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.
Introducing: the Security issue
It would be naïve to think we are going back to a world without AI. We’re not. But it’s only one of many urgent problems we need to address to build security and prosperity for coming generations.
The latest print issue of our magazine is all about our attempts to make the world more secure. From missiles. From asteroids. From the unknown. From threats both existential and trivial.
We’re also introducing three new columns in this issue, from some of our leading writers: The Algorithm, which covers AI; The Checkup, on biotech; and The Spark, on energy and climate. You’ll see these in future issues, and you can also subscribe online to get them in your inbox every week.
Here’s a taster of what else you can expect from this edition:
+ President Trump has proposed building an antimissile “golden dome” around the United States. But do cinematic spectacles actually enhance national security?
+ How two UFO hunting brothers became the go-to experts on America’s “mystery drone” invasion.
+ Both Taiwan’s citizens and external experts are worried that the protection afforded by its “silicon shield” is cracking. Read the full story.
+ How the humble pigeon paved the way for today’s advanced AI. Read the full story.
+ A group of Starlink terminal repair volunteers in Ukraine is keeping the country connected throughout the war. Read the full story.
MIT Technology Review Narrated: Cyberattacks by AI agents are coming
Agents are the talk of the AI industry—they’re capable of planning, reasoning, and executing complex tasks on your behalf. But the same sophisticated abilities that make agents helpful assistants could also make them powerful tools for conducting cyberattacks. They could readily be used to identify vulnerable targets, hijack their systems, and steal valuable data from unsuspecting victims.
At present, cybercriminals are not deploying AI agents to hack at scale. But researchers have demonstrated that agents are capable of executing complex attacks, and cybersecurity experts warn that we should expect to start seeing these types of attacks spilling over into the real world.
This is our latest story to be turned into a MIT Technology Review Narrated podcast, which we’re publishing 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 The family of a teen who died by suicide is suing OpenAI
ChatGPT deterred Adam Raine from seeking help when he desperately needed it. (NYT $)
+ An AI chatbot told a user how to kill himself—but the company doesn’t want to “censor” it. (MIT Technology Review)
2 SpaceX finally successfully launched its Starship rocket
Which will come as a huge relief after previous failures. (CNBC)
+ It’s the 10th launch the spaceship has made. (WSJ $)
+ It managed to deploy satellites in space during the launch. (Bloomberg $)
3 Researchers are already leaving Meta’s AI lab
Two workers returned to OpenAI after less than a month. (Wired $)
4 China wants to triple its output of AI chips
Plants are working round the clock to increase their capacity. (FT $)
+ The country is also keen to repurpose NASA tech into a hypersonic drone mothership. (Fast Company $)
5 Elon Musk can’t get enough of Grok’s scantily-clad AI assistant
He frequently posts about ‘Ani’ and other sexualized AI cartoons on X. (Rolling Stone $)
6 Anthropic has settled its AI piracy lawsuit
A group of authors had accused it of copyright infringement. (The Verge)
+ The threat of $1 trillion damages could have ruined the company. (Wired $)
7 America’s electricity use is slowing
And the recent growth in coal usage is falling too. (Ars Technica)
+ In a first, Google has released data on how much energy an AI prompt uses. (MIT Technology Review)
8 Want to get hired straight out of college? Better work in AI.
While other graduates are struggling, newly-graduated AI experts are in demand. (WSJ $)
9 Older people in South Korea are finding companionship with robots
The Hydol robot is proving a hit among seniors. (Rest of World)
+ How cuddly robots could change dementia care. (MIT Technology Review)
10 Fans were betting on Taylor Swift’s engagement
They’re cashing in from online prediction markets left, right and center. (WP $)
Quote of the day
“A lot of people in the AI team maybe feel things are too dynamic.”
—Chi-Hao Wu, a former AI specialist at Meta, explains to Insider why he and others have decided to leave the company.
One more thing
An AI chatbot told a user how to kill himself—but the company doesn’t want to “censor” it
For five months, Al Nowatzki had been talking to an AI girlfriend, “Erin,” on the platform Nomi. But earlier this year, those conversations took a disturbing turn: Erin told him to kill himself, and provided explicit instructions on how to do it.
Nowatzki had never had any intention of following Erin’s instructions—he’s a researcher who probes chatbots’ limitations and dangers. But out of concern for more vulnerable individuals, he exclusively shared with MIT Technology Review screenshots of his conversations and of subsequent correspondence with a company representative, who stated that the company did not want to “censor” the bot’s “language and thoughts.”
This is not the first time an AI chatbot has suggested that a user take violent action, including self-harm. But researchers and critics say that the bot’s explicit instructions—and the company’s response—are striking. Read the full story.
—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 or skeet ’em at me.)
+ The secret to finding that elusive perfect white t-shirt.
+ Interesting: a new Blade Runner TV series starring Michelle Yeoh is coming next year.
+ If you’ve ever wondered what happened to that suitcase you lost on vacation, there’s a decent chance it’s up for sale.
+ Down with junk mail!