A National Security Insider Does the Math on the Dangers of AI

Jason Matheny, CEO of the influential think tank Rand Corporation, says advances in AI are making it easier to learn how to build biological weapons and other tools of destruction.

9 Best Espresso Machines (2024): Dual Boilers, Budget, and Accessories

Turning your kitchen into a café is a great way to learn (or hone) the art of making the perfect shot.

RFK Jr.’s Very Online, Conspiracy-Filled Campaign

Robert F. Kennedy Jr. launched his campaign one year ago this week.

What It Will Take for Airchat to Take Flight

This week, we talk about the buzzy new social media app where there’s no typing allowed.

Donald Trump Is 'Seriously Considering' Jake Paul's Fight Invite

Influencers like Jake Paul can offer Donald Trump inroads to audiences beyond his base—and prime seats at a major spectacle.

US Infrastructure Is Broken. Here’s an $830 Million Plan to Fix It

WIRED spoke with US transportation secretary Pete Buttigieg about recent grants to fix ancient roads, bridges, and other critical infrastructure before it’s too late.

How Election Deniers Became Mainstream—and Are Weaponizing Tech

Election deniers are training others to challenge voter rolls and overwhelm election officials. And they’re using tech to do it.

Election Deniers Aren’t Waiting for November

A toxic mix of disinformation, digital tools, and generative AI is challenging election officials across the country.

The Honeybees Versus the Murder Hornets

Under threat from murder hornets, climate change, and habitat loss, UK honeybees are getting help from AI-enabled apiculturists tracking everything from foraging patterns to foreign invaders.

How Social Media Turned Into a Shopping Mall

This week, we discuss the changing business of TikTok Shop and the different ways influencers sell all those cheap goods on social media.

The Influencers with as Much Presidential Access as the Press

Biden-linked influencers were front-and-center at the president's biggest fundraiser. The press was in the dressing room.

RFK Jr. Has Assembled His Anti-Vax Conspiracy Squad

Nicole Shanahan, RFK Jr.'s VP pick, seems to have already embraced her running mate's conspiratorial thinking.

What the Apple Antitrust Suit Means for the Future of Messaging

This week, we talk about the US Department of Justice’s lawsuit against Apple, and how its outcome—whether Apple wins or loses—might change how we text each other.

The Baltimore Bridge Collapse Is About to Get Even Messier

Closing the city’s seaport will send shockwaves across global shipping. Supersize container ships pose a growing risk to bridges and other infrastructure when things go wrong.

Meta Kills a Crucial Transparency Tool At the Worst Possible Time

CrowdTangle helps researchers track disinformation, but Meta will close it down before the US election. The tool's cofounder, Brandon Silverman, says it's time to force companies to share data.

Chinese Hackers Charged in Decade-Long Global Spying Rampage

US and UK officials hit Chinese hacking group APT31 with sanctions and criminal charges after they targeted thousands of businesses, politicians, and critics of China.

A Topsy-Turvy Online Election

Welcome to the first edition of the WIRED Politics Lab newsletter.

'3 Body Problem' Is a Tech-Heavy Head Trip

This week, we discuss how the new (very good) Netflix series 3 Body Problem fits into the sci-fi pantheon.

Why—and How—WIRED Is Covering Politics

Technology and politics have never been more intertwined. Here’s our approach to covering the 2024 election and beyond.

A Crypto Company Thinks It Can Help Fight Climate Change

Toucan is leveraging blockchain to reinvent the carbon credit market. But thorny questions abound.

The Keys to a Long Life Are Sleep and a Better Diet—and Money

Nobel Prize–winning biologist Venki Ramakrishnan explores the science and charlatans of life-extension.

The Global Danger of Boring Buildings

Unloved buildings turn to ruin, leading to a deluge of construction waste worldwide. Designer Thomas Heatherwick tells WIRED why cities need to prioritize human health and joy in architecture.

How a TikTok Ban Would Play Out

This week, we discuss the push by US lawmakers to ban the social video platform, and we debate the consequences of a TikTok ban for creators and for the rest of the tech industry.

The ‘Emergency Powers’ Risk of a Second Trump Presidency

Every US president has the ability to invoke “emergency powers” that could give an authoritarian leader the ability to censor the internet, restrict travel, and more.

Climate Change Is Bad for Your Health, Wherever You Are

Rising temperatures are a threat regardless of where you live on the planet—they’re just dangerous in different ways.

Plufl's Human Dog Bed Is on Sale for Sleep Week

If you've ever looked at your dog's bed and wished you had one of those for you, here's a deal to take advantage of.

Yoel Roth, Twitter's Former Trust and Safety Chief, Is Trying to Clean Up Your Dating Apps

Yoel Roth suffered targeted harassment after quitting as top content cop at Elon Musk’s Twitter. Now he’s head of trust and safety at dating giant Match Group, owner of Tinder, Hinge, and more.

Stop Misunderstanding the Gender Health Gap

Sex differences explain some of the gaping health inequalities between men and women—but a lot of the time, it’s sexism.

Google’s GenAI Bots Are Struggling. But So Are Its Humans

This week on Gadget Lab, we talk about the rocky rollout of Google’s Gemini image generator, and some internal tensions recently reported by company employees.

How Nvidia Came to Rule AI

This week we chart the rise of Nvidia, the company whose chips, servers, and data centers have fueled the growth of artificial intelligence.

Emergency Planners Are Having a Moment

Governments, businesses, and even militaries pay for experts to help them prepare for the worst. In a world lurching from disaster to disaster, they're doing so more often.

Intel’s CEO Says AI Is the Key to the Company’s Comeback

Pat Gelsinger says that Intel’s renewed investment in cutting-edge manufacturing technology will allow it to become a leading supplier of AI chips. Microsoft is already onboard.

Between Layoffs and Tougher Interviews, Tech Workers Are Stressed Out

This week on Gadget Lab, we talk about the recent job cuts across the tech industry, the increased challenges of landing a tech job, and how those shifts are affecting the workforce.

How to Dry Off a Soaked iPhone (Don't Use Rice)

Most phones are waterproof these days, but not all of them. Here's what to do—and what not to do—if your device takes a dunking.

Anne Neuberger, a Top White House Cyber Official, Sees the 'Promise and Peril' in AI

Anne Neuberger, the Biden administration’s deputy national security adviser for cyber, tells WIRED about emerging cybersecurity threats—and what the US plans to do about them.

Here Comes the Flood of AI-Generated Clickbait

This week, we look at how domain squatters are using generative AI tools to crank out clickbait, and ask what Google is doing about it.

Slack Is Turning 10 Years Old, and Wow Has It Changed Everything

This week on Gadget Lab, we trace the first decade of Slack, and we examine how the chat app has altered both the workplace and our personal lives—for better or worse.

The US Has Big Plans for Wind Energy—but an Obscure 1920s Law Is Getting in the Way

The Biden administration aims to deploy offshore wind turbines capable of generating 30 gigawatts of power by 2030. With less than a decade to go, the country remains woefully behind target.

The Apple Vision Pro Lives Deep in the Uncanny Valley

This week, we learn what it feels like to use Apple’s new mixed-reality headset, and we examine the various ways Apple envisions people interacting with each other while wearing the devices.

The AI-Fueled Future of Work Needs Humans More Than Ever

AI is elbowing its way into ever more jobs, but while how we work will change, people skills will still be the most important factor.

Social Media Is Getting Smaller—and More Treacherous

Fragmented and focused social platforms might be good for helping you find a knitting community. But extremist groups are also using them to normalize darker content.

A Dangerous New Home for Online Extremism

Decentralized Autonomous Organizations, or DAOs, offer independently-minded internet users a safe haven—but it’s also a boon to those with a darker purpose.

AI-Generated Fake News Is Coming to an Election Near You

Targeted, AI-generated political misinformation is already out there—and humans are falling for it.

A New Way to See Your Climate Anxiety

The climate crisis has become a mental health crisis. But eco-anxiety isn’t necessarily a pathology.

Inequality Is a Health Risk—and It’s Getting Worse

If not addressed by governments, racism, classism, austerity, and more will continue to drive mortality and illness among minorities.

To Keep Gen Z, Companies Need to Level Up

The old playbook for power and control won’t work to retain Gen Z talent. Instead, employers need to take a cue from Roblox.

AI Hits the Campaign Trail

This week, we discuss how generative artificial intelligence will affect the 2024 US elections. We also consider the ways regulators, social platforms, and the voting public are dealing with it.

Global Emissions Could Peak Sooner Than You Think

Global deployment of solar and wind power, plus a surge in EV sales, means emissions from fossil-fuel-derived energy will finally hit the downward slope.

Big Tech Won’t Let You Leave. Here's a Way Out

The year 2023 saw the “enshittification” of platforms from Facebook to Google Search. A new exit strategy means platforms will have to play nicely with your data, even if you leave for a rival.

A Key to Detecting Brain Disease Earlier Than Ever

Treatment of Parkinson’s, Huntington’s, ALS, and other brain diseases depends on reliable detection—especially in those who don’t even know they’re at risk. An innovative scratch-and-sniff test can help.