Ever feel like the internet is blasting you with information at full pressure, leaving you more frazzled than informed? You’re not alone. In this episode, we wrangle the wildest threads from recent tech news, blog think-pieces, and cultural trends—distilling them into practical, human-centered insights you can actually use.
Drawn from everything I’ve been reading between June 8th and June 12th, 2025, this episode is my way of grounding what I’m learning—and letting you in on the surprising connections that pop up when you look across industries. It’s a chance to slow down, process the flood of ideas, and discover practical threads tying tech, culture, and neurodiversity together. Think of it as a guided walk through the latest digital landscape, with plenty of curiosity and a focus on insights you can actually use.
AI Reality Check
Finally, a way to choose the right AI model without going insane [Substack, Nate B. Jones]
Tech leaders talk pros and cons of open-source AI in business [Tech Brew, Patrick Kulp]
What "Working" Means in the Era of AI Apps [a16z, Olivia Moore & Marc Andrusko]
AI-2027 Response: Inter-AI Tensions, Value Distillation, US Multipolarity, & More [Lesswrong, Gatlen Culp of gatlen.blog]
Yes, You Can Use AI in Our Interviews. In fact, we insist - Canva Engineering Blog [Source, canva.dev]
How two engineers ship like a team of 15 with AI agents [Every, Rhea Purohit]
It’s The End Of Observability As We Know It. (And I Feel Fine) [Honeycomb.io, Austin Parker]
Human at the Center
Being an Engineering Manager today has never been harder - but why? [Substack, Stephane Moreau]
Neurocomplexity & Burnout
10 Signs You Grew Up in an Ableist Home [Substack, Lindsey Mackereth]
Emerging Tech, Real Impact
Apple WWDC 2025: the 13 biggest announcements [The Verge, Emma Roth]
The Rise of Systems of Consolidation Applications [Substack, Selina Wang]
Digital Safety & Ethics
Palantir: Peter Thiel’s data mining firm helps DOGE build master database to surveil immigrants [Youtube, Democracy Now!]
Global Tech Politics
Estate of woman who died in 2021 heat dome sues Big Oil for wrongful death [Ars Technica, Dana Drugmand of Inside Climate News]
The hidden time bomb in the tax code that's fueling mass tech layoffs [Quartz, Catherine Baab]
Take the Easy Way [Substack, The Real Cornpop]
Episode Highlights:
Engineering in the Compression Era: Why today’s engineering managers are stretched thin—handling people, projects, and code with less support than ever, and what sustainable strategies can help.
Tax Policy & Tech Layoffs: How a little-known U.S. tax code change quietly fueled the massive tech layoffs of 2023, raising the cost of hiring engineers and shifting industry dynamics.
Naming Ableism: Ten subtle signs of systemic ableism in family life, and how naming these patterns can be the first step toward self-compassion and neurodiversity-affirming self-care.
AI Overload: With over a dozen major AI models launched in five months, one author proposes a double-customized dashboard to cut through the noise—reminding us that personal experience often trumps public benchmarks.
Open vs. Closed AI: Tech leaders debate the trade-offs between open and closed source AI: customization, cost, compliance, and real-world performance all in the mix.
AI Collaboration as a Core Skill: Companies like Canva now require candidates to use AI tools in interviews, shifting hiring to assess collaboration with AI, not just coding skills.
Apple’s AI Roadmap: WWDC 2025 brings a new design language, on-device AI, and features like live translation—pointing to a future where AI is woven into daily tech.
Systems of Consolidation: New enterprise layers aggregate and act on data from across platforms, raising both productivity and ethical questions.
Climate Accountability: The first U.S. wrongful death lawsuit linking a specific fatality to climate change impacts signals a new era for legal and corporate responsibility.
Political Commentary: Some sources argue forcefully against “techno-fascism,” calling for active resistance to harmful uses of technology and data.
Key Takeaways
Tech should empower, not overwhelm. Trust, clarity, and accessibility are non-negotiable.
Neurodiversity isn’t a buzzword—it’s a blueprint for more resilient, creative teams.
The future of AI isn’t just about smarter algorithms, but about building systems that foster genuine trust and connection.
Curiosity and kindness are your best tools for navigating both tech and life’s complexity.
Reflection Prompt
What single area from today’s episode felt most relevant—or disruptive—to you? What new questions does it raise about your own work, creativity, or wellbeing? I’d love to hear your thoughts.
