Our 2026 Tech Resolutions + We Answer Your Questions
Timestamps are as accurate as they can be but may be slightly off. We encourage you to listen to the full context.
Podcast Summary
In this New Year's episode, hosts Kevin Roose and Casey Newton kick off 2026 by sharing their tech resolutions and reflecting on their previous year's goals. (01:51) Kevin struggled with his goal to "be the poster I wished to see in the world" on social media, while Casey admits to completely flopping on his meditation practice using AI. (02:53) For the new year, Kevin resolves to master short-form video content and practice being more present, while Casey commits to sticking with his productivity system for a full year without changes. The hosts then dive into listener questions covering everything from AI ethics to space data centers and the implications of humanoid robots in childcare.
- Main themes include personal productivity evolution, the changing landscape of social media and content creation, AI ethics in everyday scenarios, and the practical challenges of implementing new technology
Speakers
Kevin Roose
Tech columnist for The New York Times who covers artificial intelligence, automation, and the future of work. He is the author of "Futureproof" and has spent years analyzing Silicon Valley's impact on society and the economy.
Casey Newton
Founder and editor of Platformer, a newsletter and podcast focused on the intersection of technology and democracy. Previously, he was a senior editor at The Verge where he covered social media platforms and content moderation.
Key Takeaways
Purpose Over Process in Burnout Recovery
Casey discovered that rediscovering his sense of purpose as a journalist was more effective than meditation for addressing burnout. (04:27) Rather than relying solely on wellness techniques, he found that attending conferences, meeting interesting people, and renewing his understanding of his professional mission provided lasting relief from exhaustion. This highlights how meaningful work and clear purpose can be more restorative than individual wellness practices when dealing with professional burnout.
Embrace Strategic Experimentation in New Mediums
Kevin's resolution to master short-form video represents a strategic approach to staying relevant in an evolving media landscape. (09:52) He recognizes that while traditional journalists may resist video content, the audience is increasingly consuming information in this format. His approach focuses on finding authentic ways to deliver high-quality journalism through short-form video rather than chasing viral trends or copying existing creators.
Systematic Knowledge Management for Creative Work
Casey's productivity system using "blips" and random spaced repetition represents a sophisticated approach to managing information overload. (17:48) His system automatically surfaces relevant story threads during his daily journaling, making research more efficient and preventing important ideas from being lost. This demonstrates how combining personal knowledge management with automated reminders can significantly improve creative and analytical work.
Presence and Focus Trump Constant Connectivity
Kevin's observation that successful people never look at their phones during conversations reveals a key principle about attention and success. (15:06) His goal to "be where he is" reflects the understanding that monotasking and full presence in conversations and activities leads to better outcomes than trying to manage multiple streams of information simultaneously.
Legal Accountability for AI Customer Service
The Air Canada chatbot legal case establishes important precedent for AI liability in customer service. (49:05) When a chatbot makes promises or agreements, companies are legally responsible for honoring them, as demonstrated when Air Canada was required to pay a customer whose bereavement fare claim was incorrectly handled by their bot. This creates both opportunities for consumers and responsibilities for businesses implementing AI customer service.
Statistics & Facts
- GPT-4 was judged to be human 54% of the time in May 2024, improving to 73% for newer models by 2025, officially surpassing the traditional Turing test threshold. (53:55)
- Microsoft's Copilot MAI one model currently ranks 62nd in LM Arena, the AI chatbot leaderboard, despite Microsoft's significant financial resources in the AI space. (46:23)
- Casey's productivity system has been running successfully for approximately four months, representing his longest sustained use of a single productivity approach. (20:25)
