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T.j. Thomson

T.j. Thomson

The Conversation

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More phones may soon let us prove photos are real – but will it solve the AI fake image crisis?

More phones may soon let us prove photos are real – but will it solve the AI fake image crisis?

‘Pics or it didn’t happen’ is no longer a reliable test for what’s real.

24.08.2026 30

The Conversation

T.j. Thomson

‘Manners for machines’: how new rules could stop AI scrapers destroying the internet

The age of AI is leading to barriers being put up across the open web. This could be the fix.

26.03.2026 40

The Conversation

T.j. Thomson

Are Google’s ‘preferred sources’ a good thing for online news?

More control is a good thing – but be wary of privacy risks and ensure your media ‘diet’ is still balanced.

05.03.2026 50

The Conversation

T.j. Thomson

I studied 10 years of Instagram posts. Here’s how social media has changed

There have been six key shifts – and no doubt more is to come.

03.02.2026 30

The Conversation

T.j. Thomson

How do ‘AI detection’ tools actually work? And are they effective?

Right now it’s something of an arms race as new technologies are developed – and detectors struggle to keep up.

14.11.2025 40

The Conversation

T.j. Thomson

AI systems and humans ‘see’ the world differently – and that’s why AI images look so garish

Research asking AI models to describe and generate pictures reveals they see a bright, sensational world of generic images.

15.10.2025 40

The Conversation

T.j. Thomson

We teach young people to write. In this age, we must teach them how to see

01.10.2025 30

The Examiner

T.j. Thomson

We teach young people to write. In this age, we must teach them how to see

01.10.2025 20

Canberra Times

T.j. Thomson

We teach young people to write. In the age of AI, we must teach them how to see

Generative AI changes how we see – and how we decide what’s real.

01.10.2025 40

The Conversation

T.j. Thomson

AI overviews have transformed Google search. Here’s how they work – and how to opt out

AI search summaries are reshaping the search engine ecosystem we’ve grown accustomed to over two decades.

13.06.2025 40

The Conversation

T.j. Thomson

Novelty, negativity and no politicians: research reveals what makes some images more engaging than others

If you’re a sucker for a black and white filter, think again, as new research shows colour images are preferred by most viewers.

11.06.2025 40

The Conversation

T.j. Thomson

Google’s SynthID is the latest tool for catching AI-made content. What is AI ‘watermarking’ and does it work?

AI watermarks are supposed to help us tell if content is real or generated. But they dramatically vary in effectiveness.

03.06.2025 40

The Conversation

T.j. Thomson