post with a score of 181 currently … kinda difficult to argue that someone asking a question as politely as possible, and getting a lot of agreement that the question is worth asking, is simply trolling.

“It’s not AI, also even if it is (and honestly why are you looking at something critically for more than 3 seconds to even determine this, you should just let the slop wash over you in perpetuity and never think about it) then it is good actually and the people criticizing it are just cranks”

Can you provide a few real-life examples of images made with a model trained on just “a few thousand images on consumer hardware”, along with stats on how many images, where those images were from, and the computing hardware & power expended (including in the making of the training program)? Because I flat out do not believe that one of those was capable of producing the banner image in question.

Three problems with this:

1. If computation means “anything that happens in the universe” then the term ‘computation’ is redundant and meaningless.
2. We do not know or understand all of the physical laws of the universe, or if those laws indeed hold universally.
3. Our consciousness does not operate at the level of atomic physics; see Daniel Dennett’s ‘compatibilism’ defense of free will vs Robert Sapolsky’s determinism. If we’re vulgar materialists, then it follows that there is no free will, and thus no reason to advocate for societal change.

Matter being the primary mover does not mean that ideas and ideals don’t have consequences. What is the reason we want the redistribution of material wealth? To simply make evenly sized piles of things? No, it’s because we understand something about the human experience and human dignity. Why would Marx write down his thoughts, if not to try to change the world?

These systems are premised on the idea that human thought and creativity are matters of calculation. This is a deeply anti-human notion.

https://aeon.co/essays/can-computers-think-no-they-cant-actually-do-anything

The banner could be anything or nothing at all, and as long as it isn’t AI generated, I would like it better

The Luddites weren’t simply “attacking machinery” though, they were attacking the specific machinery owned by specific people exploiting them and changing those production relations.

And due to the scale of these projects and the amount of existing work they require in their construction, there are no non-exploitative GenAI systems

By systems positing human creativity as a computational exercise

A couple more spots:

The one at the back in the middle with the arrow pointing above its head also has hands emerging directly from its torso

The one at the back squished in between the two signs is missing an ear

Iris/pupil size 2nd from the right are wildly asymmetrical

Also the whole thing looks like shit

It’s funny, the CBC have played nice with Conservatives for the last couple decades, seemingly to undercut the right-wing claims that they’re biased and therefore should be defunded.

I don’t know if ironic is the right word, but now it’s Carney’s Liberal government preparing to cut their budget by 15%, so I’m amazed this story got published!

We need to enshrine guaranteed funding for the CBC and end the partisan games that force them to have to triangulate their editorial position.

curious how quickly Carney would act if BRICS threatened to sanction him personally (and permanently)

something something facial recognition

It’s spelled Value(s), common mistake

Surprised this post isn’t getting more traction. Absolutely shameful stuff from the Carney Liberals here.

Perhaps that’s why the alarm is being raised ahead of the point where panic is the right response: it forces the government to clarify its intent now, so the department and its programs aren’t thrown into complete chaos later

The 2025-26 document for the department, known as WAGE, was released in late June and outlines a $407-million budget this year, which drops to $284.7-million in 2026-27, and $76.3-million in 2027-28.

This is what is currently known, and is all we have to go on. Without any confirmation of plans to renew the funding, it is reasonable to worry that it will expire.

Call it non-renewal or call it a cut, either way, funding is set to be dramatically lower unless something changes. Departments need clarity if they hope to hire people or commit to providing services.

If so, great! I remain skeptical given our PM’s recent use of phrases like “Zionist Palestine”, an inability to use the word ‘genocide’ to describe the ongoing genocide, and the lack of any meaningful action thus far.

Even the sanctions placed on two Israeli politicians in June don’t have real teeth; a previous update (Feb 2025) to Canada’s sanctions rules actually allows the foreign affairs minister to issue permits overriding restrictions. https://www.international.gc.ca/world-monde/international_relations-relations_internationales/sanctions/esv-vec.aspx?lang=eng

As I said in my other reply though, I genuinely hope you’re right - but I don’t see it as a foregone conclusion yet. Important to keep the pressure on our MPs.

I managed to get the office manager at my local constituency office on the phone on Friday, and was assured that I’ll get a call back from my MP tomorrow. If I do, I’ll ask directly what the plan is, and push for this to happen!

I genuinely hope you’re right!

Ilan Pappé is one of the foremost advocates AFAIK