April 7, 2018

Do You Trust This Computer? is a documentary you can watch for free on Vimeo until Sunday.

Do You Trust This Computer? is a documentary that deals with the potential consequences of artificial intelligence. And it will be available online for free until Sunday night.

If that isn't news to you, it may be because Elon Musk tweeted to draw the world's attention to the movie's availability. The SpaceX and Tesla founder has long been a vocal opponent of artificial intelligence. In the past, Musk has suggested that AI competition between countries such as China and Russia could lead to World War III.

https://twitter.com/elonmusk/status/982119546420002817

The film is directed by Chris Paine, whose previous outings, Who Killed The Electric Car? and Revenge of the Electric Car, also featured Musk.

https://www.cnet.com/news/do-you-trust-this-computer-elon-musk/

April 3, 2018

Sinclair Chairman Claims Entire Print Media Has No Credibility

David Smith, the executive chairman of Sinclair Broadcast Group, said he dislikes and fundamentally distrusts the print media, which he believes “serves no real purpose.” In emails to New York, Smith said that print — as in newspapers and magazines — is a reality-distorting tool of leftists. Print media, he said, has “no credibility” and no relevance.

“I must tell that in all the 45 plus years I have been in the media business I have never seen a single article about us that is reflective of reality especially in today’s world with the shameful political environment and generally complete lack of integrity. Facts and truth have been lost for a long time and likely to never return,” Smith said.

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New York communicated with Smith in mid-November, after requesting an interview. “Appreciate the interest in your wanting to do a story but we don’t talk to the print media as a general principal as we find them to be so devoid of reality and serving no real purpose. Have a great holiday,” Smith said in response. Later, he added, “Again my experience has consistently been that even with an interview it’s of no consequence in terms of spin, facts or distortion, political bent etc. The print media is so left wing as to be meaningless dribble which accounts for why the industry is and will fade away. Just no credibility. see ya.”

For a pundit or a far-right politician, statements like Smith’s have become expected in the Trump era. But from one of the most powerful media executives in the country, they’re not. “The media” is typically talked about as though it’s a monolith, with no distinctions made between news or opinion, reporters or columnists, anchors or commentators. To cast doubt over certain swaths of the industry, then, is to risk unsettling whatever faith is left in the whole gamut. And if TV is the only pure and honest news source, what about the websites of TV networks, like NBC.com or CNN.com, where reporting that is technically considered print appears? Or what about TV reporting that’s informed by stories that appeared in the New York Times or the Washington Post? Is any information that doesn’t come directly from Sinclair or from the mouth of David Smith himself suspect? Perhaps that’s the idea.

When New York asked Smith if he’d be open to meeting off the record at least, he replied, “I have also learned that there is no such thing as off the record. Bye.

more: http://nymag.com/daily/intelligencer/2018/04/sinclair-chairman-entire-print-media-has-no-credibility.html