The Download: the first brain implant power user and South Korea’s AI obsession

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. Casey Harrell has had a set of electrodes embedded in his brain for almost three years. Harrell, who has ALS and is paralyzed, first used his brain-computer interface (BCI) to “speak” in 2023. Since then, he’s clocked thousands of hours of use. Harrell can now use the device largely independently. His team has added new features to it, and he also uses it to surf the web and perform his job. “Living with a disease like ALS, you are supposed to have diminished dreams. I do not,” Harrell told MIT Technology Review. The team behind the device call Harrell “the first power user of a speech BCI.” They now plan to add further enhancements to the device. Dive into the groundbreaking impact of Casey Harrell’s BCI. While a public backlash against AI brews across the US, South Koreans are optimistic. Only 16% say they are more concerned than excited about AI—the lowest of the 25 countries surveyed by the Pew Research Center—while 50% of Americans were more worried than excited. South Koreans share a deep conviction that embracing technology is integral to modernizing the country and cementing its place in the global order. Their fascination with AI is just the latest incarnation of that ethos—and it’s making them anxious to stay ahead. Read the full story on South Korea’s AI fervour. This story is from The Algorithm, our weekly newsletter giving you the inside track on all things AI. Sign up to receive it in your inbox every Monday. I’ve combed the internet to find you today’s most fun/important/scary/fascinating stories about technology. 1 The US says it restricted Anthropic AI over foreign intelligence risksCommerce chief Lutnick said he acted over national security fears. (Reuters $)+ Following the ban, Anthropic disabled access to its new models. (BBC)+ Both sides are increasingly desperate for a resolution. (WSJ $)2 DeepSeek just became China's most valuable startupIt raised $7 billion, the largest-ever first-round funding for an AI startup. (The Information $)+ The deal values DeepSeek at over $50 billion. (WSJ $)+ Its unusual structure preserves founder control. (Reuters $)+ DeepSeek’s new flagship model has caused a stir. (MIT Technology Review) 3 Alibaba has unveiled AI models for robots amid a shift from chatbotsIt’s joined a global race to move AI into the physical world. (SCMP)+ AI is learning to understand its surroundings. (MIT Technology Review) 4 Fox is buying streaming giant Roku for $22 billionThe deal creates the third-largest player in US TV by viewing share. (BBC)+ Fox is making a big bet on free streaming. (Washington Post $)5 EA has launched a new way to advertise “directly into gameplay”EA Advertising allows brands to become part of the game itself. (CNBC)+ Xbox’s new chief strategy officer is also eyeing in-game ads. (PC Gamer)+ GenAI could reinvent what it means to play. (MIT Technology Review)6 It’s trivially easy to use Reddit to manipulate AI searchA tiny snippet of text can trick ChatGPT and Google’s AI search. (404 Media)+ AI search is being manipulated to generate dangerous biases. (BBC) 7 Sperm have been made magnetic to allow IVF inside the bodyThe technique enables remote guidance towards an egg. (New Scientist $)+ Automation and AI are transforming IVF. (MIT Technology Review) 8 The world’s leading deepfake expert no longer trusts his own eyesHe’s struggling to prove what’s real before the internet decides. (NYT $) 9 Meta’s CTO admits its AI reorganisation was “atrocious”He's promised staff better communication—and snacks. (Wired $) 10 Silicon Valley billionaires are pretending to kill each other for funIn a new game show from Peter Thiel’s Founders Fund. (WSJ $) —Alex Stamos, the former chief security officer of Facebook, tells the Washington Post that banning foreign access to Anthropic’s leading model is a disproportionate punishment. Since its birth in the late 2000s, effective altruism has aimed to answer a deceptively simple question: “How can those with means have the greatest impact?” Directing money to evidence-based approaches is EA’s best-known technique. But as it’s expanded from an academic philosophy into a community and a movement, its ideas of the “best” way to change the world have evolved as well. Find out how effective altruism became one of the most influential—and contested—forces in philanthropy. A place for comfort, fun, and distraction to brighten up your day. (Got any ideas? Drop me a line.) + The humble table has been reimagined as an unconventional public artifact.+ Take a visual tour of the weird, centuries-old history of architecture's most gruesome gargoyles.+ A colorful parakeet unseen for an entire century was triumphantly rediscovered in an unexplored Indonesian forest.+ This shimmering Southern Lights timelapse filmed by an astronaut on the SpaceX Dragon is stunning. Plus: China has blocked Meta’s $2 billion acquisition of AI startup Manus. Plus: An unauthorized group has reportedly accessed Anthropic’s Mythos. Plus: Anthropic has called for a global slowdown in AI development. Plus: DeepSeek has unveiled its long-awaited new AI model. Discover special offers, top stories, upcoming events, and more. We’re having trouble saving your preferences. Try refreshing this page and updating them one more time. 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