These stories are featured in the next issue of our magazine for curious young readers. Subscribe now to get your copy as soon as it arrives.
Must-Read Technology News
We’ve searched the internet for the most important, fascinating, surprising, and thought-provoking technology stories of the day.
1. AI data centers face bipartisan opposition ahead of the US midterm elections
Growing concerns about energy use, water consumption, and local impacts have pushed opposition to AI data centers into election campaigns. (New York Times $)
+ Republican politicians are increasingly speaking out against data centers. (Washington Post $)
+ Texas Governor Greg Abbott says one data center “has dug itself a hole.” (Axios)
+ Here’s why opposition to AI data centers is crossing party lines. (MIT Technology Review)
2. Two Chinese humanoid robots break Usain Bolt’s 100-meter record
At the World Humanoid Robot Games, one robot completed the 100-meter sprint in 9.39 seconds. (The Verge)
+ Another robot, also made by X-Humanoid, broke the high-jump record. (ESPN)
+ However, robots still face major challenges when performing complex real-world tasks. (Reuters $)
+ Gig workers are helping train humanoid robots in their homes. (MIT Technology Review)
3. Uber fined nearly $1 billion over automated driver suspensions
Dutch regulators say Uber suspended drivers without meaningful human review. (Quartz)
+ The €800 million penalty is the second-largest fine ever issued under the European Union’s GDPR privacy law. (Reuters $)
4. New Zealand proposes a social media ban for children under 16
New Zealand is joining a growing list of countries considering age restrictions for social media platforms. (Bloomberg $)
+ Opposition parties may prevent the proposed bill from becoming law. (Reuters $)
5. TikTok agrees to pay $400 million to settle a US child privacy lawsuit
The settlement resolves claims that TikTok violated children’s online privacy. (BBC)
+ The US Department of Justice says TikTok illegally collected personal information from children. (Reuters $)
6. China announces its largest-ever car recall, covering about 3 million Teslas
Tesla vehicles are being recalled in China over safety concerns involving their doors. (Quartz)
+ The recall campaign covers approximately 4.3 million vehicles in total. (New York Times $)
7. Dr. Dre and Jimmy Iovine say artificial intelligence could benefit music
The music industry leaders compared fears about AI with resistance to earlier technologies. (New York Times $)
+ AI is helping musicians who lost their voices sing again. (MIT Technology Review)
8. Taiwan indicts nine people over the alleged illegal export of AI technology to China
The case involves Nvidia products, Supermicro equipment, and alleged exports of advanced AI servers. (Reuters $)
9. NASA’s new space telescope could discover 200,000 planets
The Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope may reveal new information about exoplanets and dark matter. (Wired $)
+ It could also help scientists detect potentially dangerous asteroids. (MIT Technology Review)
10. Genetically modified yeast turns plastic bottles into edible vanilla-flavored cookies
Scientists have developed a method that uses modified yeast to transform plastic waste into a food ingredient. (New Scientist $)
Quote of the Day
“Credit where credit is due. The technology industry has managed to unite a deeply divided country in a time of hyper-partisanship.”
—Max Steele, senior director of communications at Everytown, reacting on X to a new poll showing that support for data centers in the United States is falling.
One More Thing
How will next-generation nuclear reactors move beyond the 20th-century blueprint?
Demand for nuclear power is rising as concerns about climate change and energy independence outweigh fears about meltdowns and radioactive waste. However, traditional nuclear power plants remain expensive and time-consuming to build. New reactor designs could offer a faster, more flexible path to low-carbon energy.
Source: www.technologyreview.com