This is the current issue of The Download, our newsletter delivered on weekdays that offers a daily update on the happenings in the technology sector.
“We will never create a sex robot,” states Mustafa Suleyman
Mustafa Suleyman, head of Microsoft AI, is attempting to navigate a challenging balance. On one hand, he believes the industry is steering AI in a perilous trajectory by developing chatbots that mimic humans; he fears individuals might be deceived into perceiving life where only life-like behaviors exist.
Conversely, Suleyman oversees a product division that must rival its counterparts. Recently, Microsoft revealed a series of enhancements to its Copilot chatbot aimed at making it more expressive, engaging, and useful.
Will Douglas Heaven, our senior AI editor, engaged Suleyman in a discussion regarding the complexities involved in shaping our experiences with chatbots and his ultimate aspirations for this emerging technology. Discover the complete narrative.
A puzzle of AI adoption
—James O’Donnell, senior AI reporter
A couple of weeks back, I embarked on what I presumed would be a straightforward investigation.
After a period of growing excitement around AI, the hype seemed to have been somewhat deflated. Initially, there was the lackluster introduction of GPT-5 in August. Then, a report released a fortnight later indicated that 95% of generative AI initiatives were failing, which prompted a momentary shock in the stock market. I sought to discover: Which firms are jittery enough to reduce their investments in AI?
Yet, if AI’s excitement has genuinely waned, I couldn’t locate any company prepared to discuss it. What conclusions should we draw from my unproductive search?
This article initially appeared in The Algorithm, our weekly newsletter focused on AI. To receive stories like this directly, subscribe here.
The essential reads
I’ve searched the web to present you today’s most engaging/important/frightening/intriguing stories in technology.
1 Hundreds of thousands of ChatGPT users show significant mental health issues
According to estimates from OpenAI, which claims to have adjusted GPT-5 to better assist users in distress. (Wired $)
+ OpenAI will not restrict access to require users to take a break, however. (Gizmodo)
+ Why AI ought to be capable of “hanging up” on users. (MIT Technology Review)
2 Elon Musk has introduced his take on Wikipedia
Grokipedia’s conservative entries mirror the billionaire’s perspective. (WP $)
+ A number of entries promote historical inaccuracies and right-leaning viewpoints. (Wired $)
+ The AI-generated encyclopedia experienced a brief crash just after its launch. (Engadget)
3 Surgeons have extracted a pig kidney from a patient
It was the longest-surviving genetically engineered pig kidney to date. (Wired $)
+ “Spare” living human bodies could furnish organs for transplants. (MIT Technology Review)
4 Amazon plans to eliminate up to 30,000 corporate positions
Partly due to staff’s hesitance to return to the office five days a week. (Reuters)
+ The firm is preparing for another round of layoffs in January. (NYT $)
5 Older individuals are increasingly drawn to screens
Their digital behaviors resemble the high usage typically observed among adolescents. (Economist $)
6 A British cyclist has received a 3D-printed face
Dave Richards suffered severe third-degree burns to his head after being hit by a drunk driver. (The Guardian)
7 The twitter.com domain will be discontinued
Be sure to re-register your security and passkeys prior to the major change. (Fast Company $)
+ This implies that the abandoned accounts could potentially be sold. (The Verge)
+ However, 2FA apps should remain unaffected—in theory. (The Register)
8 When is a moon not a moon?
Surprisingly, we lack an official definition. (The Atlantic $)
+ Astronomers have detected a “quasi-moon” orbiting near Earth. (BBC)
+ This waterless concrete concept extends beyond just the moon. (MIT Technology Review)
9 Threads’ ghost posts will vanish after 24 hours
If anyone even noticed them in the first place. (TechCrunch)
10 In the metaverse, anyone can become a K-pop celebrity
Virtual stars are achieving massive popularity, before transitioning into real-world fame. (Rest of World)
+ Meta’s former metaverse leader has transitioned to its AI division. (FT $)
Quote of the day
“The urge to control knowledge has existed as long as knowledge itself. Regulating what is documented is a means to acquire or maintain power.”
—Ryan McGrady, senior research fellow at the University of Massachusetts Amherst, contemplates Elon Musk’s ambition to create his own online encyclopedia for the New York Times.
One more thing
Inside Amsterdam’s high-stakes initiative to develop equitable welfare AI
Amsterdam believed it was heading in the right direction. Officials in the welfare department thought they could create technology to prevent fraud while safeguarding citizens’ rights. They adhered to emerging best practices and devoted a significant amount of time and resources to a project that eventually handled live welfare applications. Nonetheless, in their pilot, they discovered that the system they had developed was still not just and efficient. Why?
Lighthouse Reports, MIT Technology Review, and the Dutch newspaper Trouw have acquired unparalleled access to the system in an effort to uncover the reasons. Learn about our findings.
—Eileen Guo, Gabriel Geiger & Justin-Casimir Braun
We can still enjoy nice things
A space for comfort, enjoyment, and diversion to brighten your day. (Have suggestions? Send me an email or let me know.)
+ Wishing a happy 70th birthday to Bill Gates, who doesn’t receive enough appreciation for his chair-jumping abilities.
+ Let’s revive Guitar Hero—the legendary game that made us all believe we could pull off Heart’s Barracuda (note: most of us could not.)
+ Even the chicest areas of London are not free from whispers of ghostly apparitions.
+ Justice for medieval frogs and their undeserved reputation! 🐸
