I just signed a petition calling for Norwegian universities to use research expertise on AI when deciding how to implement it, rather than having decisions be made mostly administratively. , If you are a researcher in Norway, please read it and sign it if you agree – and share with anyone else who might be interested. The petition was written by three researchers at UiT: Maria Danielsen (a philosopher who completed her PhD in 2025 on AI and ethics, including discussions of art and working life), Knut Ørke (Norwegian as a second language), and Holger Pötzsch (a professor of media studies with many years of research on digital media, video games, disruption, and working life, among other topics). This is not about preventing researchers from exploring AI methods in their research. It is about not uncritically accepting the hype that everyone must use AI everywhere without critical reflection. It is about not introducing Copilot as the default option in word processors, or training PhD candidates to believe they will fall behind if they do not use AI when writing articles, without proper academic discussion. Changes like these should be knowledge-based and discussed academically, not merely decided administratively, because they alter the epistemological foundations of research. Maria wrote to me a couple of months ago because she had read my opinion piece in Aftenposten in which I called for a strong brake on the use of language models in knowledge work. She was part of a committee tasked with developing UiT’s AI strategy and was concerned because there was so much hype and so few members of the committee with actual expertise in AI. I fully support the petition. There are probably some good uses for AI in research, but the uncritical, hype-driven insistence that we must simply adopt it everywhere is highly risky. There are many researchers in Norway with strong expertise in AI, language, ethics, working life, and culture. We must make use of this expertise. This is also partly about respect for research in the humanities, social sciences, psychology, and law. Introducing AI at universities and university colleges is not merely a technical issue, and perhaps not even primarily a technical one. It concerns much more: philosophy of science, methodological reflection, epistemology, writing, publishing, the working environment, and more. […]
Mum
What about tracking that birthday gadget I sent you last year?
Arngeir
I just got my iPod video and soon put some coins in the same pocket. I learnt that the plastic screen very easily takes scratches, making the picture below look juggled and dark-pattened. So my advice is to leave on the plastic that is attached to the new iPod. Cut the plastic below the screen and peel it off the click wheel. If you do remove it, you can always puchase a new one for $8.95 😉 http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/B000CBNHXO/102-0431366-8963369?v=glance
Jill
Yeah, the back of my iPod (arrived just hours ago!) is already scratched… just from putting it on the table. Ah well.
kelly
I am always obsessed with tracking my packages. I am both exhilirated and dismayed that technology allows me to spend countless hours combined watching my items get packaged, shuffled, tossed and loaded on and off buses and planes until it arrives at my door.
I’ve also become obsessed with checking mundane things like bank balances online (even though I know full well I have not deposited any money in the last 24 hours) and bill amounts. Convenience or distraction? A bit of both I would wager heh =)
Terje
Hi Jill.
Gratis med ny iPod.
If you ned some video to watch on it this is a nice video podcast http://feeds.feedburner.com/BottomUnion