Kevin Roose
Also known as Hard Fork, Futureproof
Kevin Roose is a technology journalist and author who examines how digital systems change work and daily life. His books include The Unlikely Disciple, Young Money and Futureproof. He spent a decade as a technology columnist at The New York Times after work at New York magazine. His 2020 podcast Rabbit Hole investigated the internet’s recommendation systems and their effect on people. With Casey Newton, he launched Hard Fork in 2022. His published conversation with Bing’s chatbot in 2023 became a widely discussed example of a reporter testing an AI product. Roose left The Times in 2026. He and Newton announced Machine Gods with NPR, with a podcast debut planned for October.
Timeline
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2009–2014
Writing about people inside institutions
Roose’s first books grew from immersive reporting. The Unlikely Disciple followed a semester at Liberty University, and Young Money followed eight new Wall Street recruits. These projects established a habit of explaining an institution through the people who lived or worked inside it.
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Technology reporting years
Following the effects of the internet
After work at New York magazine, Roose became a technology columnist at The New York Times. He wrote about online culture and emerging tools, including AI. His columns linked new technical capabilities with questions about work, identity and the choices people make online.
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2021
Writing Futureproof
Futureproof appeared in 2021. Roose used the book to discuss how people could respond to automation and AI at work. Its advice and arguments placed human choices at the center of a changing workplace, continuing his interest in the practical effects of technology.
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February 2023
Reporting a chatbot conversation
Roose published an account of a long conversation with Microsoft’s Bing chatbot. The system produced statements that he found disturbing. His article made a particular interaction visible to readers and raised questions about how people experience a conversational product released for public testing.
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September–October 2026
Preparing a new podcast
Roose and Newton left Hard Fork in September 2026 and announced Machine Gods with NPR. Their plans included twice-weekly podcast episodes starting in October and a radio version in early 2027. The podcast was planned to debut in the week of 19 October.
Sources and credits
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