Presenting this edition of The Download, our weekday newsletter offering a daily glimpse into the world of technology.
Introducing the individual creating a foundational kit for society
You reside in a home that you have designed and constructed by yourself. You harness the sun for energy, warm your dwelling with a wood stove, and cultivate your own fish and produce. The year is 2025.
This is the existence of Marcin Jakubowski, the 53-year-old founder of Open Source Ecology, a collective of engineers, manufacturers, and builders working on what they term the Global Village Construction Set (GVCS).
It comprises a collection of 50 machines—ranging from a tractor to an oven to a circuit builder—that can construct a society from nothing and can be adapted according to your preferences. This aligns with his belief that transformative technology should be accessible to everyone, rather than monopolized by a few. Read the entire article.
—Tiffany Ng
This story is from the latest print issue of MIT Technology Review magazine, featuring captivating stories. If you haven’t yet, subscribe today to receive upcoming editions upon release.
Experiencing life at the epicenter of a conspiracy theory
Last week, we facilitated a roundtable discussion exclusive to subscribers, delving into how to navigate this new era of conspiracy theories. Our features editor Amanda Silverman and executive editor Niall Firth were joined by conspiracy specialist Mike Rothschild, who elaborated on what it’s like to be at the forefront of a conspiracy beyond your control. Watch the discussion here.
The essential readings
I’ve scoured the web to bring you today’s most entertaining/important/del alarming/captivating stories regarding technology.
1 DOGE has been dissolved
Despite having eight months remaining before its officially scheduled conclusion. (Reuters)
+ It leaves behind a chaotic legacy with minimal measurable savings. (Politico)
+ DOGE’s technological grip poses risks to the safety and stability of our essential data. (MIT Technology Review)
2 The adjustments made by OpenAI to ChatGPT have driven some users into delusional spirals
It effectively turned a dial that escalated both usage of the chatbot and the risks it presents to a subset of users. (NYT $)
+ AI professionals are advising their families to avoid the technology. (The Guardian)
+ It’s surprisingly easy to develop a bond with an AI chatbot. (MIT Technology Review)
3 A toddler has undergone the world’s first gene therapy for Hunter syndrome
Oliver Chu seems to be developing normally one year after commencing therapy. (BBC)
4 The potential of being in—or out of—an AI bubble 🫧
It’s crucial to examine the data. (WP $)
+ Even technology leaders don’t seem completely certain. (Insider $)
+ How far can the ‘fake it till you make it’ approach take us? (WSJ $)
+ Nvidia continues to ride the wave exuberantly. (NY Mag $)
5 Numerous MAGA influencers are located in Russia, India, and Nigeria
X’s new account provenance feature is unveiling some intriguing realities. (The Daily Beast)
6 The FBI aims to outfit drones with facial recognition technology
Civil libertarians argue that these plans are akin to aerial surveillance. (The Intercept)
+ This colossal microwave could transform the future of warfare. (MIT Technology Review)
7 Snapchat is informing users before Australia’s ban on social media for those under 16
The platform will assess an account’s “behavioral signals” to estimate a user’s age. (The Guardian)
+ An AI nudification site has been penalized for bypassing age verification. (The Register)
+ Millennial parents are romanticizing the idea of an offline upbringing. (The Observer)
8 Activists are simulating ICE raids in Fortnite and Grand Theft Auto
In an effort to prepare players to assert their rights in real life. (Wired $)
+ Another initiative to monitor ICE raids has gone offline. (MIT Technology Review)
9 The JWST may have discovered enormous stars ⭐
In fact, they are so massive that their weights are 10,000 times that of the sun. (New Scientist $)
+ Inside the search for the most perilous asteroid ever. (MIT Technology Review)
10 Users on social media are fabricating stories about brands ghosting them
Completely ordinary behavior. (WSJ $)
+ This wouldn’t have occurred on Vine, I assure you. (The Verge)
Quote of the day
“I can’t believe I have to mention this, but this account has solely been operated from the United States.”
—The US Department of Homeland Security’s X account seeks to clarify speculation regarding its social media origins, the New York Times reports.
One additional item
This company aims to establish a lithium empire along the shores of the Great Salt Lake
On a sunny afternoon in August, the banks of Utah’s Great Salt Lake resemble a scene from a sci-fi film set in a scorching alien realm.
This surreal backdrop serves as the testing ground for a company named Lilac Solutions, which is developing a method they claim will revolutionize the U.S. attempts to seize control of the global lithium supply, the so-called “white gold” essential for electric vehicles and batteries, from China.
The startup is in a competitive race to implement a novel, less environmentally harmful approach to extract lithium from minerals. If everything goes according to plan, it could substantially boost the domestic supply at a critical juncture for the nation’s lithium extraction sector. Read the complete article.
—Alexander C. Kaufman
