Is AI really enabling productivity gains?

And more of today’s best articles from The Week

February 23, 2026

IN THE SPOTLIGHT

Democrats seek calm and counterprogramming ahead of SOTU

How does the party out of power plan to mark the president’s first State of the Union speech of his second term? It’s still figuring that out.

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today’s big question

Is AI really enabling productivity gains?

A new survey of executives suggests not

quote of the day

‘People talk about how much energy it takes to train an AI model. But it also takes a lot of energy to train a human.’

OpenAI CEO Sam Altman, on The Indian Express Adda podcast during the India AI Impact Summit, equating technology with human beings. It takes “about 20 years of life, and all the food you consume during that time, before you become smart,” he added.

the explainer

Climate change is creating more dangerous avalanches

Several major ones have recently occurred

UNDER THE RADAR

The end of mass-market paperbacks

The diminutive cheap books are phasing out of existence

Lost Phone? Protect Your Identity

A lost phone could lead to financial issues or stolen identity (or both). Take these steps to protect yourself.

PICTURE OF THE DAY

Stormy weather

Pedestrians walk through Central Park during New York City’s first blizzard since 2016. So far, more than 500,000 homes and businesses across the Northeast are without power, and more than 10,000 flights have been canceled.
Chris J. Ratcliffe / Bloomberg / Getty Images