A New Obsession

Hi friend,

Is everything really “slop” these days, as Emma Goldberg writes, pessimistically, for the New York Times? In her definition, slop is a “distinctly nonhuman” product, whether that’s an image, a bowl of food from a fast casual lunch spot, or a polyester dress. The tell is if it “feels eerie in its regulated homogeneity.”

Goldberg writes about fashion slop and food slop (job-search slop would have been a good addition), but the locus of her piece is digital slop. And today, we get a close-up look at slopmaster Sam Altman’s OpenAI, thanks to technology journalist Karen Hao’s extensively researched Empire of AI (Bookshop, Amazon).

Even if you don’t care about AI at all, it’s a helpful read; we feel more informed about why this is all occurring. Hao contextualizes AI corporations as a new version of the empires of old: exploitative and extractive, seizing resources and land across the globe.

As she says: “They're the most consequential technologies being developed today, and we literally can't say basic things about them. We can't say how much energy they use, how much carbon they produce, we can't even say where the data centers are that are being built half the time. We can't say how much discrimination is in these tools, and we're giving them to children in classrooms and to doctors' offices to start supporting medical decisions. The levels of opacity are so glaring, and it's shocking that we've kind of been lulled into this sense of normalcy. I hope that it's a bit of a wake-up call that we shouldn't accept this.”

To be clear, it does seem like a lot of people are concerned. Like at Bloomberg Businessweek, where the latest cover story focuses on how we all are not prepared for what’s coming. We also keep encountering the topic in casual conversations, like this.

In need of less serious, less slop-focused content? Just keep scrolling! Our new shoe fixation, plus a few fun things for your week, are all below.

Bye,
Your friends at Gloria

One night of bad sleep can throw you off. That’s why we’ve made this delicious nighttime drink a crucial part of our nighttime ritual. We mix it with hot water for a pre-bedtime drink that helps us fall asleep, stay asleep, and wake up without any grogginess. It’s made with magnesium, melatonin, and L-Theanine. It has zero added sugar, just 15 calories per serving, and it really works! 93 percent of Beam Dream users report better sleep. 

It’s a great time to try it. Starting today through Memorial Day, they’re having a huge sale, up to 40 percent off their most popular wellness products. Give it a try here. #partner

If you’ve been somewhere warm recently, maybe you’ve noticed: Sandals that double as jewelry are everywhere this season. Metal detailing adorns toe rings and ankle straps; grommets and studs dot leather uppers. You can go high end — like in the above photo — but there are many amazing styles at affordable prices, too. Here are a few of our favorites.

• Perfectly chunky, and the buckle is great. (These are cute too!) Steve Madden Mandie Slides, $89.

• We saw these on a friend and had to get the details. Marc Fisher Mazza Sandals, $120.

• These are so beautiful. Emme Parsons Laurie Sandal, $425.

• Cool and comfortable. Zara Flat Strappy Sandals, $59.90.

• Love the shape, love the color. Loeffler Randall Strappy Embellished Thong Sandals, $275 (more sizes here).

• A do-able heel. Asos Design Finesse Heeled Sandals, $38.

• This brand is really nailing the trend right now. Amanu The Kalahari Sandal, $395.

• The daintiness of the straps offsets the punky vibe of the grommets. Schutz Annete Grommet Sandals, $158.

• Artsy-chic. Tory Burch Pierced Slide, $328.

• A sophisticated thong style. Mango Leather Sandals With Mini Studs, $90.

• Such a good deal. Old Navy Strappy Toe-Ring Sandals, $12.50.

• The ease of a flip-flop, but a bit fancier. Havaianas Una Acai Eur Sandal, $74.

• We like the thicker sole of this cute slide-on style. Dolce Vita Satine Sandals, $130.

Shop the Story

TO STREAM The new dark comedy Sirens (on Netflix Thursday) features Julianne Moore as a strange socialite obsessed with falcons who manages to completely subjugate everyone around her – including the sister of Devon (played by Meghann Fahy), a non-fan determined to stage an intervention during a weekend charity gala at a beautiful estate.

TO TRY Get sculpted and strong, all from the comfort of your own home. This app is helping people improve mobility and burn fat with their at-home Pilates program and nutritional coaching. So far, 13 million users have lost weight sustainably, and you can too. Join the 28-day challenge and see what the fuss is about; as a bonus, it’s 50 percent off through this link. #partner

TO LISTEN After reading an excerpt of Barry Diller’s new autobiography about how he fell in love with Diane von Furstenberg (in which he also comes out of the closet), we started listening to the rest of the book. Diller is a good writer, and he’s lived a fascinating life.

“My parents expected to be retired. Instead, they’re raising my sister’s kids.” • Saving this list of dreamy travel destinations. • A film about postpartum depression starring Jennifer Lawrence is making a big splash at Cannes. • This is a horrifying story.

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