The Other Fellow

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When the other fellow is set in his ways, he’s obstinate. When you are, it’s just firmness. 

When the other fellow doesn’t like your friends, he’s prejudiced and narrow minded. 

When you don’t like his friends, you are simply showing you’re a good judge of human nature. 

When the other fellow tries to treat someone especially well, he’s buttering them up. When you do the same game, you’re using tact.

When the other fellow picks out flows in things, he’s cranky. When you do, you are discriminating and just be careful.

When the other fellow says what he things, he’s spiteful. When you do, you’re just plain spoken.  

AI companions & Loneliness

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An OpenAI study found “personal conversations with chatbots actually led to higher loneliness. Despite this, top tech tycoons promote AI companions as the cure to America’s loneliness epidemic. ‘It's like, when early humans discovered fire, right?’ Axel Valle, a clinical psychologist and assistant professor at Stanford University, said, “It's like, okay, this is helpful and amazing. But are we going to burn everything to the ground or not?’”-404Media

AI Definitions: Predictive Analytics

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Predictive analytics - This method of speculating about future events uses past data to make recommendations. Researchers create complex mathematical algorithms in an effort to discover patterns in the data. One doesn't know in advance what data is important. The statistical models created by predictive analytics are designed to discover which of the pieces of data will predict the desired outcome. While correlation is not causation, a cause-and-effect relationship is not needed to make predictions. This is ideal for anticipating what a user is most likely to be interested in based on past behavior and user characteristics. However, after gathering this data, data scientists will often turn to causal AI in order to gauge the impact on user behavior. Some people will use the terms “predictive analytics” and “predictive AI” interchangeably, but others will treat predictive analytics as a broader term that includes non-AI methods such as statistical modeling and regression analysis.

More AI definitions here 

13 Articles about Social Media & AI

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Should Creators Learn from the Masters?

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Should we teach artists and other creatives to recognize, understand and dissect classic works in their field or should we encourage them to plunge into creative self-expression, apart from the cultural context?

If beginners are taught to internalize the classics before finding their own voice, won't they be nudged to conform to expectations and tempted to stay inside the box of what has gone before them? Are they wasting time learning how others express themselves rather than learning how to do so themselves? Will stepping in the shoes of the masters cause them to avoid pursuing ideas outside of the norm? 

Unconventional artists and visionaries have often been shunned by peers—only later to be revered by another generation. If these craftsmen had conformed to their time, if they had stifled their inner voices, they might not have stepped away from the crowd. We would have never had the chance to appreciate their genius. 

On the other hand, if we teach students to venture out on their own, aren't we just treating them like toddlers, telling them to go play in the paint—without adult guidance and supervision? Failing to study the masters means missing the opportunity stand on the shoulders of those who have gone before and peer further down the road. Keeping them away from the classics could mean failing to grasp the value of the great works that have stood the test of time. How can students understand where their own feet are planted in history unless they know about others who have struggled and flourished? 

Perhaps we need both sides, and the danger lies in slavishly taking one extreme position or the other. Perhaps we can learn the rules before breaking them and avoid simply mimicking the masters. Perhaps we can tap into the echoes of their inspiration rather than plunging into our own narcissistic self-expression.

Asking, "Am I creating to please myself or to please others?" may bring clarity. If you are creating to please yourself, then diving into what’s culturally hot may take you away from your goal. But if you have decided to create for the crowd, then knowing what is already valued seems like a reasonable starting point. 

Stephen Goforth

19 Webinars this week about AI, Journalism & Media

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Tue, July 15 - Build Faster with ChatGPT: How to Use AI as a Co-Founder, for Students

What: AI-powered strategies to help you tackle your startup challenges. Learn how to prompt and deploy ChatGPT to streamline idea generation, automate marketing, conduct smart market research, and even generate visuals - so you leave with practical tools and confidence to build your venture faster and smarter.

Who: Siya Raj Purohit Education, OpenAI; Harsha Ravindran CEO Expop; Heerraa Ravindran Director of School & Student Engagement, Expop.

When: 1 pm, Eastern

Where: Zoom

Cost: Free

Sponsor: Expop & OpenAI Academy

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Tue, July 15 - Blending personal narrative and reporting in essays and books

What: The journey toward creating the nonfiction book, “Slip: Life in the Middle of Eating Disorder Recovery,” which is equal parts memoir and journalism.

Who: Mallary Tenore Tarpley, assistant professor of practice at the University of Texas at Austin.

When: 2 pm, Eastern

Where: Zoom

Cost: Free

Sponsor: Society for Features Journalism

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Wed, July 16 - Misinformation: Truth Deserves Defenders, with Mikheil Benidze

What: This session will help you lead educated conversations within your organization about what qualifies as misinformation and disinformation, how it spreads, and what we can do to expose it. You’ll learn about leading tools and tactics to identify false or misleading content, and explore how to respond with clarity and integrity.  

Who: Mikheil Benidze Zinc Network  Co-Founder and Programs Director; Marnie Webb TechSoup CEO.

When: 8 am, Eastern

Where: Zoom

Cost: Free

Sponsor: TechSoup

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Wed, July 16 - Creating ads that connect and convert

What: Practical strategies for turning great creative into a powerful growth engine. Discover how to:  Confidently use Canva’s creative tools and Meta’s ad platform Improve ad performance using creative best practices Build Reels-ready content at scale.

Who: Erin Harlan Product Marketing Manager, Canva; Cecilia LV Strategic Partnerships Lead, Meta

When: multiple options

Where: Zoom

Cost: Free

Sponsor: Canva

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Wed, July 16 - Covering protests safely

What: This session will go over best practices for covering protests and what legal rights student journalists have while doing their work.

Who: Ray Black III has worked as a freelance photojournalist for over 20 years; Jonathan Gaston-Falk is a staff attorney at the Student Press Law Center; Ben McNeely is editorial advisor for student media at NC State University.

When: 2 pm, Eastern

Where: Zoom

Cost: Free

Sponsor: College Media Association

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Wed, July 16 - Website Rhythm: Creating Effective Layout and Design to Guide Users Smoothly Through Your Site

What: Learn how to improve the look and feel of your digital products as we turn our focus to user experience and user interface. This training will be useful whether you maintain your own website or use a template-based digital publishing platform.

Who: Jeffrey Case, Coastal Carolina University.

When: 5 pm, Eastern

Where: Zoom

Cost: Free

Sponsor: College Media Association

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Wed, July 16 – Intro to Review-Writing

What: Advice for emerging writers alongside experienced arts journalists who regularly work with national outlets who want to practice cultural critique and for artists and audiences who want to look inside the critic's process.

Who: Associate Broad Street Review editor Kyle V. Hiller; Critics An Nichols, Stephen Silver.

When: 6:30 pm, Eastern

Where: Zoom

Cost: Free with a $25 suggested donation

Sponsor: Broad Street Review

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Wed, July 16 - Disability Narrative Webinar Series

What: This series is designed to empower journalists, storytellers, and advocates with the tools to create accurate, inclusive and impactful narratives about disability.

Who: Joel Searls  Journalist, Producer, Marine Corps Reservist; J.P. Lawrence  Army Veteran, Reporter, Star Tribune.

When: 7 pm, Eastern

Where: Zoom

Cost: Free

Sponsor: Military Veterans in Journalism

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Wed, July 16 - 7 Steps to Unlocking New Possibilities 

What: For journalists to reimagine what’s possible in their careers. It’s about giving yourself choices in an industry where too many have been blindsided without a plan. What if you could create options now, before you need them?  

Who: Aundrea Cline-Thomas  Entrepreneur, Former WCBS-TV Anchor/Reporter.

When: 7 pm, Eastern

Where: Zoom

Cost: Free

Sponsors: Journalism & Women Symposium and The Rewrite

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Thu, July 17 - Counter-Narratives: Storytelling Is Power, with Pedmia Shatu Tita

What: We’ll examine how storytelling can be used not just for awareness, but for advocacy, healing, and systems change.

Who: Pedmia Shatu Tita, Founder of ‚Global Initiative for Digital Inclusion and Communication

When: 8 am, Eastern

Where: Zoom

Cost: Free

Sponsor: TechSoup

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Thu, July 17 - Back to school strategies that grow audience and revenue

What: We’ll explore how to create high-performing content packages, newsletters, and social media campaigns that resonate with parents, students, and educators. You’ll also learn how to position your content for sponsorship, develop school-focused advertiser partnerships, and use data to drive results.  

Who: David Arkin, Founder, David Arkin Consulting.

When: 11 am, Eastern

Where: Zoom

Cost: Free

Sponsor: Local Media Association

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Thu, July 17 - The Future Of Measurement: Driving Campaign Performance By Aligning Media And Creative With AI

What: A forward-looking discussion on the future of measurement. We’ll explore how AI is helping brands unite media and creative, understand campaign effectiveness in new ways, and enhance brand equity through smarter, data-driven strategies.

Who: Rachelle Minnis, Chief Media Solutions Officer, Kantar North America; Michele Fisher, Global Director, Business Strategy, Microsoft; Cory Treffiletti, Chief Marketing & Digital Officer, Rembrandt; Maria Pavlova, Manager, Marketing Science, Meta.

When: 12 pm, Eastern

Where: Zoom

Cost: Free

Sponsor: Kantar

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Thu, July 17 - AI or Humans? The Future of Learning According to Neuroscience

What: Fresh research on the key differences between humans and AI, revealing what each approach gets right (and wrong) when it comes to creating impactful learning experiences. You'll learn how factors like attention, memory, motivation, cognitive workload, and even humor impact learning outcomes.

Who: Carmen Simon, Ph.D. Cognitive Neuroscientist, Founder of Enhancive; Justin Seeley Learning Evangelist, Adobe.

When: 12 pm, Eastern

Where: Zoom

Cost: Free

Sponsor: Adobe

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Thu, July 17 - Exposing the Silence: Reporting on Deaths in Custody

What: A hands-on workshop on investigating deaths in custody — a largely underreported and deeply consequential issue. With limited federal oversight and minimal state enforcement of reporting requirements, many unnatural deaths in correctional facilities go unreported. This session will equip journalists with the tools and context needed to expose systemic failures that can have tragic consequences.

When: 1 pm, Eastern

Where: Zoom

Cost: Free

Sponsor: The Marshall Project, Arizona Luminaria, Ocala Gazette, and Sunlight Research Center

More Info

 

Thu, July 17 - Counter-Narratives: Storytelling Is Power, with Laura Camacho

What: We’ll explore how counter-narratives can challenge harmful assumptions, reclaim voice, and build collective power.

Who: Laura Camacho, leadership coach.

When: 1 pm, Eastern

Where: Zoom

Cost: Free

Sponsor: TechSoup

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Thu, July 17 - Climate Is the Everything Story

What: This important virtual conversation will discuss SJN/CCN’s Climate Blueprint for Media Transformation, released last year, and cover best practices for supporting communities in effecting change and amplifying climate journalists’ work amid powerful opposition from governments and corporations.

Who: Angela K. Evans is the Director, Communities of Practice at the Solutions Journalism Network; Andrew McCormick is a journalist and writer whose work has appeared in The New York Times, The Atlantic, The Nation, and the Columbia Journalism Review; Breanna Draxler, who most recently was the deputy editor at YES! Magazine.

When: 3 pm, Eastern

Where: Zoom

Cost: Free

Sponsor: Online News Association

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Thu, July 17 - Teaching AI with Confidence

What: You’ll discover practical strategies, resources, and tools to help your teachers confidently teach AI literacy and model responsible AI use in the classroom. ​

Who: Julianne Robar, Former Educator, Current Senior Director of Metadata and Product Interoperability, Renaissance; Vanessa Gonzalez Cerullo, Vice President of Product, Renaissance; and Jennifer Ehehalt, Former Educator, Current Senior Regional Manager, Common Sense Education.

When: 3 pm, Eastern

Where: Zoom

Cost: Free

Sponsor: Renaissance

More Info

 

Thu, July 17 – Bad Reviews: How to Write Them & Why We Need Them

What: Advice for emerging writers alongside experienced arts journalists who regularly work with national outlets who want to practice cultural critique and for artists and audiences who want to look inside the critic's process.

Who: Associate Broad Street Review editor Kyle V. Hiller; Critics Alix Rosenfeld, and Wendy Rosenfield.

When: 6:30 pm, Eastern

Where: Zoom

Cost: Free with a $25 suggested donation

Sponsor: Broad Street Review

More Info

 

Fri, July 18 - Ask Me Anything: AI Accountability Network Fellowships

What: Learn about joining the fourth (2025-2026) cohort of the Pulitzer Center’s AI Accountability Fellowships.

Who: Joanna S. Kao, Pulitzer Center staff; Sofia Schurig AI Fellow.

When: 9 am, Eastern

Where: Zoom

Cost: Free

Sponsor: Pulitzer Center

More Info

18 Articles about Relationships with AI

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AI challenges and opportunities for relationship and family therapy examined in study – PhysOrg

‘It’s almost like we never even spoke’: AI is making everyone on dating apps sound charming – Washington Post 

I Wrote a Novel About a Woman Building an AI Lover. Here’s What I Learned. – Wall Street Journal

Inside ‘AI Addiction’ Support Groups, Where People Try to Stop Talking to Chatbots – 404 Media 

Man Proposed to His AI Chatbot Girlfriend Named Sol, Then Cried His 'Eyes Out' When She Said 'Yes' - People 

They Asked an A.I. Chatbot Questions. The Answers Sent Them Spiraling. – New York Times 

People Are Becoming Obsessed with ChatGPT and Spiraling Into Severe Delusions – Futurism  

People are using ChatGPT to write breakup texts and I fear for our future – Tech Radar 

Love Is a Drug. A.I. Chatbots Are Exploiting That. - New York Times 

People are asking ChatGPT for ‘harsh, honest’ beauty advice - The Washington Post  

An AI-created video of a murdered man is used to deliver a victim's statement at a killer's sentencing – BBC

‘Our relationship with phones has grown unhealthy’: Nothing’s AI chief explains how the Nothing Phone 3 will ‘help you be more human’ – TechRadar

Teens are sexting with AI. Here’s what parents should know. - Washington Post

Can ChatGPT save your relationship? Inside the AI therapy trend winning over Gen Z, but alarming experts – Economic Times  

My Couples Retreat With 3 AI Chatbots and the Humans Who Love Them – Wired

AI users form relationships with technology (video) – CBS News

How A.I. Made Me More Human, Not Less – New York Times

For the Scholarly Elite or the Masses?

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In college and graduate school, I studied cognitive science, philosophy, and politics. I formed a conviction that I wanted to try to change the world for the better. Initially, my plan was to be an academic and public intellectual. At the time, I got bored easily (still do), which made me distractible and not great at making the trains run on time. Academia seemed like an environment that would keep me perpetually stimulated as I would think and write on the value of compassion, self-development, and the pursuit of wisdom. I would hopefully inspire others to implement these ideas to form a nobler society.

But graduate school, while stimulating, turned out to be grounded in a culture and incentive scheme that promoted hyperspecialization; I discovered that academics end up writing for a scholarly elite of typically about fifty people. It turned out there was not much support for academics who would attempt to spread ideas to the masses. So my aspiration to have a broad impact on potentially millions of people clashed with the market realities of academia. 

I adopted my career orientation. My new aim was to try to promote the workings of a good society via entrepreneurship and technology.

Reid Hoffman and Ben Casnocha, The Startup of You

19 Articles about AI & Coding

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How to Measure the ROI of AI Coding Assistants – The New Stack

AI now writes 25% of code in the US: Should Computer Science students rethink their career plans? - Times of India

Learn to code, they said: AI is already erasing some entry-level coding jobs – Mashable

What Google Translate Can Tell Us About Vibecoding – Ingrid’s Space  

Coding agents have crossed a chasm // flurries of latent creativity – Singleton  

Field Notes From Shipping Real Code With Claude - diwank's space

How to use ChatGPT to write code - and my top trick for debugging what it generates - ZDnet

How vibe coding is tipping Silicon Valley’s scales of power – Semafor

An AI Vibe Coding Guide for Data Scientists – KD Nuggets

My AI Coding Skeptic Friends Are All Nuts – Fly.io

"Learn to Code" Backfires Spectacularly as Comp-Sci Majors Suddenly Have Sky-High Unemployment - Futurism

A.I. Is Coming for the Coders Who Made It – New York Times

The Computer-Science Bubble Is Bursting: Artificial intelligence is ideally suited to replacing the very type of person who built it – The Atlantic

AI and State of Software Development – Hardik Pandya

Which Workers Will A.I. Hurt Most: The Young or the Experienced? – New York Times

The Best AI Coding Tools You Can Use Right Now – IEEE

AI Agents Are Getting Better at Writing Code—and Hacking It as Well – Wired

I’ve become an AI vibe coding convert – Fast Company

Google issues official internal guidance on using AI for coding - and its devs might not be best pleased – Tech Radar

An Example of Using AI in Journalism

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CalMatters is using AI to track all of the committee hearings in the California state legislature. Not only are they using AI to monitor things that they could never have enough people to do manually, but they’ve created a website where I, as a user, can go and search any topic I’m interested in, and AI will find the conversation that was had in the state legislature about that topic and pull those transcripts for me. It’s an impressive tool. -Poynter

How talkers and non-talkers can get along

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There are two kinds of people in the world: Talkers and non-talkers. While it might seem like common sense to match the two types together in marriage, that’s not necessarily a recipe for marital bliss. Many non-talkers are also non-listeners. And despite the growing number of ways to communicate, technology is becoming a substitute for engagement rather than a supplement. Ideally, we’d find someone who complements our style of communication. Here are a few tips from the experts:

  • Recognize the difference between silence and someone who is really listening. Active listening means being engaged with nonverbal cues and reflecting back what the speaker has said.

  • Be honest with one another and ask for a break when the non-talker runs low on gas. Be respectful and give it to him.

  • Don’t make the mistake of thinking brief summaries will do the trick. These bursts may not give enough time for an emotional connection.

  • Instead of numbing an emotionally-depleted spouse, find an attentive audience of friends who can provide what a talker needs.

19 Recent Articles about the Impact of AI on Students

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California colleges spend millions to catch plagiarism and AI. Is the faulty tech worth it? – Cal Matters

My students think it’s fine to cheat with AI. Maybe they’re onto something. – Vox  

Panel with AI experts to review appeal of NTU student penalised for academic misconduct - The Straits Times 

How AI Is Helping Students Find the Right College – Wired

Chinese AI firms block features amid high-stakes university entrance exams – Washington Post

6 College Majors That Will Thrive In An AI-Driven Economy – Forbes

For Some Recent Graduates, the A.I. Job Apocalypse May Already Be Here – New York Times

AI cheating surge pushes schools into chaos – Axios

Here are some guiding ideas to keep in mind as you navigate college in the era of artificial intelligence – Student Guide to AU

A New Headache for Honest Students: Proving They Didn’t Use A.I. – New York Times

What My Students Had To Say About AI – The Broken Copier

Using ChatGPT, students might pass a course, but with a cost – PhysOrg

How Are Students Using AI? – AI and How We Teach

Students Are Humanizing Their Writing—By Putting It Through AI – Wall Street Journal

Why misuse of generative AI is worse than plagiarism – Springer

Students, early career workers use ChatGPT as a mentor - Axios

How Students Use and Think About Their Use of AI – Daily Nous

How AI Helps Our Students Deepen Their Writing (Yes, Really) – EdWeek

As if graduating weren’t daunting enough, now students like me face a jobs market devastated by AI – The Guardian

AI's Impact on Motivation

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Despite the performance benefits, study participants who collaborated with gen AI on one task and then transitioned to a different, unaided task consistently reported a decline in intrinsic motivation and an increase in boredom. Across our studies, intrinsic motivation dropped by an average of 11% and boredom increased by an average of 20%. In contrast, those who worked without AI maintained a relatively steady psychological state. -Harvard Business Review