Technology

Revealed: The Authors Whose Pirated Books Are Powering Generative AI

Stephen King, Zadie Smith, and Michael Pollan are among thousands of writers whose copyrighted works are being used to train large language models.

Make the Collabs Stop

The world does not need Blue Bottle sneakers or Harry Potter spatulas.

The Future of Recycling Is Sorty McSortface

It’s really hard to sort all the junk that gets thrown in recycling bins. Do tech start-ups have the answer?

TikTok Is Opening a Parallel Dimension in Europe

People will soon be able to experience TikTok without its all-knowing, hyper-personalized algorithm. Will anything change?

Schrödinger’s Cage Match

Elon Musk and Mark Zuckerberg’s rivalry is not worth your time.

I Turned My House Into a Zero-Carbon Utopia

The Inflation Reduction Act let me break up with fossil fuels.

The Greatest Pogo Stick the World Has Ever Seen

A classic toy has been reengineered for extreme athletes. Can it appeal to normies too?

Drinking Water Is Easy

Just add stuff to it.

There’s No Shame in Flaking

Embrace chaos. Don’t show up.

Before a Bot Steals Your Job, It Will Steal Your Name

The future of AI looks a lot like Tessa, Ernie, and Amy.

My Mom Will Email Me After She Dies

It’s common now for people to linger as digital ghosts after they die, transforming the nature of loss.

Never Tweet

Trump’s megaphone is coming back to haunt him.

Sports Betting Won

Of course ESPN is pivoting to gambling.

Welcome to the Age of ‘Foomscrolling’

The online frenzies that followed LK-99 and ChatGPT reveal a resurgent techno-optimism—and a shared longing for a new technology that will free us from human limits.

Killer Apps

Is social media making America’s murder surge worse?

The AI Crackdown Is Coming

Five ways for Washington to hold Silicon Valley accountable

Texas Is a Look Into the Future of Driving

Mindless energy consumption can no longer be the status quo.

What in the World Is Happening on TikTok Live?

The app’s livestreaming section has turned into a huge business as users pay for quick hits of cheap, personalized (and frequently bizarre) entertainment.

Would You Drive an Extra Five Minutes to Save the Planet?

Google Maps’ eco-routing feature wants to help me conserve two teaspoons of gas.

The Ugly Honesty of Elon Musk’s Twitter Rebrand

The platform’s new logo seems a little juvenile. So does the internet.