Apologies for not posting in a while. Many aspects of life got in the way. That and resonance effects from my big new book about Artificial Intelligence AI lien Minds. .. ...and preparing for performance of my play The Escape on August 28, at the World Science Fiction Convention in Anaheim. But so much is happening in the news... and so little of it sheds much light. And so... ...I'll opine at the…
I know, I know. I posted about this before. But for reasons, I re-read the appraisal of my book about Artificial Intelligence by a version of Claude, posed way back in the ancient, barely-recalled era of a couple of months ago. And it remains (even now) so creepy in its so-plausible-seeming pseudo-sapience and charming honesty that I really can sympathize with folks who get sucked into believing…
== Marxian predictions == In my parents' time, everyone - even the poor and certainly even rich plutocrats - understood the Marxian predictions which - like those of Hari-Seldon - seemed bound to come true, unless something changed. . Those who wanted a different future than Old Karl forecast backed an alternative that Marxists deemed impossible... Preventing parasitical late-stage capitalism from…
I'm a nearly life-long Steven Spielberg fan. (I didn't think anyone could make a better musical film than Leonard Bernstein's WEST SIDE STORY. Spielberg did it.) So okay, I had to go see DISCLOSURE DAY . Having dissected some 'hidden aspects' to his films, I deem that Spielberg's values and creative skills put him among the 'most-American' first-rank artists, combining constructive criticism of…
Two items for this weekend posting as I prep for the FiRe Conference at UCSD and then the International Space Development Conference. These two riffs may seem to be about different things. But they both ask the same question: “Can evolved beings – either us or AI – actually select for wisdom? == The pontiff pontificates about bridging the era of AI == Pope Leo XIV’s “Magnifica Humanitus: On…
Want some real news from space? Got some for you. But hold on. First: a moment distinguishing art from reality. I eagerly anticipate any Steven Spielberg film. His AI was - I believe- prophetic in ways that most folks don't yet realize, that I discuss in AIlien Minds . Still, I expect to have mixed feelings about Disclosure. As happened in ET, there will likely be distractions from the audience…
Midweek Special... Updates to AIlien Minds by David Brin …as of Mid-May 2026 AIlien Minds was first published just weeks ago, in March 2026. So, why am I doing almost-monthly updates? Because the world of Artificial Intelligence is now morphing so fast that this book would be hopelessly obsolete if I waited for my regular publishers. Direct to e-book/pod lets me update versions to (somewhat) keep…
I planned to do a weekend post about how the insatiable (and thus insane) top oligarchs are sparking a world wide revival of the moribund works of Karl Marx. (Alas.) And thusly they seem determined to reserve their rides on Uber Tumbrels. But that will have to await another time. After I issue the next update of my book on AI... AILIEN MINDS. Meanwhile, I have to address an even more dire…
I recently posted my Newer Deal Series , a ten-part – “tl;dr”-- array of thirty-five proposals for Democrats and their allies. Quickly persuasive and do-able reforms that might empower them to save America and the world, during the political year ahead. (No Constitutional amendments needed! And some of them can even bypass a presidential veto.) Folks who’d rather view it through Substack might…
The next World Science Fiction Convention - LAConV - will be held in Anaheim near Los Angeles August 27-31 2026. Among the featured events will be a live performance of my science-fictional - and theological - play " The Escape! " (If you are a theater producer/director, contact me for a show pass!. Science Fiction's prestigious Hugo Award finalist list came out this morning! Vote as a member of…
As the Putinists continue wrecking all U.S. institutions and turning the world (including longtime allies) against us, it's important to recall how much goodwill Trump and his ilk must eliminate, before that promise to Moscow can be fulfilled. Of course all empires are disliked, but elsewhere I describe how George Marshall, FDR, Truman, Ike etc. set things up so that humanity would have its best…
Well, well. I'm glad the Artemis crew made it home safe! And yes, this updated/repeat of 1968's Apollo 8 sure was a bit bigger and spiffier!* Is it churlish of me to grumble that it launched atop a sewn-together Saturn/Shuttle hybrid rocket that has no future? A rocket that did accomplish its main goal -- 30 years of grift by 20 senators for home state contractors? Our $100+ billions spent on a…
"We used to say facts don't care about your feelings. “Now feelings don't care about your facts." Dems may be the (uneven/flawed) good guys... and their policies always have better outcomes , in every category*... but they are tactical dunces. There are dozens of proposals - some that I made over eight years ago (i n Polemical Judo ) -that might have helped to save us by now. FOr example: -…
Our AI-transition has many tell-tales that are changing daily . Let's start today with one that's a major danger-signal.* Setting aside spasm-reward lobotomy addictions like Instagram or TwitX, t he most-used middle-length content site on the globe is YouTube. And something disturbing has happened there. First: Google rewards content posters for both clicks and length of engagement. And hence, s…
I planned posting another AI summary of my new book about AI... ai lien minds . But one of you* messaged to remind me of something that I predicted long ago. The AI-generated summaries that we are all now getting with our emails . I went to that chapter of Existence (2007) and skimmed Tor Povlov's visit to the Godmaker's Conference ... and a speech by my Michael Crichton character. And...…
There are no levels where the cancellation of Gateway - in favor of jibbering fantasies about a near term, surface “moonbase” - is not an utter betrayal of science, reason, NASA and the nation and humanity. ALL of the science advisory panels preferred Gateway orbital station, for a dozen reasons (see below). But the absurd nothion of putting modules designed for a zero-gee station down onto the…
Last time, I posted a lengthy missive by ChatGPT appraising my new book ailien minds, prompted by Richard Bliss, with some of my own commentary and demurals laced-in. All-told, the effect was that of a loquacious book report by a garrulous and rather unctuous high school sophomore who had flipped through some random pages for key words and then googled some of them... or used them to sift its…
A CHATGPT Review of AI lien Minds by David Brin For a midweek posting we'll take a break from frets about civilization and shift to something actually important. This is a copy of a conversation between ChatGPT & an anonymous reader,* who submitted AI lien Minds for review. Take into account that there appears to be an inherent tilt toward flattery in almost all 2025-2026 LLM systems. I also…
Before getting into glowering threats to our future, let me offer you something that could lift your spirits... a tribute to my friend Frederick Turner , who was among the finest epic poets since Byron, and possibly Homer. And almost always with bold science or future-aimed or even science-fictional themes. I'll miss him, a lot. Last month - before we were all yanked away by insipidly stupid war -…
My new book on AI... ai lien minds ... just went live on Amazon! (My regular publishers would have taken 6 months to a year, even as the field changes daily! This way I can revise as things develop.) HERE'S THE COVER COPY. Y ou decide if it's interesting : Optimists foretell a golden age of Al-managed abundance. Doomers cry: vast cyber-minds will crush old style humanity! ... or make us…
== Why are we at war again? == I'll be concise here, laying down reasons why thousands of U.S. service members - and eventually millions of the rest of us are being thrown into danger amid gaudy explosions that terrify - and sometimes kill - a people we want as friends.. I'll briefly offer some bullet points, many of them I've already elucidated, in other locales. But one thing is certain...…
Midweek, I'll refrain from politics... or the things that are now obvious. I just finished writing/editing/formatting an entire nonfiction book (about AI!) and wish to celebrate by offering a gift to you all. A little tale of optimism and hope... illustrating that one person -- not a superhero or mighty warrior or politician or genius -- might make all the difference in the world. With courage,…
This midweek posting reiterates some history (and hysteria) -related points that I've put on soc.media, hoping some folks will pay attention to off-angle perspectives that are (I assert) more accurate and useful than most standard ones you're seeing. More important are the Newer Deal Propopsals that I'll reiterate below. For example, how to smash the mad right's current, hypocritical fad-riff…
This is it. The Wire. You may think that our fateful moment will come on Election Day in November. Or when the last tranche of Epstein Files hits. Or the coming New-9/11. But you're wrong. This is a potential save that (alas) we're about to lose. In a couple of weeks it will be too late for 'decent Republicans' to step up and register as candidates in 2026 GOP primaries. There's still just a…
I'll do a weekend posting. But this merits special attention, illustrating a key point that I make in my new book on Artificial Intelligence - AI lien Minds. That we biorgs - bio-organic humans - will be helpless before Persuasion Bots, unless we find ways to partner with 'white hat' AIs, who might then help us navigate the world to come. Specifically, I have - in just the last three months - been…