About
I am a Professor in the School of Communication at Simon Fraser University, where I have been a faculty member since 1994. From 2011 to 2020, I served as Director of the Master of Digital Media Program at the Great Northern Way Campus, and I directed the Centre for Policy Research on Science & Technology (CPROST) for nearly two decades.
My research focuses on communication and collaboration networks in IT innovation, technology futures methodologies, digital scholarly publishing, and innovation clusters. I am co-author of New Media: An Introduction (Oxford University Press), now in its fourth edition, which has become a foundational text in the field.
In 2020, I was appointed Chevalier of the Ordre des Palmes Académiques by the French government in recognition of contributions to education and culture.
Current Projects
This book examines AI through a "Good, Bad, and Ugly" framework—exploring the benefits of artificial intelligence, the harms already unfolding, and the existential risks posed by the prospect of superintelligence. A central argument is that traditional external regulatory controls cannot work on systems that may exceed human intelligence; instead, ethical self-regulation must be built into AI architecture from the start.
Research Interests
- Communication & collaboration networks
- IT innovation
- Technology & society futures
- Digital scholarly publishing
- Innovation clusters
- Regional development
Selected Publications
What's New in AI (January 2026)
A curated selection from my AI reading list, organized by theme.
AI Infrastructure & Investment
The infrastructure buildout continues at a staggering pace. AI datacenter investment is projected to reach $3 trillion, even as clear profit paths remain elusive. Meanwhile, public resistance to datacenters grows—they're "amazing" technology that "everyone hates." Bezos-backed startup Unconventional AI raised $475M to tackle power constraints by mimicking brain architecture.
AI Safety & Alignment
Alignment research intensifies as capabilities advance. Anthropic warns that AI agents require AI defense—their simulations showed agents exploiting $4.6M in vulnerabilities. Researchers demonstrated that LLMs pretrained on misaligned AI content become less aligned themselves. South Korean scientists developed an "AI Kill Switch" using prompt injection defensively, while Google is adding a "User Alignment Critic" to Chrome to prevent AI agents from taking harmful actions.
The Hype Question
Are we in a correction? Multiple pieces suggest it's time to reset expectations. An AI2 researcher called superintelligence a "Silicon Valley fantasy," while MIT Technology Review documented "the great AI hype correction of 2025." Demis Hassabis himself called some AI boosterism "embarrassing." Yet Zvi reports that Claude Code has reached "critical mass" in developer adoption, suggesting practical utility continues to grow.
Geopolitics & Governance
The US-China AI race heats up. Trump's "Genesis Mission" commits $320M to link national labs, industry, and academia. Disney's controversial $1 billion deal with OpenAI to license 200+ characters for AI-generated content has creative industries "incredibly worried." Industry insiders launched "Poison Fountain" to deliberately contaminate training data in protest.
AI & Scientific Research
Can AI accelerate science? A new report argues "LLMs Aren't Scientists Yet" based on four autonomous research attempts. Meanwhile, claims that AI can do "six months of research in a few hours" face skepticism. Steven Byrnes calls for a new field of "Reward Function Design" to better direct AI learning.
Curated from my Feedly AI board • Last updated January 17, 2026
Reading timeline (2014–2026) → · Full archive (349 articles) →
Education
PhD, Communication — Simon Fraser University, 1994
MA, Communication — Simon Fraser University, 1986
BA, Mass Communication — Carleton University, 1981
Contact
Email: smith@sfu.ca
Google Scholar: View profile
Office: School of Communication, Simon Fraser University
8888 University Drive, Burnaby BC V5A 1S6, Canada