Deep Questions with Cal Newport

Deep Questions with Cal Newport

Cal Newport

Episodes 415
Avg. Duration 1h 11m
Activity Highly Active
Since May 2020
Latest Episode Apr 2026

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Publishing Details

Schedule
Weekly
Format
Episodic
Consistency
61%
Hosting
rss.buzzsprout.com

About This Podcast

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.

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Recent Episodes

AI Reality Check: Is AI Stealing Entry-Level Jobs?

Apr 09, 2026 16m Bonus

AI Reality Check: Is AI Stealing Entry-Level Jobs? Cal Newport takes a critical look at recent AI News. Video from today’s episode: youtube.com/calnewportmedia OPENING: Is AI stealing entry-level…

Ep. 399: Is Deep Work Still Possible in 2026?

Apr 06, 2026 1h 3m

It’s been a decade since the original publication of DEEP WORK. Do its ideas still hold in 2026? This is the question Cal tackles in today’s episode: reviewing the four major “rules” from his book,…

AI Reality Check: Can LLMs “Scheme”?

Apr 02, 2026 19m Bonus

Cal Newport takes a critical look at recent AI News. Video from today’s episode: youtube.com/calnewportmedia ACT #1: Look Closer at the Article [1:20] ACT #2: A Closer Look at the Paper [3:21] ACT…

Ep. 398: How Do I Find Purpose in a Distracted World? (w/ Arthur Brooks)

Mar 30, 2026 1h 17m

Here’s a key question: Did technology like smartphones make us miserable, or were we already miserable and smartphones made it worse? To help figure out this answer, I talked to Arthur Brooks, the #1…

AI Reality Check: Are LLMs a Dead End?

Mar 26, 2026 30m Bonus

Cal Newport takes a critical look at recent AI News. Video from today’s episode: youtube.com/calnewportmedia SUB QUESTION #1: What is Yan LeCun Up To? [2:55] SUB QUESTION #2: How is it possible that…

Ep. 397: Why Do “Productivity Technologies” Make My Job Worse?

Mar 23, 2026 1h 7m

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…

AI Reality Check: Did AI Just Become Sentient?

Mar 19, 2026 23m Bonus

Cal Newport takes a critical look at recent AI News. Video from today’s episode: youtube.com/calnewportmedia STORY #1: Did an AI Agent Email an AI Researcher? [1:01] STORY #2: Does the Pentagon Think…

Ep. 396: Can I Learn To Love My Phone Again?

Mar 16, 2026 54m

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…

AI Reality Check: Is the Economy About to Collapse?

Mar 12, 2026 33m Bonus

Cal Newport takes a critical look at recent AI News. Below are the questions covered in today's episode (with their timestamps). Get your questions answered by Cal! Here’s the…

Ep. 395: Should I Try a “Social Media Pause”?

Mar 09, 2026 1h 27m

Do you need social media? Which services? For what purposes? These are complicated questions and in today’s episode Cal proposes a simple route to answers: conducting a “social media pause.” To help…

AI Reality Check: Did the LLM Job Apocalypse Begin Last Week?

Mar 05, 2026 29m Bonus

AI Reality Check: Did the LLM Job Apocalypse Begin Last Week? Cal Newport takes a closer look at recent AI news. Below are the topics covered in today's episode (with their timestamps).  Get your…

Ep. 394: Do I Need a Better Planning System?

Mar 02, 2026 1h 34m

It’s hard to live deeply in a distracted world if you don’t have control over how you spend your time. This goal requires a planning system that both works and can last. Do you have a reasonable…

Ep. 393: Can Movies Save Us From Our Phones?

Feb 23, 2026 1h 8m

Last month, the Atlantic reported that film students are now struggling to sit through entire films. In this episode, Cal argues that this is both an issue and an opportunity. The fact we can’t watch…

Ep. 392: Are “Micro-Streamers” the Future of Media? + Why Cal Spent $60 on a Task App

Feb 16, 2026 1h 2m

There remains a gap between the production values of professional streaming services like Netflix and independent content that appears on platforms like YouTube. But what happens when that gap…

Ep. 391: Is AI Reporting Broken? + Rethinking Morning Routines

Feb 09, 2026 58m

Is there something rotten in the state of AI reporting at the moment? In the ideas segment of this episode, Cal details three common traps in AI coverage that distort or distract from the reality of…

Ep. 390: What Happens When You Ditch Your Smartphone? + Assessing the Internet’s Latest Self-Help Sensation

Feb 02, 2026 1h 11m

Everyone knows that excessive smartphone use can be harmful. But the question we don’t ask enough is what the advantages are of not using these devices. In the ideas segment, Cal examines the…

Ep. 389: Is the Internet Hijacking Ambition? + Escaping Messaging Hell

Jan 26, 2026 1h 48m

It’s natural to feel ambition, as we’re wired to find great satisfaction in accomplishing hard goals. But what impact has the internet had on this instinct? To help explore this question, author Brad…

Ep. 388: What’s Worrying Jon Haidt Now? + Should You Buy a Landline? (Cal just did…)

Jan 19, 2026 1h 23m

Despite some initial skepticism, Jonathan Haidt’s crusade against kids using smartphones has been more or less completely vindicated. Which got us thinking: what’s he worried about next? In the ideas…

Ep 387: Can Substack Save Journalism? + Viral Advice for Ignoring Your Phone

Jan 12, 2026 1h 24m

Last year, when columnist Paul Krugman left the NYT, it seemed like yet another example of the traditional media crumbling. But Krugman, as it turns out, is doing great. His popular substack now…

Ep 386: Was 2025 a Great or Terrible Year for AI? (w/ Ed Zitron)

Jan 05, 2026 2h 23m

Ep 386: Was 2025 a Great or Terrible Year for AI? (w/ Ed Zitron) 2025 was a year that was saturated in AI news, from Deep Seek, through claims of economic “bloodbaths,” to GPT-5, Sora, and Chatbot…

Frequently Asked Questions

How many episodes does Deep Questions with Cal Newport have?

Deep Questions with Cal Newport has published 415 episodes since May 2020, covering topics in Education, Self-Improvement.

Is Deep Questions with Cal Newport still active?

Deep Questions with Cal Newport is currently highly active with new episodes weekly. Average episode length is 1h 11m.

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