This Week in Hard Fork (May 4 - May 10, 2026)

This week, Hard Fork examined how attention itself has become a scarce resource in the age of artificial intelligence, exploring everything from prediction markets facing regulatory scrutiny to the practical ways A.I. is reshaping daily life. The episode threads together questions about control—whether governments can effectively regulate emerging financial technologies, whether companies can responsibly deploy A.I. tools, and whether individuals can even maintain focus in an increasingly fragmented digital landscape.