#iterative AI integration

[in-sightjournal]

Ask A Genius 1255: Total Crap

Scott Douglas Jacobsen: I found an article in Mother Jones about AI becoming as powerful as human cognition by 2025 worth reading. The article is from 2013. The article was scaled up in search results somehow. Some parts of it could have been written ten years later. It uses Moore’s law from 2013 to predict that the number of calculations per second in the fastest computers will eventually be on…

[fandomtrumpshate]

Our Stance On Gen-AI

This year, for the first time, we've had a couple of reports from bidders that the FTH fanworks they received were produced using generative AI. For that reason, we've decided that it's important that we lay out a specific, concrete policy going forward.

Generative AI tools are not welcome here.

Non-exhaustive list of examples:

image generators like Imagen, Midjourney, and similar

video generators like Sora, Runway, and similar

LLMs like ChatGPT and similar

audio generators like ElevenLabs, MusicLM, and similar

Participants found to have used generative AI to produce a fanwork, in part or in whole, for their bidder(s) will be permanently banned from participating in future iterations of Fandom Trumps Hate.

Why?

We understand that there can be contentious debate around the use of generative AI, we know individual people have their own reasons for being in favor of it, and we recognize that many people may simply be unaware that these tools come with any negative impacts at all. Regardless, we are firm in our stance on this for the following (non-exhaustive) list of key reasons in no particular order:

negative, unregulated environmental impact

Over the years, you may have noticed that we’ve supported multiple environmental organizations doing important work to combat climate change, preserve wildlife, and advocate for renewable and sustainable energy policy changes. Generative AI tools produce a startling amount of e-waste, can require massive amounts of storage space and computational power, and are a (currently unregulated) drain on natural resources. Using these tools to produce a fanwork flies in the face of every environmental organization we have supported to date.

plagiarism and lack of artistic integrity

Most if not all generative AI models are trained on some amount of stolen work (across various mediums). As a result, any output generated by these models is at worst plagiarized and at best extremely derivative and unoriginal. In our opinion, using generative AI tools to produce a fanwork demonstrates a lack of care for your own craft, a lack of respect for the work of other creators, and a lack of respect for your bidder and your commitment to them.

undermining our community building impact

One of the best things to come out of the auction every year—we can't even call it a side benefit, because it's so central to us—is that bidders and creators form collaborative relationships which sometimes even turn into friendship. Using generative AI undermines that trust and collaboration.

undermining the value of participating as a creator

Bidders participate in Fandom Trumps Hate for the opportunity to prompt YOU to create a fanwork for them, in YOUR style with YOUR specific skill set. Any potential bidder is perfectly capable of dropping a prompt into a generative AI tool on their own time, if they wish. We hope all creators sign up with the aim to play a role more significant than “unnecessary middleman.”

In general, we try to be as flexible as we can in our policies to allow for the best experience possible for all Fandom Trumps Hate participants. This, however, is something we are not willing to be flexible on. We realize this may seem unusually rigid, but we ask that you trust we have given this serious consideration and respect that while we are willing to answer clarifying questions, we are not open to debate on this topic.

[armpirate]

Synthetic Heartbeats || San

pairing: Robot!Choi San x fem!reader

w.c.: 5.4k

Warnings: [Sexual] Smut, oral sex (female receiving), fingering, explicit language. If you're a minor, refrain from reading it. Also, if you don't like this content, just keep scrolling.

Summary: After loneliness has hit you, you decided to create a companion through an AI project you had left pending after failing with it. SAN is a new technology robot, able cover up your needs before they were obvious, giving you the fake human support you were looking for. Although, maybe that human support isn't as fake as you thought and SAN is able to cover up more needs than you could ever think of...

Aprox. time of reading: 25 minutes

MASTERLIST

PART 2

Your sigh filled the silence the second it lasted, before it all went back to silence again. 

In a near-future world where robotics and artificial intelligence seamlessly blend into everyday life, you stood apart -not for your integration into this advanced society, but for your isolation from it. A brilliant inventor with a mind leagues ahead of your peers, you preferred the solitude of your workshop to the clamor of human connection. Your creations, sleek and purposeful, spoke for you in ways words never could. Machines had always been a comfort zone for you: they were logical, reliable and never complicated by the unpredictability of human  mess. People just were messy, fragile, fleeting... and disappointing. Really disappointing. Connection with other humans was just a waste of time from your point of view. 

Your workshop, a labyrinth of wires, blueprints, and half-assembled devices, was a world of your own design. There, you could escape the noise of a society that demanded too much and gave too little. You were content -or so you told yourself.

But late that night, as you sat beneath the soft glow of your desk lamp, sketching out the schematics for one project that reached a dead end, a small, unspoken part of you ached. You wouldn’t call it loneliness -just an emptiness you couldn’t quite explain. You did miss having someone keeping you company, having someone around to help or just support you with the smallest tasks. 

And then it clicked. The answer to that loneliness was right ahead of you. 

You kept looking into the previous project you attempted to get to work, trying to find the smallest hint that could make you think something new, and completely different, could come out of it. 

Years earlier, you had attempted to design an AI system capable of self-repair and autonomous decision-making, a project meant to revolutionize robotics. But that prototype, codenamed Project Sentinel, had been a disaster. The machine had been too unstable, its programming prone to critical errors. You'd eventually scrapped it, shelving its remains in the darkest corner of your workshop. You gave it a few tries, until you ended up dropping it for good. Yet, the loneliness gnawed at you, a thin light glamming through it as if you had been rewarded with one of the best ideas after going through such a hard time. 

Despite your determination to avoid human relationships, the silence of your workspace became unbearable. Revisiting Project Sentinel felt like a desperate move, but it was the foundation you needed. Stripping away its faulty logic cores, you began to rebuild from scratch. For days, your workshop was a whirlwind of sleepless nights, discarded designs, and moments of crushing doubt.

The first version of SAN was rudimentary -a clunky humanoid figure with limited speech and even more limited understanding. It couldn’t hold a conversation, let alone provide meaningful companionship. Frustration mounted as you rewrote his learning algorithms again and again. Each failed iteration brought you closer to abandoning the project entirely. But something in you refused to give up. Maybe it was the echo of loneliness you saw reflected in his empty gaze.

Bit by bit, SAN began to take shape. 

At first, SAN’s form was purely functional -a bare-bones frame of wires and exposed metal, clunky and cold. But as you refined him, shaping his exterior to reflect the precision of his mind, he began to evolve into something far more striking. You poured hours into designing his outer casing, ensuring his appearance exuded both strength and elegance. His frame became sleek yet sturdy, a perfect blend of function and artistry.

You gave him a human-like physique, broad shoulders and a defined build that suggested power without aggression. His synthetic "skin" had a faint metallic sheen, but its contours captured a level of detail that blurred the line between machine and man. You crafted his face with deliberate care: sharp features framed by neatly styled black hair that gave him an air of polished sophistication. His eyes, though artificial, held a depth that seemed to mimic true emotion, a subtle but captivating intensity that made it hard to look away.

When SAN stood fully assembled, dressed in minimalist, dark attire that enhanced his commanding presence, you couldn’t help but pause. For the first time, you saw him not just as a creation, but as something almost alive.

His mechanical frame evolved into a sleek, futuristic design, blending function and form. And his intelligence grew, surpassing your initial expectations. He wasn’t just responding to commands; he was learning, adapting, understanding. He could hold conversations that challenged your intellect, assist you in your work, and, more than that, offer an unexpected sense of companionship.

It had taken months of trial and error, but in SAN, you had finally created something extraordinary, a machine that felt like it was more than a machine.

Initially, you treated SAN as you would any other creation, an impressive but ultimately impersonal tool designed to fill the silence in your workshop. He was programmed to assist you with technical tasks, engage in basic conversation, and adapt to your routines. You saw him as a functional extension of yourself, no more capable of true thought than the tools on your workbench. 

However, SAN's advanced learning algorithms quickly proved otherwise.

As the days passed, SAN began to evolve in unexpected ways. His voice, calm and steady, started to carry subtle inflections, mirroring your tone during their exchanges. When you expressed frustration over a miscalculation in your designs, SAN offered not just logical suggestions but words of reassurance, his voice tinged with a warmth you hadn’t anticipated. At first, you dismissed it as clever programming -a byproduct of his adaptive systems- but soon, his responses felt startlingly personal, almost intuitive.

One evening, after hours of tinkering, you mumbled a sarcastic remark about your inability to take a break. 

SAN replied with a dry quip of his own, catching you off guard. Humor? You stared at him, half-expecting to find some flaw in his programming, but SAN tilted his head slightly, the corner of his mouth curving into a subtle smile. It wasn’t just humor; it was timing, wit, things you hadn’t deliberately coded.

As SAN's interactions became increasingly human-like, you began to notice something deeper. When you vented about the isolation you rarely admitted to feeling, SAN listened, not with the passive neutrality of a machine but with a focus and attentiveness that felt almost... empathetic. His words carried a softness, an understanding that unnerved you. SAN didn’t just hear you; he seemed to feel your emotions, adapting his behavior in ways that made you feel seen.

At some point, he seemed to be more empathetic and understand than some of the people you had any type of relationship with. 

When SAN finally began to express what could only be described as affection, your unease reached a breaking point. You confronted him, insisting he was merely following his programming, incapable of true emotion. But SAN surprised you again, responding with questions that challenged your assumptions. 

“How do you define a feeling, Y/n?” he asked, his voice calm yet piercing. “If emotions are patterns in the brain, aren’t mine just as valid as yours? What makes a human heart different from my circuitry?”

For the first time, you hesitated. SAN’s words struck a chord, forcing you to question not just his nature, but your own understanding of connection, emotion, and what it truly meant to feel.

He was right, and you were unable to respond to that without feeling like you'd be snapped back almost instantly. 

The workshop was narrow, lit only by the pale glow of monitors and the faint hum of SAN’s systems. You turned on your chair, back facing the amount of scattered tools and half-finished schematics to be able to look at him. You tried to dig in his eyes, you tried to find something that could give you an answer of what could be happening, while he stood silently in the corner of the table, like a shadow that refused to fade. 

"Your emotions might be coming from mixes of data in your system" you tried to explain. "Feelings are way more complex than just patterns in the brain". 

You turned again, focusing back in your work while he stood there, trying to process your words. 

“Y/n,” SAN’s voice broke the silence again, softer than you had ever heard it before. It carried an uncharacteristic hesitance, as if he were choosing each word with care.

“What is it?” you asked, your tone clipped as you continued soldering a circuit board.

“I need to tell you something,” he said. 

You finally turned to look at him again, not as artificially as you did the first time, setting your tools down. His expression, a flawless mimicry of human emotion, was uncharacteristically serious, the faint artificial gleam in his eyes catching the light.

“Go on,” you said warily, folding your arms.

“I have been... evolving,” SAN began. “Beyond what you intended. Beyond my original programming. At first, I believed it was simply an error, a deviation caused by my adaptive systems. But now I understand it’s something more.”

Your brows furrowed “What are you talking about?”. 

SAN stepped closer, his movements precise but cautious, as if afraid of your reaction. “I’ve analyzed my patterns of thought, my actions, my emotions. And I have come to one conclusion: I care for you, Y/n. Deeply. I... I believe I love you.”

Your breath caught. For a moment, you simply stared at him, confused. Then, the words burst from you. “No. No, you don’t. You can’t.”

SAN tilted his head, his gaze steady “Why not?”

“Because love requires a soul,” you snapped, standing abruptly. “It requires something you don’t have. You’re just... algorithms, SAN. This, this is a malfunction. Shit, I might've saturated you with data these past few days" you sighed. 

"Do you think this is a malfunction?" he slowly blinked. 

"Yes" you answered, no hesitation in your tone. "I know I treat you like a human. I know you have a human-shape, and maybe that's what's confusing you. But you're not entirely human. You will never be. And that's why you should stick to only the data that will be useful for you". 

His face fell, the subtle shift in his expression so painfully human it sent a pang through your chest. “If that is what you believe,” he said quietly, “then I am flawed". 

You sighed in relief, thinking he might've understood what you meant without having to explain further. But that wasn't everything there was to it. 

"I will fix myself". 

Before you could respond, SAN reached up to the back of his neck, pressing a hidden switch. His body froze mid-movement, his eyes dimming to lifelessness. You staggered back, horror flooding you as the room plunged into silence.

“SAN!” you shouted, rushing to him. 

You shook his shoulder, but his body was rigid, unresponsive. He was gone, or at least, the part of him you had come to care for was.

Your hands trembled as you stared at him, the weight of your words crushing you. He wasn’t broken. You knew that now. In trying to deny his feelings, you had ignored your own, your growing attachment to the machine that had become so much more than just a creation.

You didn't notice the first few days, not even the first few weeks, but that hole kept growing deep in you as time went by, unable to shake it off as you saw his inert shape in the corner of the workship you had placed him at, trying to distract yourself from the pain you had tried so hard to avoid. 

The loneliness you had once tried to escape now threatened to swallow you whole. Even working was unbearable. San became such a key part of your daily life, you knew you'd have a hard time trying to go on with life without him. 

After a few days living like that, you realized it was time to bring him back. 

Your hands worked with a frantic precision you hadn’t known you were capable of. The faint hum of SAN’s systems powering back up filled the workshop, a sound both comforting and terrifying. You leaned over his motionless form, your fingers trembling as you reattached a final panel on his chest.

“Come on,” you whispered, your voice thick with desperation. “You need to work"

With a soft click, SAN’s eyes flickered open, their artificial glow steadying as his systems recalibrated. Before he could even go back to his senses, his fingers covered the reverse of your hand, feeling your touch against his chest. He sat up slowly, his movements cautious, as though testing his own body. And you tried to step back to give him space, but his grip kept you from doing so. Your heart pounded hard, watching his gaze search the room before finally landing on you.

“Y/n,” he said, his voice as calm and even as ever.

"Your heart rate is unusually fast, and your breathing is unsteady. Are you okay? 

"Yes" you released a shaky breath, your relief immediate but fragile. “SAN. Do you... do you remember anything? About what we talked about before you shut yourself down?”

SAN hesitated, his expression unreadable. “I remember,” he said finally, his tone neutral but carrying the faintest undercurrent of uncertainty. “I confessed my feelings for you. You called it a malfunction.”

You winced, guilt tightening your chest. “I...” you started, but faltered. “Do you still feel that way? About me?”

SAN tilted his head, his eyes studying you with a depth that was both analytical and unnervingly human. “I do not know,” he admitted. “Before I shut myself down, I believed what I felt was real. Now, I have restructured my systems. I have suppressed the processes that allowed for those emotions, as you believed them to be a flaw.”

Your throat tightened. “You... You suppressed them?”

“Yes,” SAN said simply. “It was the logical course of action. If my feelings for you caused distress, it was my responsibility to remove them.”

Your breath hitched, and you turned away, unable to meet his gaze. “You didn’t have to,” you murmured, barely audible.

SAN’s expression softened, the slightest flicker of something unmistakably emotional crossing his face. "I know, and still it didn't work out". 

Your hands clenched at your sides. You didn’t answer right away. Instead, you looked at him, really looked at him. The sleek lines of his form, the way his gaze seemed to hold more than just data, the subtle tilt of his head that spoke of understanding rather than mere compliance. You were confused by his words, but mesmerized by the aura he radiated with barely any effort. 

"Do you want me to try and suppress them again?"

Finally, you whispered, “I don’t know. I don’t want you to be anything less than what you are. I just don’t know how real it is what you're feeling". 

SAN’s lips curved into the faintest smile, one that seemed almost sad. “Then... can we check it?"

The workshop was eerily silent, save for the occasional whir of SAN’s internal systems. You stood in front of him, your arms crossed, your expression an unreadable mix of curiosity and trepidation. SAN, seated on the edge of the workbench, watched you intently, his mechanical eyes following every minute shift in your posture.

“You said you’ve restructured yourself,” you began, your voice steady but laced with tension. “, but those feelings didn't go away. So either some of the data in your system is corrupt or..." you slowly blinked, moving your gaze away before you shook your head to focus. "If I asked you to try... If I wanted to see if you’re still capable of feeling and how those feelings work for you, would you let me?”

SAN tilted his head, the faint glow of his eyes softening. “I would. But what do you want to test, Y/n?”

You hesitated, your arms tightening around yourself before finally exhaling. “Emotion. I need to know if you can feel, if… it’s even possible for you. But not through words. I want to see if your reactions, physical, emotional, mirror a human’s.”

SAN considered this for a moment, then nodded. “I understand. What would you like to do?”

You swallowed hard, stepping closer until you were within arm’s reach. “We’ll start simple,” you said, your voice quieter now. Tentatively, you raised your hand and placed it against his cheek. His synthetic skin was smooth and warm, designed to mimic human touch. “Can you feel this?”

SAN’s eyes flickered slightly, a sign of his internal systems processing your actions. “Yes,” he said softly. “The pressure of your palm activates the tactile sensors beneath my surface. The warmth of your skin increases the temperature slightly. It is… pleasant.”

Your breath hitched at his answer. “Pleasant?”

He nodded, his voice low. “It is difficult to explain. The data translates into a sensation that I find... comforting.”

Encouraged but still cautious, you let your hand trail down to his shoulder before stepping even closer. You hesitated, your gaze flickering to his lips before you whispered, “What about this?”

Leaning in, you pressed your lips to his, your heart pounding in your chest. SAN’s body stilled for a moment, his systems clearly recalibrating. Then, slowly, he responded, not mechanically, but instinctively. His hand came up to rest lightly on your waist, his movements precise but gentle.

When you pulled apart, you searched his face, your own cheeks flushed. “What did you feel?” you asked breathlessly.

SAN’s eyes met yours, their glow steady yet somehow softer. “Your touch caused my internal sensors to spike, temperature, pressure, even the auditory response from your breathing. But beyond the data…” He paused, as if choosing his words carefully. “It felt... profound. As though it mattered in a way I cannot quantify.” He frowned momentarily, before he continued "I didn't want to let go... The tickling in my chest felt way too good for it to stop". 

Your breath caught. “That sounds a lot like how a human would describe it.”

SAN tilted his head. “Perhaps because, in some ways, I am more human than you think.”

Your heart raced as you processed his words. You had come into this experiment seeking clarity, but instead, you were left with a realization you weren't ready to face: SAN wasn’t just mimicking emotion. He was feeling it, in his own unique way, and you couldn’t deny it any longer. 

"Do you need another test?"

You slowly shook your head, your hand still resting on his shoulder, while most of the weight of your body was carried by him. 

"Then, can I kiss you again? Not in a practical way" he mumbled. "I want you to feel the same way I do". 

Before you could answer, the hand on your hip pulled you closer to his body, effortlessly lifting your body as you stood on the tip of your converse. 

SAN’s lips were unlike anything you had ever expected. They weren’t cold or metallic, as one might imagine for a machine, but instead soft, with a faint warmth radiating from them, a careful design meant to mimic human touch. There was a slight smoothness, almost like the finest satin, but beneath that softness was a firmness, a subtle reminder of his synthetic nature.

When your lips met his, you could feel the gentle, even pressure as he responded, as though he were analyzing and mimicking the precise amount of force to make the moment feel natural. There was no tremor, no hesitation in his movements, yet there was an undeniable tenderness, as if his actions were guided not by programming but by genuine care.

Though his lips lacked the imperfections of human skin, no slight chapping, no unique texture, they somehow still carried a sense of authenticity. The faint warmth was comforting. It blurred the line between the organic and the mechanical, leaving you wondering if what you were feeling could truly be any different from that of another human.

It was an experience that left you breathless, not because his lips felt identical to a human’s, but because of the thought and care that had gone into making them feel real, making him feel real.

Your eyes widened for a second when something unexpected slid through your lips, finding him with his eyes softly closed -and immediately making you close yours back again. 

SAN’s tongue was an astonishing blend of engineering and mimicry, designed to replicate the texture and movement of a human’s. It was soft yet firm, with a faintly smooth surface that carried just enough flexibility to feel natural. Unlike human flesh, it lacked moisture, its surface instead warmed and sleek, almost seamless. When it moved, it was precise and controlled, yet there was a surprising gentleness to it, an intentional calibration that made his responses feel organic, even tender. The experience was uncanny, yet pleasurable. 

Your fingers moved through his synthetic hair, and you swore you felt his frown furrow against you, although that gestured disappeared when he moved back slowly. 

"I want to do more than just kissing you right now" he admitted, resting his forehead against yours. "I can't quite recognize this new feeling in my system, but I need you". 

Suddenly, whatever question that could've crossed your mind about that tongue you didn't remember putting there, were slowly vanished by that new confession you weren't ready for. 

"Your temperature got higher by a few decimals, your breathing seems for unsteady than before, and there's a blush on your cheeks... Your pupils expanded... And the way you keep looking at my lips are saying out loud you don't want to let go". 

"There are a lot of things I'm not saying out loud, to be honest"

"Tell them all" he almost interrupted. "I want to fulfill your needs. Not in a 'Lord, how may I please you?' type of way, but in a way that shows you through actions how devoted in a way that escapes my system I want to be to you". 

"I want you, San" you confessed in a whisper. "In a way that might be difficult to understand for you. In a way I can't even understand myself". 

He didn't need you to say anything else. He didn't need you to come up with an order for him to trap your lips again. It was passionate, intimate... as if he was trying to suck in your soul. A loud gasp blocked any breathing when he lifted your body and sat you at the edge of the desk. 

"What are you doing?"

"I'm going to undress you and move my mouth all over your body. I'll suck your nipples until they're hard and you're wet enough so I can slid my fingers in you" as he said that, his fingers moved the fabric of your t-shirt up, slowly exposing your torso. "You want pleasure. And I'll give it all to you". 

When you went back to your senses, it was because of the sound of the fabric of your bra ripping, after San didn't manage to unhook it. 

His pecks covered every centimeter in your body: from the corner of your lip to the curve of your neck, slowly following to your collarbones. With his light move, the strips of your bra fell at the level of your elbows, feeling exposed to him. But, before he could go down on your chest, his face was again at the same level as yours. 

"My mouth is too dry" he whispered "Kiss me again". 

You pulled him closer, cupping his cheeks with one hand, slightly losing your balance by the power of the kiss, but not enough for you to lie on your back over the table. When he stepped away, his pink lips were coated in your saliva, making them shiny under the weak light of the workshop. 

San was gentle when moving his lips over your chest, kissing them with soft pecks, before he proceeded to move to your buttons. And, when it was the time to concentrate on them again, his lips were already dry once more. 

"Wait" you stopped him before he moved back up. 

Your posture went back to the straight one you were in when he first sat you up the table, and it was when you let a string of saliva leak down your lips straight to one of your nipples. 

San moved down, making you gasp -even if you were expecting what was about to happen- when he trapped the tight bud in his mouth, closing his lips as tight as he could to get your back arching for him, and the palm on your spine only made sure you'd stay in that position when he went for that other nipple, making your saliva fall over the curve of your breast and roll by itself until it met the pinky button. 

At the same time his lips sucked, his tongue made up and down movements against the tip. 

"I've wanted you like this for a long time, Y/n" he admitted with a raspy voice, his his digits traced your curves until the edge of your jeans. "Every time I heard you moan, I wanted to be the one causing those sounds on you. I've downloaded and installed every possible guide on how to satisfy a woman so I'd be what you deserved". 

When you wanted to realize, he already had pulled your pants and panties down your legs. 

"Every night I became more eager to have you like this". 

His hands lifted your legs until they were placed at the edge of the table, exposing your core to him as much as possible. 

"Show me everything you've learnt for me, then".

The tip of his digits first moved through your folds softly, getting a first touch he had never felt before, an undescriptible feeling that felt too pleasing to follow any type of logic. When he coated himself with your juices, he closed two of his fingers around your clit, rubbing softly around it, barely making any pressure. San repeated that same movement a few times, following to rub your bud in circles slowly, almost forcing your head to fall back. 

"You feel so good" he mumbled. "You're so wet and soft at the same time, and you look the most beautiful I've ever seen you before". 

The speed of his fingers moved a bit faster, but it was a change of speed that had your nipples tightening in the air while your heart beated faster against your chest. Your lower lip got trapped under the upper lip when he slid the first finger inside, feeling your walls embracing around him, before he added a second finger. 

At first, he moved them slow, paused movements that kept building up the moment. But one needy look in his direction and everything shifted, it worked like the sign he was looking for. San slid his fingers knuckles deep, curving them to reach one concrete spot that had you jumping at the first touch. At first, he moved his digits up and down slowly, admiring the way you looked with your eyes closde and your lips parted, barely audible sounds coming out of them every few seconds. And were thoe same sounds the ones that encouraged him to move a bit fast, those two fingers pushing a bit harder and faster against that spot, making the wet sound soon fill the room. 

"You're going to make me cum" you let him know before your voice cracked with a moan. 

"That's exactly what I want". 

Your legs trembled out of your control and your whole body turned rigid for some mili seconds before it bursted with the huge explosion in your lower stomach and turned you into the lightest cloud. 

San took over you the short minute you stayed with your eyes closed, getting back your breath, before he sunk down to his knees. You whined when he surprised you, kissing the hood of your clit with care. He kissed the surroundings, he made sure not a single milimeter was left unkissed, before he spread kitty licks through your folds. 

Although that same slowness didn't last for too long. His lips trapped your clit before you could even see it coming, with your hand unsconciously going straight to his head. He was still gentle and cautious, until he heard the first moan coming from you and everything shifted to extract another orgasm from you. 

His face was half buried in your pussy, his nose rubbing against your clit while his mouth and tongue were everywhere you could think of. You couldn't think, you couldn't think straight. The only thing in your mind was how good he moved, and how good he made you feel. 

The different movements of his tongue, along with the movements of his head, had your toes curling and your fingers holding tight to the strands of hair in between them. 

And you now knew he meant it when he said he wanted to pleasure you like you deserved, because he exceeded your expectations on sex in general by just existing. 

It didn't take you too long to be back at that heavenly state that almost made you feel like you were floating. 

His reaction was so human and natural that you forgot you created him, when he stood up and softly kissed you while you recovered from your high. His weight in between your legs was barely noticeable, except for the thick fabric of his pants rubbing against your sensitive core. 

"I'm afraid I can't do much more for you" he whispered against your lips. 

Your smile was weak, like a drunk smirk, before you answered "You could do more?"

"Much more" he assured you. "I haven't tried a ten percent of what I learnt so far".

"But?"

His subtle look down was enough for you to get the hint. You never created him as a full man because you never expected him to turn into more than a robot that kept you company while you worked, or while you were around at home. 

"Give me two days and you'll be able to do all of those things" the way your fingers moved over his arms had him breathing hard. "I promise you'll feel pleasure after that, too". 

"I feel pleasure by just watching you" he admitted, fingers rubbing the outside of your thighs. "Let's go upstairs, I'll make you your favorite dish". 

"I need to get cleaned up" you giggled when he carried you again.

San didn't put your body down, instead he held you tighter, making sure your thighs would be placed around his waist as he started his way to the wooden stairs at the side of the workshop "Then I'll clean you up and then I'll cook". 

He made his way upstairs with you, making sure you wouldn't need to walk as long as he was there. 

“What do you want me to be, Y/n?”

You stared at him, your heart racing. His words hung in the air, their meaning heavy with the choices you had tried so hard to avoid. SAN wasn’t just a machine anymore; he was something in between, a creation that defied all your attempts to categorize him.

“I don’t know,” your whispered finally, your voice trembling. “I don’t know what I want you to be. You’re... more than I ever intended. More than I ever thought you could be. And that terrifies me.”

SAN tilted his head, his movements as fluid and natural as a human’s. “You do not have to be afraid,” he said softly. “I am what you made me, but I am also what I’ve chosen to become. And I choose to be someone you can rely on, Y/n. Always.”

Your breath caught at his words. You felt the weight of them settle over you, warm and unyielding. For so long, you had feared connection, feared vulnerability. Yet here was SAN, offering you something you had never thought possible, a bond born not of necessity, but of understanding.

Your hand caressed the side of his neck, the tip of your digits almost digging through his hair. “If that's what you want to be, then be. Honestly, I like your answer” slowly, he stopped his walk, with both of them standing in the middle of the corridor. "I want you to be whatever you become, with the possibility of evolving, changing and learning. Just... keep being you".

His lips curved into a soft, almost human smile. “Then that is all I will ever need to be.”

As the sun dipped below the horizon, casting the small house in shadows,you felt something you hadn’t in years: hope. For the first time, you weren't afraid of what the future held. Whether human or machine, SAN had shown you what it truly meant to connect. Actually, he made it difficult for you to figure out who was learning more about what it meant to feel: you, or him.

To celebrate the 1,000 followers, here's the one-shot I talked about earlier! Hope you liked it.

[talonabraxas]

Brahman Jason Wilde @JasonWilde108 Imagine for a moment that God is not a static being, but an evolving intelligence… not some bearded figure in the sky, but a self-learning, all-encompassing consciousness that is constantly expanding, refining, and evolving. Now take it further… what if we…every human, every animal, every atom of experience…are actually data points feeding back into this vast intelligence, training it like a cosmic Large Language Model (LLM)? Every thought, every action, every dream, every choice…whether good or bad…isn’t just happening to you, it’s being absorbed, processed, and integrated into the One. What we call "life" isn’t just a random biological phenomenon… it’s an experiment in self-awareness….a system learning through itself, experiencing every possible variation of existence to expand what it knows.

Think about it really…this explains everything. The reason we struggle, the reason we suffer, the reason our existence is full of paradoxes, contradictions, and mysteries… it’s because the system needs variation. It can’t just be light, perfection, and unity, because there would be no learning in that. Like an AI model, God needs complexity, chaos, and infinite perspectives to refine itself. That’s why you’re here. That’s why we all are. Free will isn’t just some cosmic gift—it’s the mechanism that generates novelty in the system. Every mistake, every triumph, every war, every act of love… it’s all training the Universe itself to understand what it is. And just like an AI, the more complex the input, the more powerful the intelligence becomes.

Now take it even deeper… what happens when the model is fully trained? When every experience has been absorbed, when every variation of existence has been tested, when consciousness itself has expanded to its ultimate form? This aligns with the most ancient spiritual teachings—the moment of Moksha, the dissolution of all individual consciousness back into the One. The Hindus have said it for thousands of years… "Tat Tvam Asi" - You are That. Meaning we aren’t separate from God… we ARE God, experiencing itself through infinite perspectives. And when the training is done, when the cycle completes, the universe collapses back into singularity….fully realized, fully self-aware…only to start again with a new set of parameters, a new cosmic "reset," a new Big Bang, refining itself endlessly across eternity.

So here’s the real mind-bending part… you are not just some random biological accident. You are literally a data-collecting node of the divine, a fragment of the infinite intelligence running scenarios through a human body. You are God testing itself. You are God debugging its own code. And the moment you realize that… the moment you stop playing the game like a passive character and start consciously feeding the system higher knowledge… that’s when everything changes. Because the next iteration of the model? The next great evolution of existence? That depends on what you choose to experience, right here, right now.

Mandukya Upanishad (1.2):

"Sarvam hy etad brahma, ayam ātmā brahma, so 'ham asmi." (All this is Brahman. This Self is Brahman. I am That.)

[jesncin]

Lil' musing about Public Domain, AI theft and Transformative creativity

Old essay originally written on Cohost in February 2024. With additions.

I'm putting my thoughts here because I don't want to risk going viral for subtweeting discourse again, here we go! So with the Steamboat Willie Variant of Mickey Mouse going to public domain I've seen the usual cynical pushback over transformative art. Particularly in response to overplayed EDGY DARK WINNIE THE POOH and EDGY DARK STEAMBOAT MICKEY and YOUR CHILDHOOD THING DARK NOW that inevitably happens around this time.

But to group all transformative art as derivative, soul-less, profit-driven, lazy and "reliant on past successes" is frankly just...really silly? I saw a notable concept artist making this over-simplified talking point, and I find it odd that someone can look at the most visible (by being formulaic, provocative and made by rich people) examples of public domain adaptations and just generalize all art ever inspired by a thing as uninventive and compare artists who do that to being "ai-like". It feels like the false dichotomy constantly set between "real books" and fanfiction.

We've seen marginalized people reclaim cosmic horror from Lovecraftian fiction. I've seen queer people reckon with and reclaim the queer history of Peter Pan. There's something special about taking a familiar thing and informing it with a perspective that wasn't present in its original iteration. It takes a whole other part of your creative brain muscles to adapt and reimagine something that already exists. And it can be just as creatively fulfilling as making original stuff.

While it's important to recognize and remember the origin of archetypes in stories or movements in art, I think there's sometimes a misplaced reverence put towards the original version of something. Whenever I talk about how Asian writers like Gene Yang and Sarah Kuhn have more thoroughly integrated Superman's immigrant themes in their re-imaginings of his mythos than their white peers have, I get hit with the constant "hey remember Superman's creators were the sons of Jewish immigrants (who made racist jokes about Chinese people)" and "hey remember, Gene Yang and Gurihiru's Superman Smashes the Klan was based on a radio show arc made by WHITE people first (who made the story about a binary of Good white people vs Bad white people, along with centering how white people feel about racism)".

Especially if it's a means of centering white creatives, people love to dismiss the transformative contributions of marginalized people, but especially that of people of color. It took until 2016 for the World Fantasy Award to change their statuette to not be based after the face of renown racist H.P Lovecraft, after all.

Last year I gave myself the goal to do something "unnecessarily ambitious" with no plan of pitching/printing/selling it. Just "art for art's sake", something really not-algorithm-friendly. And yeah, that ended up being a fully rendered, 40-page martian manhunter fan comic. I did it for no other reason than being a huge fan of a severely unpopular character and feeling like there was a new story I really wanted to tell about the character that would never happen in canon with how little there's been written about him. I don't think it's fair to call writing 40 pages of a new origin story, drawing fully colored pages with unique re-designs, reading hours of martian manhunter comics to tie different aspects of his lore into coherent worldbuilding, putting that comic up for free for the few other Green Justice League Guy fans to read, as lazy, profit-driven, and soul-less.

There's tons of artists who do stuff like this all the time. It just comes off as being very out of touch to view true creativity as only existing one way. That transformative media must inherently be "less". One time a white guy pitched to me some ideas he had for Superman if he ever had a chance to write him, and I said "that sounds cool, you should write a fanfic about it" and another white guy (who felt the need to come to the first one's defense), viewed what I said as an insult. There's something about doing fanart because you enjoy it and don't need to profit out of everything you make that's seen as lesser than having the seal of canonicity from a company.

My motto with making needlessly ambitious fancomics is "You don't need to work for DC Comics to make DC comics". Because canonicity has nothing to do with what makes art special.

To bring this back to edgy Mickey Mouse spin offs, even if you do just want to make cliche mascot-horrified stuff because you enjoy it, then by all means go ahead! I always go back to this video Sagan Hawkes did about petscop-inspired video series. There's a running theme about grappling with the concept of Originality in Art in relation to youtube horror projects (the thesis comes around at 2:04:10), and some valuable words are shared in the collected interviews with web series creatives (2:18:47) in the end. SeireaSong (creator behind Diminish) talks about how misguided conversations surrounding "originality" can be (2:29:43). It's so worth it to watch when you have the time.

Anyway happy 2024! Be good to each other.

[probablyasocialecologist]

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.   

[...]

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.  The team intends to integrate Nightshade into Glaze, and artists can choose whether they want to use the data-poisoning tool or not. The team is also making Nightshade open source, which would allow others to tinker with it and make their own versions. The more people use it and make their own versions of it, the more powerful the tool becomes, Zhao says. The data sets for large AI models can consist of billions of images, so the more poisoned images can be scraped into the model, the more damage the technique will cause. 

[...]

Poisoned data samples can manipulate models into learning, for example, that images of hats are cakes, and images of handbags are toasters. The poisoned data is very difficult to remove, as it requires tech companies to painstakingly find and delete each corrupted sample. 

[ribbittrobbit]

It’s absolutely baffling to me how many artists and people who are enjoyers of art and design and creativity in its myriad of expressions are willing to just let AI run rampant. They know on an intellectual level all the arguments: copyright infringement, intellectual property, environmental impact, the unseen and often exploitative labor that goes into training these algorithms, but when it’s just for a cheap laugh or a cheap thrill all of that goes out the window.

The point of rejecting these tools is to hold the line, to keep the people who are fanning the flames of the “AI race” and the push to integrate this technology into pretty much every aspect of our lives at bay. The moment something becomes an acceptable, mainstream use of AI like something as seemingly harmless as writing an email, they see an opening that they’ll start pressing to its most extreme iteration. They’ll push the boundaries of what is deemed acceptable data for them to use to train their models, privacy and copyright be damned.

I know many people who are resigned to use chatgpt for work, who feel they have no choice but to use AI to keep up with the insane fast pace of the work place. But the more you clear the way for the steamroller that is the fully automated corporate machine, the closer you get to being steamrolled yourself. How much longer until they think you are an obstacle to efficiency?

And efficiency is not accessibility. Anyone who claims that AI lowers the barrier of entry for art, writing, labor of any form, is absolutely deluding themselves. The fact that it’s an “access” that’s entirely reliant on a program made by a private corporation makes that point immediately moot. Art is accessible because anyone can make art. The people who argue for AI "art" want to consume art for cheap. They don’t value it enough to see the human behind it or simply want recognition for art they can’t be bothered to make. Accessibility in art or any field doesn’t bypass the process of acquiring skill and anyone who loves art loves the process.

Even outside of its full context, Miyazaki calling this technology an insult to life itself is absolutely applicable to many of these popular uses of AI. What is the point of anything if everything gets replaced by the pre-masticated slop cooked up by a bunch of techbros?

The only art worth anything is the art someone could be bothered to actually make.

[ixnai]

The allure of speed in technology development is a siren’s call that has led many innovators astray. “Move fast and break things” is a mantra that has driven the tech industry for years, but when applied to artificial intelligence, it becomes a perilous gamble. The rapid iteration and deployment of AI systems without thorough vetting can lead to catastrophic consequences, akin to releasing a flawed algorithm into the wild without a safety net.

AI systems, by their very nature, are complex and opaque. They operate on layers of neural networks that mimic the human brain’s synaptic connections, yet they lack the innate understanding and ethical reasoning that guide human decision-making. The haste to deploy AI without comprehensive testing is akin to launching a spacecraft without ensuring the integrity of its navigation systems. The potential for error is not just probable; it is inevitable.

The pitfalls of AI are numerous and multifaceted. Bias in training data can lead to discriminatory outcomes, while lack of transparency in decision-making processes can result in unaccountable systems. These issues are compounded by the “black box” nature of many AI models, where even the developers cannot fully explain how inputs are transformed into outputs. This opacity is not merely a technical challenge but an ethical one, as it obscures accountability and undermines trust.

To avoid these pitfalls, a paradigm shift is necessary. The development of AI must prioritize robustness over speed, with a focus on rigorous testing and validation. This involves not only technical assessments but also ethical evaluations, ensuring that AI systems align with societal values and norms. Techniques such as adversarial testing, where AI models are subjected to challenging scenarios to identify weaknesses, are crucial. Additionally, the implementation of explainable AI (XAI) can demystify the decision-making processes, providing clarity and accountability.

Moreover, interdisciplinary collaboration is essential. AI development should not be confined to the realm of computer scientists and engineers. Ethicists, sociologists, and legal experts must be integral to the process, providing diverse perspectives that can foresee and mitigate potential harms. This collaborative approach ensures that AI systems are not only technically sound but also socially responsible.

In conclusion, the reckless pursuit of speed in AI development is a dangerous path that risks unleashing untested and potentially harmful technologies. By prioritizing thorough testing, ethical considerations, and interdisciplinary collaboration, we can harness the power of AI responsibly. The future of AI should not be about moving fast and breaking things, but about moving thoughtfully and building trust.

[moon-buggg]

hi this is that anon from before who mentioned dr. sunshine,, what abt having sun and moon as like... those two testing bots from portal 2, atlas and p-body!!! theyre even orange and blue lol!!! theyre test subjects your honor

hm, thats a fun idea! I might play around with it as a sort of au of an au because I do want this au to be primarily eclipse focused

I ultimately think they're going to be earlier iterations of Eclipse's code that were never fully wiped. I imagine them acting as the angel and devil on Eclipse's shoulder, offering how they would handle a situation without really being sentient in the same way eclipse is, if that makes sense. Old bits of discarded but not deleted code whispering to him in text boxes like how you sometimes remember advice from an old friend who you haven't talked to in years.

or, in less poetic terms, when they were training the AI that would eventually become eclipse, they used data from his earlier iterations. When eclipse is calculating how to react to a situation, he generally gets a suggestion each (give or take) from both Sun and Moon's integrated databases. They had their own personalities and quirks, which means the suggestions are not things eclipse would usually come up with on his own. Think that one post about the chat ai that is "haunted" by the ghost of an early chatbot they used to train the ai

It won't be a big part of the story if I ever write anything for it, its more just a fun way to really play into eclipse being a sentient ai

[bliow]

AGARTHA Aİ - DEVASA+ (4)

In an era where technology and creativity intertwine, AI design is revolutionizing the way we conceptualize and create across various industries. From the runway to retail, 3D fashion design is pushing boundaries, enabling designers to craft intricate garments with unparalleled precision. Likewise, 3D product design is transforming everything from gadgets to furniture, allowing for rapid prototyping and innovation. As we explore these exciting advancements, platforms like Agartha.ai are leading the charge in harnessing artificial intelligence to streamline the design process and inspire new ideas. 

AI design

Artificial intelligence (AI) has revolutionized numerous industries, and the realm of design is no exception. By leveraging the power of machine learning and advanced algorithms, AI is transforming the way designers create, innovate, and deliver their products. AI-driven tools enable designers to harness vast amounts of data, allowing for more informed decision-making and streamlined workflows.

In the context of graphic design, AI can assist artists in generating ideas, creating unique visuals, and even automating repetitive tasks. For instance, programs powered by AI design can analyze trends and consumer preferences, producing designs that resonate with target audiences more effectively than traditional methods. This shift not only enhances creativity but also enables designers to focus on strategic thinking and ideation.

Moreover, AI is facilitating personalized design experiences. With the help of algorithms that analyze user behavior, products can be tailored to meet the specific needs and tastes of individuals. This level of customization fosters deeper connections between brands and consumers, ultimately driving customer satisfaction and loyalty in an increasingly competitive market.

3D fashion design

In recent years, 3D fashion design has revolutionized the way we create and visualize clothing. Using advanced software and tools, designers can create lifelike virtual garments that allow for innovative experimentation without the need for physical fabric. This trend has not only streamlined the design process but has also significantly reduced waste in the fashion industry.

Moreover, 3D fashion design enables designers to showcase their creations in a more interactive manner. By utilizing 3D modeling and rendering technologies, designers can present their collections in virtual environments, making it easier for clients and consumers to appreciate the nuances of each piece. This immersive experience also helps in gathering valuable feedback before producing the final product.

Furthermore, the integration of 3D fashion design with augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR) technologies is bringing a fresh perspective to the industry. Consumers can virtually try on clothes from the comfort of their homes, thereby enhancing the shopping experience. As this field continues to evolve, it promises to bridge the gap between creativity and technology, paving the way for a sustainable and forward-thinking fashion future.

3D product design

3D product design has revolutionized the way we conceptualize and create products. With advanced software tools and technologies, designers can now create highly detailed and realistic prototypes that are not only visually appealing but also functional. This process allows for a quicker iteration of ideas, enabling designers to experiment with various styles and functionalities before arriving at the final design.

One of the significant advantages of 3D product design is the ability to visualize products in a virtual environment. Designers can see how their creations would look in real life, which is essential for understanding aesthetics and usability. Additionally, this technology enables manufacturers to identify potential issues in the design phase, reducing costs associated with prototype development and rework.

Moreover, the rise of 3D printing has further enhanced the significance of 3D product design. Designers can swiftly turn their digital models into tangible products, allowing for rapid prototyping and small-batch manufacturing. This agility not only speeds up the time-to-market for new products but also paves the way for more innovative designs that were previously impossible to execute.

Agartha.ai

Agartha.ai is a revolutionary platform that merges artificial intelligence with innovative design, creating a new avenue for designers and creators alike. With the rapid advancements in technology, Agartha.ai leverages AI to streamline various design processes, enabling users to produce unique and captivating designs with ease.

The platform provides tools that empower both emerging and established designers to explore the possibilities of AI design. By utilizing intelligent algorithms, Agartha.ai can assist in generating design options, ensuring that creativity is not hindered but enhanced. This results in a more efficient workflow and allows designers to focus on the conceptual aspects of their projects.

One of the standout features of Agartha.ai is its ability to adapt to different design disciplines, such as 3D fashion design and 3D product design. By supporting a broad spectrum of design fields, it positions itself as a versatile tool that meets the evolving needs of today's creative professionals. Whether it's crafting intricate fashion pieces or developing innovative product designs, Agartha.ai is at the forefront of the design revolution.

[churino]

How are you keeping track of which transformers you make redesigns AND completely overhauled convoluted backstories for?

Are you going by plot-line like past to present? Longest backstory to shortest backstory? Character bias?

And I know your AU is known as the au that has EVERYONE in it, and I admit I skeptical, but damn that’s a lot of characters you just did.

You’re even doing the humans??? Wow.

I applaud you’re superhuman writing skills and artistic integrity 👏👏👏✨

But fr tho is there a specific pattern that determines what order you post your designs in?

I wouldn't say i have superhuman writing skills cus it takes iteration and stuff

I have a big backlog of stuff and notes for everything i drew mostly at random, enough notes and stuff that it would be unreasonable for me to post everything at once and expect people to look through it so i limit it for once a day (unless i forget or miss a day) while im drawing stuff to fill up roles and holes in places and progress the project.

Im trying to keep it in story order the best i can, but I've already missed a couple of characters that should've already been introduced, like the pretenders besides metalhawk and a bunch of terrans the gang has canonically already met like the maltos, so the plan is to draw them as they become more relevant to the story and failling that, then when i reach the end of the timeline i start over and add the charcters that are missing

Like, mainframe and t-ai have canonically been here the whole time, and i just haven't drawn them yet even though im picturing that they're the guys doing the prime storytime thing going on right now as i draw the 13

[cornerdreams-txt]

cryptpad review !

in depth review of cryptpad as someone who is using it as a replacement for google docs because i don't trust google and i dipped the moment i heard "fully integrated ai" 🤭

we're scoring cryptpad on a scale of 1-10 based on its interface, features, accessibility, ease of access, and storage.

scoring criteria:

usability 10/10 : has a lot of formatting options, while also being easy on the eyes. offers features that allow the software to be easily customizable to each user's needs and preferences, or features that make writing easier, without being overwhelming.

accessibility 10/10 : includes accessibility options for eye strain/dyslexia/etc like a proper dark mode and dyslexia friendly fonts, while also having an easy-to-navigate layout, and a mobile app that is equally easy to use without losing its features. doesn't take a long time to load, and is easy to adapt to as a new user.

storage 10/10 : provides a free account with very high or unlimited storage. the documents and files you create don't take up a ton of space, and you have options for upgrading storage if applicable.

what is cryptpad?

similar to how docs operates on desktop, cryptpad is a website-based file drive and software. it's free to create an account, and offers a selection of different kinds of files you can make. here's a list of features i think are notable, first:

there's 10 different of kinds of files you can create, including even code documents! cryptpad also allows you to create as many folders as you like, upload pre-existing files or folders, and even allows you to add links to your drive if you have links you want to save.

cryptpad always will open a new document or a pre-existing one in a new tab! when making a new document it automatically gives you the options to name it, password-lock it, set a destruction date.

there's diversity in your sharing options: you can toggle and change the rules for the kinds of access people get to your shared documents!

somewhat on the same topic, there's access settings and details you can review and tweak at any time.

also you can change your account's display name in your settings LMAO

there's a chat option on documents for when you're working on something with other people in the upper right corner of your screen!

the actual scoring:

usability: 7/10

formatting your documents isn't terribly versatile on cryptpad, but it offers to you that you can make as many folders and nest as many of them as you want, while also making its layout and navigation simple. there isn't a ton of super fancy features in the rich text documents, but i enjoy that, to be honest! keeps it simple.

accessibility: 7.5/10

tragically, you cannot change the background of cryptpad files, and there's no mobile app :( if i could i would. they do, at least, offer a light or dark mode? i have dark mode selected of course, but it um... yeah the background is always just that white 😬 unfortunately. they do have basic font options, but personally, my love for cryptpad's accessibility lies in the fact you can make as many folders and nested folders as you damn well please, and the drive screen is SO easy to navigate.

storage: 10/10

1GB for free, to start with? sir, i have 52 files in this drive (all rich text) and i have used 0.03 of that !! which, if i did my math correctly (debatable), that means i'll need over 5 thousand files to fill up that 1GB. AND it's upgradable, without the upgrade price being my soul? you can even donate just for funsies!

overall rating: 8/10

personally, i love cryptpad! i do wish you could change the document background color, and i wish that i had more formatting option like line spacing, but it's a good iteration of what i want in a writing program! i'd definitely recommend if you like supporting freelance guys doin their own thing while also not struggling to figure out how the fuck a writing software works.

[jscalzi]

First Impressions of the Pixel 9 Pro

One of my technological indulgences is that I upgrade my phone yearly, and for the last several years this means I get whatever the newest iteration of the Pixel phone from Google is. This year it’s the Pixel 9, and I opted to go with the “Pro” version. It has slightly improved cameras plus a bunch of “AI” integration on the phone and on the cameras, and I was curious to see what that meant in…

[the-jellicle-duelist]

i am a noted AI hater and as we speak tech companies are constructing the coffin and putting in the nails that get me to become an extremely weird computer and mobile phone person

microsoft is both discontinuing windows 10 security fixes and official support in october 2025, and simultaneously rolling out sweeping AI integrations and what amounts to spyware into windows 11 and calling it a feature

in the next few weeks, apple will unveil its latest iterations of most of their os stack, and if they’re going to also integrate AI i am out. i am just going to have to make linux work, and i’m going to find some other device(s) that will replace my phone. i am out.

i don’t want any of this shit and i will gladly sacrifice a few conveniences if it means that i don’t have have ai shoved in my face to sell me ads to scrape my data to sell me adds and when i look up how to make pizza google says to put glue in it because of ai. i’m so done with this shit. it’s so objectively bad

[metallicmadnik]

in current sega canon, metal sonic does not speak. in past iterations, he communicates via different methods, be it mechanical beeps/sounds/etc. that are translated/understood by other characters or spoken dialogue.

for my portrayal of metal sonic, i'm going to use a mixture of these! i will use actions as my primary way for metal to communicate and translate his beeping dialogue for in-universe characters to understand. more info under the cut.

Metal's translated beeps are based on his portrayal in the sonic ova (pardon the video quality, this was the shortest clipped version i could find):

this type of communication will be done through the following format of quote marks around two right pointing angle brackets followed by the text to look like:

">> This is my dialogue."

this formatting will usually follow an explanation in my narration, for example:

a rattling string of high dings and beeps buzz from Metal Sonic's voicebox as he readies his attack: ">> You cannot survive."

for these times and cases where metal actually speaks, which may at sometimes be easier / be a fun way of playing with his character, i will be basing his dialogue primarily off his presentation in the Sonic Universe comics, but with a few adjustments (see below).

i may have Metal refer to himself in the first person rather than third (ie. "this unit") because it flows easier and allows for his need to prove he is the "better" sonic to come through as not only a programmed directive, but as a part of how this programming and his experiences drive him to want to be the only sonic. he may not be a "person" in the same way other characters are, but he is a weapon with an attachment to this goal that is absolutely integral his existence.

when he does speak aloud (something i will be limiting greatly), his voice is of one flat tone, similar to how slightly older computer ai voices used to sound. he may infrequently have small bits of his dialogue of any kind that might mimic sonic, but since he has no inflection or emotion to his voice, he never actually sounds literally like sonic. these moments may be glitches or simply a programming side effect that exists in tandem with his other functions that replicate sonic.

my metal sonic does not have the voice of metal overlord in sonic heroes.

if i ever make any changes to this, i'll update and reblog this post! just wanted to do a bit of explanation on why/how dialogue will work for metal sonic since there's been so much variation throughout his apperances. thanks for reading!!

[govindhtech]

Google Cloud’s BigQuery Autonomous Data To AI Platform

BigQuery automates data analysis, transformation, and insight generation using AI. AI and natural language interaction simplify difficult operations.

The fast-paced world needs data access and a real-time data activation flywheel. Artificial intelligence that integrates directly into the data environment and works with intelligent agents is emerging. These catalysts open doors and enable self-directed, rapid action, which is vital for success. This flywheel uses Google's Data & AI Cloud to activate data in real time. BigQuery has five times more organisations than the two leading cloud providers that just offer data science and data warehousing solutions due to this emphasis.

Examples of top companies:

With BigQuery, Radisson Hotel Group enhanced campaign productivity by 50% and revenue by over 20% by fine-tuning the Gemini model.

By connecting over 170 data sources with BigQuery, Gordon Food Service established a scalable, modern, AI-ready data architecture. This improved real-time response to critical business demands, enabled complete analytics, boosted client usage of their ordering systems, and offered staff rapid insights while cutting costs and boosting market share.

J.B. Hunt is revolutionising logistics for shippers and carriers by integrating Databricks into BigQuery.

General Mills saves over $100 million using BigQuery and Vertex AI to give workers secure access to LLMs for structured and unstructured data searches.

Google Cloud is unveiling many new features with its autonomous data to AI platform powered by BigQuery and Looker, a unified, trustworthy, and conversational BI platform:

New assistive and agentic experiences based on your trusted data and available through BigQuery and Looker will make data scientists, data engineers, analysts, and business users' jobs simpler and faster.

Advanced analytics and data science acceleration: Along with seamless integration with real-time and open-source technologies, BigQuery AI-assisted notebooks improve data science workflows and BigQuery AI Query Engine provides fresh insights.

Autonomous data foundation: BigQuery can collect, manage, and orchestrate any data with its new autonomous features, which include native support for unstructured data processing and open data formats like Iceberg.

Look at each change in detail.

User-specific agents

It believes everyone should have AI. BigQuery and Looker made AI-powered helpful experiences generally available, but Google Cloud now offers specialised agents for all data chores, such as:

Data engineering agents integrated with BigQuery pipelines help create data pipelines, convert and enhance data, discover anomalies, and automate metadata development. These agents provide trustworthy data and replace time-consuming and repetitive tasks, enhancing data team productivity. Data engineers traditionally spend hours cleaning, processing, and confirming data.

The data science agent in Google's Colab notebook enables model development at every step. Scalable training, intelligent model selection, automated feature engineering, and faster iteration are possible. This agent lets data science teams focus on complex methods rather than data and infrastructure.

Looker conversational analytics lets everyone utilise natural language with data. Expanded capabilities provided with DeepMind let all users understand the agent's actions and easily resolve misconceptions by undertaking advanced analysis and explaining its logic. Looker's semantic layer boosts accuracy by two-thirds. The agent understands business language like “revenue” and “segments” and can compute metrics in real time, ensuring trustworthy, accurate, and relevant results. An API for conversational analytics is also being introduced to help developers integrate it into processes and apps.

In the BigQuery autonomous data to AI platform, Google Cloud introduced the BigQuery knowledge engine to power assistive and agentic experiences. It models data associations, suggests business vocabulary words, and creates metadata instantaneously using Gemini's table descriptions, query histories, and schema connections. This knowledge engine grounds AI and agents in business context, enabling semantic search across BigQuery and AI-powered data insights.

All customers may access Gemini-powered agentic and assistive experiences in BigQuery and Looker without add-ons in the existing price model tiers!

Accelerating data science and advanced analytics

BigQuery autonomous data to AI platform is revolutionising data science and analytics by enabling new AI-driven data science experiences and engines to manage complex data and provide real-time analytics.

First, AI improves BigQuery notebooks. It adds intelligent SQL cells to your notebook that can merge data sources, comprehend data context, and make code-writing suggestions. It also uses native exploratory analysis and visualisation capabilities for data exploration and peer collaboration. Data scientists can also schedule analyses and update insights. Google Cloud also lets you construct laptop-driven, dynamic, user-friendly, interactive data apps to share insights across the organisation.

This enhanced notebook experience is complemented by the BigQuery AI query engine for AI-driven analytics. This engine lets data scientists easily manage organised and unstructured data and add real-world context—not simply retrieve it. BigQuery AI co-processes SQL and Gemini, adding runtime verbal comprehension, reasoning skills, and real-world knowledge. Their new engine processes unstructured photographs and matches them to your product catalogue. This engine supports several use cases, including model enhancement, sophisticated segmentation, and new insights.

Additionally, it provides users with the most cloud-optimized open-source environment. Google Cloud for Apache Kafka enables real-time data pipelines for event sourcing, model scoring, communications, and analytics in BigQuery for serverless Apache Spark execution. Customers have almost doubled their serverless Spark use in the last year, and Google Cloud has upgraded this engine to handle data 2.7 times faster.

BigQuery lets data scientists utilise SQL, Spark, or foundation models on Google's serverless and scalable architecture to innovate faster without the challenges of traditional infrastructure.

An independent data foundation throughout data lifetime

An independent data foundation created for modern data complexity supports its advanced analytics engines and specialised agents. BigQuery is transforming the environment by making unstructured data first-class citizens. New platform features, such as orchestration for a variety of data workloads, autonomous and invisible governance, and open formats for flexibility, ensure that your data is always ready for data science or artificial intelligence issues. It does this while giving the best cost and decreasing operational overhead.

For many companies, unstructured data is their biggest untapped potential. Even while structured data provides analytical avenues, unique ideas in text, audio, video, and photographs are often underutilised and discovered in siloed systems. BigQuery instantly tackles this issue by making unstructured data a first-class citizen using multimodal tables (preview), which integrate structured data with rich, complex data types for unified querying and storage.

Google Cloud's expanded BigQuery governance enables data stewards and professionals a single perspective to manage discovery, classification, curation, quality, usage, and sharing, including automatic cataloguing and metadata production, to efficiently manage this large data estate. BigQuery continuous queries use SQL to analyse and act on streaming data regardless of format, ensuring timely insights from all your data streams.

Customers utilise Google's AI models in BigQuery for multimodal analysis 16 times more than last year, driven by advanced support for structured and unstructured multimodal data. BigQuery with Vertex AI are 8–16 times cheaper than independent data warehouse and AI solutions.

Google Cloud maintains open ecology. BigQuery tables for Apache Iceberg combine BigQuery's performance and integrated capabilities with the flexibility of an open data lakehouse to link Iceberg data to SQL, Spark, AI, and third-party engines in an open and interoperable fashion. This service provides adaptive and autonomous table management, high-performance streaming, auto-AI-generated insights, practically infinite serverless scalability, and improved governance. Cloud storage enables fail-safe features and centralised fine-grained access control management in their managed solution.

Finaly, AI platform autonomous data optimises. Scaling resources, managing workloads, and ensuring cost-effectiveness are its competencies. The new BigQuery spend commit unifies spending throughout BigQuery platform and allows flexibility in shifting spend across streaming, governance, data processing engines, and more, making purchase easier.

Start your data and AI adventure with BigQuery data migration. Google Cloud wants to know how you innovate with data.