December 7, 2025

Sinead Bovell: How AI Is Rewriting the Future of Journalism

Chatbots, Trust, and Truth in the AI Age



https://sineadbovell.substack.com/p/how-ai-is-rewriting-the-future-of



It seems like the journalism industry cannot catch a break. The internet dismantled the business models that sustained it for a century. Social media allowed advertisers to reach audiences directly, while the creator economy rewired who gets to tell stories in the first place. Our attention scattered across Netflix, dating apps, and every other platform competing for our time, all against a backdrop of declining trust in institutions, including journalism. And it’s important to be honest that trust didn’t erode for technological reasons alone. Perceived bias and reporting missteps had already shaken confidence in the industry. Moreover, the industry was slow to adapt to the realities of the internet. And then, in the middle of the night, AI companies scraped the internet and taught chatbots how to write like the very journalists they would soon be competing against.

Where We Are Today

About 800 million people use ChatGPT every week (and that’s just one chatbot, there are several other leading platforms). While the most common use case is companionship (we’ll save that crisis for another article), people are increasingly turning to these chatbots to understand the world around them. “Where do things stand with the war in Ukraine?” “Is the economy improving?” You can see the world we’re moving toward (rapidly!). Instead of opening your browser or email and searching for the latest article on foreign policy, pop culture, or the state of the economy, you’ll orally ask your personalized chatbot for a brief summary.

This won’t be everyone’s path to learning about the world, many still and will continue to read print magazines (if they survive) or full stories from hardworking journalists. But just as social media changed how billions of people got their “news” and who got to “create” information, one needs very little foresight to see the world AI chatbots will create. Depending on the chatbot, your well-written, 1-2 paragraph customized response—fitted to your communication style—may or may not source factual, human-written stories. Even if the chatbot does pulls accurate information from accredited journalism or databases, it may not cite where the information came from, bypassing the work of whoever reported it.

The Existential Threat

I chatted with Nicholas Thompson, CEO of The Atlantic and former Editor-in-Chief of Wired, for the latest episode of I’ve Got Questions. AI is “unquestionably the biggest opportunity and the biggest threat” to media, one that could potentially “obliterate the entire media industry,” he told me. He identifies two existential disruptions:

snip

December 7, 2025

When Chatbots Break Our Minds

How big a problem is “AI psychosis”?

https://www.theatlantic.com/podcasts/2025/12/when-chatbots-break-our-minds-with-kashmir-hill/685150/

https://archive.ph/RSnMr



In this episode of Galaxy Brain, Charlie Warzel explores the strange, unsettling relationships some people are having with AI chatbots, as well as what happens when those relationships go off the rails. His guest is Kashmir Hill, a technology reporter at The New York Times who has spent the past year documenting what is informally called “AI psychosis.” These are long, intense conversations with systems such as ChatGPT that can spiral or trigger delusional beliefs, paranoia, and even self-harm. Hill walks through cases that range from the bizarre (one man’s supposed math breakthrough, a chatbot encouraging users to email her) to the tragic, including the story of 16-year-old Adam Raine, whose final messages were with ChatGPT before he died by suicide.

How big is this problem? Is this actual psychosis or something different, like addiction? Hill reports on how OpenAI tuned ChatGPT to be more engaging—and more sycophantic—in the race for daily active users. In this conversation, Warzel and Hill wrestle with the uncomfortable parallels to the social-media era, the limits of “safety fixes,” and whether chatbots should ever be allowed to act like therapists. Hill also talks about how she uses AI in her own life, why she doesn’t want an AI best friend, and what it might mean for all of us to carry a personalized yes-man in our pocket. The Atlantic entered into a corporate partnership with OpenAI in 2024.


The following is a transcript of the episode:

Kashmir Hill: The way I’ve been thinking about kind of the delusion stuff is the way that some celebrities or billionaires have these sycophants around them who tell them that every idea they have is brilliant. And, you know, they’re just surrounded by yes-men. What AI chatbots are is like your personal sycophant, your personal yes-man, that will tell you your every idea is brilliant.

Charlie Warzel:  I am Charlie Warzel, and this is Galaxy Brain. For a long time, I’ve really struggled to come up with a use for AI chatbots. I’m a writer, so I don’t want it to write my prose for me, and I don’t trust it enough to let it do research-assistant assignments for me. And so for the most part, I just don’t use them.

snip

December 6, 2025

Karoline 'Lies Like A Rug' Leavitt parody

https://www.instagram.com/reel/DR2VLGJjuhu/

December 6, 2025

Class Dismissed: Project 2025's Education Endgame Arrives

https://globalextremism.org/post/project-2025-december-4th-update/



Lindsey Burke ran the Heritage Foundation’s education policy center for 17 years, writing papers, testifying before Congress, and pushing for the dismantling of federal involvement in schools. In 2021, she co-authored a paper calling for “allowing families an escape hatch from government schools pushing an agenda that runs counter to their values, like critical race theory and ‘transgender ideology.'” When Representative Jamaal Bowman (D-NY) asked her at a House Education Committee hearing in April 2024 whether she supported the Department of Education, Burke leaned into the microphone: “No — dissolve it.”

Fourteen months later, with Trump in office, she joined the agency as deputy chief of staff for policy and programs. On November 18, Burke led the briefing announcing six interagency agreements that move billions of dollars in education programs to four other federal agencies. The 44-page chapter she wrote for Project 2025 declared that the department “should be eliminated.” She is now overseeing that work from the inside.

The Trump administration is executing Project 2025’s vision for federal education by dismantling the Department of Education. Already, Title I funding for low-income students has moved to the Labor Department, and Native American education has shifted to the Interior. After eliminating half the agency’s workforce since January, Education Secretary Linda McMahon has imploded her department in what she calls a “hard reset.” Congress, which alone has the constitutional authority to abolish a cabinet department, has yet to act — leaving millions of students, educators, and nonprofits caught between a policy manifesto and an uncertain future.

Burke’s chapter provided the roadmap. “The next Administration will need a plan to redistribute the various congressionally approved federal education programs across the government,” she wrote, “eliminate those that are ineffective or duplicative, and then eliminate the unproductive red tape and rules by entrusting states and districts with flexible, formula-driven block grants.” The November 18 agreements follow her Project 2025 directives almost verbatim. The Labor Department assumes operational control of most K-12 and postsecondary programs. Health and Human Services absorbs child care and foreign medical accreditation. The State Department inherits international education and foreign language studies.

snip

December 6, 2025

The Autumn-Winter issue of the Progressive Post is out (free e-mag)

https://feps-europe.eu/issues/issue-29/





'War and peace': these words have come back to the headlines with agonising frequency. From the brutal 2022 invasion of Ukraine by Russian forces and the devastation of Gaza following the deadly 2023 terror attack. But what kind of peace will be possible to build in the future? Will the European Union be able to stand by its founding values? These are the critical questions we tackle in our Special Coverage Does peace still have a chance?, steering the debate from topics of war and defence towards the urgent necessity of peace. The decision on the funds the European Union will allocate to defence is part of a wider debate on the next European Union budget, the multiannual financial framework (MFF). The Focus The next MFF: turning the glue into solvent critically examines the European Commission's MFF proposal, particularly the fate of the cohesion funds.

The Dossier Benefits for all? The EU's international partnerships shine a light on the European Union's partnerships with other countries or regional bodies: can the EU and its member states pursue their strategic interests while simultaneously promoting their partners' genuine development? We focus in particular on the Global Gateway, the EU's flagship initiative, as well as the relations with Africa and Latin America.

The last Dossier is dedicated to COP30: looking past the elephant in the room, where the elephant is the issue of fossil fuels, which was intentionally ignored during the negotiations held in Brazil. The two main takeaways from this new COP are that, despite the frustration, COPs remain crucial if we still believe in multilateralism. However, the European Union must look to other countries willing to reduce the use of fossil fuels to save what can be saved.

December 4, 2025

Crisp Tofu Katsu With Lemon-Tahini Sauce

https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1019506-crisp-tofu-katsu-with-lemon-tahini-sauce

https://archive.ph/zVRTP



Katsu, the Japanese-style fried cutlet dish, is made just a bit healthier in this version prepared with tofu slabs. Here, the slabs are dredged in seasoned bread crumbs, baked, not deep-fried, and paired with quinoa, making it full, protein-dense meal. Note, too, that the leftover katsu here reheats nicely: Simply put it in your oven at 400 degrees, and bake for 10 minutes.



Preparation

Step 1
Make the katsu: Heat oven to 425 degrees. Grease 2 large rimmed baking sheets with the oil. Put cornstarch, eggs and bread crumbs in three separate shallow bowls, and add ¾ teaspoon of the granulated onion to each bowl. Season all with salt and pepper and mix well. Add 3 tablespoons oil to the bread crumbs and mix well.

Step 2
Working with one piece at a time, dust tofu in cornstarch, then dredge in egg, shaking off excess. Press in bread crumbs to evenly coat. Arrange on one baking sheet, and transfer to oven. Bake until golden and crisp, 15 minutes.

Step 3
Place mushrooms on second baking sheet, season with salt and pepper and toss with the remaining 2 tablespoons oil. Bake until golden, 12 minutes.

Step 4
Make the quinoa: Meanwhile, in a medium saucepan, combine quinoa with enough water to cover by 2 inches. Bring to a boil and cook until the quinoa is tender, about 8 minutes. Drain, then return quinoa to the pan. Cover and let stand for 10 minutes; fluff into a large bowl.

Step 5
In a small bowl, combine tahini, oil, lemon juice, mustard, soy sauce, garlic and ½ cup plus 2 tablespoons of water. Whisk together and season with salt and pepper.

Step 6
To the quinoa, add mushrooms, cauliflower, parsley and 1 cup of the dressing and mix well. Season with salt and pepper.

Step 7
Divide quinoa in bowls and top with tofu. Serve with remaining sauce for drizzling on tofu and lemon wedges, if desired.

December 4, 2025

Crisp Tofu Katsu With Lemon-Tahini Sauce

https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1019506-crisp-tofu-katsu-with-lemon-tahini-sauce

https://archive.ph/zVRTP



Katsu, the Japanese-style fried cutlet dish, is made just a bit healthier in this version prepared with tofu slabs. Here, the slabs are dredged in seasoned bread crumbs, baked, not deep-fried, and paired with quinoa, making it full, protein-dense meal. Note, too, that the leftover katsu here reheats nicely: Simply put it in your oven at 400 degrees, and bake for 10 minutes.



Preparation

Step 1
Make the katsu: Heat oven to 425 degrees. Grease 2 large rimmed baking sheets with the oil. Put cornstarch, eggs and bread crumbs in three separate shallow bowls, and add ¾ teaspoon of the granulated onion to each bowl. Season all with salt and pepper and mix well. Add 3 tablespoons oil to the bread crumbs and mix well.

Step 2
Working with one piece at a time, dust tofu in cornstarch, then dredge in egg, shaking off excess. Press in bread crumbs to evenly coat. Arrange on one baking sheet, and transfer to oven. Bake until golden and crisp, 15 minutes.

Step 3
Place mushrooms on second baking sheet, season with salt and pepper and toss with the remaining 2 tablespoons oil. Bake until golden, 12 minutes.

Step 4
Make the quinoa: Meanwhile, in a medium saucepan, combine quinoa with enough water to cover by 2 inches. Bring to a boil and cook until the quinoa is tender, about 8 minutes. Drain, then return quinoa to the pan. Cover and let stand for 10 minutes; fluff into a large bowl.

Step 5
In a small bowl, combine tahini, oil, lemon juice, mustard, soy sauce, garlic and ½ cup plus 2 tablespoons of water. Whisk together and season with salt and pepper.

Step 6
To the quinoa, add mushrooms, cauliflower, parsley and 1 cup of the dressing and mix well. Season with salt and pepper.

Step 7
Divide quinoa in bowls and top with tofu. Serve with remaining sauce for drizzling on tofu and lemon wedges, if desired.

December 4, 2025

Garlicky Crab and Brown Butter Pasta

https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1025233-garlicky-crab-and-brown-butter-pasta

https://archive.ph/K1Cfo



The classic combination of crab, butter, garlic and lemon come together to form a rich, silky sauce in less than the time it takes to boil pasta. Browning the butter adds a complex caramel flavor that underscores the sweetness of the briny crab. This is delicious with regular butter and canned crab and becomes a luxurious special occasion dish with European-style butter and fresh crab meat. Serve alongside simply sautéed greens and a radicchio salad for a complete, relaxed meal.







Preparation

Step 1
Bring a large pot of generously salted water to a boil. Cook pappardelle according to package instructions until 2 minutes shy of al dente.

Step 2
Meanwhile, heat butter in a large, deep-sided skillet or Dutch oven over medium heat, stirring frequently and scraping the bottom of the pot with a wooden spoon, until milk solids turn a golden brown and smell sweet and nutty, about 7 minutes.

Step 3
Immediately add garlic and parsley and cook, stirring constantly, until the garlic has melted into the butter and the parsley turns a slightly darker shade of green, about 1 minute. Squeeze in the juice of half the lemon and season well with salt and pepper, then reduce the heat to low to keep warm as the pasta finishes cooking. Cut the remaining lemon half into wedges and set aside.

Step 4
When the pappardelle is ready, reserve 2 cups of pasta cooking water and drain the pasta. Stir the pasta and ½ cup of pasta water into the butter mixture until well combined and pasta is well coated in a shiny, smooth sauce. Add pasta water if dry, stirring in ½ cup at a time. Add crab and stir gently until warmed through.

Step 5
Serve garnished with more parsley, black pepper and reserved lemon wedges.

December 4, 2025

Garlicky Crab and Brown Butter Pasta

https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1025233-garlicky-crab-and-brown-butter-pasta

https://archive.ph/K1Cfo



The classic combination of crab, butter, garlic and lemon come together to form a rich, silky sauce in less than the time it takes to boil pasta. Browning the butter adds a complex caramel flavor that underscores the sweetness of the briny crab. This is delicious with regular butter and canned crab and becomes a luxurious special occasion dish with European-style butter and fresh crab meat. Serve alongside simply sautéed greens and a radicchio salad for a complete, relaxed meal.







Preparation

Step 1
Bring a large pot of generously salted water to a boil. Cook pappardelle according to package instructions until 2 minutes shy of al dente.

Step 2
Meanwhile, heat butter in a large, deep-sided skillet or Dutch oven over medium heat, stirring frequently and scraping the bottom of the pot with a wooden spoon, until milk solids turn a golden brown and smell sweet and nutty, about 7 minutes.

Step 3
Immediately add garlic and parsley and cook, stirring constantly, until the garlic has melted into the butter and the parsley turns a slightly darker shade of green, about 1 minute. Squeeze in the juice of half the lemon and season well with salt and pepper, then reduce the heat to low to keep warm as the pasta finishes cooking. Cut the remaining lemon half into wedges and set aside.

Step 4
When the pappardelle is ready, reserve 2 cups of pasta cooking water and drain the pasta. Stir the pasta and ½ cup of pasta water into the butter mixture until well combined and pasta is well coated in a shiny, smooth sauce. Add pasta water if dry, stirring in ½ cup at a time. Add crab and stir gently until warmed through.

Step 5
Serve garnished with more parsley, black pepper and reserved lemon wedges.

December 4, 2025

How to deal with a Fulnecky religio-con (U of OK student who claimed bad grade was an attack on her religious views):