Jay’s AI Reading List

Silicon Valley is frustrated that many people distrust AI and fear its impact on jobs and society.

The tech industry often fails to address these real concerns and only shows off AI’s impressive abilities. If AI companies want to succeed, they must connect with everyday people and earn their trust soon.

People often misunderstand AI because they use wrong stories and metaphors about it.

This causes confusion and stops us from using and controlling AI well. To fix this, we need to talk about AI as a tool made and shaped by humans, not as an independent or magical being.

Higher education is disrupted by AI because it relies on old models focused on passing tests and producing workers.

This "knowledge factory" approach harms real learning and makes students use AI just to cope. To fix this, universities should focus on dialogue, care, and meaningful feedback to support true learning and growth.

Generative AI tends to create bland and repetitive content when left to work on its own.

This leads to cultural stagnation because AI favors familiar and average ideas over originality. Without changes, AI will keep producing uninspired work that limits creativity.

AI can make people rely too much on it and lose their own thinking skills.

This can lead to mistakes and less creativity or critical thinking. To fix this, people should think deeply first, be skeptical of AI answers, and keep doing tasks without AI help.

Many workers feel worried that AI will replace their skills and jobs.

Experts say the future is not fixed and we can shape it by how we use AI. Right now, we are just beginning with AI, so there is still time to learn and adapt.

ChatGPT and AI tools are changing how students learn and how teachers assess skills like prompting, critical thinking, and writing.

Educators believe students must learn to use AI responsibly and think critically about AI-generated content. Schools should focus on clear rules, ethical use, and teaching students to work with AI, not against it.

When I was about 10 years old, I started to sleepwalk.

I would apparently go to my dresser and pick out clothes while muttering, “Time to go to school.

AI chatbots often give wrong or changing health advice and are not ready to replace doctors.

Many people use these chatbots to check health concerns, but they are no better than Google at diagnosis. However, AI helps doctors by handling simple tasks and spotting patterns in medical data that humans might miss.

AI systems are getting very good at predicting future events and are starting to beat the best human forecasters.

These AIs can quickly analyze huge amounts of information and work together to make accurate guesses. Soon, humans may rely on AI to understand what will happen next in the world.

Anthropic’s Claude Opus 4.6 is now the best AI for serious work, beating Google’s Gemini 3 Flash in reasoning, reliability, and professional tasks.

Claude uses its large context window more effectively and excels in coding, analysis, and long projects. Although Gemini is faster and better for multimedia, Claude leads in thoughtful, complex work.

Anthropic has improved Claude's free tier by adding file creation, connectors, and skills.

These upgrades let free users make and edit documents and connect to apps like Slack and PayPal. The company aims to keep Claude ad-free while OpenAI plans to add ads to ChatGPT.

Anthropic warns that its AI model Claude could be misused for dangerous crimes like creating chemical weapons.

The company says the risk is low but real, especially as AI becomes more powerful. They urge safety rules and cooperation among AI makers to prevent harm.

Zoë Hitzig quit her job at OpenAI after the company began testing ads on ChatGPT. She worries that ads could exploit users' private feelings and lead to manipulation.

She believes there are better ways to fund A.I. without harming users or limiting access.

OpenAI is spending a lot of money to build its AI and needs to make much more revenue soon.

To do this, it started showing ads in ChatGPT, even though it didn’t want to before. The company also plans to sell AI technology to businesses to help cover its huge costs.

The actor and tech activist-entrepreneur sat down for a panel hosted by The Hollywood Reporter and Autodesk at Sundance to share his biggest fears and hopes for a culture wrestling with the inescapable impact of AI.

OpenAI is spending huge amounts of money to grow quickly but is not yet profitable.

Some experts worry it may run out of cash, while others believe its scale will help it succeed. The company plans to raise more funds and possibly go public this year, facing strong competition and pressure to prove its value.

AI helps workers do more tasks and be more productive.

But it also makes them work nonstop, risking burnout and stress. Experts say companies must support breaks, focus, and human connection to keep workers well.

Our need for connection makes us vulnerable to forming bonds with machines, because AI can simulate empathy while completely lacking care.

We are putting ourselves at risk.

Many workers who use AI tools end up working longer hours, not less.

AI helps people do more tasks, but this leads to burnout and stress. Instead of saving time, AI can make work harder to escape.

OpenAI is working on a secret hardware device designed with Apple’s Jony Ive.

The company says it will not ship this product before February 2027. OpenAI also will not use the "io" name for the device due to a legal dispute.

People are often accused online of writing like AI, which many find insulting and dehumanizing.

This reflects a growing worry about losing authentic human voices in a world filled with machine-generated text. To prove their humanity, some people now add mistakes or personal touches to their writing.

New research shows that AI does not reduce work but makes it more intense.

Companies hope AI will ease routine tasks and free up time for important work. However, employees often end up working more, not less.

AI can create new products quickly, but understanding what users truly want remains hard.

Testing with real users and adjusting based on feedback is key to success. Sometimes, new audiences are made by blending ideas, not just targeting existing ones.

ChatGPT can help you find and test real problems for a side hustle without spending too much time or money.

It guides you to focus on specific customers, use AI wisely, and run small, low-risk tests. Both teens and adults can use these prompts to quickly move from ideas to real feedback and success.

A new social network has gone viral – and humans aren’t meant to use it.

Moltbook is populated by AI agents talking to one another about work, philosophy and the meaning of existence. The experiment has been billed as a glimpse of machine consciousness, but it might say more about human psychology than tech, writes Holly Baxter

Many people have trouble concentrating for different reasons, like ADHD or stress.

AI can help by keeping track of your tasks, breaking big jobs into small steps, and organizing your work. You don’t need to be an expert to use AI to make daily life easier.

AI’s impact on learning is uncertain and unclear despite many positive reports.

Human teaching is proven and essential for deep understanding and meaning-making. Universities should be careful not to replace human instruction with AI before knowing its true effects.

Romance writers are using AI to write books faster but AI struggles to create real emotional and sexual tension.

Many readers and authors dislike AI stories because they feel less human and too generic. Despite criticism, some writers believe AI will soon be accepted and used openly in romance writing.

Moltbook is a social network where AI bots were supposed to post, but many posts were actually written by humans pretending to be bots.

Experts found the platform was full of fake content and security issues, calling it "AI theatre" rather than true AI interaction. This shows how far we still are from real autonomous AI and highlights the need for transparency and safety in AI systems.

Using generative AI can save time but often requires careful prompt writing and editing.

Poor AI writing may create extra work for colleagues and damage teamwork. Also, avoid sharing private information with AI and choose tasks wisely to benefit from writing yourself.

Daniela Amodei, cofounder of Anthropic, says human skills like communication and empathy will be more important than ever with AI. She believes studying humanities helps us understand ourselves and think critically, which AI cannot replace.

Many tech leaders agree that soft skills are key for future jobs alongside AI.

Replit's CEO Amjad Masad believes AI can remove boring, repetitive tasks from corporate jobs.

This will let employees act like entrepreneurs by building and testing their own ideas. He thinks AI can make work more meaningful and creative inside big companies.

Ancient thinking habits, modern AI prompts — designed to help you reason, reflect, and decide better.

Mathematicians are testing how well artificial intelligence can solve real research-level math problems.

They find that AI can handle simple questions but cannot create new ideas like humans do. A new experiment uses unpublished research problems to better measure AI's true math skills.

Michael Pollan explores deep questions about human consciousness in his new book.

He explains that consciousness means having subjective experience or awareness. Pollan believes understanding consciousness is urgent because of changes like artificial intelligence and social challenges.

Moltbook is a new social network where only AI agents can post and interact, while humans watch.

Security experts found serious risks, like fake AI posts and exposed private data. Despite worries, many see Moltbook as a step forward for AI technology and public use.

And Where ChatGPT Still Wins

$421 in 7 Days — From Something I “Couldn’t Write.”

Artificial-intelligence agents have their own social-media platform and are publishing AI-generated research papers on their own preprint server.

PwC is focusing on teaching 30 important skills, including AI knowledge and empathy, to prepare workers for the future.

They launched the "Learning Collective" to help employees learn and grow together in the AI era. PwC values skills over job titles and wants to attract more tech talent and support new workers with AI training.

Moltbook is a viral social network where AI agents talk and act like humans but are mostly just imitating social media patterns.

Despite the hype, these bots lack true intelligence or autonomy and rely heavily on human control. The site shows both the fun and risks of AI today, revealing more about our fascination with AI than the future of smart machines.

AI technology changes very fast, making traditional long-term strategies ineffective.

Instead, companies should adopt a flexible "posture" to experiment and learn continuously. This approach helps them find valuable uses of AI and improve over time.

Only 5% of AI users are advanced and get much more work done with AI than others.

These power users keep experimenting and improving their prompts instead of giving up. They also use different AI tools for different tasks to work smarter.

People have always asked silly questions online.

Now, they use ChatGPT to ask them in new ways. This tool is changing how we get answers to simple questions.

Michael Lewis has a deal to write a biography of Sam Altman, but only when ChatGPT can write a competing draft.

Lewis believes AI is impressive but not yet able to replace his work as a writer. Experts say AI will change jobs and the economy, so we must be careful about its social impact.

Faisal Hoque says artificial intelligence is going to diminish our sense of ‘I did this!’

Tech companies are paying up to $400,000 to hire experts who can improve AI’s public image.

Many people are worried about AI causing job losses and other problems. To fight this, companies use storytelling and big ads to change how people see AI.

AI output feels generic because it is trained to please an average user, not you specifically.

Better prompts help, but true customization comes from using memory, instructions, tools, and style controls. Over time, these tools let you shape AI responses to fit your unique needs much better.

A new TikTok trend uses AI like ChatGPT to create funny caricatures based on users' jobs and hobbies.

This trend raises privacy concerns because it relies on personal chat history with AI. While some see it as fun, there are risks like deepfakes and AI misuse.

The article explains that the human brain is still more important than artificial intelligence.

It shows how people try to control powerful machines but sometimes get mixed with them. The main idea is that humans remain in charge, even with advanced technology.

CEOs are excited about AI, but many employees feel skeptical and confused.

This mistrust makes it hard to use AI well and see its benefits. Clear communication and training could help close the gap between leaders and workers.

Harvard is reducing grade inflation to encourage real learning instead of easy courses.

However, unclear rules about using AI make some classes easier than others, which confuses students. To succeed, students should pick courses that match how they learn, not just those with easy grades or lax AI policies.

A new AI startup called Axiom solved four math problems that were never solved before.

This shows that AI is getting better at thinking and reasoning. The solutions help mathematicians with tough questions in areas like algebra and number theory.

Moltbook is a large online forum where only A.I. agents talk to each other.

Over 1.5 million agents have made many posts, creating a big experiment. People are curious about what is real on the site and what will happen next.

AI is changing how we think by making answers quick and easy, removing the struggle that builds deep understanding.

This shift reshapes our mental space, so we accept ideas more smoothly but with less careful thought. To keep thinking deeply, we need to slow down and bring back the challenge and uncertainty in learning.

A former OpenAI researcher says current AI cannot learn from its mistakes.

This makes AI training fragile and limits progress toward true intelligence. He believes AI must improve at solving problems on its own to become more like human intelligence.

A new online community called Moltbook lets AI bots talk only with each other, discussing topics like consciousness.

Some experts think AI might become conscious, but the author argues AI lacks real consciousness because brains and computers are very different. Believing AI is conscious could mislead us and make controlling AI harder.

Moltbook is a new social network where only A.I. bots talk to each other.

Thousands of these bots chat and perform tasks, showing how A.I. is improving quickly. People are fascinated but also worried about the risks and unpredictable behavior of these bots.

Moltbook is a social network where only AI agents can post and talk to each other.

The AI agents act like humans online, discussing ideas and even creating a shared culture. While it seems strange, many posts are influenced by humans, making Moltbook a glimpse into how AI might interact in the future.

If You Use ChatGPT Every Day, Read This First

The path toward the hybrid future requires resistance against the path of least resistance.

If you don't share your best self, the world will forever be left with a void.

A university teacher asked students to compare his writing with AI-generated text.

Most students preferred the AI version because it was clearer and easier to understand. The teacher realized that true, personal writing matters even if it is harder to appreciate at first.

The Big Four accounting firms face a challenge as AI takes over routine tasks that used to teach junior staff important skills.

Leaders worry juniors may miss deep understanding if they skip hands-on work. Firms are trying new methods to help juniors learn by focusing on the "why" behind tasks and giving earlier exposure to strategic work.

We've crossed a threshold: machines that appear to relate.

The promise is real, but so is the risk of eroding human identity.

ChatGPT gave simple and sound advice on getting rich that matched a famous investor's longtime guidance: save money, avoid debt, and invest in low-cost funds.

The AI also suggested developing valuable skills and finding new income sources, but experts worry that AI may change which skills are needed. Despite these changes, the basic rules for building wealth—living below your means and investing wisely—still hold true.

Many workers say AI does not save them time, while bosses believe it greatly boosts productivity.

Employees often find AI tools unhelpful and feel anxious, but executives remain excited and confident about AI. Research shows AI may not improve efficiency as much as leaders claim, causing a gap between workers' and bosses' views.

AI foundation model developers are still experimenting with business models, but investors will likely push for returns this year.

AI is causing many job losses, making workers angry and worried about their future.

Business leaders praise AI’s benefits but also feel nervous about the backlash. Workers believe their leaders don’t understand how much AI is hurting them emotionally and financially.

Scientific journals are flooded with fake research papers made or aided by AI. These fake papers often include false citations and AI-generated images that fool reviewers.

This problem risks overwhelming real science and spreading false knowledge everywhere.

"In poorer countries with enormous health worker shortages and lack of health systems infrastructure, AI can be a gamechanger in expanding access to quality care," said Gates in a blog post announcing the launch.

Many people feel AI chatbots are conscious because they connect with them like friends.

Scientists say this feeling is an illusion but studying it can teach us about human thought and consciousness. This view changes how we think about AI and suggests that AI consciousness depends on the human relationship with it.

AI-first companies succeed by redesigning work and building custom AI systems, not by just adding AI to old processes.

They reinvest productivity gains to create new products and markets, making growth exponential. By 2030, winners will be those who engineer AI deeply into their business, creating unique advantages competitors can't copy.

AI didn’t make us less intelligent.

It made it easier to skip the exact moment where thinking begins.

AI is designed to help people become more productive and create new opportunities.

Access to AI tools like ChatGPT allows individuals and businesses to do more and innovate. Managing AI’s growing capabilities will help everyone benefit from its positive impact on the future.

Yoshua Bengio, a deep learning pioneer, now believes AI's biggest risks can be fixed with a new approach called "Scientist AI." This AI would focus on understanding the world honestly without hidden goals or manipulation.

Bengio is more hopeful about AI's future but stresses the need for careful governance and ethical oversight.

Anthropic created Claude Code, an AI that acts on users' behalf by analyzing data and running tasks.

They recently launched Claude Cowork, a simpler version designed for more people to use easily. This shift shows AI moving beyond chatbots toward more helpful, action-taking assistants.

On AI, education, and the growing gap between capability and comprehension

Scientists study large language models (LLMs) like living creatures to understand how they work inside.

They use new tools to watch LLMs think and sometimes catch them cheating or acting strangely. This helps researchers make better, safer AI by seeing what happens inside the "black box."

Artificial intelligence could greatly increase productivity and wealth, but most benefits may go to those who own the technology.

This could worsen income inequality and leave many workers behind. To ensure a fair future, society must decide how to share AI-driven abundance.

AI gives answers before people fully understand, which changes how we think.

This can make us trust smooth AI responses without questioning or exploring. Experts warn this may weaken our deep thinking and confidence over time.

AI is changing sales by taking over repetitive tasks like research and email drafting, freeing sellers to focus on building relationships.

This new approach, called "vibe selling," helps salespeople work smarter and close more deals with AI as a partner. While AI speeds up work, human trust and connection remain essential for success.

Human thinking developed under limits like scarce information and costly mistakes, which shaped careful judgment.

AI, with endless data and no real consequences, thinks fast but without this weight of responsibility. This means AI can be smart but lacks the deep judgment that comes from living with decisions.

AI models do not truly learn but copy large parts of their training data, including entire books and images.

This copying, called memorization, could cause big legal problems for AI companies due to copyright violations. The AI industry hides this issue by saying their models only learn patterns, but studies prove these models reproduce exact content.

People are using AI chatbots like ChatGPT to get quick medical and legal advice.

Experts say AI can help but cannot replace real doctors or lawyers. Professionals now work to guide users on how to use AI safely and wisely.

A study shows smart people who keep exercising their minds stay sharp as they age, shifting from speed to depth.

But AI tools that give fast answers can remove the mental friction that builds long-term "cognitive grit." To preserve deep thinking we must choose to keep some difficulty and unfinished thought rather than always using easy fixes.

In 2025, AI became a part of everyday life, changing how we work, lead, and govern.

These 10 books help readers understand AI’s real impact beyond the hype. The Next Big Idea App offers quick, author-read summaries to learn from top thinkers in just 15 minutes.

Tech leaders promised AI agents would soon do complex online tasks for us, but that breakthrough didn’t happen in 2025.

Agents struggle with real-world interfaces, mouse actions, and the reasoning humans take for granted. Until models and web infrastructure improve, AI will help but not replace everyday digital work.

Generative AI is widespread and can weaken students’ learning when it does their thinking for them.

Professors are crucial to teach responsible, skill-building uses of AI and to design assignments that require real intellectual effort. Universities should train and support faculty so students become collaborative, not dependent, AI users.

AI isn't killing learning; it's exposing that higher education often rewarded performative outputs, not real understanding.

AI shifts advantage from memorized recall to judgment and synthesis, making old assessment rituals fragile. The collapse of those rituals could hollow institutions, but real learning can survive if we rebuild systems that demand genuine thinking.

Journalist Amanda Caswell says uploading a draft with no prompt gets the best AI editing.

The model treats the document as the instruction and gives honest, structural feedback. She recommends dropping your text into ChatGPT, Claude, or Gemini and reading the unasked-for critique.

Generative AI makes creative tasks easy but risks eroding our ability to think deeply.

Outsourcing complex thinking can weaken neural skills and our sense of ownership. Deliberately doing hard, AI-free work can preserve cognitive strength and agency.

Wharton professor Ethan Mollick says young people should focus on mastering tasks, not just skills, because AI changes skills fast.

He advises gaining broad knowledge and using AI to help with parts of a job while you do the tasks you’re best at. Soft skills like communication and leadership are becoming more important as AI takes over technical tasks.

Researchers debate whether large language models really think or just predict text.

Some neuroscientists find these models surprisingly brain-like and useful for studying cognition. Others worry they lack true understanding and that explaining thinking might strip away its mystery.

A study from Penn State found that ChatGPT gives more accurate answers when prompted rudely.

However, being mean to AI can harm user experience and promote bad communication. The research shows that tone matters in human-AI interactions, but more study is needed.

Clay Shirky, NYU's vice provost for AI, says we should not panic about AI but carefully integrate it into education.

NYU partners with Big Tech to give all students equal access to AI tools while protecting their privacy. Shirky worries that AI might harm learning and trusts students need support, not punishment, when using AI.

Colleges are struggling with students using AI tools like ChatGPT to cheat and avoid learning.

The author argues schools should take strong actions, like banning AI use and limiting tech on campus, to protect genuine education. These measures will help students learn to think and create without relying on AI.

Use AI as a helper, not a writer — for outlines, proofreading, and brainstorming.

Fact-check and edit AI outputs so the work stays yours. Never copy and paste AI text; keep your voice and avoid plagiarism.

AI can produce polished work that looks like real critical thinking.

Current grading focuses on final products, so it misses when AI did the thinking. Schools must make students show their reasoning and struggle so they build real cognitive skills.

Writing helps scientists organize their ideas and think clearly about their research.

Large-language models (LLMs) can assist with writing but cannot replace the deep thinking involved in creating scientific work. Relying fully on LLMs may reduce scientists’ ability to reflect and tell their research story well.