AI Policy & Law on F L O T I S S E R I E

Tue, 18 Aug 2026 11:54:13 -0500

Chester argues that universities should govern AI by classifying data by sensitivity rather than approving specific tools. Public data goes anywhere –> regulated data requires an institutional contract –> sensitive data requires a local system. He also makes a renewed case for MS Copilot.

Tue, 18 Aug 2026 10:06:24 -0500

A person was found to be hiding an AI prompt injection in a legal filing that tells any AI that reads it to side with his perspective. The judge in this case likened it to “an automated agent communicat[ing] covertly with a juror during trial.”

Wed, 29 Apr 2026 10:53:33 -0500

“A.I. is less regulated in America than sandwiches,” said Mr. Tegmark, who is also a physics professor at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. “You can’t open a sandwich shop without having your kitchen inspected. But you can release an A.I. girlfriend for 11-year-olds and that’s fine.”

Wed, 22 Apr 2026 17:35:16 -0500

Anecdotally, I’ve seen two family court cases where one party submitted full AI chats — prompts and colorful complaints included — as formal filings. The complaints wouldn’t pass muster with a real lawyer, but the conflict was nurtured by AI nonetheless. One was dinged for wasting the judge’s time.

Wed, 22 Apr 2026 17:27:14 -0500

I’ve posted a couple of times about instances I’m aware of where people are using AI in pro se court cases, especially family courts. A new study shows evidence of increasing numbers in pro se cases at the federal level, exacerbating existing bottlenecks. Many trade-offs abound here.

Fri, 27 Mar 2026 08:39:02 -0500

In which the author summarizes artificial intelligence functions that might be reasonably regulated.

Wed, 11 Mar 2026 13:27:52 -0500

Anecdotally hearing about LLMs being weaponized in divorce and custody, including inundating the other party with slop to drive up the opponent’s legal fees. Worse, the sycophancy is tuned to and confirms the aggrieved party’s grievances, regardless of their real-world relevance in court.

Fri, 06 Mar 2026 10:28:06 -0500

Platformer on the emerging politics of military AI, and the backlash resulting from this week’s activities.

Wed, 04 Mar 2026 13:50:26 -0500

I have pretty strong feelings against the use of AI around military operations, based on my hands-on experience with the tools. When the tech’s creators say the tech isn’t ripe for warfare, that’s strong feedback. And I agree, with the risks and implications around trust, marketing and hallucinations, it’s not even really ripe for the consumer marketplace, much less drone warfare. Whether or not artificial intelligence tech should be used for war is, of course, at the root of Haraway’s thesis, which we like to noodle with around these parts.

Tue, 03 Mar 2026 13:22:34 -0500

Ruling: AI art is not copyrightable.

Mon, 02 Mar 2026 10:56:06 -0500

Some analysis on Anthropic and the Pentagon. Per @manton, it feels a little bit like the company isn’t fully on board with the product they produce. I find it interesting that the feds appear to be toying with the idea of nationalizing AI companies alongside other nationalization efforts.

Fri, 27 Feb 2026 12:35:50 -0500

An open letter from employees of Google and OpenAI in support of Anthropic, against the DoD: notdivided.org

Wed, 18 Feb 2026 03:07:00 -0500

There are many hyperbolic essays on AI going viral this week. This essay gets into some of the emerging politics around AI in the United States and how they map onto electoral politics, and is irritated with the American left’s approach to AI.

I agree on one angle, that as a cohort, abstaining entirely from new tech is a bad approach.

Haraway (obvs) suggests we stick with the trouble, that sometimes our very presence in the room is what’s required to trouble existing narratives, and that it’s important that share what we learn back to our people at home, whatever that means in our context.

For me: I spend a lot of time at work translating technical ideas and projects in an institutional voice, but on nights and weekends, I’m explaining the ins and outs of the internet to my working class friends and family. Increasingly, I’m asked to explain LLMs and AI and how it relates to their needs around business, the news, entertainment, and as a legal aid.

The “cyborg’s mark” is a metaphor for writing, our duty to translate, and the inevitability of translation through experience. Perhaps staying with the trouble allows us to articulate our experiences in and around the science in ways that both advance our interests and that keep our communities safer. For those of us who straddle multiple worlds, translation is a responsibility.

Fri, 02 Jan 2026 15:49:23 -0500

A new study suggests that countries who report more positive experiences with social media also feel more positive about AI. It seems to come down to tech regulation and trust.