Deep Questions with Cal Newport

Many of us ask the question if phone addiction is similar to other addictions. In this episode, Cal is joined by the #1 New York Times bestselling author Anna Lembke to explore this question. They dive deep into her book, Dopamine Nation, that captivated readers. 

Below are the questions covered in today's episode (with their timestamps). Get your questions answered by Cal! Send an email to podcast@calnewport.com. 

Video from today’s episode:  youtube.com/calnewportmedia

(0:00) Am I addicted to my phone (w/ Anna Lembke)

(1:04:41) Digital minimalism and good uses for your phone

(1:14:31)  AI in academic publishing

(1:20:35) What I read

(1:24:10) What’s coming up

Books:

What to Make of a Life: Cliffs, Fog, Fire and the Self-Knowldge (Jim Collins)

Links:

Buy Cal’s latest book, “Slow Productivity” at www.calnewport.com/slow 

Get a signed copy of Cal’s “Slow Productivity” at https://peoplesbooktakoma.com/event/cal-newport/ 

Cal’s monthly book directory: bramses.notion.site/059db2641def4a88988b4d2cee4657ba?

https://internetaddictsanonymous.org/guide-for-newcomers/

Thanks to our Sponsors: 

https://www.shopify.com/deep

https://www.monarch.com/deep (Use code “DEEP”)

https://www.expressvpn.com/deep

https://www.cozyearth.com/deep (Use code “DEEP” for 30% off)

Thanks to Jesse Miller for mastering and production, Jay Kerstens for the intro music, and Nate Mechler for research and newsletter.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Cal Newport takes a critical look at recent AI News.

Video from today’s episode: youtube.com/calnewportmedia

(0:00) Is AI about to “eat everything”?

(2:53) What does the METR chart measure?

(8:08) What do these measurements actually capture?

(12:31-) How are the models getting better?

(21:26) Does this mean AI is about to “eat everything”?

(26:16) So, what’s with all of these hysterical tweets?

Links:

Buy Cal’s latest book, “Slow Productivity” at www.calnewport.com/slow

https://metr.org/time-horizons/

https://x.com/SydSteyerhart/status/2053082873847070911

https://x.com/AISafetyMemes/status/2053169358919328172

https://x.com/ramez/status/2041946766598402459?s=61

Thanks to Jesse Miller for production and mastering, Nate Mechler for research and newsletter, and Jay Kerstens for theme music.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

A new research study reveals that a surprisingly simple intervention into your digital life can yield massive benefits in only two weeks. In this episode, Cal takes a deep dive into this paper, detailing: the intervention, why it works, and tips for increasing your chances of success.

Below are the questions covered in today's episode (with their timestamps). Get your questions answered by Cal! Here’s the link: https://bit.ly/3U3sTvo

Video from today’s episode:  youtube.com/calnewportmedia

(0:00) Do I need a digital intervention?

(27:06) AI and academic research

(33:56) Reversing brain rot with cognitive fitness

(37:08) Leaving your phone in the kitchen

(40:07) What Cal is reading

Books:

How Society Should Deal with Inequality (Frank Newport)

Links:

Buy Cal’s latest book, “Slow Productivity” at www.calnewport.com/slow

Get a signed copy of Cal’s “Slow Productivity” at https://peoplesbooktakoma.com/event/cal-newport/

Cal’s monthly book directory: 

bramses.notion.site/059db2641def4a88988b4d2cee4657ba?

https://academic.oup.com/pnasnexus/article/4/2/pgaf017/8016017

https://orgsci.substack.com/p/more-versus-better-part-i

Thanks to our Sponsors:

This show is sponsored by Better Help:

https://www.betterhelp.com/deepquestions

https://www.larridin.com

https://www.calderalab.com/deep

Thanks to Jesse Miller for production, Jay Kerstens for the intro music, and Nate Mechler for research and newsletter.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Cal Newport takes a critical look at recent AI News.

Video from today’s episode: youtube.com/calnewportmedia

(0:00) Is the AI doom fever breaking?

(4:30) Have the AI CEOs changed their tuen?

(7:23) Why did they change?

(11:21) Why did they ever think this was a good idea?

(24:26) Conclusion

Links:

Buy Cal’s latest book, “Slow Productivity” at www.calnewport.com/slow 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DFnoQkYUqgU

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NWxHOrn8-rs

https://x.com/sama/status/2050229058425045178

https://fortune.com/2026/05/02/jensen-huang-nvdia-ceo-god-complex-ai-apocalypse-warnings-shortages-critical-jobs/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Kpb8eu1pEY

https://www.nytimes.com/2026/05/03/opinion/ai-jobs-unemployment-silicon-valley.html

https://nickbostrom.com/existential/risks.pdf

Thanks to Jesse Miller for production and mastering and Nate Mechler for research and newsletter.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

What can an obscure theory of industrial productivity teach us about producing better results in a distracted world? In this episode, Cal is joined by the #1 New York Times bestselling author David Epstein to explore this question. They dive deep into a chapter of Epstein’s new book, INSIDE THE BOX, that makes a surprising connection between the so-called “Theory of Constraints” and personal productivity.

Below are the questions covered in today's episode (with their timestamps). Get your questions answered by Cal! Send an email to podcast@calnewport.com. 

Video from today’s episode:  youtube.com/calnewportmedia

(0:00) How do I get busy to better?

(3:04) INTERVIEW: How Do I Get from Busy to Better? (w/ David Epstein)

(57:58) Post Interview chatter

(1:00:19) A suggestion to break digital news app addictions

(1:05:54) A reaction to a recent newsletter

(1:15:02) What Cal read

(1:16:29) What’s coming up

Books:

Kook (Peter Heller)

Links:

Buy Cal’s latest book, “Slow Productivity” at www.calnewport.com/slow 

Get a signed copy of Cal’s “Slow Productivity” at https://peoplesbooktakoma.com/event/cal-newport/ 

Cal’s monthly book directory: bramses.notion.site/059db2641def4a88988b4d2cee4657ba?

https://calnewport.com/who-asked-for-this/

Thanks to our Sponsors: 

https://www.factormeals.com/deep50off

https://www.wayfair.com

https://www.mybodytutor.com

https://www.shopify.com/deep

Thanks to Jesse Miller for mastering and production, Jay Kerstens for the intro music, and Nate Mechler for research and newsletter.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Cal Newport takes a critical look at recent AI News.

Video from today’s episode also at: youtube.com/calnewportmedia

0:00 Is AI About to Automate Every Office Job? 3:02 Other Tech Leaders Don’t Agree 5:49 -We Aren’t Seeing Enough Progress 14:09 -LLMS Are Limited 24:19 Conclusion

Links:

Buy Cal’s latest book, “Slow Productivity” at www.calnewport.com/slow 

https://www.reddit.com/r/AI4tech/comments/1r4tukp/microsoft_ai_ceo_mustafa_suleyman_says_most_if/

https://x.com/TheChiefNerd/status/2045947286518157395

https://www.reddit.com/r/ClaudeAI/comments/1snhfzd/claude_opus_47_is_a_serious_regression_not_an/ 

https://x.com/mattshumer_/status/2047376179414421957

https://www.newyorker.com/culture/2025-in-review/why-ai-didnt-transform-our-lives-in-2025

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VDOmNa9inA4

https://www.ft.com/video/2c428045-bf4f-45bd-ada2-8ba53983cd81

Thanks to Jesse Miller for production and mastering and Nate Mechler for research and newsletter.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In his recent New York Times essay, Cal argued for a “cognitive fitness” revolution to resist the onslaught of digital tools degrading our ability to think. But how does one actually strengthen their brain? In this episode, Cal details a sustainable cognitive fitness routine built around five key components. 

Below are the questions covered in today's episode (with their timestamps). Get your questions answered by Cal! Send an email to podcast@calnewport.com. 

Video from today’s episode:  youtube.com/calnewportmedia

2:25 DEEP DIVE: How Do I Build “Cognitive Fitness”? | Monday Advice

INBOX: 

30:51 Message from a social media influencer

33:02 Reaction to Amy Timberlake interview

38:01 Putting Cal’s advice into practice

WHAT CAL IS UP TO:

41:20 What I read

43:45 What I’m doing

Books:

The Noonday Devil (by Jean-Charles Nault: translated from original French)

Links:

Buy Cal’s latest book, “Slow Productivity” at www.calnewport.com/slow 

Get a signed copy of Cal’s “Slow Productivity” at https://peoplesbooktakoma.com/event/cal-newport/ 

Cal’s monthly book directory: bramses.notion.site/059db2641def4a88988b4d2cee4657ba?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PdvqpqHSQas

https://www.nytimes.com/2026/03/27/opinion/technology-mental-fitness-cognitive.html

https://www.newyorker.com/culture/annals-of-inquiry/what-kind-of-writer-is-chatgpt

https://i0.wp.com/www.americamagazine.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/MertonCover.jpeg-427330.jpeg?w=992&ssl=1

https://www.nytimes.com/2019/01/25/opinion/sunday/steve-jobs-never-wanted-us-to-use-our-iphones-like-this.html

https://anjalibanerjee.com/paws-and-platen/from-typewritten-draft-to-published-page 

Thanks to our Sponsors: 

https://www.calderalab.com/deep

https://www.vanta.com/deepquestions

https://www.shipstation.com/deep

https://www.zapier.com/deep

Thanks to Jesse Miller for mastering and production, Jay Kerstens for the intro music, and Nate Mechler for research and newsletter.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Cal Newport takes a critical look at recent AI News.

Video from today’s episode: youtube.com/calnewportmedia

0:00 What has *Actually* Happened in AI in 2026? 

3:07 Open Claw

27:53 Anthropic and the Department of War

49:06 Data Centers

Links:

Buy Cal’s latest book, “Slow Productivity” at www.calnewport.com/slow 

https://www.axios.com/2026/01/31/ai-moltbook-human-need-tech

https://www.macstories.net/stories/clawdbot-showed-me-what-the-future-of-personal-ai-assistants-looks-like/

https://www.anthropic.com/news/statement-department-of-war

https://futurism.com/science-energy/data-centers-construction-supply

Thanks to Jesse Miller for production and mastering and Nate Mechler for research and newsletter.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Is developing discipline one of the most effective bulwarks against the constant flood of distraction we face daily? And if so, what’s the best way to accomplish this goal? In this Monday Advice episode of the show, Cal Newport investigates these questions with the help of Brad Stulberg, who writes about these ideas in his most recent book, the New York Times bestseller “The Way of Excellence.”

Below are the questions covered in today's episode (with their timestamps). Get your questions answered by Cal! Send an email to podcast@calnewport.com.

Video from today’s episode:  youtube.com/calnewportmedia

2:27 Do I Need More Discipline? (w/ Brad Stulberg)  

1:07:33 Dealing with abundance of choice in media

1:11:45 Using typewriters for first drafts

1:14:44 Success with “information walkabout”  

1:17:22 What I’ve been doing

1:19:54 What I’ve been reading

Books:

A World Appears (Michael Pollan)

Links:

Buy Cal’s latest book, “Slow Productivity” at www.calnewport.com/slow

Get a signed copy of Cal’s “Slow Productivity” at https://peoplesbooktakoma.com/event/cal-newport/

Cal’s monthly book directory: bramses.notion.site/059db2641def4a88988b4d2cee4657ba?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PdvqpqHSQas

Thanks to our Sponsors:

 https://www.cozyearth.com/deep (Use code “DEEP”)

https://www.monarch.com (Use code “DEEP”)

https://www.shopify.com/deep

https://www.drinkag1.com/deep

Thanks to Jesse Miller for mastering and production, Jay Kerstens for the intro music, and Nate Mechler for research and newsletter.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Cal Newport takes a critical look at recent AI News.

Today's episode on YouTube: youtube.com/calnewportmedia

0:00 What’s Really Going on with Mythos? 

10:09 Security systems

21:27 Conclusion

Links:

Buy Cal’s latest book, “Slow Productivity” at www.calnewport.com/slow 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iRsycWRQrc8

https://www.nytimes.com/2026/04/07/opinion/anthropic-ai-claude-mythos.html

https://arxiv.org/abs/2404.08144

https://x.com/clementdelangue/status/2041953761069793557?s=61

https://x.com/stanislavfort/status/2041922370206654879

https://www.aisi.gov.uk/blog/our-evaluation-of-claude-mythos-previews-cyber-capabilities

Thanks to Jesse Miller for production and mastering and Nate Mechler for research and newsletter.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Ep. 400: Should I Embrace “Slow Technology”?

If there was one word to describe modern digital tools, it would be “fast.” But not everyone thinks this is better. In today’s episode, Cal explores the concept of “slow technology” – the embrace of tools that have fewer features and more friction, but nonetheless produce better work and more satisfaction. His guide in this effort is the acclaimed children’s book author Amy Timberlake, who talks to Cal about her recent shift to using a mechanical typewriter. Cal then reviews other examples of slow technology in action, and then proposes several general principles for applying the philosophy in your own life.

Below are the questions covered in today's episode (with their timestamps). Get your questions answered by Cal! Send an email to podcast@calnewport.com.

Video from today’s episode:  youtube.com/calnewportmedia

INTERVIEW: Should I Embrace “Slow Technology”? (w/ Amy Timberlake) [3:20]

INBOX:

- A book about spiritual sloth [1:03:49]

- What is Cal’s opinion about Yuval Harai’s thoughts on AI? [1:05:22]

WHAT CAL IS UP TO:

- Deep or Crazy: 2nd edition signed Andromeda Strain for HQ? [1:18:29]

- Myth buster gear: display in HQ [1:20:13]

- 400th episode [1:23:01]

Books:

Magic Journey (Kevin Rafferty)

Links:

Buy Cal’s latest book, “Slow Productivity” at www.calnewport.com/slow

Get a signed copy of Cal’s “Slow Productivity” at https://peoplesbooktakoma.com/event/cal-newport/

Cal’s monthly book directory: bramses.notion.site/059db2641def4a88988b4d2cee4657ba?

https://www.axios.com/local/kansas-city/2026/04/02/why-some-are-returning-to-mp3-players

https://ugmonk.com/blogs/journal/analog-the-simplest-productivity-system

https://www.bbc.com/culture/article/20240102-oppenheimer-and-the-resurgence-of-blu-ray-and-dvds-were-now-in-the-age-of-streaming-anxiety

https://ignatius.com/the-noonday-devil-ndevp

https://www.abebooks.com/servlet/BookDetailsPL?bi=32240681755

Thanks to our Sponsors:

This episode is sponsored by BetterHelp:

https://www.betterhlep.com/deepquestions

https://www.calderalab.com/deep

https://www.mybodytutor.com

https://www.grammarly.com

Thanks to Jesse Miller for production, Jay Kerstens for the intro music, and Nate Mechler for research and newsletter.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

AI Reality Check: Is AI Stealing Entry-Level Jobs?

Cal Newport takes a critical look at recent AI News.

Video from today’s episode: youtube.com/calnewportmedia

OPENING: Is AI stealing entry-level jobs? [1:29]

MAIN STORY: Torsten Slok essay [3:06]

CONCLUSION: AI is not stealing entry-level jobs now [11:32]

Links:

Buy Cal’s latest book, “Slow Productivity” at www.calnewport.com/slow

https://www.wsj.com/lifestyle/careers/ai-entry-level-jobs-graduates-b224d624

https://www.apolloacademy.com/busting-the-ai-youth-unemployment-myth/

https://www.theatlantic.com/economy/2026/04/job-market-artificial-intelligence/686659/

Thanks to Jesse Miller for production and mastering and Nate Mechler for research and newsletter.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

It’s been a decade since the original publication of DEEP WORK. Do its ideas still hold in 2026? This is the question Cal tackles in today’s episode: reviewing the four major “rules” from his book, reviewing what still holds and what changes he would add.

Below are the questions covered in today's episode (with their timestamps). Get your questions answered by Cal! Here’s the link: https://bit.ly/3U3sTvo

Video from today’s episode:youtube.com/calnewportmedia

DEEP DIVE: Is Deep Work Still Possible in 2026? [2:03]

INBOX:

- Will I lose the ability to write if I use AI? [39:45]

- The effects of AI on education [45:30]

- Avoiding social media [52:24]

WHAT CAL IS UP TO:

- What I’ve been doing [53:38]

- What I’ve been reading [55:26] 

Books:

Mistborn (Brandon Sanderson)

Links:

Buy Cal’s latest book, “Slow Productivity” at www.calnewport.com/slow 

Get a signed copy of Cal’s “Slow Productivity” at https://peoplesbooktakoma.com/event/cal-newport/

Cal’s monthly book directory: bramses.notion.site/059db2641def4a88988b4d2cee4657ba?

https://www.nytimes.com/2026/03/27/opinion/technology-mental-fitness-cognitive.html

Thanks to our Sponsors: 

https://www.factormeals.com/deep50off

https://www.shopify.com/deep

https://www.wayfair.com

https://www.notion.com/cal

Thanks to Jesse Miller for production, Jay Kerstens for the intro music, and Nate Mechler for research and newsletter.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Cal Newport takes a critical look at recent AI News.

Video from today’s episode: youtube.com/calnewportmedia

ACT #1: Look Closer at the Article [1:20]

ACT #2: A Closer Look at the Paper [3:21]

ACT #3: But What About… [7:24]

Links:

Buy Cal’s latest book, “Slow Productivity” at www.calnewport.com/slow

https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2026/mar/27/number-of-ai-chatbots-ignoring-human-instructions-increasing-study-says

https://x.com/summeryue0/status/2025774069124399363

https://www.axios.com/2025/05/23/anthropic-ai-deception-risk

Thanks to Jesse Miller for production and mastering and Nate Mechler for research and newsletter.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Here’s a key question: Did technology like smartphones make us miserable, or were we already miserable and smartphones made it worse? To help figure out this answer, I talked to Arthur Brooks, the #1 New York Times bestselling author and Harvard professor, about this new book: The Meaning of Your Life: Finding Purpose in an Age of Emptiness. In our conversation, Brooks argues that our current Age of Emptiness began in the 1990s, but technology like smartphones and social media made it worse. We then discuss smart strategies for finding purpose in our current moment.

Below are the questions covered in today's episode (with their timestamps). Get your questions answered by Cal! Send an email to podcast@calnewport.com. 

Video from today’s episode: youtube.com/calnewportmedia

INTERVIEW: How Do I Find Purpose in a Distracted World? (W/ Arthur Brooks) [1:44]  

INBOX: 

Tech employees being evaluated through LLM tokens [1:01:49]
Can Cal comment on reading digital books? [1:07:35]

WHAT CAL IS UP TO:

What Cal is reading [1:13:00]
Deep Work HQ update [1:14:37]

Books:
Mistborn (Brandon Sanderson)

Links:
Buy Cal’s latest book, “Slow Productivity” at calnewport.com/slow
Get a signed copy of Cal’s “Slow Productivity” at peoplesbooktakoma.com/event/cal-newport/
Cal’s monthly book directory: bramses.notion.site/059db2641def4a88988b4d2cee4657ba?
gizmodo.com/tech-employees-are-reportedly-being-evaluated-by-how-fast-they-burn-through-llm-tokens-2000736627

Thanks to our Sponsors: 

monarch.com (Use code “DEEP”)
butcherbox.com/deep
drinklmnt.com/deep
meetfabric.com/deep

Thanks to Jesse Miller for production, Jay Kerstens for the intro music, Nate Mechler for research and newsletter, and Mark Miles for mastering.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Cal Newport takes a critical look at recent AI News.

Video from today’s episode: youtube.com/calnewportmedia

SUB QUESTION #1: What is Yan LeCun Up To? [2:55]

SUB QUESTION #2: How is it possible that LeCun could be right about LLM’s begin a dead-end? We’ve been hearing non-stop recently about how fast they’re advancing. [14:55]

SUB QUESTION #3: What would happen next if LeCun is right? [22:26]

Links:

Buy Cal’s latest book, “Slow Productivity” at www.calnewport.com/slow

https://www.nytimes.com/2026/03/10/technology/ami-labs-yann-lecun-funding.html

Thanks to Jesse Miller for production and mastering and Nate Mechler for research and newsletter.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

A new study finds that for many workers, AI increases shallow efforts while decreasing time focusing on what really matters. This is not the first digital productivity technology to create this paradoxical effect. In today’s episode, Cal dives deep into why this happens and then details three strategies for avoiding these traps in your own professional life.

Below are the questions covered in today's episode (with their timestamps). Get your questions answered by Cal! Here’s the link: bit.ly/3U3sTvo

Video from today’s episode: youtube.com/calnewportmedia

DEEP DIVE:  Why Do “Productivity Technologies” Make My Job Worse? [3:17]

INBOX: 

• An article about meetings [36:11]
• A case study on escaping email overload [47:29]
• A tool that makes the internet more boring [50:37]

WHAT CAL IS UP TO:

• Deep or Crazy? [57:02]
• What Cal read [1:02:23]
• Cal in the news [1:05:57]

Books:

Reader, Come Home (Maryanne Wolf)
What Do You Say? (William Stixrud and Ned Johnson)

Links:
Buy Cal’s latest book, “Slow Productivity” at calnewport.com/slow
Get a signed copy of Cal’s “Slow Productivity” at peoplesbooktakoma.com/event/cal-newport/
Cal’s monthly book directory: bramses.notion.site/059db2641def4a88988b4d2cee4657ba?
pmresearcher.substack.com/p/why-meetings-multiply
docs.pluckeye.net/overview

Thanks to our Sponsors: 

calderalab.com/deep
cozyearth.com/deep (Use code “DEEP”)
grammarly.com
drinkag1.com/deep

Thanks to Jesse Miller for production, Jay Kerstens for the intro music, Nate Mechler for research and newsletter, and Mark Miles for mastering.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Cal Newport takes a critical look at recent AI News.

Video from today’s episode: youtube.com/calnewportmedia

STORY #1: Did an AI Agent Email an AI Researcher? [1:01]

STORY #2: Does the Pentagon Think Claude Has a Soul? [10:20]

STORY #3: What’s Going on with Anthropic Revenues? [14:16]

Links:

Buy Cal’s latest book, “Slow Productivity” at www.calnewport.com/slow 

https://futurism.com/artificial-intelligence/philosopher-ai-consciousness-startled-ai-email

https://x.com/dioscuri/status/2029227527718236359

https://x.com/thomaschattwill/status/2029273517175263679

https://x.com/ns123abc/status/2032122638852640951

https://www.reuters.com/commentary/breakingviews/anthropic-gives-lesson-ai-revenue-hallucination-2026-03-10/

https://pluralistic.net/2026/03/12/normal-technology/

Thanks to Jesse Miller for production and mastering and Nate Mechler for research and newsletter.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Remember how much we loved our iPhones when they first came out? Can we get back to that relationship with these devices? In this episode, Cal explores five pieces of advice for transforming your current phone back to something that’s less distracting, more useful, and fun once again – a goal he calls “2007 mode.”

Below are the questions covered in today's episode (with their timestamps). Get your questions answered by Cal! Here’s the link: bit.ly/3U3sTvo

Video from today’s episode: youtube.com/calnewportmedia

DEEP DIVE: Can I learn to love my phone again? [3:31]

INBOX: 

• A new study on brain fry [30:29]
• Use of phones in The Pitt [38:58]
• 17th Century scholar dealing with overload [42:05]

WHAT CAL IS UP TO:

• What I’m trying [43:57]
• What Cal read [48:45]
• What Cal watched [49:44]

Movies:

Secret Agent

Links:
Buy Cal’s latest book, “Slow Productivity” at calnewport.com/slow
Get a signed copy of Cal’s “Slow Productivity” at peoplesbooktakoma.com/event/cal-newport
Cal’s monthly book directory: bramses.notion.site/059db2641def4a88988b4d2cee4657ba?
youtube.com/watch?v=x7qPAY9JqE4
youtube.com/watch?v=mJ4lsi2RtaI
youtube.com/watch?v=ENUO7dbZ-TY
youtube.com/watch?v=7jVb1lLniEw
youtube.com/watch?v=aC0JKAN5xVI
hbr.org/2026/03/when-using-ai-leads-to-brain-fry
instagram.com/reel/DUxCG_BDvWX/?igsh=a3pyZXNlNTZvdDVp

Thanks to our Sponsors: 

butcherbox.com/deep
vanta.com/deepquestions
1password.com/deep
shopify.com/deep

Thanks to Jesse Miller for production, Jay Kerstens for the intro music, and Mark Miles for mastering.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Cal Newport takes a critical look at recent AI News.

Below are the questions covered in today's episode (with their timestamps). Get your questions answered by Cal! Here’s the link: https://bit.ly/3U3sTvo

Video from today’s episode:  youtube.com/calnewportmedia

ARTICLE #1: America Isn’t Ready for What AI Will Do to Jobs [2:15]

ARTICLE #2: Mass Hysteria. Thousands of Jobs Lost. Just How Bad Is It Going to Get? [9:23] 

ARTICLE #3: THE 2028 GLOBAL INTELLIGENCE CRISIS: A Thought Exercise in Financial History, from the Future [14:39]

Links:

Buy Cal’s latest book, “Slow Productivity” at www.calnewport.com/slow 

https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/2026/03/ai-economy-labor-market-transformation/685731/

https://www.nytimes.com/2026/03/05/opinion/ai-jobs-white-collar-apocalpyse.html

https://www.citriniresearch.com/p/2028gic

https://www.nytimes.com/2026/02/25/business/citrini-ai-stock-market.html

https://www.citadelsecurities.com/news-and-insights/2026-global-intelligence-crisis/

Thanks to Jesse Miller for production and mastering and Nate Mechler for research and newsletter.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Do you need social media? Which services? For what purposes? These are complicated questions and in today’s episode Cal proposes a simple route to answers: conducting a “social media pause.” To help investigate this strategy, Cal is joined by T.K. Coleman, of The Minimalists, to talk about a social media pause that they tried and the surprising results it generated.

Below are the questions covered in today's episode (with their timestamps). Get your questions answered by Cal! Here’s the link: https://bit.ly/3U3sTvo

Video from today’s episode: youtube.com/calnewportmedia

IDEAS SEGMENT: Interview with T.K. Coleman [3:26]

INBOX:
- Focused work in early modern time [1:00:18]
- Tool suggestion from a programmer [1:05:10]
- Staring at a painting for three hours [1:13:26]

WHAT CAL IS UP TO:
- Changes to the show [1:18:44]
- What Cal read [1:20:04]
- What Cal watched [1:21:34]
- Renovation of Maker Lab [1:25:38]

The Age of Extraction (Tim Wu)
John and Paul (Ian Leslie)

Movies:
Train Dreams
The Hurt Locker
Three Days of the Condor

Links:
Buy Cal’s latest book, “Slow Productivity” at www.calnewport.com/slow
Get a signed copy of Cal’s “Slow Productivity” at https://peoplesbooktakoma.com/event/cal-newport/
Cal’s monthly book directory: bramses.notion.site/059db2641def4a88988b4d2cee4657ba?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sgMUBMqrE7M
https://www.reddit.com/r/ObsidianMD/comments/161jik7/please_share_how_you_use_obsidian_for_task/

Thanks to our Sponsors:
https://www.monarch.com (Use code “DEEP”)
https://www.factormeals.com/deep50off
https://www.mybodytutor.com
https://www.wayfair.com

Thanks to Jesse Miller for production, Jay Kerstens for the intro music, and Mark Miles for mastering.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

AI Reality Check: Did the LLM Job Apocalypse Begin Last Week?

Cal Newport takes a closer look at recent AI news.

Below are the topics covered in today's episode (with their timestamps). 

Get your questions answered by Cal! Here’s the link: https://bit.ly/3U3sTvo

Video from today’s episode:youtube.com/calnewportmedia

STORY #1: Jack Dorsey announces layoffs at Block [1:28]

STORY #2: The education level of LLM-based tools [11:45]

STORY #3: What’s happening in the world of computer programming? [19:24]

Links:

Buy Cal’s latest book, “Slow Productivity” at www.calnewport.com/slow 

Get a signed copy of Cal’s “Slow Productivity” at https://peoplesbooktakoma.com/event/cal-newport/

https://x.com/jack/status/2027129697092731343

https://www.nytimes.com/2026/02/26/technology/block-square-job-cuts-ai.html

https://x.com/emollick/status/2027153371241607420

https://www.forbes.com/sites/ronshevlin/2026/02/27/block-lays-off-40-of-staff-and-blames-it-on-ai-dont-buy-the-excuse/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=56HJQm5nb0U

http://calnewport.com

Thanks to Jesse Miller for production and mastering.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

It’s hard to live deeply in a distracted world if you don’t have control over how you spend your time. This goal requires a planning system that both works and can last. Do you have a reasonable planning system in place? If not, don’t worry. Today, Cal is joined by planning expert Sarah Hart-Unger (author of “Best Laid Plans”) to discuss the nitty-gritty details of creating sustainable systems that can help you regain autonomy over your schedule without becoming an over-scheduled drone.

Below are the questions covered in today's episode (with their timestamps). Get your questions answered by Cal! Here’s the link: bit.ly/3U3sTvo

Video from today’s episode: youtube.com/calnewportmedia

IDEAS SEGMENT:  Interview with Sarah Hart-Unger [2:12]

AUDIENCE FEEDBACK, NOTES, AND CHATTER: 

Dopamine addictions and TV shows [1:05:06]

Watching entire films [1:09:43]

Attention span and movies [1:16:38]

WHAT CAL IS UP TO:

Update on my AI Programmer Project [1:21:12]

Other Updates [1:28:02]

What Cal Consumed [1:29:17]

The Last Kings of Hollywood (Paul Fischer)

Movies:

The Smashing Machine

Song Sung Blue

Links:

Buy Cal’s latest book, “Slow Productivity” at www.calnewport.com/slow

Get a signed copy of Cal’s “Slow Productivity” at https://peoplesbooktakoma.com/event/cal-newport/

Cal’s monthly book directory: bramses.notion.site/059db2641def4a88988b4d2cee4657ba?

vanityfair.com/hollywood/2023/07/why-are-movies-sooooo-long-an-investigation

science.org/doi/10.1126/science.adz9311

Sarah Hart-Unger online:

Sarah Hart-Unger (MD, if you want to use that but I typically don't even bother in my creative work!)

practicing pediatric endocrinologist, author, and podcaster

Best Laid Plans Podcast

Best of Both Worlds Podcast (cohosted with Laura Vanderkam)

Best Laid Plans: A Simple Planning System for Living a Life That You Love, Sourcebooks Dec 2025

Website (since 2004 . . .): theshubox.com

Social media: none :) Partially due to your influence, I quit FB in 2016, IG in 2021, and thankfully never got into anything else! I guess I do have minimal Youtube (occasional planner videos + feed of podcast eps) @youtube.com/@BestLaidPlansVideo

Thanks to our Sponsors: 

This show is sponsored by Better Help: 

betterhelp.com/deepquestions

zapier.com/deep

calderalab.com/deep

shopify.com/deep

Thanks to Jesse Miller for production, Jay Kerstens for the intro music, and Mark Miles for mastering.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Last month, the Atlantic reported that film students are now struggling to sit through entire films. In this episode, Cal argues that this is both an issue and an opportunity. The fact we can’t watch full movies indicates the impact of digital tools on our brains is worse than we assumed. But in this problem, we also find a solution: maybe teaching ourselves to become better movie watchers can be the first step to reclaiming our own minds. Cal then dissects a viral AI essay that seems to have everyone worried (spoiler: Cal’s not impressed), reads a reader note about social media and the Olympics, and gives an update on his next book project.

Below are the questions covered in today's episode (with their timestamps). Get your questions answered by Cal! Here’s the link: bit.ly/3U3sTvo

Video from today’s episode:  youtube.com/calnewportmedia

IDEAS SEGMENT:  Can Movies Save Us From Our Phones? [2:36]

NEWS AND NOTES SEGMENT: 

Something Big is Happening [31:23]

Digital Minimalism and the Olympics [49:31]

WHAT CAL’S READING: Cal gives his weekly reading update [56:03]

Attensity

The Lost Island (Eilis Dillon)

Links:

Buy Cal’s latest book, “Slow Productivity” at calnewport.com/slow

Get a signed copy of Cal’s “Slow Productivity” at peoplesbooktakoma.com/event/cal-newport/

Cal’s monthly book directory: bramses.notion.site/059db2641def4a88988b4d2cee4657ba?

theatlantic.com/ideas/2026/01/college-students-movies-attention-span/685812/

fortune.com/2026/02/11/something-big-is-happening-ai-february-2020-moment-matt-shumer/

Thanks to our Sponsors: 

pipedrive.com/deep

drinkag1.com/deep

butcherbox.com/deep

grammarly.com

Thanks to Jesse Miller for production, Jay Kerstens for the intro music, and Mark Miles for mastering.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

There remains a gap between the production values of professional streaming services like Netflix and independent content that appears on platforms like YouTube. But what happens when that gap disappears? In the ideas segment of today’s episode, Cal sends a correspondent to investigate a fascinating new “micro-streaming” service producing Netflix-quality shows with a small team. Then, in the practices segment, he explains why he spent $60 on a single productivity application.

Below are the questions covered in today's episode (with their timestamps). Get your questions answered by Cal! Here’s the link: bit.ly/3U3sTvo

Video from today’s episode: youtube.com/calnewportmedia

IDEAS SEGMENT:  Are “Micro-Streamers” the Future of Media? [3:12]

PRACTICES SEGMENT: Why Cal Spent $60 on a Task App? [36:33]

QUESTIONS:

How can I find time to become a Biblical scholar? [45:25]

Should I freak out about this AI Superintelligence article? [49:23]

WHAT CAL’S READING: Cal gives his weekly reading update [57:41]

The Hidden Book in the Bible (Richard Elliott)

Links:

Buy Cal’s latest book, “Slow Productivity” at calnewport.com/slow

Get a signed copy of Cal’s “Slow Productivity” at peoplesbooktakoma.com/event/cal-newport/

Cal’s monthly book directory: bramses.notion.site/059db2641def4a88988b4d2cee4657ba?

https://www.masterclass.com/calnewport

https://culturedcode.com/things/

Thanks to our Sponsors: 

1password.com/deep

cozyearth.com/deep (Use code “DEEP” for 20% off)

calderalab.com/deep

shopify.com/excellence

Thanks to Jesse Miller for production, Jay Kerstens for the intro music, and Mark Miles for mastering.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Is there something rotten in the state of AI reporting at the moment? In the ideas segment of this episode, Cal details three common traps in AI coverage that distort or distract from the reality of this technology. Once you know what to look for, these traps become easy to avoid – greatly improving your experience when trying to keep up to date on the latest advancements. Then, in the practice segment, Cal asks why morning routines have become so popular among young people. His explanation (hint: it involves the fight for depth in a distracted world) uncovers new ideas about how to make morning routines actually useful.

Below are the questions covered in today's episode (with their timestamps). Get your questions answered by Cal! Here’s the link: bit.ly/3U3sTvo

Video from today’s episode:youtube.com/calnewportmedia

IDEAS SEGMENT:  Is AI Reporting Broken? [1:43]

PRACTICES SEGMENT: Rethinking Morning Routines [29:27]

QUESTIONS:

• Did I see somewhere that you’re filming a MasterClass? [41:24]
• Now that David Brooks left the NYT, will he start a Substack? [46:25]
• Cal reacts to comments [48:25]

WHAT CAL’S READING: Cal gives his weekly reading update  [50:45]

Time Freedom (Brian Heriott) ARC
The Vampire, The Tutor, and the Madman (Josh Douglas)
One Direction (Charles Duhigg)

Links:
Buy Cal’s latest book, “Slow Productivity” at calnewport.com/slow
Get a signed copy of Cal’s “Slow Productivity” at peoplesbooktakoma.com/event/cal-newport/
Cal’s monthly book directory: bramses.notion.site/059db2641def4a88988b4d2cee4657ba?
qz.com/amazon-layoffs-ai-tech-job-losses
cnbc.com/2026/01/28/amazon-layoffs-anti-bureaucracy-ai.html
calnewport.com
nytimes.com/2025/07/28/arts/video-games-artificial-intelligence.html
nypost.com/2026/01/31/tech/moltbook-is-a-new-social-media-platform-exclusively-for-ai/
news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46838834
youtube.com/@WesRoth/videos
youtube.com/@airevolutionx/videos
youtube.com/watch?v=JoQG25gQyRg
newyorker.com/magazine/2026/02/02/what-maga-can-teach-democrats-about-organizing-and-infighting

Thanks to our Sponsors: 

factormeals.com/deep50off
monarch.com (Use code “DEEP”)
pipedrive.com/deep
mybodytutor.com

Thanks to Jesse Miller for production, Jay Kerstens for the intro music, and Mark Miles for mastering.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Everyone knows that excessive smartphone use can be harmful. But the question we don’t ask enough is what the advantages are of not using these devices. In the ideas segment, Cal examines the testimonials of four subjects who spent significant time without phones, to learn what they actually experience. Then, in the practices segment, he dissects the latest viral online self-help sensation to see if it holds up or is just fluff. Finally, in the Q&A segment, he tackles a surprising (and distressing) way in which technology plays a role in the violent ICE raids happening in Minnesota.

Below are the questions covered in today's episode (with their timestamps). Get your questions answered by Cal! Here’s the link: bit.ly/3U3sTvo

Video from today’s episode: youtube.com/calnewportmedia

IDEAS SEGMENT: What (Really) Happens When You Ditch Your Smartphone? [3:07]

PRACTICES SEGMENT: Assessing the Internet’s Latest Self-Help Sensation [31:53]

QUESTIONS:

• What do the ICE raids in Minnesota teach us about technology and its impacts on our society? [53:17]

WHAT CAL’S READING: Cal gives his weekly reading update [1:08:17]

The Animated Man: A Life of Walt Disney (Michael Barrier)

Links:
Buy Cal’s latest book, “Slow Productivity” at [calnewport.com/slow](https://www.calnewport.com/slow
Get a signed copy of Cal’s “Slow Productivity” at peoplesbooktakoma.com/event/cal-newport/
Cal’s monthly book directory: bramses.notion.site/059db2641def4a88988b4d2cee4657ba?
youtube.com/watch?v=kzXOyW8Zumg
youtube.com/watch?v=gh5CYvi5E40
youtube.com/watch?v=C-Iewo7zUFo
youtube.com/watch?v=5FI1gP_K5K0
youtube.com/watch?v=FshYuO6Opwk
x.com/thedankoe/status/2010751592346030461
prospect.org/2026/01/27/ice-greg-bovino-minneapolis-one-battle-after-another-sean-penn/
youtube.com/watch?v=elF0YmsCHvQ

Thanks to our Sponsors: 

This episode is sponsored by Better Help:
betterhelp.com/deepquestion
rag-bone.com (Use code “DEEP”)
calderalab.com/deep
shopify.com/deep

Thanks to Jesse Miller for production, Jay Kerstens for the intro music, and Mark Miles for mastering.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

It’s natural to feel ambition, as we’re wired to find great satisfaction in accomplishing hard goals. But what impact has the internet had on this instinct? To help explore this question, author Brad Stulberg, author of the new book THE WAY OF EXCELLENCE, joins Cal during the ideas segment to explore ways in which the internet hijacks our drive, and what we can do about it. Then, in the practice segment, Cal provides the 2026 of his evolving advice for escaping email and IM overload in your job.

Below are the questions covered in today's episode (with their timestamps). Get your questions answered by Cal! Here’s the link: bit.ly/3U3sTvo

Video from today’s episode:  youtube.com/calnewportmedia

IDEAS SEGMENT: Is the internet hijacking ambition? [4:16]

PRACTICES SEGMENT: Escaping messaging hell [1:03:06]

QUESTIONS AND COMMENTS:

• Have new AI tools actually been as transformative as claimed? [1:23:49]

CAL RESPONDS TO COMMENTS [1:38:15]

WHAT CAL’S READING: Cal gives his weekly reading update [1:44:52]

Future Boy (Michael J. Fox)
The Unauthorized Story of Disney’s Haunted Mansion (Jeff Baham)

Links:
Get The Way of Excellence:  A Guide to True Greatness and Deep Satisfaction: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0063385945/ref=sw_img_1?smid=ATVPDKIKX0DER&psc=1

Buy Cal’s latest book, “Slow Productivity” at calnewport.com/slow
Get a signed copy of Cal’s “Slow Productivity” at peoplesbooktakoma.com/event/cal-newport/
Cal’s monthly book directory: bramses.notion.site/059db2641def4a88988b4d2cee4657ba?
podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/old-school-with-shilo-brooks/id1841566275
instagram.com/p/DFh_mNGSvuZ/?img_index=2
microsoft.com/en-us/worklab/work-trend-index/breaking-down-infinite-workday
reddit.com/r/AskReddit/comments/1o2g1xq/with_all_the_billions_trillions_going_into_it/
calnewport.com/a-world-without-email/

Thanks to our Sponsors: 

mybodytutor.com
monarch.com (Use code “DEEP”)
pipedrive.com/deep
meetfabric.com/deep

Thanks to Jesse Miller for production, Jay Kerstens for the intro music, and Mark Miles for mastering.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Despite some initial skepticism, Jonathan Haidt’s crusade against kids using smartphones has been more or less completely vindicated. Which got us thinking: what’s he worried about next? In the ideas segment, Cal looks closer at three new technological harms that Haidt has begun sounding the alarm about. Then, in the practices segment, he details a somewhat eccentric technology strategy that he and his wife have deployed in their own home to keep their kids away from smartphones. 

Below are the questions covered in today's episode (with their timestamps). Get your questions answered by Cal! Here’s the link: bit.ly/3U3sTvo

Video from today’s episode: youtube.com/calnewportmedia

IDEAS SEGMENT: What’s worrying Jon Haidt? [0:04]

PRACTICES SEGMENT: Should you buy a landline (Cal just did…) [50:44]

QUESTIONS AND COMMENTS:

• Can we put the social media and video game genies back in their lamp? [1:08:55]
• Can an artist avoid using social media? [1:13:01]
• Cal responds to comments [1:16:33]

WHAT CAL’S READING: Cal gives his weekly reading update [1:19:31]

20th Century Fox (Scott Eyman)
In the Shadow of Man (Jane Goodall)

Links:
Buy Cal’s latest book, “Slow Productivity” at calnewport.com/slow
Get a signed copy of Cal’s “Slow Productivity” at peoplesbooktakoma.com/event/cal-newport/
Cal’s monthly book directory: bramses.notion.site/059db2641def4a88988b4d2cee4657ba?
docs.google.com/document/d/1w-HOfseF2wF9YIpXwUUtP65-olnkPyWcgF5BiAtBEy0/edit?tab=t.0
x.com/kevinroose/status/2001464352491311196
afterbabel.com/p/smartphone-gambling-is-a-disaster
fanduel.com
afterbabel.com/p/its-not-just-a-game-anymore
afterbabel.com/p/dont-give-your-child-an-ai-companion
futurism.com/artificial-intelligence/ai-toys-danger
instagram.com/reel/DO_7TzvEkzO/?hl=en
tincan.kids
punkt.ch/products/mp02-4g-minimalist-phone
aliexpress.us/item/3256810412310495.html
nintendo.com/us/store/products/nintendo-switch-lite-turquoise

Thanks to our Sponsors: 

1password.com/deep
cozyearth.com (Use code “DEEP”)
notion.com/cal
calderalab.com/deep

Thanks to Jesse Miller for production, Jay Kerstens for the intro music, and Mark Miles for mastering.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Last year, when columnist Paul Krugman left the NYT, it seemed like yet another example of the traditional media crumbling. But Krugman, as it turns out, is doing great. His popular substack now reaches massive audiences and earns him a seven-figure salary. Inspired by this story, in the ideas segment of today’s episode, we take a closer look at key numbers relevant to whether paid newsletters can replace traditional print media. Then, in the practices segment, we study some viral advice for spending less time on your phone.

Below are the questions covered in today's episode (with their timestamps). Get your questions answered by Cal! Here’s the link: bit.ly/3U3sTvo

Video from today’s episode: youtube.com/calnewportmedia

DEEP DIVE: Can Substack Save Journalism? + Viral Advice for Ignoring Your Phone [0:02]

PRACTICES SEGMENT: How to successfully delete social media [50:40]

• Is it ok to use ChatGPT to try to better understand some classics? [1:04:51]
• How do I decide what to write down when I use the notebook method? [1:06:10]
• For professional writers trying to succeed today, isn’t Substack the platform of the moment? [1:12:00]

CAL’S READING UPDATE: Cal gives his weekly reading update [1:18:28]

Airframe (Michael Crichton)
The Great Train Robbery (Michael Crichton) 
Fantastic Voyage  (Isaac Asimov)

Links:
Buy Cal’s latest book, “Slow Productivity” at calnewport.com/slow 
Get a signed copy of Cal’s “Slow Productivity” at peoplesbooktakoma.com/event/cal-newport/ 
Cal’s monthly book directory: bramses.notion.site/059db2641def4a88988b4d2cee4657ba?
cjr.org/analysis/paul-krugman-leaving-new-york-times-heavy-hand-editing-less-frequent-columns-newsletter.php
substack.com/@paulkrugman
natesilver.net/p/always-be-blogging
reallygoodbusinessideas.com/p/most-popular-substacks
pewresearch.org/journalism/fact-sheet/newspapers/
rnz.co.nz/life/culture/any-attempt-to-simplify-elon-musk-is-futile-the-nz-cofounder-of-substack
daringfireball.net/2024/11/regarding_and_well_against_substack
youtube.com/watch?v=eUSBKj5ZQpo

Thanks to our Sponsors: 

meetfabric.com/deep
pipedrive.com/deep
factormeals.com/deep50off
monarch.com (Use code “DEEP”)

Thanks to Jesse Miller for production, Jay Kerstens for the intro music, and Mark Miles for mastering.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Ep 386: Was 2025 a Great or Terrible Year for AI? (w/ Ed Zitron) 

2025 was a year that was saturated in AI news, from Deep Seek, through claims of economic “bloodbaths,” to GPT-5, Sora, and Chatbot girlfriends. Frankly, it was exhausting. As we now look back on 2025 an interesting question arises: all in all, did this end up being a good or bad year for AI? To help me answer this question, I’m joined by hard-hitting AI commentator Ed Zitron, who's been everywhere in the media in recent months helping to make sense of the wild claims being thrown in the public’s direction. Together we go through the biggest AI stories of the year to try to make sense of what just happened. 

Below are the questions covered in today's episode (with their timestamps). Get your questions answered by Cal! Here’s the link: bit.ly/3U3sTvo

Video from today’s episode: youtube.com/calnewportmedia

INTERVIEW: Was 2025 a Great or Terrible Year for AI (w/ Ed Zitron) [3:16]

Cal Reacts to Comments: Is the Internet Becoming Television? [1:58:25]  

Links:
Buy Cal’s latest book, “Slow Productivity” at calnewport.com/slow
Get a signed copy of Cal’s “Slow Productivity” at peoplesbooktakoma.com/event/cal-newport/
Cal's monthly book directory: bramses.notion.site/059db2641def4a88988b4d2cee4657ba?
bbc.com/news/articles/c5yv5976z9po
axios.com/2025/01/23/davos-2025-ai-agents
blog.google/technology/google-deepmind/gemini-model-updates-february-2025/
openai.com/index/sora/
openai.com/index/introducing-gpt-4-5/
ai-2027.com/
fortune.com/2025/05/28/anthropic-ceo-warning-ai-job-loss/
media.mit.edu/publications/your-brain-on-chatgpt/
usatoday.com/story/tech/2025/08/07/chat-gpt-5-release-date-open-ai/85566627007/#:~:text=GPT%2D5%20release%20date,release%20date%20for%20Part%202
newyorker.com/culture/open-questions/what-if-ai-doesnt-get-much-better-than-this
wsj.com/tech/ai/ai-bubble-building-spree-55ee6128
nvidianews.nvidia.com/news/openai-and-nvidia-announce-strategic-partnership-to-deploy-10gw-of-nvidia-systems
nytimes.com/2025/10/02/technology/openai-sora-video-app.html
anthropic.com/news/claude-opus-4-5
ft.com/content/064bbca0-1cb2-45ab-85f4-25fdfc318d89
youtube.com/watch?v=Z_WEmjygNK0

Thanks to our Sponsors: 

This episode is sponsored by Better Help:
betterhelp.com/deepquestions
reclaim.ai/cal
expressvpn.com/deep
calderalab.com/deep

Thanks to Jesse Miller for production, Jay Kerstens for the intro music, and Mark Miles for mastering.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In this replay of a classic episode from March 2024, Cal discusses his transformative experience using a small analog notebook to tackle a complicated problem in his life. He makes the broader argument that sometimes simple analog tools can far exceed the utility of their digital counterparts.

Below are the questions covered in today's episode (with their timestamps). Get your questions answered by Cal! Here’s the link: https://bit.ly/3U3sTvo

Video from today’s episode:youtube.com/calnewportmedia

Deep Dive: Single-Purpose Notebooks [1:21]

- If “pseudo-productivity” isn’t effective, why is it so common? [21:58] 

- Can you explain the difference between limiting missions, projects, and daily goals? [29:54] 

- Should everyone buy a $50 notebook? [34:18]

- How does “Slow Productivity” relate to mental models and first principles? [43:08]

- Should I read your new book slowly? [47:40]

- CALL: Struggling writer obsessing over quality [53:10]

CASE STUDY: Applying lifestyle-centric career planning [58:14]

SOMETHING INTERESTING: TikTok Falters [1:01:39]

Links:

Buy Cal’s latest book, “Slow Productivity” at www.calnewport.com/slow 

Get a signed copy of Cal’s “Slow Productivity” at https://peoplesbooktakoma.com/event/cal-newport/

Cal’s monthly book directory: bramses.notion.site/059db2641def4a88988b4d2cee4657ba?

https://www.notebookstories.com/2013/05/06/picasso-sketchbook/

https://www.anothermanmag.com/life-culture/10788/remembering-bruce-chatwin-the-greatest-travel-writer-that-ever-lived

https://www.notebookstories.com/2023/12/22/a-notebook-in-the-movie-elf/

https://www.wsj.com/tech/personal-tech/quitting-tiktok-less-swiping-more-sleeping-1e166a39?page=1

https://www.newyorker.com/culture/cultural-comment/tiktok-and-the-fall-of-the-social-media-giants

Get your questions answered by Cal! Here’s the link: bit.ly/3U3sTvo

Video from today’s episode: youtube.com/calnewportmedia

Thanks to our Sponsors: 

monarch.com/deep
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makeheadway.com/deep
meetfabric.com/deep

Thanks to Jesse Miller for production, Jay Kerstens for the intro music, and Mark Miles for mastering.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In our annual holiday episode, Cal tackles one of the questions he’s asked most often: What should I read? But with a twist. He recommends six books that are not from the self-help or advice genre that will nonetheless help you change your life into something deeper. For the rest of the episode, he then answers listener calls.

Below are the questions covered in today's episode (with their timestamps). Get your questions answered by Cal! Here’s the link: bit.ly/3U3sTvo

Video from today’s episode:  youtube.com/calnewportmedia

CAL’S BOOK RECOMMENDATIONS:

Walden by Henry David Thoreau [2:40]
Lincoln’s Virtues by William Lee Miller [7:28]
The Case for God by Karen Armstrong [10:54]
You Are Not a Gadget by Jaron Lanier [21:25]
The Shallows by Nicholas Carr [26:28]
Falling Upward by Richard Rohr [28:45]

CALLS: 

• Concerned father and husband about smartphones [37:48]
• Living deeply with multiple gigs [43:27]
• Effective timeblocking [47:19]
• The Deep Life for non-knowledge workers [54:01]
• Dealing with overwhelming technology [58:59]
• The real cost of AI [1:02:59]
• Where to start with deep work? [1:07:33]

Links:

Buy Cal’s latest book, “Slow Productivity” at calnewport.com/slow
Get a signed copy of Cal’s “Slow Productivity” at peoplesbooktakoma.com/event/cal-newport/
Cal’s monthly book directory: bramses.notion.site/059db2641def4a88988b4d2cee4657ba?

Thanks to our Sponsors: 

monarch.com/deep
wayfair.com
notion.com/cal
reclaim.ai/cal

Thanks to Jesse Miller for production, Jay Kerstens for the intro music, and Mark Miles for mastering.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Earlier this fall, the activist, novelist, and essayist Paul Kingsnorth published an anti-technology polemic called “Against the Machine.” To say it hit a nerve is an understatement. In the months that followed, Kingsnorth has been everywhere; profiled, among places, in the New York Times, the New Yorker, and The Atlantic. In today’s episode, I want to find out why Kingsnorth’s take on technology is resonating so strongly. To help me answer this question, I’m joined by the journalist and scholar Tyler Austin Harper, who wrote a great review of Kingsnorth’s book for The Atlantic. We dive deep into Kingsnorth’s ideas and explore what they teach us about our current moment more generally.

Below are the questions covered in today's episode (with their timestamps). Get your questions answered by Cal! Here’s the link: bit.ly/3U3sTvo

Video from today’s episode: youtube.com/calnewportmedia

INTERVIEW: Why Is Everyone Talking About “Against the Machine”? (w/ Tyler Austin Harper) [0:00] 

• Is the simple awareness of a notification as harmful as full context switching? [1:15:49]
• Is there an “ideal ratio” for consuming information across different mediums? [1:17:12]
• How can I effectively implement your shutdown routine and not keep checking emails? [1:20:21]
• How can I manage my social media obligations with my marketing job? [1:23:52]

CASE STUDY: Reframing a career to utilize career capital [1:26:07]

CALL: Dealing with conflicting views about digital minimalism in a relationship [1:30:21]

Links:

Buy Cal’s latest book, “Slow Productivity” at calnewport.com/slow
Get a signed copy of Cal’s “Slow Productivity” at peoplesbooktakoma.com/event/cal-newport/
Cal’s monthly book directory: bramses.notion.site/059db2641def4a88988b4d2cee4657ba?
theatlantic.com/books/2025/11/paul-kingsnorth-against-the-machine/684848/

Thanks to our Sponsors: 

This show is sponsored by Better Help:
betterhelp.com/deepquestions
shopify.com/deep
mybodytutor.com
expressvpn.com/deep

Thanks to Jesse Miller for production, Jay Kerstens for the intro music, and Mark Miles for mastering.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Last month, Derek Thompson published an intriguing essay that made waves in technology criticism circles. It was titled: “Everything is Television.” In today’s episode, Cal takes a closer look at this essay, unpacking and expanding Thompson’s arguments, and ultimately concluding with a series of predictions about what to expect next from the internet. He then answers listener questions and discusses the five books he read in November 2025.

Below are the questions covered in today's episode (with their timestamps). Get your questions answered by Cal! Here’s the link: bit.ly/3U3sTvo

Video from today’s episode:  youtube.com/calnewportmedia

Deep Dive: Is the Internet Becoming Television [00:03]

• Can AI reduce distractions for developers? [38:32]
• How do I time block in a job with heavy interruptions? [44:03]
• How should I manage what I read, watch and listen to for books, magazines, shows, and podcasts? [47:31]
• How should I cope with family and friends always scrolling TikTok during the holiday season? [52:50]
• Does endless scrolling make people less motivated to be physically active? [54:48]

CASE STUDY: Developing a Deep Life after selling a company [56:15]

CALL: Eliminating Instagram in graduate school [1:04:19]

NOVEMBER BOOKS: The 5 Books Cal Read in November 2025 [1:09:08]

Realityland (David Koening)
Becoming Mary Poppins (Todd James Pierce)
Tradition in an Untraditional Age (Rabbi Jonathan Sacks)
What is the Bible? (Rob Bell)
Notes on Being a Man (Scott Galloway)

Links:

Buy Cal’s latest book, “Slow Productivity” at calnewport.com/slow
Get a signed copy of Cal’s “Slow Productivity” at peoplesbooktakoma.com/event/cal-newport/
Cal’s monthly book directory: bramses.notion.site/059db2641def4a88988b4d2cee4657ba?
flowingdata.com/2025/10/03/passed-peak-social-media-maybe/
derekthompson.org/p/why-everything-became-television
youtube.com/watch?v=QaiecWzeHFM
csmonitor.com/1985/0610/z2vid1.html

Thanks to our Sponsors: 

cozyearth.com/DEEP (for up to 40% off)
auraframes.com (Use code “DEEPQUESTIONS” to get $35 off)
indeed.com/deep
grammarly.com/podcast

Thanks to Jesse Miller for production, Jay Kerstens for the intro music, and Mark Miles for mastering.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In today’s episode, Cal reviews some of his favorite advice from legendary writers (plus a bonus piece of advice from his own craft). Within each suggestion, he finds a general idea that can apply to anyone looking to build a deep life in an increasingly distracted world. He then answers listener questions and responds to comments about last week’s episode.

Below are the questions covered in today's episode (with their timestamps). Get your questions answered by Cal! Here’s the link: bit.ly/3U3sTvo

Video from today’s episode: youtube.com/calnewportmedia

Deep Dive: Life Advice from Legendary Writers [0:02]

• How do you balance managing your energy vs. time? [45:29]
• How can I recharge without feeling antsy as a working mom? [48:39]
• Should I eliminate Reddit to gain a more intentional mind? [50:56]
• What’s the difference for reading based on the Lincoln protocol and for sheer joy? [54:53]
• Does active podcast listening qualify as a learning endeavor? [57:01]

CASE STUDY: A project manager reorganizes his life [1:02:19]

CALL: Developing a 5-year plan for work [1:06:54]

CAL READS THE COMMENTS: Can LLMs be Conscious? [1:09:51]

Links:

Buy Cal’s latest book, “Slow Productivity” at calnewport.com/slow
Get a signed copy of Cal’s “Slow Productivity” at peoplesbooktakoma.com/event/cal-newport/
Cal’s monthly book directory: bramses.notion.site/059db2641def4a88988b4d2cee4657ba?
youtube.com/watch?v=CQHK_AlJTQc

Thanks to our Sponsors: 

calderalab.com/deep
auraframes.com (Use code “DEEPQUESTIONS”)
shopify.com/deep
vanta.com/deepquestions

Thanks to Jesse Miller for production, Jay Kerstens for the intro music, and Mark Miles for mastering.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

There has been a lot of loose talk online recently about the capabilities of existing AI tools. In this episode, Cal reacts to a specific recent clip from the Joe Rogan podcast in which the guest argues that language models are like a child’s brain, and may already be conscious. Cal puts on his (always stylish) computer scientist had to explain why this cannot be true. He then answers listener questions and reacts to feedback on his recent episode about using a notebook to enhance long thinking.

Below are the questions covered in today's episode (with their timestamps). Get your questions answered by Cal! Here’s the link: bit.ly/3U3sTvo

Video from today’s episode:  youtube.com/calnewportmedia

Deep Dive: ChatGPT is Not Alive [0:04]

• Are there other forms of dangerous AI other than LLMs? [49:03]
• What are the immediate concerns of AI? [53:24]
• Will AI be smart enough to evolve to not destroy itself? [55:47]
• Does James Somers make a valid argument in his recent New Yorker article that the AI can think? [1:01:49]
• How can I build career capital if I’m forced to integrate AI into my workflow? [1:04:52]

CASE STUDY: A Workplace Productivity System [1:06:31]

CAL READS THE COMMENTS: Regaining Your Ability to Think (in 60 Minutes a Week) [1:10:48]

Links:

Buy Cal’s latest book, “Slow Productivity” at calnewport.com/slow
Get a signed copy of Cal’s “Slow Productivity” at peoplesbooktakoma.com/event/cal-newport/
Cal’s monthly book directory: bramses.notion.site/059db2641def4a88988b4d2cee4657ba?
youtube.com/watch?v=gXbsq5nVmT0
youtube.com/watch?v=NnA2OoH_NFY

Thanks to our Sponsors:

calderalab.com/deep
auraframes.com (Use code “DEEPQUESTIONS”)
byloftie.com (Use code “DEEP20”)
cozyearth.com (Use code “DEEP”)

Thanks to Jesse Miller for production, Jay Kerstens for the intro music, and Mark Miles for mastering.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

When companies began instituting return-to-office plans after the pandemic, a disproportionate number of women chose instead to leave the workforce. Why? The obvious answer is that they wanted the flexibility of remote work. But in this episode, Cal draws on a recent New York Times op-ed that offers a deeper explanation – one that affects all knowledge workers. He then explores solutions to the problem, answers listener questions, and (God help him) respond to comments on his recent Superintelligence episode.

Below are the questions covered in today's episode (with their timestamps). Get your questions answered by Cal! Here’s the link: bit.ly/3U3sTvo

Video from today’s episode:  youtube.com/calnewportmedia

Deep Dive: The Flexibility Myth [0:02]

• How should a venture backed startup team design their work schedule? [51:42]
• How do I stop my boss from e-mailing me at all hours? [57:02]
• How should a professor on break schedule his deep work? [1:02:35]
• How can I better schedule my blocks to prepare for technical interviews? [1:09:59]
• When considering lifestyle-centric planning, what practices may help determine the type of work to pursue? [1:12:16]

CASE STUDY: Completing a Thesis [1:19:08]

CALL: Details about time blocking [1:25:08]

CAL READS THE COMMENTS: The Case Against Superintelligence [1:33:58]

Links:

Buy Cal’s latest book, “Slow Productivity” at calnewport.com/slow
Get a signed copy of Cal’s “Slow Productivity” at peoplesbooktakoma.com/event/cal-newport/
Cal’s monthly book directory: bramses.notion.site/059db2641def4a88988b4d2cee4657ba?
nytimes.com/2025/11/02/opinion/women-work-force-flexibility-shifts.html
youtube.com/watch?v=y0RI5CnoDvs

Thanks to our Sponsors: 

This episode is sponsored by Betterhelp. 
betterhelp.com/deepquestions
expressvpn.com/deep
shopify.com/deep
mybodytutor.com

Thanks to Jesse Miller for production, Jay Kerstens for the intro music, and Mark Miles for mastering.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

We often talk on this show about how digital devices undermine our ability to consume more complicated and meaningful ideas. But what about our ability to produce such ideas from scratch? In this episode, Cal identifies a key productive skill –  long thinking – that we’re increasingly losing. He argues that it’s critical for living a deep life and provides a simple strategy to help regain the skill. He then answers listener questions and discusses the books he read in October 2025.

Below are the questions covered in today's episode (with their timestamps). Get your questions answered by Cal! Here’s the link: bit.ly/3U3sTvo

Video from today’s episode:  youtube.com/calnewportmedia

Deep Dive: The Lost Art of Long Thinking [0:02]

• How does Cal organize his notebooks for his books and New Yorker articles? [42:40]
• How can an 18 year old student get better at reading? [45:42]
• How can I restart my creative writing if I don’t want to use a computer? [47:56]
• Is it important to write reflections on the books I read? [56:57]
• How often should I take reflection walks with single purpose notebooks? [59:00]
  CASE STUDY: Trying to live a Deep Life [1:00:47]
  CALL: Adventure Work [1:09:00]
  OCTOBER BOOKS: The 5 Books Cal Read in October 2025 [1:11:57]

The Gift of the Jews (Thomas Cahill)
Lin-Manuel Miranda (Daniel Pollack-Pelzner)
Inspired (Rachel Held Evans)
The Future of Tutoring (Liz Cohen)
Society of the Spectacle (Guy Debord)

Links:

Buy Cal’s latest book, “Slow Productivity” at calnewport.com/slow
Get a signed copy of Cal’s “Slow Productivity” at peoplesbooktakoma.com/event/cal-newport/
Cal’s monthly book directory: bramses.notion.site/059db2641def4a88988b4d2cee4657ba?
calnewport.com/solutions-beyond-the-screen-the-adventure-work-method-for-producing-creative-insights/
youtube.com/watch?v=bEusrD8g-dM
calnewport.com/the-notebook-method-how-pen-and-paper-can-transform-you-into-an-star-student/

Thanks to our Sponsors:

indeed.com/deep
cozyearth.com/deep for up to 40% off
wayfair.com
grammarly.com/podcast

Thanks to Jesse Miller for production, Jay Kerstens for the intro music, and Mark Miles for mastering.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Techno-philosopher Eliezer Yudkowsky recently went on Ezra Klein's podcast to argue that if we continue on our path toward superintelligent AI, these machines will destroy humanity. In this episode, Cal responds to Yudkowsky’s argument point by point, concluding with a more general claim that these general styles of discussions suffer from what he calls “the philosopher’s fallacy,” and are distracting us from real problems with AI that are actually afflicting us right now. He then answers listener questions about AI, responds to listener comments from an earlier AI episode, and ends by discussing Alpha schools, which claim to use AI to 2x the speed of education. 

Below are the questions covered in today's episode (with their timestamps). Get your questions answered by Cal! Here’s the link: bit.ly/3U3sTvo

Video from today’s episode: youtube.com/calnewportmedia

Deep Dive: The Case Against Superintelligence [0.01]

• How should students think about “AI Literacy”? [1:06:35]
• Did AI blackmail an engineer to not turn it off? [1:09:06]
• Can I use AI to mask my laziness? [1:12:31]

COMMENTS: Cal reads LM comments [1:16:58]

CALL: Clarification on Lincoln Protocol [1:21:36]

CAL REACTS: Are AI-Powered Schools the Future? [1:24:46]

Links:

Buy Cal’s latest book, “Slow Productivity” at calnewport.com/slow
Get a signed copy of Cal’s “Slow Productivity” at peoplesbooktakoma.com/event/cal-newport/
Cal’s monthly book directory: bramses.notion.site/059db2641def4a88988b4d2cee4657ba?
youtube.com/watch?v=2Nn0-kAE5c0
alpha.school/the-program/
astralcodexten.com/i/166959786/part-three-how-alpha-works-part

Thanks to our Sponsors: 

byloftie.com (Use code “DEEP20”)
expressvpn.com/deep
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Thanks to Jesse Miller for production, Jay Kerstens for the intro music, and Mark Miles for mastering.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

How do you escape a world where constant digital distractions and darkness threatens to pull you down? Maybe take a page out of Abraham Lincoln’s life. In this episode, Cal argues that Lincoln faced analog versions of many of the same issues we face in our contemporary digital world, and by studying how he escaped we can learn a method to accomplish something similar. He then answers listener questions on this theme and revisits the comments from a 2008 essay where he first introduced some of these questions.

Below are the questions covered in today's episode (with their timestamps). Get your questions answered by Cal! Here’s the link: bit.ly/3U3sTvo

Video from today’s episode:  youtube.com/calnewportmedia

Deep Dive: The Lincoln Protocol [0:30]

• When do you read long-form articles amongst your book reading? [41:39]
• Will reading improve my focus? [44:03]
• What are the mechanics of keeping a deep reading habit alive? [48:17]
• At what point does it make sense to prioritize autonomy and alignment over prestige and security? [54:48]
• How do you suggest spending the time playing with the toddler, while also balancing reasonable stimuli without a phone? [1:00:01]

CASE STUDY: A military spouse goes back to work after motherhood [1:03:47]

CALL: Cal’s thoughts on Apple Watches [1:07:35]

CAL READS THE COMMENTS: What people thought about digital distraction in 2008 [1:12:06]

Links:

Buy Cal’s latest book, “Slow Productivity” at calnewport.com/slow
Get a signed copy of Cal’s “Slow Productivity” at peoplesbooktakoma.com/event/cal-newport/
Cal’s monthly book directory: bramses.notion.site/059db2641def4a88988b4d2cee4657ba?
calnewport.com/would-lincoln-have-become-president-if-he-had-e-mail/
calnewport.com/would-lincoln-have-become-president-if-he-had-e-mail/

Thanks to our Sponsors: 

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Thanks to Jesse Miller for production, Jay Kerstens for the intro music, and Mark Miles for mastering.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Ep. 375: Did OpenAI Just Kill Social Media?

OpenAI has been making waves recently with their release of their Sora 2 video generation model, which they have launched alongside a TikTok-style social media sharing app. The internet is usually pretty excited about AI innovations, but this one has people unsettled. In today’s episode, Cal looks at one implication of Sora 2 in particular that is both important but currently overcooked: the impact of AI content generation on the existing social media giants. He then answers listener questions on AI and social media and reacts to a new Sam Altman tweet that signals bad news for OpenAI.

Below are the questions covered in today's episode (with their timestamps). Get your questions answered by Cal! Here’s the link: bit.ly/3U3sTvo

Video from today’s episode: youtube.com/calnewportmedia

Deep Dive: Did OpenAI Just Kill Social Media? [0:02]

• Will Sora 2 kill creativity? [46:12]
• Am I doing myself a disservice by using AI tools to help me code? [51:36]
• Is Substack better than social media? [55:55]
• What are your thoughts on a “family smartphone”? [1:06:35]
• What should I do when others disregard the structures that are meant to reduce the digital back and forth? [1:07:53]

CASE STUDY: A Digital Declutter [1:15:38]

CALL: Children with dumb phones or smartphones [1:19:49]

CAL REACTS: Sam Altman Proposes AI Erotica  [1:27:46]

Links:
Buy Cal’s latest book, “Slow Productivity” at calnewport.com/slow
Get a signed copy of Cal’s “Slow Productivity” at peoplesbooktakoma.com/event/cal-newport/
Cal’s monthly book directory: bramses.notion.site/059db2641def4a88988b4d2cee4657ba?
SORA: the all Ai TikTok Clone. will slop end creativity?
youtube.com/watch?v=Vz0oQ0v0W10
newyorker.com/culture/cultural-comment/tiktok-and-the-fall-of-the-social-media-giants
youtube.com/watch?v=I1dW-nZqhew
x.com/sama/status/1978129344598827128

Thanks to our Sponsors:

This podcast is sponsored by BetterHelp:
betterhelp.com/deepquestions
expressvpn.com/deep
calderalab.com/deep
shopify.com/deep

Thanks to Jesse Miller for production, Jay Kerstens for the intro music, and Mark Miles for mastering.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

It’s hard to cultivate a deep life when you cannot go more than a few minutes without checking your phone. In this episode, Cal looks closer at the precise neural mechanisms at play that make the physical act of looking at your phone irresistible. Then armed with this knowledge, he explains why many popular remedies fail, and which specific responses are most likely to succeed. He then answers listener questions and discusses the five old-fashioned analog books (!) that he read last month.

Below are the questions covered in today's episode (with their timestamps). Get your questions answered by Cal! Here’s the link: bit.ly/3U3sTvo

Video from today’s episode:  youtube.com/calnewportmedia

Deep Dive: This is your brain on phones [0:02]

• My 11 year-old is bullied for not having a smartphone. What should I do? [47:00]
• How can I overcome my irrational urge to show off on social media? [55:39]
• How is video game addiction different than phone addiction? [59:12]
• Can I become addicted to messaging? [1:03:23]
• Is it ok to use newspaper apps on my phone? [1:06:42]

CASE STUDY: A 5th grader drops her Apple Watch [1:13:51]

CALL: An aspiring photographer and Instagram [1:18:11]

SEPTEMBER BOOKS: The 5 Books Cal in September 2025 [1:22:51]

The Ice Limit (Lincoln Child and Douglas Preston)
The Burnout Society (Byung-Chul Han)
Down and Out in the Magic Kingdom (Cory Doctorow)
As a Jew (Sarah Hurwitz)
The Searcher (Tana French)

Links:

Buy Cal’s latest book, “Slow Productivity” at calnewport.com/slow
Get a signed copy of Cal’s “Slow Productivity” at peoplesbooktakoma.com/event/cal-newport/
Cal’s monthly book directory: bramses.notion.site/059db2641def4a88988b4d2cee4657ba?

Thanks to our Sponsors: 

rag-bone.com (Use code “DEEP”)
grammarly.com/podcast
mybodytutor.com
indeed.com/deep

Thanks to Jesse Miller for production, Jay Kerstens for the intro music, and Mark Miles for mastering.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In 2023, I published an episode about resetting your life that became one of my most popular. In the years since, multiple major podcasters and YouTubers have done their own videos on the same theme. In today’s episode, I extract the best ideas from five such recent videos to create an all-star reset strategy. I connect this to my work on technology and its impacts, by noting that taking control of your life can be the most important first step toward taking control of your devices.

Below are the questions covered in today's episode (with their timestamps). Get your questions answered by Cal! Here’s the link: bit.ly/3U3sTvo

Video from today’s episode:  youtube.com/calnewportmedia

Deep Dive: The Internet’s Best Advice for Reinventing Your Life (0:02)

• How do I extract ideas for living deeply from books? [55:44]
• How do I avoid being overwhelmed by everything required to seriously change my life? [58:31]
• How do I visualize my ideal lifestyle in a fast-changing world? [1:02:42]
• I just quit my teaching job due to burn-out. How do I find what to do next? [1:09:28]

CASE STUDY: Crafting a deep life [1:13:21]

CALL: How to revise expectations with young kids [1:18:45]

CAL REACTS: The Great Lock-In of 2025 [1:28:11]

Links:

Buy Cal’s latest book, “Slow Productivity” at calnewport.com/slow
Get a signed copy of Cal’s “Slow Productivity” at peoplesbooktakoma.com/event/cal-newport/
Cal’s monthly book directory: bramses.notion.site/059db2641def4a88988b4d2cee4657ba?
youtube.com/watch?v=mSaI8Rluel8
youtu.be/wXcEtxlrPMA
youtu.be/PvvS-0mqD4c
youtube.com/watch?v=2ZXJZnAxHHI
youtube.com/watch?v=0G7Wu4DnDaw
calnewport.com/the-great-lock-in-of-2025/

Thanks to our Sponsors: 

cozyearth.com/deep
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Thanks to Jesse Miller for production, Jay Kerstens for the intro music, and Mark Miles for mastering.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Last week, it was announced that Oracle would take over operation of TikTok in the US. One of the primary reasons proposed for this deal is that it was in national interests for us to take over control of TikTok’s fabled “algorithm.” But what is this algorithm? How does it work? To what extent can it be controlled? In today’s episode, Cal looks deeper at these questions and arrives at a broader philosophical point about the role these services, in general, should play in our civic culture. He then answers listener questions on the same topic and reacts to the three recent news articles about TikTok’s influence on our culture.

Below are the questions covered in today's episode (with their timestamps). Get your questions answered by Cal! Here’s the link: bit.ly/3U3sTvo

Video from today’s episode: youtube.com/calnewportmedia

Deep Dive: Decoding TikTok’s Algorithm [0:03]

• Should I quit social media, even if I don’t live on the slope of terribleness? [44:44]
• Is it bad to use TikTok to keep up with the news? [49:41]
• How does quantum computing relate to AI? [53:48]

CASE STUDY: Trying to become a great composer [1:02:29]

CALL: Tips for dealing with growing kids [1:08:58]

CAL REACTS: Three Articles about TikTok (and Three Sighs of Exasperation) [1:18:04]

Links:

Buy Cal’s latest book, “Slow Productivity” at calnewport.com/slow
Get a signed copy of Cal’s “Slow Productivity” at peoplesbooktakoma.com/event/cal-newport/
Cal’s monthly book directory: bramses.notion.site/059db2641def4a88988b4d2cee4657ba?
the-independent.com/news/world/americas/crime/tiktok-surfing-challenge-manslaughter-b2832760.html
yahoo.com/news/world/article/why-people-on-tiktok-think-the-rapture-is-coming-and-that-the-world-is-ending-this-week-202334215.html
bbc.com/news/articles/c4gj5lqq52lo
youtube.com/watch?v=z7Df9yGofLo
youtube.com/shorts/xWIVA0ZJm-w

Thanks to our Sponsors:

monarchmoney.com (Use code “DEEP”)
reclaim.ai/cal
wayfair.com
makeheadway.com/deep

Thanks to Jesse Miller for production, Jay Kerstens for the intro music, and Mark Miles for mastering.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In this episode of IN-DEPTH, Cal is joined by Dr. Brian Keating, the Chancellor’s Distinguished Professor of Physics at UCSD, and one of the most prolific popularizers of science around (you may have seen him recently chatting about cosmology with Joe Rogan and Andrew Huberman). They talk about Keating’s new book, HOW TO FOCUS LIKE A NOBEL PRIZE WINNER, as well as many other topics, including a deep look at Keating’s unusual path to academia, and a deconstruction of what’s needed to succeed at the highest levels of academia.

Video from today’s episode:  youtube.com/calnewportmedia

INTERVIEW: Focus like a Nobel Prize Winner (w/ Brian Keating) [3:20]

Links:
https://www.amazon.com/Into-Impossible-Laureates-Collaboration-Imagination/dp/1544523491

Sponsors:
https://www.donedaily.com

Thanks to Jesse Miller for production, Kieron Rees for the theme music, and Mark Miles for mastering.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

We seem to be stuck in a purgatory when it comes to the worst of the social media platforms. We know they’re not great, but it’s hard to muster enough motivation to bother to leave. In today’s episode, motivated by the assassination of Charlie Kirk, Cal puts on his technology critic hat and offers a step-by-step technical explanation for why these platforms are strictly and incessantly making your life worse and why the only reasonable response is to quit them. He then answers listener questions on the topic and reacts to some recent news about the US Congress getting involved.

Below are the questions covered in today's episode (with their timestamps). Get your questions answered by Cal! Here’s the link: bit.ly/3U3sTvo

Video from today’s episode: youtube.com/calnewportmedia

Deep Dive: Is it Finally Time to Leave Social Media? [0:40]

• How do I find everything I should be blocking on my kid’s phone? [38:59]
• Is it okay that I make YouTube Videos? [43:39]
• Shouldn’t we focus on using social media better? [49:13]

CASE STUDY: A musician and social media [58:00]

CAL REACTS: US House panel asks internet CEOs to testify after Charlie Kirk assassination [1:10:42]

Links:
Buy Cal’s latest book, “Slow Productivity” at calnewport.com/slow
Get a signed copy of Cal’s “Slow Productivity” at peoplesbooktakoma.com/event/cal-newport/
Cal’s monthly book directory: bramses.notion.site/059db2641def4a88988b4d2cee4657ba?
reuters.com/world/us/us-house-panel-asks-online-forum-ceos-testify-after-charlie-kirk-assassination-2025-09-17/
youtube.com/watch?v=gjVm0K_ETX8

Thanks to our Sponsors:

calderalab.com/deep
miro.com
grammarly.com/podcast
1password.com/deep

Thanks to Jesse Miller for production, Jay Kerstens for the intro music, and Mark Miles for mastering.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

A recent study called into question a core assumption about the generative AI revolution: that these tools, at the very least, will make us more productive. In this episode, Cal dives deep into the study and argues that when it comes to efforts that require deep work, AI can sometimes make things worse. He then answers listener questions and then takes a closer look at an article claiming that the lack of Wi-Fi in a West Virginia school is making their students dumber. 

Below are the questions covered in today's episode (with their timestamps). Get your questions answered by Cal! Here’s the link: bit.ly/3U3sTvo

Video from today’s episode:  youtube.com/calnewportmedia

Deep Dive: Deep Work in the Age of AI [0:38]

• Can ChatGPT chats act as single purpose notebooks for projects? [26:16]
• When should I apply active recall? [29:34]
• Do you have insights into AI’s environmental impact? [31:16]
• What would you do if you left academia? [38:40]

CASE STUDY: Using strategies to develop a Deep Life [43:04]

CAL REACTS: Does lack of Wi-Fi make students dumber? [53:09W]

Links:

Buy Cal’s latest book, “Slow Productivity” at calnewport.com/slow
Get a signed copy of Cal’s “Slow Productivity” at peoplesbooktakoma.com/event/cal-newport/
Cal’s monthly book directory: bramses.notion.site/059db2641def4a88988b4d2cee4657ba?
metr.org/blog/2025-07-10-early-2025-ai-experienced-os-dev-study/
theatlantic.com/economy/archive/2025/09/ai-bubble-us-economy/684128/
marginalrevolution.com/marginalrevolution/2025/08/the-school-without-wifi.html
educationrecoveryscorecard.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/report_WV_5401140_pocahontas-county-schools.pdf

Thanks to our Sponsors: 

This show is sponsored by BetterHelp:
betterhelp.com/deepquestions
cozyearth.com/deep
shopify.com/deep
mybodytutor.com

Thanks to Jesse Miller for production, Jay Kerstens for the intro music, and Mark Miles for mastering.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

IQ scores had been steadily rising since WWII. But, more recently, this phenomenon has stopped.  Since 2010, we’ve actually been getting dumber. In this episode, Cal gets into the common theories for why this is true before offering his own take, which leads to some practical takeaways to help you thrive in an increasingly stupider world. He then answers listener questions and talks about something he read recently.

Below are the questions covered in today's episode (with their timestamps). Get your questions answered by Cal! Here’s the link: bit.ly/3U3sTvo

Video from today’s episode: youtube.com/calnewportmedia

Deep Dive: I Want Work-Life Balance. Am I Doomed to Mediocrity? [0:41]

• How can a west coast executive schedule deep work despite constant meetings with east coast colleagues? [37:14]
• Is it bad that I fill all of my quiet moments with media? [41:04]
• How can I focus on personal projects? [46:24]
• How should  a software engineer transition to consulting? [53:05]
• How should a former lawyer update her systems now that she’s a professor? [56:43]

CASE STUDY: A songwriter works deep and slow [1:06:43]

CALL: Getting out of the weeds [1:14:04]

WHAT I’M READING: Who is still against school cell phone bans? [1:23:28]

Links:

Buy Cal’s latest book, “Slow Productivity” at calnewport.com/slow
Get a signed copy of Cal’s “Slow Productivity” at peoplesbooktakoma.com/event/cal-newport/
Cal’s monthly book directory: bramses.notion.site/059db2641def4a88988b4d2cee4657ba?
sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0160289623000156
youtube.com/watch?v=u4jW8MOxIKY
rebeccaschiffman.com/beachvacation
rebeccaschiffman.bandcamp.com
nytimes.com/2025/03/21/nyregion/school-cell-phone-ban-nyc.html

Thanks to our Sponsors: 

expressvpn.com/deep
oracle.com/deepquestions
indeed.com/deep
vanta.com/deepquestions

Thanks to Jesse Miller for production, Jay Kerstens for the intro music, and Mark Miles for mastering.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In this episode of IN-DEPTH, Cal is joined by bestselling author and podcaster, Tim Ferriss. Tim rocketed to prominence with his 2007 book, “The Four Hour WorkWeek” which basically redefined a generation’s relationship with work, meaning, and the possibilities for building an interesting life. More recently, Tim created a card game! It’s called Coyote. And he created it with one of the top designers in the business, the same company that created Exploding Kittens.

Video from today’s episode:  youtube.com/calnewportmedia

INTERVIEW: The Game of Life (w/ Tim Ferriss) [3:16]

Links:
https://www.explodingkittens.com/products/coyote

Sponsors
https://www.reclaim.ai/cal

Thanks to Jesse Miller for production, Kieron Rees for the theme music, and Mark Miles for mastering.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices