This is the current issue of The Download, our weekday update that delivers a daily insight into the happenings in the tech world.
This firm aims to establish a lithium stronghold by the banks of the Great Salt Lake
On a sunny day in August, the edge of Utah’s Great Salt Lake resembles a scene from a sci-fi movie set in a blistering extraterrestrial realm.
This surreal landscape serves as the experimental ground for a company named Lilac Solutions, which is creating a technology it claims will revolutionize America’s attempts to gain authority over the international market for lithium, the so-called “white gold” essential for electric vehicles and batteries, currently dominated by China.
The startup is engaged in a rush to commercialize a novel, less environmentally harmful method of extracting lithium from ores. If all goes well, it could greatly enhance domestic production at a crucial juncture for the nation’s lithium harvesting sector. Read the complete article.
—Alexander C. Kaufman
The three major unanswered inquiries regarding Sora
Last week, OpenAI launched Sora, a TikTok-inspired application that offers an endless stream of solely AI-generated clips, each lasting up to 10 seconds. The app enables you to create a “cameo” of yourself—a hyperrealistic avatar that imitates your look and voice—and incorporate other users’ cameos into your videos (according to their permission settings).
Here’s what we know thus far.
This article originally appeared in The Algorithm, our weekly newsletter covering the latest in AI. To receive stories like this in your inbox first, sign up here.
—James O’Donnell
2025 climate tech firms to follow: HiNa Battery Technology and its goal to market salt cells
In the coming decades, the world will require a considerable increase in batteries to power electric vehicles and maintain grid stability. Currently, most battery cells are manufactured using lithium, leading to a forecasted surge in demand for the mineral. However, a new technology has emerged, potentially disrupting the global battery landscape.
For many years, research into sodium-ion cell technology was neglected due to the overwhelming commercial triumph of lithium-ion cells. Now, HiNa Battery Technology is endeavoring to reintroduce sodium and take it to a wide audience. Read the complete article.
—You Xiaoying
HiNa Battery Technology is among our top 10 climate tech companies to keep an eye on—our yearly roundup of some of the most promising climate tech entities worldwide. Explore the complete list here.
Essential reads
I’ve searched the web to curate today’s most enjoyable/significant/ startling/captivating stories surrounding technology.
1 OpenAI has secured a significant chip agreement
It will partner with AMD to challenge Nvidia’s market lead. (WSJ $)
+ The multi-billion dollar agreement will unfold over five years. (FT $)
+ Just a fortnight ago, OpenAI finalized a deal with Nvidia. (CNN)
+ The data center boom in the desert. (MIT Technology Review)
2 Google faced a US Supreme Court setback
The justices turned down Google’s request to suspend changes to its app store. (Bloomberg $)
+ This is part of the lawsuit filed by Epic Games against the tech giant. (Reuters)
+ The conflict remains unresolved, and it may return to the justices. (NYT $)
3 You can now utilize certain apps directly within ChatGPT
This is part of OpenAI’s strategy to become a comprehensive solution for all your requirements. (The Verge)
+ Sam Altman envisions it as your main digital gateway. (The Information $)
4 Deloitte utilized AI to produce a report for the Australian government
Sadly, it was filled with fabricated errors. (Ars Technica)
5 The Nobel prize for medicine has been awarded to three researchers in immunity
This trio uncovered an immune cell that prevents the immune system from attacking itself. (New Scientist $)
6 Russians are employing AI to craft video tributes for their war dead
A growing industry has emerged, and creators offer clips for $30. (WP $)
+ Deepfakes of deceased loved ones are a flourishing business in China. (MIT Technology Review)
7 The aspiration for sustainable air travel is beginning to fade ✈️🍃
Hydrogen-fueled airplanes are still years away. What now? (FT $)
+ How emerging technologies could improve air travel. (MIT Technology Review)
8 How job seekers are attempting to deceive AI résumé evaluators
Embedding clever hidden prompts is becoming widespread. (NYT $)
9 The creator of the Friend AI pendant is unfazed by public disapproval
The pushback to its controversial advertisements is evidently all part of the strategy. (The Atlantic $)
10 Taylor Swift’s fans are not fans of AI
They have criticized the singer’s latest videos, which seem to be AI-generated, as looking cheap and poorly made. (NY Mag $)
+ AI text is out, moving images are in. (Economist $)
Quote of the day
“As AI videos become indistinguishable from regular videos, I speculate about the ramifications for YouTube and its impact on the millions of creators making a living from content… troubling times.”
—YouTuber Jimmy Donaldson, known as MrBeast, shares his thoughts on AI videos permeating the internet, TechCrunch reports.
One additional point
The argument against human habitation in space
Elon Musk and Jeff Bezos are fierce competitors in the commercial space sector, yet they concur on one aspect: establishing a presence in space is a vital necessity. Space is the final frontier. Our human purpose is to move beyond our planet and expand our civilization into extraterrestrial territories.
This viewpoint has been prevalent for decades, but has experienced extraordinary growth during this new age of space entrepreneurs.
However, as dreams of colossal orbital colonies and Martian habitats captivate our imaginations, an argument against human colonization of space has gained traction in several recent publications, questioning the practicality of establishing off-world communities, acknowledging the severe conditions of space, and the immense toll it would take on human health. Read the complete article.
