The Social Analyst is an exploration of how technology — especially A.I. — will impact society.
ChatGPT is already disrupting education. TikTok has changed the way we consume information. The recent bear market has permanently changed the tech industry in ways we don’t yet realize.
I will be examining the impact of these technologies on society and how they are shaping our world.
👋🏽 Hi! I’m Ben Parr, and I’ve spent over a decade analyzing the tech industry as a journalist, investor, founder, and operator.
My original claim to fame in Silicon Valley was my time as Co-Editor and Editor-at-Large of Mashable, the popular tech news website. In my 3.5 years there, I wrote 2,446 articles about technology, business, media, and society. After Mashable, I wrote a column for CNET (also named The Social Analyst) and wrote an award-winning book for HarperCollins called Captivology. I joined a few boards, did a book tour, and eventually in 2016 I co-founded a company building A.I. products for ecommerce: Octane AI. You can learn more about me on my website.
This newsletter is the continuation of my longtime column The Social Analyst. I wrote my first columns when I was at Mashable in 2010, on topics ranging on the future of the web (I nailed it) and how Google Buzz would completely change the game (swing and a miss).
Marc Short on the transformation of the GOP under Trump
Former White House Director of Legislative Affairs Marc Short joins MSNBC to explore how the Republican Party has evolved under Donald Trump’s leadership—politically, ideologically, and…
Thought Leader: Marc Short
Ryan Dusick: Your Mess is Your Magic
In this episode of Harder to Breathe, host Ryan Dusick—founding drummer of Maroon 5 and licensed therapist—is joined by co-host and actor Brian “Duck” Maillard…
Thought Leader: Ryan Dusick
Dr. Sanjay Gupta: What You Need to Know About Food Dyes
Cereals, frostings, and other snacks in the U.S. are about to get a lot less colorful with the FDA moving to phase out artificial food…
Thought Leader: Sanjay Gupta
Ben Parr: DeepSeek AI app sparks global buzz
Thought Leader: Ben Parr
Tech Leaders Raise Concerns Over A.I.
Thought Leader: Ben Parr
