This is the most recent edition of The Download, our weekday newsletter that offers a daily perspective on the happening in the tech realm.
Presenting: the AI Hype Correction collection
AI is set to mimic human intelligence. AI will eradicate illnesses. AI stands as the single most significant, groundbreaking innovation in human existence. Chances are you’ve come across these claims—but likely, none hold true.
AI is transforming our universe, yet the genuine beneficiaries and the eventual outcomes remain uncertain.
Following several years of rampant exaggeration, individuals are beginning to recalibrate their understanding of AI’s nature, potential, and how we ought to contemplate its ultimate consequences.
As we reach the conclusion of 2025, we are entering the post-hype era. This new collection, titled Hype Correction, serves to reset anticipations—a pointed examination of our current status, the capabilities of AI, and our path forward.
Here’s a glimpse of what awaits you:
+ An overview of four perspectives regarding the significant AI hype correction of 2025.
+ While it’s evident we’re currently amid an AI bubble, the precise form it takes—and what follows its burst—remains ambiguous. Explore the complete story.
+ Discover how OpenAI’s Sam Altman intersects with many of the more outrageous claims about AI circulating nowadays. Dive into the full story.
+ Currently, it’s an odd phase for AI pessimists. But they’re not backing down.
+ AI coding is ubiquitous now—but in spite of the massive investments in enhancing AI models’ coding skills, skepticism persists. Read the complete narrative.
+ If we genuinely wish to expedite the discovery of new materials, AI-driven materials exploration must transition from the laboratory to real-world applications. Uncover the full details.
+ The exaggerations regarding AI’s potential to replace trained human lawyers are significant.
+ Dr. Margaret Mitchell, the chief ethics scientist at AI startup Hugging Face, elaborates on why the generative AI hype train diverts our focus from the true nature of AI and its capabilities—and limitations. Discover the full account.
The essential reads
I’ve sifted through the internet to bring you today’s most entertaining/critical/frightening/intriguing technology stories.
1 iRobot has initiated bankruptcy proceedings
The creator of Roomba is contemplating ceding control to its primary Chinese supplier. (Bloomberg $)
+ An attempted acquisition by Amazon fell through nearly two years ago. (FT $)
+ What led to the company losing its direction? (TechCrunch)
+ A Roomba recorded a woman in the bathroom. How did screenshots find their way onto Facebook? (MIT Technology Review)
2 Meta’s 2025 has been an absolute whirlwind
From its contentious AI division to Mark Zuckerberg’s newly found respect for masculine energy. (Insider $)
3 The Trump administration is easing regulations for the crypto sector
It has dismissed legal actions involving numerous companies with financial links to Trump. (NYT $)
+ Prominent figures are feeling empowered to market crypto again. (The Guardian)
+ A bitcoin backer aims to establish a crypto libertarian enclave in the Caribbean. (FT $)
4 A new weight-loss medication has arrived
And individuals are already using it, despite its lack of approval. (Wired $)
+ What remains unknown about weight-loss medications. (MIT Technology Review)
5 Chinese billionaires are having numerous US-born surrogate children
An entire industry has emerged to assist them. (WSJ $)
+ A controversial Chinese CRISPR researcher remains optimistic about gene editing in embryos. (MIT Technology Review)
6 Funding for Trump’s “big beautiful bill” is dependent on states adopting AI in healthcare
Experts worry it’ll be utilized to slash costs, even if it proves ineffective. (The Guardian)
+ Artificial intelligence is permeating healthcare. We must prevent it from dictating all choices. (MIT Technology Review)
7 Intense rainfall is causing trouble in the desert
Oman and the UAE are not accustomed to the increasingly frequent heavy downpours. (WP $)
8 Data centers are being established in regions that are overly hot for them
This complicates adequate cooling. (Rest of World)
9 The intentional decline of AI image generators
Their creators are striving for realism—not the excessively refined, Uncanny Valley aesthetic. (The Verge)
+ Insights into the ongoing AI attention economy battles. (NY Mag $)
10 A modest Swedish town evolved into a key video game center
Skövde has cultivated an unexpected community of innovative developers. (The Guardian)
+ Google DeepMind is utilizing Gemini to educate agents within one of Skövde’s most prominent franchises. (MIT Technology Review)
Quote of the day
“Their focus isn’t on the games. Their focus isn’t on the art. All they care about is the money.”
—Anna C Webster, chair of the freelancing committee at the United Videogame Workers union, explains to the Guardian the rationale behind their members’ protests against the esteemed 2025 Game Awards following significant layoffs.
One last note
Reclaiming the early internet charm with HTML
Websites were not always polished digital platforms.
There was a time when navigating the web meant opening tabs that played unsolicited music and wading through pages of content set against vibrant backgrounds. In the 2000s, before platforms like Squarespace and social media, websites embodied individuality—created from the ground up with HTML by users possessing coding knowledge.
Across the web, groups of developers are diligently working to resurrect this seemingly obsolete method. This movement transcends mere nostalgic aesthetics—it emphasizes the celebration of human creativity in digital experiences. Check out the full story.
—Tiffany Ng
We can still enjoy nice things
A space for comfort, joy, and distraction to brighten your day. (Have suggestions? Let me know or share ’em with me.)
+ Check out how a little bit of math can assist you in wrapping your gifts more neatly this year.
+ It appears that humans mastered the art of fire much earlier than we had thought.
+ The Arab-owned cafes emerging across the US seem warm and hospitable.
+ Here’s how to present a gift that the recipient will cherish and utilize for years to come.
