The Download: introducing the Bear subject

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On April 25, 2024

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That is this present day’s edition ofThe Download,our weekday e-newsletter that provides a every single day dose of what is occurring on within the enviornment of skills.

Introducing: the Bear subject

Constructing is a conventional tech industry motif—specifically in Silicon Valley, where “Time to construct” has change into something of a name to palms. But the future is built brick by brick from the corrupt decisions we construct in basically the latest.

We don’t frequently seek for that the seeming steps ahead we are taking this present day might per chance per chance per chance perchance per chance be considered as steps assist within the years yet to realize. Each and every on occasion the issues we don’t make, or the steps we skip, hold bigger implications than the actions we make rob.

These are the subject matters we delve into in our Bear subject. Are attempting these reviews from the magazine:

Are attempting these reviews from the magazine:

+ Our quilt story from Melissa Heikkilä investigates whether or now now not the AI exclaim goes to herald robotics’ very bear ChatGPT moment.

+ Louisiana’s houses are sinking. Can a authorities-led undertaking construct the role up and out of disaster?

+ Axiom Utter and diverse commercial corporations are making a bet they are going to construct internal most constructions to interchange the Global Utter Attach of dwelling.

+ An appealing be aware on the unparalleled uncommon historic previous of brainwashingand how The usa grew to change into smitten by waging psychic war in opposition to China.

+ Why the upward thrust of generative AI capability we need a brand new term to interchange ‘consumer.’

+ AI used to be supposed to construct police bodycams better. What took put?

+ How we remodel to a fully decarbonized world. A world powered by electricity from ample, renewable sources is now internal attain.

That is ethical a diminutive risk of what’s on provide. Subscribe whilst you happen to don’t already to try the entirety. Luxuriate in!

This solar monumental is transferring manufacturing assist to the US

Everytime you know a solar panel, most parts of it doubtlessly attain from China. The US invented the skills and once dominated its manufacturing, nonetheless over the last two a protracted time, authorities subsidies and low charges in China hold led most of the solar manufacturing provide chain to be concentrated there.

Nonetheless the US authorities is making an try to alternate that. Through high tariffs on imports and hefty home tax credit ranking, it’s a long way making an try to construct the associated payment of manufacturing solar panels within the US competitive enough for corporations to must attain assist and situation up factories.

To realize its possibilities of success, MIT Technology Review spoke to Shawn Qu, founder and chairman of long-standing solar company Canadian Portray voltaic. After a protracted time of mostly manufacturing in Asia, Canadian Portray voltaic is pivoting assist to the US. He told Zeyi Yang, our China reporter, why he sees a staunch chance for a solar industry revival.

To learn extra about the instruct of Chinese tech within the US, at the side of climate tech stars, try the newest edition of China File, our weekly e-newsletter holding tech, coverage and vitality in China. Signal in to receive it for your inbox every Tuesday.

The must-reads

I’ve combed the on-line to search out you this present day’s most fun/essential/upsetting/attention-grabbing reviews about skills.

1 The US Senate has passed the invoice that can per chance per chance perchance ban TikTok
It can per chance per chance perchance either force parent firm ByteDance to promote TikTok, or face a national ban. (WP $)
+ Senators negate that TikTok’s possession poses a staunch threat to the US. (FT $)+ Nonetheless ByteDance is highly now now not going to entire a sale for the length of the narrow timeframe. (Reuters)
+ Here’s what’s likely to happen subsequent. (NOW $)

2 The AI industry is desperate for additional recordsdata centers
Place a matter to is so high, it’s causing a shortage of needed parts. (WSJ $)
+ Energy-hungry recordsdata centers are quietly going in cities. (MIT Technology Review)

3 Hackers try out cyberattacks in rising nations
Africa, Asia and South The usa are targeted sooner than they transfer onto richer worldwide locations. (FT $)
+ Australia is afraid that AI is supercharging on-line extremist job. (Bloomberg $)

4 Google has pushed assist its knowing to segment out cookies—again
It’s the third time the firm has delayed the undertaking. (Bloomberg $)

5 How Total Motors spied on its potentialities
It tracked driving recordsdata and sold it to the insurance industry. (NOW $)
+ The promoting industry is kicking its heels as it waits. (WSJ $)
+ China’s automobile corporations are turning into tech corporations. (MIT Technology Review)

6 How AI might per chance per chance per chance perchance abet to construct sense of complicated theories
String belief, anyone? (Quanta Magazine)
+ Is it capability to genuinely realize anyone else’s thoughts? (MIT Technology Review)

7 The NFL is diving into broad recordsdata
In phrases of optimizing wearing efficiency, recordsdata is vitality. (Knowable Magazine)

8 A brand new industry is making an try to sport Reddit with AI-generated product promo
It’s the roughly sneaky attain the Reddit neighborhood famously hates. (404 Media)
+ A GPT-3 bot posted comments on Reddit for per week and no one observed. (MIT Technology Review)

9 AI beauty pageants are a thing now 💄
Which no doubt undermines the level of beauty contests. (The Guardian)

10 X’s newest style is infuriating
Witness down at my keyboard? Fully now now not. (Insider $)

Quote of the day

“If the Chinese authorities wants recordsdata on Individuals, they don’t need TikTok to web it.”

—Alan Z. Rozenshtein, an partner professor of guidelines on the University of Minnesota, reflects on the US Senate’s risk to stress ByteDance into promoting TikTok or face a national ban, Platformer reviews.

The broad story

The lucky smash within the assist of the first CRISPR cure

December 2023

The enviornment’s first commercial gene-enhancing cure is situation to initiate altering the lives of folks with sickle-cell illness. It’s called Casgevy, and it used to be authorized closing November within the UK.

The cure, that can per chance per chance perchance simply be sold within the US by Vertex Prescribed capsules, employs CRISPR, that can per chance per chance perchance simply be without complications programmed by scientists to sever DNA at staunch areas they settle.

Nonetheless where make you aim CRISPR, and how did the researchers know what DNA to alternate? That’s the lesser-identified story of the sickle-cell step forward. Read extra about it.

—Antonio Regalado

We are in a position to clean hold nice issues

A put for comfort, fun and distraction to brighten up your day. (Obtained any tips? Drop me a line or tweet ’em at me.)

+ The Monument Valley video games are at ease, whilst you happen to’ve never performed them, and their tune is specifically poignant.
+ There’s nothing extra nice than a correct stress washer video.
+ Bear you ever ever learned your doppelganger in an art work gallery? These folks hold.
+ Changing crimson meat with fish in classic recipes—with surprisingly tasty results.