“AI companion toys for neurodivergent children promise connection and therapy, but can they deliver for the long haul?”
artificial intelligence
Posted inTop 5
The Top 5 Longreads of the Week
In this edition: Bad medicine, imperfect sound forever, know when to fold ’em, brainiacs, and a call of the wild.
Posted inEditor's Pick
What if America Went Completely Dark?
“The power grid relies on thousands of aging, hand-built transformers. If enough fail, the blackout could last years.”
Posted inEditor's Pick
Skill Nostalgia
“Is all the beekeeping, baking and leatherwork just escapist fantasy or the start of a radically human approach to work?”
Posted inEditor's Pick
Nobody Here Wants the Data Center: An Oral History
“We’ve gathered stories from all across the country detailing what happens when Big Tech’s latest monstrosities come to town.”
Posted inEditor's Pick
The Mom Who Runs a Household With a Staff of AI Agents
“Jesse Genet’s time was scarce. So she hired Claire, Sylvie, Clark, Dan, and Chloe.”
Posted inReading List
Brave New World: A Reading List About the Dark Future
Five stories that make Aldous Huxley’s 1932 novel feel like nonfiction.
Posted inEditor's Pick
I Spent a Week Recording Myself Doing Chores for Money. Who’s the Robot Now?
“Cooking. Doing laundry. Tidying up. All your household tasks can be turned into data to train future humanoids—if you’re prepared for the consequences.”