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PODCAST

Deep Questions with Cal Newport

Cal Newport is a computer science professor and a New York Times bestselling author who writes about the impact of technology on society, and the struggle to work and live deeply in a world increasingly mired in digital distractions. On this podcast, he answers questions from his readers and offers advice about cultivating focus, productivity, and meaning amidst the noise that pervades our lives.

technology self-improvement

All Episodes

19:56

Do Managers Actually Understand AI? (I’m Not So...

Deep Questions with Cal Newport ·

2026/07/09

Cal Newport takes a critical look at recent AI News. Video from today’s episode: youtube.com/calnewportmedia (0:00) Does business actually understand AI? (2:52) Quote #2 (6:20) Taking a step back (7:06) Quote #3 (11:39) Quote #4 (17:02) Idea for journalists Links: Buy Cal’s latest book, “Slow Productivity” at www.calnewport.com/slow

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65:48

Should I Turn Off the Internet? (Lessons From a...

Deep Questions with Cal Newport ·

2026/07/06

It’s a dream a lot of us have: to finally say “enough!”, and turn off the internet inside our homes, returning us to a lifestyle that requires more presence, introspection, and connection. But is this even possible? And what would it really be like? In this episode, Cal seeks answers to these questions by talking to Chris Moody, a journalism professor at Appalachian State, who lives with his wife and young son in a cabin with no internet, television, or cellular signal. Below are the questions

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59:48

Can I Be a Digital Minimalist in 2026? | Monday Advice

Deep Questions with Cal Newport ·

2026/06/29

Back in 2019, Cal published one of the first books arguing that we rethink our personal relationship with online tools. Can his advice still work in an age of TikTok and ChatGPT? In today’s episode, Cal dives deep into the r/DigitalMinimalism sub-reddit to see what advice contemporary digital minimalists are following and offers his own thoughts and recommendations. Below are the questions covered in today's episode (with their timestamps). Get your questions answered by Cal! Here’s the link:

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22:04

Dear AI Companies: Stop the “Doom Trolling” | AI...

Deep Questions with Cal Newport ·

2026/06/25

Cal Newport takes a critical look at recent AI News. Video from today’s episode: youtube.com/calnewportmedia (0:00) Stop the “doom trolling” (6:53) Cal’s recent New York Times article (9:00) Cal’s argument (10:16) The 2nd option (12:54) Conclusion (15:58) Stop playing along with Doom Trolling game (20:09) Use the term “doom trolling” Links: Buy Cal’s latest book, “Slow Productivity” at

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57:58

Am I Lazy or Overstimulated? | Monday Advice

Deep Questions with Cal Newport ·

2026/06/22

Cal Newport explains about if you're lazy or overstimulated in episode 410 of the Deep Questions podcast. 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) Am I lazy or overstimulated? (28:29) A reaction to Cal’s recent New Yorker article (38:23) Positive lessons from box offices successes of Gen Z films (46:24) An old

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29:25

Was the Mythos Ban Justified? (Good Idea. Bad...

Deep Questions with Cal Newport ·

2026/06/17

Cal Newport takes a critical look at recent AI News.Video from today’s episode: youtube.com/calnewportmedia (0:00) Was the Mythos ban justified? (5:32) Is Fable 5 actually dangerous? (11:03) Is Fable 5 without guardrails actually a unique national security concern? (15:13) Should the government be more involved with AI? Links: Buy Cal’s latest book, “Slow Productivity” at

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58:24

Do I Need a “Brain Gym”? | Monday Advice

Deep Questions with Cal Newport ·

2026/06/15

In the 1960s, doctors avoided people to avoid exercise. Then everything changed. Now physical fitness is a $100 billion industry. What would it look like if we got equally as serious about cognitive fitness? In this episode, Cal explores three tiers of cognitive fitness advice, ordered from least to most intense.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:

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20:37

Are We About to Lose Control of AI? | AI Reality Check

Deep Questions with Cal Newport ·

2026/06/11

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

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33:06

Should I Press Pause? | Monday Advice

Deep Questions with Cal Newport ·

2026/06/08

Sometimes the best way to get unstuck is to press pause on your busy life and take a moment to look toward new possibilities. But how is this possible if you can’t afford to literally stop everything and get away? In this episode, Cal explores different strategies for taking what he calls “mini-pauses” that can be integrated into even the most unforgiving of schedules. Below are the questions covered in today's episode (with their timestamps). Get your questions answered by Cal! Here’s the link:

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48:56

How Do I Escape the “Busyness Singularity”? | Monday...

Deep Questions with Cal Newport ·

2026/06/01

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:

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31:48

Did AI Just “Solve” Math? (Let’s Take a Closer Look)...

Deep Questions with Cal Newport ·

2026/05/28

Cal Newport takes a critical look at recent AI News. Video from today’s episode: youtube.com/calnewportmedia (0:00) Did AI just “solve” math? (2:38) What OpenAI did (6:30) Question #1 - Is this result that important? (7:34) Question #2 - Does this mean LLMs are now smarter than human mathematicians? (17:50) Question #3 - Does this mean all equally hard challenges will now be conquered by AI? (23:27) Question #4 - What is the future of math? (28:27) Concluding thoughts Links: Buy Cal’s

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86:59

How Do I Reclaim My Schedule? (w/ Laura Vanderkam) |...

Deep Questions with Cal Newport ·

2026/05/25

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

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12:33

Has AI Conquered Coding? (It’s Not So Simple…) | AI...

Deep Questions with Cal Newport ·

2026/05/21

Cal Newport takes a critical look at recent AI News. Video from today’s episode: youtube.com/calnewportmedia (0:00) Has AI conquered coding? (3:21) Lars Faye quote (5:25) Skipping the struggle step (6:42) Point #1 (7:08) Point #2 (7:28) Point #3 (7:39) Point #4 (8:35) Solution Links: Sign up for Cal’s newsletter at www.calnewport.com/ideas Buy Cal’s latest book, “Slow Productivity” at www.calnewport.com/slow

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86:38

Am I Addicted to My Phone? (w/ Anna Lembke) | Monday...

Deep Questions with Cal Newport ·

2026/05/18

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

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31:50

Is AI About to “Eat Everything”? | AI Reality Check

Deep Questions with Cal Newport ·

2026/05/14

Cal Newport takes a critical look at recent AI News. Video from today’s episode: youtube.com/calnewportmedia (0:00) Is AI about to “eat everything”? (2:53) What does the METR chart measure? (8:08) What do these measurements actually capture? (12:31-) How are the models getting better? (21:26) Does this mean AI is about to “eat everything”? (26:16) So, what’s with all of these hysterical tweets? Links: Buy Cal’s latest book, “Slow Productivity” at www.calnewport.com/slow

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43:01

Do I Need a Digital Intervention? | Monday Advice

Deep Questions with Cal Newport ·

2026/05/11

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

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26:30

Is the AI Doom Fever Breaking? | AI Reality Check

Deep Questions with Cal Newport ·

2026/05/07

Cal Newport takes a critical look at recent AI News. Video from today’s episode: youtube.com/calnewportmedia (0:00) Is the AI doom fever breaking? (4:30) Have the AI CEOs changed their tuen? (7:23) Why did they change? (11:21) Why did they ever think this was a good idea? (24:26) Conclusion Links: Buy Cal’s latest book, “Slow Productivity” at

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81:12

Why Do Better Tools Make Me Worse at My Job? (w/...

Deep Questions with Cal Newport ·

2026/05/04

What can an obscure theory of industrial productivity teach us about producing better results in a distracted world? In this episode, Cal is joined by the #1 New York Times bestselling author David Epstein to explore this question. They dive deep into a chapter of Epstein’s new book, INSIDE THE BOX, that makes a surprising connection between the so-called “Theory of Constraints” and personal productivity.Below are the questions covered in today's episode (with their timestamps). Get your

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33:03

Is AI About to Automate Every Office Job? | AI...

Deep Questions with Cal Newport ·

2026/04/30

Cal Newport takes a critical look at recent AI News.Video from today’s episode also at: youtube.com/calnewportmedia 0:00 Is AI About to Automate Every Office Job? 3:02 Other Tech Leaders Don’t Agree 5:49 -We Aren’t Seeing Enough Progress 14:09 -LLMS Are Limited 24:19 Conclusion Links: Buy Cal’s latest book, “Slow Productivity” at

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51:39

How Do I Build “Cognitive Fitness”? | Monday Advice

Deep Questions with Cal Newport ·

2026/04/27

In his recent New York Times essay, Cal argued for a “cognitive fitness” revolution to resist the onslaught of digital tools degrading our ability to think. But how does one actually strengthen their brain? In this episode, Cal details a sustainable cognitive fitness routine built around five key components. 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:

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