The Download: AI films, and the threat of microplastics

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. Welcome to the new surreal. How AI-generated video is changing film. The Frost nails its uncanny, disconcerting vibe in its first few shots. Vast icy mountains, a makeshift camp of military-style tents, a

Microplastics are everywhere. What does that mean for our immune systems?

This article is from The Checkup, MIT Technology Review’s weekly biotech newsletter. To receive it in your inbox every Thursday, sign up here. Microplastics are pretty much everywhere you look. These tiny pieces of plastic pollution, less than five millimeters across, have been found in human blood, breast milk, and placentas. Yes, they are in

Welcome to the new surreal. How AI-generated video is changing film.

The Frost nails its uncanny, disconcerting vibe in its first few shots. Vast icy mountains, a makeshift camp of military-style tents, a group of people huddled around a fire, barking dogs. It’s familiar stuff, yet weird enough to plant a growing seed of dread. There’s something wrong here. “Pass me the tail,” someone says. Cut

The Download: clean energy investments, and Amazon’s data privacy fine

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 world is finally spending more on solar than oil production Money makes the world go round. And when it comes to energy, we’re seeing more investment than ever: companies, research institutions, and

The world is finally spending more on solar than oil production

This article is from The Spark, MIT Technology Review’s weekly climate newsletter. To receive it in your inbox every Wednesday, sign up here. Money makes the world go round. And when it comes to energy, we’re seeing more investment than ever: companies, research institutions, and governments are all pouring money into technologies that could help

The Download: meet the longevity obsessives, and how China’s regulating AI

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. Longevity enthusiasts want to create their own independent state. They’re eyeing Rhode Island. —Jessica Hamzelou Earlier this month, I traveled to Montenegro for a gathering of longevity enthusiasts, people interested in extending human

China isn’t waiting to set down rules on generative AI

China Report is MIT Technology Review’s newsletter about technology developments in China. Sign up to receive it in your inbox every Tuesday. Back in April, there was a major development in the AI space in China. The Chinese internet regulator published a draft regulation on generative AI. Named Measures for the Management of Generative Artificial Intelligence Services,

Longevity enthusiasts want to create their own independent state. They’re eyeing Rhode Island.

It’s a Friday morning in early May, and I’ve woken up to the sound of waves crashing against the rocks in a small bay on the coast of the Adriatic.  The sky is completely gray, and there are continual rumbles of thunder. The weather has been bad since I arrived in Montenegro. It was too

The Download: how to talk about AI, and Montana’s TikTok ban

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. How to talk about AI (even if you don’t know much about it) Everyone is talking about AI, it seems. But if you feel overwhelmed or uncertain about what the hell people are

How to talk about AI (even if you don’t know much about AI)

This story originally appeared in The Algorithm, our weekly newsletter on AI. To get stories like this in your inbox first, sign up here. Everyone is talking about AI, it seems. But if you feel overwhelmed or uncertain about what the hell people are talking about, don’t worry. I’ve got you. I asked some of the