Technology

Bing Is a Trap

Tech companies say AI will expand the possibilities of searching the internet. So far, the opposite seems to be true.

The Goopification of AI

A new generation of chatbots is poised to become the next frontier of self-help—and could reveal the truth behind Americans’ obsession with lifestyle gurus.

Never Give Artificial Intelligence the Nuclear Codes

The temptation to automate command and control will be great. The danger is greater.

Hotel Booking Is a Post-truth Nightmare

Buying stuff online is stressful. Reserving a room is excruciating.

Just Wait Until Trump Is a Chatbot

Artificial intelligence is already showing up in political ads. Soon, it will completely change the nature of campaigning.

It’s Time to Protect Yourself From AI Voice Scams

Anyone can create a convincing clone of a stranger’s voice. What now?

You Will Miss Bed Bath & Beyond

What we really lose when brick-and-mortar retailers close

Goodbye to the Dried Office Mangoes

Google is clawing back its famously lavish employee perks, sending a message that might be more symbolic than practical.

Chatbots Sound Like They’re Posting on LinkedIn

Large language models make things up, but the worse problem may be in how they present those falsehoods.

Will Tucker Carlson Become Alex Jones?

The host used his platform to bring hate and conspiracy theories from the fever swamps to cable TV.

A Refuge From Internet Algorithms Is Hiding in Plain Sight

Unlike TikTok and Instagram, the photos and reviews on Google Maps haven’t been packaged for your taste or mine.

Elon Musk Revealed What Twitter Always Was

Stripped down to its skeleton, Twitter is the definitive “shame network.”

Silicon Valley’s Favorite Slogan Has Lost All Meaning

How one specific observation became a hyped-up law of everything

Too Many Americans Are Missing Out on the Best Kitchen Gadget

The rice cooker has been perfect since 1955.

Elon Musk’s Disastrous Week

For the tech world’s most attention-grabbing man, performance comes before substance.

The Internet of the 2010s Ended Today

BuzzFeed News was more than a website: It defined an era.

The End of Recommendation Letters

Professors, like their students, use ChatGPT to get out of doing their assignments.

Montana’s TikTok Ban Won’t Work

Technologically speaking, it would be difficult—perhaps impossible—to implement.

You Should Ask a Chatbot to Make You a Drink

AI is great at coming up with cocktail recipes, even as it fails at other tasks. Just don’t ask it to get too creative with the garnishes.

Even Influencers Are Scared of the Internet

Jenn Im posts about the harms of social media on social media, creating a new kind of “meta-content.” And she’s not alone.