The new Xbox is not an Xbox

We're very bullish on the handheld future of gaming. But we're not bullish on the new ROG Xbox Ally. The Verge's Sean Hollister joins the show to explain why this Xbox-branded device barely feels like an Xbox, and why it's definitely not a threat to the Steam Deck, before he and David debate whether the future of Xbox is even in good hands. After that, The Verge's Hayden Field walks David through a couple of important recent studies, asking the same basic question: is AI making us dumb? Finally, Sean returns to answer a question from the Vergecast Hotline (call 866-VERGE11 or email ⁠vergecast@theverge.com⁠!) about hybrid computers, which are an extremely 2012 idea and also maybe the future of computing. But probably not.

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Further reading:

• ⁠Xbox Ally and Ally X review: this is not an Xbox⁠

• ⁠Prongs rock⁠

• ⁠MIT: Your Brain on ChatGPT: Accumulation of Cognitive Debt when Using an AI Assistant for Essay Writing Task⁠

• ⁠How chatbots — and their makers — are enabling AI psychosis⁠

• ⁠Sam Altman says ChatGPT will stop talking about suicide with teens⁠

• ⁠Some doctors got worse at detecting cancer after relying on AI⁠

• Microsoft Research: The Impact of Generative AI on Critical Thinking: Self-Reported Reductions in Cognitive Effort and Confidence Effects From a Survey of Knowledge Workers

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