David Futrelle

David Futrelle is a writer whose work has appeared in The New York Times, The Washington Post, Slate, and Vice. He writes the newsletter Brotopians.

OpenAI CEO Sam Altman, the sociopathic poster boy for Silicon Valley's “high agency” revolution.

How a “New York Times” Puff Piece Missed the Toxic Creed of the Tech Oligarchy How a “New York Times” Puff Piece Missed the Toxic Creed of the Tech Oligarchy

A profile of an AI healthcare start-up overlooked the creaky business model behind it, as well as the tech sector’s worship of “high agency.”

Apr 13, 2026 / David Futrelle

A ChatGPT assistant display on a laptop.

The AI Sector’s Crass Bid for Media Domination The AI Sector’s Crass Bid for Media Domination

When you’re a galactically rich tech mogul upset with adverse press coverage, you just buy yourself more flattering media outlets.

Apr 6, 2026 / David Futrelle

A Landmark Suit Against Meta and YouTube Opens the Floodgate for AI Litigation

A Landmark Suit Against Meta and YouTube Opens the Floodgate for AI Litigation A Landmark Suit Against Meta and YouTube Opens the Floodgate for AI Litigation

A jury finds big tech liable for programming addictive features into platforms—and that’s basically the business model for companion bots.

Mar 27, 2026 / David Futrelle

Marc Andreessen holding forth at TechCrunch Disrupt 2016 in San Francisco.

Marc Andreessen’s Dangerously Unexamined Life Marc Andreessen’s Dangerously Unexamined Life

The tech mogul has declared himself an enemy of introspection, and that conveniently erases considerations of conscience from his amoral investment empire.

Mar 23, 2026 / David Futrelle

Anthropic touts its alliance with the American imperium in happier times for the company.

Garbage In, Carnage Out Garbage In, Carnage Out

The harrowing lessons of the Pentagon’s recently dissolved partnership with Anthropic.

Mar 4, 2026 / David Futrelle

Peter Thiel brandishes $100 bills at the Bitcoin 2022 conference. (

What Peter Thiel Saw in Jeffrey Epstein What Peter Thiel Saw in Jeffrey Epstein

In the extensive correspondence between the Silicon Valley venture capitalist and the late pedophile, both men expressed a deep aversion to democracy.

Feb 11, 2026 / David Futrelle

x