Christopher Mims
@mims.bsky.social
WSJ tech columnist. Dog person. Author of Arriving Today, an unfortunately timely book about the global system of trade we're currently flushing down the toilet: https://www.harpercollins.com/products/arriving-today-christopher-mims
Pinned
We Finally Know How to Get the One Renewable Energy Source Loved by Both Parties
Geothermal energy comes closer to competing with natural gas on cost and reliability, boosters say, thanks to new technologies, generous tax incentives and decades of fundamental research.
www.wsj.com
Improbably, there is one type of renewable energy which got a huge boost under Biden, saw its tax incentives preserved under Trump, and is backed by the likes of Bill Gates.
It even uses made-in-USA tech from the oil and gas industry!
my latest:
www.wsj.com/business/ene...
It even uses made-in-USA tech from the oil and gas industry!
my latest:
www.wsj.com/business/ene...
The full issue of this is on the internet archive and it does not disappoint
November 9, 2025 at 1:30 PM
The full issue of this is on the internet archive and it does not disappoint
There's a free iOS app called BitCam which only takes pictures like this, and I absolutely love it.
Takes me back to my earliest days with the first Mac I ever owned, a Mac Plus.
Takes me back to my earliest days with the first Mac I ever owned, a Mac Plus.
November 9, 2025 at 12:57 PM
There's a free iOS app called BitCam which only takes pictures like this, and I absolutely love it.
Takes me back to my earliest days with the first Mac I ever owned, a Mac Plus.
Takes me back to my earliest days with the first Mac I ever owned, a Mac Plus.
Reposted by Christopher Mims
we talk too much about the male loneliness crisis and not enough about the male suckerfication crisis maxread.substack.com/p/prediction...
November 7, 2025 at 5:40 PM
we talk too much about the male loneliness crisis and not enough about the male suckerfication crisis maxread.substack.com/p/prediction...
Oh so now this is interesting -- what if Musk's trillion-dollar pay package is just a way for him to get a $50bn one?
becky knows- without meeting most targets laid out for him by the board, Musk could still get more than $50B (by hitting a handful of the more attainable goals). there’s also a list of “covered events” that allow Musk to get shares without meeting operational milestones. www.cnbc.com/2025/11/06/t...
Tesla says shareholders approve Musk's $1 trillion pay plan with over 75% voting in favor
Tesla shareholders approved CEO Elon Musk's historic pay package at the company's annual shareholders meeting in Austin, Texas.
www.cnbc.com
November 7, 2025 at 5:04 PM
Oh so now this is interesting -- what if Musk's trillion-dollar pay package is just a way for him to get a $50bn one?
Is this real? Are people using LLMs as stand-ins for humans in social science studies? How on earth do they get these papers published? Could someone possibly be that ignorant?
LLMs are now widely used in social science as stand-ins for humans—assuming they can produce realistic, human-like text
But... can they? We don’t actually know.
In our new study, we develop a Computational Turing Test.
And our findings are striking:
LLMs may be far less human-like than we think.🧵
But... can they? We don’t actually know.
In our new study, we develop a Computational Turing Test.
And our findings are striking:
LLMs may be far less human-like than we think.🧵
Computational Turing Test Reveals Systematic Differences Between Human and AI Language
Large language models (LLMs) are increasingly used in the social sciences to simulate human behavior, based on the assumption that they can generate realistic, human-like text. Yet this assumption rem...
arxiv.org
November 7, 2025 at 4:51 PM
Is this real? Are people using LLMs as stand-ins for humans in social science studies? How on earth do they get these papers published? Could someone possibly be that ignorant?
easy to miss in the punditry about Musk's pay package:
he only becomes a trillionaire if he meets *a bunch* of milestones
payouts begin at $2 trillion market cap + other conditions
here's a handy graphic
www.wsj.com/business/aut...
he only becomes a trillionaire if he meets *a bunch* of milestones
payouts begin at $2 trillion market cap + other conditions
here's a handy graphic
www.wsj.com/business/aut...
![graphic: Tesla proposed a $1 trillion pay package with 12 tranches [now passed by shareholders] and for Musk to get the first tranche, Tesla must achieve:
* $2 trillion in market capitalization PLUS any one of
* $50 billion Ebitda (a measure of earnings)
* 20 million cars delivered
* 1 million robots sold
* 1 million robotaxis in operation
* 10 million Full Self Driving subscriptions](https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_thumbnail/plain/did:plc:fwks525g7gw5wc7ul2wg4wj5/bafkreie4ria67kwkysdoelkwmh2ol4kphfem6umc4oakwtfhvt25jxskcm@jpeg)
November 7, 2025 at 1:41 PM
easy to miss in the punditry about Musk's pay package:
he only becomes a trillionaire if he meets *a bunch* of milestones
payouts begin at $2 trillion market cap + other conditions
here's a handy graphic
www.wsj.com/business/aut...
he only becomes a trillionaire if he meets *a bunch* of milestones
payouts begin at $2 trillion market cap + other conditions
here's a handy graphic
www.wsj.com/business/aut...
the thing is China is doing *both*
A fun question. In 5 years time, what looks better? The US’s enormous bet & capex on AI? Or China’s equally enormous bet and capex on renewables?
China has made cheap, clean energy available in huge quantities. The world should take the win econ.st/4oqFszB
Photo: Eyevine
Photo: Eyevine
November 7, 2025 at 1:28 PM
the thing is China is doing *both*
Reposted by Christopher Mims
My favorite comment on the FT story
November 6, 2025 at 7:49 PM
My favorite comment on the FT story
The blue wave witnessed yesterday was almost entirely due to highly motivated voters showing up at the polls, and as a result pollsters badly miscalculated, leading them to almost entirely miss it in some states
www.wsj.com/politics/ele...
www.wsj.com/politics/ele...
Pollsters Didn’t See the Blue Wave Coming in New Jersey and Virginia
Pollsters say they miscalculated who would show up to vote and a leftward shift by Latino voters.
www.wsj.com
November 6, 2025 at 11:35 AM
The blue wave witnessed yesterday was almost entirely due to highly motivated voters showing up at the polls, and as a result pollsters badly miscalculated, leading them to almost entirely miss it in some states
www.wsj.com/politics/ele...
www.wsj.com/politics/ele...
Reposted by Christopher Mims
November 6, 2025 at 11:26 AM
Reposted by Christopher Mims
“authors & publishers who filed a lawsuit against the Sam Altman-led firm have secured access to internal Slack messages… discussing the mass deletion of a pirated books dataset… A NY district court ordered OpenAI to hand over the communications regarding data deletion”
futurism.com/artificial-i...
futurism.com/artificial-i...
OpenAI in Danger After Authors Suing It Gain Access to Its Internal Slack Messages
Authors and publishers, who are suing OpenAI, secured access to internal Slack messages and emails discussing the deletion of pirated books.
futurism.com
November 6, 2025 at 7:57 AM
“authors & publishers who filed a lawsuit against the Sam Altman-led firm have secured access to internal Slack messages… discussing the mass deletion of a pirated books dataset… A NY district court ordered OpenAI to hand over the communications regarding data deletion”
futurism.com/artificial-i...
futurism.com/artificial-i...
Reposted by Christopher Mims
The Trump regime is East Winging the Goddard Space Flight Center, home to the 10,000 scientists and engineers in NASA science and engineering directorates.
BREAKING: NASA Goddard Space Flight Center is illegally closing 13 campus buildings (including ~100 laboratories).
Report coming from GESTA, the Goddard employee union
Report coming from GESTA, the Goddard employee union
November 4, 2025 at 10:44 PM
The Trump regime is East Winging the Goddard Space Flight Center, home to the 10,000 scientists and engineers in NASA science and engineering directorates.
Reposted by Christopher Mims
A Customs and Border Protection agent appeared to brag to fellow agents about his marksmanship after he repeatedly shot a Chicago woman following a collision between their cars, text messages shown in court revealed. https://cnn.it/4oNgXfK
Marimar Martinez hearing | CNN
A Customs and Border Patrol agent appeared to brag to fellow agents about his marksmanship when he shot a woman five times after their cars collidedin Chicago last month, text massages shown in court ...
www.cnn.com
November 6, 2025 at 10:00 AM
A Customs and Border Protection agent appeared to brag to fellow agents about his marksmanship after he repeatedly shot a Chicago woman following a collision between their cars, text messages shown in court revealed. https://cnn.it/4oNgXfK
Amazing that a) the tariffs weren't nearly as bad as people thought they'd be and yet b) the mere threat of them, plus cuts to IRA grants, really dented spending on manufacturing in the U.S. under Trump -- precisely the opposite of what he promised when he came to office.
Gorsuch finally speaks, and oh yeah, he's against Trump. Alito also sounded skeptical, which is surprising to me. Regardless, there will plainly be a lopsided majority to strike down the tariffs.
The government better start working on its Plan B...
The government better start working on its Plan B...
November 5, 2025 at 4:07 PM
Amazing that a) the tariffs weren't nearly as bad as people thought they'd be and yet b) the mere threat of them, plus cuts to IRA grants, really dented spending on manufacturing in the U.S. under Trump -- precisely the opposite of what he promised when he came to office.
truly amazing things happening at the Supreme Court right now
Roberts now going at the solicitor general like a cat with a wounded mouse. Keeps telling him that tariffs are taxes on the American people. "Who pays the tariffs??" Says Trump's argument would neutralize separation of powers between the legislative and executive branches. Incredible stuff.
November 5, 2025 at 4:06 PM
truly amazing things happening at the Supreme Court right now
Reposted by Christopher Mims
Roberts now going at the solicitor general like a cat with a wounded mouse. Keeps telling him that tariffs are taxes on the American people. "Who pays the tariffs??" Says Trump's argument would neutralize separation of powers between the legislative and executive branches. Incredible stuff.
November 5, 2025 at 3:35 PM
Roberts now going at the solicitor general like a cat with a wounded mouse. Keeps telling him that tariffs are taxes on the American people. "Who pays the tariffs??" Says Trump's argument would neutralize separation of powers between the legislative and executive branches. Incredible stuff.
Reposted by Christopher Mims
This is a good headline. www.theguardian.com/world/2025/s...
Where there’s a will there’s a whey: cheese producers lean into their craft as Trump tariffs bite
Europeans put their faith in centuries-old, all-natural production to maintain US custom
www.theguardian.com
November 5, 2025 at 12:32 PM
This is a good headline. www.theguardian.com/world/2025/s...
I find Bluesky‘s fixation with the NYTimes confusing.
The Times is neither the way most people in the U.S. get their news nor the most powerful platform.
The whole media ecosystem is, I think, worth dissecting in particular and in aggregate.
Is it just that everyone here is a subscriber?
The Times is neither the way most people in the U.S. get their news nor the most powerful platform.
The whole media ecosystem is, I think, worth dissecting in particular and in aggregate.
Is it just that everyone here is a subscriber?
November 5, 2025 at 2:24 PM
I find Bluesky‘s fixation with the NYTimes confusing.
The Times is neither the way most people in the U.S. get their news nor the most powerful platform.
The whole media ecosystem is, I think, worth dissecting in particular and in aggregate.
Is it just that everyone here is a subscriber?
The Times is neither the way most people in the U.S. get their news nor the most powerful platform.
The whole media ecosystem is, I think, worth dissecting in particular and in aggregate.
Is it just that everyone here is a subscriber?
“The headline story from this year’s elections is simple:
Democrats increased their support across the country and swept all the marquee contests in key states.“
Democrats increased their support across the country and swept all the marquee contests in key states.“
Universal swing in action: "What we saw last night was a directional shift toward Democrats in 99.8% of counties that held partisan elections." www.gelliottmorris.com/p/seven-data...
November 5, 2025 at 2:13 PM
“The headline story from this year’s elections is simple:
Democrats increased their support across the country and swept all the marquee contests in key states.“
Democrats increased their support across the country and swept all the marquee contests in key states.“
I’ve been on a ~journey~ with social media lately, in part linked to burnout and my own serious concerns about how it‘s harming our information ecosystem and therefore the human race.
But I have to say that at times like this, Bluesky’s ability to surface important news is now unmatched.
But I have to say that at times like this, Bluesky’s ability to surface important news is now unmatched.
November 5, 2025 at 12:22 PM
I’ve been on a ~journey~ with social media lately, in part linked to burnout and my own serious concerns about how it‘s harming our information ecosystem and therefore the human race.
But I have to say that at times like this, Bluesky’s ability to surface important news is now unmatched.
But I have to say that at times like this, Bluesky’s ability to surface important news is now unmatched.
I've very deliberately been almost entirely avoiding social media for the past 3 weeks. I highly recommend it to anyone who wants to even begin to understand what it's like to be a normie news consumer in 2025.
It is SO DIFFERENT than being online a bunch.
It is SO DIFFERENT than being online a bunch.
A large majority of U.S. adults now get news digitally, but nondigital news consumers are less likely to say they extremely often or often encounter inaccurate news.
Read more on Americans’ views of information accuracy and distinguishing truth from fiction:
Read more on Americans’ views of information accuracy and distinguishing truth from fiction:
Many Americans say they often come across inaccurate news – and have a hard time knowing what’s true
Those who report often encountering inaccurate news are more likely than those who rarely or never do to say it’s hard to know what is true (59% vs. 31%).
www.pewresearch.org
November 3, 2025 at 7:29 PM
I've very deliberately been almost entirely avoiding social media for the past 3 weeks. I highly recommend it to anyone who wants to even begin to understand what it's like to be a normie news consumer in 2025.
It is SO DIFFERENT than being online a bunch.
It is SO DIFFERENT than being online a bunch.
Reposted by Christopher Mims
Manufacturing factory construction investment DOUBLED from 2021-2024. The IRA made clean energy cheaper to make, cheaper to use, and cheaper to build in America. Much of it now rolled back, energy will be more expensive for everyone for the next 10 years. It’s a crisis.
November 1, 2025 at 1:11 PM
Manufacturing factory construction investment DOUBLED from 2021-2024. The IRA made clean energy cheaper to make, cheaper to use, and cheaper to build in America. Much of it now rolled back, energy will be more expensive for everyone for the next 10 years. It’s a crisis.
Reposted by Christopher Mims
MIMS: The “unsung heroes of AI, the ones actually transforming business processes and workforces, also happen to be the smallest, fastest and cheapest.”
@mims.bsky.social 👀
www.wsj.com/tech/ai/larg...
@mims.bsky.social 👀
www.wsj.com/tech/ai/larg...
October 31, 2025 at 5:30 PM
MIMS: The “unsung heroes of AI, the ones actually transforming business processes and workforces, also happen to be the smallest, fastest and cheapest.”
@mims.bsky.social 👀
www.wsj.com/tech/ai/larg...
@mims.bsky.social 👀
www.wsj.com/tech/ai/larg...