Ep. 359: Should We Fear Cognitive Debt?

Ep. 359: Should We Fear Cognitive Debt?

A blockbuster new study out of MIT takes a closer look at the impact of writing with the help of AI. In today’s episode, Cal breaks down this paper with the help of author Brad Stulberg (who made waves online recently with his reaction to its findings), picking apart the role of AI in deep work activities. Cal then answers listeners questions, and presents a twist on his typical final segment in which he now describes what he is not reading this week, which provides him a thinly-concealed excuse to rant about AI coverage.

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: Should We Fear Cognitive Debt? [2:15]

  • Can AI be creative? [44:35]
  • What’s the smallest change I can make to address my disorganization? [48:31]
  • How do I find time for personal projects? [53:12]
  • How should I choose my next internship? [1:06:08]
  • How did you develop your goal-setting philosophy? [1:11:46]

CALL: Inbox Zero and Notion [1:14:50]

CASE STUDY: A Thoreau Schedule [1:24:01]

WHAT I’M (NOT) READ: AI CEO’s hot takes on work [1:32:49]

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?
fortune.com/2025/06/20/openai-ceo-sam-altman-ai-phds-entry-level-corporate-job-cuts-what-is-left-gen-z-college-gradautes/

Thanks to our Sponsors:

shipstation.com/deep
smalls.com (Use code “DEEP”)
notion.com/cal
harrys.com/deep

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


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Avsnitt(407)

AI Reality Check: Is the Economy About to Collapse?

AI Reality Check: Is the Economy About to Collapse?

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/3U3...

12 Mars 33min

Ep. 395: Should I Try a “Social Media Pause”?

Ep. 395: Should I Try a “Social Media Pause”?

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 i...

9 Mars 1h 27min

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

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

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 ques...

5 Mars 29min

Ep. 394: Do I Need a Better Planning System?

Ep. 394: Do I Need a Better Planning System?

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 plann...

2 Mars 1h 34min

Ep. 393: Can Movies Save Us From Our Phones?

Ep. 393: Can Movies Save Us From Our Phones?

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 ...

23 Feb 1h 8min

Ep. 392: Are “Micro-Streamers” the Future of Media? + Why Cal Spent $60 on a Task App

Ep. 392: Are “Micro-Streamers” the Future of Media? + Why Cal Spent $60 on a Task App

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 disappe...

16 Feb 1h 2min

Ep. 391: Is AI Reporting Broken? + Rethinking Morning Routines

Ep. 391: Is AI Reporting Broken? + Rethinking Morning Routines

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 t...

9 Feb 58min

Ep. 390: What Happens When You Ditch Your Smartphone? + Assessing the Internet’s Latest Self-Help Sensation

Ep. 390: What Happens When You Ditch Your Smartphone? + Assessing the Internet’s Latest Self-Help Sensation

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 testimon...

2 Feb 1h 11min

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