This edition examines the interplay between play and imagination through the lens of futures work, reflecting on a recent experience observing children at play in Santa Barbara, California. It discusses the importance of challenging dominant paradigms and the difficulty of seeing the familiar world as strange. The afterword to "The Field Guide to Design Futures" emphasizes that meaning emerges through attention rather than mastery, advocating for a shift from discipline to disposition in futuring practices. The newsletter also...

Fiction serves as a powerful tool for exploring possibilities, allowing us to rehearse the future and consider alternatives. This newsletter discusses the relationship between fiction, design, and strategy, highlighting the use of Design Fiction techniques to navigate uncertainty and complexity. It promotes an upcoming General Seminar session focused on Design Fiction as a strategic practice, where participants will learn to create tangible artifacts that help envision future scenarios. Additionally, it invites readers to join Office Hours for feedback...

This week features insights on strategy as a fictioning exercise, emphasizing the importance of imagining futures that do not yet exist. It discusses the role of AI in shaping narratives and public perception, drawing parallels between AI and GPS in terms of cognitive navigation. The upcoming General Seminar will explore strategy as a form of science fiction, encouraging participants to engage in futures-oriented thinking. The Office Hours recap highlights discussions on speculative design, frugal innovation, and the intersection...

Week 04 of 2026 brings a roundup of recent events, including insights from Office Hours, highlights from General Seminar S07/E01, and a preview of the upcoming General Seminar on Strategic Fictioning. The newsletter discusses the implications of Spike Jonze's film "Her," introduces a new sponsor, Party Clownz®, and features their innovative product, Circus Clown Prompt Paks. These packs are designed to enhance interactions with AI systems, promoting creativity and fun. The General Seminar S07/E02 focuses on the integration...

This edition explores the potential of locally sourced language models, emphasizing the DIY spirit and independence in AI development. It discusses the vibrant community of enthusiasts striving for performance parity with foundation models, and the implications of running local LLMs on personal hardware. The newsletter invites readers to join the Season 7 opener of General Seminar, where the focus will be on translating weak signals into immersive experiences using Design Fiction. It also highlights the intersection of AI...

This issue invites you into General Seminar S07/E01 (January 14, 10:00 UTC-8) to take the updated AI 2027 Futures Model as a provocation: not something to worship or dunk on, but fuel for critical thinking and speculative imagination. We’ll translate model claims into everyday evidence — design fiction artifacts you can “hold,” like future-archeologists’ finds from a near future where AI is as ordinary as breakfast and as ominous as a USB cable. Alongside the seminar invite, there’s...