I have been in Ljubljana to attend the COST GRADE project meeting. This project is one of the most focused and well-managed COST projects I have participated in. You can find the program at the link above. One of the project’s outputs is an exhibition at the Museum of Computer History here in Ljubljana, Slovenia. … Read more
Key Insights Merlin AI The Rise and Fall of Torrenting Origins of Torrenting Developed by Bram Cohen in 2001, BitTorrent allowed users to share files without relying on a single server, making downloads faster as more users participated. The Pirate Bay, launched in 2003, capitalized on this decentralized model, becoming a major hub for peer-to-peer … Read more
Last week, I was invited to a conversation by Ziya Taşkent, who organizes monthly talks on “culture.” The talk is in Turkish, but I present a summary of this talk in English: Digital Culture and Everyday Life Digital culture is deeply intertwined with popular culture; both are undergoing transformation in the realms of communication and … Read more
Key Insights by Merlin AI AI Implementation in Fast Food In 2023, Taco Bell deployed AI across over 500 locations in the U.S. with the goal of reducing order errors and speeding up service. Initial feedback revealed that AI sometimes exacerbated issues, as evidenced by a customer receiving incorrect drink prompts. McDonald’s also tested AI … Read more
Today, Tor is launching a crowdfunding campaign for 10 internet freedom projects. Because without increased support, we’re at risk of losing an ecosystem of privacy and anti-censorship tech. Internet freedom tools are facing a crisis. As of 2025, internet freedom has declined for 15 consecutive years. And yet as censorship and surveillance become increasingly sophisticated … Read more
AI Tools for Journalists Workshop in Adana On Saturday, May 16, 2026, I took part in the “AI Tools for Journalists” workshop organized by TGS Academy in Adana. The workshop focused on how journalists can use basic AI tools in their everyday professional routines. We discussed practical uses of AI in news research, text production, … Read more
Türkiye, following Australia, recently banned social media for children under 15. Just a few years ago, it would have been hard to imagine such a ban, but things change fast. I have curated some information on these bans and related restrictions in other countries using Perplexity. Here it is: Turkey and Australia have both adopted … Read more
Seismic Shift in Datacenter Industry – The datacenter industry is undergoing rapid changes, influenced heavily by the rise of AI technology. – Meta’s construction of a datacenter in Temple, Texas, was abruptly halted, indicating a shift toward new AI requirements. – Traditional datacenters are evolving into AI supercomputers, affecting design, power needs, and operational … Read more
“There Is No Neutral Machine: The Necessary Contribution of Social Sciences and Humanities to AI” Keynote Speech — Erkan Saka Critical AI Studies Conference, Istanbul Bilgi University, 9 May 2026 [Formatted by using Claude.ai] To understand AI, we must stop treating it as a purely technical or mathematical achievement. And to explain why this matters, … Read more
Facebook’s Marketplace Growth Massive User Base: Since its launch in 2016, Facebook Marketplace has attracted 1.1 billion users across 70 countries, making it one of the largest platforms for secondhand sales, alongside eBay and Craigslist. Engagement Strategy: Despite declining usage among younger demographics, Marketplace remains a key engagement tool, with many users logging in … Read more
Whose Truth Gets Optimized? AI and the New Epistemic Order This is an edited version of my keynote talk delivered at the IV. International Communication, Digitalization and Society Symposium (ICDS), Istanbul Aydın University, April 28, 2026. The theme of this year’s ICDS symposium — Truth in an Optimized Society: From Democracy to Infocracy — is … Read more
Key Insights by Merlin AI Historical Significance of Outlook – Microsoft Outlook has been a cornerstone of professional communication since its launch, with over 450 million users in 2024. – It integrated email, calendar, contacts, and task management, becoming essential for various organizations, including hospitals and government entities. – By the 2010s, Outlook … Read more
I attended the Artificial Intelligence, Manipulation, and Media Literacy Summit in Cyprus yesterday. Session 3 was in a question-and-answer format, which I prefer to just speaking. I asked Claude.ai to format my answers. I have to highlight that this formatting misses the anecdotes and lively occasions. Well, those who attend get the benefits. Still, for … Read more
Key Insights by Merlin AI Google Maps Evolution – Google has been mapping the world for over 20 years, launching its Street View feature in 2007. – Initial camera systems were bulky, weighing up to 500 pounds, but have since evolved to lighter, more versatile models used on various vehicles including backpacks and even … Read more
Palantir occupies a more extreme place in Silicon Valley but represents a new, growing ethos Big Tech is developing. We have seen the company’s official X message today. A few early comments: This is the nationalist turn. Big Tech now explicitly acts as an agent of a nation-state, which in turn justifies its regulations worldwide. … Read more