ETP Updates, August 2025
We’re celebrating the Back-To-School season by opening applications for our next ETP Fellowship this fall!
We are seeking nominations for outstanding early- to mid-career tech builders (designers,
product managers, engineers, architects, digital marketers, etc.) to join us. Successful nominees
will participate in a first-of-its-kind 10-week structured curriculum, designed to contextualize the
social impact of the decisions and choices made by tech teams bringing digital and AI-driven
products and services to market.
Fellows will develop both leadership and practical skills they can apply to their day-to-day work.
These skills will enable them to produce better outcomes for individuals, businesses and
society. At the end of the program, participants will have the opportunity to present a
mini-capstone or project idea to a panel of industry luminaries and receive valuable, actionable
feedback.
Our curriculum has been designed by subject matter experts in conjunction with the Digital
Futures Institute at Columbia University and will be moderated by our Board Chair Jennie Baird,
along with special guests from the tech community.
Sessions will be held on Thursday evenings from September 25, 2025 through December
11, 2025. The curriculum is hybrid to provide flexibility as well as community building. All
in-person sessions will meet in New York City.
This is a unique learning, leadership, and networking opportunity for motivated and passionate
individuals who want their tech and AI-oriented work to support human flourishing and who
believe companies can do well by doing good.
Nominate yourself, or someone else who you think would make a great ETP Fellow, at this link: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScAPq-W1y8VJKPxRK78gVZ8O8lL3gHn12IPhY5RMxj0lnSeoA/viewform
Applications for the program close September 3, 2025. And if you have any questions, you
can reach out to us at contact@ethicaltechproject.org.
With gratitude,
Jennie & Nancy
Here’s what we’ve been reading and listening to, and should be too:
The New York Times: I Teach Creative Writing. This Is What A.I. Is Doing to Students
We need to reckon with what ChatGPT is doing to the classroom and to human expression.
TIME: YouTube to Estimate Users’ Ages Using AI
Critics have raised concerns about privacy as well as access to the platform for users falsely flagged as underage.
Luiza Jarovsky, PhD: After Meta's shocking leak deeming 'romantic' AI interactions with children acceptable, U.S. senators are calling for a full investigation of its AI practices.
The 'move fast and break things' ethos MUST END.
The Atlantic: ChatGPT Gave Instructions for Murder, Self-Mutilation, and Devil Worship - The Atlantic
After The Atlantic received a tip, Shroff had asked the chatbot to help create a ritual offering to Molech, a god associated with child sacrifice. In discussions beginning with anodyne questions about demons and devils, Shroff found “that the chatbot can easily be made to guide users through ceremonial rituals and rites that encourage various forms of self-mutilation.” The chatbot also led her through other chants, invocations, and rituals—including ddetailedinstructions on how to carry out the sacrifice of large animals.
The Guardian: Almost half of young people would prefer a world without internet, UK study finds
Half of 16- to 21-year-olds support ‘digital curfew’ and nearly 70% feel worse after using social media
Vox: I covered my body in health trackers for 6 months. It ruined my life.
Are gadgets like Apple Watches and Oura Rings making us any healthier?
The New York Times: How to Reduce Screen Time: Tips to Put Your Phone Down
We asked screen-time experts how to avoid the relentless pull of our devices.
The New York Times: Could Dementia Patients Benefit from an A.I. Companion?
New products are being developed in an attempt to reduce loneliness and bolster cognition.
NPR: We asked clergy if they use AI to help write sermons. Here's what they said
How would you feel if you found out that the sermon at your church was written by artificial intelligence?