Plus, the EU is retaliating to the Trump administration’s Tariffs
The Downloadis our weekly newsletterthat gives you a daily dose on what’s happening in the worlds of technology.
Gemini Robotics makes robots more useful by using Google’s top-of-the-line language model
According to the news, Google DeepMind released a new model called Gemini Robotics that combines its largest language model with robotics. Plugging in the LLM appears to give robots more dexterity, the ability to work with natural-language commands and generalize across tasks. Robots have been unable to accomplish these three things until now.
What it means: They hope their work will usher in a new era of robots which are more useful and need less training. This is the latest example of how LLMs are being incorporated into robotics. Read the complete story.
–Scott J Mulligan.
If researchers are interested in making robots more helpful, then you might want to check out these stories:
+ Robot race fuels a fight for data training. AI is changing the way robots are taught, and companies and researchers need more data. Read the complete story.
+ It is becoming easier to train robots using sound, which helps to adapt them to tasks and environments when visibility is limited. Read the full article.
+ Robots must become more lazy to be more usefulSmarter data processing can make machines more useful and energy-efficient. This principle can be tested by making robots play soccer.
+ Gen AI isn’t just for creating pictures. They can be fine-tuned so that they generate useful robot training information, too. Read the complete story.
MIT Technology Review: How the Ukraine-Russia War is reshaping Eastern Europe’s tech sector
Startups from Latvia and other countries nearby see the mobilization in Ukraine as a caution and inspiration. Now, they are transforming consumer products – from scooters to drones for recreational use – into weapons.
We’ve turned this story into a MIT Technology Review Podcast, which
is published each week onSpotify orApplePodcasts. Follow us on MIT Technology Review to receive all of our new content.
The must-reads
I’ve combed the internet to find you today’s most fun/important/scary/fascinating stories about technology.
The European Union is fighting back against Donald Trump’s tariffs
by slapping its own levies. (WP $)
+ The EU’s measure could affect up EUR26bn in American-made products. FT ($)
What does Elon Musk mean by ‘waste?
DOGE’s crude calculation of value–and what isn’t it–does not make sense. Musk appears to be testing Trump’s patience. He has admitted that he struggles to balance his DOGE obligations with his work. (Insider $)
+ Can AI help DOGE slash government budgets? It’s complex. MIT Technology Review
Three big tech companies are calling for new nuclear stations
Except Microsoft. (FT $)
+ The interest in nuclear power is surging. Is it sufficient to build new nuclear reactors? MIT Technology Review
BYD is rapidly gaining ground on Tesla
In 10 major non-Western countries, it’s undercutting Tesla. (Rest Of World )
+ Mercedes-Benz has turned its attention to solid-state battery technology. What went wrong for Europe’s EV battery darling. BYD is listed as one of the 15 climate tech companies that MIT Technology Review recommends you watch. MIT Technology Review
Intel’s future hangs in the balance.
Shares have dropped, jobs are being eliminated, and competition has heated up. The Guardian (19459038)
Six North Korean hackers have snuck malware onto the Google Play store
The malicious code can control a device’s camera and audio systems. TechCrunch (19459038)
Seven Things Aren’t Looking Good for iRobot.
The future of the company seems to be in danger. The Verge ]
+ A strategic review is being conducted to determine if the company can be saved. ($Bloomberg)
+ Roomba recorded woman on toilet. How did screenshots get onto Facebook? Spotify has removed Andrew Tate’s misogynistic classes
after complaints from its employees. (404 Media)
The Verge
How to choose where to look for alien life.
A tip: Search for the cosmic shoreline. (Quanta Magazine)
Today’s Quote
The President is essentially a car salesman.
–Democratic Strategist Julie Roginsky accuses Donald Trump, a showroom salesman, after he encouraged Americans to buy Tesla electric vehicles.
Big story
What’s in store for those born today?
Happy Birthday, Baby.
Your birth has brought you into an age of intelligent machines. They have been watching over you since your conception. They let your parents hear your tiny heartbeat on an app and track your gestation. They also posted your sonogram to social media. The algorithm knew you before you were even born.
The 125th anniversary of the magazine coincided with your arrival. You might live to see the next 125. With a little luck and the right genetics, you may. How will the next generation of machines and you grow up together? We asked over a dozen experts how they imagined your future. Read what they predicted.
-Kara Platone
You can still enjoy nice things
An area for comfort, entertainment and distraction that will brighten your day. (Do you have any ideas? Drop a line or Skeet ’em me
These indigenous heavy metal groupstackle climate change one devastating riff a time.
+ Eating asparagus raw is apparently a thing. How our culture’s’monsters’evolved over time and what they say about us. Greenland sharks are among the most fascinating animals.
