The Observer Daily: you, me and ChatGPT

The best of The Observer, from across our newsroom View in browser You, me and ChatGPT The best of The Observer, from across our newsroom Claudia Williams and Brad Gray • Wednesday 16 July 2025 Dear friend, I'm not a ChatGPT user. A year ago, I wouldn't have thought much about that. But it's become increasingly clear to me – at work, with friends – that how you use AI in your daily life is a new dividing line. We are becoming split between the "users" and the "avoiders". I'm yet to decide which camp I'll end up in. Not so for the people interviewed by Amelia Tait in a fascinating piece for the magazine this weekend. These are people who aren't just turning to AI to help proofread or synthesise information but for the type of emotional interaction or personal opinion you might normally ask of a friend. Take Katie, a 32-year-old from New Jersey who turned to ChatGPT for help with her relationship – and found herself encouraged to call the whole thing off. The article includes an introduction from the computer scientist Jaron Lanier. As he warns: "AI as a tool increases the quantity and quality of our choices. AI as a fake person reduces them." It's well worth your time. Click here to read more → "The enemy of nonsense" – George Orwell Also in The Observer 'There is no political power without power over the archive' The greatest libraries command respect as much as they inspire awe. For many they are sacred, protected spaces – or at least should be. Few libraries do this as well as the Bodleian in Oxford, and few people care more about their future than Richard Ovenden, the university's head of libraries. But Donald Trump's "war on books" concerns Ovenden. He explains that because of right-wing efforts to "control and limit what young people can read, and the ideas they can encounter", humble libraries "are now on the frontline of the battles over knowledge". Click here to read more → Courtroom drachma by Andrew Anthony       Last week, a man stood in court accused of stealing precious artefacts from a British museum before selling them on eBay. Did you miss the verdict? Don't be surprised: the man, museum and trial were all fake. The moot trial was held at Oxford town hall by Roger Michel, a former assistant district attorney in Connecticut, to promote the use of modern technology to conserve ancient treasures. But there are more than a few parallels to the real case of missing artefacts at the British museum. In that case, no one has been charged, but Michel told Andrew Anthony: "I think our moot [trial] will be a very authentic dry run for an actual trial down the road." Click here to read more → 'Famous people always go on about their bloody dogs' by Rich Pelley       George Clooney has his own tequila. Ryan Reynolds has his own gin. Will Young has his own dog food brand. Young has done a lot since he won Pop Idol 23 years ago. He has acted on stage, hosted a successful podcast and is now, through the aforementioned dog food business, hoping to tackle a UK dog-rescue crisis that sees 50,000 to 80,000 dogs being euthanised every year. Rich Pelley was invited to Young's home in Wiltshire to meet his rescue dog Domino. When asked if Domino enjoys the former pop star's music as much as Britain did in the early 2000s, Young says: "I don't think he gives a shit about my music in the slightest, he doesn't give a shit as long as he's getting fed." Click here to read more → Thrilling fillings by Helen Graves, Kate Whitaker and Bianca Nice       In this weekend's paper, readers will be treated to July's Observer Food Monthly. At the height of summer, and with lovely weather across much of the country, picnics are having their moment – and the OFM team has been busy devising ways to level up your sandwiches. Helen Graves writes: "A summer sandwich should be a nod to simplicity, seasonality and freshness. It's an accompaniment, if not to glorious weather, then a sunshine state of mind." We agree. Be sure to sign up to the free Observer Food newsletter. Sign up now to catch this Friday's, full of interviews, features and hot tips straight to your inbox every week. Click here to read more → Listen Daily Sensemaker Rape cases collapse Hundreds of victims and witnesses are walking away from rape cases before they reach trial     Click here to listen → Thanks for reading. We'll be back tomorrow.   Claudia Williams Senior editor, digital The Observer Brad Gray Production editor, newsletters The Observer   My Account To manage your newsletters, track tickets and more, go to the 'My account' page on the Observer website: Manage my newsletters Follow Follow The Observer on social media on your preferred platform:   The Observer     The Observer Food Monthly The Observer Magazine The Observer New Review   Listen Listen for free in the Tortoise app or wherever you get your podcasts: Want to change how you receive these emails? Update email preferences Copyright © 2025 Tortoise Media. All rights reserved. Did this email get caught in your spam filter? Add editor@newsroom.observer.co.uk to your address book to never miss an email again. No longer want to receive this newsletter? Unsubscribe here.