Deep Questions with Cal Newport

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

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

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 podcast@calnewport.com. 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 https://peoplesbooktakoma.com/event/cal-newport/ 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

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 podcast@calnewport.com. 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

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 takes a deep dive into this paper, detailing: the intervention, why it works, and tips for increasing your chances of success. 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 digital intervention? (27:06) AI and academic research (33:56) Reversing brain rot with cognitive fitness (37:08) Leaving your phone in the kitchen (40:07) What Cal is reading Books: How Society Should Deal with Inequality (Frank Newport) 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://academic.oup.com/pnasnexus/article/4/2/pgaf017/8016017 https://orgsci.substack.com/p/more-versus-better-part-i Thanks to our Sponsors: This show is sponsored by Better Help: https://www.betterhelp.com/deepquestions https://www.larridin.com https://www.calderalab.com/deep Thanks to Jesse Miller for production, Jay Kerstens for the intro music, and Nate Mechler for research and newsletter. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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 productivity technology to create this paradoxical effect. In today’s episode, Cal dives deep into why this happens and then details three strategies for avoiding these traps 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: bit.ly/3U3sTvo Video from today’s episode: youtube.com/calnewportmedia DEEP DIVE: Why Do “Productivity Technologies” Make My Job Worse? [3:17] INBOX: An article about meetings [36:11] A case study on escaping email overload [47:29] A tool that makes the internet more boring [50:37] WHAT CAL IS UP TO: Deep or Crazy? [57:02] What Cal read [1:02:23] Cal in the news [1:05:57] Books: Reader, Come Home (Maryanne Wolf) What Do You Say? (William Stixrud and Ned Johnson) 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?pmresearcher.substack.com/p/why-meetings-multiplydocs.pluckeye.net/overview Thanks to our Sponsors: calderalab.com/deepcozyearth.com/deep (Use code “DEEP”)grammarly.comdrinkag1.com/deep Thanks to Jesse Miller for production, Jay Kerstens for the intro music, Nate Mechler for research and newsletter, and Mark Miles for mastering. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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 pieces of advice for transforming your current phone back to something that’s less distracting, more useful, and fun once again – a goal he calls “2007 mode.” 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: Can I learn to love my phone again? [3:31] INBOX: A new study on brain fry [30:29] Use of phones in The Pitt [38:58] 17th Century scholar dealing with overload [42:05] WHAT CAL IS UP TO: What I’m trying [43:57] What Cal read [48:45] What Cal watched [49:44] Movies: Secret Agent 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?youtube.com/watch?v=x7qPAY9JqE4youtube.com/watch?v=mJ4lsi2RtaIyoutube.com/watch?v=ENUO7dbZ-TYyoutube.com/watch?v=7jVb1lLniEwyoutube.com/watch?v=aC0JKAN5xVIhbr.org/2026/03/when-using-ai-leads-to-brain-fryinstagram.com/reel/DUxCG_BDvWX/?igsh=a3pyZXNlNTZvdDVp Thanks to our Sponsors: butcherbox.com/deepvanta.com/deepquestions1password.com/deepshopify.com/deep Thanks to Jesse Miller for production, Jay Kerstens for the intro music, and Mark Miles for mastering. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices