Techtris | James Ball | Substack

OpenAI set out to show a different kind of tech giant was possible. It might prove the opposite.

What has happened looks incomprehensible unless you know the strange history of OpenAI, its philosophy, and how that is now clashing with reality. Let’s…

Nov 19 •

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Techtris – we didn’t start the fire (that was Sam Bankman-Fried)

Yes, we're back, sorry to have been away so long…

Nov 3 •

A reset, not a pivot

An apology, plus: does effective altruism have a future now that its poster boy is behind bars?

Aug 16 •

Techtris – Edward Snowen ten-year anniversary edition

Two failures and one success. Does it come out in the wash?

Jun 7 •

Can big tech just…not?

How has Meta ended up with sensitive NHS records, why do tech bros keep reaching beyond their grasp, and what on earth is Jack Dorsey up to?

May 28 •

Generative AI is already doing one of the very worst things it could possibly do

It has escaped the lab, it is out in the world, it cannot and it will not be contained.

May 21 •

Skynet versus Bluesky

AI has escaped the walled gardens already, don’t bet on Bluesky, and an exclusive subscription offer (oooh)

May 7 •

Silly games and the goodest boy

The UK buys a unicorn and kills it, panic! at the emergency alert, the media and tech morass continues – all that and dog Jesus, too

Apr 30 •

Techtris

Techtris

A weekly(ish) newsletter on technology, policy and society, from James Ball

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