Every Day, Computers are Making People Easier to Use: The Return of IN FORMATION

It’s only been a quarter century, but IN FORMATION magazine is now back. Published by David Temkin with the tagline “Every Day, Computers are Making People Easier to Use”, IN FORMATION was originally designed in 1998 as the “Anti-Wired” - a glossily skeptical anti-tech publication for Silicon Valley insiders. And now, as more tech hysteria grips the Valley, IN FORMATION has - like the promise of AI itself - magically reappeared. This third issue, costing the Orwellian sum of $19.84, features contributions from former Google VPs, cryptography experts, and Silicon Valley veterans like Temkin who helped build the original internet. The San Francisco-based Temkin, now at PayPal after stints at Apple and Google, sees AI as another "step function change" in the way that computers are, indeed, making people easier to use. Just in the nick of time, in my not-so-humble opinion. Everyone should subscribe. 1. The Power Dynamic Has Flipped Temkin's tagline "Every Day, Computers are Making People Easier to Use" captures how technology's original promise to empower users has reversed. What began as making computers accessible has evolved into making humans predictable and manipulable—from requiring "computer literacy" to creating addictive, frictionless experiences.2. AI Follows Historical Tech Patterns Temkin sees AI as another "step function change" following personal computers, the internet, and smartphones. He expects AI will likely crash before achieving mainstream success, similar to the dot-com bubble. The hype cycles are familiar, but the stakes may be higher.3. Insider Critique Beats Outside Commentary Information differentiates itself by featuring people who built these technologies—former Google VPs, cryptography experts, Apple engineers—rather than external cultural critics. Their perspective comes from understanding how the technology actually works and evolves from the inside.4. Physical Media as Resistance The magazine's tactile nature (160 pages, 1.3 pounds, $19.84) represents deliberate resistance to digital consumption patterns. Like vinyl's resurgence, physical magazines offer a curated, composed reading experience that screens can't replicate.5. The Stakes Have Escalated While the 1990s tech promises seemed "simultaneously laughable and very threatening," Temkin notes we've moved from early warning signals to full realization of those threats. AI represents another inflection point where the technology could be genuinely beneficial or catastrophically destructive—and unlike nuclear weapons, everyone has immediate access to experiment with it.Keen On America is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit keenon.substack.com/subscribe