This is today’s edition of The Download, a weekday newsletter that brings you a daily dose of what’s happening in the world of technology.
OpenAI’s new defense contract completes military axis
In early 2024, OpenAI’s rules regarding the use of AI models by the military were clear, prohibiting the use of AI models for “weapons development” or “military and warfare.”
Gradually easing these restrictions throughout this year, OpenAI has now announced that its technology will be deployed directly to the battlefield.
The company has partnered with defense technology company Anduril, a maker of AI-powered drones, radar systems, and missiles, to help the U.S. military and allied forces defend against drone attacks. Read our story to understand how and why this turning point unfolded.
—James O’Donnell
Do you eat dried microorganisms? This company hopes so.
What’s new: The company best known for inhaling industrial waste gases is turning its attention to food. LanzaTech, a rising star in the fuel and chemical industry, joins a growing group of companies producing microbial-based foods as alternatives to plants and animals.
Why it matters: Today, the world’s food system accounts for about 25% to 35% of anthropogenic greenhouse gas emissions, much of it from animal agriculture. Alternative food sources can help feed the world while reducing climate pollution. Please read the full text.
—Casey Crownhart
To learn more about the potential positive impact of meat alternatives on the climate, check out the latest edition of The Spark, our weekly climate and energy newsletter. Sign up to receive it in your inbox every Wednesday.
Google DeepMind’s new AI model is the best yet for weather forecasting
Google DeepMind has announced an AI model that is better at predicting the weather than current best systems.
The new model, called GenCast, is the second AI weather model Google has released in recent months. In July, it announced details of NeuralGCM, a model that combines AI and physics-based techniques like those used in existing predictive tools. The performance of this model was similar to the traditional method, but it used less computational power.
GenCast is different because it relies solely on AI techniques. It works similar to ChatGPT, but instead of predicting the next most likely word in a sentence, it generates the next most likely weather condition. But while the results are impressive, they do not mean the end of traditional meteorology as a field. Please read the full text.
—Scott J. Mulligan
Must-read content
We scoured the internet to find the most entertaining/important/scary/fascinating stories about technology today.
1 Donald Trump appointed a billionaire astronaut to head NASA
Jarrad Isaacman has been to space twice and was the first civilian to perform an extravehicular activity. (CBS News)
+ Unsurprisingly, he is also close to Elon Musk. (Fast Company$)
+ Will this appointment make Musk more obedient to NASA? (Economist $)
2 1 Bitcoin price exceeds $100,000
This is a notable milestone for a notoriously volatile cryptocurrency. (New York Times dollars)
+ The industry faithful hopes that Donald Trump will pass crypto-friendly legislation. (The Guardian)
+ Congratulations to all our investors. Now what happens next? (FT$)
3 Humane isn’t giving up on AI pins
Despite the low sales numbers, the company hopes to embed the device in mobile phones and cars. (The Verge)+ This Pin appeared exclusively in the first AI Hype Index. (MIT Technology Review)
4 Amazon deliveries are slower in low-income ZIP codes
Even though DC residents pay for the same Prime program as their wealthier neighbors. (WP$)
+ The lawsuit alleges that Amazon concealed the real reason for the delay. (Ars Technica)
5 Law Enforcement Agencies Busted Two Major Cryptocurrency Laundering Networks
Criminals exchanged large amounts of cash for cryptocurrencies across criminal networks. (wired$)
+ Cryptocurrency fraud is rampant in Dubai. (Bloomberg$)
6 Reasons for the failure of the world’s largest offshore wind farm
Orsted was riding the wave of clean energy, but that is no longer the case. (FT$)
+ The UK has failed spectacularly to harness wind power properly. (Bloomberg $)
+ The next future of offshore wind power generation. (MIT Technology Review)
7 OnlyFans quietly launches in China
However, pornography remains illegal in this country. (CNN)
+ Chinese gamers are using Steam’s wallpaper app to get porn past censors. (MIT Technology Review)
8 We are getting closer to solving the great mysteries of the universe
The largest galaxies may have been formed by a “cosmic collision.” (The Guardian)
+ The galaxy that looked like a sombrero isn’t anymore. (CNN)
9 This winged drone can hop and jump
Looks like a robot bird. (IEEE Spectrum)
+ The next future of drones. (MIT Technology Review)
10 Why did X make such a fuss over a woman’s doctoral thesis?
Everyone please go outside and touch the grass. (Vox)
quote of the day
“We never doubted. We never wavered. And we never stopped building.”
—Chris Marszalek, CEO of exchange Crypto.com, celebrates Bitcoin reaching $100,000 per coin in a post on X.
big story
What will the future hold for people born today?
August 2024
Happy birthday, baby.
You were born in the age of intelligent machines. They have been watching over you almost ever since you became pregnant. Parents can listen to your little heartbeat, track your pregnancy on the app, and post your ultrasound on social media. You knew about algorithms long before you were born.
Your arrival coincided with the magazine’s 125th anniversary. With a little luck and the right genes, we might see another 125 years. How will you and the next generation of machines grow together? We asked more than a dozen experts to imagine your future. Read what they prophesied.
—Cara Platoni
we still have good things
A place for comfort, fun and distraction to brighten your day. (Have any ideas? Drop me a line or tweet me.)
+ If you want the best pizza in the world, you should go to Jersey City (apparently)
+ Thinking about gifting something you previously owned this Christmas? Be sure to do these important checks.
+ What science tells us about how to fight bullying.
+ Wow, honey scams are on the rise! 