I'll keep this brief.
In summer 2017 I wrote a story about how AI would change the very nature of reality. I shared it with some friends and read it as an episode of Future Fossils, but I never tried to get it published. Then it started coming true, and I knew that I had to get it out there while we still live in a world in which the categories "real" and "fake" still make some sense.
Now folks are sharing it on Twitter. I heard today that it's effective horror. I hope it helps prepare you.
Here it is:
(Artwork licensed by Giacomo Carmagnola.)
If you find non-fiction easier, here is an essay about our accelerating evolutionary arms race with deep learning AI fakery, and why it matters that we start to take these matters seriously:
(This is not actually a conversation between Jeff Goldblum, Tom Cruise, Ewan McGregor, Robert Downey, Jr., and George Lucas. Allow me to explain.)
––––– New Artwork –––––
Since most of you signed up to see new paintings and an artless update might be mild betrayal, here are the collaborations that I'm working on with friends across the country, after baby goes to sleep.
None of these are done, but they're all getting close. If you want any of them, let me know...
This first one is a 24" canvas with Gregory Pettit that we started just before I moved to Santa Fe:
These next two are small (16") collabs with Jamie Gaviola.
She began them both and shipped them to me to complete:
I feel extremely lucky to be working with these artists, both of whom are not just masters of their craft but awesome people. Check out their other work!
(And, obviously, follow me on Instagram to see more updates as we finish these and other pieces.)
––––– New Podcasts –––––
I know I always say this, but it's true: Future Fossils just keeps getting better, and I am convinced these latest episodes are some of the best yet. Here's what you've probably been missing:
The Future Fossils Book Club just had an AWESOME conversation about Borne, Jeff VanderMeer's amazing postapocalyptic biohorror novel, which remixes "cute" and "weapon," "enemy" and "family," and makes us ask important questions about personhood and love and beauty.
Next up we're discussing VanderMeer's Dead Astronauts, so get in here and join us!
(Artwork licensed by Pat Hughes.)
––––– Upcoming Gigs –––––
I haven't traveled much since I became a father, but if you're in Austin or Phoenix this month maybe we will see each other! I'll be playing music and giving a talk at Cosmic Music Festival in Mesa, Arizona on March 28th and speaking on complex systems and society at the SXSW Interactive party for EFF-Austin (March 14th) and hosting a live Future Fossils Podcast at The Technodelic Temple for Andromeda Entertainment (March 17th).
More info at the links below:
