The Download: online safety’s future and climate tech’s big pivot
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.
Tech researchers are suing the Trump administration over the future of online safety
For months, the Trump administration has been going after researchers who study and try to counter hate speech, harassment, propaganda, and disinformation online. Now, some of those researchers are fighting back.
In a new lawsuit, they’re seeking to strike down a visa restriction policy against “foreign officials and other persons” announced last year by US Secretary of State Marco Rubio.
They say the policy violates the speech and due process rights of foreign-born workers whose “work supports greater moderation of content on the [tech] platforms.” Find out how the case could impact online safety and free speech.
—Eileen Guo
Climate tech companies are pivoting to critical minerals
We’re over a year into the second Trump administration, and support for climate causes in the US is weak. But climate tech companies are finding ways to survive and even thrive in this new environment, including by looking beyond decarbonization.
One example is Boston Metal. The startup has raised a $75 million round to produce critical metals, MIT Technology Review can exclusively report.
The company is best known for its efforts to clean up steel production, an industry that’s responsible for about 8% of global greenhouse gas emissions. But the new focus and fresh funds could help it survive a period of waning support for industrial decarbonization.
Read the full story on its high-stakes shift. And discover more about the new strategy for climate tech companies in our analysis of how they’re reframing their missions.
—Casey Crownhart
Our story on the climate tech pivot is from The Spark, our weekly newsletter giving you the inside track on all things climate. Sign up to receive it in your inbox every Wednesday.
Can AI learn to understand the world?
As the limits of LLMs become clearer, researchers are developing a new kind of AI designed to understand the physical environment: world models.
Recent developments from Google DeepMind, Fei-Fei Li’s World Labs, and Yann LeCun’s new startup have pushed these systems to the forefront of AI. At an exclusive virtual event today, MIT Technology Review will examine the progress—and what comes next.
Join editor in chief Mat Honan, senior AI editor Will Douglas Heaven, and AI reporter Grace Huckins for the subscriber-only Roundtables discussion on world models. Register here to take part in the session at 19:30 GMT / 2:30 PM ET / 11:30 AM PT.
World models are one of our 10 Things That Matter in AI Right Now, MIT Technology Review’s new list of the technologies and ideas shaping the future of AI.
The must-reads
I’ve combed the internet to find you today’s most fun/important/scary/fascinating stories about technology.
1 SpaceX has filed for an IPO expected to be the largest ever
It could make Elon Musk the world’s first trillionaire. (BBC)
+ But he’s also a risk factor in the prospectus. (The Verge)
+ The filing exposes SpaceX’s finances for the first time. (NYT $)
+ AI spending pushed it to a $1.94 billion loss in Q1 2026. (Reuters $)
+ And rivals are challenging its launch dominance. (MIT Technology Review)
2 Nvidia reported record revenues thanks to the AI boom
It’s blown past Wall Street expectations, despite losing the Chinese market. (Guardian)
+ It has “largely conceded” China’s AI chip market to Huawei. (CNBC)
+ It generated no revenue from H200 chip sales in China. (SCMP)
3 Samsung has averted a massive strike over AI profit-sharing
It reached a tentative deal on bonuses with workers. (FT $)
+ The last-minute deal averts an 18-day walkout. (Engadget)
+ But the compromise has exposed deep divisions. (Reuters $)
+ Anti-AI protests are increasing. (MIT Technology Review)
4 President Trump will sign a cybersecurity directive as soon as today
But it stops short of mandatory federal approval of models before they’re released. (Bloomberg $)
+ AI is making online crimes easier. (MIT Technology Review)
5 OpenAI may file for an IPO within days
The ChatGPT-maker wants to go public as early as September. (WSJ $)
6 Robotics won’t be transformed by a single AI breakthrough
Don’t expect a ChatGPT moment. (IEE Spectrum)
+ Human work behind humanoid robots is being hidden. (MIT Technology Review)
7 Rocks could generate hydrogen while storing CO2
New research shows they could also produce geothermal power. (New Scientist)
+ AI is uncovering hidden geothermal energy resources. (MIT Technology Review)
8 The EU is accelerating a Trump-fueled breakup with Big Tech
Geopolitical tensions are driving a shift toward homegrown software. (Wired $)
9 Solid-state breakthroughs could soon transform commercial batteries
They’d be faster and safer than today’s lithium-ion equivalents. (The Economist $)
10 Two researchers are rebuilding math from the ground up
By replacing the most fundamental concept in topology. (Quanta)
+ OpenAI claims its solved an 80-year-old math problem. (TechCrunch)
Quote of the day
“This isn’t a blip, it’s an inflection point.”
—Gurjeet Grewal, CEO of UK-based Octopus Electric Vehicles, tells Reuters that the Iran war has been a boon for European EV sales.
One More Thing
The new US border wall is an app
At the US southern border in 2023, asylum seekers had to request appointments with immigration officials via a mobile app. The Biden administration said the app, named CBP One, would make migration more orderly and discourage unauthorized crossings. But for many migrants, it became another obstacle.
While waiting in dangerous border cities, they reported frozen screens, facial recognition issues, spotty connectivity, and difficulty securing appointments. Advocates argue that requiring vulnerable people to rely on smartphones, internet access, and digital literacy creates a system that leaves many behind.
Find out how CBP One endangered some of the people most in need of protection.
—Lorena Ríos
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.)
+ See how big countries really are with this interactive tool.
+ Explore the entire Star Wars galaxy in detail through this interactive map.
+ Chart the origins of historical events with this interactive cause-and-effect explorer.
+ Discover the surprising origins of global currency symbols in this deep dive into financial history.
المصدر: MIT Technology Review