This is today's edition of The Download, our weekday newsletter that provides a daily dose of what's going on in the world of technology.
In February 2019, a group of scientists proposed a high-risk, cutting-edge, irresistibly exciting idea that the National Science Foundation should fund: making “mirror” bacteria.
These lab-created microbes would be organized like ordinary bacteria, but their proteins and sugars would be mirror images of those found in nature. Researchers believed they could reveal new insights into building cells, designing drugs, and even the origins of life.
But now, many of them have reversed course. They’ve become convinced that mirror organisms could trigger a catastrophic event threatening every form of life on Earth. Find out why they’re ringing alarm bells.
This story is from the next issue of our print magazine, which is all about nature. Subscribe now to read it when it lands this Wednesday.
Earlier this month, a GitHub project called Colleague Skill struck a nerve by claiming to “distill” a worker’s skills and personality—and replicate them with an AI agent. Though the project was a spoof, it prompted a wave of soul-searching among otherwise enthusiastic early adopters.
A number of tech workers told MIT Technology Review that their bosses are already encouraging them to document their workflows for automation via tools like OpenClaw. Many now fear that they are being flattened into code and losing their professional identity.
In response, some are fighting back with tools designed to sabotage the automation process.
I’ve combed the internet to find you today’s most fun/important/scary/fascinating stories about technology.
1 The White House and Anthropic are working toward a compromiseThe Trump administration says they had a “productive meeting.” (Reuters $)+ Trump had ordered US agencies to phase out Anthropic’s tech. (Guardian)+ Despite the blacklist, the NSA is using Anthropic's new Mythos model. (Axios)
2 Palantir has unveiled a manifesto calling for universal national serviceWhile denouncing inclusivity and “regressive” cultures. (TechCrunch)+ It’s a summary of CEO Alex Karp’s book “The Technological Republic.” (Engadget)+ One critic called the book “a piece of corporate sales material.“ (Bloomberg $)
3 Germany's chancellor and largest company want looser AI rules Chancellor Merz said industrial AI needs more regulatory freedom. (Reuters $)+ Siemens says it plans to shift investments to the US if EU rules don’t change. (Bloomberg $)+ Fractures over AI regulation are also emerging in the US. (MIT Technology Review)
4 Nvidia’s once-tight bond with gamers is cracking over AI Consumer graphics cards are no longer the priority. (CNBC)+ But generative AI could reinvent what it means to play. (MIT Technology Review)
5 Insurers are trying to exclude AI-related harms from their coverageAnd escape legal liability for AI’s mistakes. (FT $)+ AI images are being used in insurance scams. (BBC)
6 AI is about to make the global e-waste crisis much worseAnd most of the trash will end up in non-Western countries. (Rest of World)+ Here’s what we can do about it. (MIT Technology Review)
7 Tinder and Zoom have partnered with Sam Altman’s eye-scanning firmTo offer a "proof of humanity" badge to users. (BBC)
8 Islamist insurgents in West Africa are driving surging demand for dronesA Nigerian UAV startup is opening its first factory abroad in Ghana. (Bloomberg $)
9 Hundreds of fake pro-Trump AI influencers are flooding social mediaIn an apparent bid to hook conservative voters. (NYT)
10 A Chinese humanoid has smashed the human half-marathon recordDespite crashing into a railing near the end of the race. (NBC News)+ Chinese tech firm Honor swept the podium spots. (Engadget)+ Last year, humans won the race by a mile. (CNN)
—Ben Cumming, head of communications at the AI safety nonprofit Future of Life Institute, tells the Washington Post that diverse public figures are endorsing a declaration of AI policy priorities.
The International Space Station will be decommissioned as soon as 2030, but the story of America in low Earth orbit (LEO) will continue.
Using lessons from the ISS, NASA has partnered with private companies to develop new commercial space stations for research, manufacturing, and tourism. If they are successful, these businesses will bring about a new era of space exploration: private rockets flying to private destinations.
They will also demonstrate a new model in which NASA builds infrastructure and the private sector takes it from there—freeing the agency to explore deeper and deeper into space. Read the full story.
A place for comfort, fun and distraction to brighten up your day. (Got any ideas? Drop me a line.)
+ Bask in thisadorable test of a dog's devotion.+ This vocal pitch trainer improves your singing straight from your browser.+ Master international etiquette with this interactive guide to the world’s cultures.+ Explore the networks of public figures with this intriguing interactive graph.
Plus: The US DoD has been secretly testing OpenAI models for years
Plus: The US government wanted to use Anthropic's AI to analyze bulk data collected from Americans
Plus: an ex-DOGE staffer has been accused of stealing social security data.
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