Hours Without A.I

A.J. Jacobs went 48 hours without interacting with artificial intelligence. That meant more than just avoiding generative A.I. tools like ChatGPT – he did his best to not interact with any products that used any kind of machine-learning algorithms in their production, marketing or distribution. This was more limiting than expected; Jacobs needed to find ways around using electricity, running water and more. The 48-hour experiment revealed just how embedded artificial intelligence already is in our daily lives.

By A.J. Jacobs, Edward Vega and Melanie Bencosme

October 29, 2025