The Robots Are Coming

Monday, November 18, 2024

This week from The Walrus:

Hello, I’m Phoenix. Would You Like Your House Cleaned?

Get ready for an army of robots that work—and reason—like us

BY MICHAEL HARRIS

Sanctuary AI’s real value lies in an unspoken promise: that a robot could, one day soon, become competent at not just this task or that task—but every task. CEO Geordie Rose is determined to work toward that grander goal. “What we are going to do is build something that’s not a vacuum cleaner,” he says, nodding at Phoenix, “not a tote mover, not a warehouse robot. We’re going to build a human mimic.” The consequence of such a lofty aim, of course, is that Sanctuary’s end product could embody some of our greatest fears (being replaced, made redundant) along with our greatest desires (a life of leisure, infinite economic growth). These are the existential notes that hum around Sanctuary’s office.

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An Elite Law School Promised Reforms, Then Made Inclusion Impossible

Racialized professors say they were underpaid, bullied, and ignored at UBC

BY JULIE SOBOWALE

A black-white cross, the emblem of the Wehrmacht, on a grey concrete wall. Below it are dead leaves.

Why Is Canada Protecting the Names of Suspected Nazis?

Ottawa won’t disclose list of alleged war criminals believed to have sheltered here after the Second World War

BY TAYLOR C. NOAKES

The Military Gave My Brother Purpose. It Also Broke Him

As Joe progressed through the ranks, he started living two lives: the lauded soldier and the closet alcoholic

BY LISA GREGOIRE

An illustration of sound waves on a blue background. Several white bars flank a red heart made up of sound waves. It's encircled by blue heart shapes extneding outward.

My Guilty Pleasure: Voice Notes Give Me Butterflies

So much is said in the hesitations, the silences, the meanderings, the confessions in low, hushed tones

BY PACINTHE MATTAR

A globe balancing with a stack of coins.

The Best Way to Fight the Climate Crisis Is with Cold, Hard Cash

Richer countries need to support the developing world with climate financing

BY ARNO KOPECKY

A large image of Donald Trump takes up most of the frame while a much smaller image of Justin Trudeau peers out behind Trump's shoulder. They are superimposed against stormy skies.

Trump’s Return Could Make Trudeau Look Smaller than Ever

Polls suggest the former president’s comeback won’t revive Liberal fortunes

BY PHILIPPE J. FOURNIER

At The Walrus Talks at Home: Indigenous Perspectives on Belonging, we’ll hear from a panel of leaders and experts from diverse Indigenous nations. They will share stories and experiences of cultivating community, connecting to nature, and growing a shared sense of power and purpose.

Join our online community on November 25 for an evening that will deepen your understanding of Indigenous conceptions of belonging and how the ongoing process of reconciliation can foster more meaningful relationships across society.

Join us

Y WE TRAVEL

Heather Greenwood Davis reflects on how family travel, despite its chaos, creates lasting memories that can bond and shape us for life.

Read part four in the new series on behalf of The Walrus Lab, Toronto Pearson Airport, and the Canadian Airports Council.

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In this episode of What Happened Next, host Nathan Whitlock is joined by writer and magazine publisher Lisa Whittington‐Hill, author of 2023’s Girls, Interrupted: How Pop Culture Is Failing Women. They talk about the gender gap in celebrity redemption arcs, the inadvertent marketing boost Britney Spears gave to Girls, Interrupted, and the magazine about her neighbourhood’s pets she made when she was seven years old.

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THE WALRUS THANKS ALL OUR ADVERTISERS. BECOME ONE.

On US election night, I stayed up late with the TV playing and the New York Times Presidential Election page open on my laptop, refreshing constantly for the ballot counts. Odds are, you were glued to the updates too. You know what happened: the stunning comeback of Donald Trump, a convicted felon who tried to overturn the 2020 presidential election.

What made this political season especially exhausting, aside from Trump’s incendiary rhetoric, was the tidal wave of misinformation. As we brace for Canada’s own national election, the need for reliable information is more urgent than ever. If you want a fearlessly independent media source you can trust amidst the bots and billionaires with agendas, you’ve come to the right place.

At The Walrus, we’re committed to delivering fair and fact‐checked reporting that informs, engages, and provokes conversation. But we can’t do it alone. Stand with us to support a future where truth and integrity come first. Donate today.

Carmine Starnino
Editor‐in‐Chief, The Walrus

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