Additionally: The FBI has acknowledged that it is purchasing the location data of Americans.
This is the latest edition of The Download, our weekday newsletter that delivers a daily infusion of what’s happening in the tech sphere.
A reward of $5 million is up for grabs for proof that quantum computers can tackle health care challenges
In a lab situated on the outskirts of Oxford, a quantum computer composed of atoms and light awaits its chance. The apparatus is compact yet potent—and also highly valuable. Infleqtion, the firm that possesses it, is optimistic that its capabilities will earn a $5 million prize at an upcoming contest next week.
The award will be granted to the quantum computer that can address authentic health care issues that traditional “classical” computers struggle to manage. However, only one major victor can emerge—if a victor exists at all. Read the complete story.
—Michael Brooks
The reasons behind the world’s lack of nuclear waste recycling
When spent nuclear fuel is extracted from reactors, there remains a significant amount of usable uranium. Recycling could diminish both waste and the requirement for fresh material, yet the process is expensive, complex, and not entirely effective.
Discover why this poses such a challenge. —Casey Crownhart
This article is featured in The Spark, MIT Technology Review’s weekly newsletter dedicated to climate issues. Subscribe to receive it in your inbox every Wednesday.
Essential reads
I’ve scoured the web to bring you today’s most entertaining/essential/worrying/captivating technology stories.
1 The FBI has verified its acquisition of Americans’ location data
Director Kash Patel stated it’s resulted in “valuable intelligence.” (Politico)
+ What AI “recalls” about you represents the next frontier of privacy. (MIT Technology Review)
2 The initial draft of a federal AI bill has been released
It seeks to safeguard “children, creators, conservatives, and communities.” (Engadget)
+ A conflict is emerging over AI regulation in the US. (MIT Technology Review)
3 Google is positioning itself to the Pentagon as the ideal defense partner
It’s depicting its AI as a secure alternative to OpenAI and Anthropic. (NYT $)
+ Here’s how OpenAI’s technology might manifest in Iran. (MIT Technology Review)
4 A rogue AI agent at Meta compromised confidential data for employees
The breach lasted several hours before it was addressed. (The Information $)
+ Avoid letting AI agent hype exceed realistic expectations. (MIT Technology Review $)
5 Sony has eliminated 135,000 ‘deepfakes’ of its music
Con artists were imitating the label’s artists on streaming platforms. (BBC)
+ AI often excels as a collaborator rather than as an originator. (MIT Technology Review)
6 The EU has endorsed a prohibition on nonconsensual sexualized deepfakes
It has responded to Elon Musk’s Grok chatbot “nudifying” minors. (Bloomberg $)
7 Two pioneers of quantum cryptography have been awarded the Turing Award
Their encryption technique can (theoretically) never be compromised. (Quanta)
8 Gamers are outraged by Nvidia’s new rendering technology
They’ve branded it an “AI slop filter.” (The Verge)
9 The White House has secured the aliens.gov domain name
This has ignited speculation that the long-anticipated UFO disclosure from Trump is close at hand. (404 Media)
+ Discover the new biologists treating LLMs as if they are extraterrestrials. (MIT Technology Review)
10 Silicon Valley has adopted a fresh buzzword: “taste”
This is intended as a unique selling proposition amidst a flood of AI-generated recommendations. (The New Yorker $)
Quote of the day
“Large technology and China prevail. The rest of us suffer.”
—Elizabeth Warren shares her opinion regarding the Trump administration permitting Nvidia to sell cutting-edge chips to China.
One More Item
Pragmatic quantum computing is unavoidable—and drawing closer
Last year, Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang shocked the stock market by asserting that useful quantum computing was still 15 to 30 years distant. He also indicated that such computers would require Nvidia GPUs to operate. However, Huang’s forecasts are off—the timeline and the significance of his company’s technology have been misaligned.
Quantum computing is swiftly approaching practical relevance. This is promising, as the expectation is that they will accomplish calculations beyond the reach of any AI or classical computing methods. Read the entire story.
—Peter Barrett
We can still enjoy pleasurable experiences
A space for comfort, amusement, and diversion to enhance your day. (Have any suggestions? Send me a message.)
+ A self-identified “mad scientist” has powered a vehicle with vape batteries.
+ Someone embedded an Apple Mac Mini inside a classic LEGO computer.
+ Observe thousands of satellites circling the Earth in real-time through this fascinating interactive map.
+ This grilled wall cheese art appears too appealing to resist.
