Machines, Intelligence and Subjectivity
A language model can solve a problem and describe an inner life. What would establish that it actually experiences anything?
Tag: ai - 2026
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Your AI is a map, not a mind
This article argues that current AI systems can model thought with extraordinary power without becoming conscious subjects. It explains the difference between simulation and experience, syntax and meaning, and output and inner life for a technical audience.
An elephant in the room too large to see
This article argues that code generated without sufficient human authorship may fall into the public domain by default. It frames that legal risk as a neglected issue inside the current rush toward AI-assisted software development.
Can you own vibe-coded software?
This article examines the legal parallel between the monkey selfie case and software generated by large language models. It considers what happens to ownership, licensing, and open source when code lacks traditional human authorship.
Programming in clay
On the January 2025 Copyright Office advice that vibe-coded software is public domain, why chat-window prompting fails to transfer authorial intent, and what a clay-like programming interface would need to do differently.
Why I'm building this in public
Explains why I build this in public and how writing reshapes the technical decisions. It also sets out how I use deliberate review to keep pace without losing my voice.