This Week's Round-Up: June 8, 2026

ChatGPT Isn’t Just Changing How We Work. It’s Harming How We Think

New research says the cognitive costs of AI may be higher than we realize

Photo illustration shows the face of a person covered in text written on paper on the left side and a mirror image of the face on the right with the text: "AI Prompt: Ask anything"

Generative AI represents a shift from generation to evaluation, from writing an essay to reviewing one generated synthetically. Such a change reflects a profound shift in the way cognitive systems are exercised. Whereas blank-page creation (writing) necessitates the building of mental models, evaluation is episodic and reactive. The effects of this switch are significant.

An MIT study on student essay writing, for example, reported that 83 percent of participants who used generative AI could not recall a single quote from their own essay, whereas 89 percent of participants who did not use AI assistance were able to do so. At a minimum, the study highlights the diminished recall of factual information when AI is used as a writing tool.

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Longevity Influencers Promise to Postpone Death. At 30, I’m Willing to Give It a Try

Full-body MRIs, hormone therapies, and genetic testing are becoming more mainstream. What’s science and what’s magical thinking?

BY ALEX CYR

Image of a roll of Canadian $100 bills next to a smaller-sized roll of American bills on a blue background.

Canada Should Call Trump’s Bluff on CUSMA Trade Talks

With the US economy weakening, Ottawa has more leverage than it thinks

BY PETER JONES

A photograph of Mark Carney and Evan Solomon through glass, blurred slightly

Canada Finally Has a National AI Strategy. Experts Hate It

We asked researchers, entrepreneurs, and policy analysts to read the plan so you don’t have to. They found plenty to worry about

BY VARIOUS CONTRIBUTORS

The Walrus Wins Five Golds at the National Magazine Award

A gold graphic of The Walrus winning in the Photo Essay & Photolournalism category at the National Magazine Awards for “Should the Arctic Really Brace for an Invasion?” by Pat Kane

The Walrus won multiple awards at the 2026 National Magazine Awards, including GOLD for Fiction, Essays, Investigative Reporting, Long-Form Feature Writing, and Photo Essay & Photojournalism. We also received four SILVER awards for Personal Journalism, Fiction, Illustration, and Best Cover.

Congratulations to all the winners and nominees, and to the writers, illustrators, photographers, editors, fact checkers, and everyone on the team for making these wins possible.

A photograph of three coffins draped in Canadian flags. Behind them are rows of people praying.

What Three Extremist Attacks Tell Us about the State of Hate in Canada

The far right has evolved from lone actors to a mass movement

BY AMARNATH AMARASINGAM, STEPHANIE CARVIN

Photo illustration shows a line of soldiers marching against a black background towards a red map of Newfoundland and Labrador

How America’s “Friendly Invasion” of Newfoundland and Labrador Could Turn Sour

The US military has used the province as a staging ground since the Second World War

BY TREVOR CORKUM

A photo illustration of a photograph of parents and a baby torn into pieces

When Refugees Face Deportation, What Happens to Their Canadian-Born Children?

There’s no record of how many kids have been forced to leave their country of birth

BY JONATHAN R. ROSE

A photo illustration of a woman in a striped top. The background is overlaid with the colours of the Pride flag

My Family Has Four Queer Parents Raising Three Kids Together

I’m aware of people’s eyes on us. Something in me is driven to prove we are good

BY ZENA SHARMAN

An illustration of a vintage blue and white plate against a orange table setting. A bow is at centre of the plate with ribbons extending outward

Come to a Dinner Party in My Tiny Apartment

Social media is awash in Martha Stewart wannabes with their elaborate table settings. There’s a better way

BY GABRIELLE DROLET

Listen to the Latest Episode of What Happened Next

Host Nathan Whitlock is joined by Dennis Bock, author of Strangers at the Door

At The Walrus Talks at Home: Education in Crisis, speakers will share powerful stories and practical insights on what it takes to help displaced children access education. From teachers working outside traditional classrooms to local educators drawing on community history and customs, they’ll examine what it takes to support children in building a foundation for their future.

Join Us on June 17

A MESSAGE FROM THE WALRUS LAB IN PARTNERSHIP WITH AMAZON CANADA.

Announcing the 2026 Amazon Canada First Novel Award Winner

Amazon Canada and The Walrus are pleased to announce that Maria Reva, author of Endling, is the winner of the 2026 Amazon Canada First Novel Award.

This striking debut brings together Ukraine, snails, and mail-order brides in a metafictional work that weaves love, loss, humour, and devastation into an unforgettable story.

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