Axios Co-Founders' New Book 'Simplify' Promotes AI Use — SkimNews
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- Mike Allen, Jim VandeHei, and Roy Schwartz released a new book titled "Simplify" on Tuesday, positioning AI as a tool to help readers cut distractions and boost personal and professional life.
- Jim VandeHei said the trio developed the "Simplify" concept over the last two and a half years after applying it to Axios operations and then to their own lives, which prompted them to write the book.
- The book uses a "confront, delete, amplify" framework illustrated with personal anecdotes, including VandeHei's daily dedicated gym hour, Allen unlearning lengthy writing habits from his Politico "Playbook" days, Schwartz using his dyslexia to break down complex topics, and Rachel Maddow explaining her all-black wardrobe.
- Axios publicly described AI as a "moonshot" for company growth days after laying off 11 staffers in March, and publisher Nick Johnston drew mockery for admitting he used AI to discuss "The Last of the Mohicans" while reading the hardcover classic.
- The co-founders warn about "slop" — both human and AI-generated — interfering with goals, recommending AI agents for tasks like clearing calendars and questioning whether a task is even necessary.
- The book ends with a QR code linking to an AI agent that holds readers accountable to the "Simplify" mantra, with Schwartz noting that AI "doesn't care" about enforcing that discipline.
Why it matters: The book extends Axios's "Smart Brevity" branding into a consumer-facing AI self-help product, complete with a QR code linking to an accountability agent. Its publication arrives shortly after Axios laid off 11 staffers in March while publicly betting on AI as a "moonshot" growth driver — a tension the authors do not directly address.
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