인류를 위협하는 '거울 세균'과 AI 대체에 맞서는 中 개발자들

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. No one’s sure if synthetic mirror life will kill us all 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 . —Stephen Ornes 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. Chinese tech workers are starting to train their AI doubles—and pushing back 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. Read the full story . —Caiwei Chen The must-reads 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 compromise The 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 service While 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 coverage And 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 worse And 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 firm To offer a "proof of humanity" badge to users. ( BBC ) 8 Islamist insurgents in West Africa are driving surging demand for drones A Nigerian UAV startup is opening its first factory abroad in Ghana. ( Bloomberg $) 9 Hundreds of fake pro-Trump AI influencers are flooding social media In an apparent bid to hook conservative voters. ( NYT ) 10 A Chinese humanoid has smashed the human half-marathon record Despite 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 ) Quote of the day “This is the only issue where you’ve got Steve Bannon and Ralph Nader, Glenn Beck and Bernie Sanders fighting for the same thing.” —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. One More Thing The great commercial takeover of low Earth orbit 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 . —David W. Brown We can still have nice things A place for comfort, fun and distraction to brighten up your day. (Got any ideas? Drop me a line .) + Bask in this adorable 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 . Deep Dive The Download The Download: 10 things that matter in AI, plus Anthropic’s plan to sue the Pentagon Plus: The US DoD has been secretly testing OpenAI models for years By Thomas Macaulay archive page The Download: Quantum computing for health, and why the world doesn’t recycle more nuclear waste 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. A $5 million prize awaits proof that quantum computers can solve health care problems In a laboratory on the outskirts of Oxford, a quantum computer built from atoms and light awaits… By Thomas Macaulay archive page The Download: protesting AI, and what’s floating in space Plus: The US government wanted to use Anthropic's AI to analyze bulk data collected from Americans By Rhiannon Williams archive page The Download: how AI is used for military targeting, and the Pentagon’s war on Claude Plus: an ex-DOGE staffer has been accused of stealing social security data. By Thomas Macaulay archive page Stay connected Illustration by Rose Wong Get the latest updates from MIT Technology Review Discover special offers, top stories, upcoming events, and more. Enter your email Privacy Policy Thank you for submitting your email! Explore more newsletters It looks like something went wrong. We’re having trouble saving your preferences. Try refreshing this page and updating them one more time. 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