DEAR-MP.UK & other buses
DEAR-MP.UK & other buses
I missed a month... but I have had a few busy months, where all of my work buses arrived at the same time after a lull in the summer. So this newsletter I'm going to give you a lil run down of all the buses I've been involved with over the last couple of months, plus a call for collaboration on an upcoming project.
DEAR-MP.UK
First off, here is a small side project I have had in the works for a while. It's an AI powered website that allows anyone with a UK postcode to quickly generate a unique complaint letter to their local MP on the topic of their choosing. I made it as an exploration into the accessibility of generative AI tools, and their potential use as a tool of propaganda creation by PR firms, Governments, Corporate interests and individuals.
I hope this site demonstrates that the media created by these tools can be made quickly, efficiently, and sometimes with little to no human supervision. Every factor from the audience, to the content, to the tone of voice can be adjusted on the fly. Hence, it's easy to imagine how this technology can be used by those who wish to steer public opinion as they see fit. As such, real, critical views and opinions are at risk of drowning in the sea of generated content.
DEAR-MP.UK is a playful attempt to highlight these issues by giving this power to every citizen, to effortlessly overload the influential people of the UK with the opinions that matter to us.
Check it out here: https://dear-mp.uk Password: ImMildlyUpset
AIxDESIGN’S GUIDE TO: AI-GENERATED TEXT
Next up is an introductory guide to the AI-generated text that I was asked to write for the AIxDesign community. The guide is a broad strokes look at where this technology comes from, how it works, its issues (my favourite section) and how you can get started using it. It was v interesting to write and definitely was a big inspiration in the development of DEAR-MP.UK.
The guide is not quite public, but will be on Saturday on the link below.
Check it out here: https://www.aixdesign.co/aip-text-guide
Design For Scotland
Next up, I worked with Andthen Studio to create a small web experience (*squints* Is that ThanAverage?) to gather a rang of perspectives on the challenges and opportunities for design in Scotland. It's one piece of a larger project by V&A Dundee to develop a plan to grow Scotland's design sector, and, I think, by implication to curtail London's monopoly on the industry.
If you live in Scotland, check it out here: https://www.designforscotland.com/
Radar Report - The Future in Sync
Lastly, and most surprisingly, I have been helping the Radar DAO (DAO is what WEB3 calls a Cooperative) with researching a future's report and planning a futurethon (Ugh) on how to create a future more in sync. It's an odd thing to be a part of, on one hand, the tech/design solutionism and optimism radiating out of Radar's motivated community is everything I distrust and resent in the design and tech industry. However, I also find myself feeling a lil empty when all I do is make work that is critical and often feel a real urge to help build things that could make a real tangible impact. So when I was asked to join them many months ago, I made the decision to do so with complete honesty and bring my dispiriting criticality with me to every meeting. Since joining, it's been a fun experience, and it's been great to have had many of my ethical concerns taken on board and implemented.
Anyway, WEB3 aside, the report they just put out is a great read about how and why the world feels out of sync and possible ways to bring us all closer together.
Check it out here: https://futureinsync.radardao.xyz
One more thing
For a while, I have had an idea about making a fun game about... Government Spending. However, I need help, especially with the research part of this idea. So if any of you are UK based journalists or researchers interested in collaborating or know someone who is, please reach out.
That's all from me this month (and last month), thanks for reading and I hope you have a great week,
Fred
-
My Website: https://www.fredwordie.com
My Book: https://www.bigdatagirl.com
My VC: https://ventually.xyz