The download: AI and deep matter protection
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The must-reads
I’ve combed the internet to find you today’s most fun/important/scary/fascinating stories about technology.
1 China may pull the plug on a TikTok deal
Holding out is a weapon in its arsenal as Trump ramps up the trade war. (WP $)
2 Australia and South Korea are cracking down on DeepSeek
They’re restricting government use of its models due to security concerns. (Nikkei Asia).
+ DeepSeek’s AI playbook – and why others will follow it. The MIT Technology Review
3 has reported that a new strain of bird flu was detected in Nevada cows
This news is not good, and it comes at a bad time. (NYT $ )
+ Argentina plans to withdraw from the World Health Organization, following the US. CNN)
+ Here’s what could happen if the US leaves the WHO. (MIT Technology Review).
4 US Postal Service resumes accepting packages from China
The sudden reversal has added confusion over the impact of the 10% tariff. (CNBC).
5 How will DOGE react if they start tinkering around with the nuclear agency.
A “break things now and fix them later” mindset isn’t great when you’re breaking something so important. The Atlantic $)
+ DOGE staff have been instructed to stop using Slack to avoid being subjected to the Freedom of Information Act. (404 Media)
6 Mentions of DEI and women leaders are being scrubbed from NASA’s site
Personnel have been told to drop everything and focus on doing this instead. This is part of an overall data purge that affects many government websites. The Verge
+ Google has ended diversity targets in recruitment following Meta, Amazon, and other similar actions. BBC)
+ Right wing activists are now targeting Wikipedia. Will anyone stand up to this? (New Yorker $)
7 Amazon has a plan to reduce AI hallucinations
It’s pinning its hopes on a process called ‘automated reasoning’, which double checks models’ answers. (WSJ $ )
+ What causes AI to hallucinate? Lab-grown pet meat is now available. (The Verge
)
9 Crypto crimes have spawned a new kind of detective
It’s a cat-and-mouse game, and it’s only just getting started. The Economist $
10 Meet a poetry lover who taught AI how to understand DNA
This example shows that art and science are often intertwined. (Quanta $)
