MAGGIE HARRISON, Futurism; Sports Illustrated Published Articles by Fake, AI-Generated Writers
"After we reached out with questions to the magazine's publisher, The Arena Group, all the AI-generated authors disappeared from Sports Illustrated's site without explanation.
Initially, our questions received no response. But after we published this story, an Arena Group spokesperson provided the following statement that blamed a contractor for the content..."
Why the Supreme Court’s wasted time on ethics may cost it
"Supreme Court justices, who have infinite power over American lives, have continually resisted calls for greater accountability in a formal code of conduct.
Some justices recently signaled that they might be ready to adopt a binding ethics code. But their record of inaction reflects the difficulty of compromise among the nine and suggests any real change may not come at their own hand.
The delay has had consequences.
Senate Judiciary Committee Democrats plan to authorize subpoenas for three wealthy conservatives, including real estate magnate Harlan Crow, who has provided luxury travel and other gifts to Justice Clarence Thomas."
, The New York Times, October 27, 2023; What Is a Teddy Roosevelt Presidential Library Doing in North Dakota?
"The Theodore Roosevelt Presidential Library, set to open on July 4, 2026, will pay tribute to the 26th president’s “relentless, resilient spirit” and environmental vision. Perched dramatically on a butte, it aims to be “a people’s presidential library,” rooted not in books and archives — there are none — but immersive exhibits that challenge visitors to get, as Roosevelt famously put it, “in the arena.”...
More than a century after his death, Roosevelt remains one of the most popular presidents, celebrated as a man of action, a muscular nationalist, an environmental visionary, a trustbuster or all of the above. He’s a favorite of Elizabeth Warren and Josh Hawley, Tom Brady and LeBron James. Historians consistently rank him among the top five.
But Roosevelt also saw life as a struggle between the weak and the strong, with whites at the top of the evolutionary heap. Which raises another, thornier question: How do you build an honest 21st-century museum about a figure whose 19th-century attitudes about race, empire and, especially, Native Americans still trail him like a cloud of dust?...
Scott Davis, a former executive director of the North Dakota Indian Affairs Commission, said he immediately texted Governor Burgum when he saw the news. “I was really upset,” he recalled in an interview last month in Medora. After a long conversation, Davis said, the governor raised the possibility of adding a “platform” for Native voices at the library...
A two-page spread in the library’s “Story Guide” lists “sensitive issues,” including Roosevelt’s support for eugenics, his militarism and his often “coarse and fearful” views of Native Americans.
“I don’t go so far as to think that the only good Indians are dead Indians,” he said in 1886, “but I believe nine out of every 10 are, and I shouldn’t like to inquire too closely into the case of the tenth.”"...
Roosevelt’s conservation policies, the guide acknowledges, “came at a great cost to Native Americans,” who lost access to homes, hunting grounds and spiritual sites.
Still, the historian Douglas Brinkley, a board member and the author of “The Wilderness Warrior: Theodore Roosevelt and the Crusade for America,” called Roosevelt “a sustainable hero” — imperfect, but possessing virtues and accomplishments that can be built on.
“We’d be a much lesser nation without the efforts of his presidency,” Brinkley said.
Kermit Roosevelt, a great-great-grandson of the president and a board member who teaches constitutional law at the University of Pennsylvania, said it was important to address his ancestor’s ugly attitudes toward Native Americans, as well his broader “atmospheric Social Darwinism.”"
Abbie VanSickle, The New York Times; Justice Barrett Calls for Supreme Court to Adopt an Ethics Code
"Justice Amy Coney Barrett said on Monday that she favored an ethics code for the Supreme Court, joining the growing chorus of justices who have publicly backed adopting such rules.
“It would be a good idea for us to do it, particularly so that we can communicate to the public exactly what it is that we are doing in a clearer way,” she said during a wide-ranging conversation at the University of Minnesota Law School with Robert Stein, a longtime law professor and the former chief operating officer of the American Bar Association."
EMMA BIDDULPH , ScreenRant; Star Trek: Enterprise's 20 Best Episodes, Ranked
"Star Trek: Enterprise is a character-driven prequel that explores the origins and moral ambiguities of various topics, adding depth to the different characters.
The premiere episode, "Broken Bow," is a gritty, adventure-filled introduction to an inexperienced crew facing prejudices and tackling ethical dilemmas.
The series features thought-provoking episodes that examine themes of prejudice, ethics, loyalty, and the greater good while delving into the unknown depths of space."
Montana PBS Series: Playing by the Rules: Ethics at Work
"You see unethical actions at work. You raise your hand and are ignored. What would you do?"
Erin Snodgrass , Insider ; Clarence Thomas' recusal on 'frivolous' January 6 appeal is a 'low-stakes' opportunity for him to fight ethics allegations, Supreme Court expert says
"His apparent about-face on Monday suggests the increased scrutiny over his ethical conduct may be having a tangible effect on his judicial career, Scott Lemieux, a professor of political science at the University of Washington and an expert in constitutional law, told Insider.
"The fact that he didn't recuse himself in previous cases involving the 2020 election makes it hard to imagine these recent stories aren't playing a role here," he told Insider...
Regardless of his reasons, Thomas ultimately did the right thing in recusing himself from the Eastman appeal, Lemieux said.
"The justices have to be convinced if they do unethical things, it will hurt the legitimacy of the Supreme Court," he said."
STEVEN SHEPARD, Politico; Faith in the Supreme Court is down. Voters now say they want changes.
"In addition to the 75 percent of voters — a bipartisan consensus of 81 percent of Democrats, 72 percent of Republicans and 69 percent of independents — who support a binding ethics code, roughly two-thirds of voters support term limits for the justices (68 percent). A similar percentage (67 percent) say the court should televise oral arguments, while 66 percent believe there should be an age limit for the justices. A smaller majority, 60 percent, think there should be an equal number of Democrats, Republicans and independents on the high court."
"Some of the issues and political stalemates that haunt the Supreme Court are returning for the term that begins Monday, accompanied by another concern: how to convince the public that the justices take seriously their ethical obligations."
, Forbes; How To Approach AI Adoption Ethically And Responsibly Within Your Organization
"In order to take full advantage of everything AI technology has to offer, you must be careful and efficient when adding this technology to your organization’s processes. Luckily, you can do a few things to ensure a smooth and flawless transition. Here are four strategies that can pave the way for ethical implementation...
2. Remain up to date on all regulations.
In addition to establishing an AI ethics advisor, it is essential to remain current on the ever-evolving regulations surrounding the use of AI. As the technology advances rapidly, laws will be enacted to address ethical concerns and protect individuals’ rights. By proactively addressing potential problems related to privacy infringement or bias algorithms through adherence to regulations, organizations can foster a positive reputation while harnessing the benefits of AI innovation. Remaining current on all the regulations ensures your organization meets all legal requirements and industry standards.
Until legal requirements and industry standards are ironed out, you must aim to be as transparent as possible. “Currently, there is no way to peer into the inner workings of an AI tool and guarantee that the system is producing accurate or fair output,” says Tsedal Neeley, Naylor Fitzhugh Professor of Business Administration and senior associate dean of faculty and research at Harvard Business School. “As a consequence, leaders should exercise careful judgment in determining when and how it’s appropriate to use AI, and they should document when and how AI is being used. That way people will know that an AI-driven decision was appraised with an appropriate level of skepticism, including its potential risks or shortcomings.”"
Adam Liptak, The New York Times; Justice Kagan Calls for the Supreme Court to Adopt an Ethics Code
"Justice Elena Kagan said on Friday that the Supreme Court should adopt a code of ethics, saying that “it would be a good thing for the court to do that.”
Her comment, part of a wide-ranging live-streamed public interview at Notre Dame Law School, came on the day ProPublica reported that Justice Clarence Thomas had twice attended an annual event for donors organized by the conservative political network established by the billionaire industrialists Charles and David Koch.
Justice Kagan did not discuss the report, but she said that an ethics code “would, I think, go far in persuading other people that we were adhering to the highest standards of conduct.” She added that “I hope we can make progress.”"
DEBRA CASSENS WEISS, ABA Journal ; Lawyer suspended for trying to attend 2 online CLE programs at once
"According to the Sept. 11 sanctions order, Buckley had submitted proof of CLE credits in 2023 to reinstate his law license after an administrative suspension. The material showed that Buckley was trying to get credit for two live webcasts that happened at the same time on June 16, 2022.
Buckley said in an initial response he had attended the two programs using a computer and an iPad. He said he didn’t realize that simultaneous attendance was a violation of bar rules.
The bar counsel later received additional information that, on June 17, 2022, Buckley attended a four-hour-and-40-minute webcast that began at 12:39 p.m. and viewed an on-demand six-hour-and-39-minute CLE that began at 1:06 p.m.
The order by Justice Thomas McKeon of the Maine Supreme Judicial Court cited an earlier case in which a lawyer received a one-year suspension for relying on his assistant to take his CLE classes."
Melissa Heelan, Bloomberg Law News ; ANALYSIS: Professional Integrity Tops Lawyers’ Ethics Wish List
"Lawyers have undergone some soul-searching in the wake of election fraud cases and the Jan. 6 raid on the US Capitol. So it stands to reason that they chose “maintaining the integrity of the profession” as the legal ethics category most in need of revision, according to a recent Bloomberg Law survey.
The respondents, both in-house and law firm lawyers, also said that they want to see more guidance on artificial intelligence and technology.
The American Bar Association’s Model Rules of Professional Conduct, which provide the basis for state ethics rules, are divided into eight categories (in addition to a preamble), each comprised of anywhere between three (Counselor) and 18 (Client-Lawyer Relationship) rules."
THOMAS G. PLANTE, The Mercury News; Opinion: The world Is a mess. Embracing ethics might be our only hope
"Perhaps our only hope to reverse these disturbing trends is to dramatically embrace better ethical decision making on a massive scale. This is no easy task, and our prognosis for doing so is poor. No one wants to be told what to do and to be criticized for their decisions. In fact, when I was recently shopping an ethics book proposal around to publishers, I was told by one editor that, “No one will read a book on ethics since no one thinks that they have an ethics problem. If anything, people think other people have ethical problems, not them.” Oy!
I believe that there are three critical ethical principles that we should all embrace for our well-being and survival."
PETER SINGER, The Japan Times ; With self-driving cars, it's the ethics we have to navigate
"One important but often overlooked ethical issue raised by autonomous vehicles is whether they should be programmed to avoid hitting animals and, if so, which ones...How we should value the lives and interests of all sentient beings is a question that AI ethics needs to address."
CNN; How industry experts are navigating the ethics of artificial intelligence
"CNN heads to one of the longest-running artificial intelligence conferences in the world, to explore how industry experts and tech companies are trying to develop AI that is fairer and more transparent."
"A notable split is developing among the Supreme Court justices over the prospect of ethics reform, with two of the court’s nine members openly hostile to the reporting on ethics concerns...
In theory, eight of the justices could collectively decide to strip another justice of their vote in the most extreme circumstances. The Supreme Court took that extraordinary step just once in its history, when the other eight justices secretly agreed in 1975 to punt any case in which Justice William O. Douglas cast a deciding vote to the following term instead of handing down a ruling. Douglas, who was 76 years old at the time, was partially paralyzed by a series of strokes and refused to retire despite—or perhaps because of—his deteriorating mental condition, forcing the court’s hand. (He eventually stepped down that November.) Beyond that exceptional collective step, however, the individual justices have no ability to substantively check one another...
To that end, it’s not clear yet whether these public remarks fully reflect the stances that the justices are taking when talking amongst themselves. (As you may have gathered from a head count of the justices mentioned, not all of them have spoken publicly about it yet.) If this is the way the winds are blowing, however, then Thomas and Alito might find themselves in an uncomfortable position. It would be awkward, to say the least, for the two justices who’ve received the most scrutiny to be the ones most resistant to reform."
, CNN; As Clarence Thomas faces record unpopularity, Americans want an ethics code for the Supreme Court
"But there is no significant partisan gap when it comes to whether there should be a formal ethics code for the high court justices.
A UMass Amherst poll conducted a few months ago (after Thomas’ trips financed by Crow first came to light) asked whether the Supreme Court should have a formal code of ethics like other federal courts.
About 90% of Americans said it should. Only about 10% said it should not...
In fact, north of 80% of every subgroup polled in the UMass survey said that the Supreme Court should have a formal ethics code. This includes 96% of Democrats and 84% of Republicans."
William MacAskill, The Guardian; The big idea: how can we live ethically in a world in crisis?
"Over the last 14 years, I’ve helped to develop and promote an idea called effective altruism – the use of evidence and reason to figure out how to do as much good as possible. A movement of people has emerged who take this idea seriously and act on it...
Unfortunately, the emergency scenario we live in will not end soon. Most likely, it will persist as long as you or I are alive. For that reason, acting ethically means looking after yourself, too. My grandmother worked at Bletchley Park during the second world war, where Alan Turing famously cracked the Enigma code. She worked extremely hard, and had a nervous breakdown as a result. But as a child I remember her describing, with some fondness, how they would dance in the evenings. She was right to dance.
If we want to improve the world, we cannot focus merely on how bad things are. Our attention, instead, should be on what we can do to make things better."
Joshua Kaplan, Justin Elliott and Alex Mierjeski, ProPublica; Clarence Thomas Acknowledges Undisclosed Real Estate Deal With Harlan Crow and Discloses Private Jet Flights
"Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas for the first time acknowledged that he should have reported selling real estate to billionaire political donor Harlan Crow in 2014, a transaction revealed by ProPublica earlier this year. Writing in his annual financial disclosure form, Thomas said that he “inadvertently failed to realize” that the deal needed to be publicly disclosed...
In a statement Thursday, an attorney for Thomas, Elliot Berke, said that “after reviewing Justice Thomas’s records, I am confident there has been no willful ethics transgression, and any prior reporting errors were strictly inadvertent.”"
