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nilay patel

@reckless.bsky.social
156K followers 509 following 3.5K posts

Editor-in-chief of The Verge, host of Decoder, cohost of The Vergecast. I am in love with spectacle.

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Reposted by nilay patel
Elizabeth Lopatto @lopatto.bsky.social · 18h
yes @reckless.bsky.social ordered this one up himself. sorry im sorry im trying to remove it etc www.theverge.com/tech/1004177...
theverge.com
Breaking up (with Elon Musk) is hard to do
Things went just great for Henry VIII’s wives, too
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nilay patel @reckless.bsky.social · 01/10/2026
this is honeypot for rogue agents, i know it
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Kevin Nguyen @knguyen.bsky.social · 01/10/2026
I think @joshdzieza.bsky.social has written the first great data center feature. It encapsulates and explains everything with clarity and humor—a feat of reporting that’s accessible enough to send to your parents, and that maybe we will be reading 10 years from now when we look back at this moment.
theverge.com
The People of Utah vs. Kevin O’Leary
Mr. Wonderful wanted to build the world’s largest data center. The neighbors had other ideas.
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nilay patel @reckless.bsky.social · 01/10/2026
We sent @joshdzieza.bsky.social to Utah to figure out what's going on with Kevin O'Leary's giant data center project, which has stalled out due to furious opposition from locals. After promising to talk to us, O'Leary's company sent us legal threats instead. www.theverge.com/cs/features/...
Over the past five months, I spoke with more than two dozen local officials, residents, and others involved with the project, including the CEO and cofounder of O’Leary Digital, Paul Palandjian, who, after describing himself as “an open kimono” of transparency, responded to emailed questions and requests to speak with O’Leary with a message from a lawyer threatening legal action over any false statements. These interviews, along with thousands of pages of emails and text messages obtained through public records requests, show a project that moved with the urgency of an emergency. Everyone was racing — the developers against other speculators, O’Leary against rival projects chasing the same few tenants, Utah against other states, the United States against China — right up until they slammed into the residents of Box Elder County they had neglected to tell.
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nilay patel @reckless.bsky.social · 28/09/2026
After Duo reviews, I think. The 18s just aren’t enough, really
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nilay patel @reckless.bsky.social · 28/09/2026
Software brain, you might call it ;) www.theverge.com/podcast/9170...
theverge.com
BEWARE SOFTWARE BRAIN
Software brain is changing the world, but most people still aren’t buying.
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nilay patel @reckless.bsky.social · 26/09/2026
I thought the “well it didn’t work” admission shortly after was also revealing
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nilay patel @reckless.bsky.social · 26/09/2026
Asked Cloudflare CEO Matthew Prince if he would still make the decision stop being in business with Daily Stormer and Kiwi Farms today. (Among many many other deep questions about the web.) www.theverge.com/podcast/1000...
It’s 2026. The valence of speech on the internet has changed. If you had to make the Kiwi Farms, Daily Stormer, decisions again today, would you make them the same way?

Each of those things is a moment in time, and I think there are puts and takes under all those things. At some level, at the time, when we made the decision around the Daily Stormer, no one knew what Cloudflare was, and we were seeing a bunch of regulation that was happening online that really could have been a real threat to the underlying way the internet worked, regulating key protocols like DNS and TLS. And we were nervous about that. And so, the question was, how did you make that point?

And so, one of the real rationales of kicking Daily Stormer off, and then writing about it, talking about it, going on the news about it, writing another Wall Street Journal editorial about it, was because it helped us then frame the right policy decision that was out there.

We talked about Rawls last time. I’ll talk about Kant this time. We very much offended Kant in that. We were using this site as a means to an end that was not into itself.
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nilay patel @reckless.bsky.social · 25/09/2026
you joke but Zuck just told the NYT his fashion evolution began with fun shorts this is real
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nilay patel @reckless.bsky.social · 25/09/2026
Whole story: www.theverge.com/tech/1000370...
theverge.com
Meta employees ordered ‘attorney/client privilege’ hats while fighting child safety disclosures
But with no Meta or Instagram logos present.
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nilay patel @reckless.bsky.social · 25/09/2026
if anyone asks I’m a lawyer and this is protected
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nilay patel @reckless.bsky.social · 25/09/2026
I think maybe the thing most people miss is that the influence actually comes from the reviews and recommendations, which attracts a vastly larger audience, enabling all this other work
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nilay patel @reckless.bsky.social · 25/09/2026
Please I’m already dead
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Jennifer Karppinen @atlsky.bsky.social · 24/09/2026
This episode alone makes my recent Verge sub renewal so worth it. @reckless.bsky.social gets to the heart of the issues, which is probably why Mark Zuckerberg declined to come on Decoder. www.theverge.com/podcast/9993...
theverge.com
What Mark Zuckerberg needs to answer about Meta Glasses, Muse, and teen safety
It’s a big week for Meta, and for Mark Zuckerberg. Here’s what we think the CEO of Meta needs to answer about the company’s product strategy.
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Peter Labuza @labuzamovies.com · 23/09/2026
@reckless.bsky.social has described this as the "door dash problem." I still feel the monopoly of Google/Amazon/Apple will be big enough to bully any other business into relenting into their systems. www.theverge.com/podcast/8239...
theverge.com
The DoorDash problem and the great AI browser fight
Amazon sued Perplexity this month over its Comet browser, which uses AI agents to do online shopping on your behalf. This is the first major front in the war over who gets to browse the web.
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John @roqueig.bsky.social · 22/09/2026
another really good Decoder episode this week ... this time with @reckless.bsky.social and @markgurman.bsky.social. Really, really good pod * I was surprised to hear Mark's take on the Johny Srouji situation. Still one silicon product left to conquer I would think ... datacenter AI XPUs
theverge.com
Can John Ternus find Apple’s next big thing?
Bloomberg’s chief Apple correspondent Mark Gurman on Siri, Tim Cook’s legacy, and what to expect from new CEO John Ternus.
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Hayden Field @haydenfield.bsky.social · 22/09/2026
NEW: Muse is Zuck’s latest bid to reinvent Meta. But can a company synonymous with safety & privacy debacles become the AI-powered voice in everyone’s ear? A deep dive from me, @miasato.bsky.social, @vicmsong.bsky.social & @laurenfeiner.bsky.social. www.theverge.com/cs/features/...
theverge.com
Can you forget how you feel about Meta?
‘Pervert glasses.’ Thousands of lawsuits. Mark Zuckerberg wants to sweep it all away with a new bid on AI.
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Quotes from MSNOW @msnowquotes.bsky.social · 21/09/2026
"The problem here is the amount of circular financing in [the AI] industry. If you think Hugging Face should have sued OpenAI for the attack [...] that would require Nvidia to not be an investor in both." — Nilay Patel, 𝘔𝘰𝘯𝘦𝘺 𝘗𝘰𝘸𝘦𝘳 𝘗𝘰𝘭𝘪𝘵𝘪𝘤𝘴, 21 Sept 2026
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Neil Turkewitz @neilturkewitz.bsky.social · 22/09/2026
A fantastic piece that I encourage everyone to read. @reckless.bsky.social conducts an amazing interview, & Jonathan Kanter delivers a brilliant framework for our emerging technological world, rooted in understanding that technology that doesn’t reflect our values doesn’t advance our interests.
We need to enumerate, and Congress should step in and say, “Here are the things we value as a society. We value mental health. We value competition. We value authenticity of information. We value intellectual property and copyright of content owners. These are the kinds of things we value and we need to make sure that those values are embedded in the lines on the road and the stop signs and the traffic lights so that everyone has clarity at the outset what’s okay and what’s not.”
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Juris Doctor Doom @pancakepaladin.bsky.social · 20/09/2026
In which I agree with Kanter on most things: www.theverge.com/podcast/9973... cc @reckless.bsky.social
theverge.com
Jonathan Kanter on competition, cartels, and China
Is it too late to stop Big AI from being the next monopoly?
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Mesay @mesay.bsky.social · 18/09/2026
Per usual, another excellent pod from @reckless.bsky.social. Particularly enjoyed the bit about alignment. A sane conversation between two reasonable people in time everything around AI is anything but.
podcasts.apple.com
Microsoft AI CEO says AI threats are real, and Anthropic is making it worse
Podcast Episode · Decoder with Nilay Patel · September 17 · 53m
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John @roqueig.bsky.social · 17/09/2026
Prescient Decoder episode with @reckless.bsky.social and @mustafasuleymanai.bsky.social ... nice follow up to their episode back in June (only 3 months ago and so much has changed). The discussion about Anthropic's approach to Claude, which was also a topic in the June episode, is very important
theverge.com
Microsoft AI CEO says AI threats are real, and Anthropic is making it worse
Mustafa Suleyman on the AI safety debate, why AI isn’t consciousness, and how the industry pushes toward alignment.
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nilay patel @reckless.bsky.social · 15/09/2026
Communism - Cyberpunk political axis is incredible
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nilay patel @reckless.bsky.social · 12/09/2026
can i show you a cross or some garlic
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nilay patel @reckless.bsky.social · 12/09/2026
this might be the single funniest bad AI overview I've ever seen, down to the engagement bait at the bottom. all work has ground to a halt
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nilay patel @reckless.bsky.social · 12/09/2026
(i was looking for silly founder mode tweets for the forthcoming decoder book)
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nilay patel @reckless.bsky.social · 12/09/2026
are consumer ai products like ai overviews not good enough yet to win hearts and minds or so impossibly bad that they can't help but win hearts and minds
a google search for "founder mode on this sandwich" returning the following:

"Founder mode" on a sandwich means ruthlessly optimizing every single layer for maximum flavor and structural efficiency, completely ignoring traditional sandwich conventions. Instead of delegating the build to standard grocery store slices or letting ingredients slide around, you get directly into the details.Here is the master product roadmap for a "founder mode" sandwich:🔬 The Structural ArchitectureThe Bread: Never use soft, un-toasted bread that gets soggy. Use a high-quality sourdough or ciabatta. Slice it yourself so you control the thickness.The Toast: Pan-fry the bread in olive oil or butter instead of using a toaster. This creates a crispy, fat-sealed barrier that stops sauces from ruining the crust.🥩 The Core Product (The Fillings)The Meat Placement: Fold your deli meats into ribbons or waves instead of laying them flat. This traps air, creating a lighter texture and making the sandwich taste better.The Melt: Melt the cheese directly onto the meat using a broiler or a pan lid with a splash of water for steam. Never expect room-temperature cheese to melt from the heat of the bread alone.🌿 Friction Reduction & OptimizationMoisture Control: Salt and drain your tomatoes on a paper towel before adding them. This eliminates excess water that threatens structural integrity.The Green Barrier: Place your lettuce or greens against the dry side of the cheese or meat—never directly against the sauce or tomatoes.The Binding Agent: Apply your spreads (aioli, mustard, pestos) edge-to-edge on both pieces of bread to ensure perfect flavor distribution in every single bite.If you want to build one right now, let me know:What protein or main ingredient you want to use?Do you prefer a hot or cold sandwich?What spreads or flavors do you normally like?I can design a custom blueprint optimized for your kitchen.
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nilay patel @reckless.bsky.social · 10/09/2026
It’s really not noticeable if you’re looking directly at it, just off axis
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nilay patel @reckless.bsky.social · 09/09/2026
old man's still got it (a nikon d7500 with a 40mm micro)
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nilay patel @reckless.bsky.social · 09/09/2026
We're liveblogging today's iPhone event -- expecting a folding phone and maybe some surprises? As always our live coverage will be minutes ahead of the stream www.theverge.com/tech/989658/...
theverge.com
iPhone 18 live blog: On the ground at Apple’s biggest event
It’s John Ternus’ first iPhone event as CEO.
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Molly Jong-Fast @mollyjongfast.bsky.social · 05/09/2026
New episode with @sykescharlie.bsky.social & @reckless.bsky.social podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/f...
podcasts.apple.com
Charlie Sykes & Nilay Patel
Podcast Episode · Fast Politics with Molly Jong-Fast · September 5 · 52m
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nilay patel @reckless.bsky.social · 05/09/2026
just used gemini search in my nightmare gmail inbox to find an ancient email by describing a basic idea I sort of remembered, AI is good now
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nilay patel @reckless.bsky.social · 04/09/2026
Omg I would love to do that
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nilay patel @reckless.bsky.social · 04/09/2026
It was so fun
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James Ball @jamesrball.com · 02/09/2026
I wrote a long feature about the global war against the supposed censorship industrial complex for @theverge.com last year:
theverge.com
The disinformation wars are here
How Joe Biden’s administration caved to the right in the battle for truth.
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nilay patel @reckless.bsky.social · 03/09/2026
We can do this for you! I’ll send someone your way
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The Verge @theverge.com · 02/09/2026
Massive AI infrastructure is being built out across the US. But if you want to know what the data center occupation looks like, visit Loudoun County, Virginia, where that future arrived 20 years ago. www.theverge.com/cs/features/...
theverge.com
Your future is in Virginia
If you want to know what the data center occupation looks like, there’s one place where it already arrived — 20 years ago.
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nilay patel @reckless.bsky.social · 01/09/2026
I stole this move from @pkafka.bsky.social and I stand by it
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nilay patel @reckless.bsky.social · 31/08/2026
This has been a long time coming and all started with me saying we needed to explore federation!
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nilay patel @reckless.bsky.social · 28/08/2026
Hoo boy
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nilay patel @reckless.bsky.social · 25/08/2026
ai slop websites have taken to summarizing the vergecast and this is not right but also not wrong
Nilay Patel's Brain Runs on Gadget Launch Dates — And Amazon Just Made Them 60% More Expensive
2026-08-24 17:08 (GMT-4)
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On the latest The Vergecast, Nilay Patel revealed a memory system that will resonate with anyone who has worked in tech for more than a decade: he organizes his entire professional life by product launch dates and the quality of the office snacks at the time. The episode's game, which tasked the hosts with placing gadgets from 1994 to 2020 on a timeline, demonstrated that the release calendar is the tech industry's shared reference frame — a mental infrastructure journalists use to navigate two decades of accelerating change. The episode also opened with a stark headline about the present: Amazon raised prices on its first-party hardware by up to 60%, from the Echo Dot to the Kindle. The conjunction is telling. As the memory game reconstructs a period when gadgets were novelty, the news segment documents their current state as commodities caught in a global memory-chip shortage. This piece uses the podcast's timeline to examine the industry's past and present, including the DJI Phantom misstep that foreshadowed drone regulation and a robot Olympics that suggests the next frontier of consumer hardware.
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Jeremy Snyder @jsnyder.bsky.social · 24/08/2026
Interesting interview with @gofundme.com CEO Tim Cadogan and @reckless.bsky.social. Cadogan says an advantage of private donations over the public safety net is that donations come "with love". This ignores consistent findings that this 'love' is distributed very, very inequitably.
"No system is perfect, and we can supplement that. It gives people a way to come together that is different from an institution supporting you. An institution can do a lot. The NHS can do a lot. Medicare in Australia can do a lot, but it’s not coming with love, right?"
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nilay patel @reckless.bsky.social · 24/08/2026
Oh it’s incredibly designed - there’s a whole pre-caching thing they do which is legitimately ahead of its time
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nilay patel @reckless.bsky.social · 22/08/2026
Mr Available. I’m telling you I could do numbers with this
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nilay patel @reckless.bsky.social · 21/08/2026
It’s going great is what I’m saying
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nilay patel @reckless.bsky.social · 21/08/2026
Spent the day working on the book which I hate and want to quit and am considering staying in the woods to live a lucrative life as a local handyman who actually answers the phone
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nilay patel @reckless.bsky.social · 20/08/2026
We are having an issue with the vendor that manages cookie preferences, they’re working on it
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Elizabeth Lopatto @lopatto.bsky.social · 20/08/2026
Our fearless leader Nilay Patel has been running around with his hair on fire in Slack, asking how it is that if you put a dollar into compute, you get $1.01 back.
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nilay patel @reckless.bsky.social · 20/08/2026
alert @lopatto.bsky.social banger alert www.theverge.com/ai-artificia...
theverge.com
Nvidia’s new financial strategy does not compute
“That’s naked sleight of hand, in my opinion.”
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nilay patel @reckless.bsky.social · 19/08/2026
:( there are a few new ones but none this pretty
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