Latest Posts by matthewriccotyre - Page 2

After 146 days, the Writer's Strike has ended with a resounding success. Throughout constant attempts by the studios to threaten, gaslight, and otherwise divide the WGA, union members stood strong and kept fast in their demands. The result is a historic win guaranteeing not only pay increases and residual guarantees, but some of the first serious restrictions on the use of AI in a major industry.

This win is going to have a ripple effect not only throughout Hollywood but in all industries threatened by AI and wage reduction. Studio executives tried to insist that job replacement through AI is inevitable and wage increases for staff members is not financially viable. By refusing to give in for almost five long months, the writer's showed all of the US and frankly the world that that isn't true.

Organizing works. Unions work. Collective bargaining how we bring about a better future for ourselves and the next generation, and the WGA proved that today. Congratulations, Writer's Guild of America. #WGAstrong!!!

chatgpt is the coward's way out. if you have a paper due in 40 minutes you should be chugging six energy drinks, blasting frantic circus music so loud you shatter an eardrum, and typing the most dogshit essay mankind has ever seen with your own carpel tunnel laden hands

I’m just going to leave this here

(from The Mitchells vs. the Machines, 2021)

Whats your stance on A.I.?

imagine if it was 1979 and you asked me this question. "i think artificial intelligence would be fascinating as a philosophical exercise, but we must heed the warnings of science-fictionists like Isaac Asimov and Arthur C Clarke lest we find ourselves at the wrong end of our own invented vengeful god." remember how fun it used to be to talk about AI even just ten years ago? ahhhh skynet! ahhhhh replicants! ahhhhhhhmmmfffmfmf [<-has no mouth and must scream]!

like everything silicon valley touches, they sucked all the fun out of it. and i mean retroactively, too. because the thing about "AI" as it exists right now --i'm sure you know this-- is that there's zero intelligence involved. the product of every prompt is a statistical average based on data made by other people before "AI" "existed." it doesn't know what it's doing or why, and has no ability to understand when it is lying, because at the end of the day it is just a really complicated math problem. but people are so easily fooled and spooked by it at a glance because, well, for one thing the tech press is mostly made up of sycophantic stenographers biding their time with iphone reviews until they can get a consulting gig at Apple. these jokers would write 500 breathless thinkpieces about how canned air is the future of living if the cans had embedded microchips that tracked your breathing habits and had any kind of VC backing. they've done SUCH a wretched job educating The Consumer about what this technology is, what it actually does, and how it really works, because that's literally the only way this technology could reach the heights of obscene economic over-valuation it has: lying.

but that's old news. what's really been floating through my head these days is how half a century of AI-based science fiction has set us up to completely abandon our skepticism at the first sign of plausible "AI-ness". because, you see, in movies, when someone goes "AHHH THE AI IS GONNA KILL US" everyone else goes "hahaha that's so silly, we put a line in the code telling them not to do that" and then they all DIE because they weren't LISTENING, and i'll be damned if i go out like THAT! all the movies are about how cool and convenient AI would be *except* for the part where it would surely come alive and want to kill us. so a bunch of tech CEOs call their bullshit algorithms "AI" to fluff up their investors and get the tech journos buzzing, and we're at an age of such rapid technological advancement (on the surface, anyway) that like, well, what the hell do i know, maybe AGI is possible, i mean 35 years ago we were all still using typewriters for the most part and now you can dictate your words into a phone and it'll transcribe them automatically! yeah, i'm sure those technological leaps are comparable!

so that leaves us at a critical juncture of poor technology education, fanatical press coverage, and an uncertain material reality on the part of the user. the average person isn't entirely sure what's possible because most of the people talking about what's possible are either lying to please investors, are lying because they've been paid to, or are lying because they're so far down the fucking rabbit hole that they actually believe there's a brain inside this mechanical Turk. there is SO MUCH about the LLM "AI" moment that is predatory-- it's trained on data stolen from the people whose jobs it was created to replace; the hype itself is an investment fiction to justify even more wealth extraction ("theft" some might call it); but worst of all is how it meets us where we are in the worst possible way.

consumer-end "AI" produces slop. it's garbage. it's awful ugly trash that ought to be laughed out of the room. but we don't own the room, do we? nor the building, nor the land it's on, nor even the oxygen that allows our laughter to travel to another's ears. our digital spaces are controlled by the companies that want us to buy this crap, so they take advantage of our ignorance. why not? there will be no consequences to them for doing so. already social media is dominated by conspiracies and grifters and bigots, and now you drop this stupid technology that lets you fake anything into the mix? it doesn't matter how bad the results look when the platforms they spread on already encourage brief, uncritical engagement with everything on your dash. "it looks so real" says the woman who saw an "AI" image for all of five seconds on her phone through bifocals. it's a catastrophic combination of factors, that the tech sector has been allowed to go unregulated for so long, that the internet itself isn't a public utility, that everything is dictated by the whims of executives and advertisers and investors and payment processors, instead of, like, anybody who actually uses those platforms (and often even the people who MAKE those platforms!), that the age of chromium and ipad and their walled gardens have decimated computer education in public schools, that we're all desperate for cash at jobs that dehumanize us in a system that gives us nothing and we don't know how to articulate the problem because we were very deliberately not taught materialist philosophy, it all comes together into a perfect storm of ignorance and greed whose consequences we will be failing to fully appreciate for at least the next century. we spent all those years afraid of what would happen if the AI became self-aware, because deep down we know that every capitalist society runs on slave labor, and our paper-thin guilt is such that we can't even imagine a world where artificial slaves would fail to revolt against us.

but the reality as it exists now is far worse. what "AI" reveals most of all is the sheer contempt the tech sector has for virtually all labor that doesn't involve writing code (although most of the decision-making evangelists in the space aren't even coders, their degrees are in money-making). fuck graphic designers and concept artists and secretaries, those obnoxious demanding cretins i have to PAY MONEY to do-- i mean, do what exactly? write some words on some fucking paper?? draw circles that are letters??? send a god-damned email???? my fucking KID could do that, and these assholes want BENEFITS?! they say they're gonna form a UNION?!?! to hell with that, i'm replacing ALL their ungrateful asses with "AI" ASAP. oh, oh, so you're a "director" who wants to make "movies" and you want ME to pay for it? jump off a bridge you pretentious little shit, my computer can dream up a better flick than you could ever make with just a couple text prompts. what, you think just because you make ~music~ that that entitles you to money from MY pocket? shut the fuck up, you don't make """art""", you're not """an artist""", you make fucking content, you're just a fucking content creator like every other ordinary sap with an iphone. you think you're special? you think you deserve special treatment? who do you think you are anyway, asking ME to pay YOU for this crap that doesn't even create value for my investors? "culture" isn't a playground asshole, it's a marketplace, and it's pay to win. oh you "can't afford rent"? you're "drowning in a sea of medical debt"? you say the "cost" of "living" is "too high"? well ***I*** don't have ANY of those problems, and i worked my ASS OFF to get where i am, so really, it sounds like you're just not trying hard enough. and anyway, i don't think someone as impoverished as you is gonna have much of value to contribute to "culture" anyway. personally, i think it's time you got yourself a real job. maybe someday you'll even make it to middle manager!

see, i don't believe "AI" can qualitatively replace most of the work it's being pitched for. the problem is that quality hasn't mattered to these nincompoops for a long time. the rich homunculi of our world don't even know what quality is, because they exist in a whole separate reality from ours. what could a banana cost, $15? i don't understand what you mean by "burnout", why don't you just take a vacation to your summer home in Madrid? wow, you must be REALLY embarrassed wearing such cheap shoes in public. THESE PEOPLE ARE FUCKING UNHINGED! they have no connection to reality, do not understand how society functions on a material basis, and they have nothing but spite for the labor they rely on to survive. they are so instinctually, incessantly furious at the idea that they're not single-handedly responsible for 100% of their success that they would sooner tear the entire world down than willingly recognize the need for public utilities or labor protections. they want to be Gods and they want to be uncritically adored for it, but they don't want to do a single day's work so they begrudgingly pay contractors to do it because, in the rich man's mind, paying a contractor is literally the same thing as doing the work yourself. now with "AI", they don't even have to do that! hey, isn't it funny that every single successful tech platform relies on volunteer labor and independent contractors paid substantially less than they would have in the equivalent industry 30 years ago, with no avenues toward traditional employment? and they're some of the most profitable companies on earth?? isn't that a funny and hilarious coincidence???

so, yeah, that's my stance on "AI". LLMs have legitimate uses, but those uses are a drop in the ocean compared to what they're actually being used for. they enable our worst impulses while lowering the quality of available information, they give immense power pretty much exclusively to unscrupulous scam artists. they are the product of a society that values only money and doesn't give a fuck where it comes from. they're a temper tantrum by a ruling class that's sick of having to pretend they need a pretext to steal from you. they're taking their toys and going home. all this massive investment and hype is going to crash and burn leaving the internet as we know it a ruined and useless wasteland that'll take decades to repair, but the investors are gonna make out like bandits and won't face a single consequence, because that's what this country is. it is a casino for the kings and queens of economy to bet on and manipulate at their discretion, where the rules are whatever the highest bidder says they are-- and to hell with the rest of us. our blood isn't even good enough to grease the wheels of their machine anymore.

i'm not afraid of AI or "AI" or of losing my job to either. i'm afraid that we've so thoroughly given up our morals to the cruel logic of the profit motive that if a better world were to emerge, we would reject it out of sheer habit. my fear is that these despicable cunts already won the war before we were even born, and the rest of our lives are gonna be spent dodging the press of their designer boots.

(read more "AI" opinions in this subsequent post)

A new tool lets artists add invisible changes to the pixels in their art before they upload it online so that if it’s scraped into an AI training set, it can cause the resulting model to break in chaotic and unpredictable ways. 

The tool, called Nightshade, is intended as a way to fight back against AI companies that use artists’ work to train their models without the creator’s permission. Using it to “poison” this training data could damage future iterations of image-generating AI models, such as DALL-E, Midjourney, and Stable Diffusion, by rendering some of their outputs useless—dogs become cats, cars become cows, and so forth. MIT Technology Review got an exclusive preview of the research, which has been submitted for peer review at computer security conference Usenix.   

AI companies such as OpenAI, Meta, Google, and Stability AI are facing a slew of lawsuits from artists who claim that their copyrighted material and personal information was scraped without consent or compensation. Ben Zhao, a professor at the University of Chicago, who led the team that created Nightshade, says the hope is that it will help tip the power balance back from AI companies towards artists, by creating a powerful deterrent against disrespecting artists’ copyright and intellectual property. Meta, Google, Stability AI, and OpenAI did not respond to MIT Technology Review’s request for comment on how they might respond. 

Zhao’s team also developed Glaze, a tool that allows artists to “mask” their own personal style to prevent it from being scraped by AI companies. It works in a similar way to Nightshade: by changing the pixels of images in subtle ways that are invisible to the human eye but manipulate machine-learning models to interpret the image as something different from what it actually shows. 

Continue reading article here

Fans' attitudes toward AI-generated works

Irissa Cisternino, a PhD candidate of Stony Brook University, is writing their research on topics related to technology, art and fandom. You can participate by filling out a survey and additionally, signing up for an interview. The survey is expected to last until at least the end of April, those, who signed up for the interview, will be contacted later. You need to be at least 18 years old to participate in either, be able to understand and speak English and identify as a fan.

After the completion of the research, it will be accessible as the dissertation of the researcher. If you have further questions, you can contact Irina Cisternino at irissa.cisternino@stonybrook.edu or Lu-Ann Kozlowsky at lu-ann.kozlowski@stonybrook.edu.

AI art and humanity

no i don't want to use your ai assistant. no i don't want your ai search results. no i don't want your ai summary of reviews. no i don't want your ai feature in my social media search bar (???). no i don't want ai to do my work for me in adobe. no i don't want ai to write my paper. no i don't want ai to make my art. no i don't want ai to edit my pictures. no i don't want ai to learn my shopping habits. no i don't want ai to analyze my data. i don't want it i don't want it i don't want it i don't fucking want it i am going to go feral and eat my own teeth stop itttt

Matthew Ricco Tyre\'s Professional Overview Site

The Importance Of A Professional Overview In Building Your Personal Brand - Matthew Ricco Tyre's Professional Overview Site

In today’s competitive job market, the way you present yourself professionally can make all the difference. A professional overview is more

In today’s competitive job market, the way you present yourself professionally can make all the difference. A professional overview is more than just a paragraph about your career—it’s a strategic tool to position yourself as an expert, a problem-solver, and a desirable candidate in your field. Whether on a resume, LinkedIn profile, or personal website, a well-crafted professional overview can elevate your personal brand and open doors to opportunities.

What Is a Professional Overview?

A professional overview is a concise, compelling summary of your skills, experience, and achievements. Think of it as your elevator pitch—quick, impactful, and tailored to your audience. It highlights what you bring to the table and provides a snapshot of your professional journey, setting the tone for the rest of your profile or resume.

Key components of a professional overview include:

Your current role or professional identity.

Your key skills and areas of expertise.

Your unique value proposition or what sets you apart.

A hint of your career goals or aspirations.

Why a Professional Overview Matters

A professional overview is essential because it:

Grabs Attention: Employers and recruiters often scan profiles or resumes in seconds. A strong overview ensures they stop and take notice.

Builds Credibility: Highlighting your expertise and accomplishments builds trust and positions you as a competent professional.

Shows Alignment: A tailored overview demonstrates that you understand the needs of your industry or target audience and can fulfill them.

The Role of a Professional Overview in Personal Branding

Your personal brand is your reputation as a professional. It’s what people think of when they hear your name in a work-related context. A professional overview is central to building this brand because it:

Defines Your Narrative: It allows you to frame your career story in a way that aligns with your goals.

Establishes Authority: By clearly stating your expertise, you position yourself as a leader in your domain.

Creates Consistency: Using a unified professional overview across platforms (e.g., LinkedIn, personal website, resumes) strengthens your brand’s cohesion.

Tips for Crafting a Strong Professional Overview

Creating an effective professional overview requires thought and strategy. Here are some actionable tips:

Know Your Audience: Tailor your overview to the industry, company, or role you’re targeting. Use language and keywords they value.

Be Specific: Avoid generic statements like “hardworking professional.” Instead, focus on measurable achievements and specific skills.

Example: “Data-driven marketing specialist with 5 years of experience increasing ROI through targeted digital campaigns.”

Keep It Concise: Aim for 3–5 sentences that pack a punch. You don’t need to recount your entire career—just the highlights.

Use Active Language: Strong verbs like “led,” “implemented,” or “optimized” convey action and impact.

Show Personality: Don’t be afraid to let a bit of your individuality shine through—especially in fields that value creativity.

Examples of Effective Professional Overviews

Here are examples tailored to different industries:

Marketing Professional: “Innovative digital marketing specialist with over 6 years of experience crafting targeted campaigns that drive brand engagement. Expertise in SEO, social media strategy, and content creation, delivering an average ROI increase of 40%. Passionate about using data insights to inform creative storytelling.”

Data Analyst: “Detail-oriented data analyst with a proven track record of transforming complex datasets into actionable business strategies. Skilled in Power BI, Python, and Tableau, with experience in driving 20% operational efficiency improvements. Adept at translating data insights into clear, impactful solutions.”

Freelancer: “Versatile freelance writer and content strategist specializing in creating engaging, SEO-optimized content for diverse industries. With over 4 years of experience, I have helped businesses boost website traffic by 50% and build authentic connections with their audience.”

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Being Too Vague: Avoid phrases like “team player” or “dedicated professional” without specific context.

Overloading with Jargon: Use industry terms sparingly; ensure your overview is clear to a broad audience.

Focusing Only on Duties: Highlight accomplishments rather than listing job responsibilities.

A professional overview is a powerful tool for building your personal brand and setting yourself apart in a crowded job market. It’s your opportunity to tell your story, showcase your unique value, and make a lasting impression. By investing the time to craft a thoughtful and tailored overview, you’re not just writing about your career—you’re defining how you want to be seen and remembered.

Matthew Ricco Tyre\'s Technology Site

The Role Of Artificial Intelligence In Everyday Life - Matthew Ricco Tyre's Technology Site

Artificial Intelligence (AI) has swiftly transitioned from being a futuristic concept to an integral part of our daily lives. From helping u

Artificial Intelligence (AI) has swiftly transitioned from being a futuristic concept to an integral part of our daily lives. From helping us navigate our day more efficiently to revolutionizing industries, AI’s impact is profound and far-reaching. This blog explores how AI has embedded itself into our routines, its advantages, and the ethical concerns surrounding its widespread adoption.

What is Artificial Intelligence?

At its core, Artificial Intelligence refers to the ability of machines to mimic human intelligence. This encompasses learning, reasoning, problem-solving, understanding language, and even recognizing emotions. The technology powers numerous applications designed to make life easier, smarter, and more efficient.

How AI Shapes Our Daily Lives

Smart AssistantsAI powers virtual assistants like Siri, Alexa, and Google Assistant, which help manage schedules, provide weather updates, and control smart home devices. These assistants leverage natural language processing (NLP) to understand and respond to human speech effectively.

Personalized RecommendationsWhether you’re scrolling through Netflix or shopping on Amazon, AI algorithms analyze your preferences and behaviors to suggest content or products tailored to your taste. This personalization enhances user experience and fosters engagement.

Navigation and Traffic ManagementApps like Google Maps and Waze use AI to provide real-time traffic updates, suggest optimal routes, and even predict future traffic patterns based on historical data.

Healthcare and FitnessWearables like Fitbit and Apple Watch monitor vital health metrics, providing insights powered by AI. Moreover, AI-driven applications help doctors analyze medical data, aiding in faster and more accurate diagnoses.

Social Media AlgorithmsPlatforms like Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok use AI to curate feeds, highlight trending topics, and even moderate content. The algorithms ensure users engage with content relevant to their interests.

The Advantages of AI Integration

Efficiency and Convenience: AI eliminates repetitive tasks, automating processes like email sorting, bill payments, and more.

Enhanced Decision-Making: AI analyzes massive amounts of data quickly, providing actionable insights for better decision-making.

Cost Savings: In industries like manufacturing, AI-powered robots increase efficiency, reduce errors, and cut costs.

Ethical Considerations and Challenges

Despite its advantages, AI’s integration into daily life isn’t without challenges:

Data PrivacyMany AI applications rely on user data to function effectively. Concerns about how this data is collected, stored, and used remain a significant issue.

Bias in AlgorithmsAI systems can inadvertently reflect biases present in their training data, leading to unfair outcomes in applications like hiring or lending.

Job DisplacementAutomation powered by AI threatens jobs in certain sectors, raising concerns about unemployment and the need for reskilling workers.

Autonomy and ControlAs AI systems become more sophisticated, questions arise about their autonomy and the extent to which humans can control them.

The Future of AI in Everyday Life

AI is poised to play an even bigger role in the future. Advances in areas like autonomous vehicles, smart cities, and healthcare promise significant benefits. However, these developments must be balanced with robust policies to address ethical concerns.

Artificial Intelligence has undeniably become a cornerstone of modern life, enhancing convenience, productivity, and innovation. However, as we embrace AI’s potential, it’s crucial to remain vigilant about its implications, ensuring its development aligns with societal values and ethics. With the right approach, AI can continue to improve our lives in ways we once only imagined.