The author argues that fertility decline since 2010 is driven by smartphones as entertainment centers, continuing a 200-year trend where increasingly fun technologies (urbanization, movies, radio, television) have made family life less attractive by comparison. Rather than family life becoming less enjoyable, alternative entertainment options have raised the opportunity cost of having children.
A 1995 Bay Area guide to three location-based interactive gaming experiences: Magic Edge offers motion-controlled flight simulator dogfights, Virtual World provides strategic multiplayer Battletech and Mars racing games, and Q-Zar delivers laser tag arena combat. Each venue combines cutting-edge graphics and technology with social multiplayer gameplay.
Tilly Norwood, the first AI-generated movie star introduced in July 2025, experienced a public relations disaster during a TV interview with Piers Morgan on Friday when she became confused and began speaking in Chinese. Despite securing approximately 60 film deals worth $10–50 million each, her subsequent media appearances and past projects, including a poorly received music video, have generated significant audience backlash and skepticism about AI actors' viability in entertainment.
Character.ai CEO Karandeep Anand is joining Disney as Senior Executive Vice President and Chief Technology Officer, with members of Character's technical team expected to follow. The move aims to leverage Disney's technology capabilities to connect fans with stories and characters in new ways, while Character.ai's platform remains operational.