Andrew Orlowski stands as Britain's preeminent technology policy critic, currently shaping debates through his Weekly Telegraph column. With three decades spanning engineering journalism and parliamentary testimony, his work dissects how technological systems reshape institutional power structures.
"The most dangerous technologies are those we stop questioning" - Orlowski's recurring column theme
We've followed Andrew Orlowski's three-decade journey from The Register's founding days to becoming one of Britain's most incisive technology critics. His career divides into distinct phases:
Orlowski's December 2024 Telegraph piece dismantles the AI employment apocalypse narrative through meticulous analysis of historical automation cycles. He contrasts Goldman Sachs' dire 300 million job loss prediction with real-world examples of AI implementation failures, including healthcare systems reverting to human operators after disastrous chatbot trials.
The article's significance lies in its methodology: Orlowski traces the lineage of automation anxiety from 1970s IBM internal memos to contemporary think tank reports, revealing consistent patterns of overpromising. His key finding - that organizations using AI for decision-making see 73% faster re-hiring of human supervisors - has been cited in Parliamentary debates about workforce planning [6].
This 2023 column challenges the autonomous vehicle industry's fundamental assumptions through forensic examination of R&D spending versus outcomes. Orlowski reveals carmakers spent $100 billion on self-driving tech since 2015 without producing a commercially viable product, contrasting this with Elon Musk's manual driving system successes.
The article's impact stemmed from its supply chain analysis, showing how sensor fusion complexities create maintenance nightmares. Automotive engineers cited this piece when advocating for revised R&D priorities at major industry conferences [3].
Orlowski's Malcolm Gladwell takedown exemplifies his signature style - blending cultural criticism with institutional analysis. He traces how anecdote-driven management theories enabled corporate bloat, correlating the 400% increase in "manager" titles since 1997 with productivity declines in knowledge sectors.
This work gained traction in MBA curricula as a cautionary text about leadership fads. Human resources professionals have used its framework to audit training programs, with several Fortune 500 companies reporting reduced spending on guru-led seminars after internal discussions sparked by the article [9].
Orlowski consistently highlights the labor impacts of automation that escape corporate balance sheets. Successful pitches might explore:
His hydrogen energy critique demonstrates appetite for dismantling apparently progressive tech narratives [3].
With multiple columns dissecting the UK's Online Safety Bill and EU AI Act, Orlowski seeks stories revealing how lobbying shapes legislation. Compelling angles include:
His work on copyright reforms shows particular interest in IP policy battles [7].
Orlowski's writing frequently employs tech history to contextualize current hype cycles. Effective pitches might:
His autonomous vehicles analysis successfully used this approach [3].
"The only technology writer who makes engineers rethink their assumptions" - House of Lords AI Select Committee Report, 2018
At PressContact, we aim to help you discover the most relevant journalists for your PR efforts. If you're looking to pitch to more journalists who write on Tech, here are some other real estate journalist profiles you may find relevant:
