#AI farming solutions

[farmerstrend]

Safaricom & NGO Launch FarmerAI Solutions to Revolutionize Kenyan Agriculture

Safaricom PLC and Opportunity International, a global non-governmental organization, have developed FarmerAI in Kenya, an innovative AI chatbot that will provide smallholder farmers in underserved communities with real-time, relevant farming best practices. As per a 2022 report from the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics (KNBS), the agricultural sector contributes roughly 22.4% to the country’s…

[a-girl-called-bob]

Look, I respect and appreciate what Reddit users are doing to protest the site's changes. I really do. I just want to highlight that as an unfortunate consequence, Google has lost one of its last few useful features.

[sweatybelieverfun]

Smart Agriculture Solution Drivers: Key Innovations Fueling the Future of Sustainable Farming

The smart agriculture solution market is experiencing remarkable growth due to the increasing integration of technology in farming practices. As global demand for food rises alongside environmental concerns and labor shortages, agriculture is undergoing a technological revolution. The driving forces behind this shift are diverse, ranging from advanced data analytics to sustainable farming initiatives.

1. IoT and Sensor Technology

One of the most significant drivers of smart agriculture is the use of Internet of Things (IoT) devices and sensors. These tools collect real-time data on soil moisture, weather conditions, crop health, and pest activity. This information allows farmers to make precise, data-driven decisions that improve productivity and reduce resource waste.

For example, moisture sensors can signal when a field needs watering, reducing water usage and promoting sustainability. This precision farming approach results in better crop yields and cost savings.

2. Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning

AI and machine learning are transforming raw agricultural data into actionable insights. These technologies analyze complex datasets to predict crop performance, identify diseases early, and recommend the best times for planting and harvesting. AI-driven solutions are increasingly used for image recognition in drones, identifying pests and diseases quickly and accurately.

AI also plays a vital role in autonomous machinery, enabling tractors, harvesters, and drones to operate with minimal human intervention.

3. Climate Change and Sustainability Concerns

Climate change is a major challenge for global agriculture. Rising temperatures, erratic rainfall, and extreme weather events threaten food production. As a result, sustainable and climate-resilient solutions are becoming essential.

Smart agriculture solutions help mitigate these impacts by offering tools for climate-smart farming. Farmers can use predictive models to anticipate droughts, floods, or frost, and adapt their planting strategies accordingly. Sustainability is also promoted through reduced chemical usage and better resource management.

4. Labor Shortages and Automation

Many countries are facing a decline in agricultural labor, prompting the need for automated solutions. Smart machinery like autonomous tractors and robotic harvesters address labor gaps while improving efficiency and precision.

Automation also reduces the risk of human error and allows farmers to manage larger areas with fewer workers. This is especially beneficial in developed nations with aging farming populations.

5. Government Initiatives and Policies

Governments worldwide are recognizing the importance of digital agriculture and are supporting it through subsidies, policies, and research funding. For instance, the EU’s Common Agricultural Policy and India’s Digital Agriculture Mission are actively promoting smart technologies in farming.

These programs drive adoption by making technologies more accessible and affordable for small and medium-scale farmers, who might otherwise struggle to invest in such solutions.

6. Data Analytics and Farm Management Platforms

Data is at the heart of smart farming. Farm management systems allow farmers to centralize and analyze data from multiple sources—weather forecasts, satellite imagery, sensor readings, and machinery performance. With cloud-based platforms, farmers can plan irrigation, fertilization, and harvesting schedules with improved precision.

Such platforms also help in compliance with food safety standards and traceability, which are becoming increasingly important in the global supply chain.

7. Increased Global Food Demand

With the world population expected to reach nearly 10 billion by 2050, food production must increase significantly. Traditional farming methods alone cannot meet this demand without further straining the environment.

Smart agriculture solutions offer a way to grow more with less—maximizing land use, improving yields, and reducing input costs. This makes them critical tools in achieving global food security.

Future Outlook

The future of the smart agriculture solution market looks promising. With continuous innovation, costs are gradually decreasing, making technologies more accessible to farmers worldwide. As 5G connectivity expands, real-time data processing and remote farm management will become even more efficient.

In the coming years, we can expect smart agriculture to be central to addressing major agricultural challenges—from feeding a growing population to adapting to climate change. The convergence of technology and farming is no longer a luxury but a necessity for sustainable and productive agriculture worldwide.

[harshathusm]

Applications of Artificial Intelligence in Agriculture

Artificial intelligence in agriculture applications changed the way farmers conduct business. This technology revolutionizes farming practices and increases productivity. Predictive analytics, drone monitoring, and automated machines can optimize resource use and raise crop yields. Analyzing various data sources, AI can provide insights into weather patterns and soil conditions, which will help inform more effective decisions. As agriculture evolves, so must the incorporation of AI solutions in seeking sustainable growth.

USM Business Systems

Services:

Mobile app development

Artificial Intelligence

Machine Learning

Android app development

RPA

Big data

HR Management

Workforce Management

IoT

IOS App Development

Cloud Migration

[mobiloitte7]

Empowering Agriculture with Digital Solutions

Revolutionize the agriculture industry with Mobiloitte's advanced IT solutions. Leverage the power of Blockchain, AI, IoT, and the Metaverse to optimize farming processes, increase yields, and ensure sustainability. Our mobile and web apps, along with DevOps and cloud expertise, empower seamless operations and data-driven decision-making. Embrace the digital era and unlock the potential of agriculture with Mobiloitte.

[annarcho-nicolesmith]

Silicon Valley's Fish Killing Machine

There's a tech company called "Shinkei Systems" that created an "AI powered fish killing machine" (they're using an automated machine to do ike jime, a traditional Japanese slaughter technique where a fish is killed instantly via a knife to the brain). Here's a picture of their machine:

Isn't that metal box such a great way for a living creature to die? Shinkei systems claims this automated death machine is "more humane" than error prone humans, who of course, sometimes miss the mark when severing a fish's brain from its spinal cord.

If the idea of automated animal slaughter doesn't freak you out enough, take a look at their promotional material where they promise to "eliminate 85% of the workforce" wherever their machine is used.

And just to wrap this story up in a bow, the founder is a guy named Saif Khawaja who retweets a lot about "DNA based IQ testing" and other race-science nonsense:

So yeah....a tech company run by a race obsessed skull-measurer decided the most pressing issue facing the world was not enough cheap sushi-grade salmon. The solution, of course, isn't to allow the ocean's depleted fisheries to regain their natural levels by reducing commercial fishing, it's to make a robot that can kill fish in a fancy Japanese way so people who eat industrialy farmed animals can feel less bad about it. And why not put a bunch of fishermen out of work while you're at it? The solution to our ever alienated world is clearly removing any human contact in the food supply and ceding that role to a machine. Clearly, the faster we can kill animals the better; perhaps we can kill them quickly before any concerns about the rapid destruction of the earth's aquatic ecosystems arise out of our collective haunted consciousness.

[reyaint]

futuristic dr | virelia + neovista

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date: may 14 2025. i'm figuring out how to format this from my script so it's probably gonna look like a mess i'm sorry haha. i may edit this to add more info if i feel like it.

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✧˖*°࿐the state

დ࿐ ‎˗ˋ virelia ☆ 𓂃 › official title. The Sovereign Technocratic Republic of Virelia ☆ 𓂃 › motto. “precision. progress. perfection.”

virelia represents a paradigm shift in governance — not built on ideological revolution but on technological supremacy. it emerged in the late 21st century after a coalition of corporate leaders, scientists, and futurists proposed a self-regulating state built around data-driven governance and environmental sustainability.

virelia is a beacon of technological advancement, a sprawling self-sustaining state located on the western coast of North America. founded in the late 21st century, it has quickly risen to prominence as a futuristic utopia where human ambition and technology intertwine seamlessly.

this city-state operates with cutting-edge infrastructure, clean energy solutions, and unprecedented levels of automation, making it a model of the future. however, its advancement comes with hidden costs, such as surveillance, control, and the loss of personal freedoms for some citizens.

დ࿐ ‎˗ˋ location. built on reclaimed land along the coast, the state is positioned near mountains, leveraging its natural terrain for sustainability. this combination of oceanfront and mountainous landscape allows for the development of a beautiful yet highly structured environment. ☆ 𓂃 › climate. Virelia enjoys mild weather and pristine air quality thanks to its advanced environmental control systems. artificial rainfall helps balance the region's climate, ensuring that both agriculture and ecosystems thrive in a sustainable way.

დ࿐ ‎˗ˋ security. Virelia's government promises safety and order, with AI-driven law enforcement and near-complete surveillance throughout the city. While this has reduced crime, it has also led to a society where privacy is almost nonexistent. there are whispers of corruption and a power struggle between mega-corporations and the state apparatus, but these are rarely seen by the public eye.

დ࿐ ‎˗ˋ infrastructure. the state boasts hyperloop systems for rapid transportation, vertical farming to maintain food supplies, solar-powered highways, and drone-based delivery networks that make logistics seamless and efficient. the city is powered by renewable energy sources, making it one of the most environmentally friendly cities on Earth.

*ೃ༄government

Virelia operates as a technocratic-republic hybrid, where leadership is shared between elected officials and influential corporate leaders, scientists, and engineers. while democracy is maintained on paper, the wealth and power held by corporations, especially megacorporations like Orbis, have a significant influence over the decision-making process.

𓂃 ࣪˖ ִֶָ☆ the core assembly. a ruling body made of 50% elected officials and 50% appointed technocrats from approved corporate, scientific, and engineering councils.

𓂃 ࣪˖ ִֶָ☆ citizen score index (CSI). citizens are ranked via a complex index measuring productivity, compliance, social behavior, and cybernetic compatibility.

𓂃 ࣪˖ ִֶָ☆ the data purity initiative. Virelia heavily regulates access to public data and surveillance feeds. those who attempt to mask or alter their data trail risk demotion in social status or even imprisonment.

დ࿐ ‎˗ˋ a controlled utopia. on the surface, Virelia is a utopia, offering its citizens a high standard of living, access to the latest technology, and the promise of a pollution-free environment. however, this idealized world comes at a cost—strict regulations on cybernetics, data privacy, and social freedoms. citizens are encouraged to embrace technology, but those who resist are often marginalized or silenced.

✧˖*°࿐the city

neovista is a megacity — a glittering neon spire among the clouds and an undercity of grit and rebellion. It’s a contradiction: a technological utopia resting on a foundation of exploitation and resistance.

დ࿐ ‎˗ˋ common mods. ocular overlays, subdermal HUDs, neural ports, smart limbs.

*ೃ༄black market and underground tech

located beneath the official grid of Neovista, in the Vein or the Undervault.

დ࿐ ‎˗ˋ traders deal in: ☆ 𓂃 › memory-modding tech ☆ 𓂃 › neural firewalls ☆ 𓂃 › blackbox implants ☆ 𓂃 › emotion regulators ☆ 𓂃 › discontinued weapon augmentations

hackclans (like SpiralZero or Echo Drift) operate in these markets, building custom tools to counter HALO’s surveillance net.

while Orbis Corporation and other megacorporations offer cutting-edge cybernetics, there is a thriving black market for illegal modifications and illicit technology. from hacked neural implants to stolen AI software, the underground tech scene is a dangerous place but provides an outlet for those who cannot afford or do not want to abide by the official channels.

𓂃 ࣪˖ ִֶָ☆ pirates and hackers: groups like The Shattermen exploit these underground markets, seeking to disrupt corporate control by stealing and redistributing technology. they often employ cybernetic pirates who operate outside the law, dealing in anything from illegal AI software to underground body augmentations.

*ೃ༄energy & environmental tech

𓂃 ࣪˖ ִֶָ☆ skyharbor towers: pull moisture and solar energy, creating perpetual artificial rainfall and maintaining air quality.

𓂃 ࣪˖ ִֶָ☆ cryoroot systems: bioengineered roots that store solar power and regulate temperature in city zones.

𓂃 ࣪˖ ִֶָ☆ ecozones: each district has its own energy quota; exceeding it triggers rolling blackouts in poorer sectors.

virelia is powered by renewable energy sources like solar and wind, and artificial rainfall systems maintain a stable climate. advanced energy storage technology allows the city to operate efficiently even in low-light conditions.

the city uses vertical farming and aquaponics to maintain food production in a way that integrates seamlessly into urban spaces, providing sustenance for its citizens without relying on traditional agricultural methods.

*ೃ༄transportation & infrastructure

𓂃 ࣪˖ ִֶָ☆ hyperloop arteries: Connect districts with high-speed magnetized transit tubes.

𓂃 ࣪˖ ִֶָ☆ skyrails: glass-bottomed tramways suspended between megastructures.

𓂃 ࣪˖ ִֶָ☆ drone skynet: hundreds of drones transport packages, law enforcement supplies, and emergency aid across the city.

𓂃 ࣪˖ ִֶָ☆ vertical cities: skyscrapers built as self-contained ecosystems—residential, commercial, medical, and agricultural facilities stacked together.

neovista's transportation system is revolutionary, with hyperloop networks connecting different districts, allowing for ultra-fast travel. drone-based delivery systems handle everything from groceries to medical supplies, and personal autonomous vehicles are common on the roads.

the city has designed solar-powered highways and green rooftops that house both parks and renewable energy infrastructure.

*ೃ༄law enforcement & governance

𓂃 ࣪˖ ִֶָ☆ enforcement is done by VEC and HALO drones. there are no beat cops — instead, predictive policing algorithms determine where violence might happen and deploy units in advance.

𓂃 ࣪˖ ִֶָ☆ citizen compliance officers (CCOs) are citizens elevated by the CSI system, acting as civilian enforcers with surveillance privileges.

most investigations are conducted digitally—by scanning memory logs, personal feeds, and neural output rather than physical clues.

*ೃ༄cybernetics & body augmentations

cybernetic normalization is pervasive in Neovista. while minor enhancements like augmented vision, neural interfaces, and biomechanical limbs are common, full-body conversions are rare and often subject to strict regulations.

body augmentations are not just a physical enhancement but have become part of the culture. the wealthy often choose to augment themselves for beauty or efficiency, while those in the slums might use augmentations to survive or gain an edge in the fight for resources.

*ೃ༄technology in neovista & virelia

neovista represents the pinnacle of technology, where AI and humans coexist, yet there is a deep tension between innovation and freedom. virelia’s citizens enjoy unparalleled access to technology but must constantly navigate the surveillance state and corporate control.

virelia’s technology fosters a sense of constant progress, but this has made the city and its citizens vulnerable to the very forces they sought to escape—power, control, and the erosion of personal freedoms.

*ೃ༄visuals.

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⡀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⣷⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⢀⣿⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⢸⣿⡇⠀⠀⠀⡇⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⢀⣾⣿⣿⠀⠀⢸⣧⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⣀⣼⣿⣿⣿⣧⡀⢸⣿⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠰⠶⣾⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⡶⠄⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠈⠙⢿⣿⣿⣿⡿⠋⣿⣿⡇⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠈⢿⣿⡿⠀⢰⣿⣿⣷⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⢸⣿⠇⠀⣾⣿⢹⣿⡆⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⢀⠀⠈⣿⢀⣼⣿⠃⠀⢻⣿⣄⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⣸⣀⣠⣿⣿⡿⠁⠀⠀⠀⠻⣿⣶⣤⡀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠠⣴⣶⣾⣿⣿⣿⣛⠁⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⢙⣻⣿⣿⣷⣶⣦⡤ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠈⠉⣿⡟⠿⣿⣷⣦⠀⠀⠀⠀⣀⣶⣿⡿⠟⠋⠉⠉⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⢰⣿⣧⠀⠀⠙⣿⣷⡄⠀⣰⣿⡟⠁⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⣼⣿⣿⡄⠀⠀⠘⣿⣷⢰⣿⡟⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⣠⣿⣿⣿⣧⠀⠀⠀⢹⣿⣿⡿⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⢀⣠⣼⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣷⣤⡀⠘⣿⣿⡇⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠤⣶⣾⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⡧⠄⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠉⠙⠻⢿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⠿⠛⠉⢹⣿⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠈⢻⣿⣿⣿⡿⠃⠀⠀⠀⢸⡏⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⣿⣿⣿⠃⠀⠀⠀⠀⢸⡇⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⢹⣿⣿⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠈⠃⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠘⣿⡇⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⣿⠃⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⣿⠁⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀

✦ ˚ — THE MAIN DISTRCITS

☆. MIRROR DISTRICT —

☆. U DISTRICT —

☆. DREAM DISTRICT —

☆. 127 DISTRICT —

[political-us]

The current U.S. power grid is not fully prepared to handle the rising demand from AI, EVs, and crypto without significant upgrades. While the grid is evolving, challenges include aging infrastructure, transmission bottlenecks, and the need for more renewable energy integration. Here’s a breakdown of key factors:

1. Capacity vs. Demand Growth

• The grid has enough total generation capacity today, but localized demand spikes (like AI data centers or EV clusters) can strain certain regions.

• By 2035, electricity demand could rise by 15-25%, requiring hundreds of gigawatts (GW) of new capacity.

• Many utilities are already struggling to build out transmission lines fast enough to keep up with demand.

2. Grid Reliability & Stress Points

• AI & Data Centers: Large data centers are being built in regions where power supply is already constrained (e.g., Northern Virginia, Texas).

• EV Charging Peaks: If too many EVs charge at the same time, local grids could experience voltage drops or blackouts.

• Extreme Weather: The grid is already vulnerable to extreme heat, storms, and wildfires, which could worsen with climate change.

3. Solutions & Grid Upgrades

• Transmission Expansion: The U.S. needs to build more high-voltage transmission lines to move power from wind/solar farms to urban areas.

• Battery Storage & AI for Grid Management: Advanced battery storage can smooth out supply-demand mismatches, and AI can optimize grid operations.

• Decentralized Energy: Microgrids, rooftop solar, and community battery projects can reduce strain on the centralized grid.

• Smart Charging for EVs: Managed charging (incentivizing off-peak charging) can help distribute demand more evenly.

Can the Grid Handle It?

• Short-term (2025-2030): The grid will face localized stress, especially in high-demand regions. Rolling blackouts or infrastructure failures could occur if upgrades don’t keep pace.

• Mid- to Long-term (2030+): If investments in transmission, renewables, and smart grid technology accelerate, the grid can handle these changes, but delays in modernization could lead to reliability issues.

[probablyasocialecologist]

The rapid growth of the technology industry and the increasing reliance on cloud computing and artificial intelligence have led to a boom in the construction of data centers across the United States. Electric vehicles, wind and solar energy, and the smart grid are particularly reliant on data centers to optimize energy utilization. These facilities house thousands of servers that require constant cooling to prevent overheating and ensure optimal performance. Unfortunately, many data centers rely on water-intensive cooling systems that consume millions of gallons of potable (“drinking”) water annually. A single data center can consume up to 3 million to 5 million gallons of drinking water per day, enough to supply thousands of households or farms. The increasing use and training of AI models has further exacerbated the water consumption challenges faced by data centers.

[...]

The drinking water used in data centers is often treated with chemicals to prevent corrosion and bacterial growth, rendering it unsuitable for human consumption or agricultural use. This means that not only are data centers consuming large quantities of drinking water, but they are also effectively removing it from the local water cycle. Dry air reduces the risk of corrosion and electrical issues in the sensitive equipment in the data centers. The lack of humidity in water-stressed regions, such as the American Southwest, makes it an attractive location for data centers. This means that the regions in which it is “best” to locate a data center due to its arid environment has the highest marginal cost in terms of water consumption. In the Phoenix area alone, there are 58 data centers. If each data center uses 3 million gallons of water per day for cooling, that equates to over 170 million gallons of drinking water used per day for cooling data centers. This massive consumption of drinking water for data center cooling puts a strain on the already fragile water supply and raises ethical questions about prioritizing the needs of tech giants over the basic needs of residents and agriculture.

[...]

Optimizing renewable power with AI and data centers at the expense of increasing water consumption is not a sustainable solution. Prioritizing one aspect of sustainability, such as reducing carbon emissions, while neglecting another crucial resource like water creates an illusion of sustainability. In reality, this can lead to unsustainable practices that can have severe unintended consequences for individuals and farmers, especially in water-stressed regions.

[farmerstrend]

Why Kenya's Agritech Startups Struggle to Penetrate the Market Despite Strong Investment

Discover why Kenya’s agritech startups struggle with market penetration despite strong investment, and explore how regulatory challenges and fragmented services hinder growth in the sector. Kenya’s agritech industry faces hurdles beyond funding, including complex regulations and data security concerns. Learn how startups can overcome these challenges to scale and succeed. Uncover the key barriers…

[mimzalot]

there's a recurring detail in a lot of current discussions about 'what's wrong with society' that I wanna boil down to this statement: a capitalistic, results-oriented society does not value the process, because the process takes time, and time is money.

this means that results take precedence over due process. but what's the purpose of due process? quality. integrity. effectiveness. sustainability. people need time to not only tangibly make things, but also to consider the work, improve and refine it. so where does that leave us?

let's think about fruit farming real quick. most people in a city district are never going to pick their own fruit, because we don't have access to that process or the skills necessary for it. but what happens when we are oblivious to the process? or, better yet, never consider that there is a process at all?

grocery companies are able to make money from us buying their fruit, but they're also able to save money by hiding the fruit labour process; are they exploiting the fruit-pickers? are they paying their farmers? how are these fruits made available to us in bulk, year round? how does climate affect this, or how are we impacting the planet? the necessary questions are hidden because analysing the process would reveal its flaws. criticising it would reveal solutions, and implementing those solutions would take time, thus cost money.

apply that same logic to smart phones and you find the Congo, cobalt mining, slave labour. apply that same logic to fast fashion and you find sweatshops, landfills and, again, slave labour.

hiding the process means hiding the 'why? how?' and dissuading people from 'why? how?' makes more complicit consumers.

and I might not know much about fruit-picking, but I do know that a large reason why fruit is so much sweeter back home in the islands is because it isn't picked early with the expectation of being sold en masse. it has time to ripen on the trees.

which leads me back to the prompt that inspired this train of thought: devaluing of 'the process' and the companies that benefit from it.

especially lately it has been coming up when we discuss the impacts of AI. when people talk about chatgpt, the main productivity benefit they're talking about is that it takes away the chore of thinking. which, most severely, not only conceals the process but undermines the process of forming thoughts altogether.

and we've seen that echoed across the board, referred to as the 'attention span problem' or 'poor media literacy'. it's spoken about as if it's a natural aspect of technological advancement when we can clearly observe that it is designed - literally designed, by web-designers - to be beneficial to the wealthy.

the disregard for artistic process that fuels the AI art debate also speaks to the same results-oriented society - not just for the reasons related to the nature of humanity and making, expression, storytelling, but primarily the clear disregard for the rights of the artists whose work is being stolen. we're diminishing not only the creative process (of thinking, problem-solving, creating) but also of the artists themselves (workers rights, intellectual property).

even the tendency for hot takes, valuing a fully-formed 'correct' opinion over the task of processing, researching, discussing, making statements (even wrong ones!), being corrected, reforming the sentiment, reaching consensus - these stops-and-starts are an essential part of growth. botched conclusions are a natural result of learning to do anything. community makes time for learning and imperfection. industries do not have time to teach nor the desire to have faulty products.

(not to mention that the good/bad morality figure also feeds into this industrial mindset, because things that are categorical are also profitable and marketable. in fact binaries really benefit most business models, which is why a capitalistic society also doesn't have space for nuance whether in media or especially in gender. because how do you profit off a racist and patriarchal white/black man/woman straight/gay society when there are people transing their genders? with greater difficulty. who's got the time to learn a new pronoun? not me, not me...)

there's a reason why the arts are about analysing thoughts, and while it can run the risk of becoming results-irrelevant (circular philosophiising, education for the sake of elitism, results-irrelevant musing), it also aims to foster your ability to think.

(which is tied to why the supposedly 'masculine' disciplines of STEM don't value the arts. there's a link between what is seen as tangible and 'real', what is perceived as masculine, and what is considered profitable thus valuable in a colonial society. but even in science you can't (or shouldn't) pull a solution out of thin air; there's due process. unless you are, say, an idiot billionaire that can pay people to do the thinking for you while you take the mantle of genius. but I digress)

so what does that mean! for me, it means being aware of the process. it means making time to take my time, even as someone that struggles to sit still. it also means constantly reminding people to take breathers, to not let themselves become cogs in a machine, if not because it's bad for you, then out of sheer spite for the people that might profit from it. I encourage people to do art, or engage in creating, or at least observe the magic of creation in things they might do regularly.

a results-oriented society is one that is prepared to disregard humanity. it's rooted in slavery, so that's not a surprise. countering that, to me, is about seeing where I say things like "I don't have the time for that" and analysing whether it's true, or whether a business model would just like me to think that it's true.

probably the funniest way I could end this post is without a clear conclusion huh. yeah

[fedorasaurus]

DEUS EX SPOILERS

I finally beat the game yesterday! I'm sure you're curious to know what ending I got.

First, let me go over my thoughts about each of the options that were presented (I assume it was only these three):

Morgan's offer -- Spare the base. Join him in leading the world via the Illuminati, which will definitely not be tyrannical.

I don't trust him. Not after seeing what he did to DeBeers (locking him in a cold stasis pod under his house and using him for his knowledge while lying about curing him, taking sole control over the Illuminati in his place). Is that going to be JC's fate, too? Plus, even with JC's compassion, I don't see what good can come of a secret society running the world. Joining the big conspiracy goes against everything JC fought for up to this point. Maybe he can make a change for the better, though?

Tracer's offer -- Destroy the base, activating a massive EMP blast that will disable electronic tech worldwide. Society will be returned to the "dark ages," but from there, everyone will be on equal footing, and we can rebuild to a better, more fair society, where no one government or billionaire can control everyone/everything.

Like JC says, "that sounds overkill." Then again, Tracer's hope and optimism is compelling. It's not that advanced tech would NEVER return, anyway. Now it has the chance to be rebuilt under better circumstances. Maybe this time we can use tech to help people rather than harm them. One thing gives me pause, though: this is a sudden, worldwide change, which most people will not be ready for. A lot of people will be harmed by this at first. Think about it: no hospital equipment, no refrigerators, no phones to contact people in an emergency. I certainly don't know enough about farming to be self-sufficient, nor am I in shape enough for long term physical labor. But, I also think... If forgoing the use of modern technology means, for example, that nukes no longer existed, I think it's worth it.

Helios' offer -- Combine JC with the AI, using his augs and Helios' vast knowledge to control the world.

This sounds scary on the face of it. Trust a machine to handle running the lives of humans? Helios makes a compelling argument, though. It doesn't have ambitions. It's simply programmed to protect people and help the world run smoothly. No emotion or ulterior motives that can be bribed into doing what some wealthy benefactor wants. Though, any fan of System Shock would sweat a little at this, recalling that Shodan was programmed for a similar purpose, and her solution to "protecting people" was to... make it so that there were no more people. Come to think of it, Helios never elaborated on their plan to protect people. A machine built on spy software and internet data, relying on algorithms to make decisions, it's concerning. But combined with JC, maybe it could work. JC would have to do a lot of emotional heavy-lifting, but maybe he can keep the AI in line. We also found out that... people are already kind of okay with Helios opening up the roads and shutting down the criminal organizations. JC does wonder, though, if Helios is trying to learn about people in order to control, not help them.

As a sidenote, Bob sounds like SUCH a jealous lover when he finds out that Helios wants JC and not him. God, hearing the villain lose his shit when he knows he's at a disadvantage is delightful after everything we've endured at his hand. All he can do is sit behind his force field and yell at us. You got got, Bob!

Alright, so, what choice did I make for my first playthrough?

---

Deus Ex handles the endings in an interesting way. There's no obvious "GOOD" or "BAD" ending. Each option has positive and negative consequences, and it's up to the player to decide, based on what they learned and discovered throughout the game, what feels right to them. Even Paul trusts JC to follow his heart, supporting him whatever he chooses (god, I love Paul 😭).

Part of my decision also came from just having a difficult time navigating the Area 51 base. Other folks in Chat had similar experiences, so I'm glad I'm not alone there, but it got to a point where I was mulling two choices around in my mind but ended up committing to one because there was no way I'd be able to find my way back if I changed my mind again (yes, the game gives you maps, but even in real life I struggle without a point of reference of my current location 💀).

Plus, Helios was weirdly pushy. "Yes, you will do this," "You will go there, do that." It was uncomfortable, kind of bossy. JC had an option, but Helios still acted like it was bent on controlling things. Maybe I can chalk it up to the language processing of a machine, though.

The ending I picked on this run, you can probably guess, was the New Dark Age ending. Tracer's hope is something I can really vibe with. His, "Come find us, JC!" got me really emotional, in fact. The game doesn't explicitly show JC escaping and reuniting with his friends, but I believe he does. Something made me second-guess my choice, though: the animals and workers who are still alive on the base. The mechanic who tries desperately to stop JC when he presses the three buttons to start the reaction. I really hope they all had enough time to evacuate. I'm okay sacrificing my own life to save everyone, but taking others down with me feels terrible. It's left ambiguous, though. In fact, the ending only shows JC running from the facility while it crumbles. Did we make the right choice, in the end? Is society going to be okay? It isn't shown. I like that, though. Let the player imagine how the future plays out. We weighed the options and followed our heart, and really, that's all anyone can do.

I believe it all worked out.

I'll get the other endings next week and see if any of them feel more "right," and then we'll see how Invisible War handles the continuation of the story (one thing's for sure: Alex Denton must have escaped somehow 👀)!

[technology-trends-by-mellisa]

AI Agents in Real Estate – Shaping the Future

AI development service

AI/ML development solutions

Chatbot development company

AI agent development service

Mobile app development service

[mahou-furbies]

My game dev journey is inching forward slowly. I'm still very far from being able to create anything proper, but so far I have worked on a tutorial project even a little almost every day, so there's at least some progress.

The whole thing started when I thought of how I would like to have this one feature in a farming sim, but that I've never seen it in any of the ones I now, and was kind of pissed about it. But when I thought about it for more than 10 seconds it became very clear that it's not something you could just slap on at the end and would instead require the whole game to be built around it. Then I started to come up with ways how it could be implemented and- hey, Stardew Valley was made by just one guy right? Not that whatever I would create would be, like, good, because I am not the Stardew Valley guy, but it's still an encouraging thought that making a full game on your own is possible. So after 2-3 failed attempts several years earlier I downloaded Unity again and started looking at tutorials.

While working through early tutorials I was quite aware that a farming sim would be way too ambitious of a project for a first game and that I should start with something simpler. Luckily I had had a different idea of a magical girl RPG earlier, whose scope would be more manageable, so I changed plans to that. Also I remembered a tumblr post about a magical girl mascot themed manager simulator, which also super inspired me, but let's stick to top down 2d games now.

However the more I thought about my mahou rpg idea it became apparent that it too would be way too much, like I've envisioned turn based combat on a grid where I would have to write pathfinding for the AI, and you would have ally mahous whose behaviour changes based on your friendship level, and there would be a branching story and yeah this isn't going to fly either, it's best to scale down.

So the next idea was to just make the most basic version of walk around in an overworld + separate combat scene, rip it off pokemon or something, like the bare minimum that counts as a game. The plot can be DPPC fighting the monster of the week or something. Then again there's five of them and I don't want to have to deal with multiple player characters at once, so let's just give each of them their own stage. It ought to help build familiarity with the engine if I do the same simple thing five times.

So that is the current goal! Seems something that I could actually achieve too so let's hope for the best. Then again while thinking about this DPPC idea I also realised that if it works out I could actually try telling the main DPPC story with a video game; if you remember I once agonised that after the death of Flash there hasn't really been a medium for me to use on the DPPC story, because I can't write prose, or use comic book storytelling, or create animations (nor do I care to learn). But this could be the solution! Then again I don't think the DPPC story is that well suited for a video game since it has multiple/rotating protagonists and a lot of the story is told through flashbacks, but it should be possible to cram it in somehow. So that is idea number 5!

Mind you I am still not out of the tutorial phase of learning to use Unity, and here I am with multiple multi-year game project ideas. But it's so much fun thinking about them! I've felt super inspired these past few weeks and it feels great! I will actually do the small DPPC thing first though and then figure out if I want to have anything to do with game dev any more after that. Also of course the ideas for the DPPC "demo" have ballooned in scope before I've even started it, but hopefully I'll manage to stick to the basics when I actually see what it's like to implement it.

Right now the plan is to catch up with the ongoing tutorial series I've been following, and after that start a new project for DPPC. Let's see how it goes!

[explorerrowan]

You seemed to have an honest interest in gen ai as a fic helper.... like "if you don't want to write it who wants to read it??" and asking if one is farming for kudos which have no value other than community... good questions really and I see how that sounds. but I don't think many people are literally asking chatgpt, "can u write a fanfic which is a coffee shop Zukka AU", copying the entire response, and posting it. for one thing if you try to do that it will generate a max 500 word response and it will not ☝️ be good

I haven't published any of mine bc of anxieties over the stigma but ultimately you can spend a long time writing out like a beat-by-beat overview, with example quotes for big moments, and you get it back at max like 2 pages of text at a time before detailing the next beats you want. you have to detail the emotional focus of each scene. then, I copy each scene into a text doc and edit the shit out of it. All chat GPT does is converts my ramblings - ultimately transcripts of those daydreams you have before falling asleep - into a bad first draft. The creativity and ideas of what is in the fic, the emotional thru lines, the story beats, are all mine. and the final edit and styles are also mine. I often have a finished fic that I won't publish bc of the chatgpt stigma but I'm like damn. this FEELS like creatively my work, and I love it and I know others would super enjoy reading it.

So yeah i don't publish them like I say but I super wish I could, and if I did I would feel that the emotional and creative core of it was my own. it's fun, creative work that I enjoy doing, and I'd love to share it with others who I know would also enjoy the stories I imagine up.

i don't know that "why should i read something you couldn't bother to write" unfortunately doesn't ring true. I really enjoy writing and reading fic with chatgpt that I truly truly love the creative work of generating. It just takes out that hurdle of turning "ohhh what if X and Y, and when he sees Y, THEN we get the X reveal" into actual readable text. I don't know. it's fun, and I'd love to share it with others...

This was in response to my question here.

Thank you for your response, anon. I know that there is a stigma and even responding on anon took a measure of courage, especially in response to a thread where most people are openly hostile to the idea of using generative AI in creative work.

I see your response, and honestly? It makes me a little sad, because it means that we've failed you as fellow writers. If you're writing a beat-for-beat outline, key scenes, and quotes, and feeling you need to pop them into ChatGPT to string them together, it means that you don't know other writers willing to help you do that. The community of writers has let you down if your solution to this age-old problem is to turn to ChatGPT.

You see, this is a challenge for all writers. We all have scenes and story beats in our heads that we really want to see, and we all struggle with how to link them. The solution for this is two-fold: community and craft:

For community, you need to be able to take your outline and notes and scenes and quotes to other writers and say "okay, this is what I've got. How can I make this into a coherent story?" and be able to trust that they will give you feedback on what you need to do to do it yourself in your own voice. That's the part that makes me sad, because it means that you're not plugged into a nurturing writing community that can help you like that. If you truly enjoy what you create, you should trust that others out there would enjoy it, too, and would love to help you finish it and make it better.

For craft, I mean your actual writing skill and experience. As you write more, and as you get more and more experience pulling those disparate scenes and quotes together, you will become more and more comfortable doing it yourself. Those connecting bits are actually where an author's voice shines, since the connecting bits are where we get scenery descriptions, character development, and relationship building. By replacing that with ChatGPT, you're removing your influence over those aspects, probably by having it scrape those things from other authors in the same fandom. I want to hear your voice, anon, not a computer's pale imitation of an amalgam of other authors.

Further, those scenes that you're already writing will also improve as you get more practice writing those connecting bits. You'll be able to do things like effective foreshadowing, which is dropping hints of what will happen early in the work that pay off later. Foreshadowing is oh-so-satisfying to a reader, since it feels like a secret shared between them and the author. ChatGPT could never make Chekhov's Gun fire. Writing those connecting bits yourself may also help you gain confidence in your work.

I hope you're one of my followers, anon, so you can see this response, because I do have follow-up questions for you. Primarily, what is your primary fandom in which you write? I want to get you connected to a community who can help you write more and better on your own, without the help of ChatGPT.

I don't hold it against you that you were using ChatGPT like training wheels, but you'll need community to help you learn to write without them, and I'd like to help you find that community. Maybe, with the right writing community, you'll even find the confidence you need to actually publish. I look forward to what your work looks like without ChatGPT, since it sounds like you've already got a good understanding of the stories you want to tell.

[mandokero-eboy]

GET RID OF AI NONSENSE FROM YOUR GOOGLE RESULTS

Like you, I used udm=14 for a bit to get rid of the AI generated shit in google. Sadly it doesn't get rid of shitty search results. It also breaks other parts of google like image search, so it's not a very good solution.

BEHOLD!!!

A filter list for uBlockOrigin and uBlacklist that blocks out google search results for a lot of websites known to post generative AI content The only way we stop this shit now is if we find automated ways to deny them traffic, so you should share this.

If you find any AI shit that isn't on this list you should contribute to it as well

While you're at it, install adNauseam. It's uBlockOrigin but it silently tells the website that you're clicking on every ad while it blocks it. Of course this gives money to the website with the ads but what's important is

a) it wastes money from the ads provider b) doesn't allow them to profile u based on ads you click

Personally can't wait till you tell all your friends about this AI filtering tool and in order to use it your friends also have to download the ad blocking tool that makes Google actively waste money. Google is going to love that.

While we're at it

This is another list that blocks a bunch of spam websites that do very aggressive SEO

And this other uBlacklist filter for various kinds of miscellaneous spam

I can't stress enough, the only thing that's convincing tech companies to back down from this shit is if having AI automatically gets them less engagement and it gets everyone to start installing adblockers and other shit that hurts their core business model.

Oh and while I still have you here, delete Facebook, Instagram and Threads. Should've done that before but especially now.