Animation as genre is broadly used across many forms of digital media. In this paper, I argue ChatGPT and similar chatbots powered by Large Language Models (LLMs) can be best understood as animated characters. More than just cartooning, puppetry, or CGI, animation is a paradigm involving the projection of qualities perceived as human such as power, agency, will, and personality outside of the self and onto objects in the environment. Characteristics of animation—including reliance on stereotypes, obfuscation of human labor, and manipulation of an audience’s emotions—can help us both analyze and respond appropriately to interactive AItechnologies and the hyperbolic claims of their promoters.

We welcome participants from grassroots repair organizations, industry, academia, and government interested in discussing the challenges and opportunities facing technology repair in Canada. Share your work. Demonstrate your fixing skills. To register and find out more visit CanRepair.ca

This series of five two-day events, held from Jan. 2021 to Feb. 2022, explores the impacts, pitfalls, and opportunities afforded by the use of AI and big data on and by groups who are economically, socially and geographically on the margins, who might live in smaller towns and cities and/or be members of socially or economically marginalized groups within those communities. Drawing its inspiration from its immediate context of London, Ontario, the panels and workshops examine the various ways digital media, big data and artificial intelligence effect the daily lives of those who are economically, socially or geographically marginalized. Recordings of the panel discussions can be found on the Big Data at the Margins website, link posted below.

The Tracking Automated Government in Canada Register (TAG) Register is the first register of government uses of AI and automated decision making systems in Canada. The Canadian TAG register follows the UK-based Public Law Project's model and was completed with the support of the PLP's Mia Leslie. The argument for registries is based on the idea that in order to develop effective oversight, policymakers and the public need to be able to see how government agencies and businesses are already making use of AI. The aims of the Canadian TAG register are to: 1) advance discussion about the need for resourced, maintained and public registries of government and business uses of AI and automated decision systems (ADS); 2) enable more widespread discussion about if, where and how AI and ADS should be used; 3) stimulate more research and debate about the kinds of systems in use and their impacts; 4) demonstrate the very limited information presently available about systems piloted or in use. Maintaining registries and archiving these should be done by an independent body and would require that government agencies dedicate sufficient resources to record and communicate about the systems clearly. The Canadian TAG register was developed by Starling Centre researchers Joanna Redden, Sananda Sahoo, Effie Sapuridis, Janet Allen and JP Mann. TAG register database code and design was adapted by Jamie Duncan and Alex Luscombe.