No Actors Were Harmed in the Making of this Video

My congregation got a preview of a new show set in Biblical times. By the look of the clips, it could be a spinoff of The Chosen. There’s just one peculiar difference that makes all the difference, for good or ill.

The AI Preacher: from the Cloud or the Spirit?

AI has infused itself into every part of our lives. Nearly everyone can feel it nipping at some aspect of their jobs. Pastors like myself are not immune. As we see uses and misuses throughout society, should AI be allowed to take over the sermon?

Tech Shouldn’t Die Young, But Increasingly Does

The Humane Pin has died and HP has killed it. The burial of last year’s tech darling, DOA as its concept was from the get-go, isn’t that important in itself, but continues the troubling trend of things we buy dying unnatural deaths.

iPad: Forged from the Humane or Destroyer Of It?

Apple created a lot of stir with the advertisement for its new generation iPad Pro. The shocking video shows a huge variety of things we love, including musical instruments and artistic tools, being crushed by a cold, dark metal press. Is Apple admitting its apocalyptic agenda?

The AI Revolution a Year In

A year after Microsoft unveiled its big push into AI riding on the early wave of ChatGPT excitement, we haven’t come to terms with how AI fits into our world. Sorting it out will take time, but we need to start doing so with the assumption it is here to stay.

I Hate Captchas

Is it me or have they gotten more annoying? Those little puzzles to separate out the robots from humans that appear on web sites constantly?

Amplifying the Craft, Not Short-circuiting It

In a recent column for Christianity Today, Yi-Li Lin argued for a significant increase in usage of AI-related tools in church work. I’m sympathetic, but he goes too far. The ways he does so are revealing to the challenges every profession is facing, or will face, with this technology.

Some Visions Aren't Worth Having

I watch Apple’s Worldwide Developer Conference (WWDC) keynote every year like people watch the Superbowl — snacks, celebratory anticipation, the works. The greatest ones over the years remain memorable long after, conveying master showmanship and a clarity of vision for technology that makes life better. Ironically, while introducing a device called Vision Pro, this year’s conference felt like an aimless stumble towards dystopia.

Rogue Amoeba's Tools Gave Me Real Time Sound Isolation Everywhere. Even OBS.

Longtime Mac users who have any level of need for professional audio tools have probably encountered veteran developer Rogue Amoeba and their suite of tools. I use Audio Hijack Pro, Loopback and Farrago as the core of our workflow on Zippy the Wonder Snail. A series of little discoveries moved me to making those tools my one-stop-mic-enhancement shop for OBS Studio and beyond.

AI Meets Every Day Life

Bing's Chatbot and Quora's Poe are Contrasting, but Useful Tools

Some level of mainstream machine learning has been present in the lives of ordinary folks like you and me since iPhoto first did facial recognition well over a decade ago. Other AI or AI-like tech has become increasingly pervasive, but quite limited. Now, a flood of “experience this now” machine learning is drowning out past years’ “imagine if this were just a bit better” tech. Two tools to utilize such tech are worth your attention right now.