The Cal Newport Show

A Better Way to Think About Tech

It’s become hard to talk about technology. Commentators have split themselves into two increasingly extreme teams: the pessimists and the optimists. But what about the re

Do Hard Things (Featuring: Jerry Seinfeld)

The most recent episode of the Acquired podcast featured a story about Jerry Seinfeld that provides a critical lesson for succeeding in our current AI moment.   Video f

When Productivity Theory Meets Practice

What happens when neat theoretical ideas about productivity are deployed in the messy real world? In this episode, Cal is joined by Haley Pulli, a productivity coach from

Why Did Big Tech Stop Building Useful Products?

Tesla’s recent demo of a rocket-powered Roadster doing a kick-flick over a parked car touched a nerve in me. It seemed to epitomize changes to the tech sector in recent y

“Rogue” AI Not Inevitable. It’s a Choice.

A lot of attention has been paid recently to examples of AI going “rogue.” What’s missing from this discussion, however, is a more detailed explanation of what specific t

An Unlikely Team Tackles AI Brain Rot

How do we stop from becoming so reliant on LLMs that we lose our ability to think. A new paper explores answers based on an unlikely source: rigorous mathematical models.

A Stark Warning From a Former AI Doomer

Cal Newport takes a critical look at recent AI News. Cal interviews Emile Torres who provides a stark warning about AI. Video from today’s episode: youtube.com/calnewpor

Combating the Whirlwind with a Single Sheet of Paper

One of the more debilitating experiences in our current digital world is the sense of being trapped in relentless, reactive, busyness. This “whirlwind” can separate you f

An Insider's Guide to AI Doom

The conversation around AI harms has become incredibly heated in recent weeks. But it's also incredibly confusing. In this short explainer episode, Cal walks through the

Kids Should *Not* Use Chatbots! (You Should Be Wary, Too…)

With all the recent discussion of the potential catastrophic impacts AI might cause in the future, we’re losing track of the significant harms it is already causing right

The Truth About Brain Rot

A recent New York Times op-ed reveals the true nature of “brain rot,” and in doing so reveals a much larger problem affecting us all. In this episode, Cal explores this b

The AI Resistance is Forming. (Should You Join?)

After a week spent debating AI’s impact on humanity, Cal wants to turn his attention back to AI’s impact on humans. To support this shift, he brings on the writer Brad St

How Worrisome is GPT-6’s “Stealth Thinking”? | Tech Decoded

Cal Newport takes a critical look at recent AI News. Video from today’s episode: youtube.com/calnewportmedia (0:00) How Worrisome is GPT-6’s “Stealth Thinking”?  (8:58

How I’m Organizing My Life this Fall | Advice

It’s that time of year again when Cal tunes up his organizational systems for the onslaught of the fall. In this episode, Cal walks through the exact system he’s personal

Did OpenAI Create “Secret AI Civilizations”? | Tech Decoded

Cal Newport takes a critical look at recent AI News. Video from today’s episode: youtube.com/calnewportmedia (0:00) Does OpenAI create “secret AI civilizations”? (1:59

Rethinking the Deep Life Stack (Again!) | Monday Advice

Back in 2023, Cal released an episode on a lifestyle design strategy I called the Deep Life Stack. Today, almost three years later, Cal revisits this idea and replaces it

Has AI “Gone Rogue”? Let’s Look Closer… | Tech Decoded

Cal Newport takes a critical look at recent AI News. Video from today’s episode: youtube.com/calnewportmedia (0:00) Has AI “Gone Rogue” (2:25) Observation #1 - Most Su

How to Build a Cognitive Training Plan | Monday Advice

In the world of physical health, we use so-called “key performance indicators” (KPIs) to help measure and improve our fitness. In today’s episode, Cal proposes a collecti

Classic Episode: How Do I Kick My Scrolling Habit? | Monday Advice

The best way to kick your scrolling habit is to introduce more “high quality leisure” into your life. But how do you accomplish this goal? In this replay of a classic epi

How Do I Finish Meaningful Projects? | Monday Advice

Only 8% of people finish their yearly goals. At the same time, the percentage of people feeling a sense of meaning of purpose in their life is falling. These two numbers