Linkblog - 2026-05-24

Week of May 18 - May 24, 2026

This is not Utopia: Surviving an Outage - LTIC

When I took this job I thought about whether it would be a stressful job. And I came to the conclusion that it would have its moments, but it’s not like Canvas is ever going to go down…

Tags: UBC, Canvas, LMS, person:Elisa Baniassad

Added: 2026-05-24 10:53

Models.dev — An open-source database of AI models

Models.dev is a comprehensive open-source database of AI model specifications, pricing, and features.

Tags: via:ResearchBuzz, AI, models, LLM

Added: 2026-05-23 20:42

Duke University says data center will boost ‘environmental responsibility and sustainability’ • NC Newsline

Duke University plans to build a small data center at Central Campus, potentially the first of several similar-size projects, which has raised questions among some faculty about whether the energy- and water-intensive endeavors could derail the institution’s climate commitments.

Tags: via:ResearchBuzz, Duke, datacentre

Added: 2026-05-23 08:43

Danielle Smith Offers a Delusional TV Defence of Her Referendum | The Tyee

This is wordy, ambiguous and possibly intentionally confusing. How will the answer be composed? We were not told. It cannot be a simple yes or no.

and

Alas for Smith, this is unlikely to mollify the separatists who now dominate her party and have threatened to eject her as leader if she doesn’t use their question, which faces hurdles put in place by a series of court judgments.

It’s crazy-town, when the best possible outcome is for the separatists to fully (or maybe just openly) take over the UCP and force an election, giving grownups a chance to course-correct this province (again).

Tags: UCP, person:Danielle Smith, Alberta, person:David Climenhaga, The Tyee

Added: 2026-05-22 09:06

On machine unintelligence and ethical principles: A critical appraisal of Downes (2026)

Abstract

This commentary presents a critical evaluation of Stephen Downes’s (2026) paper entitled “On ethical AI principles” published in this issue of The Journal of Open, Distance, and Digital Education, focusing on aspects regarding artificial intelligence (AI) and its definitional background, critical AI, and ethical principles. The case is made for an understanding of the unintelligence of machines, a concern when the role of ethics in the life cycle of AI-related products is devalued, a similar one when ethics or ethical behaviour is adjudicated to them, as well as how tricks into fomenting unethical behaviour and eroding academic integrity have overflown the educational field for years. The main goal is to clarify many of those topics through a critical appraisal of Downes’s paper. Present and future generations may need to wake up from the impasse that technologists’ illusions have moved us towards.

Tags: person:Dagmar Monett, JODDE, article, AI, ethics

Added: 2026-05-22 08:56

A matter of principle: A response to Stephen Downes’s “On ethical AI principles”

Abstract

This paper is written as a response to Stephen Downes’s “On ethical AI principles”, that we recommend should be read in advance. Though framed as a critique, it builds on Downes’s work, filling in gaps and arguments that we believe to be missing from the original and challenging some assumptions, while acknowledging the soundness of the underlying messages. Our central point of disagreement stems from Downes’s implied definition of the word “principle”. We extend the argument from Downes’s generic concerns about principles to a more specific educational context, highlight fuzziness in definitions, and reframe Downes’s concerns that principles are political as more general issues of power.

Tags: person:Jon Dron, person:Stella George, article, JODDE, AI, ethics

Added: 2026-05-22 08:55

On ethical AI principles

Stephen Downes’ article in JODDE.

Abstract

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is a set of digital tools that can perform functions traditionally limited to human capability, for example, reviewing, summarizing, translating, and composing. In the last few years, there has been widespread discussion and experimentation for its application in education. Consequently, a contentious ethical debate has arisen around its appropriateness for educational functions and how such functionality may be ethically applied. Some argue that the ethical use of artificial intelligence in education can be defined through the use of a set of commonly held principles, such as sustainability, accountability, and fairness. This article challenges that presumption. A list of nine such principles is offered. Each principle is considered in detail and analysed to identify underlying assumptions, points of conflict, and other ethical considerations. It is argued that much of what is offered as a set of ethical considerations reflects, in fact, a political argument and perspective. There is thus no set of ethical principles that can be regarded as a consensus opinion on the ethics of the use of artificial intelligence in education.

Tags: person:Stephen Downes, JODDE, article, AI, ethics

Added: 2026-05-22 08:54

Building Ai Companions That Prioritise Learning Over Performance

This paper addresses the question of how artificial in- telligence should be designed and used to support learning rather than merely improve immediate outputs. We introduce the concept of AI learning companions, defined as adaptive, pedagogically informed, LLM-powered agents designed for integration into learning environments. We propose a framework for their design built on three interrelated foundations: a pedagogical foundation focused on how students learn with AI, an adaptive foundation focused on how AI learns about students, and a responsible design foundation ensuring systems remain transparent, accountable, inclusive, and secure.

Tags: via:Stephen Downes, AI, article

Added: 2026-05-21 12:57