The Internet
Annals of Artificial Intelligence
How Will A.I. Learn Next?
As chatbots threaten their own best sources of data, they will have to find new kinds of knowledge.
By James Somers
Rabbit Holes
The Rapture of Listening to a Fake Baseball Game
Nine innings of made-up balls, strikes, and ads is enough to put you to sleep—or bring you to life.
By Katy Waldman
Page-Turner
How Fans Created the Voice of the Internet
A new book, diving deep into the world of One Direction, argues that fandom is the force of our time.
By Katy Waldman
Rabbit Holes
The Charming Bloke Who Dominates GeoGuessr
Tom Davies has become a beloved icon of the Google Maps guessing game.
By Max Norman
The Political Scene Podcast
“We’re All Going to the World’s Fair” and a Short History of Movies About the Internet
The director Jane Schoenbrun’s new horror film is about a teen girl’s coming of age online. Schoenbrun talks with the Radio Hour’s Alex Barron about how movies have depicted the virtual world.
Shouts & Murmurs
What Generation Alpha Has Already Ruined
The Postal Service: this generation is simply not mailing letters, owing to “electronic mail” and “still learning how to read.”
By Al Mullen
Infinite Scroll
Pokémon Legends: Arceus, and the Allure of Open-World Video Games
Increasingly, what players are seeking is a virtual environment that feels as inexhaustible as the real one.
By Kyle Chayka
Infinite Scroll
I Can’t Stop Thinking About This
On the Internet, where attention is the currency, obsession has become a default register.
By Kyle Chayka
Culture Desk
Aziz Ansari’s Nostalgic New Comedy Special
In “Nightclub Comedian,” Ansari fixates on how the Internet shapes our lives and longs for the pre-digital past.
By Carrie Battan
American Chronicles
The Long Afterlife of a Terrible Crime
Decades after her mother was killed, Regina Alexander reached out to the son of the people who did it.
By Ryan Katz
Shouts & Murmurs
CashChum Would Like Permission to Track You
It’s just that CashChum and your ad preferences are really vibing right now.
By Evan Waite and River Clegg
Annals of Communications
The Terrifying Potential of 5G Technology
The future of wireless technology holds the promise of total connectivity. But it will also be especially susceptible to cyberattacks and surveillance.
By Sue Halpern
This Week in Fiction
Te-Ping Chen on the Nihilism of the Internet
The author discusses “Lulu,” her story from this week’s issue of the magazine.
By David S. Wallace
Culture Desk
Review: The Serene, Funk-Drenched Sound of the Internet’s “Hive Mind”
The new album is one of the couple of major releases this season that seem to be more concerned with their listeners’ pleasure than with stroking their creators’ egos.
By Doreen St. Félix