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

How worried should I be about the AI hacking panic and “Black October”?
Today, Explained newsletter

Whether the cyber-pocalypse is here or not, it’s time to change your passwords.

By Cameron Peters and Adam Clark Estes
How worried should I be about the AI hacking panic and “Black October”?
Today, Explained newsletter

Whether the cyber-pocalypse is here or not, it’s time to change your passwords.

By Cameron Peters and Adam Clark Estes
Advice
Should you let a chatbot manage your money?Should you let a chatbot manage your money?
Advice

ChatGPT can give decent financial advice — to the people who need it the least.

By Adam Clark Estes
Podcasts
You can now create an AI version of a dead loved one. Here’s what could happen.You can now create an AI version of a dead loved one. Here’s what could happen.
Podcast
Podcasts

How “deadbots” might reshape grief.

By Lissa Soep
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

Advice
We all want to offload our most tedious tasks. But what do we lose in the process?We all want to offload our most tedious tasks. But what do we lose in the process?
Advice

What to know before giving your life over to Muse, Dots, or any other AI agent.

By Adam Clark Estes
Politics
The Republicans worried that AI will bring an “age of darkness”The Republicans worried that AI will bring an “age of darkness”
Politics

Trump wants the GOP to be a pro-AI party. Ron DeSantis has a different idea.

By Andrew Prokop
Podcasts
The case for data centers, explained by a person who wants you to like themThe case for data centers, explained by a person who wants you to like them
Podcast
Podcasts

Can data center developers talk their way out of a backlash?

By Dustin DeSoto and Sean Rameswaram
America, Actually
Why Francesca Hong is still on the campaign trailWhy Francesca Hong is still on the campaign trail
Podcast
America, Actually

After a loss in Wisconsin’s gubernatorial primary, Hong is focused on ensuring a Democratic trifecta in the state.

By Katie Fossett and Astead Herndon
Politics
AI’s leaders (probably) aren’t faking their fearAI’s leaders (probably) aren’t faking their fear
Politics

When tech CEOs say their products might kill us all, are they trying to sell us something?

By Eric Levitz
Future Perfect
When does trying to have a healthier baby become eugenics-y?When does trying to have a healthier baby become eugenics-y?
Future Perfect

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

By Sigal Samuel
Advice
The secret to staying smart when using AIThe secret to staying smart when using AI
Advice

ChatGPT brain isn’t inevitable.

By Adam Clark Estes
Today, Explained newsletter
Anthropic vs. the popeAnthropic vs. the pope
Today, Explained newsletter

Claude’s creators are worried the LLM could be conscious. The Catholic Church disagrees.

By Cameron Peters
Technology
AI found a way to make middle school worseAI found a way to make middle school worse
Technology

More kids are using AI for companionship — and it’s making them lonely.

By Adam Clark Estes
Podcasts
What China wants from AIWhat China wants from AI
Podcast
Podcasts

China has its own AI worries — but a robot apocalypse isn’t one of them.

By Peter Balonon-Rosen and Sean Rameswaram
Podcasts
Live auctions are turning shopping into gamblingLive auctions are turning shopping into gambling
Podcast
Podcasts

The addictive power of “live auction” shopping, explained.

By Danielle Hewitt and Sean Rameswaram
Explain It to Me
Wait, what are the rules around cellphone etiquette now?Wait, what are the rules around cellphone etiquette now?
Podcast
Explain It to Me

We asked an etiquette expert how to use your phone around other people.

By Jonquilyn Hill
America, Actually
Why Democrats stopped talking about climateWhy Democrats stopped talking about climate
Podcast
America, Actually

A Sunrise Movement co-founder is running for Congress. He’s talking more about data centers than climate.

By Katie Fossett and Astead Herndon
Podcasts
The online “burnerverse” trying to ruin young women’s livesThe online “burnerverse” trying to ruin young women’s lives
Podcast
Podcasts

The anonymous online network harassing Maddie Kowalski, explained.

By Avishay Artsy and Noel King
Technology
Trump wants AI in every classroom. Here’s why Republicans are saying no.Trump wants AI in every classroom. Here’s why Republicans are saying no.
Technology

The White House sees a fast-growing AI school network as the future. But a conservative tech backlash is building.

By Rachel Cohen Booth
Politics
There’s a global plan to save humans from AI. Can it actually work?There’s a global plan to save humans from AI. Can it actually work?
Politics

Trump, Xi, and the UN are all talking AI this week. Here’s the question they need to answer.

By Mark Scott
AI is already deciding whether or not people receive medical care
Good Medicine

Health insurers are deploying AI to deny claims — and putting people’s health at risk.

By Dylan Scott
Future Perfect
Google is sending a data center into spaceGoogle is sending a data center into space
Future Perfect

What Big Tech’s sci-fi dream reveals about the infrastructure America actually needs.

By Sara Herschander
Podcasts
Can AI actually save lives?Can AI actually save lives?
Podcast
Podcasts

A physician explains how AI is helping in the doctor’s office and the lab.

By Peter Balonon-Rosen and Sean Rameswaram
Future Perfect
Soldiers can refuse to commit war crimes. Can AI?Soldiers can refuse to commit war crimes. Can AI?
Future Perfect

The Pentagon wants AI models that can’t say no.

By Kylie Jones
The scariest AI doom scenario you haven’t thought about
Technology

Claude, design a doomsday bioweapon. Make no mistakes.

By Eric Levitz
Today, Explained newsletter
Your questions about the AI apocalypse, answeredYour questions about the AI apocalypse, answered
Today, Explained newsletter

Writer Jasmine Sun offers some clarity on the AI panic.

By Cameron Peters
Advice
How to stop the slow creep of AI into your lifeHow to stop the slow creep of AI into your life
Advice

Opting out isn’t always possible, but there are ways to minimize your exposure.

By Adam Clark Estes
Politics
The man behind Trump’s rejection of AI safetyThe man behind Trump’s rejection of AI safety
Politics

David Sacks has clashed with safety advocates. He’s no fan of Anthropic or OpenAI. Here’s what he wants.

By Andrew Prokop
Future Perfect
We’re worrying about the wrong AI apocalypseWe’re worrying about the wrong AI apocalypse
Future Perfect

America’s infrastructure was already hackable. Then came AI.

By Sara Herschander
Podcasts
Should we be skeptical about the AI panic?Should we be skeptical about the AI panic?
Podcast
Podcasts

Death is scary and all. But there are non-speculative problems with AI we should be addressing now.

By Kelli Wessinger and Sean Rameswaram
Future Perfect
Can AI save global health? Bill Gates is betting $1 billion that it can.Can AI save global health? Bill Gates is betting $1 billion that it can.
Future Perfect

AI can’t fix all the infrastructure aid cuts broke. But maybe it can help.

By Sara Herschander
The people who fear AI are wasting time fighting each other
Future Perfect

The AI risk debate has become pointlessly tribal. There’s a way out.

By Marina Bolotnikova
The Logoff
Everyone but Trump is worried about AIEveryone but Trump is worried about AI
The Logoff

AI experts want guardrails. Trump wants to go full speed ahead.

By Cameron Peters
Today, Explained newsletter
What an AI “slowdown” could look likeWhat an AI “slowdown” could look like
Today, Explained newsletter

The leaders of several AI companies called for new safeguards over the weekend. Here are three things government could do.

By Caitlin Dewey
Politics
The week the AI freakout went mainstreamThe week the AI freakout went mainstream
Politics

Warnings about AI killing many people, or everyone, are going viral. Here are 3 things the government could do.

By Andrew Prokop
Technology
The strange lesson the Ford Pinto can teach us about the new iPhoneThe strange lesson the Ford Pinto can teach us about the new iPhone
Technology

There’s a bright side to the enshittification of everything.

By Adam Clark Estes
Technology
The smartphone trap we built for ourselvesThe smartphone trap we built for ourselves
Technology

It’s time to end the mandatory QR code.

By Rachel Cohen Booth
Podcasts
Data centers are bringing Americans togetherData centers are bringing Americans together
Podcast
Podcasts

And politicians can’t run away fast enough.

By Ariana Aspuru and Noel King
Life
It shouldn’t feel impossible to finish a bookIt shouldn’t feel impossible to finish a book
Life

Screens have atrophied our reading muscles. Here’s how to get them back.

By Adam Clark Estes
Podcasts
Meta suddenly cares about kidsMeta suddenly cares about kids
Podcast
Podcasts

Why the social media giant is trying to rope its competitors into a settlement.

By Hady Mawajdeh and Sean Rameswaram
Politics
What would it take to actually stop the data centers?What would it take to actually stop the data centers?
Politics

The AI buildout is bruised but still far from broken.

By Eric Levitz
Future Perfect
The three words that will decide whether robots can kill people in warThe three words that will decide whether robots can kill people in war
Future Perfect

A high-stakes battle over the future of “killer robots” comes down to semantics.

By Kylie Jones
Life
How to spy on your aging parents without freaking them outHow to spy on your aging parents without freaking them out
Life

It’s possible to harness technology while respecting an older person’s privacy and autonomy.

By Adam Clark Estes