I’ve combed the internet to find you today’s most fun/important/scary/fascinating stories about technology.
1 The Pope has called for governments to regulate AI
In his first major teaching document, Pope Leo said AI must be “disarmed.” (BBC)
+ He warned that AI fuels war and misinformation. (CNN)
+ But could also “open up a horizon extending in all directions.” (Engadget)
+ Anthropic cofounder Chris Olah also spoke at the event. (Reuters $)
2 SpaceX has launched its biggest and most powerful rocket
The Starship V3 made its test flight debut two days after Elon Musk announced SpaceX’s IPO.(Guardian)+ SpaceX pulled off the launch, but not the landing. (Ars Technica)
+ The rocket could be key to SpaceX’s valuation. (Fortune $)
+ But rivals to the company are rising. (MIT Technology Review)
3 Huawei says it can make industry-leading chips within five years
The Chinese tech giant announced a breakthrough in chip design. (Reuters $)
+ Its progress underscores Beijing’s push to neutralize US sanctions. (NBC)
+ Chinese chip stocks rallied after the announcement. (Bloomberg $)
4 A new vaccine may protect against the Ebola strain behind the current crisis
Tests have shown promising results for the mRNA vaccine. (New Scientist)
+ Another Ebola vaccine that could be ready for trials in months. (BBC)
+ But vaccines face a new problem: their name. (MIT Technology Review)
5 A swimmer broke a world record at the ‘Steroid Olympics’
Athletes at the Enhance Games were encouraged to take dope. (Wired $)
+ Silicon Valley elites have backed the competition. (WP $)
+ Which fits right into 2026’s longevity vibes. (MIT Technology Review)
6 The EU plans to fine Google a massive antitrust penalty
For allegedly favoring its own services in search results. (CNBC)
+ It would be the largest penalty for breaching the Digital Markets Act. (Reuters $)
7 US quantum computing subsidies may not be legal
Congressional critics say the funding has been misused. (Ars Technica)