Gabriel Burrow

Metaverse or Torment Nexus?

There’s a common joke within science fiction circles derived from a Tweet by author Alex Blechman (2021). It reads, “Sci-Fi Author: In my book I invented the Torment Nexus as a cautionary tale. Tech Company: At long last, we have created the Torment Nexus from classic sci-fi novel Don’t Create The Torment Nexus”.

Make it Ghibli: Howl’s Moving Castle and GenAI Slop

Back in 1986 my grandmother—the late, great Diana Wynne Jones—wrote a book called Howl’s Moving Castle. Years later, it was adapted by Hayao Miyazaki into an Oscar-nominated film of the same name. That’s one of many reasons why I hate Ghibli-themed AI slop.

Data Center 2035: Sam Altman and “Intellectual Capacity”

Is AI getting “smarter”? Are we getting more stupid? Last week, Sam Altman suggested that a single AI data center will be “smarter than the current total intellectual capacity on earth” in 2035. There’s a lot to unpack there…

Haikus // 2024

Bit of a slower year for haikus. I’d be lying if I said they were daily. I got engaged! Wooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo 9th January Blueberry yoghurt Fresh gut-bound bacteria Penicillin death . 28th January Apple Vision Pro clings to his head; face hugger Simulacrum of eyes . 2nd March Hot spring water thrown Upon his steaming fatherContinueContinue reading “Haikus // 2024”

Climate change in contemporary SF games and graphic narratives

Early next year, I’m giving a guest lecture at the University of Oxford that explores how science fiction games and graphic narratives tackle climate change. While hard science and concrete action are the building blocks of any response, these immersive, speculative media offer new ways of thinking through the defining challenge of this century.

Telling stories of rapid transition

Human beings depend on stories. We create meaning by narrativising information and sharing it with others in the form of written texts, visual art, or oral communication. Research may be fundamental to identifying trends, but it is narrative that places facts and figures in context and, ultimately, makes them useful to people. The way thatContinueContinue reading “Telling stories of rapid transition”

Haikus // 2023

Another one. 10th January Leek and potato Soup maker, do your smooth thing But leave some roughage . 18th February Jill Whiteley’s gone Rotored off to sunny shores And a glass city . 7th April Daffodils spring up Bold yellow trumpets tooting The fresh season’s song . 20th April Vauxhall bibimbap A Gordon Ramsay beerContinueContinue reading “Haikus // 2023”

Haikus // 2022

We go again. 15th January We bagged the tree for The bins outside Sainsbury’s A frail skeleton . 18th February Planes like plastic bags Watch live on BIG JET TV The Dome, torn apart . 22nd March Sunshine on Tuesday Bare skin and vitamin D Antarctic horror . 21st April Fourth plumber’s a charm PipeContinueContinue reading “Haikus // 2022”

“THERE IS NO FUEL SHORTAGE!”: How to tackle false information in a crisis

“THERE IS NO FUEL SHORTAGE!” These words, accompanied by an emoji of a tiny car, were shared by Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) Nadine Dorries in response to the apparent lack of gas in petrol stations across the UK. Comments of similar substance were shared by a number of herContinueContinue reading ““THERE IS NO FUEL SHORTAGE!”: How to tackle false information in a crisis”