Category Archives: New Media

Is it AI or is it art? And how do we differentiate? The Walker is looking into it

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MPR News covers a story about art gallery patrons accusing art of being “AI slop” and The Walker figuring out what to do with that. It’s a teachable moment for everyone involved – with teachers and learners writing the curriculum in real time…

The Walker Art Center in Minneapolis is adding new explanatory language to an exhibition after visitors mistook an artist’s digitally rendered work for generative AI.

Joe Dobrow recently took his two children to the Walker. They wandered from exhibition to exhibition, eventually settling in front of a screen in a dark hallway.

The screen was looping the 2026 video “Field Recordings” by artist Olalekan Jeyifous. It is the first solo museum exhibition for the New York-based artist who is known for his immersive speculative world-building artworks. The video features realistically animated people in leafy riverine settings, sometimes in groups, sometimes with deer, sometimes tinkering with what seem like remnants of analog technology.

“My kids were fairly intrigued with it,” Dobrow said, but “it seemed to me to be almost entirely AI slop.”

Part of the solution…

The Walker, along with the rest of the museum world, is grappling with how to develop policy about the display and disclosure of AI-generated or AI-assisted art. “We are in the process of developing one,” she said.

Jasper and Huldisch said the new explanatory language for the exhibition will be installed this week.

“I recognize that AI usage raises very real ethical questions, and I understand why people want transparency around it,” Jeyifous said. “The difficulty right now is that we don’t have much nuance in the language to describe it. Saying that AI was utilized somewhere in a process can very quickly become perceived as ‘this artwork was entirely AI-generated,’ even when those are fundamentally different things. Disclosure can provide useful context, but it can also unintentionally become the lens through which the entire work is understood, regardless of how marginal that tool was to its production.”

Rep. Kelly Morrison asks AI questions in a House Small Business Committee Hearing before the Congressional recess

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Forbes posts a video clip of Rep Kelly Morrison asking questions about how AI companies can gain public trust…

In a House Small Business Committee Hearing before the Congressional recess, Rep. Kelly Morrison (D-MN) asked Chike Aguh, Head of Innovation & Strategy, Kapor Center, what steps small business owners should take to improve both their employees’ and the public’s trust in using AI.

Understanding the privacy and security implications of interacting with AI

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Axios has a series that I think is helpful to share with folks around you to help them recognize and understand various features of AI. You can bring it up at your next family picnic or share with friends and family as a reminder about the importance of online privacy…

Imagine a chatbot built to keep you talking a little longer. To change your mind about something. Or persuade you to buy something.

  • Now imagine it could draw on everything it knows about you — including the fears, insecurities and private details you shared in conversation — to do it.

Why it matters: Few rules directly govern that scenario today, making AI companies’ promises about how they use consumer data especially consequential.

The big picture: In the first installment of Axios’ “What they know about you” series, published in 2019, we examined the information major tech companies collected about their users. In 2024, we followed up with a look at what consumer data AI companies use to train their systems.

  • This new series revisits those questions — and widens the lens. We’ll examine not only whether a company uses consumer data to train future AI models, but also how it can use that data now: to personalize responses, retain a memory, recommend content or target advertising.

EVENT Oct 5, 2026: Bridging the Digital Divide Virtual Conference 2026: AI Behind and Beyond the Walls of Our Prisons and Jails

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From the NDIA listserv…

Join us for Bridging the Digital Divide Virtual Conference 2026 featuring Jeffrey Abramowitz, J.D. presenting:
Bridging the Digital Divide: AI Behind and Beyond the Walls of Our Prisons and Jails
📅 Monday, October 5, 2026
⏰ 8:00–9:00 a.m. MT
💻 Online
Explore how AI and digital literacy can expand opportunities for education, workforce readiness, and successful reentry.
Learn more & register: https://lnkd.in/g-dsWHwx

EVENT September 9, 2026 (Brainerd): Entrepreneurs on Tap Fall 2026

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Sharing information from Facebook on an upcoming series in Brainerd MN…

Entrepreneurs on Tap is back for Fall 2026 and bigger and bolder than ever before with an AI Takeover and new partner!

This fall, Up North Homes- Halie Majerus will be joining us each month as we dive deep into different ways that your small business can use AI. Our kick-off event will be Wednesday, September 9th at 5:00 PM at Jack Pine Brewery where we will cover the do’s (and don’ts) of AI image generation.

To view our complete line up, visit www.northcentralsbdc.com/workshops-and-events

New MN Bill: Open Meeting Law; meeting broadcasting through social media authorized HF3295

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The new bill will be discussed today (May 7) at 1pm on HTV1…

HF3295 (Gordon) Open Meeting Law; meeting broadcasting through social media authorized.

 

MN students involved with promoting media literacy at the Legislature SF2565

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MinnPost reports on a mash up of students involved with civic and technology, specifically students speaking to the legislature about media literacy…

On March 2, [student, Mary] Jensen spoke to lawmakers in support of a proposal to create a “Minnesota Civic Seal,” a graduation credential for students who receive civics instruction in five areas, including media literacy. Students will be expected to complete a community-centered project and reflect on its “measurable civic impact.”

Before she was familiarized with the seal, Jensen experienced the intersection of technology and civics firsthand.

For Jensen, using her voice to advocate had “always been a part of her personality,” but she said there were limited opportunities for civic engagement at her private school, Cretin-Derham Hall High School in St. Paul.

Jensen speaks about youth and social media…

While social media connected Jensen with civic engagement opportunities, her peers were preoccupied with misinformation and cyberbullying.

“A lot of the time people are like, ‘I read this source that said this,’ but that source is just a short Tiktok video clip that they saw,” Jensen said. “And it’s like, ‘You didn’t proofread this. You did not evaluate if the source was correct.’”

She added that problems occur when students don’t apply traditional fact-checking strategies to social media contexts: “if you do [get your news from social media], you should vet that source, too.”

National polling data supports Jensen’s concerns around digital media literacy. Ninety-four percent of teens believe their schools should be required to teach media literacy, according to a 2024 News Literacy Project study. The study also found that only about 40% of teens reported any media literacy instruction.

The article goes on to talk about the specific legislation and how it combines technology and civics in one program…

Sen. Mary Kunesh, DFL-New Brighton, said several media literacy bills in previous years have stalled because of funding concerns. The Civic Seal proposal attempts to address that issue by having the program administered through the YMCA Center for Youth Voice.

The Center will lead the Civic Seal Task Force that the bill proposes, which is composed of students and professionals who will review the Civic Seal guidelines.

With the help of Mike Dean, YMCA Center for Youth Voice director, Jensen and other students created a progress and validity tracking app for Civic Seal participants.

New MN Bill: End the state’s tax exemption for digital advertising, sales and services HF4343

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The Minnesota House reports…

Once upon a time, the main place you’d find advertising was in a newspaper. But then billboards became ubiquitous, followed by commercials on radio, then television. Today, it’s an inescapable element of your online experience.

But did you know that no taxes are collected when digital ads are bought in Minnesota? Nor are they for billboards. Sponsored by Rep. Liz Lee (DFL-St. Paul), HF4343 would end the state’s tax exemption for digital advertising, sales and services, and do the same for billboards. And it would lower the state’s sales tax rate by 0.125%.

On Wednesday, the House Taxes Committee laid the bill over, as amended, for possible omnibus bill inclusion.

They looked at

 HF4343 would end the state’s tax exemption for digital advertising, sales and services, and do the same for billboards. And it would lower the state’s sales tax rate by 0.125%.

 

New MN Bill introduced: require age monitoring and verification for social media platforms HF4138

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I am going to try to at least track the bills that get introduced that are at all related to broadband and/or broadband use. I may not follow all closely. Click the bill number for more info and updates:

From the MN House:

Rep. Peggy Scott (R-Andover) believes social media platforms “are designed to be addictive.”

And minors, she notes, are especially vulnerable to the dangers posed by social media, and as such, need extra protection.

HF4138 would require age monitoring and verification for social media platforms, parental approval, and specific treatment of accounts for children under age 15 related to addictive features, paid advertising, and the creation and termination of accounts.

“This bill does not ban users from having social media, instead it requires a parent or guardian to approve of social media contractual agreements,” Scott said of the bill she sponsors.

Via voice vote, the House Judiciary Finance and Civil Law Committee approved the bill, as amended, Tuesday and sent it to the House Commerce Finance and Policy Committee.

New MN Bill introduced: authorize live broadcast meetings subject to the Open Meeting Law using social media HF3295

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I am going to try to at least track the bills that get introduced that are at all related to broadband and/or broadband use. I may not follow all closely. Click the bill number for more info and updates:

From the MN House:

More citizen engagement in government affairs is a good thing, right?

Rep. Jimmy Gordon (R-Isanti) thinks so. He sponsors HF3295 that would authorize a public body to live broadcast meetings subject to the Open Meeting Law using social media.

Current law allows state governmental units to hold official meetings by “interactive technology,” but Gordon says more clarity is needed on whether “interactive technology” includes social media streaming, and if it does, whether online comments during the meeting, if allowed, would be part of the official public record.

“HF3295 would clear all that up and hopefully lead to more public bodies live broadcasting meetings, which in turn would lead to a more engaged and informed electorate,” he said.

By a voice vote, the House Judiciary Finance and Civil Law Committee approved the bill Thursday and sent it to the House Elections Finance and Government Operations Committee.

Much of the debate focused on how to handle public comments on livestreamed meetings.

The Benton Institute looks at model legislation for a People-First Model Chatbot Bill

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The Benton Institute for Broadband & Society reports…

This week, the Consumer Federation of America (CFA), the Electronic Privacy Information Center (EPIC), and the nonprofit Fairplay released model legislation for a People-First Model Chatbot Bill. The People-First Chatbot Bill intends to give lawmakers a straightforward approach to address the harms caused by artificial intelligence (AI) chatbot products developed and deployed by tech companies with little oversight or transparency. Rather than outlawing chatbots, the model bill provides a workable, clear framework to encourage the development of safer technology.

Why are they doing this?

Recent lawsuits show that chatbots can cause devastating harm to people of all ages, including both children and adults. This model bill endeavors to make them safer for everyone.

The bill looks at several aspects of Chatbot…

The People-First Chatbot Bill is organized into a number of sections, each tackling a different facet of chatbot use, privacy protections, transparency requirements, and bill implementation:

  • Data Privacy and Security

  • Transparency for Users

  • Safety by Design: Assessments and Transparency Requirements

Constantly checking your phone can drain your focus and memory

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Here’s good information (or reminder) about smartphone use from the Washington Post, as summarized by the Benton Institute for Broadband & Society…

For many of us, checking our phones has probably become an unconscious reflex, similar to breathing or blinking. Glancing at your phone can begin to compromise your cognitive skills once it passes a certain threshold. Studies from Nottingham Trent University in the U.K. and Keimyung University in South Korea found that checking your phone about 110 times a day may signal high risk or problematic use. Over eight years of research involving teenagers and millennials, Larry Rosen, a professor emeritus of psychology at California State University, Dominguez Hills, observed that participants checked or unlocked their smartphones between 50 and more than 100 times per day, on average every 10 to 20 minutes while awake. “The phones and digital media are reinforcing for our brains, activating the same reward pathway as drugs and alcohol. The phones create a compulsive habit loop where we check without thinking and experience withdrawal when we don’t check or don’t have access to our phone,” said Anna Lembke, a professor of psychiatry and addiction medicine at Stanford University School of Medicine.

 

White House launches the Genesis Mission to promote and support AI

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The White House announces launch of the Genesis Mission (summary of original borrowed from Benton Institute for Broadband & Society...

America is in a race for global technology dominance in the development of artificial intelligence (AI), an important frontier of scientific discovery and economic growth. In this pivotal moment, the challenges we face require a historic national effort, comparable in urgency and ambition to the Manhattan Project that was instrumental to our victory in World War II and was a critical basis for the foundation of the Department of Energy (DOE) and its national laboratories. This order launches the “Genesis Mission” as a dedicated, coordinated national effort to unleash a new age of AI‑accelerated innovation and discovery that can solve the most challenging problems of this century.  The Genesis Mission will build an integrated AI platform to harness Federal scientific datasets — the world’s largest collection of such datasets, developed over decades of Federal investments — to train scientific foundation models and create AI agents to test new hypotheses, automate research workflows, and accelerate scientific breakthroughs.  The Genesis Mission will bring together our Nation’s research and development resources — combining the efforts of brilliant American scientists, including those at our national laboratories, with pioneering American businesses; world-renowned universities; and existing research infrastructure, data repositories, production plants, and national security sites — to achieve dramatic acceleration in AI development and utilization.  We will harness for the benefit of our Nation the revolution underway in computing, and build on decades of innovation in semiconductors and high-performance computing.  The Genesis Mission will dramatically accelerate scientific discovery, strengthen national security, secure energy dominance, enhance workforce productivity, and multiply the return on taxpayer investment into research and development, thereby furthering America’s technological dominance and global strategic leadership. This executive order:

  • Establishes the Genesis Mission (Mission), a national effort to accelerate the application of AI for transformative scientific discovery focused on pressing national challenges.
  • The Secretary of Energy shall establish and operate the American Science and Security Platform (Platform) to serve as the infrastructure for the Mission with the purpose of providing high-performance computing resources, AI modeling and analysis frameworks, computational tools, domain-specific foundation models, secure access to appropriate datasets, experimental and production tools to enable autonomous and AI-augmented experimentation and manufacturing in high-impact domains.
  • Within 60 days of the date of this order, the Secretary of Energy shall identify and submit to the Assistant to the President for Science and Technology (APST) a detailed list of at least 20 science and technology challenges of national importance that the Secretary assesses to have potential to be addressed through the Mission and that span priority domains.
  • The APST, through the National Science and Technology Council, and with support from the Federal Chief Data Officer Council and the Chief AI Officer Council, shall convene relevant and interested agencies.
  • Within 1 year of the date of this order, and on an annual basis thereafter, the Secretary shall submit a report to the President, through the APST and the Director of the Office of Management and Budget, describing the Platform’s operational status and capabilities.

Rethinking the smart city as an intelligent archway: research report

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The Journal of Community Informatics released a new edition that has a number of broadband-forward or adjacent articles. (Spoiler, I may post a few article based on the reports in the next week.)  One article (Rethinking the Smart City as an Intelligent City Archway) caught my eye, because I’m in Galway, Ireland for the week and staying very close to tourist location, the Spanish Arch.

Long time readers may remember that I used to spend long periods of time living in Ireland. This time, I’m just here for a couple weeks visiting a daughter. But I’ve always enjoyed comparing technology use in Minnesota to Ireland. I’m learning how tech-dependent Ireland is with digital currency. Cah rarely seems to exchange hands; it’s mostly phone transactions and credit cards. That’s a big change.

Technology has made being a tourist easier. No more asking directions to get to your hotel, Google map is there. Need the train timetable? Google again. Learn more about the art, scan the QR code. On the flip side, not as many stranger-chats in the pub or bus queue as folks are on their phones. This report looks more at how technology makes being a citizen easier…

Urban intelligence is the ability to understand and navigate the physical and digital dimensions of “connected complex urban places”. For example, new infrastructures (e.g., sensors, Internet of Things {IoT} devices like smart lamp posts) are needed to capture and represent places in software platforms and on the Internet. New spatial skills and spatial thinking are needed to navigate these new interfaces and networks of places. This paper aims at understanding urban intelligence by exploring variations in how smart cities have been conceptualized; how citizens have been placed within the smart city; and how Canada’s smart cities initiative has placed on urban (and highly spatial) problems over digital technologies. The metaphor of the Roman arch is used to describe the interdependency of the building blocks of smart cities. Components(building blocks)of the smart city, be they openness, resilience or inclusion, must all be present, and build towards what we argue is the keystone of urban intelligence. We discuss how these components lead to a new consideration of the smart city, the Intelligent City.

The examples are interesting to read, too long to abstract here but the conclusion is helpful to folks who think about community and technology…

In this paper we proposed a model of an intelligent city illustrated by an archway of seven stones. Five stones (smart, open, learning, inclusive and resilient) are structured as a foundation. Another stone (digital citizenship) helps us understand the multiple scales at which the intelligent city functions. Urban intelligence is the keystone, which is reinforced by these stones. Our model is locationally scalable. At the urban (local) scale, the components of the intelligent cities help inhabitants to capitalize on their hybrid physical and digital environment. At the global (earth) scale, the intelligent city is not an isolated transformation of urban areas. Instead we see the archways of the intelligent city and across a long line of municipal transformations from the industrial revolution to a city rooted into the networked society through the connections of digital infrastructures and social relations(Castells 2000). We hope this paper opens a dialogue on what is desired and achievable in the smart city and what constitutes place in a digitally enabled urban space. What is special about the physicality of the smart city and the way we characterize it? How do we ensure that best practice models of the smart city do not emphasize technology alone at the expense of local context and the engagement of local people? What new skills are required tonavigate within the smart city? Implicit in all the stones is the need for spatial thinking and reasoning capabilities as the basis of digital citizenship. Spatiality and smartness share common components, in particular networks and nodes (centres of activity), the importance of topology (relationships), the importance of mobility, and the scalability of activities, knowledge and intelligence. Individual cities and their inhabitants must decide even as they join other cities in a global network of smart cities

Be brave enough to ask the dumb questions – especially with technology

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I have taught every age from preschool to graduate school, and while this post may seem a little adjacent to what I usually write, I couldn’t resist because I read it and was reminded myself that a dumb, legitimate question can turn out to be the smartest discussion starter. Politico asks Signal Foundation President Meredith Whittaker questions “about the hype, risks and data-privacy threat of AI.” Before founding Signal (an encrypted-messaging app), she worked for Google.

When you talk to policymakers now, whether about energy or national security or economic competitiveness, AI is inevitably part of the equation. What do you make of how big an impact AI is having?

I would dare you or anyone listening who has contacts with policymakers and politicians to just sit them down and say: What do you mean by AI? I think what you’ll get at that point is a lot of hype, a lot of fog, a lot of magical thinking. And that’s a big problem. We are seeing a wave of hype washing over critical institutions, governments, and key decision makers to trust these technologies with key functions that those who understand the technical reality, the limitations, the conditions for how these actually work would never have advised.

What’s the antidote to that? You also always hear this argument that Washington or policymakers don’t understand the technology well enough to regulate it, or put guardrails on it.

That old trope that all you need is tech brains in Washington to move aside the dusty policymakers and get things on the rails of modernization has been around for a very long time. But they’re not too old or too crusty to understand the domains in which they operate, be that education or health care or national security. And tech has a lot to learn on the fundamentals of those domains.

The antidote — there’s no one weird trick here, but just be brave enough to ask the dumb question. People are deeply afraid of being humiliated for being dumb about AI. And I will hear NATO chiefs, I will hear CEOs of Fortune 100 corporations, repeating as received wisdom claims about AI that make absolutely no sense.

These quote-unquote stupid questions, like, “How does this work? Do we have control over the data? What are the privacy implications? Are there vulnerabilities there?” These are just basic questions that should be the floor before entrusting critical decision making to obscure systems that often don’t, in my opinion, meet that bar for safety use in critical domains.