The Computer & Technology Network

  • A screenshot of my most recent mindmap for my Obsidian vault showing the collection between my permanent notes and related tags.
    Can Your PKM Protect Your Cognitive Abilities from AI?
    by Sean Barnes
    Five years of Zettelkasten has convinced me that a PKM system can do more than store knowledge. It actively protects your ability to think independently in an AI-saturated world.
  • Someone using AI but with purpose while keeping their cognitive by working through problems without the aid of AI.
    Thriving Alongside AI: Strategies for Protecting Your Mind
    by Sean Barnes
    The first three posts on AI and cognition explored the risks. This one is different — it’s about how to protect and even grow your mind while making full use of AI.
  • An image representing the loss of human knowledge over time without us even knowing it.
    Knowledge Collapse: The Hidden Risk to Society
    by Sean Barnes
    If AI keeps generating content from AI content, could we lose the specialist knowledge that makes human expertise valuable? That’s knowledge collapse — and it matters.
  • An image showing a timeline of a few of the technologies that have raised concerns that they reduce our cognitive capabilities
    We’ve Been Here Before – A History of Cognitive Concern
    by Sean Barnes
    Since the invention of writing, technology has sparked cognitive concern. This post traces that history and asks what generative AI might mean for our minds.
  • Illustration showing a humanoid robot exercising vigorously on a treadmill displaying '99% EFFORT' whilst a relaxed human sits nearby holding a tablet, dreaming of gaining muscle. A jar labelled 'ROBOT GAINS / HUMAN BENEFITS?' emphasises the futility of outsourcing physical work.
    The AI Cognitive Ability Paradox
    by Sean Barnes
    To make the best use of AI, we need strong cognitive abilities — the very abilities AI can undermine. This is the central tension of the AI age.
  • An image representing both the concepts of an AI super committee and AI acting as a mirror on humanity
    Key Takeaways of Stuart Armstrong, Smarter Than Us
    by Sean Barnes
    Stuart Armstrong’s *Smarter Than Us* warned about AI risk back in 2014. I read it in 2025 and was struck by how much of what he predicted is now happening — from AI agents to the moral philosophy problem. Here are my key takeaways, merged with my own experiences of using AI in 2026.