This is the current edition of The Download, our weekday newsletter that delivers a daily glimpse into the happenings in the technology sector.
Coming soon: our 10 Crucial AI Insights Right Now
For years, the MIT Technology Review’s newsroom has been leading the way, following key developments in AI and shedding light on their significance. Now, our premier AI team is assembling something comprehensive: the 10 Crucial AI Insights Right Now.
Scheduled for release in April at our flagship AI event, EmTech AI, this special report will disclose what our seasoned journalists are scrutinizing most closely, what innovations have sparked their interest, and what changes they foresee on the horizon. It’s our authoritative overview of where AI is headed in the coming year—a meticulously selected list of 10 technologies, emerging trends, bold concepts, and significant movements shaping our world.
Participants at EmTech AI will gain much more than just an exclusive preview of what made our 10 Crucial AI Insights Right Now list. We’re at a crucial juncture as AI transitions from pilot programs into core business frameworks, and to reflect this, we’ve designed a program that will guide you through current developments and prepare you for what lies ahead.
We’ll hear from leading figures at OpenAI, Walmart, General Motors, Poolside, MIT, the Allen Institute for AI (Ai2) and SAG-AFTRA. Discussions will cover everything from how organizations are gearing up for AI agents to how AI will influence the future of human expression. In addition to networking with speakers, you’ll also get the opportunity to interact with MIT Technology Review’s editors. Download readers receive a 10% discount on tickets, so what are you waiting for? Hope to see you there!
The essential reads
I’ve scoured the web to bring you today’s most entertaining/important/scary/intriguing stories about technology.
1 Anthropic announces its intention to sue the Pentagon
It asserts that the DoD’s prohibition on its software is illegal. (BBC)
+ CEO Dario Amodei has still apologized for a leaked email that criticized Trump. (Axios)
+ Trump, for his part, states he dismissed Anthropic “like dogs.” (The Guardian)
+ In better news for Anthropic, its models are allowed to stay in Microsoft products.(CNBC)
2 The Pentagon has been covertly testing OpenAI models for several years
Which underscores just how effective OpenAI’s military use ban has been. (Wired $)
3 A new lawsuit claims that Trump’s TikTok deal benefitted companies that ‘personally enriched’ him
The lawsuit seeks to repeal the sale of the app’s US operations. (CBS News)
+ It could clarify the majority American-owned joint venture for TikTok. (Reuters)
4 AI could rejuvenate smart homes
Google and Amazon are wagering on more intelligent assistants—but not everyone is on board (NYT)
5 Iran has attacked Amazon data centers, unsettling the Gulf’s AI aspirations
The first military strike on a US hyperscaler has upended the region’s tech landscape. (FT $)
+ The incident has highlighted AI’s current role in warfare—and what may come next. (Nature)
6 Trump and technology CEOs have pledged to shield consumers from AI’s energy expenses
Google, Microsoft, Meta, Amazon, OpenAI, Oracle and xAI have all endorsed the pledge. (Axios)
+ But what is AI’s actual energy footprint? We conducted the calculations. (MIT Technology Review)
7 Meta is facing a lawsuit over surveillance via smart glasses
The lawsuit alleges that Meta misled users regarding the devices’ privacy features. (TechCrunch)
8 A new field has emerged: studying ‘AI societies’
Researchers are analyzing human behavior without actually involving humans. (Nature)
+ Hundreds of AI agents established their own society in Minecraft. (MIT Technology Review)
9 Oh wonderful, teenage boys are employing ChatGPT to flirt with girls
Of all the things to delegate to AI, flirting definitely should not be one of them. (Vox)
10 The legendary Nintendo PlayStation has found a new residence
The US National Video Museum has acquired the storied console’s development kit. (Engadget)
Quote of the day
“It’s rather bitterly ironic.”
—Dean Ball, a prior Trump administration AI adviser, tells Politico that the Anthropic conflict undermines the president’s commitment to reduce bureaucratic hurdles for technology.
One more thing
These scientists aim to extend the lifespan of pet dogs—and their owners
Gavesh’s journey initiated with a Facebook job ad promising an improved life. Instead, he was trafficked into “pig butchering”—a type of scam where fraudsters cultivate close bonds with online victims to siphon off money.
We spoke with Gavesh and five other individuals from within the scam industry, as well as anti-trafficking advocates and technology experts. Their accounts reveal how global tech companies have industrialized this illicit trade—and why those same platforms now possess the solutions to dismantle it. Read the complete story.
—Peter Guest and Emily Fishbein
We can still enjoy nice things
A haven for comfort, amusement, and diversion to enhance your day. (Have any suggestions? Send me a message or send ’em to me.)
+ The Blood Moon of March 3 was breathtaking.
+ Orysia Zabeida’s imperfect animations, meticulously crafted frame-by-frame from memory, are captivating.
+ This remarkable photograph of a white whale calf won the top accolade at the World Nature Photography Awards.
+ Two “Lazarus” marsupials have just returned from extinction in a significant victory for biodiversity.
