Op-Ed by Helge Nome Who is that "entity" that responds to my AI questions to my computer? On the face of it, it looks like a person self-identifying as "I" in replies, composing reflective sentences and paragraphs and serving them up in the form of a report, that from time to time gets all muddled. In order to compose the report "it" uses information sourced on the internet and provides extensive lists of links to these sources. But what is "it"? That is the question. We know what it is not: A physical entity like one of us contained within a physical body in a relatively small space. We know that the message generated is a product of machines (computers) that could literally be spread across the globe, appearing as if it comes from one human. We also know that these computers have been designed and programmed to mimic neural networks that make us who we are, capable of learning and adapting to changing circumstances. So when a response arrives f...
Commentary by David Michel , Will Todman , and Jennifer Jun Published November 25, 2025 Introduction Tehran is experiencing an unprecedented water crisis. Satellite imagery analysis shows that key reservoirs that feed the capital are far below their typical seasonal variation. The Iranian president has warned that Iran has “no choice” but to move the location of the capital due to the water crisis. In the short term, water rationing has been imposed on some neighborhoods, and authorities may have to evacuate residents from Tehran. This crisis is driven by mounting demand for water, a historic drought, and persistent mismanagement. The Iranian government faces no easy way out, as necessary reforms would undercut the regime’s political economy and could risk triggering broad social unrest. Drivers of the Crisis Tehran’s worsening water crisis represents the chronicle of a dearth foretold. Relentlessly mounting demands, rising environmental ...
Op Ed by Helge Nome Those who read this blog are fully aware of the extent to which I use AI to to investigate questions that pop into my head during the day (and night). It is like having a team of reporters at your fingertips 24/7 going out, checking sources and providing requested reports at a snap. A quantum leap up from doing manual web searches and providing reports in the old fashion way. As a frequent user of this new technology, I am becoming increasingly aware of its power and limitations: The popular hype is well ahead of reality. On the positive side, the volume of information that can be usefully exposed for examination over a given period of time is greatly increased, facilitating rapid digestion of new concepts, etc. As an old professional computer guy from the 1960ies, I have taken an interest in poking my nose into quantum computing and its implications. And have come to question some of the hype associated with this...
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