A selection of recent and most read stories from The Atlantic to start your day

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What Happens When People Don’t Understand How AI Works

Despite what tech CEOs might say, large language models are not smart in any recognizably human sense of the word.

As America Steps Back, Others Step In

Our global leadership is at stake, and it’s not too late to act.

What Hula Taught Me

Keeping a culture alive, one step at a time

When Pete Hegseth’s Pentagon Tenure Started Going Sideways

The defense secretary annoyed Donald Trump with a favor for Elon Musk. Hegseth’s problems only grew from there.

Ukraine Got a Major Battle Victory. Trump Is Not Happy.

The president has fumed that Kyiv’s drone strike could prolong a war that he’s desperate to end.

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The Atlantic’s Crossword

The Atlantic’s crossword puzzle gets a little more challenging every day: Mondays are the easiest, with the biggest, most difficult puzzle on Sunday.