While I focus on Technology, Innovation, and Publishing, because I have a platform, I also flag items that I think are important. I also try to include some resources & opportunities. Please let me know what you think.
Important Items
Supreme Court hollows out a landmark law that had protected minority voting rights for 6 decades
The Voting Rights Act has been gutted and red states are rushing to gerrymander before the midterm elections.
Appeals court blocks FDA rule that allows women to obtain abortion drugs by mail
Friday’s ruling from the 5th US Circuit Court of Appeals is a major victory in the anti-abortion movement’s war against medication abortion, which now accounts for roughly two-thirds of all abortions in the United States.
https://www.cnn.com/2026/05/01/politics/mifepristone-access-fda-ruling
AIDS Creeps Back in Parts of Zambia, a Year After U.S. Cuts to H.I.V. Assistance
RT @anneapplebaum Trump and Elon Musk destroyed most of the global H.I.V. program that saved hundreds of thousands of lives in Zambia. Now the US is threatening to cut remaining support, unless Zambia gives access to the country’s mineral resources.
Innovation
Curiosity rover detects building blocks of life in first-ever experiment on Mars
Curiosity rover detected building blocks of lifeuncovering the most diverse array of organic moleculesever found on Mars, including seven that had never been detected before.
https://www.cnn.com/2026/04/24/science/curiosity-rover-organic-molecules-mars
AI Designs Thermoelectric Generators 10,000 Times Faster Than We Can
AI tool by researchers in Japan can design thermoelectric generators that can convert waste heat into electricity 10,000 times faster than conventional approaches.
https://spectrum.ieee.org/ai-designed-thermoelectric-generator
Technology
News Publishers Demand Accountability from Common Crawl Over Unauthorized Use of Content
https://www.newsmediaalliance.org/nma-letter-to-common-crawl/
Reporters at McClatchy Withhold Bylines in Dispute Over AI Content
The Audio Industry is Grappling with the Rise of ‘Podslop’
Over the past nine days, 39% of new podcasts were likely AI-generated, according to the Podcast Index.
AI is changing how directors and cinematographers work—but not the way you might think
For most freelance cinematographers, the gains of AI aren’t on-screen, but behind the scenes, making it easier to plan how they will capture the shots they need.
https://www.fastcompany.com/91533937/director-cinematographer-ai-tools
BookNet Canada, BISG Release Survey Report on AI Use in Publishing
“Nearly half the industry is using AI, yet qualitative sentiment is overwhelmingly negative,” the report notes, concluding that the publishing industry is “adopting AI faster than it is becoming comfortable with it.”
Breaking cover: the future of the business book
Seth Godin cloned his voice using AI, recorded his work in progress, sold the provisional audiobook to about 500 people, invited their questions about the draft and used their feedback to inform the next version. Other outlets for The Knot, which is about how to identify and solve problems, include an online course, which is already available, even though the book from Author’s Equity is not officially out until the autumn.
Andrew Grill’s book Digitally Curious, which appeared in 2024, is a guide to navigating AI. Produced and refined with the help of large language models, it also offered readers a customised ChatGPT AI chatbot — CuriousGPT — that they could prompt with questions about themes in the work. Business authors “naturally want to see the industry disrupted a bit”, says Grill. He thinks his next book could have a “choose your own adventure” audio version, guiding listeners to the part of the work they are most interested in.
At last month’s London Book Fair, traditional publishers sat alongside an array of AI-fuelled publishing ventures, including ElevenLabs, the AI audio company that generated a synthetic version of Godin’s voice, and Write Business Results, which was promoting an AI “companion” that helps authors plan and draft business books. The latter’s founder, Georgia Kirke, who helped Grill bring his book to the shelves, says the business book is often just one avenue for authors to promote “brand awareness and increase revenue”. She is also piloting products to help publishers assess the potential of manuscripts, to which they can then apply their human editing skills.
https://www.ft.com/content/4651ae29-51b2-416c-89bd-3427617b131a
AI content marketplaces can’t come soon enough for news publishers
HT @BoSacks
Labor market impacts of AI: A new measure and early evidence
MT @AIHighlight Anthropic published a study mapping exactly which jobs its own AI is replacing right now. The workers most at risk are not who anyone expected. They are older. They are more educated. They earn 47% more than average. And they are nearly four times more likely to hold a graduate degree than the workers AI is not touching. They are more likely to be female.
Anthropic’s researchers also found a 14% decline in the job-finding rate for workers aged 22 to 25. Entry-level roles were never just jobs. They were the training ground where junior analysts became senior analysts, where junior lawyers learned how arguments hold together. If that layer disappears, nobody has answered the question of where the next generation of senior professionals comes from.
https://www.anthropic.com/research/labor-market-impacts
The Psychological Costs of Adopting AI
https://hbr.org/2026/05/the-psychological-costs-of-adopting-ai
Claude-powered AI coding agent deletes entire company database in 9 seconds — backups zapped, after Cursor tool powered by Anthropic’s Claude goes rogue
Tinder and Zoom offer ‘proof of humanity’ eye-scans to combat AI
The systems rely on biometric data, such as iris scans, to verify users and confirm that they are real individuals rather than AI-generated profiles or bots.
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cp9vppem4evo
Taylor Swift files to trademark her voice, likeness to ward off AI deepfakes
OpenAI releases GPT-5.5, bringing company one step closer to an AI ‘super app’
The model is part of the development of ChatGPT as a platform, including productivity features, search, content creation, and automation, within a single interface
https://techcrunch.com/2026/04/23/openai-chatgpt-gpt-5-5-ai-model-superapp/
Gemini app can now generate Google Docs, PDF, and other files: Also Markdown and LaTex files.
https://9to5google.com/2026/04/29/gemini-app-generate-files/
Claude can now plug directly into Photoshop, and other Creative Cloud Apps
Google Tests ‘Ask YouTube’ AI Search
An experimental feature announced in YouTube Labs enables site visitors to ask complex questions and receive multimodal results that include video and text.
https://www.mediapost.com/publications/article/414647/google-tests-ask-youtube-ai-search.html
Meet Shapes, the app bringing humans and AI into the same group chats
It places AI directly inside group conversations, allowing users to interact not just with each other but with customizable AI personas that have their own personalities, memory, and roles in the discussion. Instead of the typical one-on-one chatbot dynamic, these AI characters participate like real members of the group, responding to jokes, conversations, and context.
China blocks $2bn Meta takeover of AI agent developer Manus
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2026/apr/27/china-blocks-meta-takeover-manus-ai-agent-developer
How Do You Measure an AI Boom?
A chart created by METR, a nonprofit AI organization, has become an industrywide obsession as it measures the rapid development of big AI systems.
How AI Killed Student Writing (and Revived It)
How the Rise of AI Is Changing Customer Behaviors
Report from Adobe on AI and Digital Trends on consumers shows when people embrace AI, what gives them pause, and how brands can balance automation with transparency.
https://business.adobe.com/resources/digital-trends-consumer-report.html
The AI Revolution in Math Has Arrived
AI is being used to prove new results at a rapid pace. Mathematicians think this is just the beginning.
https://www.quantamagazine.org/the-ai-revolution-in-math-has-arrived-20260413/
What Happens When AI Runs a Store in San Francisco?
Andon Market in San Francisco is billed as the first retail boutique run by an artificial intelligence agent. So far, the inventory seems random, and there are too many candles.
Netflix wants you to watch ‘Clips,’ its TikTok-like vertical video feed
GameStop Preparing Offer for eBay
https://www.wsj.com/business/deals/gamestop-preparing-offer-for-ebay-1678e6de
Publishing & Media
Where Have All the Book Reviews Gone?
What the rise of AI and the gutting of books coverage across U.S. media will mean for literature.
Book Manufacturing Could Soon See Major Changes
Meet the Literary Agent Who Invented the Book Auction
https://lithub.com/meet-the-literary-agent-who-invented-the-book-auction/
Breaking Down the Changes at Draft2Digital and Barnes & Noble
There are new caps on self-publishing at B&N to account for AI and charges at Draft2Digital.
https://theworldneedsyourpassion.substack.com/p/breaking-down-the-changes-at-draft2digital
The fake magazine in ‘The Devil Wears Prada 2’ is having a better year than most real magazines
A limited-edition physical version of Runway, the fictional fashion glossy from the film series, is a clever marketing stunt for an era of digital fatigue.
https://www.fastcompany.com/91532914/runway-magazine-devil-wears-prada-2-having-great-year
Literary Arts Fund created to rekindle a love for reading
https://www.pbs.org/newshour/show/literary-arts-fund-created-to-rekindle-a-love-for-reading
Resources & Opportunities
Women in Book Publishing: Past, Present, and Future
Sold out! But you can join the waitlist.
5/6 6-8 pm, NYC, WMG members only
Join us for an exclusive members-only evening of book talk, socializing, and insider insight into the world of publishing—past, present, and future. We’re thrilled to welcome Gayle Feldman in conversation with publishing leader Madeline McIntosh, co-founder of Authors Equity and former U.S. CEO of Penguin Random House. At the heart of the evening is Gayle’s highly praised new biography, Nothing Random—a compelling portrait of one of the co-founders of Random House. The book doubles as a cultural history of twentieth-century book publishing, providing a rich backdrop for a fascinating discussion about the role of women in publishing. Together, Gayle and Madeline will shed light on the often overlooked women who shaped the books Random House became known for—editors, copy editors, publicists, and groundbreaking authors like Gertrude Stein, Ayn Rand, and Toni Morrison. Blending historical knowledge with personal experience, they’ll also explore where publishing is today and what opportunities lie ahead for women in the field.
https://www.womensmediagroup.org/event-6638344
Join the Conversation at Our Online Member Social
5/12 6-7 p.m. ET. WMG members only; FREE (Zoom)
Join WMG Co-President Jane Wesman to welcome incoming Co-President Jacqueline Cripps and celebrate the WMG Board at our Online Member Social!
This is a community-building celebration for all Women’s Media Group members. It’s a chance to pause, connect, and invest in your professional community. We’ll begin with a warm welcome from WMG’s leadership, then move into facilitated breakout sessions where you’ll introduce yourself, highlight a current goal or challenge, and meet peers whose skills or interests might align with yours.
Afterwards, we’ll bring everyone back together for a wrap-up where we’ll share resources, upcoming WMG programs, and ways to stay engaged—whether you’re seeking a mentor, offering support, or exploring a new idea. The result? A stronger connection to WMG’s thriving network and fresh momentum for your next act in media.
https://www.womensmediagroup.org/event-6653373
How Three Pages Can Change Your Life: The Fastest Way to Land a Big Book Deal
5/14 5:30-7:30 p.m. ET. Penguin Random House, 1745 Broadway, NYC
Come for the member price of only $20 w code WMGPARTNER
Many authors and publishing insiders know this shortcut to a big book deal: publish a standout essay in a major outlet like The New York Times, The Washington Post, The New Yorker, or New York Magazine. It’s far easier to write and publish a brilliant three-page piece than a 300-page book. And that single article, whether fiction or nonfiction, can attract literary agents and editors to you, saving years of searching and rejection and fast-tracking your path to a deal. The challenge is knowing what to write, how to shape the article, where to submit, and how to make the most of the opportunity once it’s published. In this panel, agents, authors, and editors will break down how it really works and how to turn one great piece into real momentum.
https://www.womensmediagroup.org/event-6653453
Celebrating AANHPI Storytellers!
5/19 5:30-6:30 virtual; Free for WMG members; $15 for non-members
- Elaine Hsieh Chou (Author of Where Are You Really From)
- Hali Lee (Author of The Big We and Founder of the Asian Women Giving Circle)
- Susan Lieu (Author of The Manicurist’s Daughter)
- Beth Nguyen (Author of Owner of a Lonely Heart)
- Vicky Nguyen (Anchor for NBC News and the Today show and author of Boat Baby) – moderator
Come hear a power panel of master storytellers at this unforgettable event for AANHPI Heritage Month. Their voices deserve to be amplified all year long, but May is the month where we lift the AANHPI community even higher! These award-winning authors, screenwriters, playwrights, performers, teachers, founders, and journalists will talk about their work and how they came to share their stories with the world. This group of fabulous trailblazers has taken the time to consistently amplify marginalized voices throughout their careers, serving as role models for how to uplift others. Their courage, strength, and creativity will inspire you to claim your voice and harness your narrative power to tell your story.
https://womensmediagroup.org/event-6673970
AI in publishing workflow conference
5/11-5/22 virtual conference. I’m moderating a stellar panel on Where are book publishers now with AI. While the conference is free, if you want to watch the recordings for up to 90 days and access the private community channel, use code KSANDLER for a 30% discount.
2026 Impact Fund for Reporting on Equity in Health and Health Care
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSeYl2h6FxLhFApnBtyfC6rePX8UXxnGSL5u6P6QTGaEq74mCg/viewform
Interviewing Real Human Beings in the Age of Social Media and AI
Free online course from UCLA Extension. Learn how journalists tap into their humanity to interview people about everything from breaking news and national disasters to current affairs and cultural interest stories.
SFFILM Rainin Grant
https://sffilm.org/rainin-grant/
NYSCA Reserve Fund Grants
RT @MadeinNY NYC nonprofits primarily supporting arts & culture, apply for the @NYSCArts Reserve Fund Grants (RFG) which’ll provide grants to NYSCA-funded organizations to establish a reserve fund or build on an existing reserve fund. Deadline May 5.
https://www.nyfa.org/awards-grants/nysca-reserve-fund-grants/
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