In partnership with Michigan Economic Development Corporation IVIIT Technology Review THE DOWNLOAD YOUR DAILY DOSE OF WHAT’S UP IN EMERGING TECHNOLOGY BY RHIANNON WILLIAMS • 09.30.24 Hello! Today: as the UK shuts down its final coal-fired power plant, we take a look at other countries’ plans for the notoriously polluting fossil fuel. Plus: why promises that AI can “fix” climate change are overblown. Psst: today is the start of EmTech MIT, our flagship conference showcasing the latest in cutting-edge tech! Today’s packed agenda of speakers includes Google’s Ray Kurzweil, Amy Webb from the Future Today Institute, and RJ Scaringe from EV maker Rivian. It’s not too late to register to watch the online livestream—and Download readers get 30% off with the code: DOWNLOADM24! THE UK IS DONE WITH COAL. HOW’S THE REST OF THE WORLD DOING? The UK is shutting down its final coal-fired power plant today, marking the end of an era for the country’s energy system. Once the backbone of the grid, coal has been steadily replaced with other, less polluting energy sources. It’s a major milestone for the notoriously polluting fossil fuel. But coal is still booming in other parts of the world, especially in some larger countries where electricity demand is growing quickly. Read the full story. —Casey Crownhart SORRY, AI WON’T “FIX” CLIMATE CHANGE In an essay last week, Sam Altman, the CEO of OpenAI, argued that the accelerating capabilities of AI will usher in an idyllic “Intelligence Age,” unleashing “unimaginable” prosperity and “astounding triumphs” like “fixing the climate.” It’s a promise that no one is in a position to make—and one that, when it comes to the topic of climate change, fundamentally misunderstands the nature of the problem. To be sure, AI may help the world address the rising dangers of climate change. But technological advances are just the start—necessary but far from sufficient to eliminate the world’s climate emissions. Read the full story. —James Temple ADVERTISEMENT In partnership with Michigan Economic Development Corporation Is Your Business Considering the Risks of Climate Change? Extreme weather and rising operational costs are forcing companies to adapt. In a new report analyzing the business impacts of climate change, 81% of executives say climate planning is critical to their operations, and a staggering 75% of U.S. businesses have considered relocating due to climate risks. While no region is immune to climate change, 42% of executives say they believe the Midwest is the least exposed to climate risks. Read the full report on addressing climate change impacts. THE MUST-READS I’ve combed the internet to find you today’s most fun/important/scary/fascinating stories about technology. 1 California’s governor has vetoed its landmark AI safety bill  Gavin Newsom felt the bill could give the public a false sense of security. (LA Times $) + The legislation was the most ambitious attempt at curtailing AI’s growth to date. (NYT $) + It’s a win for Big Tech and a step backwards for safety campaigners. (WP $) 2 The International Space Station has sprung a leak And no one’s sure why. (Ars Technica) + SpaceX has launched a rescue mission to retrieve astronauts stranded onboard. (AP News) 3 US defense tech startups are on the hunt for new suppliers They’ve long relied on China for materials. Now they’re being forced to go elsewhere. (WSJ $) + China is warning native companies not to buy Nvidia’s chips. (Bloomberg $) + Here’s the defense tech at the center of US aid to Israel, Ukraine, and Taiwan. (MIT Technology Review) 4 Apple must turn over 1.3 million documents today The judge in its lawsuit vs Epic Games denied Apple’s request for extra time. (The Verge) + Spare a thought for the Apple staffers working over the weekend to meet the deadline. (TechCrunch) 5 How Big Tech gatekeeps access to its anti-terror guidance  The organization blocked TikTok and PornHub’s parent company’s applications to join. (Wired $) 6 AI tools are making code cheaper  What this means in the long term for developers is still unclear. (Economist $) + How AI assistants are already changing the way code gets made. (MIT Technology Review) 7 Things aren't looking great for 23andMe 🧬 How useful is collecting all that personal information, really? (The Atlantic $) 8 Beware the anti-woke tech bro Their narrow world views are cries for help. (Vox) 9 Parents in Silicon Valley really love this YouTuber Former NASA engineer Mark Rober’s videos are smart enough to justify the screen time. (The Information $) 10 Why dating apps are pivoting to friendship 🤝 Make it last forever, friendship never ends. (FT $) QUOTE OF THE DAY - “IF YOU ARE NOT THROWING SOUP AT MIDJOURNEY PAINTINGS OR GLUING YOURSELF TO STRAWBERRIES, YOU ARE NOT DOING IT RIGHT.” —AI researcher Joscha Bach jokes about the California AI safety bill in a post on X. THE BIG STORY I TOOK AN INTERNATIONAL TRIP WITH MY FROZEN EGGS TO LEARN ABOUT THE FERTILITY INDUSTRY September 2022 —Anna Louie Sussman Like me, my eggs were flying economy class. They were ensconced in a cryogenic storage flask packed into a metal suitcase next to Paolo, the courier overseeing their passage from a fertility clinic in Bologna, Italy, to the clinic in Madrid, Spain, where I would be undergoing in vitro fertilization. The shipping of gametes and embryos around the world is a growing part of a booming global fertility sector. As people have children later in life, the need for fertility treatment increases each year. After paying for storage costs for six and four years, respectively, at 40 I was ready to try to get pregnant. Transporting the Bolognese batch served to literally put all my eggs in one basket. Read the full story. WE CAN STILL HAVE NICE THINGS A place for comfort, fun and distraction to brighten up your day. (Got any ideas? Drop me a line or tweet 'em at me.) + Rest in power the great Kris Kristofferson, a true giant of country music. + Do you vibe? It’s yet more evidence that TikTok fitness trends are pretty spurious. + New York in the Seventies looked pretty wild, I must say. + Just in time for October—why do we see ghosts? Well, there’s a few explanations… 👻 EmTech MIT 2024 The Download readers get 30% off EmTech MIT tickets! Code: DOWNLOADM24 Producing climate-friendly food Join our editors on our next Roundtables session for an exclusive subscriber-only discussion about how our food systems are impacting greenhouse gas emissions and how companies are helping to address the climate impacts. Learn more » Meet the 35 Innovators Under 35, plus . CLAIM FREE GIFT Top image credit: GETTY IMAGES Please send good vibes to [email protected]. Follow me on X at @yannon_. Thanks for reading! —Rhiannon  WAS THIS NEWSLETTER FORWARDED TO YOU, AND YOU’D LIKE TO SEE MORE? Sign up today → DOWNLOAD THE MIT TECHNOLOGY REVIEW APP Download on the App Store Get it on Google Play LinkedIn Twitter Facebook | This email was sent to . | | | MIT Technology Review · 196 Broadway, 3rd fl, · Cambridge, MA 02139 · USA Copyright © 2024 MIT Technology Review, All rights reserved. Opt out of all promotional emails and newsletters from MIT Technology Review