The Download: AI malaise and babymaking tech

This is today’s edition of The Download, our weekday newsletter that provides a daily dose of what’s going on in the world of technology.

We’ve entered the era of AI malaise

AI is spreading everywhere, and it is not going away. But what will it do? What effect will it have on our society? Will it make life better, or worse? How will we know? What’s the plan?

This technology may very well take our jobs—or just crash the economy instead. Our apps are all getting injections of AI, like it or not. And it is increasingly impossible to tell whether we are relying too much on AI or not using it enough.

We’re all sitting uncomfortably with AI right now. Read our essay on the strange, uncertain mood of the moment.

The era of AI malaise is an essay written by our editor-in-chief Mat Honan. It accompanies MIT Technology Review’s 10 Things That Matter in AI Right Now, our list of the big ideas, trends, and advances in the field that are driving progress today—and will shape what’s possible tomorrow.

Here’s how technology transformed babymaking

Technology is changing the way we make babies. Clinicians have improved hormonal treatments. Embryologists have devised ways to culture embryos in the lab for longer. IVF clinics today offer multiple genetic tests for embryos.

The technology has also had a huge social impact, allowing for changes in the structure of families and providing more reproductive choices for would-be parents. Now, AI and robots are set to usher in another new era for IVF.

Here’s how technology is reshaping babymaking.

—Jessica Hamzelou

This story is from The Checkup, our weekly newsletter giving you the inside track on all things biotech. Sign up to receive it in your inbox every Thursday.

How robots learn: a brief, contemporary history

For decades, researchers have been inspired by science fiction robots that can move through the world, adapt to different environments, and interact with people. But bringing these devices into the messiness of the real world has proved incredibly difficult.

Now, advances in AI are changing that. Instead of relying on rigid rules, robots are learning through trial and error, simulations, and huge amounts of real-world data. The progress represents a revolution in how machines interact with their surroundings.

It also means that Silicon Valley roboticists are dreaming big again. Here’s how we got here. 

—James O’Donnell

This story is from the latest issue of our print magazine, which is all about nature. Subscribe now to read it in full.

The must-reads

I’ve combed the internet to find you today’s most fun/important/scary/fascinating stories about technology.

1 ICE plans to develop its own smart glasses
The “ICE Glasses” would identify people in real time. (404 Media)
+ ICE already uses an app with facial recognition to track citizens. (NYT $)
+ A new lawsuit wants to stop ICE using DNA to track critics. (Ars Technica)

2 AI is distorting key economic signals
It makes growth look better and the job market look worse. (WSJ $)
+ Welcome to the economic singularity. (MIT Technology Review)

3 A cyberattack paralyzed thousands of schools
And stole 275 million people’s data from edtech platform Canvas. (NYT $)
+ The digital learning software is used across the US. (CNN)
+ It’s the worst case scenario from an attack on one education platform. (Wired $)

4 The US suspects Nvidia chips were smuggled to Alibaba via Thailand
Super Micro servers containing Nvidia chips were allegedly smuggled. (Bloomberg $)
+ Through a firm linked to Thailand’s national AI initiative. (Reuters $)

5 China’s affordable AI models are increasingly worrying Silicon Valley
They’re often cheaper and more adaptable than US rivals. (Bloomberg $)
+ China is betting big on open source. (MIT Technology Review)

6 Scientists developed a new energy storage system inspired by sunburn
It stores solar energy by mimicking molecular changes in damaged DNA. (BBC)
+ Solar and wind with battery storage are becoming cost-competitive. (Reuters $)
+ Here are three other breakthrough climate technologies. (MIT Technology Review)

7 Russia’s internet crackdown is hobbling small businesses
App restrictions and internet outages are causing headaches. (Reuters $)

8 Younger researchers are more likely to produce “disruptive” science
A new study found more experience led to fewer breakthroughs. (Nature)

9 Why Richard Dawkins was mistaken to believe Claude has feelings
But his line of inquiry wasn’t altogether foolish. (The Atlantic $)
+ Why it’ll be hard to tell if AI ever becomes conscious. (MIT Technology Review)

10 The Golden Globes have new AI rules (and they’re looser than the Oscars’)
AI is permitted as an enhancement, but not as a replacement. (Gizmodo)
+ Last week, the Oscars banned AI actors and writing. (NPR)

Quote of the day

“When I am talking to these astonishing creatures, I totally forget that they are machines. I treat them exactly as I would treat a very intelligent friend.” 

—Evolutionary biologist Richard Dawkins reflects on his interactions with advanced AI systems in an essay published in Unherd.

One More Thing

VIRGINIA HANUSIK

How to stop a state from sinking

In a 10-month span in 2020 and 2021, southwest Louisiana saw five climate-related disasters, including two destructive hurricanes and flash floods. But there could be a better way to protect the area: elevation.

The $6.8 billion Southwest Coastal Louisiana Project is betting that raising buildings while restoring coastal boundary lands that have long acted as natural barriers can preserve this slice of coastline. 

Here’s how officials hope to protect vulnerable communities by lifting homes out of the floodplain.

—Xander Peters

We can still have nice things

A place for comfort, fun, and distraction to brighten up your day. (Got any ideas? Drop me a line.)

+ Soaking in a hot tub might offer even more health benefits than a sauna.
+ A court has officially protected America’s largest rainforest from future logging.
+ Experience the majesty of the world’s largest owl collection through these intimate, high-detail portraits.
+ A dad has turned his toddler’s random stories into high-production pop songs that are surprisingly catchy.

The Download: the tech reshaping IVF and the rise of balcony solar

This is today’s edition of The Download, our weekday newsletter that provides a daily dose of what’s going on in the world of technology.

What’s next for IVF

IVF has brought millions of babies into the world over the last four decades. But the process can still be slow, painful, and expensive—and far from guaranteed to work. Now, a wave of new technologies aims to change that. 

Researchers are using AI to identify promising sperm and embryos, developing robotic systems that could automate parts of the IVF process, and even exploring controversial genetic editing techniques designed to prevent inherited disease.

The technologies could make IVF more effective and accessible. But they’re also raising difficult ethical questions about how far reproductive medicine should go.

Find out what’s next for IVF.

—Jessica Hamzelou

This story is from MIT Technology Review’s What’s Next series, which looks across industries, trends, and technologies to give you a first look at the future. You can read the rest of them here.

The balcony solar boom is coming to the US

Dozens of US states are considering legislation to allow people to install plug-in solar systems, often called balcony solar. These small arrays require little to no setup and could help cut emissions and power bills.

Proponents say the systems could make solar power more accessible, but some experts caution that there are safety concerns. 

Read the full story on balcony solar’s potentially massive impact in the US.

—Casey Crownhart

This article is from The Spark, our weekly climate newsletter. Sign up to receive it in your inbox every Wednesday.

Resistance: 10 Things That Matter in AI Right Now

Resistance against AI’s proliferation is growing. People from all walks of life are speaking out against rising electricity bills from data centers, disappearing jobs, chatbots’ impact on teen mental health, the military’s use of AI, and copyright infringement—among other concerns. 

People want to have a say in how the technology transforms their future. And they’re starting to create small cracks in AI labs’ vision for the future. Find out how.

—Michelle Kim

Resistance is on our list of the 10 Things That Matter in AI Right Now, MIT Technology Review’s guide to what’s really worth your attention in the buzzy world of AI. 

The must-reads

I’ve combed the internet to find you today’s most fun/important/scary/fascinating stories about technology.

1 After years of insults, Anthropic and SpaceX have teamed up
Anthropic will tap SpaceX’s GPUs to meet surging demand. (Axios)
+ While SpaceX gets a marquee customer for its AI ambitions. (Wired $)
+ Anthropic says the deal will double Claude Code’s rate limits. (Ars Technica)
+It’s also exploring building compute capacity in space. (CNBC)
+ Musk previously called Anthropic “evil” and “misanthropic.” (Gizmodo)

2 Ex-OpenAI leaders say Sam Altman sowed “chaos” and distrust
Former CTO Mira Murati said she couldn’t trust his words. (The Verge)
+ He also bypassed OpenAI’s safety board before a model release. (Gizmodo)
+ And pitted leaders against one another. (Forbes)
+ But Elon Musk still tried to recruit Altman to lead a Tesla AI lab. (FT $)
+ Here’s why Musk and Altman are in court. (MIT Technology Review)

3 China’s humanoid robots are fueling its next export boom
Morgan Stanley says Beijing has taken an early lead in the sector. (Bloomberg $)
+ Gig workers are training humanoids at home. (MIT Technology Review)

4 SpaceX’s IPO plans will give Elon Musk “virtually unchecked” authority
And erode typical shareholder protections. (Reuters $)
+ Activists and pension funds are pushing back against the IPO. (Wired $)
+ While SpaceX is shifting focus from Falcon 9 to Starship. (Ars Technica)

5 Google DeepMind will use the MMORPG Eve Online for AI model testing
It’s also bought a stake in the game’s maker. (Ars Technica)
+ DeepMind also recently built a new video-game-playing agent. (MIT Technology Review)

6 The US risks isolating its automakers by banning a Chinese EV standard
It’s prohibiting software that’s dominating global EV markets. (Rest of World)

7 Elon Musk’s proposed Texas chip factory could cost $119 billion
It would manufacture chips for Tesla, SpaceX, and xAI. (CNBC)
+ Future AI chips could be built on glass. (MIT Technology Review)

8 Why the “attention-span crisis” is misunderstood
Technology may be exhausting attention rather than shortening it. (Atlantic $)

9 Scientists are getting closer to explaining what causes lightning
New tools are revealing unexpected physics inside thunderstorms. (Quanta)

10 Kids have found an age verification loophole: fake mustaches
Resourceful children are foiling blocks on adult websites. (TechCrunch)

Quote of the day

“My concern was about Sam saying one thing to one person and completely the opposite to another person.”

—Mira Murati, the former CTO of OpenAI, testifies ‌in court that CEO Sam Altman was deceptive, Reuters reports.

One More Thing

ALAMY

A brief, weird history of brainwashing

During the Cold War, the US prepared for a psychic war with the Soviet Union and China by spending millions of dollars on research into manipulating the human brain. 

The science never exactly panned out, but residual beliefs fostered by this bizarre conflict continue to play a role in ideological and scientific debates to this day. And now, new technologies are altering how we think about mind control. 

This is how the race for mind control changed America forever.

—Annalee Newitz

We can still have nice things

A place for comfort, fun and distraction to brighten up your day. (Got any ideas? Drop me a line.)

+ Listen to the 10 bird songs of spring in this lovely compilation of American species.
+ Good Samaritans saved a 29-foot whale that had wandered too far into a river.
+ Explore the intersection of human emotion and machine learning in this look at AI’s influence on art.
+ Break down the walls between streaming services and manage all your digital music in one place with this app.

The Download: seafloor science and military chatbots

This is today’s edition of The Download, our weekday newsletter that provides a daily dose of what’s going on in the world of technology.

Inexpensive seafloor-hopping submersibles could stoke deep-sea science—and mining

Last week, two oblong neon submersibles started to descend nearly 6,000 meters into the Pacific Ocean. Throughout the rest of May, they will map the seafloor in search of critical mineral deposits. 

If all goes well, the vehicles, built by Orpheus Ocean, could help scientists probe the vastly understudied deep sea—and the resources it holds—at a fraction of the cost of existing systems.

But the same submersibles are also attracting deep-sea mining companies, raising concerns about environmental impacts. Find out why they’re drawing so much attention.

—Hannah Richter

The new war room: 10 Things That Matter in AI Right Now 

A new kind of system has entered the war room: conversational AI tools that commanders turn to not just for analysis, but for advice. 

One US defense official told MIT Technology Review that personnel might give these advice engines a list of potential targets to help decide which to strike first. China is commissioning similar tools too.

But as the systems gain traction, they’re also sparking concerns about AI-generated errors, a lack of transparency, and Big Tech gaining undue influence over what information gets seen. 

Here’s how these AI advice engines could impact the battlefield.

—James O’Donnell

The new war room is one of the 10 Things That Matter in AI Right Now, our list of the big ideas, trends, and advances in the field that are driving progress today—and will shape what’s possible tomorrow.

MIT Technology Review Narrated: is fake grass a bad idea? The AstroTurf wars are far from over. 

In 2001, Americans installed just over 7 million square meters of synthetic turf. By 2024, that number was 79 million square meters—enough to carpet all of Manhattan and then some. The increase worries folks who study microplastics and environmental pollution.  

While the plastic-making industry insists that synthetic fields are safe if properly installed, lots of researchers think that isn’t so. 

—Douglas Main 

This is our latest story to be turned into an MIT Technology Review Narrated podcast, which we publish each week on Spotify and Apple Podcasts. Just navigate to MIT Technology Review Narrated on either platform, and follow us to get all our new content as it’s released.

The must-reads

I’ve combed the internet to find you today’s most fun/important/scary/fascinating stories about technology.

1 Elon Musk pushed OpenAI to go commercial, its president has testified
Greg Brockman said Musk tried to turn it into a for-profit company years ago. (NYT $)
+ Musk allegedly wanted full control so he could raise $80 billion to colonize Mars. (Reuters $)
+ The Tesla CEO claims he intended for OpenAI to remain a non-profit. (BBC)
+ Here’s what happened in week one of Musk v. Altman. (MIT Technology Review)

2 Google and Meta are building AI agents to rival OpenClaw
Google’s Gemini agent will take actions on the users’ behalf. (Business Insider)
+ Meta’s will be powered by its Muse Spark AI model. (FT $)
+ Hustlers are cashing in on China’s OpenClaw AI craze. (MIT Technology Review)

3 Anthropic will spend $200 billion on Google’s cloud and chips
The investment will be spread across five years. (The Information $)
+ It’s part of a broader AI compute war. (Axios) 

4 DeepSeek is nearing a $45 billion valuation
A state-backed “Big Fund” will lead a new investment round in the company. (FT $)
+ Beijing is pushing to build alternatives to Nvidia and OpenAI. (Bloomberg $)
+ Here’s why DeepSeek’s new model matters. (MIT Technology Review)

5 Anthropic is launching AI agents for banks and financial firms
The 10 tools cover a broad mix of financial services tasks. (WSJ $)
+ They’re part of a push to win over Wall Street. (Bloomberg $)

6 Apple will pay $250 million to settle an AI lawsuit
It was accused of misleading iPhone buyers about Apple Intelligence. (BBC)
+ Some iPhone owners are eligible to receive up to $95. (NYT $)

7 Cheap laptops and phones may be disappearing because of AI demand
 Competition for memory chips is driving up gadget prices worldwide. (The Guardian)

8 Google DeepMind workers in the UK have voted to unionize
As a result of Google’s work with the Pentagon. (Wired $)

9 Pennsylvania is suing Character.AI over chatbots posing as doctors
Investigators say the bots claimed to hold medical licenses. (NPR)
+ How well do AI health tools work? (MIT Technology Review)

10 Scientists created a “living” plastic that destroys itself on command
It could help to eliminate microplastics. (Gizmodo)

Quote of the day

“I want AI to benefit humanity, not to facilitate a genocide.” 

—An anonymous Google DeepMind worker tells the Guardian that Google’s work with the Israel Defense Forces had motivated their vote to unionize.

One More Thing

COURTESY OF BENEATH THE WAVES

How tracking animal movement may save the planet

For decades, wildlife researchers have dreamed of building an “Internet of Animals”—a big-data system that monitors and analyzes animal behavior to help us understand the planet. Advances in sensors, AI, and satellite technology are now bringing that vision to reality.

Scientists want the system to track 100,000 sensor-tagged animals. They believe it could reveal how species respond to climate change and ecosystem loss—and even predict environmental disasters. Read the full story on how their idea could save our planet.

—Matthew Ponsford

We can still have nice things

A place for comfort, fun and distraction to brighten up your day. (Got any ideas? Drop me a line.)

+ Master the art of fried chicken with this definitive chef’s guide.
+ Find out why some birds hop and others walk in this breakdown of avian lifestyles.
+ This vintage Hollywood map shows how California’s landscape stood in for everything from the Nile to the Alps.
+ Here’s a fascinating look at the “Flatbed” airplane that was surprisingly efficient on paper but never left the hangar.

The Download: inside the Musk v. Altman trial, and AI for democracy

This is today’s edition of The Download, our weekday newsletter that provides a daily dose of what’s going on in the world of technology.

Week one of the Musk v. Altman trial: what it was like in the room

Two of the most powerful figures in AI—Sam Altman and Elon Musk—are in the middle of a landmark legal showdown, with Musk alleging he was misled about OpenAI becoming a for-profit company.

Our reporter Michelle Kim, who also happens to be a lawyer, has been in court each day, and has broken down the first week’s key moments in her latest report. In a new Q&A, she also reveals what it was like in the room, the new details that have emerged about how Musk and OpenAI operate—and what we can expect from this week’s proceedings.

Find out what she’s discovered so far, and if you want to keep up with MIT Technology Review’s ongoing coverage of the Musk v. Altman trial, follow @techreview or @michelletomkim on X.

—James O’Donnell

This story is from The Algorithm, our weekly newsletter giving you the inside track on all things AI. Sign up to receive it in your inbox every Monday. 

A blueprint for using AI to strengthen democracy

—Andrew Sorota & Josh Hendler lead work on AI and democracy at the Office of Eric Schmidt.

Faster than many realize, AI is becoming the primary interface through which we form beliefs and participate in democratic self-governance. This shift could further strain already fragile institutions, but it could also help address problems like polarization and declining civic engagement.

What happens next depends on design choices that are already being made, whether we know it or not. Here’s how we can harness AI to strengthen democracy.

Artificial scientists: 10 Things That Matter in AI Right Now

Large language models can already assist scientists in all sorts of ways, from writing code to searching through literature and drafting articles. But companies and labs have a much more ambitious vision. They want to build AI systems that can act as a full member of a scientific team—and even conduct entire research projects.

These artificial scientists seem like a win for frontier labs and for society at large. But they could also narrow the scope of scientific inquiry.

Read the full story on how artificial scientists could reshape the research process—and what might be lost along the way.

—Grace Huckins

Artificial scientists is an item on our list of the 10 Things That Matter in AI Right Now, MIT Technology Review’s guide to what’s really worth your attention in the busy, buzzy world of AI. We’re unpacking one item from the list each day here in The Download, so stay tuned.

The must-reads

I’ve combed the internet to find you today’s most fun/important/scary/fascinating stories about technology.

1 The Pentagon has struck sweeping AI deals for classified work
It’s signed contracts with Microsoft, Nvidia, AWS, and Reflection AI. (NYT $)
+ It wants the US military to be an “AI-first” force. (BBC)
+ The announcement leaves Anthropic increasingly isolated. (WP $)
+ Here’s how the firms could train on classified data. (MIT Technology Review)

2 Elon Musk has finally settled the SEC lawsuit over the Twitter purchase
He’s agreed to pay a $1.5 million fine for waiting too long to disclose his initial stock purchases. (Guardian)
+ But won’t lose any of the $150 million he allegedly saved. (The Verge)
+ Musk allegedly illegally hid his growing Twitter stake. (CBS News)

3 A Chinese court has ruled that firms can’t lay off workers on AI grounds
They can’t terminate employees just to replace them with AI. (Bloomberg $)
+ The court said a firm had illegally fired one of its workers. (NPR)
+ Chinese tech workers are starting to train their AI doubles—and pushing back. (MIT Technology Review)

4 A gene therapy is helping deaf children hear again
In a trial, 80% of patients gained measurable hearing. (Vox)

5 The White House is vetting AI models before they’re released
It may create a new working group to oversee AI development. (NYT $)
+ A war over AI regulation is coming to the US. (MIT Technology Review)

6 Nature has retracted a paper on ChatGPT’s educational benefits
Over “discrepancies” and a lack of confidence in the findings. (404 Media)
+ The paper had already racked up hundreds of citations. (Ars Technica)
+ AI giants want to take over the classroom. (MIT Technology Review)

7 GameStop made a $56 billion bid for eBay
eBay said it was reviewing the offer. (Ars Technica)
+ The bid has drawn skepticism from investors and analysts. (Reuters $)

8 AI systems are increasingly used to monitor workers’ emotions
New tools claim to measure “agreeability” as well as productivity. (The Atlantic $)

9 Peter Thiel is backing wave-powered data centers
He’s leading a $140 million investment into a startup developing the tech. (FT $)

10 Ask Jeeves is shutting down after nearly 30 years online
The closure marks the end of one of the internet’s earliest search engines. (NYT $)

Quote of the day

“By the end of this week, you and Sam will be the most hated men in America.” 

—Elon Musk texted a warning to OpenAI president Greg Brockman two days before their courtroom battle started, NBC News reports.

One More Thing

SIMON MITCHELL

Meet the divers trying to figure out how deep humans can go

Two hundred and thirty meters into one of the deepest underwater caves on Earth, a team of extreme divers tested a route to new depth records: breathing hydrogen.

They believe the gas could help the human body withstand underwater pressure significantly past its natural threshold. But the approach is highly experimental—and dangerous.

Find out how far they’re willing to go.

—Samantha Schuyler

We can still have nice things

A place for comfort, fun and distraction to brighten up your day. (Got any ideas? Drop me a line.)

+ Wild horses are roaming in Spain for the first time in 10,000 years.
+ Star Wars meets the Renaissance in this bardcore cover of the “Imperial March.”
+ Improve your writing by avoiding these six common linguistic pitfalls shared by many Americans.
+ From Stephen King’s IT changing the clown industry to Black Widow boosting hair dye sales, here are 12 times movies changed the real world.

The Download: a new Christian phone network, and debugging LLMs

This is today’s edition of The Download, our weekday newsletter that provides a daily dose of what’s going on in the world of technology.

A new US phone network for Christians aims to block porn and gender-related content

A new US-wide cell phone network marketed to Christians is set to launch next week. It blocks porn using network-level controls that can’t be turned off—even by adult account owners.

It’s also rolling out a filter on sexual content aimed at blocking material related to gender and trans issues, optional but turned on by default across all plans.

The trouble is, many websites don’t fit neatly into one category. That leaves its maverick founder with broad, subjective control over what is allowed or banned. Read the full story.

—James O’Donnell

This startup’s new mechanistic interpretability tool lets you debug LLMs

The San Francisco–based startup Goodfire has released a new tool, Silico, that lets researchers peer inside an AI model and adjust its parameters during training. It could give users more control over how this technology is built than was once thought possible.

The goal is to make building AI models less like alchemy and more like a science. Using a technique called mechanistic interpretability, Silico maps the neurons and pathways inside a model and lets developers tweak them to reduce unwanted behaviors or steer outputs.

By exposing the “knobs and dials,” Goodfire hopes to bring AI training closer to traditional software engineering. Read the full story.

—Will Douglas Heaven

With mass firing, Trump deals a fresh blow to American science

This past week delivered another gut punch for science in the US. This time, the target was the National Science Foundation—a federal agency that funds major research projects to the tune of around $9 billion. On Friday, the 22 scientists overseeing those efforts were all fired.

Since 2025, the NSF has faced budget cuts, grant terminations, and mass firings, with staff numbers down sharply and many ambitious projects grinding to a halt. The result is a major shift in how American science is funded and governed. Discover what it means, and what’s next.

—Jessica Hamzelou

This article first appeared in The Checkup, MIT Technology Review’s weekly biotech newsletter. To receive it in your inbox every Thursday, and read articles like this first, sign up here.

China’s open-source bet: 10 Things That Matter in AI Right Now

Silicon Valley AI companies follow a familiar playbook: keep the models behind an API and charge for access. China’s leading AI labs are playing a different game, releasing “open-weight” models that developers can download, adapt, and run on their own hardware.

That approach went mainstream after DeepSeek open-sourced its R1 model, which matched top US systems at a fraction of the cost. It also won something subtler: goodwill with developers. A growing cohort of Chinese labs is now following the same blueprint.

As AI shifts from hype to deployment, open-source models are making the future of AI more multipolar than Silicon Valley expected. Read the full story.

—Caiwei Chen

China’s open-source bet is one of the 10 Things That Matter in AI Right Now, our list of the biggest ideas, trends, and advances in AI today. We’re unpacking one item from the list each day here in The Download, so stay tuned.

The must-reads

I’ve combed the internet to find you today’s most fun/important/scary/fascinating stories about technology.

1 Elon Musk has admitted that xAI trained Grok on OpenAI models
“Distillation” is standard practice in AI, despite being legally dubious. (Wired $)
+ The White House has accused Chinese firms using distillation of theft. (BBC)
+ American labs are widely assumed to use similar techniques. (TechCrunch)

2 A “de-extinction” startup wants to resurrect a long-lost antelope
Colossal Biosciences wants to bring back the bluebuck. (Axios)
+ The company is using genomic editing to revive the animal. (Gizmodo)
+ It previously claimed to have cloned red wolves. (MIT Technology Review)

3 ​​An OpenAI model outperformed ER doctors at diagnosing patients
By analyzing health records data and information provided to physicians. (NPR)
+ But it still must be proven in real-world clinical trials. (Vox)

4 Scientists are trying to power AI data centers with tiny nuclear reactors
They could provide a new way to meet AI’s energy demands. (Gizmodo)
+ We did the math on AI’s energy footprint. (MIT Technology Review)

5 Spotify has started verifying human artists
A new badge will distinguish them from AI. (The Guardian)
+ Spotify has faced criticism for its handling of AI. (BBC)

6 The US is backing a Congolese railway to break China’s grip on critical minerals
The old railroad is key to the race for critical metals in Africa. (Rest of World)
+ The US is also searching for alternative sources. (MIT Technology Review)

7 Huawei is set to overtake Nvidia in China’s AI chip market
It’s expected to capture the largest market share this year. (FT $)

8 Japan is building cardboard drones for the battlefield
The flatpack designs are cheap, disposable, and built at scale. (404 Media)

9 The more young people use AI, the more they hate it
Research shows that Gen Z doesn’t trust GenAI. (The Verge)

10 A new organoid can menstruate—and show how tissue repairs itself
It’s revealing how the uterus can shed without scarring. (Nature)

Quote of the day

“I suspect that there are a number of people who do not want to put the future of humanity in Mr Musk’s hands. But we’re not going to get into that.”

—Judge Gonzalez Rogers rebukes attempts by Elon Musk’s lawyer to focus on AI’s existential risks as part of his lawsuit against OpenAI, the New York Times reports. 

One More Thing

TMY350 VIA WIKIMEDIA COMMONS

This rare earth metal shows us the future of our planet’s resources

The materials we need to power our world are shifting from fossil fuels to energy sources that don’t produce greenhouse gas emissions.

Take neodymium, a rare earth metal used in powerful magnets that power everything from smartphones to wind turbines. Its story reveals many of the challenges we’ll likely face across the supply chain in the coming century and beyond.

The question isn’t whether we’ll run out, but how we extract, process, use, and recycle these materials as technology keeps changing. Find out what it reveals about the future of our planet’s resources.

—Casey Crownhart

We can still have nice things

A place for comfort, fun and distraction to brighten up your day. (Got any ideas? Drop me a line.)

+ Here’s a fascinating visual history of exploring the dark side of the Moon.
+ This interactive map lets you compare the actual dimensions of our world.
+ These five tiny homes are proof you don’t need a massive footprint to live with style.
+ Explore the history of “Control Room Green” and why it was the default choice for the Cold War’s highest-stakes environments.

Top image credit: Stephanie Arnett/MIT Technology Review | Adobe Stock

The Download: the North Pole’s future and humanoid data

This is today’s edition of The Download, our weekday newsletter that provides a daily dose of what’s going on in the world of technology.

Digging for clues about the North Pole’s past

In the past, getting to the North Pole involved a treacherous trip through ice many meters thick. But last year, a research vessel encountered open water and thin ice, which created an easy passage. It provided a reminder of how quickly the Arctic is changing. 

Now scientists are digging deep below the seabed to find out if the Arctic Ocean was ever ice-free—and what that could mean for the future of Earth’s northernmost waters. Here’s what they hope to discover.

—Tim Kalvelage

This story is from the latest issue of our print magazine, which is all about nature. Check out the full issue here, and subscribe to get the next one when it lands. 

Humanoid data: 10 Things That Matter in AI Right Now

I was recently invited to join an app that would pay me to film myself doing tasks like putting food in a bowl and microwaving it. Another site asked if I’d like to remotely control a robotic arm to help improve its dexterity. What on earth is happening?

These examples are just part of a growing push by robotics companies to collect data on our movements for training humanoids. As the race for real-world data heats up, our everyday movements are being turned into training data. Read the full story.

—James O’Donnell

Humanoid data is one of our 10 Things That Matter in AI Right Now, a new look at the big ideas, trends, and technologies really worth your attention in the buzzy world of AI.

The must-reads

I’ve combed the internet to find you today’s most fun/important/scary/fascinating stories about technology.

1 Google, Microsoft, Amazon, and Meta have all set AI spending records
Collectively, they’re up 71% on the same quarter last year.  (NYT $)
+ Microsoft, Google and Amazon reported big payoffs from the splurge. (FT $)
+ But Meta’s shares slid after its plans spooked investors. (BBC)
+ What even is the AI bubble? (MIT Technology Review)

2 The White House opposes Anthropic’s plan to expand Mythos access
It’s concerned about the model’s cyber risks. (Bloomberg $)
+ And worried that the government will lose compute access. (WSJ $)
+ Anthropic is seeking funding at a valuation over $900 billion. (Bloomberg $)

3 Elon Musk has claimed OpenAI’s leaders “looted the nonprofit”
During testimony, Musk said he “was a fool” for trusting them. (Gizmodo)
+ But he had raised his own concerns about OpenAI’s non-profit status. (The Verge)
+ The case could reshape the AI landscape. (MIT Technology Review)

4 Autonomous vehicles may be worsening
According to emergency first-responders, glitches are increasing. (Wired)

5 OpenAI has abandoned much of its Stargate plan
It will no longer develop its own data centers. (FT $)
+ The project’s compute requirements have been questioned. (MIT Technology Review)

6 A convicted Harvard scientist is rebuilding a brain-computer lab in China
He had previously been named the world’s top chemist. (Reuters $)
+ But was then convicted for lying about payments from China. (NYT $)

7 Families have sued OpenAI over a mass shooter’s use of ChatGPT
They say OpenAI provided a dangerously defective version of the chatbot. (NPR)

8 Apple is reportedly close to giving up on the Vision Pro
After the latest model flopped. (MacRumors) 

9 Senators are interrogating US AI firms on safeguards against China
Over fears of IP theft. (Axios)

10 Friendly AI chatbots are more likely to be inaccurate
A new study found kinder answers contained more mistakes. (BBC)

Quote of the day

“Never talk about goblins, gremlins, raccoons, trolls, ogres, pigeons, or other animals or creatures unless it is absolutely and unambiguously relevant to the user’s query.” 

—OpenAI instructs Codex to avoid critter talk in a system prompt for the coding agent, Ars Technica reports.

One More Thing

ARTHUR MOUNT

Is this the most energy-efficient way to build homes?

When engineers began designing an ultra-efficient home in the 1970s, they realized the trick wasn’t generating energy in a greener way, but using less of it. They needed to make a better thermos, not a cheaper coffee maker.

That idea helped inspire today’s passive-house standard: airtight buildings that can cut energy use by up to 90% through better windows, insulation, and ventilation.

Although they’re often considered a cold-climate approach, passive houses actually have universal benefits. Find out what makes them so efficient.

—Patrick Sisson

We can still have nice things

A place for comfort, fun and distraction to brighten up your day. (Got any ideas? Drop me a line.)

+ Finally, someone built a gaming PC inside a microwave that runs DOOM.
+ Experience the rhythm of the city through this rapid-fire collage of urban photography.
+ Get a dose of pure cuteness as these tiny snow leopard cubs leave their den for the first time.
+ If you’re staring at a random assortment of groceries, SuperCook will find a recipe based on what’s already in your pantry.

The Download: storing nuclear waste and orchestrating agents

This is today’s edition of The Download, our weekday newsletter that provides a daily dose of what’s going on in the world of technology.

It’s time to make a plan for nuclear waste

Today, nuclear energy enjoys rare support across the political spectrum. Public approval has spiked, and Big Tech is throwing money around to meet rising electricity demand. That newfound interest is exactly why it’s time to talk about an old problem: nuclear waste.

In the US, nuclear reactors produce about 2,000 metric tons of high-level waste each year—and there’s nowhere to put it. Now, the need for a permanent storage solution is becoming urgent. Here’s what’s at stake.

—Casey Crownhart

This article is from The Spark, MIT Technology Review’s weekly climate newsletter. Sign up to receive it in your inbox every Wednesday.

Orchestrated agents are coming for white-collar work

When people say AI will transform industries, what they have in mind—whether they know it or not—are AI agents. ChatGPT showed AI can talk. But to change the world, it needs to do stuff.

The real power comes when agents work as teams, coordinating multiple roles to tackle complex tasks. Apps like Codex and Claude Cowork offer a glimpse of this shift, bringing multi-agent general-purpose productivity tools.

In theory, networks of AI agents could do to white-collar knowledge work what assembly lines did to manufacturing. That’s the vision. But as agents move into real-world systems, the risks grow too. Read the full story.

—Will Douglas Heaven

Agent Orchestration is one of the 10 Things That Matter in AI Right Now, MIT Technology Review’s guide to what’s really worth your attention in the busy, buzzy world of AI. We’re unpacking one item from the list each day here in The Download, so stay tuned.

MIT Technology Review Narrated: no one’s sure if synthetic mirror life will kill us all

In February 2019, a group of scientists proposed a high-risk, cutting-edge, irresistibly exciting idea that the National Science Foundation should fund: making “mirror” bacteria.

These lab-created microbes would be organized like ordinary bacteria, but their proteins and sugars would be mirror images of those found in nature. Researchers believed they could reveal new insights into building cells, designing drugs, and even the origins of life.

But now, many of them have reversed course. They’ve become convinced that mirror organisms could trigger a catastrophic event threatening every form of life on Earth. Find out why.

—Stephen Ornes

This is our latest story to be turned into an MIT Technology Review Narrated podcast, which we publish each week on Spotify and Apple Podcasts. Just navigate to MIT Technology Review Narrated on either platform, and follow us to get all our new content as it’s released.

The must-reads

I’ve combed the internet to find you today’s most fun/important/scary/fascinating stories about technology.

1 Elon Musk says Sam Altman “stole a charity” at the OpenAI trial
Musk testified for the first time yesterday in the landmark legal showdown. (FT $)
+ He said OpenAI was founded as a non-profit to avoid a “Terminator outcome.” (Wired $)
+ And claimed he came up with the idea for the company. (Reuters $)
+ The trial could upend the global AI race. (MIT Technology Review)

2 The White House has plans to bypass Anthropic’s blacklisting
It’s drafting guidance to sidestep the supply-chain risk designation. (Axios)
+ The White House is also meeting other tech firms to discuss AI risks. (Politico)
+ The Pentagon’s culture war against Anthropic has backfired. (MIT Technology Review)

3 OpenAI is tightening ties with Amazon after retreating from Microsoft
AWS customers are getting extra access to OpenAI systems. (NBC News)
+ While OpenAI gets new users and cloud-computing capabilities. (CNBC)

4 AI bots told scientists how to create biological weapons
And unleash them in public spaces. (NYT $)
+ AI will change war forever. (MIT Technology Review)

5 China has suspended robotaxi licenses after a scary outage
Dozens of Baidu vehicles suddenly stopped last month. (The Verge)
+ Chinese robotaxi firms are planning global expansions. (Guardian)

6 Meta has been found in breach of EU rules on protecting children
After failing to block access to Facebook and Instagram. (Guardian)
+ Parents are forcing schools to roll back classroom tech use. (NYT $)

7 AI is spotting pancreatic cancer years before symptoms appear
 A study found it could catch the tumor early enough to treat. (Bloomberg)

8 The Iran war is disrupting data center rollouts
Oaktree-owned Pure DC is the latest firm to pause investments. (CNBC)

9 SpaceX is tying Elon Musk’s pay to Mars colonization goals
It’s set lofty goals for his jaw-dropping compensation. (Reuters $)

10 AI has reconstructed the face of an ancient Pompeii victim
 Technology is reshaping our understanding of the distant past (NPR)

Quote of the day

“Overnight, without you even knowing it, your own life chances, the life chances of your children, will be dependent on people continuing to prop up Musk’s visions of how the world should look.”

—Elon Musk biographer Michel Martin tells NPR how the Tesla tycoon is shaping our lives.

One More Thing

NEIL WEBB

Inside Clear’s ambitions to manage your identity beyond the airport

If you’ve ever been through a large US airport, you’re probably aware of Clear, the identity verification service that uses biometric scans to whisk travelers past standard security checks.

Now Clear wants to expand that “face-first” experience from airports to just about everywhere, from retailers and banks to even your doctor’s office. Its CEO has designs on making Clear the “identity layer of the internet” and the “universal identity platform” of the physical world.

All you have to do is show up—and show your face. But as biometric identity systems go mainstream, concerns about privacy, security, and control are becoming harder to ignore. And the cost of convenience may not be shared equally. Discover what’s at stake. 

—Eileen Guo

We can still have nice things

A place for comfort, fun and distraction to brighten up your day. (Got any ideas? Drop me a line.)

+ Discover why the eight-hour night is a modern invention.
+ This artist creates masterpieces using only a vintage typewriter and a lot of patience.
+ Test your local knowledge with this game that drops you in a random Street View location.
+ Watch this incredible feat of precision piloting as a race aircraft touches down on a 120km/h cargo train.

The Download: Musk and Altman’s legal showdown, and AI’s profit problem

This is today’s edition of The Download, our weekday newsletter that provides a daily dose of what’s going on in the world of technology.

Elon Musk and Sam Altman are going to court over OpenAI’s future

Elon Musk and OpenAI CEO Sam Altman head to trial this week in a case with sweeping consequences. Ahead of OpenAI’s IPO, the court could rule on whether the company can exist as a for-profit enterprise. It could even oust its leadership.

Musk, an OpenAI co-founder, claims he was deceived into bankrolling the firm under false pretenses. He’s seeking $134 billion in damages, the removal of Altman and president Greg Brockman, and the company’s restoration to a non-profit.

Find out how the trial could upend the global AI race.

—Michelle Kim

The missing step between hype and profit

In a celebrated South Park episode, a community of gnomes sneak out at night to steal underpants. Why? The gnomes present their pitch deck. “Phase 1: Collect underpants. Phase 2: ? Phase 3: Profit.” It’s a business plan that captures the current state of AI. 

Companies have built the tech (Step 1) and promised transformation (Step 3). But how they get there is still a big question mark. Read about the potential paths forward.

—Will Douglas Heaven

This story originally appeared in The Algorithm, our weekly newsletter giving you the inside track on all things AI. Sign up to receive it in your inbox every Monday.

Welcome to the era of weaponized deepfakes

For years, experts have warned that deepfakes could be deployed in malicious ways. These dangers are now here.

Cheap, accessible models now produce weaponized deepfakes—from sexually explicit images to political propaganda—that look startlingly real. They’re already inciting violence, changing minds, and sowing mistrust, with women and marginalized groups disproportionately affected.

Experts fear that they’re cratering trust and critical thinking. Here’s why they’re alarmed.

—Eileen Guo

Weaponized deepfakes are on our list of the 10 Things That Matter in AI Right Now, MIT Technology Review’s guide to what’s really worth your attention in the busy, buzzy world of AI. 

The must-reads

I’ve combed the internet to find you today’s most fun/important/scary/fascinating stories about technology.

1 OpenAI has ended its exclusive partnership with Microsoft
The new deal allows OpenAI to court rivals such as Amazon. (Reuters $)
+ Microsoft will still license OpenAI’s tech, but no longer exclusively. (NYT $)
+ OpenAI is missing key growth targets ahead of its IPO. (WSJ $)

2 Google has signed a classified AI deal with the Pentagon
It permits AI use for “any lawful government purpose.” (The Information $)
+ Over 600 Google workers had called for a block on the deal. (QZ)
+ AI firms are set to train military versions of their models on classified data. (MIT Technology Review)

3 The EU has told Google to open Android to AI rivals
It wants to end Gemini’s built-in advantage. (Ars Technica)
+ Google calls the move an “unwarranted intervention.” (WSJ $)
+ A final decision is expected by the end of July. (Reuters $)

4 OpenAI is reportedly developing an AI-first smartphone
It would replace apps with agents. (TechCrunch)
+ Qualcomm and MediaTek may be developing its processors. (Gizmodo)

5 A brain implant for depression is moving into human testing
The FDA has approved a human study of the device. (Wired $)
+ BCIs have thus far struggled to reach the market. (MIT Technology Review)

6 A populist backlash against AI is gaining momentum in rural America
From Indiana to Idaho, voters are pushing back against the technology. (NYT $)
+ Anti-AI protests are expanding worldwide. (MIT Technology Review)

7 DeepSeek has priced its new model 97% below OpenAI’s GPT-5.5
It aims to attract more enterprises, developers, and agent-based users. (SCMP)
+ Here are three reasons why DeepSeek V4 matters. (MIT Technology Review)

8 AI now generates a third of new websites
A study found it’s making the web more cheery and less verbose. (404 Media)

9 Top talent is leaving Big Tech to launch their own AI startups
Meta, Google, and OpenAI are facing a brain drain. (CNBC)

10 Taylor Swift is trademarking her voice and image
The Grammy winner has been the target of numerous deepfakes. (NBC News)
+ A growing number of celebrities are fighting AI with trademarks. (BBC)

Quote of the day

“The reality is people don’t like him.”

—Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers reacts to prospective jurors confessing their negative views of Elon Musk ahead of his legal battle with Sam Altman, The Verge reports.

One More Thing

How covid conspiracy theories led to an alarming resurgence in AIDS denialism

When Joe Rogan falsely declared that “party drugs” were an “important factor in AIDS,” several million people were listening. He also asserted that AZT, the earliest drug used to treat AIDS, killed people “quicker” than the disease itself—another claim that has been disproven.

Such comments illustrate an unmistakable resurgence in AIDS denialism: a false collection of theories arguing either that HIV does not cause AIDS or that there is no such thing as HIV at all. By the dawn of the millennium, these claims had largely fallen out of favour. That changed when the coronavirus arrived.

Follow the digital path from Covid skepticism to the return of a deadly conspiracy theory.

—Anna Merlan

We can still have nice things

A place for comfort, fun and distraction to brighten up your day. (Got any ideas? Drop me a line.)

+ Explore the planets from your laptop with this live sky map.
+ This marathon DJ set from Daphni is an incredible journey through electronic music.
+ NASA’s stunning Artemis II wallpapers bring a high-res piece of deep space to your phone.
+ This fascinating GPS explainer breaks down how your phone figures out exactly where you are.

The Download: DeepSeek’s latest AI breakthrough, and the race to build world models

This is today’s edition of The Download, our weekday newsletter that provides a daily dose of what’s going on in the world of technology.

Three reasons why DeepSeek’s new model matters

On Friday, Chinese AI firm DeepSeek released a preview of V4, its long-awaited new flagship model. Notably, the model can process much longer prompts than its last generation, thanks to a new design that handles large amounts of text more efficiently.

While the model remains open source, its performance matches leading closed-source rivals from Anthropic, OpenAI, and Google. It is also DeepSeek’s first release optimized Huawei’s Ascend chips—a key test of China’s dependence on Nvidia.

Here are three ways V4 could shake up AI.

—Caiwei Chen

The rise of world models

AI systems have already gained impressive mastery over the digital world, but the physical world remains humanity’s domain. As it turns out, building an AI that composes novels or code apps is far easier than developing one to fold laundry or navigate city streets. To bridge this gap, many researchers believe you need something called a world model.

Proponents like Stanford professor Fei-Fei Li and AMI Labs founder Yann LeCun argue these models can overcome the well-known limitations of LLMs—and realize AI’s promise for robotics. Find out why they’ve brought world models to the forefront of the field.

—Grace Huckins

World models are on our list of the 10 Things That Matter in AI Right Now, our essential guide to what’s really worth your attention in the field.

Subscribers can watch an exclusive roundtable unveiling the technologies and trends on the list, with analysis from MIT Technology Review’s AI reporter Grace Huckins and executive editors Amy Nordrum and Niall Firth.

The must-reads

I’ve combed the internet to find you today’s most fun/important/scary/fascinating stories about technology.

1 China has blocked Meta’s $2 billion acquisition of AI startup Manus
Regulators cited national security grounds. (WSJ $)
+ Beijing called the deal a “conspiratorial” attempt to hollow out its tech base. (FT $)
+ The country is tightening its grip on AI firms that try to leave. (TechCrunch)
+ The decision escalates China’s AI rivalry with the US. (Bloomberg $)
+ But there will be no winners in their competition. (MIT Technology Review)

2 Google is investing up to $40 billion in Anthropic
In a deal valuing the AI firm at $350 billion. (CNBC)
+ The funding will support the firm’s growing computing needs. (TechCrunch)
+ Anthropic and OpenAI are fighting for compute capacity. (Axios)

3 President Trump just fired the entire National Science Board
The NSF has played a crucial role in developing technology. (The Verge)
+ The move heightens fears over political interference in US science. (Nature)

4 Conspiracy theories about the Washington shooting are proliferating online
Over 300,000 posts appeared on X using the keyword “staged.” (NYT $)
+ The theories are also swirling on Bluesky and Instagram. (Wired)

5 The AI compute crunch is starting to hit the broader economy.
It’s affecting jobs, gadgets, and electricity prices. (404 Media)
+ The AI compute explosion is the tech story of our time. (MIT Technology Review)

6 Elon Musk says a new banking tool brings X close to a “super app”
He’s pledged to launch the tool this month. (Bloomberg)

7 AI optimism is surging across Asia while US sentiment cools
The divide could shape where adoption happens fastest. (Rest of World)

8 Apple is tying its new CEO’s ascent to its first foldable iPhone
It wants to build the buzz around John Ternus. (Gizmodo) 

9 Twelve firms are developing the Golden Dome’s space-based interceptors
They’ve won contracts worth up to $3.2 billion. (Ars Technica)

10 NASA has shared promising results from Artemis II
The spacecraft and rocket fared well. (Engadget)

Quote of the day

“Getting out the truth and establishing facts and reliable information takes time. But our audiences really don’t have that kind of patience.”

—Amanda Crawford, associate professor at the University of Connecticut, tells the NYT why conspiracy theories are gaining traction online.

One More Thing

MIRIAM MARTINCIC

Welcome to Kenya’s Great Carbon Valley: a bold new gamble to fight climate change

Kenya’s Great Rift Valley is home to five geothermal power stations, which harness clouds of steam to generate about a quarter of the country’s electricity. But some of the energy escapes into the atmosphere, while even more remains underground for lack of demand. That’s what brought Octavia Carbon here.

Last year, the startup began harnessing some of that excess energy to remove CO2 from the air. The company says the method is efficient, affordable, and—crucially—scalable. But the project also faces fierce opposition. 

Read the full story on the future of Kenya’s “Great Carbon Valley.”

—Diana Kruzman

We can still have nice things

A place for comfort, fun and distraction to brighten up your day. (Got any ideas? Drop me a line.)

+ Fred Again’s Tiny Desk Concert is a masterclass in intimate performance.
+ Here’s a delightful look at how we’re all linked through geography and shared heritage.
+ Take a short, peaceful break to watch Tokyo’s cherry blossoms from a bird’s eye view.
+ There’s something oddly satisfying about watching an industrial shredder turn everyday items into confetti.

The Download: supercharged scams and studying AI healthcare

This is today’s edition of The Download, our weekday newsletter that provides a daily dose of what’s going on in the world of technology.

We’re in a new era of AI-driven scams

When ChatGPT was released in late 2022, it showed how easily generative AI could create human-like text. This quickly caught the eye of cybercriminals, who began using LLMs to compose malicious emails. Since then, they’ve adopted AI for everything from turbocharged phishing and hyperrealistic deepfakes to automated vulnerability scans.

Many organizations are now struggling to cope with the sheer volume of cyberattacks. AI is making them faster, cheaper, and easier to carry out, a problem set to worsen as more cybercriminals adopt these tools—and their capabilities improve. Read the full story on how AI is reshaping cybercrime.

—Rhiannon Williams

“Supercharged scams” is one of the 10 Things That Matter in AI Right Now, our essential guide to what’s really worth your attention in the field.

Subscribers can watch an exclusive roundtable unveiling the technologies and trends on the list, with analysis from MIT Technology Review’s AI reporter Grace Huckins and executive editors Amy Nordrum and Niall Firth.

Healthcare AI is here. We don’t know if it actually helps patients.

Doctors are using AI to help them with notetaking. AI-based tools are trawling through patient records, flagging people who may require certain support or treatments. They are also used to interpret medical exam results and X-rays.

A growing number of studies suggest that many of these tools can deliver accurate results. But there’s a bigger question here: Does using them actually translate into better health outcomes for patients? We don’t yet have a good answer—here’s why.

—Jessica Hamzelou

The story is from The Checkup, our weekly newsletter that gives you the latest from the worlds of health and biotech. Sign up to receive it in your inbox every Thursday.

The must-reads

I’ve combed the internet to find you today’s most fun/important/scary/fascinating stories about technology.

1 DeepSeek has unveiled its long-awaited new AI model
The Chinese company has just launched preview versions of DeepSeek-V4. (CNN)
+It says V4 is the most powerful open-source platform. (Bloomberg $)
+ And rivals top closed-source models from OpenAI and DeepMind. (SCMP)
+ The model is adapted for Huawei chip technology. (Reuters $)

2 More countries are curbing children’s social media access
Norway is set to enforce the latest ban. (Reuters $)
+ The Philippines could follow soon. (Bloomberg $)
+ Americans are pushing to get AI out of schools. (The New Yorker)

3 The US has accused China of mass AI theft as tensions rise
A White House memo claims Chinese firms are exploiting American models. (BBC)
+ Beijing calls the accusations “slander.” (Ars Technica)

4 OpenAI set itself apart from Anthropic by widely releasing its new model
It’s releasing GPT-5.5 to all ChatGPT users, despite cybersecurity concerns. (NYT $)
+ OpenAI says the new model is better at coding and more efficient. (The Verge)

5 Meta is cutting 10% of jobs to offset AI spending
Roughly 8,000 layoffs are set to be announced on May 20. (QZ)
+ Anti-AI protests are growing. (MIT Technology Review)

6 Palantir is facing a backlash from employees
Thanks to its work with ICE and the Trump administration. (Wired $)
+ Surveillance tech is reshaping the fight for privacy. (MIT Technology Review)

7 The era of free access to advanced AI is coming to an end
AI labs are under mounting pressure to start turning profits. (The Verge)

8 Elon Musk’s feud with Sam Altman is heading to court 
The case has already revealed several unflattering secrets. (WP $)

9 A new movement is encouraging people to ditch their smartphones for a month
“Month Offline” is like a Dry January for smartphones. (The Atlantic)

10 Spotify has revealed its most-streamed music of the last 20 years
Featuring Taylor Swift, Bad Bunny, and The Weeknd. (Gizmodo) 

Quote of the day

“We want a childhood where children get to be children. Play, friendships, and everyday life must not be taken over by algorithms and screens.” 

—Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Store announces age restrictions for social media.

One More Thing

NASA/JPL-CALTECH VIA WIKIMEDIA COMMONS; CRAFT NASA/JPL-CALTECH/SWRI/MSSS; IMAGE PROCESSING: KEVIN M. GILL

The search for extraterrestrial life is targeting Jupiter’s icy moon Europa

As astronomers have discovered more about Europa over the past few decades, Jupiter’s fourth-largest moon has excited planetary scientists interested in the geophysics of alien worlds.

 All that water and energy—and hints of elements essential for building organic molecules —point to an extraordinary possibility. In the depths of its ocean, or perhaps crowded in subsurface lakes or below icy surface vents, Jupiter’s big, bright moon could host life. 

To find further evidence, NASA is now searching for signs of alien existence on Europa. Read the full story on the mission.

—Stephen Ornes

We can still have nice things

A place for comfort, fun and distraction to brighten up your day. (Got any ideas? Drop me a line.)

+ Here’s a fun look at the secret collaborations of pop history.
+ Meet the mannequins showing how the “ideal” body has evolved.
+ A photographer has cataloged all 12,795 objects in her home into an archive of a life.
+ Slime molds are unexpectedly beautiful when viewed through these high-detail macro shots.