TECH

Flagship chip for the mid-range: Samsung Galaxy M67 appears in benchmark leak

Samsung's next-generation mid-range smartphone apparently uses a flagship processor that was previously used in a Galaxy S flagship smartphone. However, the somewhat outdated chip is barely any faster than current mid-range processors.

Smartphones in the Samsung Galaxy M series are often just slightly modified versions of their Galaxy A counterparts. The Galaxy M67 5G appears to be an exception. The Galaxy M67 5G was spotted on Geekbench, specifically with a Samsung Exynos 2200. This is a flagship processor from 2022 that has already been used in the Galaxy S22 and the Galaxy S23 FE.

The 4-nm ARM chip features an ARM Cortex-X2 prime core with boost clock speeds of up to 2.8 GHz, three Cortex-A710 performance cores running at 2.52 GHz, and four Cortex-A510 efficiency cores running at 1.82 GHz. In addition, there is a Samsung Xclipse 920 iGPU based on the AMD RDNA 2 architecture with hardware-accelerated ray tracing. With this chip, the Galaxy M67 5G achieves a single-thread score of 1,589 points and a multi-core score of 3,923 points on Geekbench 6.

Compared to the more modern Samsung Exynos 1680 found in the Galaxy A57 ($449 on Amazon), the Galaxy M67 thus achieves 21.2 percent higher single-core performance but 10.2 percent lower multi-core performance. Samsung is pairing the chip with 8 GB of RAM, at least in one variant of the Galaxy M67 5G. The mid-range smartphone will apparently launch with Android 17. No further details are known yet regarding the specifications, launch date, or price of the Galaxy M67 5G, but since the smartphone has already been tested on Geekbench, it should only be a matter of weeks until its launch.

The Samsung Galaxy M67 surprises by bringing a flagship-grade processor from 2022 to the mid-range market. Known for its excellent performance, this chip opens up new possibilities for more affordable smartphones. While devices in this category typically use simpler processors, the M67 raises the bar.

This processor delivers superior performance for gaming and demanding applications. It also enhances battery efficiency by balancing power and consumption, meaning you can use your phone for longer periods without needing to recharge.

With this choice, Samsung aims to deliver greater speed and a better user experience in the mid-range segment. It is a strategy that balances cost and value, bringing advanced technology to a wider audience. If you are looking for a fast, modern phone, the Galaxy M67 is an excellent option.

The Galaxy M67 is powered by the advanced Exynos 2200 processor. It features a modern architecture designed for high speed and efficiency, ensuring smooth operation even when multiple apps are running simultaneously.

The chip includes a CPU with powerful cores that facilitate rapid task execution, alongside a robust GPU capable of handling gaming and detailed graphics. This makes the Galaxy M67 ideal for users who appreciate a rich visual experience.

Another advantage of the Exynos 2200 is energy efficiency. The chip intelligently manages battery usage to keep the device running longer without frequent recharging, making daily use more convenient.

In short, the Exynos 2200 combines performance and efficiency, designed for mid-range smartphones that aim to deliver cutting-edge technology. It makes the Galaxy M67 a competitive, modern device within its segment.

The Exynos 2200 and Exynos 1680 are both chips used in Samsung smartphones, but they target different audiences. The Exynos 2200 is more powerful and designed for superior performance. The Exynos 1680, on the other hand, is designed for mid-range devices, offering a good balance between efficiency and cost.

The Exynos 2200 features an advanced GPU that enhances graphics and gaming, making it ideal for those seeking high performance. In comparison, the Exynos 1680 offers more modest performance but remains efficient for daily tasks like social media and video playback.

The difference in capabilities also extends to power consumption. While the Exynos 2200 is efficient, it focuses more on raw power. The Exynos 1680 prioritizes battery savings, allowing the phone to last longer between charges.

In short, the Exynos 2200 is the choice for those who want greater speed and superior graphics, whereas the Exynos 1680 suits those who prefer a balance between performance and battery life. Each chip has its own target audience and ideal use case in today's market.

The Galaxy M67 comes with a configuration that meets the needs of most users. It features 8 GB of RAM, allowing multiple apps to run simultaneously without lag. This memory capacity is ideal for social media, casual gaming, and productivity apps.

In terms of graphics, the Galaxy M67 boasts a powerful GPU integrated into the Exynos 2200 chip. This ensures smooth visuals and rich detail in games and videos. The GPU handles graphics processing, making the visual experience much more enjoyable.

The device runs on Android—a modern operating system offering security, ease of use, and access to thousands of apps via the Google Play Store. It features Samsung's custom interface, which includes useful tools and shortcuts for daily use.

These specifications make the Galaxy M67 a balanced, efficient choice for anyone looking for a modern, fast smartphone with good battery life for a variety of tasks.

Using a flagship-grade chip in a mid-range smartphone offers many benefits. A powerful processor delivers faster performance for everyday tasks, including opening apps, browsing the web, and gaming with enhanced graphics. Furthermore, these chips often feature advanced technologies, such as artificial intelligence, to optimize battery usage and enhance camera performance. This results in a smoother, more enjoyable user experience.

On the other hand, the device's cost may increase due to the use of a more expensive component. Even so, for those seeking high performance without paying flagship prices, this is an excellent solution.

It is also worth noting that the energy efficiency of these processors helps extend battery life, striking a balance between power and longevity. This makes the smartphone more versatile for a variety of situations.

The Samsung Galaxy M67, featuring the Exynos 2200 chip, is a major new arrival for those seeking performance and advanced technology in the mid-range segment. The choice of this powerful processor delivers greater speed, superior graphics, and improved efficiency, significantly enhancing daily use as well as the experience with games and apps.

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TECH

Apple tests Chinese RAM

Rising component prices in the tech market are forcing industry giants to seek alternative solutions. Apple, known for its rigorous supply chain control, is now looking to navigate the current global crisis in memory chip production.

According to the latest financial reports, the Cupertino-based company is actively testing RAM chips from China. The goal is clear: to try to curb the massive surge in production costs triggered worldwide by the artificial intelligence boom.

However, this logistical move is risky, to say the least, and is already sparking a wave of political controversy. The manufacturers Apple has selected are under scrutiny by the US government, a situation likely to turn this deal into a major diplomatic headache.

The company’s decision comes as its involvement with Chinese suppliers becomes a sensitive geopolitical issue amid growing U.S. efforts to contain China’s tech ambitions. 

CXMT is poised to become central to Beijing’s efforts to build a self-sufficient AI supply chain and is expected to become one of the most profitable technology companies to list in Shanghai, the FT said. It reportedly plans to raise at least 29.5 billion yuan ($4.3 billion) in an upcoming IPO.

In 2022, Apple faced significant pushback from U.S. policymakers including then-Senator Marco Rubio, who is now Secretary of State, after exploring the use of Chinese memory suppliers, the FT reported. At least 15 state-owned shareholders collectively hold 36% of CXMT, the report said, adding that many of its private funds also have backing from state-owned limited partners.

CXMT is currently the world’s fourth-largest producer of DRAM, a memory chip used in a wide variety of products ranging from smartphones to servers, the report said. Its market share is expected to rise to 15% by 2028 from roughly 11% last year, as new production lines come online in the Chinese cities of Hefei, Shanghai and Beijing, the report showed, citing data from SemiAnalysis.

Its main global peers in DRAM include Samsung Electronics, SK Hynix, and Micron Technology.

While CXMT’s capacity is expanding, it is unlikely to immediately flood the market with cheap chips, as its output is largely pre-committed, Ray Wang, a memory analyst at SemiAnalysis

The frenzied rush to build data centers to power artificial intelligence platforms has nearly exhausted the global supply of RAM and storage. Faced with shortages and price hikes from traditional suppliers, Apple has turned its attention to ChangXin Memory Technologies (CXMT) and Yangtze Memory Technologies (YMTC).

These companies are currently on a US Department of Defense blacklist, designated as entities linked to Chinese military operations. While doing business with these brands is not strictly illegal, the iPhone maker has already had to seek direct permission from the White House to avoid severe future penalties.

To ease government tensions, Apple has reportedly proposed an intriguing compromise: chips purchased from CXMT and YMTC would be used exclusively in iPhones manufactured and sold within the Chinese market, thereby freeing up global production lines for the rest of the world. This move also serves as a powerful bargaining chip against the brand's Asian rivals.

Technological impact and memory innovation...Beyond using Chinese manufacturers as leverage to drive down prices from its usual partners, the American brand is keeping a close eye on CXMT's technical evolution. The Asian company is developing a highly efficient new memory architecture that could be a game-changer.

This technical breakthrough focuses on producing high-density memory without relying on expensive Western lithography equipment, thereby bypassing current trade sanctions. To give you a clear idea of ​​what is at stake, here are the key advantages of this new generation of RAM:

-Faster data transmission between the processor and your smartphone's memory.

-A drastic reduction in power consumption, helping to extend battery life.

-A smaller physical chip footprint, freeing up valuable space inside the device.

-Enhanced capability to run artificial intelligence models locally with complete fluidity.

If everything goes according to plan, this logistical partnership could be a real lifesaver for your wallet. Without strict control over the final cost of these essential components, it is virtually certain that the next generation of smartphones will see a drastic price hike, making them even more unaffordable.

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TECH

A measure adopted in the United States highlights the impact of AI on the power grid

The expansion of artificial intelligence is often associated with technological advances, innovation, and increased productivity. However, behind the most sophisticated models lies an infrastructure that consumes vast amounts of energy. This reality became apparent during a recent heatwave in the United States, when authorities had to implement an emergency measure to prevent grid overloads, reigniting the debate over the environmental impacts of the new AI era.

Extreme temperatures across the eastern United States placed the country's largest power grid under severe strain. With millions of households running air conditioners simultaneously, electricity consumption neared historic highs.

Faced with this situation, the U.S. Department of Energy authorized an exceptional measure to maintain system stability.

The authorization allowed PJM Interconnection—the grid operator serving approximately 67 million people across parts of the Midwest and the U.S. East Coast—to tap into emergency generators owned by major energy consumers, such as data centers and industrial facilities.

These units typically remain idle, used only in the event of a power outage.

This time, however, they served as an additional power source to relieve the load on the main grid.

The authorization took effect as a temporary measure during the period of highest overload risk.

According to the operator, demand reached approximately 162,700 megawatts, very close to the region's all-time record.

Experts point out that the rapid growth of data centers is playing an increasingly significant role in this rise in energy consumption.

The expansion of artificial intelligence requires massive computing infrastructure capable of continuous operation, making these facilities some of the country's largest electricity consumers.

Data centers have become an essential—and problematic—part of the electrical infrastructure... At first glance, using the data centers' own generators seems like a highly logical solution. If these facilities can generate their own power during a supply outage, utilizing that capacity during critical moments helps relieve pressure on the public grid.

However, there is a significant aspect to this strategy.

Many of these emergency systems run on diesel or natural gas engines.

While highly effective at ensuring operational continuity, they also significantly increase pollutant emissions—precisely on days when air quality is often already compromised by intense heat.

In states like Virginia—considered a global hub for data centers—thousands of these generators are located near urban areas.

Recent studies indicate that the frequent operation of this equipment can increase emissions of nitrogen oxides, fine particulate matter, and other pollutants linked to the worsening of respiratory and cardiovascular diseases.

Researchers also link these emissions to a rise in asthma attacks and other health issues among populations living near these facilities.

Thus, the solution devised to prevent blackouts ends up creating another significant environmental challenge.

The growth of artificial intelligence also necessitates a new discussion about energy.

This situation highlights a transformation that often goes unnoticed.

Data centers have evolved beyond mere technical facilities for storing internet data.

Today, they form the physical foundation supporting cloud computing services, digital platforms, and—above all—large-scale artificial intelligence models.

As new AI applications emerge across virtually every economic sector, the energy required to power this infrastructure grows as well.

At the same time, factors such as more intense heatwaves, aging electrical grids, and increased electrification place further strain on distribution systems.

US authorities emphasize that the authorization granted was temporary and necessary to prevent supply interruptions during a critical period. Indeed, a major blackout amidst extreme temperatures could put hospitals, homes, public services, and millions of people at risk.

Several recent, aggressive measures highlight the U.S. power grid's vulnerability to surging AI and data center energy demands. The most immediate step was an emergency directive issued by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) authorizing grid operators to force large-scale AI data centers to disconnect from utility lines and run on backup power during brutal summer heatwaves.

The rapid integration of generative AI training models and commercial computing warehouses is driving residential and commercial power usage to record highs. Because of the severity of this crisis, several major, permanent, and long-term regulatory actions are currently rolling out:

Emergency backup order: During record-breaking heatwaves in the Eastern U.S., the DOE ordered dense clusters of AI data centers (particularly in Northern Virginia's "Data Center Alley") to switch to backup diesel or natural gas generators. This emergency measure successfully freed up critical megawatts to keep household air conditioners running.

FERC interconnection overhaul: The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) issued sweeping orders forcing six regional grid operators to revamp their connection rules. This FERC Action provides a fast-track "priority lane" so energy-hungry data centers can plug into the electric grid more quickly, while establishing clear standards and timelines for transmission costs.

DOE power capacity commitment: The DOE previously committed $3 billion specifically for AI-centric smart grid programs to modernize grid operations and enable predictive analytics to better balance supply and demand.

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TECH

Secrets of the brain: how computers are helping scientists unravel the organ's mysteries

For decades, neuroscientists have sought to understand how neurons generate thoughts, memories, and emotions. Recent advances in computer simulations, artificial intelligence, and mathematical models have revolutionized this field of knowledge. Known as computational neuroscience, this discipline is expanding our theoretical understanding of how the brain processes information.

It studies everything from the electrical and chemical mechanisms that make a single neuron function to complex networks of millions of neurons working in unison. It also links biological processes to cognitive functions, such as learning and decision-making. This enables the creation of digital simulations of brain regions and the testing of hypotheses that could not be investigated directly in a laboratory setting.

Consequently, computational neuroscience has paved the way for new technologies capable of, for instance, predicting epileptic seizures and restoring movement in paralyzed individuals. Furthermore, it inspires new breakthroughs in computing, artificial intelligence, robotics, and intelligent systems.

A complex system...The human brain is composed of billions of neurons interconnected by trillions of synapses. Each neuron receives signals (both electrical and chemical) from hundreds of others simultaneously. When these signals accumulate and cross a certain threshold, the neuron fires an electrical impulse to transmit its message. This communication occurs at the synapses: the sending neuron releases neurotransmitters that fit into receptors like a key in a lock.

One of the most fascinating characteristics of this system is its ability to reorganize itself. Frequently used connections strengthen, while inactive ones weaken. This mechanism—known as synaptic plasticity—is what allows us to learn and form memories. Although individual neurons perform relatively simple tasks, their collective interaction gives rise to sophisticated behaviors, such as recognizing faces, experiencing fear, and planning a trip. Simulated brains... To study all this complexity, computational neuroscientists create digital simulators that mimic the behavior of neurons and neural networks, supported by new software architectures. Their starting point was the groundbreaking work of British physiologists Alan Hodgkin and Andrew Huxley; in 1952, they mathematically described how a neuron fires an electrical signal—work that earned them a Nobel Prize and remains the foundation of the field to this day.

One of the most widely used digital neuron simulation models today is known as "integrate-and-fire." In this model, the neuron functions like a bucket being filled with drops of water. Each incoming signal adds a few drops. When the level exceeds a certain threshold, the bucket tips over and empties, firing its contents to other neurons. The process then begins anew. This model is computationally efficient, as it allows for the simulation of thousands of neurons simultaneously.

One of the most ambitious research initiatives in this field today is the Blue Brain Project in Switzerland, which seeks to digitally reconstruct sections of the rat cortex with immense biological detail. Even so, the result still represents only a tiny fraction of what a real brain does.

Simulating the 86 billion human neurons and their 100 trillion connections remains far beyond the capabilities of current technology. Consequently, scientists work with varying levels of abstraction, selecting the appropriate level of detail needed to answer each specific question that arises.

The inspiration for modern AI...The relationship between computational neuroscience and artificial intelligence is a two-way street. Back in the 1940s, neurophysiologist Warren McCulloch and cognitive scientist Walter Pitts created the first abstract model of an artificial neuron, directly inspired by the biological neuron.

Decades later, by stacking layers of these artificial units, scientists developed computational models of artificial neural networks. This is the foundation of deep learning, which drives technologies such as speech recognition, medical imaging, and language models.

The comparison also revealed significant differences: the brain learns from very few examples and consumes about 20 watts—less than a light bulb. In contrast, training a large AI model can consume as much energy as hundreds of households over the course of several days. Understanding how the brain achieves such efficiency remains one of the field's major questions. The answer could transform the way we build artificial intelligence.

Healthcare applications...In practice, this research is already changing lives. In experiments using brain-computer interfaces (i.e., with sensors implanted in the brain), completely paralyzed individuals have managed to control robotic arms simply by thinking about moving. Although the movements lack speed and precision, they demonstrate that regaining function is feasible, even years after a central nervous system injury.

Some computational models can already identify brain patterns signaling the onset of an epileptic seizure, providing minutes or even hours of advance warning. For those with drug-resistant epilepsy, such a warning can significantly improve their daily routine and autonomy.

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TECH

Russia uses "shadow fleet" to spy on military bases in Europe

Tensions between Russia and the West have reached a new, alarming level. A recent report by the International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS) revealed that the Kremlin has been spying on Europe in a manner that is, to say the least, both ingenious and unsettling.

For months, Moscow utilized its controversial "shadow fleet"—commercial vessels and oil tankers with their tracking systems turned off—to launch and retrieve surveillance drones. This ghost fleet acted as a veritable invisible aircraft carrier, operating in international waters right under the noses of European authorities.

Most concerning of all is the demonstrated ineffectiveness of NATO's air defenses. Throughout this Russian campaign, not a single one of these devices was shot down or captured, exposing a strategic vulnerability that Europe must address urgently.

IISS experts conducted an in-depth analysis of this covert operation, which took place between August 2024 and February 2026. During this eighteen-month period, Russian drones violated the airspace of 12 NATO countries as well as Ireland, roaming freely over sensitive infrastructure. It is deeply unsettling to realize that European nations failed to mount an adequate response to this constant provocation.

Sites of critical importance were among the primary targets monitored by the drones. The devices flew over bases housing nuclear weaponry, such as RAF Lakenheath in the UK and the nuclear submarine base at Île Longue in France. Furthermore, the disruptions extended to civil aviation, forcing the temporary closure of airports in Copenhagen and other locations across the continent.

A tactic to test NATO's limits... As you might imagine, the choice of small, slow-moving drones was no accident on the part of Russian intelligence services (GRU). Flying at low altitudes, these low-cost assets easily confuse traditional radar systems, which often mistake them for birds or mere background noise.

Since European air defenses were designed primarily to intercept fast missiles and supersonic fighter jets, dealing with this threat has proven to be a real challenge. This meticulous campaign allowed Russia to gather crucial data and achieve several strategic objectives:

Mapping NATO air defense vulnerabilities in detail.

Monitoring European nuclear deterrence infrastructure and logistical movements.

Testing military response times in a genuine "reconnaissance-by-fire" scenario.

Assessing the supply routes supporting the war effort in Ukraine.

To counter this troublesome fleet, European navies have recently begun inspecting and detaining these vessels in international waters, causing a sharp drop in incursions. Nevertheless, the warning has been served, and Europe is well aware of the urgent need to modernize its anti-drone technologies to avoid being caught off guard again.

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TECH

Don't let AI shape humanity's future: UN chief

The United Nations chief called Monday for a global governance system to shape artificial intelligence for the good of humanity, warning against allowing the technology to "vibe-code" our future.

With AI advancing at "runaway speed," UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres cautioned that "an experiment is being run on our own societies, without a plan and without consent."

"That is not sustainable," he insisted, speaking in Geneva at the opening of the first Global Dialogue on AI Governance.

The two-day event is bringing together more than 4,000 participants representing governments, tech companies, academia and civil society to launch an inclusive discussion on how best to harness a technology that is already rapidly transforming our world.

"The question is whether we will shape this transformation together, or let it shape us," Guterres told the gathering.

He warned that AI systems were "no longer tools awaiting instruction."

"They are writing code, acting online and making choices with less and less human oversight," he said.

"Our institutions were built to govern machines that follow commands. They are not ready for machines that decide."

Guterres voiced concern at how AI was obscuring what is true and false.

He also warned there was a growing tendency to leave important tasks to the technology and blindly trust the results.

So-called "vibe-coding," or using AI to tell a machine what you want instead of coding it yourself, "can do wonders," he acknowledged.

"But we cannot vibe-code the truth. We cannot vibe-code the future of humanity."

Major risks...Another risk flagged by Guterres was the concentration of power in a handful of AI companies and a handful of countries. Most countries "have had no say in decisions that will shape their futures," he warned.

Countries, he said, now faced a stark choice "between governing by design and drifting by default."

The UN chief highlighted the potential of AI technologies for everything from accelerating development to improving health care and providing broader access to education.

But he insisted developments needed to be guided by several key priorities, including safety and respect for human rights, to ensure that people everywhere reap the benefits.

He called for "common methods to evaluate and verify risks" and jointly agreed standards, particularly for ensuring the safety of children accessing AI systems.

"We do not let medicine reach a child until it is proven safe. We test every toy," Guterres pointed out.

He called for an AI Child Safety Pledge, requiring companies to prove that any system accessible to children is safe and has zero tolerance for sexual abuse.

The systems must also connect any child showing signs of distress to real human support, he said.

"No child should be a guinea pig for unregulated AI," he insisted.

'Killer robots'...Boosting AI capacity and access in developing countries was also key, he said, to ensure that the existing deep digital divide does not "harden into an AI divide."

Guterres said he would urge the U.N. General Assembly to create a Global Fund for AI, "to build skills, data and affordable computing power everywhere."

General Assembly President Annalena Baerbock said it was "crystal clear" that the fund would be established but did not provide specific amounts.

"In a world with billions and trillions, money is hardly the challenge," she told reporters, adding that "the main challenge is that it's spent for the benefit of all."

The UN chief, meanwhile, said that his biggest concern revolved around AI in military settings, and in particular so-called lethal autonomous weapons systems.

"Let us call them what they are: killer robots," he said.

"Machines selecting and engaging their target and taking a life, without human control and judgment.

"That is morally repugnant ... and it must be banned by international law."

Guterres stressed the urgency of putting AI guardrails in place.

"We may be the last generation able to set the terms on which humanity and machines coexist," he said.

"The door is still open. It will not stay open long."

No concrete decisions are expected from the Geneva event, but dialogue co-chair Egriselda Lopez told reporters it would create good "foundations" for the road forward, with a second dialogue scheduled in New York next year.

© 2026 AFP

TECH

Why gen Z has turned against technology and big tech

Hundreds of people gathered in New York between late June and early July to participate in "Summer of Ludd," a series of free events teaching city residents how to live with less technology. Held primarily in Tompkins Square Park in the East Village, the festival featured workshops, plays, and discussions on reducing reliance on mobile phones, social media, and artificial intelligence.

Photography, recording, and the use of mobile phones were prohibited during the activities, and none of the events were advertised online; instead, promotion relied on posters and flyers distributed throughout the neighborhood. This report comes from the American magazine *WIRED*.

The festival's name alludes to Luddism, a movement of artisans and weavers who, in the early 19th century, resisted the replacement of their labor by machines during England's Industrial Revolution. Today, the term "Luddite" has resurfaced to describe those who question technology's central role in daily life, even without rejecting it entirely.

Dissatisfaction among a generation raised online...The movement has attracted primarily young people from Generation Z—the first generation to grow up entirely in the digital age. A Pew Research Center survey released in 2025 shows that 48% of American teens interviewed in 2024 stated that social media has a negative impact on people their age, up from 32% in 2022.

A highlight of the program was the play *Luddite Recreations*, which retells the history of the Luddite movement to an audience of around 300 people. The schedule also included hands-on workshops, such as an amateur radio class and walks designed for "flirting without dating apps." An organization called the School of Radical Attention—dedicated to discussing the effects of digital platforms on human attention—also participated in the activities. The festival organizers prefer to remain anonymous and address the public through a puppet named Gowanus—a sort of blue-cloth spokesperson. According to Gowanus, the group consists of "organizers with no formal affiliation who noticed similar issues regarding isolation and over-reliance on big tech companies," and they began planning "Summer of Ludd" in January.

"We believe the event is a vehicle for social change, where people can meet in physical space," Gowanus stated. "When we try to organize online, Mark Zuckerberg’s eyes and Silicon Valley’s fingers are all over the sacred interactions of our lives."

Participants interviewed by WIRED shared personal experiences regarding stepping away from screens. Student Staoue, who preferred not to give her last name, said she became interested in the subject after switching from computer science to the humanities. According to her, the fast pace imposed by technology drives people to scroll through screens as a way to cope with stress, when they could instead be learning a language or a new hobby.

Meanwhile, 20-year-old Mara McGuire highlighted the value of direct contact with others. "What interested me most was the emphasis on human connection and gaining new perspectives by going out into the world," she said.

A former employee of a major tech company, who asked not to be identified for fear of retaliation, reported quitting his job after company leadership began encouraging non-technical staff to write code using artificial intelligence tools and deploy that code into production. He described the practice as a cause for concern for those working in systems security.

A broader movement rejecting technology...The New York festival is part of a wider trend of rejecting certain uses of technology. Dating apps are losing ground to in-person meetups—such as those organized by running clubs—according to a report by Forbes. Graduation speeches extolling artificial intelligence have also been met with boos from students at recent ceremonies in the United States.

According to Andrew Maynard, a professor of advanced technology transitions at Arizona State University, the original Luddite movement was driven by labor concerns rather than a blanket rejection of technology. Even so, he acknowledges that the term's current usage aptly describes those who resist technology's encroachment on their autonomy. However, the researcher believes such movements are unlikely to significantly alter people's day-to-day behavior.

Damian Thomas, the developer behind Unplatform—a site that aggregates alternatives to social media—took part in the festival's activities and noted that his professional background drew him to the subject. In his view, just as 19th-century Luddites relied on machines controlled by third parties, today's technology also concentrates power in the hands of a few companies. According to Thomas, most people won't abandon social media overnight, but they can adopt habits and tools that gradually reduce that dependency.

"We are where public opinion is," Thomas said, summarizing the movement's reach among those who did not directly participate in the festival.

Gen Z is leading a pushback against technology because they are seeking to regain control over their attention, mental health, and privacy. Having grown up immersed in the digital world, they are deeply aware of algorithmic manipulation, the pressure of social media performance, and the threat of artificial intelligence to human creativity and job security.

Digital fatigue and burnout: Young people report exhaustion from the constant A/B testing, metrics-driven validation, and performative curation popularized by older millennials.

Mental health concerns: Extensive research shows constant connectivity degrades mental health and shortens attention spans. Gen Z has grown increasingly critical of the platforms they use, with Pew Research noting a massive jump in teens stating social media has a negative effect.

The "dumbphone" trend: Seeking relief from constant notifications and toxic algorithms, many Gen Zers are voluntarily downgrading to basic, feature-limited "dumbphones". The resurgence of single-use devices like film cameras, standalone MP3 players, and paper planners is part of a broader shift toward digital minimalism.

Job displacement fears: The rapid push for AI automation has sparked major anxieties about the future of entry-level jobs and the stability of the modern workforce.

Erosion of authenticity: Young people fear that AI is eroding the quality of real human interaction and flooding the internet with low-quality, fabricated content.

Workplace resistance: A significant portion of Gen Z employees are deeply distrustful of corporate AI initiatives. Surveys have revealed that many deliberately resist or subvert their company's AI integration to protest job displacement and the paradoxical increase in their workload

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