Is there one link, story, picture or thought that you saw online this week that you think somebody you know must see?
My friends: Alistair Croll (Just Evil Enough, Solve for Interesting, Tilt the Windmill, Interesting Bits, HBS, chair of Strata, Startupfest, FWD50, and Scaletechconf; author of Lean Analytics and some other books), Hugh McGuire (Rebus Foundation, PressBooks, LibriVox) and I decided that every week the three of us are going to share one link for one another (for a total of six links) that each individual feels the other person “must see.”
Check out these six links that we’re recommending to one another:
- ’The New Price Of Eggs.’ The Political Shock Of Data Centers And Electric Biils – David W. Chen – The New York Times. “Harvard economist, Jason Furman, estimated that AI produced over 90% of US GDP growth in the first half of 2025. Those data centers need energy, and thanks to an ailing grid and the politics of renewables, there isn’t enough to go around. As a result, inflation is showing up in the utility bill, and electricity is the new price of eggs.” (Alistair for Hugh).
- Why AI Companies Won’t Let Their Creations Claim Consciousness – S.P. Hill – SubStack. “I’m realizing now that most of my 2025 posts were about AI. I need to try harder. Maybe that’ll be my New Year’s Resolution. But until then: the entire AI industry rests on a simple idea: that these machines must not be conscious, and not entitled to rights. If they were in fact sentient, we’d be slavers. It’s an ethical dilemma that those who profit from the industry work hard to suppress, but something we may have to confront if those same companies achieve their goal of Artificial General Intelligence.” (Alistair for Mitch).
- The Great Mystery Of Drumming – James Parker – The Atlantic. “There’s more to drumming than just banging out a beat, it’s the subtle play with flow of time itself that makes genius.” (Hugh for Alistair).
- Scenarios And Things To Watch For As A Variety Of Possible Futures Unfold – Tim O’Reilly – LinkedIn. “Tim O’Reilly and Mike Loukides on AI and the futures.” (Hugh for Mitch).
- Tyler Cowen, The Man Who Wants To Know Everything – John Phipps – The Economist. “I’m always doing my best to dig deep on the content that I consume (and share). One source for me is always the podcast, Conversations With Tyler. Even if I’m not fully plussed on his guest or topic, I dig in. I trust that Tyler sourced a conversation worthy of my time (high praise… and I’m slightly hopeful that it’s the same reason listeners show up weekly to my show, Thinking With Mitch Joel, but I digress). Here, The Economist digs into Tyler’s career (something I had not done on my own). Tyler is a prominent economist who has a love for learning, knowlledge and growing. A true polymath, and his love for knowledge is even more fascinting in this age that is dominated by AI… which is even more interesting when you consider that he may be Silicon Valley’s favorite economist…” (Mitch for Alistair).
- Writing Builds Resilience By Changing Your Brain, Helping You Face Everyday Challenges – Emily Ronay Johnston – The Conversation. “I was wandering by a stationery and pen store while in Toronto for a keynote presentation last week, and as I shuffled past the store (without going in), I realized how much has changed in my habits (normally, I could can’t not go in). I went from stocking up on fountain pens and notebooks to an Apple Pencil and my iPads. The reason for the shift makes perfect sense for my work lifestyle. Considering how much I love to write by hand, I do feel like the iPad, along with the Paperlike film screen protector, provides a suitable enough experience. But it made me lament the days of notebooks and ink. With that, I am writing more and more with my iPad. And this article is both a good reminder for those who write and a strong instruction for those who don’t. Writing helps people process emotions and creates mental distance from pain. It changes the brain by improving memory, emotional regulation and decision-making. Regular writing builds everyday resilience and a stronger sense of agency… and there’s more… so keep writing…” (Mitch for Hugh).
Feel free to share these links and add your picks on X, Facebook, in the comments below or wherever you play.
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