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Steven Boykey Sidley

@stevensidley

Author, columnist, playwright, Professor at UJ and Chief Technology Officer for, oh, lots of companies. Co-writer of Beyond Bitcoin

 South Africa
stevenboykeysidley.com
Joined May 2009
  • Tweets2.3K
  • Following398
  • Followers1K
open.substack.com/pub/meredi…
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Will AI replace the best of us? Ask one of the best of us dailymaverick.co.za/article/… #math #mathematics #AI #research #academia
Crossed Wires: What does the world’s greatest living mathematician think of AI?

Crossed Wires: What does the world’s greatest living mathematician think of AI?

In a remarkable shift, Terence Tao highlights AI's potential to transform mathematical research and collaboration, moving professionals into an era of unprecedented scale.…

dailymaverick.co.za
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Is the West losing? dailymaverick.co.za/article/… @dailymaverick #AI #elonmsuk #China #geopolitics
Crossed Wires: The elephant in the room — China may be gradually winning the AI arms race

Crossed Wires: The elephant in the room — China may be gradually winning the AI arms race

With China’s DeepSeek V4 launch, the balance in the AI arms race shifts, revealing the potential threat to US dominance in artificial intelligence innovation.…

dailymaverick.co.za
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Can anyone slow down the Spacex juggernaut? #spacex #amazon #elonmusk dailymaverick.co.za/article/…
Crossed Wires: Space satellite rivalry intensifies as Amazon-Musk battle of the billionaires unfolds

Crossed Wires: Space satellite rivalry intensifies as Amazon-Musk battle of the billionaires unfolds

With its Globalstar purchase, Amazon aims to step into the satellite arena against SpaceX’s Starlink. But does it have the infrastructure and strategy to truly compete?…

dailymaverick.co.za
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Musk's biggest swing of all dailyfriend.co.za/2026/04/01…
Terafab – is this Musk’s last gamble? - Daily Friend

Terafab – is this Musk’s last gamble? - Daily Friend

On 21 March Elon Musk took the stage at the Seaholm Historic Power Plant in Austin, Texas and announced the most dauntless bet in the history of private enterprise. The prize, if he wins, is incalc...

dailyfriend.co.za
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Why now? dailymaverick.co.za/article/…
The space economy: Suddenly everyone wants to go back to the moon

The space economy: Suddenly everyone wants to go back to the moon

The sudden pivot to the moon is not so much about scientific milestones, but about winning a crucial geopolitical race to secure extraordinary strategic and economic advantage for the rest of the...

dailymaverick.co.za
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The difference this time has been Iran’s decision to target not only Israel, but both US and civilian assets in multiple Gulf states. Arab states. This changes the calculus of the war. dailyfriend.co.za/2026/03/03…
Firing on your neighbours – has Iran miscalculated? - Daily Friend

Firing on your neighbours – has Iran miscalculated? - Daily Friend

This war is only a few days old, and it is very quickly becoming very different from the last short sharp affair in June 2025, when Israel and the US collaborated to defang Iran’s nuclear and missile...

dailyfriend.co.za
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The university is called University of Texas, Austin and what has happened there has all the earmarks of a Shakespearean tragedy lashed with toppings of irony. dailyfriend.co.za/2026/01/29…
Disruptor University – the sad tale of a great idea that failed - Daily Friend

Disruptor University – the sad tale of a great idea that failed - Daily Friend

In May 2021, a quartet of intellectual dissidents gathered in Austin, Texas, united by a conviction that American higher education had lost its way. Venture capitalist Joe Lonsdale, historian Niall...

dailyfriend.co.za
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How are we going to power all of those datacenters we need for AI. Musk has an idea dailyfriend.co.za/2026/01/22…
Elon’s next big, hairy, audacious gamble - Daily Friend

Elon’s next big, hairy, audacious gamble - Daily Friend

In 2024, a minor grid disturbance in Fairfax County, Virginia caused 60 data centres to simultaneously switch to backup generators, shedding 1,500 megawatts in an instant – roughly Boston's entire...

dailyfriend.co.za
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No one saw this coming #crypto #finance #eth #media dailymaverick.co.za/article/…
Crossed Wires: The strangest and possibly most audacious financial investment ever

Crossed Wires: The strangest and possibly most audacious financial investment ever

A revolutionary investment merges traditional finance with influencer culture, as MrBeast's entertainment empire attracts a crypto company, highlighting an evolving landscape where viewer engagement...

dailymaverick.co.za
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Such different world views, and such profound implications... @dailymaverick dailymaverick.co.za/article/…
Crossed Wires: China and the US — incompatible views of a technology-led future

Crossed Wires: China and the US — incompatible views of a technology-led future

China’s tech race strategy prioritises a clear destination, a focus America’s market-driven model lacks. While parts of the Tengchong report are overly optimistic, it offers a crucial narrative about...

dailymaverick.co.za
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The biggest family grifts in US political history. dailymaverick.co.za/article/…
Crossed Wires: The House of Trump – how to monetise conflicts of interest

Crossed Wires: The House of Trump – how to monetise conflicts of interest

How the Trump family has turned their political engagement into a profitable business, claiming an estimated $3.4-billion in revenue since Donald Trump entered politics. This includes significant...

dailymaverick.co.za
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AI and mental health - a scary place...dailymaverick.co.za/article/…
Crossed Wires: AI psychosis — are we being driven mad?

Crossed Wires: AI psychosis — are we being driven mad?

As the lines blur between a conversational AI and a real-life confidant, an emerging body of anecdotal evidence and clinical case reports suggests that for a vulnerable (and growing) group, this...

dailymaverick.co.za
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who is pulling the strings these days? dailyfriend.co.za/2025/12/11…
Technology billionaires and puppet politicians - Daily Friend

Technology billionaires and puppet politicians - Daily Friend

Last week, the erstwhile fire-breathing, MAGA-roaring, Trump-praising Marjorie Taylor Greene (MTG) appeared on 60 Minutes with host Lesley Stahl.

dailyfriend.co.za
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Its not as bad as they say. Yet. dailymaverick.co.za/article/…

Crossed wires: The future of work, version 429

The changing landscape of employment is redefining the future of work. Amid the rise of AI and automation, a new generation faces job market challenges. Insights from recent research indicate...

dailymaverick.co.za
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Steven Boykey Sidley retweeted
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James Whyle@jameswhyle3 Dec 2025
Why is Trump so obsessed with Venezuela? Steven Boykey Sidley substack.com/home/post/p-180…
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Steven Boykey Sidley retweeted
Steven Boykey Sidley (@stevensidley) profile picture
Steven Boykey Sidley@stevensidley26 Nov 2025
402 is a big deal - my article on micropayments published today currencynews.co.za/how-ai-an…
How AI and crypto will break the internet’s payment model | Financial Mail

How AI and crypto will break the internet’s payment model | Financial Mail

OpenAI’s Instant Checkout and Coinbase’s x402 point to a new web: frictionless micropayments replacing surveillance, subscriptions and ad-driven models

fm.co.za
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Steven Boykey Sidley retweeted
Steven Boykey Sidley (@stevensidley) profile picture
Steven Boykey Sidley@stevensidley1 Dec 2025
Speed or depth? My article in @dailymaverick dailymaverick.co.za/article/… #AI #education #academia
Crossed Wires: The lost art of contemplation — where AI is failing education

Crossed Wires: The lost art of contemplation — where AI is failing education

The story discusses the implications of AI integration in education, highlighting concerns about the loss of deep contemplation in writing. While AI aids clarity and efficiency, experts argue it may...

dailymaverick.co.za
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Speed or depth? My article in @dailymaverick dailymaverick.co.za/article/… #AI #education #academia
Crossed Wires: The lost art of contemplation — where AI is failing education

Crossed Wires: The lost art of contemplation — where AI is failing education

The story discusses the implications of AI integration in education, highlighting concerns about the loss of deep contemplation in writing. While AI aids clarity and efficiency, experts argue it may...

dailymaverick.co.za
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402 is a big deal - my article on micropayments published today currencynews.co.za/how-ai-an…
How AI and crypto will break the internet’s payment model | Financial Mail

How AI and crypto will break the internet’s payment model | Financial Mail

OpenAI’s Instant Checkout and Coinbase’s x402 point to a new web: frictionless micropayments replacing surveillance, subscriptions and ad-driven models

fm.co.za
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