RYBN.ORG's 'Human Computers' Traces Labor-Intensive Computing History

The artistic collective RYBN.ORG has published 'Human Computers: A History of Labour-Intensive Computing, Followed by 6 Self-Defence Protocols' with Les Éditions UV. Since 2013, the group has investigated how AI and computational processes rely on human labor, often covertly. The book traces the history from Gaspard de Prony's 1793 computing factory to modern large language models, arguing that human labor remains central to automated systems. It is structured around Amazon's triptych: 'Work Hard. Have Fun. Make History.' The 'Work Hard' chapter explores the convergence of computational evolution and industrial rationalization, featuring figures like Jules Amar and the feminization of computing labor. 'Have Fun' examines the invisibilization of humans in machines, from Vaucanson's Digesting Duck to CAPTCHAs and AI services that depend on human workers. 'Make History' critiques technoscience's Newspeak, where labor becomes 'gamification' and workers are 'turkers.' The book concludes with six protocols for permacomputational self-defense, offering practical experiments to resist AI's extractivist geopolitics and algorithmic logic. Francis Hunger contributes an essay proposing alternative terminology to de-anthropomorphize AI. The book is praised for its lively language and compelling visuals, and the author hopes for an English translation to diversify technology narratives beyond US- and UK-centric perspectives.