John Naughton addresses reader concerns about the sudden absence of his Observer columns from his newsletter and their online disappearance. He confirms that the removal was accidental, resulting from a transition in the Observer´s ownership to Tortoise Media, which launched a new website under tight deadlines. The omission of his ´Networker´ column was an oversight in the migration process, not the result of a deliberate editorial decision or any connection to the Observer´s change of hands.
Naughton republishes two recently missing columns to ensure his audience can access key commentary. The first column discusses advancements in Artificial Intelligence, specifically OpenAI´s release of its latest large language model, ´o3´. While the new model impresses with multimodal capabilities, including text, image, and audio handling—showcasing near-human interactions and quick responses—Naughton argues that claims of achieving artificial general intelligence remain overblown. He stresses that, despite the hype, true general intelligence requires experiences and environmental learning that current systems lack.
The second column highlights abrupt changes at the US National Science Foundation (NSF), a major research funding body. As of April 2025, the NSF announced the termination of projects focused on improving diversity in STEM fields and halted grants related to misinformation/disinformation research, citing concerns over free speech and narrative control. This shift leaves researchers concerned about the future of funding for studies on online misinformation and the representation of underrepresented groups in science and technology.
Through these restored columns, Naughton not only fills the communication gap left by the Observer´s technical oversight but also maintains an ongoing critical lens on the evolving intersections of technology, policy, and society.
