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 questions answered by Cal! Here’s the link: https://bit.ly/3U3sTvo

Video from today’s episode:youtube.com/calnewportmedia

STORY #1: Jack Dorsey announces layoffs at Block [1:28]

STORY #2: The education level of LLM-based tools [11:45]

STORY #3: What’s happening in the world of computer programming? [19:24]

Links:

Buy Cal’s latest book, “Slow Productivity” at www.calnewport.com/slow 

Get a signed copy of Cal’s “Slow Productivity” at https://peoplesbooktakoma.com/event/cal-newport/ (https://peoplesbooktakoma.com/event/cal-newport/)

https://x.com/jack/status/2027129697092731343 (https://x.com/jack/status/2027129697092731343)

https://www.nytimes.com/2026/02/26/technology/block-square-job-cuts-ai.html (https://www.nytimes.com/2026/02/26/technology/block-square-job-cuts-ai.html)

https://x.com/emollick/status/2027153371241607420 (https://x.com/emollick/status/2027153371241607420)

https://www.forbes.com/sites/ronshevlin/2026/02/27/block-lays-off-40-of-staff-and-blames-it-on-ai-dont-buy-the-excuse/ (https://www.forbes.com/sites/ronshevlin/2026/02/27/block-lays-off-40-of-staff-and-blames-it-on-ai-dont-buy-the-excuse/)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=56HJQm5nb0U (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=56HJQm5nb0U)

http://calnewport.com (http://calnewport.com)

Thanks to Jesse Miller for production and mastering.

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