The Download: bad news for inner Neanderthals, and AI warfare’s human illusion

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 problem with thinking you’re part Neanderthal

There’s a theory that many of us have an “inner Neanderthal.” The idea is that Homo sapiens and a cousin species once bred, leaving some people today with a trace of Neanderthal DNA. 

This DNA is arguably the 21st century’s most celebrated discovery in human evolution. But in 2024, a pair of French geneticists called into question the theory’s very foundations. 

They proposed that what scientists interpret as interbreeding could instead be explained by population structure—the way genes concentrate in smaller, isolated groups.

Find out what it all means for human evolution.

—Ben Crair

This story is from the next issue of our print magazine, which is all about nature. Subscribe now to read it when it lands on Wednesday, April 22.

Why having “humans in the loop” in an AI war is an illusion

—Uri Maoz

AI is starting to shape real wars. It’s at the center of a legal battle between Anthropic and the Pentagon, playing a growing role in the conflict with Iran, and raising questions about how much humans should remain “in the loop.”

Under Pentagon guidelines, human oversight is meant to provide accountability, context, and security. But the idea of “humans in the loop” is a comforting distraction.

The real danger isn’t that machines will act without oversight; it’s that human overseers have no idea what the machines are actually “thinking.” Thankfully, science may offer a way forward.

Read the full op-ed on the urgent need for new safeguards around AI warfare.

The must-reads

I’ve combed the internet to find you today’s most fun/important/scary/fascinating stories about technology.

1 Despite blacklisting Anthropic, the White House wants its new model
Trump officials are negotiating access to Mythos. (Axios)
+ Anthropic said it was too dangerous for a public release. (Bloomberg $)
+ Finance ministers are alarmed about the security risks. (BBC)
+ Anthropic just rolled out a model that’s less risky than Mythos. (CNBC)
+ The Pentagon has pursued a culture war against the company. (MIT Technology Review)

2 Sam Altman’s side hustles have raised conflict-of-interest concerns
His opaque investments could influence decisions at OpenAI. (WSJ $)
+ A jury will soon decide if OpenAI abandoned its founding mission. (Wired $)
+ The company is making a big play for science. (MIT Technology Review)

3 A Starlink outage during drone tests exposed the Pentagon’s SpaceX reliance
It was one of several Navy test disruptions linked to Starlink. (Reuters $)
+ The DoD is also tapping Ford and GM for military innovations.(NYT $)

4 Data center delays threaten to choke AI expansion
40% of this year’s projects are at risk of falling behind schedule. (FT $)
+ Partly because no one wants a data center in their backyard. (MIT Technology Review)

5 Alibaba just released its own version of a world model
Happy Oyster is the latest attempt to extend AI’s ability to comprehend physical reality. (SCMP)
+ But they still need to understand cause and effect. (FT $)

6 Google’s Gemini is now generating AI images tailored to personal data
By analyzing users’ Google services and data. (Quartz)
+ Google says it will cut the need for detailed prompts. (TechCrunch)

7 OpenAI is beefing up its agentic coding and development system
Its Codex update is a direct shot at Claude Code. (The Verge)
+ But not everyone is convinced about AI coding. (MIT Technology Review)

8 Europe’s online age verification app is here
It’s available for free to any company that wants it. (Wired $) 

9 Smartglasses are giving Korean theaters hope of a K-Pop moment
Their AI-powered translations are taking the shows to the world. (NYT $)

10 Global voice actors are fighting Hollywood’s AI push
Their voices are training the models that are replacing them. (Rest of World)

Quote of the day

“There’s this dark period between now and some time in the future where the advantage is very much offensive AI.” 

—Rob Joyce, former director of cybersecurity at the National Security Agency, tells Bloomberg how AI is creating new hacking threats.

One More Thing

The race to produce rare earth elements

Access to rare earth elements will determine which countries meet their goals for lowering emissions or generating energy from non-fossil-fuel sources. But some nations, including the US, are worried about the supply of these elements. 

China dominates the market, while extraction in the US is limited. As a result, scientists and companies are exploring unconventional sources. Read the full story on their search for critical minerals.

—Mureji Fatunde

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.)

+ This ska cover of Rage Against the Machine is an upbeat way to start a revolution.
+ We finally know how far Stretch Armstrong can really stretch.
+ Customize these ambient sounds to wash away disruptive thoughts.
+ Here’s proof childhood dreams can come true: a girl guiding a seal to perform tricks.