Ross Douthat gets the Andy Rooney spot in first episode of nü-60 Minutes

After a period of staff changes and internal struggles, 60 Minutes returned for its 59th season last night. As expected, the show included hidden camera footage, a long-standing feature of the program that was repurposed for a segment about purchasing pardons from the White House. The show also featured a piece on an Air Force member who was shot down over Iran, including an interview with Pete Hegseth, who reportedly advocated for the story to be included. Additionally, the episode covered Los Angeles Rams head coach Sean McVay.

The episode concluded with a perspective from Ross Douthat, a former opinion columnist at The New York Times who now contributes to 60 Minutes. Douthat, in his final remarks, discussed the current state of artificial intelligence (AI). He noted that "we'll be chasing a lot of stories this season, but right now, no story looms larger than the latest developments in AI."

Douthat highlighted AI's computational strengths while also addressing concerns raised by a former AI researcher who warned about potential dangers associated with the technology's advancement. He cautioned that "you don't have to believe that prophecy, but you should believe this: We may have a narrow window, this year, not the next ten, to make artificial intelligence safe for humanity."

Douthat then emphasized the urgency of the issue, stating, "That clock is ticking, and so is ours. For almost 60 years, it has meant the same thing: Journalism you can trust. Where we're heading, we're going to need it." It remains to be seen whether viewers believe that 60 Minutes continues to be the platform for such critical journalism.