell) and Ghost in the Machine (dir. Valerie Veatch). The…
ChatGPT Wants Your Health Data
https://buttondown.com/maiht3k/archive/chatgpt-wants-your-health-data/
Published: January 16, 2026 16:20
By Decca Muldowney and Alex Hanna
Rens Dimmendaal & Banjong Raksaphakdee / https://betterimagesofai.org /
The new year is already bringing us fresh “AI” horrors.Â
A mere week into 2026, OpenAI launched “ChatGPT Health” in the United States, asking users to…