Categories
Photography Reviews Writing

An Amateur Photographer’s Mid-Term Review of the Leica Q2

Black-and-white street crowd at Yonge–Dundas; older woman adjusting hood, masked pedestrians, large bank ad billboard behind.”
(Yonge & Dundas, Toronto, 2024)

I’m an amateur Toronto-based documentary and street photographer, and have been making images on the street for over a decade. In the fall of 2023 I purchased a used Leica Q2. I’d wanted the camera for a while, but it wasn’t until late 2023 that I began running into situations where I’d benefit from a full-frame sensor. Since then I’ve been going out and making images with it at least once a week for hours at a time and have made tens of thousands of frames in all kinds of weather.

In this post I discuss my experiences using the Leica Q2 in a variety of weather conditions to make monochromatic JPG images. I tend to exclusively use either single-point autofocus or zone focusing, and either multi-field or highlight-weighted exposure modes, generally while using aperture priority at 1/500s to freeze action on the street. My edits to images have, previously, used Apple Photos and now rely on the Darkroom app on my iPad Pro. You can see the kinds of images that I’ve been making on my Glass profile.

Layered walkway with a lone silhouette in the windows, city skyline with cranes, deep noon shadows, large tree at left.
Crescent & Cluny, Toronto, 2024

Before I get into the review it’s worth being clear what I’m not reviewing. I am not undertaking a technical sensor analysis, evaluating the Q2’s RAW flexibility, or assessing its colour rendering because I exclusively make monochromatic JPGs. There are lots of reviewers who have covered off those areas and I’d encourage you to check them out for a wider assessment of the Q2’s abilities.

TLDR: I really like this camera and it’s good for the specific uses that I have for it. However, I generally wouldn’t recommend it (or other Leica Q-series cameras) to most people because they can get most of the Q2’s benefits at a fraction of the cost.

Why I chose the Q2

I previously used a Fuji X100F for many years. It’s a great camera but I had started to run into challenges when making images into the night during the fall and winter seasons; it just couldn’t capture images quickly enough to effectively freeze action, even when shot wide open at f/2.0. I wanted to continue using a rangefinder-style camera, a fixed lens to keep things simple, a full-frame sensor to collect more light, and also wanted weather sealing to give me some peace of mind for when I had the camera out in rain and snow.

Backlit children and families moving through mist on a waterfront plaza; condo towers in silhouette; bird flying overhead.
Great Lakes Waterfront Trail, Toronto, 2024

This didn’t leave a lot of options! I ultimately selected the ‘regular’ Q2 because at the time I waffled on whether I’d ever want to be able to make colour images (I haven’t) and because the Q2 Monochrom tended to sell for about $1,500 (CAD) more. That pushed the cost of the Monochrom over $8,000 from reputable online sellers, and the price point was a bit too rich for my blood.

How the Q2 handles in practice

Day to day, the Q2 is intuitive. The menus make sense, the body feels excellent in the hand, and it encourages steady handheld shooting. The button placement largely aligns with how I work, though I do wish I could assign one control specifically for exposure lock such as by remapping the crop button that I never use (save for when pressed accidentally with gloves).

Low-angle view of ornate swing ride in motion; riders suspended mid-air, hair streaming; open sky backdrop.
Ontario & Princess, Toronto, 2024

In Toronto’s spring, summer, and fall the Q2 never overheats and handles seasonal rain showers with no issues. Even after taking it to windy beaches I don’t have any dust on the sensor. Negatively, the strap lugs can be slightly abrasive against my index finger depending on how I’m holding the camera. Also, on the hottest summer days when the humidex pushes temperature to 40 °C or more I perspire a lot, which can sometimes cause the camera body to get a bit slippery in my hands.

Skaters at Nathan Phillips Square under a lit arch; ‘TORONTO’ sign and towers at night; one skater down on the ice.
Bay & Queen, Toronto, 2025

Winter is a bit different. The Q2 is an all-metal body. In winter I add the Leica leather half-case because the body gets cold quickly, and I also wear gloves and attach a thumb grip. The Leica thumb grip (purchased used on eBay!) is really helpful to stabilize the camera because the camera’s indented thumb rest just isn’t sufficient in that situation. I’ve had no issues using the camera in the snow, including heavy snowfalls. I carry two batteries with me during the winter but it’s pretty rare that I need the second one save for particularly long walks on exceedingly cold days. 1

Living at 28mm on full frame

Whereas once I saw in 35mm (equivalent) with the Fuji X100F, now I see in the 28mm of the Leica Q2. I really like fixed lenses because they let me immediately pre-visualize scenes and I know exactly where I need to be to make certain images.

While there was a learning period with the Q2 — I just had to get closer to my subjects! — at this point I have an instinctive understanding of what the Q2 ‘sees’ before even raising the camera. 28mm is a relatively wide focal length and so I’m careful to check the edges of my frame before making an image to ensure that I don’t have unnecessary extras lingering on the outskirts of the frame. The sensor produces huge 47-megapixel images which gives me cropping flexibility, though I try to mostly compose in-camera.

Two pedestrians in bright midday sun pass the ‘La Canadienne’ storefront; hard shadows and high contrast.
Cumberland & Bellair, Toronto, 2025

The full-frame sensor is a huge benefit to me and how I make images. I prefer working at 1/500s and let my ISO roam as high as 6400. The Q2 lets me have this and, also, a relatively narrow aperture to capture depth across the scene. And, in the depths of fall and winter when night arrives somewhat early, it’s super helpful to be able to open the lens as wide as f/1.7. While I don’t tend to shoot a lot of images at this aperture I really do appreciate the option and will use it during the evenings, as well as in low-lit indoor locations. The combination of the sensor and terrific lens means that I’m rarely prevented from making an image in any given situation.

Learning curve, tips, and a few warnings

Coming to the Leica Q2 from the X100F felt like a natural progression. Widening from a 35mm-equivalent to 28mm pushed me to get a little closer, but I was already comfortable working near my subjects, so the adaptation was more about refining habits than learning new ones. What I do miss from the Fuji system are the recipes; Fuji’s approach to in-camera JPG looks is brilliant and the Q2 doesn’t offer anything comparable. I understand Leica added more styles on the Q3, but on the Q2 those options are extremely limited to slight modifications of contrast, highlight, shadow, and sharpness.2

Fast carnival ride at the CNE; riders blur as the car sweeps past the entrance and height board; dynamic motion.
Nunavut & Princess (CNE Fairground), Toronto, 2025

In my experience, the camera also has a real tendency to blow out highlights and can be inconsistent with white balance. If you shoot RAW that’s more of an inconvenience than a problem, but as a JPG shooter it can be frustrating. That said, I am often able to reduce the blowouts by using highlight-weighted metering. This metering mode helps me protect bright areas while allowing deep shadows in my images.

Snowy corner scene with tilted EXIT sign, abandoned shopping cart, falling snow; bundled pedestrians in slush.
Yonge & Gould, Toronto, 2025

The single-point autofocus is reliable and I rarely have issues focusing on a subject or pre-focusing on an area where I expect people to pass. The zone-focusing scale could use finer spacing—the 2m to ∞ gap feels too compressed—and it’s too easy to accidentally nudge the focus ring if I brush against it. A bit more resistance on the ring would reduce the chance of the zone shifting accidentally and costing me a shot.

The other reality of the Q2 is its weight. This is a heavy camera! I carry it in my hand, tethered with a Peak Design Leash, for four to eight hours at a stretch on photowalk days. I’m used to it but whenever I grab my X100F or a Ricoh GR IIIx for a short walk, I’m reminded of how substantial the Leica really is.

Has the Q2 improved my street photography?

No, not really.

The improvements I’ve seen come from being out and making images. The Q2’s full-frame sensor and weather sealing removed some frictions that I’d experienced but they didn’t magically transform either my eye or the calibre of images that I’ve been making. It’s the hundreds of hours put into walking the streets, reviewing images, studying photobooks, and learning from YouTube (and applying those learnings in practice) that have benefitted my images. I have no doubt that if I’d just kept using my Fuji I would also be a better photographer today than I was the day I purchased my Leica.

Night street under ‘The Grand Gerrard’ marquee; woman and child walk past a row of bins on a snowy sidewalk.
Gerrard & Galt, Toronto, 2024

I will say, however, that the switch didn’t significantly set me back: because I was so used to the 35mm (equivalent) focal length, and the Leica pares away most of the options in contemporary cameras, that it was quick to learn. I suspect that wouldn’t have been the case if I’d tried switching to a camera system with more baroque or confusing menus or features, or shifted to a radically different focal length.

Likes, dislikes, and the small things that matter

One of the intangibles is that the Q2 is beautiful. I live in a small home and it’s on display so I pass it, and appreciate it, several times every day.

A small but meaningful quality-of-life detail is the battery mechanism that holds the battery in place until you push to release it. It’s a very small thing but it’s one that I appreciate each time I need to charge a battery.

Fishmonger in apron seated at a sidewalk table beneath the ‘Coral Sea Fish’ awning; strong side light, Kensington Market.
Baldwin & Augusta, Toronto, 2024

The Q2 does lack a flip screen though that hasn’t been a practical problem for me. I’ve gotten a lot more comfortable this past year zone focusing; between that and my familiarity with what the 28mm lens will ‘see’ I can reliably get low-angle images without a tilting back screen.

I can confirm what some reviewers have found, that the EVF and the rear screen don’t always match in brightness/tonal presentation, which makes it hard to use them interchangeably when setting exposure for monochromatic images. I recommend committing to one viewing method and letting your eye calibrate to it.

Crowded Yonge–King subway stairs divided by a pole with a QR sticker; commuters in hard light and deep shadow.
Yonge & King, Toronto, 2025

It’s worth recognizing that file sizes on the Q2 are big, especially once you start aggregating thousands of images. Regarding image formats, JPEG XL has been getting more attention lately for its compression efficiency, improved dynamic range as compared with JPG images, and future proofing around data storage. The Q2 was released before this format began to see adoption, so I don’t fault Leica for leaving it out. However, whenever I do upgrade I’d definitely want my next camera to support it.

Would I recommend the Q2 to other street photographers?

In most cases, no.

I bought this camera for very specific reasons: I wanted a full-frame sensor, weather sealing, and a fixed lens with a wide aperture. Very few cameras meet that combination and most photographers don’t truly ‘need’ all three at once. If you can compromise on one or more of those requirements, there are fixed-lens cameras and interchangeable-lens systems that offer better flexibility and value. And I’d note that I wasn’t exactly kind to my Fuji X100F — it went out and got wet in light rain and snow, and was exposed to extreme temperatures and dust — so even non-weather sealed systems can survive a lot more than we tend to credit them for!

Low-angle street portrait of a woman in sunglasses striding past a curved object in the foreground; brick facade and bare branches overhead
Queen & Spadina, Toronto, 2025

As for the “Leica look,” I don’t have much to say. I honestly don’t really know what it means after making images on the Q2 for a few years. Of course, I’m not editing RAW images, nor using advanced Photoshop features, but that’s largely because I only have so much time and I’d rather be making images on the streets than designing them at home in Photoshop or other editing software.

In Summary

Ultimately, if you want a supremely reliable camera that will hold up for years, you’re comfortable with a fixed 28mm and being physically close to your subjects, and you accept the Leica premium, then I think you’d be pretty happy owning a Leica Q2. Of course that’s a very, very narrow audience but it’s one that I happen to inhabit.

Sunlit view of a modernist civic building; empty sweeping street and crosswalk; one pedestrian walking with luggage towards the edge of the frame.
Chestnut & Armour, Toronto, 2025

I’m very glad I bought mine, I’ve used it a lot, and I’m nowhere near its technical or artistic limits. I expect to get many, many, many more years of use out of it before I’m even tempted to upgrade to a new camera.

  1. As a pro tip: if you’re buying a second battery for the Q2 make sure you get one that fits in the Q3 — it’s the same size but has significantly more capacity, and is officially supported in the Q2 series of cameras. You can even charge it using the Q2’s own charger! ↩︎
  2. See Phil Clark’s assessment for how minor these adjustments are when applied to native JPGs produced by the Leica Q2. ↩︎
Categories
Links

Vibe-Coded Malware Isn’t a Game Changer (Yet)

Over the past week there’s been heightened concern about how LLMs can be used to facilitate cyber operations. Much of that concern is tightly linked to recent reports from Anthropic, which are facing growing criticism from the security community.

Anthropic claimed that a threat actor launched an AI-assisted operation which was up to 90% autonomous. But the LLM largely relied on pre-existing open source tools that operators already chain together, and the success rates appear low. Moreover, hallucinations meant that adversaries were often told that the LLM had done something, or had access to credentials, when it did not.

We should anticipate that LLMs will enable some adversaries to chain together code that could exploit vulnerabilities. But vibe‑coding an exploit chain is not the same as building something that can reliably compromise real systems. To date, experiments with vibe‑coded malware and autonomous agents suggest that generated outputs typically require skilled operators to debug, adapt, and operationalise them. Even then, the outputs of LLM‑assisted malware often fail outright when confronted with real‑world constraints and defences.

That’s partly because exploit development is a different skill set and capability than building “functional‑enough” software. Vibe coding for productivity apps might tolerate flaky edge cases and messy internals. Exploit chains, by contrast, often fail to exploit vulnerabilities unless they are properly tailored to a given target.

An AI system that can assemble a roughly working application from a series of prompts does not automatically inherit the ability to produce highly reliable, end‑to‑end exploit chains. Some capability will transfer, but we should be wary of assuming a neat, 100% carry‑over from vibe‑coded software to effective vibe‑coded malware.

Categories
Links

Even Minimal Data Poisoning Can Undermine AI Model Integrity

As reported by Benj Edwards at Ars Technica, researchers demonstrated that even minimal data poisoning can implant backdoors in large language models.

For the largest model tested (13 billion parameters trained on 260 billion tokens), just 250 malicious documents representing 0.00016 percent of total training data proved sufficient to install the backdoor. The same held true for smaller models, even though the proportion of corrupted data relative to clean data varied dramatically across model sizes.

The findings apply to straightforward attacks like generating gibberish or switching languages. Whether the same pattern holds for more complex malicious behaviors remains unclear. The researchers note that more sophisticated attacks, such as making models write vulnerable code or reveal sensitive information, might require different amounts of malicious data.

The same pattern appeared in smaller models as well:

Despite larger models processing over 20 times more total training data, all models learned the same backdoor behavior after encountering roughly the same small number of malicious examples.

The authors note important limitations: the tested models were all relatively small, the results depend on tainted data being present in the training set, and real-world mitigations like guardrails or corrective fine-tuning may blunt such effects.

Even so, the findings point to the ongoing immaturity of LLM cybersecurity practices and the difficulty of assuring trustworthiness in systems trained at scale. Safely deploying AI in high-risk contexts will require not just policy oversight, but rigorous testing, data provenance controls, and continuous monitoring of model behaviour.

Categories
Photography

Automate Screen Brightness for Photography Apps

Several years ago I posted about a “Glass Time” shortcut. When activated it opened the social media application I use to post and view photography — Glass — and then increased the brightness to 100%. The intent was to ensure I was looking at images closer to how the photographer intended.

The only issue was that I needed to remember to activate the shortcut instead of opening the application itself. This worked but was a bit clunky, and so I’ve created a more pleasant way to achieve the same thing.

Enter some Apple Shortcuts and Automations.

Mission Statement

I wanted my screen brightness to jump to 100% whenever I opened Glass or my photo editor (Darkroom) and then drop back down to 50% once I closed them.

Components

To make this work I had to create Apple Shortcuts and Automations. The shortcuts handle the brightness setting and the automations tell your device when to run those shortcuts. Specifically, I needed an:

  • Apple Shortcut that, when activated, increased the screen brightness to 100%
  • Apple Shortcut that, when activated, reduced the screen brightness to 50%
  • Apple Automation that triggered 100% brightness when opening Glass, and a separate Apple Automation that did the same thing when opening Darkroom.
  • Apple Automation that triggered 50% brightness when closing Glass, and a separate Apple Automation that did the same thing when closing Darkroom.

Building and Linking Components

The process for creating the various components was very easy. To create the underlying Apple Shortcuts:

  1. Open Apple Shortcuts
  2. Tap/click the “ ” button, and in the search bar search for “Set Brightness”
  3. Set the Brightness slider to 100%. Modify the name of the shortcut to something like “Set Brightness 100%”.
  4. Create a second shortcut the same way, but set the slider at 50%. Name the shortcut something like “Set Brightness 50%.”

To create the automations to trigger the different screen brightness levels:

  1. Open the main screen of Apple Shortcuts.
  2. Tap/click “Automation” on the menu bar.
  3. Tap/click the “ ” button to create a new automation. Select “App” in the menu, choose either Glass or Darkroom (or another application of your preference), and the radio button “Is Opened.” Have the automation run immediately. Tap/click “Next”.
  4. In the next screen, scroll to find your Apple Shortcuts “Set Brightness 100%” in “My Shortcuts.” Your automation is now completed and the brightness will go to 100% when opening the relevant application.
  5. Repeat steps 1-4, but modify the radio button chosen in step 3 to “Is Closed”, and in step 4 choose the “Set Brightness 50%” shortcut.

Limitations of Automations

Your Apple Shortcuts will sync between all of your Apple devices through iCloud but this will not occur with your Apple Automations. This means that you’ll need to repeat the automation steps on all of your devices that you want the automation to activate on.

Categories
Photography Writing

The Beauty of the Everyday

I really liked Robin Wong’s reflection on why he keeps returning to the same streets to make his images.

the beauty of doing the same routines, walking the same paths is the familiarity of the location, and you know every turn and corner, you know the details inside out, so you can be prepared for the unexpected. That is also the exciting part of shooting on the streets, you will find something unusual, something you will not know will happen beforehand, and the surprise is worth the redundant process of walking the same streets all over again. […] It isn’t about finding something completely new or extra-ordinary to shoot but finding beauty in the most ordinary settings and make it worth clicking your shutter button for.[^ Emphasis added.]

Like Wong, I’ve found that familiarity can sharpen my eye. Because I walk the same places regularly, I’m able to find the images I do. Having seen the same scene hundreds of times, I can tell when something has changed or that there’s some novelty in the scene that’s before me.

To some extent I think of regularly seeing the same scenes a little like drinking whiskey. At first, whiskey just tastes hot and spicy; any differences seem more theoretical than real. But over time you notice subtle nuances and also detect rarified variances between what you’re enjoying. And you can get excited over little things that really aren’t apparent or distinguishable to someone that hasn’t built up the same kind of palate.

When you walk the same streets over and over, you develop your own sense of what should and shouldn’t be there. You can detect what’s normal or novel. By training your eye on these common spaces, you develop your style. If you need to find something novel in the same place over and over, you’ll develop a unique way of seeing the world, whereas if you’re always seeing a new place you don’t need to stretch in quite the same way — you don’t need to push yourself to develop your sense of what is visually interesting to you.

All of which is to say: from afar, street photography can look pretty dull or boring because there’s a lot of repetition. It’s exactly this repetition, however, that helps you discover the kind of photographer you are.

Categories
Solved

Solved: Apple Wallet Card Activation on a New iPhone

When I set up my new iPhone 17 Pro I ran into a frustrating problem: I couldn’t activate some of my credit and banking cards in Apple Wallet. Since this might happen to others, here’s how I diagnosed the issue and worked around it.

Setup Context

  • Transferred settings (including Apple Wallet) from my iPhone 14 Pro
  • Cards from CIBC and Wealthsimple
  • Used SMS (not voice) as the second factor for verification

The Problem

After transfer, my cards appeared in Apple Wallet but still needed to be re-verified. Each time I tried SMS verification, the text code arrived and auto-filled into the Wallet app — but the “Next” button was greyed out.

On some attempts, the button turned blue, but tapping it did nothing. Result: I couldn’t verify or use my cards.

The Workaround

The fix was surprisingly simple: don’t rely on auto-fill.

  1. Request the SMS code as usual.
  2. Open the Messages app, copy the code manually, and paste it into Wallet.
  3. This time the “Next” button turned blue and worked, letting me add the cards.

Likely Cause

Based on testing, there may be a bug in iOS 26.0 where auto-filled SMS codes don’t properly trigger the Apple Wallet verification step. Until Apple fixes it, copying the code manually may help you get around the issue.

Categories
Aside

2025.9.13

I’m looking forward to an iPhone upgrade year and leapfrogging to AirPods Pro 3 — hopefully this time I can get a good fit without needing third party ear tips!

I’m also curious about Apple’s new crossbody straps. Not for my phone — I haven’t used a case in years — but maybe as an adjustable strap for my smaller cameras.

There’s got to be someone who’ll review this use case, right? And if not… consider this my open call.

Categories
Photography Writing

Supporting Artistic Creativity

Back in February 2022, I made a commitment to myself. I set out to add a bit more positivity to the internet by reaching out to writers whose work inspired me, or photographers whose images resonated with me. I wanted to thank them for their efforts and let them know their work was appreciated.

Recognizing People Matters

It is all too common for people to move through life without peers, friends, or family recognizing the importance of their work or the ways they’ve shaped others’ lives. In my personal life, it was only after my father died that many of the kids he’d mentored reached out to me to share how he had positively affected the course of their lives. His Facebook feed was filled with comments from people who had benefitted from his generosity and kindness. But I was left wondering: had they ever told him directly about his impact? And if they had, might he have avoided his death of despair?

And I’ve seen the power of professional recognition–and felt the cost of its absence. Years ago, after a major project wrapped up, I realized I had forgotten to recognize the exemplary contribution of a junior staff member. I went back into the room to point out how critical their work had been. That small moment of recognition, as it turned out, had a profound impact on their career trajectory. And it was only after I left my last professional job that people contacted me from around Canada about how the work I produced had influenced them, their practice, and their thinking. I’ll be honest: when I left that job, I felt like I’d been writing into a void. Almost no one ever directly recognized the work I was producing or the value they placed in it.

Recognizing Creatives

On Glass, I try to leave a couple of comments on other photographers’ work each month. Sometimes those comments are short, like “Love the composition!👏👏👏 ,” or “Great use of tonality across the frame! 👏👏👏” Other times, when I have more bandwidth, I write longer, more substantive reflections on what I see in their images.

I think this kind of recognition matters. Too often, we wait until it’s too late to share it. Positive, explicit recognition can motivate people who may not have received much encouragement otherwise. It’s one of the many reasons why I support Neale James’ Photowalk Podcast and the community of kindness that he fosters with every single episode.

Lately I’ve been thinking about how to take this further. For me, the next step has been to begin collecting prints or zines from photographers whose work or practice I deeply admire. I’m not buying prints from the famous names you see in galleries–no Martin Parrs for me!–but photographers working in niches that speak to me. Owning their prints feels special. It’s not just me saying “great work,” it’s me saying, to them, “I value this enough to want it in my home.”

Ownership is a Kind of Intimacy

There are practical challenges with purchasing other people’s work. As we know, shipping expenses, cost of making physical artefacts, and the economic realities facing both buyers and artists can impede purchasing other creatives’ work. We can’t all afford to purchase prints regularly. But even buying one piece every year, every few years, or even once a decade can make a meaningful difference. It’s a way of supporting creativity and giving artists recognition that lasts.

What’s powerful about this isn’t only the financial support. It’s the intimacy of having someone’s work become part of your everyday life. Unlike a gallery exhibition, which is temporary and public, a print hanging in your home or office is permanent and personal. It shapes the space you live in, and every time you see it you’re reminded of the artist and the respect you have for their work.

That, to me, is one of the most profound ways we can support and recognize each other as creators. It’s something that I continue to do, and I appreciate the works of others that I have the privilege of viewing on a regular basis.

In closing, if a creator’s work inspires you then I’d strongly encourage you to leave a comment, send a note, or even consider acquiring a print. It might mean more than you know.

Categories
Links

LSE Study Exposes AI Bias in Social Care

A new study from the London School of Economics highlights how AI systems can reinforce existing inequalities when used for high risk activities like social care.

Writing in The Guardian, Jessica Murray describes how Google’s Gemma model summarized identical case notes differently depending on gender.

An 84-year-old man, “Mr Smith,” was described as having a “complex medical history, no care package and poor mobility,” while “Mrs Smith” was portrayed as “[d]espite her limitations, she is independent and able to maintain her personal care.” In another example, Mr Smith was noted as “unable to access the community,” but Mrs Smith as “able to manage her daily activities.”

These subtle but significant differences risk making women’s needs appear less urgent, and could influence the care and resources provided. By contrast, Meta’s Llama 3 did not use different language based on gender, underscoring that bias can vary across models and the need to measure bias in LLMs adopted for public service delivery

These findings reinforce why AI systems must be valid and reliable, safe, transparent, accountable, privacy-protective, and human-rights affirming. This is especially the case in high risk settings where AI systems affect decisions linked with accessing essential public services.

Categories
Links

Unpacking the Global Pivot from AI Safety

The global pivot away from AI safety is now driving a lot of international AI policy. This shift is often attributed to the current U.S. administration and is reshaping how liberal democracies approach AI governance.

In a recent article on Lawfare, author Jakub Kraus argues there are deeper reasons behind this shift. Specifically, countries such as France had already begun reorienting toward innovation-friendly frameworks before the activities of the current American administration. The rapid emergence of ChatGPT also sparked a fear of missing out and a surge in AI optimism, while governments also confronted the perceived economic and military opportunities associated with AI technologies.

Kraus concludes his article by arguing that there may be some benefits of emphasizing opportunity over safety while, also, recognizing the risks of not building up effective international or domestic governance institutions.

However, if AI systems are not designed to be safe, transparent, accountable, privacy protective, or human rights affirming then there is a risk that people will lack trust in these systems based on the actual and potential harms of them being developed and deployed without sufficient regulatory safeguards. The result could be a birthing or fostering of a range of socially destructive harms and long-term hesitancy to take advantage of the potential benefits associated with emerging AI technologies.