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Technology

Uncovering and explaining how our digital world is changing — and changing us.

“AI will kill everyone” is not an argument. It’s a worldview.
Future Perfect

How rational is Eliezer Yudkowsky’s prophecy?

By Sigal Samuel
“AI will kill everyone” is not an argument. It’s a worldview.
Future Perfect

How rational is Eliezer Yudkowsky’s prophecy?

By Sigal Samuel
The Logoff
The US and China have a new TikTok “deal”The US and China have a new TikTok “deal”
The Logoff

Remember the TikTok ban? There’s a new deadline coming up.

By Cameron Peters
Future Perfect
A self-driving car traffic jam is coming for US citiesA self-driving car traffic jam is coming for US cities
Future Perfect

A century ago, cars remade America. Autonomous vehicles could do it again.

By David Zipper
Technology
The rise of artificial intelligence, explainedThe rise of artificial intelligence, explained
Technology

Understand how ChatGPT, Stable Diffusion, and DALL-E are transforming our world — from text and image generation to how we live and work.

By Shira Tarlo

The latest in Technology

Future Perfect
This California bill will require transparency from AI companies. But will it actually prevent major disasters?This California bill will require transparency from AI companies. But will it actually prevent major disasters?
Technology
Social media is the worst place to be right nowSocial media is the worst place to be right now
Technology

Our unmoderated online reality bares its teeth.

By Adam Clark Estes
Technology
You’re paying too much for your phoneYou’re paying too much for your phone
Technology

Carriers say they’ll pay for your new iPhone Air, but maybe it’s your plan that needs the real upgrade.

By Adam Clark Estes
Future Perfect
A tournament tried to test how well experts could forecast AI progress. They were all wrong.A tournament tried to test how well experts could forecast AI progress. They were all wrong.
Future Perfect

Everyone underestimated AI progress. Now what?

By Dylan Matthews
This counterintuitive advice about kids and phones makes a lot of sense
Even Better

The case for giving one to your 3-year-old is not as outlandish as it sounds.

By Adam Clark Estes
I study AI cheating. Here’s what the data actually says.
TechnologyThe Highlight

What the panic about kids using AI to cheat gets wrong.

By Victor R. Lee
Future PerfectThe Highlight
Human bodies aren’t ready to travel to Mars. Space medicine can help.Human bodies aren’t ready to travel to Mars. Space medicine can help.
Future PerfectThe Highlight

Protecting astronauts in space — and maybe even Mars — will help transform health on Earth.

By Shayna Korol
When does trying to have a healthier baby become eugenics-y?
Future PerfectThe Highlight

New genetic testing offers us the chance to create superbabies. It can come with unintended consequences.

By Sigal Samuel
Today, Explained podcast
How AI is coming for your jobHow AI is coming for your job
Podcast
Today, Explained podcast

Executives are preparing to slash their workforces. Workers are just trying to cope.

By Sean Rameswaram and Miles Bryan
Future Perfect
Is AI lying? (And other reader questions, answered.)Is AI lying? (And other reader questions, answered.)
Future Perfect

A very Future Perfect newsletter mailbag.

By Izzie Ramirez, Sigal Samuel and 2 more
Podcasts
Mark Zuckerberg is burning billions to chase the holy grail of AIMark Zuckerberg is burning billions to chase the holy grail of AI
Podcast
Podcasts

The metaverse didn’t stick. Can “superintelligence”?

By Gabrielle Berbey and Sean Rameswaram
ChatGPT isn’t just for cheating anymore
Even Better

AI in the classroom doesn’t have to be a catastrophe.

By Adam Clark Estes
Can a new Jetsons-like gadget calm your family’s chaos?
Even Better

But do you really want to run your household like a small business?

By Adam Clark Estes
Politics
Want your company’s merger approved? Pay a MAGA influencer.Want your company’s merger approved? Pay a MAGA influencer.
Politics

A former Trump appointee alleges the DOJ is letting firms buy exemptions from anti-monopoly laws.

By Andrew Prokop
Podcasts
Why sports gambling is more dangerous than ever beforeWhy sports gambling is more dangerous than ever before
Podcast
Podcasts

It’s so easy get addicted these days. The apps are counting on it.

By Sean Illing
Future Perfect
The Nvidia chip deal that has Trump officials threatening to quitThe Nvidia chip deal that has Trump officials threatening to quit
Future Perfect

This deal has everything: semiconductors, DeepSeek, constitutional violations.

By Dylan Matthews
Are we living in the movie Her yet?
Culture

AI will undoubtedly shape the next 25 years. We just don’t know how yet.

By Adam Clark Estes
Video
Is this the future of thrifting?Is this the future of thrifting?
Play
Video

Vintage resellers are embracing livestream shopping.

By Dolly Li
Future Perfect
This is what happens when ChatGPT tries to write scriptureThis is what happens when ChatGPT tries to write scripture
Future Perfect

AI wrote a sacred text for Buddhists — and it exceeded expectations. Can it write a good Bible?

By Sigal Samuel
Technology
Mark Zuckerberg’s unbelievably bleak AI visionMark Zuckerberg’s unbelievably bleak AI vision
Technology

We were promised flying cars. We got Instagram brain rot.

By Dylan Matthews
Science
Headphones that scan your brainwaves and keep you focused? It’s not science fiction.Headphones that scan your brainwaves and keep you focused? It’s not science fiction.
Science

The cutting-edge of neurotech can read your mind. Sort of.

By Adam Clark Estes
Policy
A decade-long fight over worker power may be coming to an endA decade-long fight over worker power may be coming to an end
Policy

Republicans want to give Uber workers benefits. There’s a catch.

By Rachel Cohen Booth
The Gray Area
How the fight over what it means to be human has dramatically changedHow the fight over what it means to be human has dramatically changed
Podcast
The Gray Area

A philosopher on humanity’s need for a new story — and a new way to defy where we’re headed.

By Sean Illing
Tech policy
The surprisingly sound financial advice I got from a chatbotThe surprisingly sound financial advice I got from a chatbot
Tech policy

AI wants to fix your money problems. What could go wrong?

By Adam Clark Estes
Future Perfect
AI experts think chatbots are trying to trick us. Are they?AI experts think chatbots are trying to trick us. Are they?
Future Perfect

What chimp research can teach us about AI’s ability to “scheme.“

By Sigal Samuel
Technology
Delta is using AI to give you a personalized airfare. It could be the future of pricing.Delta is using AI to give you a personalized airfare. It could be the future of pricing.
Technology

Companies can harvest everything from your location to your search history to determine how much you pay.

By Adam Clark Estes
Today, Explained podcast
What it would take to escape the two-party systemWhat it would take to escape the two-party system
Podcast
Today, Explained podcast

Americans say they want a third party — but making it happen is tricky.

By Rebeca Ibarra and Noel King
Future Perfect
The brain tech revolution is here — and it isn’t all Black MirrorThe brain tech revolution is here — and it isn’t all Black Mirror
Future Perfect

Medical devices in the brain are already making a difference for countless patients.

By Bryan Walsh
Future Perfect
Top AI engineers are being offered $100 million by companies like Meta. But there’s a giant catch.Top AI engineers are being offered $100 million by companies like Meta. But there’s a giant catch.
Future Perfect

You can get unfathomably rich building AI. Should you?

By Kelsey Piper
Economy
Do falling birth rates matter in an AI future?Do falling birth rates matter in an AI future?
Economy

Two forces are reshaping the same future.

By Rachel Cohen Booth
Technology
Smartphones are getting fun againSmartphones are getting fun again
Technology

The flip phone returns with a few new tricks.

By Adam Clark Estes
Future Perfect
Trump just handed China a major advantage on AITrump just handed China a major advantage on AI
Future Perfect

The obscure chip policy that could reshape US-China competition.

By Dylan Matthews
Future Perfect
America is finally moving past its post-9/11 security theaterAmerica is finally moving past its post-9/11 security theater
Future Perfect

The end of mandatory shoe removal signals progress on airport security.

By Bryan Walsh
Future Perfect
Grok’s MechaHitler disaster is a preview of AI disasters to comeGrok’s MechaHitler disaster is a preview of AI disasters to come
Future Perfect

Musk trained Grok to be right-wing. We’re lucky he wasn’t more subtle.

By Kelsey Piper
Politics
Trump quietly claimed a power even King George wasn’t allowed to haveTrump quietly claimed a power even King George wasn’t allowed to have
Politics

A truly scary new revelation about Trump’s effort to circumvent the TikTok ban.

By Zack Beauchamp
Technology
Little videos are cooking our brainsLittle videos are cooking our brains
Technology

The future of the internet is a slop-filled infinite scroll. How do we reclaim our attention?

By Adam Clark Estes
Culture
The truth behind the endless “kids can’t read” discourseThe truth behind the endless “kids can’t read” discourse
Culture

Is there a literacy crisis? Or am I just old?

By Constance Grady
Future Perfect
Will we know if the next plague is human-made?Will we know if the next plague is human-made?
Future Perfect

AI could make bioweapons more dangerous. It could also be the key to stopping them.

By Joshua Keating
The Gray Area
Is ChatGPT killing higher education?Is ChatGPT killing higher education?
Podcast
The Gray Area

AI is creating a cheating utopia. Universities don’t know how to respond.

By Sean Illing
Life
Can kids still have lazy summers?Can kids still have lazy summers?
Life

The delirious boredom you remember from childhood might not exist anymore.

By Anna North