A new AI beat is coming to The New York Times Science desk. Cade Metz will lead coverage of artificial intelligence’s impact on scientific research and discovery.
The New York Times is expanding its Science desk with a dedicated artificial intelligence beat, a move that reflects the growing influence of AI across scientific research and editorial operations. Cade Metz, who has reported on emerging technologies for The Times since 2017, will take on this new role, focusing on how AI is reshaping scientific discovery and the broader knowledge landscape.
Metz’s transition comes as AI technologies increasingly drive breakthroughs in fields ranging from data analysis to experimental design. The Times leadership said the Science desk needed a reporter focused solely on AI, given its transformative role in enabling new connections and discoveries that were previously out of reach for researchers. The desk aims to cover both the achievements and the ongoing challenges of AI with the same rigor applied to other scientific advances.
Since joining The Times, Metz has covered the evolution of neural networks, G.P.U. chips, and the infrastructure powering AI’s rapid development. His early reporting included a Sunday Business cover story on next-generation data centers and coverage of the first large language models, which later led to mainstream tools like ChatGPT. In 2026, Metz has already published stories on AI’s ability to generate new ideas, the uneven pace of AI progress, and a scoop on a new company from Amazon founder Jeff Bezos focused on accelerating hardware and spacecraft development through AI.
James Kerstetter, deputy editor on the Tech team, credited Metz with making the AI story accessible to readers outside Silicon Valley, noting his deep relationships with researchers and broad knowledge across sports, music, and movies. Metz has also reported extensively on quantum computing, a topic he will continue to cover from the Science desk.
Before joining The Times, Metz wrote for Wired in San Francisco. His 2021 book, “Genius Makers: The Mavericks Who Brought AI to Google, Facebook, and the World,” chronicled the decades-long development of AI technologies. In 2024, Metz led an investigation into how OpenAI, Google, and Meta collected internet data to train their AI systems, and contributed to a Loeb Award-winning feature on Elon Musk’s dominance in satellite internet.
Metz will remain based in the San Francisco bureau, with his first day on the Science desk set for Monday. The move underscores The Times’s commitment to in-depth coverage of AI’s impact on science and society. For a broader look at how AI is transforming editorial workflows and newsroom operations, see this analysis of AI’s influence on news production and distribution.
