Agency is the ability to decide the fundamental actions and beliefs that guide you as a human being. I prefer agency over freedom because the latter has loaded context, especially if you are American or in the American orbit. Agency is not a bludgeoning tool we use against others; it is an internal state cultivated from the mind and externalized through behavioral action.
Our lives are roads laid down as the need to move forward presents itself. Sometimes, an externality or constant (such as time lived) will bring new forks in the road. Often, the forks in the road are the opportunities to realize we need to change.
Self-awareness reveals the truth. Self-awareness is the doorway through which you must travel to reach the hinterland of agency. This penultimate and mutable treasure is the key to unlocking the prison of the conditioned mind. One by one, you will adjust the knobs and dials, often reeling from the change you are now bringing to your existence.
The shadow is the other side of the light, and you cannot live an integrated life if you never dim the lights and explore your psyche. There is no wrong time to start and no time that is too late. The ancient saying about the right time to plant a Bonsai tree holds true here. "When is the best time to plant a Bonsai tree?" "20 years ago." "When is the second best time?" "Right now." [...]
Why
If the time we are living in marks a moment for history to record, it may be the time in which humans remembered what we have long forgotten.
A wrecking ball can take down all that is precious to us at any moment. Suppose we rely on the constancy of externalities for our salvation and stability; in that case, our peace can be ruptured by those who take issue with our institutions for one reason or another.
History has shown the narrative of despots and their unending drive to ensue chaos as a tool to disempower societies, cultures, and even families.
In these times, the wise move is to build the reserves of your fortitude and lean very heavily into your innate human curiosity and your thirst for inner knowledge.
I am writing in the year of our creative existence, 2025, as a member of this human species inhabiting a rocky body hurtling through the vacuum of space.
Emergent at this time is the system we are calling artificial intelligence, AI.
The word artificial:
The term artificial originates from the Latin word artificialis, which means "pertaining to art or craft." It is derived from artifex (meaning "craftsman" or "artisan"), a compound of ars (meaning "art") and facere (meaning "to make"). The term entered the English language in the late Middle Ages, initially conveying the sense of something made with skill or art instead of something natural. Over time, its meaning evolved to refer to things that are not naturally occurring but are instead created by human effort or ingenuity. When did it change?
Sonia has been busy building the portal to the next wave of TheTechMargin.
Enter the margins. Evolve your practice. More to come!
AI Safety Bites
When Truth Becomes Synthetic
Deepfakes are a serious threat. AI-generated impersonations now infiltrate executive meetings, authorize fraudulent financial transfers, and spread false communications from trusted leaders. These so-called "whaling attacks" don't merely exploit financial systems—they prey on credibility itself. By harvesting audio, video, and social media content, attackers can recreate executives' voices and likenesses with disturbing precision. As synthetic media grows more sophisticated, the boundary between real and fake dissolves, undermining decision-making, public confidence, and our shared sense of reality.
Yet this isn't a hopeless battle but a call for proactive defense.
4 Key Points
Deepfakes Threaten More Than Finances — The impact extends beyond monetary losses to the gradual erosion of trust within companies and throughout society. As synthetic media grows more sophisticated, the boundary between real and fake dissolves, undermining decision-making, public confidence, and our shared sense of reality.
Credibility Is the New Vulnerability — Attackers have moved beyond password theft. With the aid of AI, malicious actors leverage executives' public personas to create hyper-realistic deepfakes, transforming digital presence into a security risk.
Individual Action Makes a Difference — Individuals can take concrete steps to protect themselves and others. Begin by limiting personal media shared online, reducing the raw material available for deepfakes. Employ detection tools like TrueMedia.org or Deepware to verify suspicious content. Always verify through a second, trusted channel for sensitive or high-stakes requests, particularly those involving money.
Trust is a Civic Responsibility — Stay informed about legal developments—states like New Jersey are already criminalizing malicious deepfake use. Above all, champion a culture of digital consent. Safeguarding trust is our shared civic duty—if we wish to live in a society that values integrity and agency.
Data, neutral and immaterial—something abstract, technical, and outside the realm of daily life. Is that all data is? No.
Data is the invisible infrastructure of the 21st century, quietly shaping how we work, live, connect, and perceive.
Data powers everything from medical decisions to policing algorithms; most people do not fully understand where their data emerges or how it affects them. Artists show us that data isn't just about numbers—it is a reflection of human systems, labor, bias, and belief. It's emotional, embodied, and political.
Through grand, immersive spectacles and quiet, personal visualizations, artists show us how to see data for what it is: not a detached force but a profoundly human one. In doing so, they challenge the myth that data is objective or untouchable and remind us that how we engage with it will shape the world we build. Understanding data isn't just a tech issue—data awareness is a matter of power, equity, and agency. And the more we see how data shapes our lives and our narratives, the more capable we become of reclaiming it.
Artwork by Refik Andadol
4 Key Points
Data is not neutral—it's human-made and deeply political. It is not a passive or purely technical resource—it embodies the values, biases, and power structures of the systems that create and use it.
We live within invisible data infrastructures - Data silently shapes every aspect of life—from healthcare to policing—yet most people don't understand its workings or profound impact.
Artists help make data visible and emotionally legible - Through immersive and intimate approaches; artists unveil the human, relational, and often unequal dimensions of data, transforming it from abstract numbers into something we can feel and contemplate.
Understanding data is essential for agency and equity. As AI becomes woven into society, developing a human-centered understanding of data is vital for creating a future built on transparency, fairness, and shared power.
In an era defined by artificial intelligence and uncertainty, understanding and leveraging AI is essential to staying at the forefront of academic innovation.
As a professor, your research and teaching shape the future of knowledge. Learn AI Tools and Strategies to Advance Your Scholarly Work. Cohorts forming now!
My friend and fellow podcast host Esther makes the most beautiful smelling products for your face and body. Check out this small batch goddess at Ujjayi and enjoy a special discount on your favorite new self-care addition!
Best products on the market. Especially love the deodorant and men’s facial serum —Dice
