The Cal Newport Show

Cal Newport takes a critical look at recent AI News.

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

(0:00) Was the Mythos ban justified?

(5:32) Is Fable 5 actually dangerous?

(11:03) Is Fable 5 without guardrails actually a unique national security concern?

(15:13) Should the government be more involved with AI?

Links:

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

https://www.anthropic.com/glasswing

https://www.nytimes.com/2026/06/09/technology/anthropic-ai-claude-fable-mythos.html

https://x.com/DavidSacks/status/2065853007619588171

https://www.economist.com/business/2026/06/14/donald-trumps-blocking-of-anthropic-is-capricious-and-chaotic

https://x.com/deanwball/status/2066151868556865860

https://x.com/GaryMarcus/status/2066166713453060512

https://x.com/DavidSacks/status/2065853007619588171

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

https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2026/06/promoting-advanced-artificial-intelligence-innovation-and-security/

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

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In the 1960s, doctors avoided people to avoid exercise. Then everything changed. Now physical fitness is a $100 billion industry. What would it look like if we got equally as serious about cognitive fitness? In this episode, Cal explores three tiers of cognitive fitness advice, ordered from least to most intense.

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 brain gym?

(32:54) Comments on reversing brain rot

(36:57) A disturbing new article from a college professor

(41:55) Do makers need longer blocks for deep work?

(47:25) What Cal is reading

(50:26) What Cal watched

(56:23) Where Cal went

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://charafeddine.co/letters/your-brain-is-about-to-need-a-gym

https://lanimuelrath.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/Aerobics-Points-System.pdf

https://www.joshwaitzkin.com/training

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U9a2_KqzF7Y

https://archive.ph/XvPXE

Thanks to our Sponsors: 

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

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

https://www.larridin.com

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Thanks to Jesse Miller for production and mastering, 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) Are we about to lose control of AI?

(3:04) How much should we be afraid of recursive self improvement?

(7:52) Are these fears justified?

(9:36) Faster software development doesn’t equal smarter AI

(12:25) These tools are completely controllable

(16:52) Taking a step back

Links:

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

https://www.anthropic.com/institute/recursive-self-improvement

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

Sometimes the best way to get unstuck is to press pause on your busy life and take a moment to look toward new possibilities. But how is this possible if you can’t afford to literally stop everything and get away? In this episode, Cal explores different strategies for taking what he calls “mini-pauses” that can be integrated into even the most unforgiving of schedules.

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) Should I press pause?

(10:46) Make a morning coffee shop loop

(11:33) Schedule a “doctors appointment”

(12:48) Book a 24-hour escape

(13:41) Fly to Asheville

(18:13) What will be your approach to your upcoming sabbatical?

(21:03)  Can you elaborate on the “think” component of read-think-write?

(28:55) What types of books do you read before bed?

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://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Omni_Grove_Park_Inn#/media/File:Grove_Park_Inn_-_Sunset_Terrace.jpg

Thanks to our Sponsors: 

This episode is sponsored by Better Help:

https://www.betterhelp.com/deepquestions

https://www.factormeals.com/deep50off

https://www.mybodytutor.com

https://www.calderlab.com/deep

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

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There has been lots of discussion recently about AI eliminating jobs. But what if the real fear is that AI will instead make existing jobs miserable? In this episode, Cal argues that LLM–based tools are poised to accelerate the worst aspects of pseudo-productivity to an absurd degree. He then shares five ideas for avoiding this fate 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: https://bit.ly/3U3sTvo

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

(0:00) How Do I Escape the “Busyness Singularity”? 

(29:03) Reaction to Cal’s newsletter about LLMs

(33:35) Slow productivity for managers

(37:26) Efforts to improve cognitive fitness

(40:28) What Cal is reading

(42:21) What Cal is up to

Books:

In Defense of Food (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.economist.com/leaders/2026/05/14/prepare-for-an-ai-jobs-apocalypse

https://www.nytimes.com/2026/05/21/technology/newsom-ai-executive-order-california.html

https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/worklab/work-trend-index/breaking-down-infinite-workday

https://www.axios.com/2023/02/15/burnout-2022-2023-slack-remote-work-future-forum

https://calnewport.com/on-god-and-llms/ 

Thanks to our Sponsors: 

https://www.shopify.com/deep

https://www.larridin.com

https://www.masterclass.com/deep

https://www.expressvpn.com/deep

Thanks to Jesse Miller for production and mastering, 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) Did AI just “solve” math?

(2:38) What OpenAI did

(6:30) Question #1 - Is this result that important?

(7:34) Question #2 - Does this mean LLMs are now smarter than human mathematicians?

(17:50) Question #3 - Does this mean all equally hard challenges will now be conquered by AI?

(23:27) Question #4 - What is the future of math?

(28:27) Concluding thoughts

Links:

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

https://openai.com/index/model-disproves-discrete-geometry-conjecture/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Br4l9YjCyRU

https://x.com/PeterDiamandis/status/2058956956077871275

https://cdn.openai.com/pdf/74c24085-19b0-4534-9c90-465b8e29ad73/unit-distance-remarks.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

It’s common to feel like you don’t have enough time in your schedule to build a life that’s both professionally successful and personally deep. But is this true? In today’s episode, Cal interviews time management expert Laura Vanderkam about her new book, BIG TIME, which argues that with the right tweaks and mindset you might be able to start getting more out of your life right away. 

Below are the questions covered in today's episode (with their timestamps). Get your questions answered by Cal! Send an email to [email protected].

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

(0:00) How do I reclaim my schedule? (w/ Laura Vanderkam)

(2:00) Eliminating distraction and prioritizing deep work

(1:08:18) Batching email responses

(1:13:25) Cal’s upcoming books

(1:18:51) What Cal is reading

(1:24:06) HQ update

Books:

Grow Healthier as You Grow Older (Kenneth Cooper)

The Ride of a Lifetime (Bob Iger)

MurderBot (Martha Wells)

Links:

Sign up for Cal’s newsletter at www.calnewport.com/ideas

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

Get a signed copy of Cal’s “Slow Productivity” at

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

Thanks to our Sponsors:

https://www.calderalab.com/deep

https://www.vanta.com/deepquestions

https://www.shipstation.com/deep

https://www.drinklmnt.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) Has AI conquered coding?

(3:21) Lars Faye quote

(5:25) Skipping the struggle step

(6:42) Point #1

(7:08) Point #2

(7:28) Point #3

(7:39) Point #4

(8:35) Solution

Links:

https://larsfaye.com/articles/agentic-coding-is-a-trap

https://www.infoworld.com/article/4143101/pity-the-developers-who-resist-agentic-coding.html

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OQSNhk5ICTI

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

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 [email protected]. 

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

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