The Download: The Pentagon’s new AI plans, and next-gen nuclear reactors
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.
The Pentagon is planning for AI companies to train on classified data, defense official says
The Pentagon plans to set up secure environments for generative AI companies to train military-specific versions of their models on classified data, MIT Technology Review has learned.
AI models like Anthropic’s Claude are already used to answer questions in classified settings, including for analyzing targets in Iran. But allowing them to train on and learn from classified data is a major new development that presents unique security risks.
It would embed sensitive intelligence—like surveillance reports or battlefield assessments—into the models themselves. It would also bring AI firms closer to classified data than ever before. Read the full story.
—James O’Donnell
What do new nuclear reactors mean for waste?
The way the world currently deals with nuclear waste is as creative as it is varied: drown it in water pools, encase it in steel, bury it hundreds of meters underground. But an approaching wave of new reactors could introduce fresh challenges to nuclear waste management.
The new designs and materials could require some engineering solutions. And there’s a huge range of them coming, meaning there’s an equally wide range of potential waste types to handle. Read the full story.
—Casey Crownhart
This story is part of our MIT Technology Review Explains series, which untangles the complex, messy world of technology to show you what’s coming next. Check out the full series here.
MIT Technology Review Narrated: how uncrewed narco subs could transform the Colombian drug trade
For decades, handmade narco subs have been among the cocaine trade’s most elusive and productive workhorses, ferrying tons of drugs from Colombia to the rest of the world.
Now off-the-shelf technology—Starlink terminals, plug-and-play nautical autopilots, high-resolution video cameras—may be advancing that cat-and-mouse game into a new phase.
Uncrewed subs could move more cocaine over longer distances, and they wouldn’t put human smugglers at risk of capture. Law enforcement agencies are only just beginning to grapple with the consequences.
—Eduardo Echeverri López
This is our latest story to be turned into an MIT Technology Review Narrated podcast, which we’re publishing each week on Spotify and Apple Podcasts. Just navigate to MIT Technology Review Narrated on either platform, and follow us to get all our new content as it’s released.
The must-reads
1 Nvidia has joined the OpenClaw craze with the launch of NemoClaw
It’s adding privacy and security to the AI agent platform. (Business Insider)
+ Chinese AI stocks surged on the news. (Bloomberg $)
+ Nvidia has also gained Beijing’s approval to sell H200 chips. (Reuters)
+ Tech-savvy “Tinkerers” are cashing in on China’s OpenClaw frenzy. (MIT Technology Review)
2 Microsoft is mulling legal action over the Amazon-OpenAI cloud deal
Citing a potential violation of its exclusive partnership. (FT $)
3 The Pentagon wants to mass-produce the drones it used to strike Iran
The kamikaze drone, called Lucas, is a copy of Iran’s Shahed UAV. (WSJ $)
+ The Shaheds have proven highly effective in the conflict. (NBC News)
+ AI is turning the war into theater. (MIT Technology Review)
4 US officials say Anthropic can’t be trusted with warfighting systems
They want to oust the AI company from all government agencies. (Wired $)
+ OpenAI has taken advantage of the spat. (MIT Technology Review)
+ Here’s how GenAI may be used in strikes. (MIT Technology Review)
5 China is penalizing people linked to Meta’s $2 billion acquisition of Manus
It’s seen as an attempt to stop Chinese AI leaders from relocating. (NYT)
6 DeepSeek appears to be quietly testing a next-generation AI model
An official launch of the new system may be imminent. (Reuters)
+ DeepSeek ripped up the AI playbook. (MIT Technology Review)
7 Meta is ending VR access to Horizon Worlds in June
It was Meta’s flagship metaverse project. (Engadget)
+ And became notorious for sexual harassment. (MIT Technology Review)
8 “Sensorveillance” is turning consumer tech into tracking tools for police
It’s turning our most personal devices into digital informants. (IEE Spectrum)
+ In the surveillance capitalism era, we need to rethink privacy. (MIT Technology Review)
9 Two landmark lawsuits could transform social media for the better
They target the dangers that the platforms pose to children. (New Scientist)
10 A DNA discovery suggests humanity may have seeded from space
An asteroid may have transported the ingredients for life to Earth. (404 Media)
Quote of the day
“It is now the largest, most popular, the most successful open-sourced project in the history of humanity. This is definitely the next ChatGPT.”
—Nvidia CEO tells CNBC why OpenClaw is a big step forward for AI.
One More Thing
How the Pentagon is adapting to China’s technological rise
It’s been just over a year since Kathleen Hicks stepped down as US deputy secretary of defense.
As the highest-ranking woman in Pentagon history, Hicks shaped US military posture through an era defined by renewed competition between powerful countries and a scramble to modernize defense technology.
In this conversation with MIT Technology Review, Hicks reflects on how the Pentagon is adapting—or failing to adapt—to a new era of geopolitical competition. She discusses China’s technological rise, the future of AI in warfare, and her signature initiative: Replicator. Read the full story.
—Caiwei Chen
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.)
+ Give typing a tuneful tempo by turning your keyboard into a piano with this new tool.
+ Barry’s Border Points is a fascinating photographic journey through the lines that divide us.
+ Feast your eyes on these five architectural contenders for “a new wonder of the world.”
+ This Ancient Rome cosplay game lets you live your best gladiator life.