Ep. 375: Did OpenAI Just Kill Social Media?

Deep Questions with Cal Newport

Cal Newport

Education, Self-improvement, Technology

4.8 • 1.5K Ratings

🗓️ 20 October 2025

⏱️ 96 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

Ep. 375: Did OpenAI Just Kill Social Media? OpenAI has been making waves recently with their release of their Sora 2 video generation model, which they have launched alongside a TikTok-style social media sharing app. The internet is usually pretty excited about AI innovations, but this one has people unsettled. In today’s episode, Cal looks at one implication of Sora 2 in particular that is both important but currently overcooked: the impact of AI content generation on the existing social media giants. He then answers listener questions on AI and social media and reacts to a new Sam Altman tweet that signals bad news for OpenAI. Below are the questions covered in today's episode (with their timestamps). Get your questions answered by Cal! Here’s the link: bit.ly/3U3sTvo Video from today’s episode: youtube.com/calnewportmedia Deep Dive: Did OpenAI Just Kill Social Media? [0:02] Will Sora 2 kill creativity? [46:12] Am I doing myself a disservice by using AI tools to help me code? [51:36] Is Substack better than social media? [55:55] What are your thoughts on a “family smartphone”? [1:06:35] What should I do when others disregard the structures that are meant to reduce the digital back and forth? [1:07:53] CASE STUDY: A Digital Declutter [1:15:38] CALL: Children with dumb phones or smartphones [1:19:49] CAL REACTS: Sam Altman Proposes AI Erotica [1:27:46] Links:Buy Cal’s latest book, “Slow Productivity” at calnewport.com/slowGet a signed copy of Cal’s “Slow Productivity” at peoplesbooktakoma.com/event/cal-newport/Cal’s monthly book directory: bramses.notion.site/059db2641def4a88988b4d2cee4657ba?SORA: the all Ai TikTok Clone. will slop end creativity?youtube.com/watch?v=Vz0oQ0v0W10newyorker.com/culture/cultural-comment/tiktok-and-the-fall-of-the-social-media-giantsyoutube.com/watch?v=I1dW-nZqhewx.com/sama/status/1978129344598827128 Thanks to our Sponsors: This podcast is sponsored by BetterHelp:betterhelp.com/deepquestionsexpressvpn.com/deepcalderalab.com/deepshopify.com/deep Thanks to Jesse Miller for production, Jay Kerstens for the intro music, and Mark Miles for mastering. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Transcript

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0:00.0	If you've spent enough time online this past month, you've probably noticed a sudden upticket, unsettling, realistic, AI-generated videos.
0:12.0	Maybe it's body cam footage of Super Mario in his cart being pulled over by police and then yelling,
0:17.3	I can't get another ticket before peeling out.
0:20.2	Or a horse on skis,
0:22.3	competing in a freestyle skiing competition, or Bob Ross wrestling, Abraham Lincoln.
0:28.0	These were all generated by OpenAI's Blockbuster video generation model, Thora 2,
0:33.7	which allows you to create videos simply by describing them in words.
0:38.3	Open AI, however, has gone one step further and bundled up access to this model in a new app that they call simply Dora that operates like TikTok.
0:48.8	You can easily create videos and share them.
0:51.3	You can view other people's creations and there's an algorithmically
0:54.3	curated feed just like you would see on TikTok. So you can have a steady incoming feed of
1:00.5	grade A high octane lop. The online world is usually pretty excited about new AI products,
1:06.5	but the reaction to SORA has been more interesting. People online seem, to put it simply, unsettled.
1:14.1	I want to play a clip here.
1:15.1	Here's Casey Nystatt reacting to the new SORA app.
1:20.0	My analysis, we are so completely...
1:28.9	And now here is
1:30.9	vlogger Hank Green
1:33.2	venting some of his own frustrations
1:35.2	oh humanity
1:37.2	if you're the kind of motherfucker who will
1:39.2	create slop talk you are not
	...

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