The Download: Claude’s inner workings, and the future of world models

《下载》：Claude 的内部运作机制与世界模型的未来

This is today’s edition of The Download, our weekday newsletter that provides a daily dose of what’s going on in the world of technology. 这是今日份的《下载》，我们平日更新的简报，为您提供每日科技界动态。

What Anthropic’s latest AI discovery does—and doesn’t—show —James O’Donnell

Anthropic 最新的 AI 发现揭示了什么（以及没揭示什么）—— James O’Donnell

When Anthropic announced last week that it had found a new window into its models’ “internal thoughts” as they reason through answers, there was one colleague I had to talk to: senior editor Will Douglas Heaven. Aside from having a PhD in computer science, Will has spent a lot of time digging into what we can say about how AI models work. I spoke with him about what we should take from Anthropic’s new (and typically quirky) research. Here’s what he had to say. This article is from The Algorithm, our weekly AI newsletter. Sign up to receive it in your inbox every Monday. 上周，当 Anthropic 宣布发现了一种观察其模型在推理答案时“内部思维”的新窗口时，我必须与一位同事交流：资深编辑 Will Douglas Heaven。除了拥有计算机科学博士学位外，Will 还花费了大量时间深入研究 AI 模型的工作原理。我与他探讨了我们应该如何看待 Anthropic 这项新颖（且一如既往地古怪）的研究。以下是他的见解。本文摘自我们的每周 AI 简报《算法》（The Algorithm）。欢迎订阅，每周一即可在收件箱中查收。

How will AI understand the real world?

AI 将如何理解现实世界？

Today’s AI systems can generate text, images, and code with impressive skill, but they still struggle with the complexities of the physical world. To bridge this gap, many researchers believe you need something called a world model. At a LinkedIn Live event today, MIT Technology Review will investigate how this technology could transform robotics and help unlock a new generation of intelligent machines. Join Will Douglas Heaven, our senior editor for AI, and Sam Sinha, founding AI researcher and head of world models at 1X Technologies, for the discussion. Register here to attend the free session at 9:30 PDT, 12:30 PM EDT, and 5:30 PM BST. 当今的 AI 系统能够以惊人的技巧生成文本、图像和代码，但它们在处理物理世界的复杂性时仍然力不从心。为了弥合这一差距，许多研究人员认为需要一种被称为“世界模型”的技术。在今天的一场 LinkedIn 直播活动中，《麻省理工科技评论》将探讨这项技术如何改变机器人领域，并助力开启新一代智能机器。欢迎加入我们的 AI 资深编辑 Will Douglas Heaven 与 1X Technologies 创始 AI 研究员兼世界模型负责人 Sam Sinha 的讨论。点击此处注册，参加太平洋夏令时间 9:30、美东时间 12:30 或英国夏令时间 17:30 的免费会议。

The must-reads

必读内容

I’ve combed the internet to find you today’s most fun/important/scary/fascinating stories about technology. 我已梳理了互联网，为您精选了今日最有趣、最重要、最令人担忧及最引人入胜的科技故事。

New York has become the first state to enact a data center moratorium. Its governor banned large data-center construction for up to a year. (WSJ $)+ A bill passed by state lawmakers could go even further. (Verge)+ Everyone hates data centers. (MIT Technology Review)
纽约州成为首个实施数据中心建设暂停令的州。 州长禁止了大型数据中心的建设，期限最长为一年。（《华尔街日报》付费内容）+ 州议员通过的一项法案可能会采取更严厉的措施。（Verge）+ 人人都讨厌数据中心。（《麻省理工科技评论》）
Smartphone shipments have hit a 13-year low due to the memory crunch. They fell 11% in the second quarter of 2026. (Reuters $)+ The memory chip shortage has increased prices. (Gizmodo)+ And threatens the promise of Moore’s Law. (MIT Technology Review)
受内存短缺影响，智能手机出货量创下 13 年新低。 2026 年第二季度出货量下降了 11%。（路透社付费内容）+ 内存芯片短缺推高了价格。（Gizmodo）+ 并威胁到了摩尔定律的承诺。（《麻省理工科技评论》）
Sugar molecules have been found in interstellar space for the first time. It hints that life on Earth may have been seeded from space. (Nature) + And boosts the odds of living organisms existing elsewhere. (New Scientist $)+ Researchers used radio telescopes and data to spot the molecules. (NYT $)
星际空间首次发现糖分子。 这暗示地球上的生命可能源自太空。（《自然》）+ 并提高了其他地方存在生物的可能性。（《新科学家》付费内容）+ 研究人员利用射电望远镜和数据发现了这些分子。（《纽约时报》付费内容）
Nvidia has halved its Asia buyer list to stop AI chips reaching China. It introduced a “white list” of companies that passed tougher checks. (FT $)+ It moved amid tighter chip controls from the Trump administration. (Reuters $)
英伟达将亚洲买家名单缩减了一半，以阻止 AI 芯片流入中国。 它引入了一份通过更严格审查的“白名单”公司。（《金融时报》付费内容）+ 此举是在特朗普政府加强芯片管制背景下采取的。（路透社付费内容）
Russian state hackers are targeting routers to spy and steal, the US warns. The government has warned users to secure their devices. (Ars Technica)+ Now is a good time for doing crime. (MIT Technology Review)
美国警告称，俄罗斯国家黑客正瞄准路由器进行间谍和窃取活动。 政府已警告用户保护好自己的设备。（Ars Technica）+ 现在是犯罪的好时机。（《麻省理工科技评论》）
Trump moved his crypto gains into stocks while urging people to buy more. His crypto projects earned him a fortune—but steep losses for retail buyers. (Reuters $)+ He’s called for Congress to pass a new crypto bill to honor Lindsey Graham. (CNBC)
特朗普在敦促人们购买加密货币的同时，将自己的加密货币收益转入了股票。 他的加密项目为他赚取了巨额财富，但散户投资者却损失惨重。（路透社付费内容）+ 他呼吁国会通过一项新的加密货币法案，以纪念林赛·格雷厄姆。（CNBC）
A new cell therapy has saved four children with terminal brain cancer. They were treated with an experimental immunotherapy. (New Scientist $)+ Access for older children will also be limited. (Bloomberg $)
一种新的细胞疗法挽救了四名患有晚期脑癌的儿童。 他们接受了实验性免疫疗法。（《新科学家》付费内容）+ 年龄较大的儿童获得该疗法的机会也将受到限制。（彭博社付费内容）
The LAPD has halted use of Flock surveillance cameras due to privacy issues. Flock’s automated license plate readers have caused concerns. (LA Times $)+ It’s also been criticized for sharing data with state and federal officials. (Engadget)
由于隐私问题，洛杉矶警察局已停止使用 Flock 监控摄像头。 Flock 的自动车牌识别系统引发了担忧。（《洛杉矶时报》付费内容）+ 它还因与州和联邦官员共享数据而受到批评。（Engadget）
The US has approved launching a space mirror that reflects sunlight onto Earth. As part of a controversial plan to power solar panels round the clock. (Wired $)+ But geoengineering faces many practical challenges. (MIT Technology Review)
美国批准发射一面将阳光反射到地球的太空镜。 这是旨在实现太阳能电池板全天候发电的争议性计划的一部分。（《连线》付费内容）+ 但地球工程面临许多实际挑战。（《麻省理工科技评论》）
Anthropic says Claude’s values vary depending on your language. It’s most cautious in English and most deferential in Arabic. (Gizmodo)
Anthropic 表示，Claude 的价值观会根据语言而变化。 它在英语中最谨慎，在阿拉伯语中最恭顺。（Gizmodo）

Quote of the day

今日名言

“The age when humans are the highest life form on earth will end. For better or for worse, it will happen and it can’t be stopped.” “人类作为地球上最高等生命形式的时代即将终结。无论好坏，这都将发生，且无法阻挡。”

—SoftBank CEO Masayoshi Son predicts that AI will overtake human intelligence by 2040 in a speech at his company’s annual corporate conference in Tokyo, Reuters reports. ——据路透社报道，软银首席执行官孙正义在东京举行的公司年度企业大会上发表演讲时预测，AI 将在 2040 年前超越人类智能。

One More Thing

补充一点

Inside the strange limbo facing millions of IVF embryos 数百万试管婴儿胚胎面临的奇异困境

Millions of embryos created through IVF sit frozen in time, stored in cryopreservation tanks around the world. Many are left in a peculiar limbo, with no clear path forward. UK residents can discard them, make them available to other prospective parents, or donate them for research. People in the US can also opt for “adoption,” “placing” their embryos with families they get to choose. In Germany, people aren’t typically allowed to freeze embryos at all. And in Italy, unused embryos must remain frozen, ostensibly forever. While these embryos remain in suspended animation, patients, clinicians, embryologists, and legislators must grapple with the essential question of what to do with them. What do these embryos mean to us? Who should be responsible for them? Dive into the ethical and legal challenges surrounding frozen IVF embryos. —Jessica Hamzelou 数百万通过试管婴儿（IVF）技术创造的胚胎被冷冻在时间里，储存在世界各地的低温保存罐中。许多胚胎处于一种奇特的困境中，没有明确的未来路径。英国居民可以选择丢弃它们、提供给其他准父母，或捐赠用于研究。美国人还可以选择“领养”，将胚胎“安置”在他们选择的家庭中。在德国，人们通常根本不允许冷冻胚胎。而在意大利，未使用的胚胎必须保持冷冻状态，表面上是永久性的。当这些胚胎处于“暂停生命”状态时，患者、临床医生、胚胎学家和立法者必须面对一个核心问题：该如何处理它们？这些胚胎对我们意味着什么？谁应该对它们负责？深入了解围绕冷冻试管婴儿胚胎的伦理和法律挑战。——Jessica Hamzelou

We can still have nice things

我们依然可以拥有美好事物

A place for comfort, fun, and distraction to brighten up your day. (Got any ideas? Drop me a line.) 一个为您提供舒适、乐趣和消遣，点亮您一天的地方。（有什么想法吗？给我写信。）

This website turns live LA Metro data into music.
这个网站将洛杉矶地铁的实时数据转化为音乐。
British grammar is enlivening the American World Cup.
英国语法正在为美国世界杯增添活力。
Comedy icon Mel Brooks recently turned 100. Here’s a look back at his legendary career.
喜剧偶像梅尔·布鲁克斯最近年满 100 岁。这里回顾了他传奇的职业生涯。
Take a trip through modern music with this cinematic set from Thomas Bangalter, one-half of French house music duo Daft Punk.
跟随法国浩室音乐二人组“傻朋克”（Daft Punk）成员之一托马斯·邦加尔特（Thomas Bangalter）的电影感音乐集，开启一场现代音乐之旅。