#people get paid for AI to use their image and voice

[penna-nomen]

Dead Planet - A Yuletide Fic

Seeing the latest Indiana Jones movie reminded me of this fic I wrote for Yuletide. It's my what-if-Han-Solo-met-Indiana-Jones fic.

In the Bermuda Triangle of space, things aren't always what they seem.

Or: An archaeologist, a smuggler, and a model meet on a seemingly dead planet and become part of the resistance against the Galactic Federation.

4.2K words. LGBTQ+ characters, passes the Bechdel test

"People are calling it the Bermuda Quadrangle."

"Like the Bermuda Triangle on Earth?" Petric asked.

Raphael — Rafe for short — nodded. It wasn't his real name. He'd changed it once he'd received the designation of Renaissance Analyst, a title that meant he had expertise in seven or more fields of analysis. That made him a key resource in the Galactic Federation's planning team, responsible for identifying promising or troubling trends. 

Rafe preferred to offer puzzles instead of being straightforward in his communications. Fortunately, Petric liked puzzles. "The scientist in me is appalled at the superstition implied in the name. The archaeologist in me wonders if there are centuries of crash sites to explore." 

"From the Galactic Federation perspective, I've categorized the Bermuda Quadrangle as insignificant. The number of ships impacted is relatively low. Only a handful of unmanned supply ships have crashed onto Dead Planet 451 in the last two years, and none of them carried anything vital. But it seemed like something that would interest you." His voice was nonchalant, but he cast a significant glance toward the green light on the communications box on his desk. This conversation was being recorded, and it seemed Rafe didn't trust the person who was listening.

In Petric's job, he traveled to whichever archaeological sites the Federation assigned to him, but his true area of interest was ancient alien ruins. Although the artifacts could bring a hefty price, money wasn't his motivation. He wanted to learn about those old alien civilizations, and he was happiest when the artifacts went to a museum. It was likely that Rafe had summoned him because of some kind of alien connection, and that it wasn't a connection they should mention aloud.

"Next time I'm in that sector, I'll check it out," Petric said.

"Given the reputation of the area, you'll want a good pilot." 

Continued on AO3:

[frenchbreadandeggs]

The Other Variant of Her (2)

pairing: Miguel O'Hara x Reader

summary: Out of nowhere, Gwen Stacy appeared on your Earth, inviting you to the Spider Society in Nueva York. As you reluctantly took her offer, you were shown the beauty of every spider person around HQ. Meeting the founder of the group, Miguel O’Hara. You never knew him, but it seems that he does.

gn!reader, also a spider person

cw. angst, (kinda) ooc miguel o'hara, canon event (it happens), mentions of (multiple) deaths, violence, mentions of blood

words: 9.1k

first part

taglist: @a-helpless-romantic, @bozos-r-us @levisbebe @othersideoftheparadise, @nataliahemsworth

hi hello, this is the second part and the last! gotta say this was fun to write. it's currently 3 am and i have school later but gladly it starts at the afternoon so i can sleep for a bit^^, i think i went overboard with some stuff, canon events happened. hope you all enjoy this! and sorry if i could not tag the others who asked me to tag them. i promise, i tried. also typos cause i made this up until midnight so—

There was an undeniable connection between you and Miguel, but you couldn't quite pinpoint what it was. Ever since he recruited you, you found yourself spending a lot of time in his office. It didn't bother you, although it did disappoint you that you weren't getting as much action as the other Spider-People, like Gwen, Hobie, and Pav. Your friends seemed bothered by it, especially Hobie.

"Nah, mate. 'E's keepin' you to 'imself for some unknown reason. Got you locked up in 'is office since day one," Hobie would say whenever you stepped out of Miguel's office. Whether you were going to grab lunch or hang out with the others, if you didn't have any pressing business in Nueva York, you would return to your own world. But you never paid much attention to Hobie's concerns. You reassured him not to overthink it and mentioned that Miguel was treating you well.

Hobie would look at you with concern, urging you to be cautious. You wondered if Miguel had ulterior motives, given Hobie's warnings, but you also sensed there was something more to the situation. You didn't want to be suspicious of your own boss, so you decided to trust him, following his orders diligently and helping him sort through anomaly reports for the other Spider-People to handle, ignoring Hobie's persistent attempts to convince you otherwise.

In Miguel's dimly lit office, you found yourself sitting in a corner, engrossed in filing an anomaly report. Holding the pad in your hands, you read through the details and typed them into the screen. When you first started working on the anomaly reports with Miguel, you weren't particularly fond of the high-tech gadgets he used. You even admitted this to him, feeling a bit embarrassed considering your age should have made you more familiar with such devices.

"Well, the tech in my Earth isn't as advanced as this," you had once said to Miguel, using it as an excuse for your initial unfamiliarity with the gadgets.

Miguel glanced at you briefly before turning his attention elsewhere. "Yeah, yeah, Lyla," he called out.

Lyla materialized on your shoulder, causing you to jump slightly in surprise. "Yes?" she responded.

"Give them a pad—or anything they can use without complications," Miguel instructed, his focus now shifting to the floating screens in front of him. His fingers flicked effortlessly across the images that appeared.

"Alright," Lyla replied, her voice carrying a hint of mischief. "A 'please' would be nice."

Miguel scoffed, annoyed at the demand his AI was making. "Please," he muttered through gritted teeth.

"Hah!" Lyla exclaimed, turning her attention to you with a smug grin. "Did you hear that, Slinger? This man actually said 'please'."

You could sense Miguel's irritation, accompanied by the frustrated tapping on the screens. With a snap of Lyla's fingers, a pad materialized out of thin air and floated towards you, coming to rest on your lap. Lyla glitched to appear in front of you, still wearing that mischievous smile. You couldn't help but find Miguel's AI both cute and commanding in her own unique way.

"Here, let me show you the basics," Lyla offered, ready to guide you through the functionalities of the pad.

"Slinger?"

A voice jolted you out of your reverie. You blinked and found a small, yellow figure hovering above your face, radiating concern. Startled, you took a sharp breath and tumbled off the metal seat you had been perched on.

"Oh no!"

"I'm okay! I'm okay," you reassured, hastily getting back on your feet and smoothing out any wrinkles on your suit—which luckily, there were none.

You turned your attention to Lyla, still a little disoriented. "What did you call me?"

Lyla tilted her head, her smile unwavering. "Your shift ended ten minutes ago—orrrr do you want to stay here?"

You glanced around the dimly lit room, the orange screens now powered down. It seemed Miguel had called it a day, without even bothering to inform you. You looked back at Lyla, contemplating her question. Shaking your head, you retrieved the pad from the floor and pressed a series of buttons until it deactivated.

"I need to go back to my Earth, unfortunately. I'll see you again, Lyla. Goodbye!"

Lyla nodded in acknowledgment before vanishing, the glow dissipating and leaving the room in darkness. With your mask securely in place, you walked towards the portal, similar to the one you had first encountered, that materialized behind you. Stepping through, you disappeared into the swirling energies, returning to your own world.

The portal dissipated as you stepped out, greeted by the familiar night sky of York New. You found yourself on the rooftop of an industrial building, hoping it was the one where your apartment was located. Shooting a web below, you gracefully leaped into the air, but to your disappointment, it wasn't your building. Undeterred, you continued swinging through the city, Kings, in search of your apartment. From above, you looked down and observed the bustling streets below. Despite the late hour, it still appeared as if it were a busy afternoon.

Finally, you spotted a familiar window and a smile formed on your face. It was your apartment. Shooting a web in its direction, you swung towards it with a sense of anticipation. Landing on the window ledge, you opened the window and entered, feeling a wave of relief. After removing your mask, you took a moment to catch your breath. It had been tiring, sitting in Miguel's office, working on anomaly reports as if you were his secretary.

"Boring? Maybe," you mused to yourself. In your civilian life, you also found yourself engrossed in reading and grading essays as a history professor at a nearby university. Reviewing your students' work, their projects, and conducting research has become a familiar routine.

"Home sweet home, I guess—"

Suddenly, there was a knock on your door, interrupting your thoughts.

"Nevermind."

You hurried to the door, peering through the peephole. Your eyes widened when you saw three familiar faces standing outside, their masks nowhere in sight. Opening the door, you were greeted by Hobie's smirk.

"Took you too long."

"You literally just knocked a second ago—wait, wait, what are you guys doing here?"

"We just wanted to hang out with you, that's all!" Pav exclaimed, his smile radiating warmth.

"Word got around that your New York is different from ours," Gwen added, her hands tucked inside her jacket.

"Obviously it's different, considering you're in a different world. And it's York New," you chuckled, gesturing for them to come inside your cozy apartment. The entrance was adorned with stacks of university papers and photographs of your close friends and professors. It was a homey space that reflected your individuality.

"I literally just got home five minutes ago. Wait here, I'll get you three some drinks." You shot a web towards the fridge, pulled it open, and glanced at your friends. "What do you guys want?"

"Anything," Gwen replied.

"Do you have chai?" Pav inquired.

"I'll take any drink that'll burst my ass," Hobie chimed in, shrugging nonchalantly.

You squinted at Hobie, momentarily taken aback, "But if you don’t have one, anything really."

After preparing the drinks, you all settled down on the couch. Pav chose a bean bag beside you, sipping his drink, while Gwen leaned against the window, holding her cup. Hobie made himself comfortable on the couch, placing his drink on the table.

"So, you're a professor?" Gwen started, her gaze wandering over the pictures displayed around the apartment. "Seems like you really love what you do." she smiled at you warmly, and you laughed, unaffected by the slightly cluttered display of photographs featuring you and your students.

"I enjoy teaching," you replied. Hobie, engrossed in one of your student's essays, chimed in.

"I like your students," he interjected, his eyes skimming the words printed on the white pages.

"Thanks. I try to encourage them to think critically," you responded, appreciating Hobie's interest in your students' work.

"Say," you suggested, a glint in your eye. "Why don't I give you guys a tour of the place?"

The four of you swung in various directions, making stops at different shops to grab a bite and relax on one of the rooftops. It was a joyous bonding experience with the three, engaging in conversations while swinging through the chilly midnight air of Kings. As you hung on a web, a burger in your mouth, you observed Hobie swinging around with fries in his hand. Gwen and Pav were amazed in your world, even offering to fetch more snacks.

With your arms slightly numb from gripping, you headed to the rooftop where the pile of trash that you all had accumulated was located. Using your webs, you fashioned a makeshift trash bag and began collecting the refuse. Hobie joined you on the rooftop, lending a hand in the cleanup as you awaited Pav and Gwen's return.

“So, how’s stuff workin’ in his office?” he said, his back at you. He threw a soda in your way, you raised the trash bag to catch it. 

You shrugged, “Nothing really, it’s just the same work I do here all over again but about hero work.”

“Have you at least mentioned him to deploy you?” Hobie now looked at you, his mask was removed so you could see his face, “It’s disappointing that I couldn’t at least see you fight, Gwen told me she said you look cool.”

You chuckled, “Well I did mention it to him, though I couldn’t comprehend what he said so I never bother to ask again,” another trash into the bag, “If lucky, you might see how I fight like what Gwen told you.”

“I sure hope,” he then took the trash bag from you, his smile somehow radiating to you even though there was nothing, “you’re a nice person, I can see it in you.”

“Though you gotta select who to be nice with.”

“Hm? I didn't quite hear that.” you turned to him as you threw the last can into the trash bag Hobie’s holding.

He shook his head, “Nah, it’s nothin’,”

Gwen and Pav arrived, each holding plastic bags in both hands, indicating they had made quite a few purchases. Pav gracefully touched down on the concrete floor, making his way towards you and Hobie, while Gwen followed closely behind, wearing a small smile on her face.

“Hey guys we got this good looking food called Kare—” Pav was cut off when a portal opened behind him.

It’s him. It’s not even after 24/7 you got to see this man again.

Miguel emerged from the portal, clad in his signature streamlined costume. The suit predominantly featured a vibrant blue hue with striking red accents, although the intensity of the red seemed to overpower the color of his Spider-Suit, emitting a bright glow that even hurt your eyes. As was customary, Miguel appeared with his mask removed, revealing his disheveled, swept-back dark hair and the weariness etched across his striking countenance.

Though it was different this time; it was the first occasion you saw him wearing his mask.

On the other hand, you were only wearing a brown overcoat with your Spider-Suit still on because you didn’t bother to change when Hobie, Gwen, and Pav arrived in your apartment. You had planned to change into your comfortable clothes when you return to your apartment, but Miguel’s sudden appearance seemed to suggest otherwise.

“Seems that our little bonding ended too soon,” Hobie said, a tinge of disappointment heard from his voice.

Miguel disregarded Hobie as he made his way towards you. Each step seemed purposeful with a hint of exhaustion. His presence was commanding, his tall and muscular frame seeming to dominate the space around him.

Underneath his mask, you could sense the weariness etched onto his features. Lines of fatigue creased his forehead, you can imagine his eyes held a distant look, as if burdened by the weight of the world.

Your own expression shifted subtly, a mixture of concern and anticipation. There was an unspoken tension in the air, a sense that something significant was about to unfold. You tried to summon a warm smile to your lips, hoping to offer a sense of comfort in the midst of whatever Miguel was going through.

As he neared, his presence seemed to envelop you, almost overpowering in its intensity.

The silence hung heavy between you, pregnant with unspoken words and hidden emotions. In that moment, you could sense the weight of his struggles, the burden of his responsibilities. It was as if the room itself held its breath, waiting for the unspoken to be uttered.

“I sent you a signal earlier, why didn’t you pick up?” Miguel said with a sigh, you can hear his strained voice underneath the mask.

You bit your lip, shoot, you took it off and left it in your apartment, “...I left it in the apartment.”

You sheepishly smiled, Miguel let’s out a frustrated groan. His hands now in his hips as he looked down on you, somehow you could figure out that his eyes are furrowed based on the moving eye lenses on his mask. 

“Next time wear it always,”

You looked at him, confusrion print on your face. What does he mean by that? You are always in his office for anomaly reports and anomaly reports alone. Why is he demanding you to wear the ‘goober’ at all times when you are stranded in Nueva York.

Miguel sensed your confused state, “We have a big problem and I need you to be there, alongsides Gwen, Pav, and Hobie. You get to have your very first action mission that you kept bugging me about.”

"Hey, I just mentioned it once, and never again because of your busy ass!" you spat at him, frustration lacing your words. His response was a small sneer, his gaze shifting to the three friends who stood nearby.

“And you three, what are you doing in here?” Miguel crosses his hands on his chest, eyebrows furrowed at them.

Pav sheepishly smiled, deftly concealing the plastic bags that held tantalizing, steaming hot food. His hands moved with practiced ease, ensuring the delicious secret remained hidden from Miguel’s prying eyes. Gwen, standing nearby, appeared unperturbed by the situation, her cool demeanor untouched by Pav's stealthy actions and Miguel’s demandful question. Meanwhile, Hobie casually leaned against the railings, skillfully employing a strand of web to secure the trash bag, demonstrating his resourcefulness and adaptability.

“Just visiting them,” Hobie said, throwing the trash in the air as it landed in the dumpster, “nothing more.”

“Lo que sea, get in.”

Without any time to spare, Miguel entered the portal, followed by Gwen. The plastic bags she was carrying were now handed over to Pav, who gave you a questioning glance, unsure of what to do with the food. It would be a waste to throw it away.

"I'll bring it back to the apartment," you smiled at him.

Miguel's words hit you like a punch to the gut, filling you with a deep sense of worry. As he explained the anomaly outbreak and the appearance of two anomalies in your Earth, your mind raced with concern for your students. Thoughts of their safety consumed you, and the weight of responsibility settled heavily on your shoulders. You remembered that they have ushered you to come with them as a bonding with the class before they graduate.

"The kids—my class, they will be in the vicinity where the anomalies appeared," you uttered, the worry evident in your voice. You couldn't help but imagine the potential dangers they might face, the chaos and uncertainty that awaited them.

Miguel's reassuring presence did little to ease your anxiety. While you appreciated his determination to ensure everyone's safety, the fear for your students gnawed at your insides. Their well-being became your top priority, and you silently vowed to do whatever it takes to protect them.

He gave you and the three instructions, you and Hobie are to scout the premises. Gwen, Pav, and Miguel are to find the two anomalies wandering around the streets of YNC. Your eyes glued on your phone, the bubble text from your advisory class president was chatting you in your group chat. She told you that they will be visiting a museum in an hour, they are using the university’s bus.

“They will be alright,” Hobie came up to you and place his hand on your shoulders, “It’s the five of us against two.”

“I don’t know Hobie—I—I hope so.” you placed your phone down on the ground where your things were placed. Since you and Hobie are scouting, it makes sense that you two will be on top of the buildings. After you gave the coordiates of your advisory class’ bus to Gwen, it did not took look for her to place a tracker on the bus as Lyla sent you a map that show’s where you students are.

“Stay focused, we found Kingpin—Green Goblin is still on the loose. Look out for him.”

Miguel’s voice static from the earpiece you and Hobi share. You and Hobie looked at each other and nod, you swing to another building and surveyed.

“Move.”

You followed, Hobie stayed before following you. You both swing around York New to meet up with Miguel. Gwen and Pav were still trying to find Green Goblin as Miguel surveyed the area and pressing buttons on his hologram.

“How’s everything?” you asked, landing next to Miguel.

“Not so good, Goblin is still in hiding.”

"If you don't mind, I'll go and help Pav and Gwen," Hobie declared, his voice filled with coolness. Without waiting for a response, he swiftly swung past you and Miguel, disappearing into the distance before Miguel could even protest.

You stood at the edge of the building, your gaze focused on the city below. The urgency weighed heavily on your shoulders as you turned to face Miguel.

“Y’know nothing is going to happen when we stand here, right? He's out there causing havoc and endangering innocent lives. We can't let him get away with it.”

Miguel, clad in his futuristic suit, looked back at you from his hologram. He placed a reassuring hand on your shoulder.

“I know. We're doing everything we can to locate him. But we need to be cautious. Green Goblin is dangerous, and he won't hesitate to attack us.”

“I understand the risks, Miguel, but I can't just stand by and watch.”

Miguel's voice broke through the solemn air, his words laced with genuine concern and a deep sense of responsibility. As he stood by your side, his gaze locked with yours, you could see the sincerity in his eyes. His words resonated within you, soothing the pain and reminding you that you were not alone in this fight.

“You’re a good person, Slinger," Miguel began, his voice steady and reassuring. "But remember, we're a team. We'll find him together, and when the time comes, we'll take him down. Your safety is important to me."

“I appreciate your concern, Miguel, but I can handle myself. I've faced villains before, and I won't back down now. I have to protect this city, protect the people who call it home.”

Before he could utter a word, you unleashed a volley of webs,  ensnaring Miguel's limbs and slowing his movement. You know he will chase you down and stop you. You won’t let him. With unwavering confidence, you leaped off the edge of the building, soaring through the cityscape of York New. The wind whipped against your mask, heightening your senses and sharpening your focus.

“Green Goblin spotted in Brooklyn Bridge!”

You heard Pav from the ear piece, following a sound of bomb from a place. Immediately you went to the place Pav has mentioned. The bridge was almost in shambles, you saw the three swinging towards the bridge and scoped everyone as they could. Without any question, you immediately went towards the bridge, grabbing any citizen you could see and place them from a safest place. 

There were falling debris from the bridge, you tried to use your webs as much as you can to stop its fall, taking the other people out of the way. Then, you heard a scream—multiple screams.

No.

You turned your head from the screams’ direction, a university bus was hanging at the edge of the bridge. The logo familiar to you, it was the university’s logo where you work at—and you knew who are the ones using it on summer break.

"NO!" Your heart pounded in your chest as you sprinted towards the plummeting bus, the desperate cries of your students echoing in your ears. Without a moment's hesitation, you extended your arms, shooting out a long, sturdy web that latched onto the side of the bus, halting its descent. The sheer weight of the vehicle strained against your webbing, threatening to overpower you.

Gritting your teeth, you summoned every ounce of strength within you, muscles tensing as you fought against the force. Inch by inch, you managed to slow down the bus's fall, but it continued to drag you closer to the perilous edge. Panic surged through you, but you refused to yield. With a fierce determination, you quickly fired another web, this time securing it to a nearby wall, providing additional support. The combined strength of your webs and your unwavering resolve prevented the bus from plummeting any further, as you held on with all your might, muscles trembling with strain.

Then a—

SNAP!

The web strained under the immense weight of the bus. With a sickening snap, the web gave way, releasing the bus from its temporary suspension. The screams of your students pierced through the air, intensifying the sense of dread that clenched at your chest. In a split second decision, you made a daring choice. 

Letting go of the remnants of the web, you launched yourself into the open air, hurtling downwards alongside the falling bus. Time seemed to slow as you descended, the rush of wind roaring in your ears. The ground rushed closer and closer, and then, with an earth-shattering impact, the bus crashed onto the unforgiving cement floor beneath the towering structure of the Brooklyn Bridge.

The scene was filled with chaos and destruction, the sound of bending metal and shattering glass echoing in the aftermath of the crash. Your heart pounded in your chest as you assessed the wreckage, the safety of your students weighing heavily on your mind.

Time seemed to blur as you landed on the unforgiving concrete floor, your heart pounding in your chest. Panic surged through your veins as you sprinted towards the mangled wreckage of the bus. Each step felt like an eternity, your mind filled with a flurry of worries and desperate pleas.

"Nonononononono," you repeated in a frantic mantra, taking off your mask. Your voice tinged with fear and urgency. The sight that greeted you was one of devastation. The bus, now a twisted metal heap, was surrounded by debris and scattered belongings. Smoke billowed from the wreckage, the acrid scent filling the air.

"Guys?" you called out with desperation in your voice, the shortness of breath betraying the adrenaline coursing through your veins. Each word escaped your lips with a sense of worry.

"Guys! It's me, Professor History— please respond!" Your voice echoed through the wreckage, a hollow plea bouncing off the twisted metal and shattered glass strewn across the floor. The sound of your fists pounding against the bus added a percussion of desperation to the chaotic scene. Your heart raced, fear clawing at your chest as you anxiously awaited any sign of life from within the mangled wreckage.

The deafening silence hung heavy in the air, engulfing the scene in an eerie stillness. There were no screams, no signs of life emerging from the twisted wreckage of the bus. Just an unsettling quietness that seemed to amplify the weight of the situation. Your heart sank, a knot of dread forming in the pit of your stomach. You strained your ears, hoping against hope to hear even the faintest whimper or stirring, but there was nothing. It felt as if time itself had frozen, trapping you in this moment of agonizing uncertainty.

No screams, nothing but a quiet sound.

Tears welled up in your eyes, blurring your vision as the weight of the tragedy settled upon you. A mixture of anguish and grief washed over you, threatening to engulf your entire being. Your body trembled with sorrow, your breaths coming in ragged gasps as you struggled to contain the overwhelming emotions within you.

Each tear that streamed down your face carried the weight of the lives lost. Your students oh your loving students, their dreams shattered, and the futures cut short. The pain in your heart felt unbearable, as the realization of the magnitude of the tragedy consumed you. It was a deep ache that resonated through your entire being, leaving you feeling hollow and broken.

With shaky hands, you reached out to touch the cold, lifeless metal of the bus, your fingers tracing the dented surfaces. The shattered glass beneath your feet served as a cruel reminder of the shattered hopes and dreams of the students who had once filled these seats. Your sobs echoed in the emptiness around you, a heart-wrenching sound that seemed to reverberate through the desolate scene.

In that moment, you mourned not only the loss of their lives but also the loss of the bright futures they had ahead of them. Each tear that fell was a testament to the deep love and care you held for your students, their absence leaving an irreplaceable void in your heart.

As the tears streamed down your face, they carried a profound sense of loss and a desperate longing for the impossible—to turn back time and rewrite the tragic outcome. But all you were left with was the haunting silence and the painful reality of their absence.

The echoing laughter of the Green Goblin cut through the silence, its sinister tone reverberating in the air like a chilling reminder of the villain responsible for this devastation. The sound pierced through your grief, igniting a surge of anger within you.

Wiping away your tears with a trembling hand, you turned your gaze towards the source of the laughter. Your eyes burned with a fiery determination, fueled by the pain and loss you had just experienced. The sight of the Green Goblin standing amidst the wreckage, his grinning visage masked by madness, only served to intensify your resolve.

“You,” you said in gritted teeth, “you won’t escape from what you’ve done!”

You extended your arms and shot a web at one of the upper walls, propelling yourself forward to chase after Green Goblin. The echoes of his maniacal laughter reverberated in your ears, fueling a burning rage within you. The sound was like a taunt, a challenge that you were more than ready to accept.

As you swung through the city, your web-slinging skills guided you with precision and speed. The wind rushed past you, whipping through your mask. Your heart pounded in your chest, adrenaline coursing through your veins, as you closed the distance between you and the malicious villain.

Every fiber of your being was consumed by the desire to bring him to justice, to put an end to his reign of chaos and protect the innocent lives he threatened. The memories of your fallen students fueled your determination, driving you forward even when your body ached and your muscles screamed for respite.

There was sound of scratching static in your ears, “Slinger! Don’t go alone and chase him, he’s too dangerous you—”

You ripped off your earpiece, consumed by an overwhelming wave of rage. It didn't matter which version of Green Goblin this person was. They had taken the lives of your students, the very people who brought light and happiness to your world. They were the reason you fought, the reason you donned the mask and took on the responsibility of protecting others. The weight of grief and anger propelled you forward, fueling your determination to bring this villain to justice.

You followed Green Goblin through the twisting alleys and towering rooftops, determination coursing through your veins. The air whipped against your mask as you maintained a safe distance, observing his every move. Your heart pounded with a mix of adrenaline and anticipation, knowing that this encounter would be anything but ordinary.

Green Goblin spun around, catching sight of your presence. His crazed laughter filled the air as he leaped onto his glider, propelling high above the cityscape. Without a moment's hesitation, you shot your webs, swinging through the sky in pursuit.

The battle unfolded in a chaotic symphony of punches, kicks, and explosive projectiles. You danced through the air, agile and nimble, dodging Green Goblin's relentless attacks with a mixture of acrobatics and web-slinging finesse. Each swing and flip showcased your formidable skills, a testament to the hours of training you had devoted to honing your abilities.

But the Green Goblin was a force to be reckoned with. His strength and speed were unmatched, and his relentless assault began to take its toll. Blow after blow rained down upon you, sending shockwaves of pain throughout your body. Your vision blurred, and your movements slowed as fatigue threatened to overtake you.

Blood trickled down your face, mingling with the sweat beneath your mask. You tasted the metallic tang of it on your lips, a reminder of the brutal reality of the fight. The pain was excruciating, but you refused to let it break your spirit. You were a fighter, a symbol of resilience, and you would not back down.

Not when after they died.

With every ounce of remaining strength, you launched yourself into a final assault. Your fists and webs became a blur of motion as you fought back with everything you had. Your strikes connected, and Green Goblin staggered, momentarily disoriented. It was a fleeting opportunity, and you seized it with unwavering determination.

But Green Goblin was not so easily defeated. With a vicious snarl, he retaliated with newfound ferocity. His blows came faster and harder, each one landing with bone-jarring force. You felt the impact reverberate through your body, weakening your stance with each strike. Your energy waned, and your body screamed in protest.

As the battle raged on, your movements grew sluggish, your responses delayed. You fought to stay on your feet, but the relentless assault pushed you to the brink of exhaustion. It felt as though every ounce of strength was drained from your body, and the world around you blurred into a haze.

In a final, devastating blow, Green Goblin sent you hurtling through the sky. Pain ripped through your body as you spiraled downwards, the ground rushing up to meet you. Your vision faded, darkness encroaching upon your consciousness. The mask that concealed your identity became stained with your blood, a testament to the brutal beating you had endured.

As unconsciousness claimed you, you clung to the hope that you had given it your all.

Strong hands swiftly catch you as you teeter on the edge of consciousness, their grip providing a lifeline in your exhausted state. You couldn't discern the identity of your savior; your weariness was too profound to make sense of the details. With a profound sense of relief, you surrender to the enveloping darkness, allowing it to claim you as the pain in your battered body gradually subsides.

Miguel landed with a controlled grace on a nearby rooftop, cradling your limp body in his arms. Worry surged through him as he beheld your battered form. Gingerly, he reached up and removed your mask, revealing the extent of the damage inflicted upon you. Your face bore the marks of the brutal encounter, streaked with blood and adorned with dark bruises that marred your once serene features. The sight stirred a mixture of emotions within Miguel—worry and anger.

He told you to stay—don’t go. How could you disobey simple rules?

“Miguel,” Jessica’s voice was heard from his earpiece, “He is captured, we’re taking him back—how are they?”

“Beaten up, round up the others and call for backup to clean up the mess the anomalies made.”

“Copy.”

You groaned and slowly regained consciousness, your eyes fluttered open to reveal your surroundings—a futuristic clinic that emanated a sense of advanced technology and sleek efficiency.

The room was adorned with clean, white walls, illuminated by soft, ambient lighting that cast a gentle glow. The air was infused with a sterile freshness, carrying the faint scent of antiseptic agents. The medical equipment and monitors present were state-of-the-art, seamlessly integrated into the surroundings with their sleek design.

The furniture was ergonomic and minimalist, offering both comfort and functionality. The room exuded an atmosphere of professionalism and cutting-edge medical care, assuring you that you were in capable hands within this futuristic healthcare setting.

As you slowly sat up on the bed, a wave of memories washed over you, reminding you of the intense battle with Green Goblin and the person who had saved (probably Miguel) you from the brink of falling.

The pain in your body served as a stark reminder of the brutal encounter, but you couldn't help but marvel at the resilience that had allowed you to survive.

With a deep breath, you swung your legs off the edge of the bed. Thankfully your spidersuit was placed on a white couch, looking good as new.

Still, you have not moved on from what had happened to your students, their deaths too soon for you. 

You shake your head, you need to talk to Miguel and the others at least. Ask them what will be the fates of the anomalies, did they even catched Green Goblin. You sure hope they did.

You stepped out of the clinic, your body now clad in your trusted spider suit. As you made your way through the headquarters, you couldn't help but notice the bustling activity of fellow spider people. They moved with agility and purpose, their suits adorned with variations of the iconic spider emblem.

The HQ itself was a sprawling complex, a sanctuary for those who shared your mission of protecting the multiverse. The sound of spinning webs and the occasional hum of futuristic technology filled the air, creating an atmosphere of innovation and readiness.

Walking through the corridors, you couldn't help but feel a sense of unity among your spider brethren. The shared purpose and camaraderie were palpable, evident in the nods of acknowledgment and encouraging nods exchanged as you passed fellow spider people in the hallways.

Finally, you arrived at Miguel's office, the dimly lit room casting an air of mystery. The dominant color scheme of deep blue added to the aura of secrecy and focused intent. The office was sparsely furnished, with only a floating platform holding an array of futuristic gadgets and tools that Miguel relied on for his work.

You missed being here for some reason.

You saw most of the people you knew; Jessica, Gwen, Hobie, and Pav. You rarely speak to Peter, but somehow he is not here despite being around using Mayday to annoy Miguel.

Speaking of Miguel, again, he is on the platform—he used his infamous pose of putting his hands on his waist and looking dismayed or tired. 

You approached the platform, marveling at the advanced technology before you. The devices emitted a soft glow, their intricate designs hinting at their incredible capabilities. You knew that within this unassuming office, Miguel planned and strategized to keep the multiverse safe from threats.

Hobie first noticed your arrival, a face of relief when he saw you walking well and alright. You waved at him, pointing at Miguel, indirectly asking Hobie what the hell is the man muttering about. The punk just shook his head, no idea what was happening with Miguel.

When Gwen saw you, she immediately went to you and tried to assist you. You brushed her off, telling her that you are alright and in no need of assistance. You looked back at the platform where Miguel is whispering words in a language you can't understand.

You shoot a web at the rim of the platform and swing on it, landing besides Miguel. You spoke, "Hey, what happened—

You felt a sharp jolt as Miguel's strong grip closed around your wrist, his fingers digging into your skin. His expression was a stark contrast to the usual calm and composed demeanor you were accustomed to seeing. Anger and frustration etched across his face, transforming his features into a portrait of intensity.

His piercing gaze bore into yours, demanding your attention. The air around you seemed to thicken with the weight of his emotions, leaving you momentarily speechless. His grip was firm, almost unyielding, a physical manifestation of his urgency and concern.

"What the hell were you thinking?" he spat, his voice laced with venom. Every word dripped with anger, lashing out like a whip, leaving no room for argument or explanation.

You could sense the depth of his emotions, the gravity of the situation weighing heavily on his shoulders. It was evident that he had been consumed by fear and frustration during your absence, his mind racing with worst-case scenarios. In his eyes, your actions had placed yourself in unnecessary danger, and he was not about to let it go unnoticed.

"I told you specifically to not chase him," his grip tightened around your wrist, you winced, "and you have the guts to fucking remove your earpiece." he growled, his voice low and menacing.

His rage was a tempest, consuming everything in its path. You could see the frustration on his face, twisted by a fiery wrath that threatened to engulf him.

His grip on your wrist was almost painful, his fingers digging into your flesh, marking you with his wrath. It was as if his touch alone could convey the depth of his fury, a physical manifestation of the storm raging within him.

You could feel his anger seeping into your own veins. You met his gaze, refusing to be cowed by his fury. "I had to do something, Miguel. I—"

But then his grip tightened further, his anger flaring up once again. "You're reckless! You think you can just charge headfirst into danger without considering the consequences?"

His eyes bore into yours, a mixture of rage and concern simmering beneath the surface. For a moment, you thought you saw a flicker of understanding, a glimmer of recognition that you were both driven by a shared purpose, even if your methods differed.

"They died, Miguel! I saw them die right before my eyes, I couldn't even erase their screams in my head." you tried to wriggle your wrist from his iron grip, but it seems to tighten even more when you try to move it.

"And you chased him down, for yourself. Beaten up by him almost to pulp—what for?" his grip on you did not lose. You were now trying hard to get out from his grip, even pulling all of the strength to your body so he could let you go.

He did not.

"Miguel—you're hurting me, let go!"

"No, you need to know your lesson!"

"Stop! Please—it hurts—let me go! You're hurting me!" you cried, your free hand getting a grip on his hand and clawing it, hoping that he would let go.

None of the people below you and Miguel tried to stop, Hobie could not stand it and spoke, "You heard them, let them go—"

“¡Hobie, cierra el pico!” 

Miguel's voice erupted in a furious shout, silencing Hobie. At the peripheral of your vision, you could see Hobie gripping his guitar. His face evident of annoyance and rage towards Miguel.

Miguel's head turned towards you, you couldn't escape the intensity of his raging crimson eyes. They bore into you with a searing anger, as if trying to carve into your very being. His contorted face twisted with pure rage, a sneer curling his lips as he unleashed his pent-up fury upon you.

"Did you just realize what you've done? YOU COULD'VE DIED!"

Miguel's voice thundered through the room, reverberating with a mix of anger, frustration, and concern. His eyes blazed with an intense fury, their crimson hue piercing into your very core.

His features contorted, his jaw clenched tightly, and his fists were tightly balled up, knuckles white with the force of his grip. Every muscle in his body seemed taut with rage as he confronted you, his normally composed demeanor shattered by the magnitude of his emotions. The air crackled with an electric tension, emphasizing the gravity of the situation and the depth of his anger.

"Please—let go—I can fight for mysel—"

"I'm doing this for you, mi vida!"

There was silence.

A deafening silence that enveloped the room, leaving you and Miguel unable to utter a single word. The weight of the situation hung heavy in the air, filling the space with an uncomfortable tension. Even the onlookers below the floating platform seemed frozen, their eyes wide and mouths agape with disbelief etched across their faces. They witnessed the scene in front of them had already been unfolding. No creases left.

Time seemed to stand still, each passing second accentuating the absence of any sound.

Miguel's furious expression slowly transformed, his features transitioning from anger to a dawning realization, and finally to regret. As his grip on your wrists loosened, you instinctively snatched your hands away, the sting of his earlier aggression still lingering. Confusion and hurt washed over you in waves.

How could this man have mistaken you for someone else all this time? How could he have harbored such rage without truly seeing who you were? The questions echoed in your mind, a mix of frustration and sadness intertwining as you struggled to make sense of it all.

"I—" Miguel's voice trailed off as he reached out towards you, his face etched with a mixture of remorse and apology.

But you were not ready to accept his words, not after everything that had transpired. You held your sore wrists where Miguel's grip had left its mark, the pain serving as a reminder of his unwarranted aggression. A bitter laugh escaped your lips, devoid of any joy or amusement.

"You're out of your mind," you said, your voice laced with a mix of disbelief and frustration. "All this time, you've been thinking of someone who is not me, Miguel. I am not the person you think I am. I am not who you want me to be. I am not yours."

The words cut through the air, sharp and final. The sneer on your face revealed the layers of disappointment and hurt that lay beneath the surface. You leaped off the platform, swiftly accessing the controls on your watch. Fingers swiftly tapping the buttons, you entered the coordinates for Earth-14215, a world where you would no longer be burdened by Miguel's misconceptions.

The portal shimmered behind you, its ethereal presence beckoning you towards new possibilities. With a determined resolve, you unclasped the watch from your wrist and hurled it in Gwen's direction. The small device sailed through the air before landing safely in her outstretched hand.

"Thanks for the pass, Gwen."

As you stood there, your gaze fixed on the portal's swirling energy, it was time to go home.

With a steady step forward, you crossed the threshold, your body engulfed by the portal's radiant glow. As you disappeared into the other side, you left behind Miguel's office, leaving behind the remnants of a past that no longer served you.

You had made up your mind. You were done. You weren't coming back.

It was a rainy night in York, you scouted from the rooftops of the buildings. You have taken care of the criminals and threw them into jail. It's been three hours since you left, a particular white spiderman suit kept following you around and kept interrupting your hero work by helping you, without you even asking for help.

And it irritates you to the bone.

Despite her attempts to explain Miguel's situation and offer her help, you remained steadfast in your determination to handle things on your own. 

With each interrupted battle, your frustration grew. The rain-soaked streets mirrored the storm brewing inside you. You had no patience for Gwen's persistent interference, dismissing her explanations as irrelevant. Your focus remained fixed on protecting your city and carrying out your duties as Spider Slinger.

Together, you and Gwen swung through the rain-soaked night, a reluctant duo bound by their shared commitment to protect the city. 

"Please, listen to me!" Gwen shouted from the thunder.

"I think what you said is enough, Gwen." you replied, shooting webs by webs on each building to continue your swing.

"But—"

"You can’t patronize his shit Gwen, you’re out of there, I’m out of there too—and that is his problem not ours to fix, now please get out of my Earth before I change my mind.”

Your words dripped with a mix of frustration and defiance as you confronted Gwen. The rain continued to fall around you, adding an extra layer of intensity to the situation. You were determined to assert your independence and distance yourself from Miguel's issues, refusing to be dragged into his problems any longer.

The weight of your words hung in the air, a clear message that you had no intention of tolerating Gwen's attempts to explain or justify Miguel's actions. This was not your burden to bear, and you were unwilling to let it consume you any further. You wanted Gwen gone, back to her own Earth, and you made it clear that any hesitation on her part would not be tolerated.

The sound of a thwip followed by the distinct noise of a portal opening and closing confirmed that Gwen had indeed departed. A sense of relief washed over you as you realized she had respected your wishes and chosen to honor your decision. Despite the tension and disagreement, there was a flicker of gratitude within you for her understanding.

In the aftermath of her departure, the rain continued to fall, its rhythm a soothing backdrop to your thoughts. The weight of the night's events still lingered, but a newfound sense of clarity settled upon you. You were now free to continue your work without the unwanted interference.

You landed on another building, until a familiar sound of a portal opening and closing. With a groan, you spoke with pure annoyance, "Gwen, were you not listening to me or—"

"It's me," a familiar voice resonated through the darkness, cutting through the rain-soaked air. The voice that you don't want to hear anymore

"I'm sorry," Miguel's voice cracked with emotion, the weight of his words heavy in the air.

"I acted out of anger, and I took it out on you. I had no right to hurt you, to hold you so forcefully. It was a terrible mistake, and I deeply regret my actions." His voice trembled with sincerity, carrying the weight of genuine remorse.

"Please know that I never intended to cause you harm. I let my rage consume me, and I failed to see the truth in front of me. I'm truly sorry for the pain I've caused you."

Miguel's voice quivered as he began to recount his haunting past, his words laden with deep sorrow.

"I once pretended to be a husband and a father, creating a false life, taking the place of my variant self. I was unaware of the consequences, the irreversible damage I was causing to the dimension where I didn't originally exist. As the universe disintegrated around me, I witnessed the gradual disappearance of my wife and child, their existence fading from my arms."

His voice choked with grief, a profound sadness seeping through every word. "The weight of that loss, the pain of realizing the lives I had unknowingly destroyed, it haunts me every day. I can't erase the pain I've caused, and for that, I carry an immeasurable burden of remorse."

"You just looked like her."

You looked at him, both standing there, drenched in the relentless rain, facing each other on the desolate rooftop of one of York New's industrial buildings. The downpour mirrored the storm of emotions brewing inside you. A heavy silence descended upon the scene. The weight of the moment left you paralyzed, unsure of how to respond. Despite ten years of being Spider Slinger, and all the years you spent as an individual, you had never quite grasped offering comfort, let alone to a man burdened with deep-seated issues in expressing his feelings.

Time seemed to stand still as both of you remained motionless, locked in a poignant tableau. His slow, deliberate breaths were visible, each exhalation a testament to his inner turmoil. His head hung low, weighed down by the shame of what he had done to you in Nueva York. The rain continued to soak your hair, an icy reminder of the vulnerability you had exposed by removing your mask. The regret tinged your thoughts, but it was necessary for him to witness the anger and disappointment in your eyes. He needed to understand the pain caused by his mistaken belief that you were his deceased wife.

"Then?" you spoke, your voice trembling with a mixture of hurt and resolve. "Why are you even here? You have responsibilities, a busy man. There's no place for you here on my Earth anymore, Miguel."

The bitterness in your words left a bitter taste in your mouth, a reflection of the deep-rooted resentment that simmered within. You watched as he slowly raised his head, his mask dissipating to reveal his face. His sad eyes locked onto yours, piercing through the rain-soaked air. Your harsh words seemed to pierce his chest, evoking a pang of pain even though you were practically strangers. He knew you weren't her, that you were merely a variant of his wife, someone different who didn't share the memories his wife had cherished. You had never shared a life with him, never bore a child together. The absence of even a variant of himself in your Earth accentuated the anguish. It explained why you hadn't reacted when you first encountered him.

Because, in truth, this was your first meeting with Miguel O'Hara.

You were not her, and you were never meant to be his.

"In conclusion, I'm very sorry," he choked out, his voice filled with remorse and self-reproach.

Miguel's words hung heavy in the air, as if echoing the weight of his guilt. He bit his lip, feeling a sharp sting in his eyes. A lump formed in his throat, making it difficult to utter another word. After the incident, he had vowed to himself to bury all personal feelings, to become cold and detached, forsaking any attachments. But seeing you shattered his resolve. The similarities between you and his wife were too painful to bear. In that moment, he longed for the return of both his wife and daughter, even if his actions were irreversible, even if it was an impossible yearning.

"You look pathetic," you couldn't resist the urge to lash out, to release the pent-up tension building within you. The words spilled out, dripping with spite, driven by the turmoil in your heart. You wanted to hurl more insults, to wound him further, but a sliver of conscience held you back. Three words, a petty attempt to inflict some of the pain you felt.

"I know," he replied, his voice cracking under the weight of his sorrow. The rumble of thunder and the relentless patter of rain almost masked his stifled sniffles.

You knew you shouldn't be doing this, that it went against your better judgment, but...

You took a tentative step towards him, narrowing the distance between you. Looking up at him, you saw the confusion etched on his face as you approached. He understood your anger, comprehended the reasons behind it. What startled him, though, was when you reached out, gently cradling the back of his head against your shoulder. The warmth of your embrace enveloped him, a fragile lifeline amidst the tempest of emotions. Both of your arms encircled his neck, one hand resting tenderly on his head, offering a semblance of solace—the only way you knew how.

Gradually, Miguel's rigid body softened, his arms finding their way around your back as he clung to you, afraid to let go. The two of you sank down onto the wet concrete floor, the rain serving as a backdrop to his muffled sobs against your Spider suit. It was a moment of raw vulnerability, an unspoken understanding that sometimes comfort could be found in the arms of a stranger, in the midst of a storm that mirrored the tumult within your souls.

Your fingertips grazed through Miguel's damp hair, feeling the raindrops clinging to each strand. The rain-soaked air enveloped both of you, lending a sense of melancholy to the moment. As his arms encircled you with a delicate touch, you sensed his hesitance, his fear of upsetting you further. Despite the limited time you had spent together, it seemed that Miguel had placed his trust in you completely. From his role as an authority figure to exposing his vulnerability, he had laid it all bare before you.

There was an unspoken understanding between you, a connection forged in the midst of chaos and shared experiences, a bond that transcended mere acquaintanceship. And though words eluded you in that moment, the warmth of your touch conveyed the unspoken support and acceptance you offered him.

"You know, I have not forgiven you." you said.

Miguel lifted his head, revealing a visage stained with tears. His cheeks were flushed, a testament to the emotional turmoil he had endured. His eyes, once vibrant, now appeared weary and disheveled. The traces of sadness etched upon his features spoke volumes of the pain he had carried within. In that vulnerable moment, his raw emotions were laid bare, allowing you to witness the depth of his sorrow and exhaustion.

"How can I?"

You looked at him, your expression softening as you observed Miguel. His face was marked with signs of weariness, evident from the redness in his eyes and the disheveled state of his hair. It was clear that he had been through a lot, and despite the tumultuous situation, he mustered the courage to face you.

There was a certain vulnerability in his gaze, a plea for understanding and forgiveness. In that moment, you realized that perhaps he truly wanted to make amends and find a way to earn your trust. With a small, gentle smile, you conveyed your willingness to give him a chance, to see if he could prove himself worthy of your faith.

You pressed a finger on Miguel's chest where his heart is beating.

"We start from here."

[degenderates]

this is so disingenuous wtf. i would think he of all people would understand the difference between fanfiction/fanart and AI-generated shit instead of just lumping them into "remix" culture. it's not about remixing, it's about the fact that AI generated stuff profits from the stuff it steals from, while fanart/fic does not, but more importantly, it's soulless. there is no human vision in AI, simply words put into a box. fanart/fic involves a human vision of story, and i think siken understands that pretty well since he's written it himself. there's time and effort put into it. there's revision and community. there is no community involved in AI, only exploited south/southeast asian women who get paid pennies to train the algorithm and get exposed to traumatic images in the process. AI *can* be used to do really cool things, i've seen it be used as voice masking technology as part of a performance art piece, for instance, but simply shitting out a ton of images that are inherently exploitative on multiple levels without making it your own in some way is not "remix culture." there's no one artist or idea you're remixing from, just a plethora of "information" scraped, stolen, and blended together so that all invididuality has vanished.

[with-love-from-hell]

I am begging you all to stop supporting AI. Not the AI chat bots, not Art, Not the song covers on youtube, not the filters, not writing. NONE OF IT. I am already starting to see advertisements using AI art in their marketing. This shit takes jobs and income away from artists, you fucks.

Look at this ad and tell me an artist or photographer could have done it better.

The toes are fucking backwards. They're all big toes. The right foot is smaller than the left and the skin on the leg is a different color. The socks look fucked up. All of this is bad.

And what's worse is that the people in marketing are having their livelihoods threatened because of this shit. Freelance artists are already struggling with getting commissions, and are being replaced by a shit generated image where the character you like has 6 fucking fingers on each hands because it doesn't cost anything. Voice actors are losing out on gigs because people can use their voice to say or sing *whatever they want* without their consent. Photographers and photo editors are struggling with getting people to hire them to restore and fix photos, because anyone on tiktok can just slap an AI filter over it and make it visibly worse, but now I look like I'm in star wars, right? Writers are struggling to bid for columns or get commissions because people would rather use a text generator to do the work for them easily and faster. And for why?! It's hurting people! It's stealing from people who are already struggling! People arent griping for no reason- it's purpose is to make artists obsolete so they wont have to be paid. It's happening in real time. This isn't a damn joke. STOP USING IT

And even if it wasn't hurting people now, it has the potential to! just think of the consequences of being able to generate images of people at any place at any time, or being able to make someone say -anything- at all, and claim it as real. This is horrifying, and people decide to ignore posts like this because haha they can make themself look like a barbie doll! Or put their fav in a situation! or personalize a song from their fav! Are we really so impatient and greedy for content that we're willing to destroy the livelihoods of the people who also enjoy our fav content and are generous enough to make it come to life because there's a free way to get very poor quality content pumped so rapidly that it dulls our appreciation for the content itself?!

[violetsandshrikes]

Since sharing this post about a usful AI used to compile and graph research papers, I've realised I have a few other resources I can share with people!

Note: I haven't had a chance to use every single one of these. A group of post-grad students has been slowly compiling an online list, and these are some I've picked out that are free (or should be free and also have paid versions). However, other students using them have all verified them as safe.

Inciteful (Using Citations to Explore Academic Literature | Inciteful.xyz) – similar to connectedpapers + researchrabbit. Also allows you to connect two papers and see how they are linked. Currently free.

Spinbot (Spinbot - Article Spinning, Text Rewriting, Content Creation Tool.) – article spinner + paraphraser. Useful for difficult articles/papers. Currently free (ad version).

Elicit (Elicit: The AI Research Assistant)  – AI research assistant, creates workflow. Mainly for lit reviews. Finds relevant papers, summarises + analyses them, finds criticism of them. Free (?)

Natural Reader (AI Voices - NaturalReader Home (naturalreaders.com)) – text to speech. Native speakers. Usually pretty reliable, grain of salt. Free + paid versions.

Otter AI (Otter.ai - Voice Meeting Notes & Real-time Transcription) – takes notes and transcribes video calls. Pretty accurate. Warn people Otter is entering call or it is terrifying. Free + paid versions.

Paper Panda (🐼 PaperPanda — Access millions of research papers in one click) – get research papers free. Chrome extension. Free.

Docsity (About us - Docsity Corporate) – get documents from university students globally. Useful for notes.

Desmos (Desmos | Let's learn together.) – online free graphing calculator. Free (?)

Core (CORE – Aggregating the world’s open access research papers) – open access research paper aggregation.

Writefull (Writefull X: AI applied to academic writing) – Academic AI. Paraphrasing, title generator, abstract generator, apparently ChatGPT detector now. Free.

Photopea (Photopea | Online Photo Editor) – Photoshop copy but run free and online. Same tools. Free.

Draw IO (Flowchart Maker & Online Diagram Software) – Flowchart/diagram maker. Free + paid versions.

Weava (Weava Highlighter - Free Research Tool for PDFs & Webpages (weavatools.com)) – Highlight + annotate webpages and pdfs. Free + paid versions.

Unsplash (Beautiful Free Images & Pictures | Unsplash) – free to use images.

Storyset (Storyset | Customize, animate and download illustration for free) – open source illustrations. Free.

Undraw (unDraw - Open source illustrations for any idea) – open source illustrations. Free.

8mb Video (8mb.video: online compressor FREE) – video compression (to under 8mb). Free.

Just Beam It (JustBeamIt - file transfer made easy) – basically airdrop files quickly and easily between devices. Free.

Jimpl (Online photo metadata and EXIF data viewer | Jimpl) – upload photos to see metadata. Can also remove metadata from images to obscure sensitive information. Free.

TL Draw (tldraw) – web drawing application. Free.

Have I Been Pwned (Have I Been Pwned: Check if your email has been compromised in a data breach) – lets you know if information has been taken in a data breach. If so, change passwords. Free.

If you guys have any feedback about these sites (good or bad), feel free to add on in reblogs or flick me a message and I can add! Same thing with any broken links or additions.

[zuzsenpai]

I'm honestly so furious right now. I work in a video and photography department for a large healthcare organization. We're a department of 9, plus an intern. We're under the "marketing" umbrella, though we do a lot more than marketing for the network (for example we also make patient and employee education videos/photos/animations).

Yesterday the social media department (also part of marketing. We supply photos and videos for them to post) posted an AI generated image on our company's instagram page. It was a photorealistic AI image of a baby, used to promote our pediatric cardiology service line. The image is so ridiculously obviously AI, it makes me want to puke. It's uncanny, too smooth with zero skin texture, the eyes are messed up, and the "baby" literally has full eyelashes on one eye and none on the other.

I'm livid because it's like... what the fuck do they need OUR department for if they're going to be using AI now?

To our knowledge, this is the first time they've done this. I get that there's an "argument" to be made that it's incredibly difficult and time consuming to set up a photoshoot with a real baby, and they wanted something fast and easy because the marketing service line directors are constantly on social media's ass to push out abhorrent amounts of marketing content on social media. This culture will never change. We've tried to explain that people don't like seeing constant mediocre ads for healthcare service lines when they are on social media. But the higher ups won't listen to that AT ALL. So... AI generated gross ass baby it is (I cannot stress enough how creepy this "baby" looks).

But it's a slippery slope. Because first it's a baby. Next it'll be a fake orthopedic surgery patient because who has time to find a real patient for our photographers to shoot? Never mind that people on social media actually DO like seeing real patient stories. Next it'll be a billboard on the highway with AI generated doctors because who cares to know what their real doctor looks like, right? This is making me so mad for the photographers in my department who work so fucking hard to shoot and edit stunning, quality images. Their jobs will be relegated to event photography until someday an unmanned robot can set up their own camera and do that too (they probably already can?).

Recently one of the service line directors in marketing asked me to use an AI voice for an animation I'm making. I had to put my foot down and say that we have three fantastic local voiceover artists who we use for these kinds of projects. One of them is a retired gentleman who went to school with my dad and is always extremely happy to get work from us. Sometimes I think these marketing people just want to use AI because it's trendy.

I understand that there are other industries and individuals who are already being massively affected by AI to a much larger and much more detrimental degree. And that my problems are largely me spinning out of control. I figured AI would hit us eventually, and there's really nothing I can do except continue to put my foot down about the voiceover thing. I can't do much for the photographers, sadly. I'm too nervous to get mad at social media, though I really wish I could at least point out how disgusting that baby looks. But I'm worried that I'm going to be some sort of pariah if I voice my opinion on it. I already get paid peanuts and there's really no way for me to advance my career here. So being the "person who shits on social media for using AI" might be detrimental to me in the long run. I really DO want to advocate for our photographers, but is it my place? Idk, it's complicated.

[redeyedbastard]

I don't think a lot of pro generative AI (from here on just called AI) people get why a lot of creatives (writers, artists, photographers, etc) are so against it.

Because they always seem to think it's about jobs in these fields being taken up by AI that's our main worry. And honestly, that's not really why I care. In my ideal society, machines would do the labour intensive jobs for humans, and we'd spend our time pursuing things like art, music, or whatever as hobbies. Maybe we all learn to fix X% of the machines and that's our day job? idk. Anyways I'm not on point here.

My POINT is that the jobs to me aren't the main worry. The reason I dislike AI (and I know all my creative friends and mutuals and stuff agree) is that AI is built on work scraped from all over the internet, taking from the little guys like us to feed some billionaire corpo's machine. We didn't get paid, nor did we give our permission for our art to be study material for Image Bot #4583095. They just stole our works, and now are making massive money off it, all while gloating that they're "just as creative as the artists".

I wouldn't hate AI so much if it hadn't immediately exploited artists all over the internet. If like, ImGen(dot)AI (a site I made up just now) only trained their LLM on artists that a) gave their permission and b) were properly credited and paid, I'd be glad for them. Because that's how it should have been the whole time. But NoOOooOOoOOo, then the AI would be 'prohibitively costly' and 'they'd have to start from scratch'!! Poor millionaire techbros (;^;)

When it comes to AI making pictures/stories (it's not 'art' imo because that requires soul, something chapgpt doesn't have), or AI voice-work, or AI generated faces for people in movies/tv, the reason people are against it has nothing to do with 'hating progress' or 'unga bunga fire is scare Thomas Edison was a witch' shit. It's because the people who's hard work is used to make these generators want their fair share of the pie. You can get the code for a basic generative AI on github, but without the material to train it on, the material you steal from creatives to make your money, you'd have nothing to show for it. So forgive us plebeian creatives for not just bending over and taking it from the tech industry dry.

Until the industry gets its shit together and starts doing the bare minimum to respect the creatives that make their shit worth using (because lbr, without the art and works of creatives that were stolen to feed these fuckin things, AI wouldn't have anything to SHOW you), creatives are going to keep covering their asses by putting in anti-scraping tech and poison pill pieces into their work.

Frankly, I can't wait for all these lawsuits against generative AI companies to make it law that you can't just train your ai on other people's shit without permission. I mean you'd think people would know* that. You can't just steal shit from people (and yes, training your AI on someone's works without permission is stealing, unless it's something very clearly public domain. And no, google images is not public domain) and expect them to be all happy for you when your expressed purpose (as is the case with many generative AIs) to put the people you're stealing from out of a job.

[valla-chan]

Something I can't stand:

The proliferation of grift culture and "venture capitalist" techbros using AI as a way to steal and resell other people's art has completely ruined the awe and appreciation we had of early AI experiments that didn't hurt anyone, and had inevitably kneecapped those type of projects' continued existence

What am I talking about..? Stuff like background removers, upscalers, vocal removers, frame interpolators, tools to make art seamlessly tile, fucked up nightmare distortion images, AI based vocaloids (made from paid and consenting voice actors), comedic deepfakes, singing faces (think Dame da ne)

The fun stuff, that is either too poor quality to pass for a human creation, or is merely a free tool designed to fill a very specific niche in one step of art creation, or doesn't function in the way we currently think of AI and is made by a closed group of people all being paid for their contributions (eg vocaloid, of which the AI voicebanks are created and used almost the exact same way as they always have, with manual tuning and songwriting, employed voice actors, and the AI part being used to blend phonemes rather than create something from scratch)

Unfortunately I think it was kinda inevitable that AI turned into what it is, because for a lot of high profile people, the grift never ends. We are finding out more and more that those fun, mostly harmless tools they gave us at the beginning as our introduction to AI are being swiftly deprecated and paywalled, because they always intended to fuck us over once it became viable to do so.

And I think, based on the conversations I've had, at first a lot of people didn't really have opinions towards their art going into the AI mush machine, because what it generated was silly and unmarketable. It was deformed rooms with dog faces and scrungly trees. It was a sloppy mess most people considered harmless. And that's how they eased their way into turning theft from artists into something profitable for them, to be sold back to people who want to be artists without the effort. Or maybe not even that. Some don't give a shit about art, and just know that other people like art enough to give the lowest seller lots of money, and use AI as a grifting tool to undercut artists for Lamborghini money.

And now that we know that the people who made our background removers, our image upscalers, our wacky gray goo karl-marx-getting-slimed-at-the-kids-choice-awards generators, our funny singing face tech, etc have taken those data sets that many initially didn't even think twice about, and turned them on us for profit with other tools, there is no way in hell anyone will ever trust a movement like this again.

They played us, and are now crying and wiping their eyes with money about how we feel betrayed and stolen from. Capitalism and grift culture has ensured that the only way that AI could go is towards a point of automating out the emotion, work, quality, and ownership of art itself.

Have you noticed that while these techbro AI image generators have surged in quality, background removers and upscalers have stagnated in quality upgrades? Silly tools like making faces sing have been abandoned in the dust. The actual TOOLS that can be justified— those made from controlled datasets of a specific variety that are designed to help actual artists— have fallen completely out of favor in exchange for a focus on a low effort, generalized art-replacement that can be sold to anyone lazy or conniving enough to buy into it. And maybe the worst part is they're being made by the same companies, sometimes even using the same datasets they hid in the initially harmless tools that we once trusted to remain as such.

It's been so sad seeing the future of hyperspecific tools to help artists turn into this ratrace towards art replacement. I watched many of our opinions shift over time as the culture and tech did. I wrote this because I had a brief recall of "the fun early days" and how people were generally okay with things like that, and how a fair amount of people still are with low-level machine learning tools that aid specific processes rather than replacing them. I don't really have a point to make here. We were once again fucked over by the people who promised to make our work and lives easier, and then raged at for hating them for using that sentiment to abandon those projects in favor of stealing from us on a wide scale.

[marshmallowprotection]

What do you think about June from The Ssum? Are you interested in that game or maybe decided not to play?

Let's slap out the first statement that needs to be said about the Ssum. I do not support the use of AI. I am disappointed in Cheritz. Someone suggested, and I agree, that they should've utilized the programs that many webtoon artists use to make backgrounds on time crunches if that was a concern; Or, they could've continued to do what they've been doing over the years by using stock images in the game that are royalty free. They did it in Mystic Messenger and the Sssum at the start. There is no ethical or morally correct reason to use AI.

I want that shit to die out like NFTs steadily are because I hate seeing artists, actors, writers, voice actors, etc robbed by these AIs. It leaves a damn sour taste in my mouth to think about the people being hurt by AI right now, and I can't believe Cheritz would ever think it would be okay to do that. I'm very disappointed in them as a company that prides itself on the happiness of others but they stooped to using AI in their game. That's not okay nor will it ever be okay. I pray they stop and listen to their fanbase about this shit.

But, as far as my interest in the Ssum goes outside of that fact?

Ever since it first came out, I simply did not enjoy the gameplay. It didn't take me long to realize that the Sssum wasn't a game for me, personally.

I felt overwhelmed by the amount of options placed in front of me, and while it is a learning curve to pick up a new game, the more that stood in front of me to do, the less I felt I understood and the more I wanted to pull my hair out. The interface was super busy, there was a lot to do! However, I attempted to give it a try for a few days with Teo because sometimes you have to try something to see if you can learn how to do everything and then enjoy it after better understanding the setup of the game. So, I tried to look past the amount of things to do and focus on the story.

Teo didn’t do anything for me interest wise. He didn't have anything interesting about him that worked for me romantically. So, it was hard for me to become invested when I was put in a situation where I didn't have a choice but to romance one character and he didn’t fit my type. That’s not a knock to Teo as a character, either, he just isn’t my type and therefore I had a hard time feeling drawn him to talk to him. 

I don't think Harry is my type, either, so had I tried again when his route came out, I would've inevitably quit again. This is not a knock to the characters. This is personal preference thing! Just because they are not interesting to me doesn't mean that they're not interesting characters, it just means I don't feel interested in them enough to care about their stories. 

If I'm going to be spending all my time focusing on having a major relationship with these characters, I need to be invested in them. I need a hook and something that excites me about them from the beginning. There was no draw for me and I felt no need to continue playing when there was no interest for me to keep doing so. I didn't feel an incentive to learn more about them because they weren’t my type. 

Microtransactions are a real problem these days. The Ssum has a lot of them in its game package. Listen, it is important that companies get money to be able to continue to create their games and do more, and I understand that for some games, microtransactions are always going to be there and there's nothing we can do about that. I miss when you could pay for videos games with a one-time purchase. But, unfortunately, those days are gone and I don't know if they will ever come back. 

People deserve to be paid for their time and energy they put into a game, regardless of what they did for that game, and this is one of the ways that people get paid. Microtransactions help pay for the things that keep these mobile games alive. The servers will always cost them a hefty penny, writers, programmers, artists, etc need to get their money as well. 

However, when you are playing a game that offers itself to you as something that you can play for free, then your enjoyment of that game should not be limited by the fact that you don't want to pay. A lot of major story elements are locked behind a paywall, and that takes away a lot of the enjoyment a player can have in this game. I do think it's complicated to figure out where to place the paid options in a game, but having them lock away key parts of the story that let you enjoy yourself just leaves a sour taste in my mouth. 

Maybe I was spoiled by just how free Mystic Messenger is. My enjoyment of a chat room is not locked behind my ability to pay for a better answer. I can say anything I want to say in the chat room and I can find out what happens in every replay. I don't have to spend money on batteries to be able to pick a better answer to learn more about the character. 

Now, about June as a character.

I do not appreciate his connection to Jumin Han. Because, to me, he is the family man and if he had a sibling, half-related or not, he would be there for them no matter what. If he knew about them, he would be there, and he would do everything within his power to make sure that they had a connection that nobody could break apart. Out of all the characters to make a family connection to, I don't know why the hell they thought it was a good idea to give Jumin Han one when he would've never gone a day without mentioning that he had a brother.

The only way I can reasonably think about this connection is if he was not informed that he had a brother at all until recently. Now, I'm not playing that game, but I do not think that's the way they're angling it. I think it was established that they already know about each other in this universe and they aren't close. That's not how Jumin Han would handle his life.

You mean to tell me that the character who wants nothing more than to have a family is not close to his half sibling? You want to tell me... that he's had a half-sibling this entire time, one that he knows about, and he's not close to him at all? That's not in character for him. All he has ever wanted was a family.

But, he didn't get that in his life.

He was an only child who was neglected by his parents, left to fend for himself emotionally all the time. He spent his childhood alone in every sense of the word when he wasn't with Jihyun Kim, and when he wasn't alone, he was either being sexually harassed by his father's partners or being threatened by people who wanted to hold him for ransom if he was caught by himself for just a moment away from his home. Before that, when he was left with his mother, she would lock him away in the basement and demand he stay there until he learned how to be "normal".

God, I think about that sometimes, and I think about the fact that he diminishes his trauma because he feels as though his trauma needs to be diminished because he grew up privileged. He understands his privilege as a child of a wealthy man but he discounts his own trauma in doing so. Anyone can suffer, regardless of status, and it's hard to see him knock himself down. 

The only thing this man has ever wanted was to experience what it felt like to grow up with a normal family. That's why he cherishes the idea of family so much. That's why he is filled with so much love for the RFA and his MC, friends. Because they become the family he's always wanted. They become what he always deserved. So, to think about him having a sibling that he's always known about and he has nothing to do with feels wrong. 

He is the kind of person who pushes for families to talk to each other and be there for one another, so why isn't he there for his brother? The only way you could play that off would be to say that he had no idea he had a little brother until recently.

I think they could take that somewhere if it was written that way, because it would devastate his worldview. He would be beside himself to think that he had a connection out there that he was never allowed to get close to. To think that he was never allowed to get close to his brother because his mother hated him so much. I don't like his mother in any sense of the word. I could see her doing that to him.

She is a materialistic and greedy woman who only cares about her wants and needs, and it's already hard enough for me to imagine her having another child because she does not seem like the kind of person who wants to have children. She seems like the kind of person who would only have a child to ensure her comfort in life. She does not seem like a person who would view a child as their own person, instead seeing them as a money ticket. I don't know anything about June and the way his life has shaped up with Carolyn as a mother. I don't know how that dynamic works with them, but I sure know how horrible of a parent she is to Jumin.

It can't be much better for June.

I can't rationalize anything about the connection between him and Jumin. 

At the end of the day, I want Mystic Messenger and the Ssum to exist as their own games. It is one thing to have Easter eggs in your game that tie back to the things that that company has done before. Like, I think we all love a little callback! Nameless and Dandelion had some references all over Mystic Messenger and there was nothing wrong with that. Those were fun little homages and call back to things that you might have played before.

But, when you tie your new game so inherently to the last game, it cannot stand by itself. People don't play because they want to learn more about the new and exciting characters that are in your new game, they are playing because they want more content about the characters from the other game. I know many people feel the same way about that because I have seen a lot of conversations about what it means to tie these characters together.

It does a major disservice to characters like Teo, Harry, and June.

It was one thing when they did little tie-ins like Jaehee picking up Teo’s phone for a day or Zen being a host at a television show! I had nothing wrong with those instances because it was nice to see them. But, now that they are so inherently tied together and it changes so much canon we thought we knew from the start, I don’t know how to feel. I don't like it. June's story changes Jumin's story and now, when you're playing Mystic Messenger, you're going to have to live with the fact that Jumin has a brother who is never mentioned.

You know, had they established the fact that he had a half brother he knew nothing about in that bad ending dlc, maybe this wouldn't have been such an issue, because then, there would have been something to play with narratively that made sense, but I don't know, I'm losing my mind over here. I have nothing but critiques all day for this shit.

[walks-the-ages]

Here's a rebloggable version, since Cryptotheism blocked me, and any one else in the reblogs calling them out for using AI!

Apparently local Tumblr Funnyman can't handle it when people don't find their "jokes" funny when it's at the expense of artists:

[ID: A screenshot of a tumblr post by user cryptotheism , marked green in shinigami eyes, where they have posted AI-generated art of Goku from Dragonball-Z speaking to two men in turbans, with various AI-glitches in the photo, such as a random pumpkin with slashes on the front, Goku only having 4 fingers on one of his hands, and extra turban floating in the background. Cryptotheism has captioned the image "Rabbi Moshe De Leon Discusses Theology With Goku - Coño Culo, 14th century". Below Cryptotheism's original post, a blog, censored for privacy, has responded "Ew this is plagiarism algorithm, not real art". Below, in response, Cryptotheism has responded with "This was painted in the 13th/14th century by celebrated Andalusian artist Coño Culo. It is one of the earliest historical examples we have of Goku interacting with Spaniards." End ID]

Here's the response I posted, which they blocked me for less than an hour after I made it:

This type of post is especially heinous of OP, because using AI "because its funny" is literally a tactic to normalize AI art -- aka, art theft.

"no one was going to be paid to paint this!!!" The replies cry over and over again; "therefore its fine for me to use AI bullshit that steals the work of thousands if not millions of artists to make it, instead of putting any effort into it myself via a simple photo edit, or actually commissioning/requesting it of someone!"

"there's ai databases that are trained only on public domain images!!!!" Okay so why is Goku there? I kinda doubt Goku is in public domain art. That means this scraped art from non-public domain images, and is stealing from fan artists.

It's especially shameful for popular blogs to do it, because you've got people rabidly defending it as a knee jerk reaction.

The fact Cryptotheism had to restrict the replies of the post, because so many people were calling them out for using AI art, and even went as far as editing the original post to be a shitty Dark Souls thing to hide what they'd done-- stealing art for the sake of a joke?

I hope every single person sees this version, and realizes just how low Tumblr Funnymen™ are willing to sink for the sake of a """joke"""

-- even if it means directly contributing to the normalization of artists, writers, voice actors, and more losing their work and livelyhood to AI-generated bullshit.

Because that's what you're doing here. You are actively contributing to the normalization of AI bullshit.

Its literally an alt-right tactic to recruit people via memes and "jokes" for a reason.

If you claim to support artists and writers and actors against losing their jobs to AI, only to turn around and reblog "funny memes" literally made by AI "because no one was going to get paid to paint it", then congrats! You don't actually care about protecting hardworking artists!

https://www.bbc.com/news/technology-67922303

https://www.artnews.com/art-in-america/features/midjourney-ai-art-image-generators-lawsuit-1234665579/

https://techcrunch.com/2023/01/27/the-current-legal-cases-against-generative-ai-are-just-the-beginning/

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/ai-stable-diffusion-stability-ai-lawsuit-artists-sue-image-generators/

https://www.bbc.com/news/technology-66866577

https://www.nbcnews.com/tech/tech-news/famous-artists-trained-ai-generator-viral-list-rcna131995

"I usually hate AI art, but I'm reblogging this because its just too funny!" = "I don't actually care about artists having their work stolen as long as it's palatable enough for my tastes"

Not only did Cryptotheism block me, they're also blocking anyone in the reblogs who points out that their post has been has edited to be a Dark Souls meme, with the replies restricted, because they apparently couldn't stand people in the replies calling them out for the AI and wanted to try to hide it to prevent further backlash:

https://www.tumblr.com/original-post-locator/740713306199818240/tumblr-user-cryptotheism-posted-an-ai-generated?source=share

^ try to find the above post in the notes of the original post, and it will not show up at all, meaning that Cryptotheism also blocked this blog to prevent this from showing up in the notes.

When asked on their blog about why they are using AI art generators when it's widely known (and in this case, they're literally blocking anyone who offers proof) that it harms real world artists, actors, and writers, Cryptotheism continues to double down that it's somehow harmless because it's a joke--

-- when as my original post points out, and other people in the replies and reblogs of the original post (if they're still visible and haven't been blocked as well by the OP) : turning AI art into memes and jokes is literally how AI art is going to be normalized.

In real time, January 2024, Voice Actors are already losing their jobs to AI. Writers and artists were on strikes for months in 2023 to fight to protect their livelyhoods from predatory AI-- (and even then, the Union decided Voice Actors were expendable and didn't consult them when signing a predatory deal that resulted in the current cases of game companies being able to "hire" AI voice actors)

If you knowingly reblog AI Art uncritically simply "because it's funny" or because "no one is going to get paid to do this obscure, wacky art for me", you are literally contributing to art theft and the entitled culture of AI Art Bros, who think because they can't afford to commision someone, and because they're too fucking lazy to draw/edit something themselves, that means they're entitled to stealing the art of anyone who's ever posted on the internet.

https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/films/news/robin-williams-ai-voice-daughter-b2422506.html

Robin Williams' daughter has had to speak up about how people have been using AI to recreate her father's voice after his death from suicide in 2014:

Sunday (2 October), actor Zelda, 34, posted: “I am not an impartial voice in SAG’s fight against AI. “I’ve witnessed for YEARS how many people want to train these models to create/recreate actors who cannot consent, like Dad. “This isn’t theoretical, it is very very real. I’ve already heard AI used to get his ‘voice’ to say whatever people want and while I find it personally disturbing, the ramifications go far beyond my own feelings.” She added: “Living actors deserve a chance to create characters with their choices, to voice cartoons, to put their HUMAN effort and time into the pursuit of performance. “These recreations are, at their very best, a poor facsimile of greater people, but at their worst, a horrendous Frankensteinian monster, cobbled together from the worst bits of everything this industry is, instead of what it should stand for.”

TL;DR:

User Cryptotheism made a "joke post" using an AI-generated image of Goku in a classical painting style, then edited the original post to something completely different and blocked anyone in the reblogs who criticized them for using AI after receiving backlash, and has continued to insist it's just a funny joke and not a big deal that they are normalizing art theft.

[skiplo-wave]

What were the strikes even for if in the end AI won?

(Actors really are pieces of shit)

Basically part of contract is the person has to give consent to have their image used for AI and get paid for it when used multiple times

And then on the side they made some agreement of AI being used for voice actors without alerting the voice actors on it

Tbh why would someone want have AI use their likeness? Especially when people do that shit without one’s consent anyway

[lizaluvsthis]

Whats your opinion on AI?

Just asking because alot has use is

Chat ai? Yes. I do notice alot of people use it- just for fun.

I don't think this generation is going on forward with ai. They should've stopped with chats only.

I don't really like image/art ai generating and voice ai

I don't support it because it really hurts to think that so many artists are at risk to do their jobs to get paid by people just to do whats passion and love to their own works.

Ai aint doin allat honestly.

If ai can do anything then we do it better. Quote.

I'm never a fond of ai writing cause it sucks and some authors are troubled to this because they find it a bit too much... just like art ai same as writing and with voice too.

I fear that if voice ai became a thing. Someone might actually use your voice or someones voice to frame for doing something that they never did wrong.

Voice ais are a risk to voice casts as well. Even in my country someone thought it would actually be a GOOD IDEA to replace reporters as AI's 💀

Like the hell?

I want to pull a grudge to ai users to PUT LIMITS AT USING CHATS ONLY...

[kylebbrown]

Social media ethic

The current state of social media ethics:

What trends are happening in the industry?

In the industry, I see a lot of discourse around AI-generated posts. I tend to see news sites talk about how worrisome AI-generated images and voice manipulation is getting. The public is concerned with how far AI can go before the government steps in to start monitoring posts.

What are two current cases related to social media ethics?

Currently, in Tennessee, former state legal ethics attorney Dean Morgan could seek back pay after being fired from his job in 2020, from tweets he had made in 2015/16 regarding Islam before he had worked for the board. About five days ago Google’s parent company Alphabet was hiring former DOJ lawyers for its team after receiving its second antitrust lawsuit from the DOJ for possibly creating a monopoly in marketing and advertising. This is a problem because these new lawyers used to work for the DOJ and that could mess up the legitimacy of the case. Causing people to accidentally or purposely share private information that would benefit either side.

Outline the current code of ethics for social media by a professional organization you would be interested in joining as part of their social media staff.

            Treat others with dignity and respect. Refrain from demeaning or discriminatory behavior and speech. Be mindful of your surroundings and of your fellow participants. Alert Twitter staff if you notice a dangerous situation or someone in distress. If the last point didn’t give it away, I would love to work for twitter's social media staff or possibly bumble.

Brands/professionals with strong social media ethical codes:

What brands are utilizing proper social media ethical practices?

The first company that comes to mind is Ben and Jerry's Ice cream. This company is always one of the first to post how they view social issues and donate and spread useful information to the company on how to incite change. It’s lovely seeing what they’ll post because you can tell they really care about the community and the world we leave behind for the future generation.

Are there any professionals that you feel practice strong ethical behavior on social media? Support your choice with evidence.

  The first person that comes to mind is Alexandria Ocasio- Cortez (AOC). She’s a political figure and a representative of New York and as you can assume she keeps a pretty squeaky-clean online personality. She’ll still post about problems that America is having, insight into change, and drive a message to the people, but she does this in a way where it complies with community guidelines and ethics without completely vilifying people. “Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez on Tuesday met with organizers of Stand Up to Violence, a first-of-its-kind program in New York that has shown a nearly 60% reduction in gunshot injuries.”(Mar 21 & 2023Share, 2023). AOC states her view on the Silicon Valley bank nightmare, she reposted this tweet “ 2. Where were regulators ? They are supposed to watch and warn. 3. Can't wait to see how many people yanked their money, told others to,  and shorted the stock. 4. Will the  number of emps  that aren't paid this week lead to a multiple of that number not being paid in 2 weeks? And then replied saying: “The regulators were there until SVB lobbied Congress to remove the guardrails that prevent this kind of crisis in the first place. Warnings were everywhere. SVB, like many gamblers before them, knew what they were doing. Let the FDIC open the books & see what it’s working with. -  How many of the Silicon Valley folks who lobbied Congress + Trump to cause this crisis are willing to admit they were wrong? I haven’t seen a single one of these guys crying for a bailout take a single ounce of accountability for their actions. It’s honestly shameless.” (https://twitter.com/AOC/status/1634643268326629376?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1634643268326629376%7Ctwgr%5E208a205948783d6ab105b43297e356ec5a796638%7Ctwcon%5Es1_c10&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fpublish.twitter.com%2F%3Fquery%3Dhttps3A2F2Ftwitter.com2FAOC2Fstatus2F1634643268326629376widget%3DTweet)

What are some takeaways you can bring forth in your practices?

            Well, thankfully I grew up during the rise of social media. I learned from a young age that the internet is forever and what you post will remain online forever, this fact has always shaken me to my core. So, I was very diligent with what I posted online. I also had to have my parents follow my accounts when I opened them. They had to be private, and they were watching what was going on. The biggest advice I could give new social media users is that what you post matters. Even if you have only five followers because if you start posting wild things it will come back to bite you.

Key concepts and issues:

What main concepts do you are necessary to adhere to for your conduct online?

            I try to be as neutral as possible when I post. I like to share what I’ve learned, provide the resources for others to learn as well, and have fun in a clean way (no cussing, no crude jokes). This is for my protection; I would hate to have said something offensive and been known as the “rude or messy guy” for all my life. So, online I proceed with caution.

What to do and what not to do: what main concepts do you feel strongly against and want to make sure you avoid on social media?

            It is quite easy (or should be) to be a person with any type of social media account. A good rule of thumb is to not post anything you wouldn’t say in real life. Just because you are behind a screen this doesn’t mean what you post is anonymous; it can always get tracked back to you. Do post anything hurtful or hateful, if you think that just because you are on your alt acct. you can start posting wildly untrue and cruel things about a person or group of people, you are sadly mistaken. It will come back to get you especially if word gets out that, that is your acct. You are screwed for a long time. Cancel culture is huge nowadays, people have been kicked out of school, lost their jobs, been harmed, and have had their lives ruined just because of a post they made.

Bullet point 5-10 core concepts that you will follow as a practicing social media professional. Include citations that you used for sources/supports for this.

Fact-checking any information/news I would like to post before I post it.

I will be citing my sources for those informative post

I will private my account, so I am not denied jobs because of what I post. (don’t worry I don’t post bad things)

I will try to do some research on the people I am following, understanding whom you follow is important because people will view whom you follow as an extension of your character.

I will make sure my Twitter likes are private ;)

[uncloseted]

How do you feel about the AI taking over creative jobs discourse? Apologies if you’ve already talked about it, I just wanna add my experience.

Idk why people are getting so freaked out. DGMW, I completely see the worry, but as someone who works in a writing/marketing job everyday, the notion that AI could ever produce the kind of work we do, and well at that, is absolutely not possible. It either makes things sound too casual or very unnatural, it’s hard to make it sound completely authentic. Also, we use AI as a tool IN my job! It HELPS AID us in our work, helps with proofing (admittedly, not always perfectly) but we in the industry use it like a brainstorming tool. It’s actually an amazing tool when utilized correctly, and we know it’s not going to be, like, stealing our jobs from actual talented people. We treat it like an additional pair of helping hands, not stealing hands, or whatever.

I think I've written on this before but I can't find it so it's totally okay that you couldn't find it either 😭

I do definitely get your point. I think AI can be a super useful tool for creative people in the same way that digital animation tools have been useful for the animation industry. But I think this take is putting a lot of trust in industry to make good decisions, and I think that trust is largely misplaced. Corporations don't necessarily care if the work they're producing is bad as long as it's making them money. Sure, an AI is never going to write Before Sunrise. But an AI could probably have written The Super Mario Bros. Movie, because it's a cash grab- people will see it whether or not it's good.

And big corporations know that. They're willing to sacrifice quality in the name of maximizing profit. If that means getting an AI to write a script and having one person go through it to make it seem more human, they're going to do that, because it's less expensive than hiring a whole team of writers to come up with it from scratch. This is one of the big reasons that the Writer's Guild of America is currently striking (and everyone on this blog should support them in that). We've already seen that push to sacrifice quality for profit in action- studios have increasingly been moving towards "Mini Rooms", where only three or four writers are responsible for writing the scripts for a production instead of the usual eight or more. This means that on some productions, the opportunities for writers are essentially being halved, writers are getting paid less for doing more work, new writers are struggling more than usual to break into the industry, and existing writers are having trouble advancing to becoming showrunners.

The SAG-AFTRA actors strike is for similar reasons (and everyone on this blog should also be supporting the SAG-AFTRA strike!) - studios want to be able to scan a background performer’s image, pay them for a half a day’s work, and then use their image for the rest of time without their consent and without paying them royalties. That's a huge blow to the number of roles that will be available for working class actors, in an industry that's already over-saturated. And think about what that could do to the acting industry as AI technology gets better- why would you cast an unknown actor as your lead when you can just resurrect Marilyn Monroe or de-age Harrison Ford? Sure, it will probably look a little janky, but it doesn't matter- it's cheaper, and people will go see it regardless of whether or not the computer generated imagery looks good. Already, janky versions of Anthony Bourdain and Andy Warhol's voices have been re-created instead of hiring an actor to do that work.

And all of this is predicated on the idea that AIs won't get better at their jobs. Sure, they produce copy that sounds unnatural now, but they're not going to stay that way forever. Chat-GPT only launched on November 30, 2022, and already, it's head and shoulders above past AI models that we've had. The more people that use it for their jobs, the more inputs that it gets, and the better it will get at producing "correct" responses. And if people start building AI models with creative industries in mind (which they will), those technologies are going to get better and better, too- at least good enough that they can compete with someone who's kind of mediocre at their job. AI is a tool now, but there's a point at which it could reasonably take over the job on its own, and I don't think that's as far in the future as we might think.

I'm sure there are some studios and agencies that will continue to create human-based work because it is better quality. For example, I doubt A24 is going to convert to AI written scripts or AI background actors any time soon. But even then, it's likely that those studios and agencies will cut down on the number of people they hire and supplement the extra work with an AI. Or, like they did with the advent of the internet, cut down on the number of people that they hire and then increase the speed at which they produce work, creating a more stressful working situation overall.

The bottom line is that I do think AI is a very real threat to creative industries, and it will continue to be unless we decide on how it can and can't be used from now, when it hasn't caused much chaos yet. Corporations don't have the best interests for humans or humanity at heart. Their bottom line is profit, and it always will be. That's why we keep getting remakes of remakes of remakes and reboots upon reboots upon reboots and gritty reimaginings of nostalgic properties. And so if increasing profits means automating out the work of people who actually like their jobs, so be it. That's what they're going to do.

[northwest-cryptid]

I see stuff like this:

and cannot stress enough that this is how I feel about AI and the like.

AI did not steal that art, someone trained it on stolen art; that's on the person who trained it. Someone prompted it, they fed it that art to steal; again that's on the PERSON.

AI as a tool is not a problem, it's not a bad thing; the way companies and generally just horrible stupid people are using AI? Yea that's the problem.

Ethically trained AI isn't some scary thing, AI trained to replicate voices isn't a problem if the people supplying the voice banks were literally paid for it; and consented to training an AI with their voice. That's just an exchange of goods and services. That's not some unethical thing. If someone trains AI on their own art or on ethically sourced art where it was paid for, and supplied to them with the purpose of training an AI that's not some moral problem.

We don't blame people, we blame tools. Stop that shit. Do not let people get away with being shitty by scapegoating the AI for them. The individual behind the art theft is the problem, weed them out. The scummy AI that consumes way more power than really necessary, and is unethically trained on fuck-all; that's a problem, weed that shit out.

The AI your friend made on their computer that's just kind of silly and fun and they use it to generate images or whatever and it's trained on their own photography? Yea whatever that's fine.

Like, stop blaming tools for the crimes of their users. Please.

[digitalcappuccinosblog]

Trends in Paid Search (PPC) in 2024 

With the advent of 2024 in view, paid search (PPC) is still on its way to undergo a makeover and the new trends and technologies are leading the charge. However, it is indeed a great deal of necessity to be aware of these developments for marketers who want to gain the maximum from advertising with a limited budget and thus drive better results. Here’s a look at the key trends in PPC that are set to shape the industry in 2024.

1. AI and Machine Learning Integration

PPC is the area where AI and machine learning are getting more common, and 2024 will be the year when they will become even more important. By using automated bidding strategies and predictive analytics, AI can assist in campaign improvement by calculating large sets of data, recognising patterns, and making on-the-fly adjustments.

Key Benefits:

Smart Bidding: Providing automated bidding strategies for targeted CPA can help decision-making by eliminating the need for visual adjustments.

Predictive Analytics: The AI can forecast which keywords and ad copies indeed will be the most successful.

2. Privacy and First-Party Data

Ads in 2024 will be more personalised. This will be done by advertisers developing their own data which will be used to create a personalised advertisement experience

Key Strategies:

Customer Data Platforms: Use CDPs to collect, structure, and make use of first-party data on different marketing channels.

Consent Management: Privacy regulation compliance can be guaranteed through the application of fortified consent management systems.

3. Rise of Video Ads

Video ads will get more popular as a very effective medium for engaging people. YouTube, TikTok, and Instagram are the best places for video PPC campaigns.

Key Approaches:

YouTube Ads: Use TrueView ads for a wide audience with interesting content also to cover the main audience!

Social Media Video Ads: Short, attention-grabbing videos on platforms like Instagram and Tiktok can be a great success in getting people to engage with and convert.

4. Voice Search Optimisation

Voice-active devices are becoming a larger part of our daily lives so it is necessary to optimise.

Key Tips:

Long-Tail Keywords: Use long-tail keyword phrases and incorporate natural language to get the voice search.

Local SEO: Optimise for the local search terms, because most of the voice searches are location-based.

5. Visual Search Advertising

Visual search is attributing search functionality to the users who would be able to look for products in the form of images. This is the most fundamental way for an e-commerce business that is driving a product image-oriented experience online.

Key Tactics: The main strategies of the business involve using smart technologies, employing the best UI elements, and innovative marketing through better communication.

High-Quality Images: Always make sure that product images look good and search engines find them efficient.

Platform Utilisation: Use Google Lens and Pinterest platforms for visual search advertising.

Conclusion

PPC trends are going to play an important role in the effectiveness of companies' campaigns. Digital cappuccino provides affordable PPC services in Gurgaon. Through automation, we utilise first-party data, video and voice search, and interactive and ethical advertising practices, we can supercharge your PPC campaigns and gain more clicks and conversions. Remain on the cutting edge by not only maintaining these trends but also by consistently enhancing your strategies for optimal performance by using our services.