Shows / The Cal Newport Show
The Cal Newport Show
A podcast about human flourishing in a technological world. Hosted by Cal Newport, an MIT-trained computer professor and bestselling author of numerous books on technology and its impacts, including DEEP WORK, DIGITAL MINIMALISM, A WORLD WITHOUT EMAIL, and SLOW PRODUCTIVITY. New episodes weekly.
Episodes
The Cal Newport ShowReading As an Act of Resistance (Notes on Harvard’s Hum 10)
Two years ago, The Atlantic featured a distressing story about elite college students who could no longer read books. Last week, The Wall Street Journal…
The Cal Newport ShowA Better Way to Think About Tech
It’s become hard to talk about technology. Commentators have split themselves into two increasingly extreme teams: the pessimists and the optimists. But what…
The Cal Newport ShowDo Hard Things (Featuring: Jerry Seinfeld)
The most recent episode of the Acquired podcast featured a story about Jerry Seinfeld that provides a critical lesson for succeeding in our current AI moment…
The Cal Newport ShowWhen Productivity Theory Meets Practice
What happens when neat theoretical ideas about productivity are deployed in the messy real world? In this episode, Cal is joined by Haley Pulli, a productivity…
The Cal Newport ShowWhy Did Big Tech Stop Building Useful Products?
Tesla’s recent demo of a rocket-powered Roadster doing a kick-flick over a parked car touched a nerve in me. It seemed to epitomize changes to the tech sector…
The Cal Newport Show“Rogue” AI Not Inevitable. It’s a Choice.
A lot of attention has been paid recently to examples of AI going “rogue.” What’s missing from this discussion, however, is a more detailed explanation of what…
The Cal Newport ShowAn Unlikely Team Tackles AI Brain Rot
How do we stop from becoming so reliant on LLMs that we lose our ability to think. A new paper explores answers based on an unlikely source: rigorous…
The Cal Newport ShowA Stark Warning From a Former AI Doomer
Cal Newport takes a critical look at recent AI News. Cal interviews Emile Torres who provides a stark warning about AI. Video from today’s episode…
The Cal Newport ShowCombating the Whirlwind with a Single Sheet of Paper
One of the more debilitating experiences in our current digital world is the sense of being trapped in relentless, reactive, busyness. This “whirlwind” can…
The Cal Newport ShowAn Insider's Guide to AI Doom
The conversation around AI harms has become incredibly heated in recent weeks. But it's also incredibly confusing. In this short explainer episode, Cal walks…
The Cal Newport ShowKids Should *Not* Use Chatbots! (You Should Be Wary, Too…)
With all the recent discussion of the potential catastrophic impacts AI might cause in the future, we’re losing track of the significant harms it is already…
The Cal Newport ShowThe Truth About Brain Rot
A recent New York Times op-ed reveals the true nature of “brain rot,” and in doing so reveals a much larger problem affecting us all. In this episode, Cal…
The Cal Newport ShowThe AI Resistance is Forming. (Should You Join?)
After a week spent debating AI’s impact on humanity, Cal wants to turn his attention back to AI’s impact on humans. To support this shift, he brings on the…
The Cal Newport ShowHow Worrisome is GPT-6’s “Stealth Thinking”? | Tech Decoded
Cal Newport takes a critical look at recent AI News. Video from today’s episode: youtube.com/calnewportmedia (0:00) How Worrisome is GPT-6’s “Stealth…
The Cal Newport ShowHow I’m Organizing My Life this Fall | Advice
It’s that time of year again when Cal tunes up his organizational systems for the onslaught of the fall. In this episode, Cal walks through the exact system…
The Cal Newport ShowDid OpenAI Create “Secret AI Civilizations”? | Tech Decoded
Cal Newport takes a critical look at recent AI News. Video from today’s episode: youtube.com/calnewportmedia (0:00) Does OpenAI create “secret AI…
The Cal Newport ShowRethinking the Deep Life Stack (Again!) | Monday Advice
Back in 2023, Cal released an episode on a lifestyle design strategy I called the Deep Life Stack. Today, almost three years later, Cal revisits this idea and…
The Cal Newport ShowHas AI “Gone Rogue”? Let’s Look Closer… | Tech Decoded
Cal Newport takes a critical look at recent AI News. Video from today’s episode: youtube.com/calnewportmedia (0:00) Has AI “Gone Rogue” (2:25) Observation #1 -…
The Cal Newport ShowHow to Build a Cognitive Training Plan | Monday Advice
In the world of physical health, we use so-called “key performance indicators” (KPIs) to help measure and improve our fitness. In today’s episode, Cal proposes…
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Classic Episode: How Do I Kick My Scrolling Habit? | Monday Advice
The best way to kick your scrolling habit is to introduce more “high quality leisure” into your life. But how do you accomplish this goal? In this replay of a…
The Cal Newport ShowHow Do I Finish Meaningful Projects? | Monday Advice
Only 8% of people finish their yearly goals. At the same time, the percentage of people feeling a sense of meaning of purpose in their life is falling. These…
The Cal Newport ShowDoes OpenAI’s Astra Mean AGI Has Arrived? | AI Reality Check
Cal Newport takes a critical look at recent AI News. Video from today’s episode: youtube.com/calnewportmedia (0:00) Does Open AI’s Astra mean AGI has arrived?…
The Cal Newport ShowClassic Episode: How Do I Learn Hard Things? | Monday Advice
In this replay of a classic episode from January 1st, 2024, Cal walks through the process of learning hard things. The good news is that most people can learn…
The Cal Newport ShowDid OpenAI’s Model “Go Rogue”? | AI Reality Check
Cal Newport takes a critical look at recent AI News. Video from today’s episode: youtube.com/calnewportmedia (0:00) Did OpenAI’s model “go rogue” (11:29) The…
The Cal Newport ShowWhy Do Digital Detoxes Fail? What Works Better? | Monday Advice
Why do digital detoxes fail to create lasting change? What works better? To answer these questions, Cal draws from the book “A Brief History of Intelligence”…
The Cal Newport ShowAm I Optimizing Too Much? | Monday Advice
Cal Newport talks with Brad Stulberg to explain the optimization paradox in Episode 414 of the Deep Questions podcast. Below are the questions covered in…
The Cal Newport ShowDoes Claude Have Private Thoughts? (Everyone Settle Down) | AI Reality Check
Cal Newport takes a critical look at recent AI News. Video from today’s episode: youtube.com/calnewportmedia (0:00) Anthropic’s new research report (2:05)…
The Cal Newport ShowShould I Use Notebooks More Often? (Cal’s Strategy) | Monday Advice
Tell me if this sounds familiar: you buy a beautiful notebook, excited by all its possibilities to help refine your thoughts and generate new insights. Then it…
The Cal Newport ShowDo Managers Actually Understand AI? (I’m Not So Sure.) | AI Reality Check
Cal Newport takes a critical look at recent AI News. Video from today’s episode: youtube.com/calnewportmedia (0:00) Does business actually understand AI?…
The Cal Newport ShowShould I Turn Off the Internet? (Lessons From a Family That Did) | Monday Advice
It’s a dream a lot of us have: to finally say “enough!”, and turn off the internet inside our homes, returning us to a lifestyle that requires more presence…
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Can I Be a Digital Minimalist in 2026? | Monday Advice
Back in 2019, Cal published one of the first books arguing that we rethink our personal relationship with online tools. Can his advice still work in an age of…
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Dear AI Companies: Stop the “Doom Trolling” | AI Reality Check
Cal Newport takes a critical look at recent AI News. Video from today’s episode: youtube.com/calnewportmedia (0:00) Stop the “doom trolling” (6:53) Cal’s…
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Am I Lazy or Overstimulated? | Monday Advice
Cal Newport explains about if you're lazy or overstimulated in episode 410 of the Deep Questions podcast. Below are the questions covered in today's episode…
The Cal Newport ShowWas the Mythos Ban Justified? (Good Idea. Bad Execution.) | AI Reality Check
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…
The Cal Newport ShowDo I Need a “Brain Gym”? | Monday Advice
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…
The Cal Newport ShowAre We About to Lose Control of AI? | AI Reality Check
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)…
The Cal Newport ShowShould I Press Pause? | Monday Advice
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…
The Cal Newport ShowHow Do I Escape the “Busyness Singularity”? | Monday Advice
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…
The Cal Newport ShowDid AI Just “Solve” Math? (Let’s Take a Closer Look) | AI Reality Check
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…
The Cal Newport ShowHow Do I Reclaim My Schedule? (w/ Laura Vanderkam) | Monday Advice
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…
The Cal Newport ShowHas AI Conquered Coding? (It’s Not So Simple…) | AI Reality Check
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…
The Cal Newport ShowAm I Addicted to My Phone? (w/ Anna Lembke) | Monday Advice
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…
The Cal Newport ShowIs AI About to “Eat Everything”? | AI Reality Check
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)…
The Cal Newport ShowDo I Need a Digital Intervention? | Monday Advice
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…
The Cal Newport ShowIs the AI Doom Fever Breaking? | AI Reality Check
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 Cal Newport ShowWhy Do Better Tools Make Me Worse at My Job? (w/ David Epstein) | Monday Advice
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…
The Cal Newport ShowIs AI About to Automate Every Office Job? | AI Reality Check
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…
The Cal Newport ShowHow Do I Build “Cognitive Fitness”? | Monday Advice
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…
The Cal Newport ShowIs AI Trending Up or Down in 2026? | AI Reality Check
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?…
The Cal Newport ShowDo I Need More Discipline? | Monday Advice
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…
The Cal Newport ShowIs Claude Mythos “Terrifying”? | AI Reality Check
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…
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Ep. 400: Should I Embrace “Slow Technology”?
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…
The Cal Newport ShowAI Reality Check: Is AI Stealing Entry-Level Jobs?
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…
The Cal Newport ShowEp. 399: Is Deep Work Still Possible in 2026?
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 Cal Newport ShowAI Reality Check: Can LLMs “Scheme”?
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…
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Ep. 398: How Do I Find Purpose in a Distracted World? (w/ Arthur Brooks)
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…
The Cal Newport ShowAI Reality Check: Are LLMs a Dead End?
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]…
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Ep. 397: Why Do “Productivity Technologies” Make My Job Worse?
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…
The Cal Newport ShowAI Reality Check: Did AI Just Become Sentient?
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?…
- The Cal Newport Show
Ep. 396: Can I Learn To Love My Phone Again?
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…