Here is today’s issue of The Download, our weekday newsletter delivering a daily overview of happenings in the tech world.
AI is transforming the thought processes of the world’s premier Go players
A decade back, AlphaGo, the AI program from Google DeepMind, shocked the globe by besting the South Korean Go champion Lee Sedol.
Since then, AI has radically changed the game. It has invalidated tried-and-true strategies established over centuries and brought forth entirely new tactics. Players now practice replicating AI’s moves as accurately as possible instead of creating their own, even though the machine’s reasoning often eludes them. In tandem, AI is broadening access to training, leading to an increase in the number of female players rising through the ranks.
Currently, it’s nearly unfeasible to engage in professional competition without AI assistance. Some believe this technology has stripped the game of its creative essence, while others argue that there’s still space for human ingenuity. Read the complete article.
—Michelle Kim
MIT Technology Review Narrated: Hackers issued death threats to this security researcher. Big error.
In April 2024, an enigmatic individual going by the usernames “Waifu” and “Judische” began distributing death threats on Telegram and Discord channels targeting a cybersecurity expert named Allison Nixon.
As the chief research officer at the cyber investigations company Unit 221B, Nixon established a reputation for tracking down cybercriminals and facilitating their arrests. Although she had previously monitored the Waifu persona for crimes he bragged about, he had fallen off her radar when these threats surfaced, as she was focused on different targets.
Now Nixon is determined to identify Waifu/Judische and others behind the death threats—and hold them accountable for the offenses they confessed to committing.
This is our latest story featured in a MIT Technology Review Narrated podcast, released weekly on Spotify and Apple Podcasts. Just search for MIT Technology Review Narrated on either platform, and follow us to receive all new content as it is released.
The essential reads
I’ve searched the web to present you today’s most engaging/significant/terrifying/intriguing stories surrounding technology.
1 Anthropic has rebuffed the Pentagon’s AI requests
It remains steadfast in its position: no mass monitoring of Americans, and no lethal autonomous weapons. (The Verge)
+ Anthropic indicated that “virtually no progress” had been achieved during recent discussions. (The Hill)
+ Here’s how the relationship between the US government and the company began to deteriorate. (Vox)
2 Instagram will notify parents if teens repeatedly search for suicide-related content
However, advocates worry the initiative may be more harmful than beneficial. (BBC)
+ Instagram is developing a similar alert function for its AI tools. (Engadget)
+ Poland is considering prohibiting those under 15 from using social media. (Bloomberg $)
3 ChatGPT Health regularly fails to identify medical crises
In over half of severe cases, it advised users to postpone seeking medical attention. (The Guardian)
+ “Dr. Google” had its shortcomings. Can ChatGPT Health perform better? (MIT Technology Review)
4 The Islamic State’s online warriors are resurrecting figures from the dead
The organization is employing AI to bring back deceased leaders and place them on new platforms. (404 Media)
5 Vegetarians face a lower risk from five cancer types
It implies that steering clear of meat might help reduce the risk of certain cancers, including breast and pancreatic. (FT $)
+ Interestingly, this does not hold true for vegans. (Bloomberg $)
+ RFK Jr. adheres to a carnivore diet. That certainly doesn’t mean you should, though. (MIT Technology Review)
6 Activists fighting online harassment have been barred from entering the US
Officials accused HateAid of engaging in a “global censorship-industrial complex.” (NYT $)
+ What it’s like to be prohibited from the US for opposing online hatred. (MIT Technology Review)
7 Russians are seeking missing soldiers on Google Maps
They’re leaving reviews asking for information about absent family members. (New Yorker $)
+ Google Maps has finally received authorization to operate in South Korea. (FT $)
+ It is determined to close its remaining global gaps. (Economist $)
8 Burger King’s new AI assistant will assess employees’ friendliness
It will evaluate interactions to ensure they use polite expressions. (The Verge)
+ Perplexity’s assertive new AI agent delegates tasks to other agents. (Ars Technica)
9 NASA has not yet returned to the moon
The mission has been plagued by postponements and complications. (WP $)
10 Are you on the Chinamaxxing trend yet?
Everyone on TikTok is, come on. (Insider $)
Quote of the day
“This reflects both a political struggle as well as a military usage issue.”
—Steven Feldstein, a senior member of the Carnegie Endowment, who studies AI in military contexts, discusses with the Washington Post why ideological disparities are likely exacerbating the divide between Anthropic and the Pentagon.
One more item
A city’s battle to tackle its sewage challenges with sensors
In South Bend, Indiana, wastewater from residents’ kitchens, sinks, washing machines, and toilets moves through 35 local sewer conduits. On favorable days, a vertical throttle pipe at the end of each line redirects the sewage into an interceptor tube, which transports it to a treatment facility for the removal of solid waste and bacteria.
Similar to many cities across America, these pipes are combined with storm drains, which can contaminate rivers and lakes with hazardous sludge during heavy rains or snowmelt, threatening wildlife and drinking water resources. However, city administrators have devised a strategy to significantly enhance their aging sewer systems. Read the full article.
—Andrew Zaleski
We can still enjoy nice things
A space for comfort, enjoyment, and distraction to brighten up your day. (Have any suggestions? Send me a message or share with me.)
+ Here’s an intriguing look into Jimi Hendrix’s technical guitar mastery 🎸
+ The Romans: their experiences really weren’t that different from ours, you know.
+ How the Beatles relaxed and unwound at home when they weren’t shaping history.
+ Disney composer Alan Menken is undeniably talented.
