The Download: selling battlefield drone data and AI reshaping language

《下载》：战场无人机数据交易与人工智能重塑语言

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》，我们平日发行的时事通讯，为您提供每日科技世界的动态速递。

Data from drones in Ukraine is fueling a new Wild West marketplace —Cory Alpert, a researcher at the University of Melbourne studying AI’s impact on democracy, who previously served in the Biden White House. Battlefields in Ukraine are littered with the remnants of drones. But behind all that wreckage, there’s a new gold mine for the defense sector: the data those drones generate. Ukraine has begun making millions of data points gathered during tens of thousands of drone flights available to military contractors and commercial companies. It’s a quick way to attract funding and partnerships, but it turns the front line into a model training site, using the chaos of war to create conditions that AI companies struggle to reproduce. As this new industry takes shape, we need a regulatory system that ensures battlefield data isn’t treated like ordinary commercial material. Read the full op-ed on why battlefield data needs new rules. 乌克兰无人机产生的数据正在催生一个狂野的西部式新市场——墨尔本大学研究人工智能对民主影响的研究员、曾任职于拜登白宫的科里·阿尔珀特（Cory Alpert）如是说。乌克兰战场上散落着无人机的残骸。但在这些残骸背后，国防部门发现了一座新的金矿：无人机产生的数据。乌克兰已开始向军事承包商和商业公司提供在数万次无人机飞行中收集的数百万个数据点。这是一种吸引资金和合作伙伴的快捷方式，但也使前线变成了模型训练场，利用战争的混乱创造出人工智能公司难以复制的条件。随着这一新兴产业的成型，我们需要一套监管体系，确保战场数据不会被当作普通的商业材料来对待。阅读完整评论，了解为何战场数据需要新的规则。

Mother tongue —“Mother Tongue” is a short fiction story by author and AI ethicist Jenny Williams “Daddy?” Theo curled against my side in bed. “Where do words go when they die? “Well, kiddo,” I said, scratching my beard. “Words aren’t really alive to begin with. Not like you and I are alive.” Inside, Theo’s AI companion teaches him strange songs in a language his father doesn’t understand. But outside, the world is edging toward disaster. A mysterious agentic system called Tingsu has emerged in a nuclear-armed country, and no one seems to understand what it wants. Read the full short story about what happens when AI begins to reshape language. This story is from our latest print magazine, which is all about kids. Subscribe now to get every issue as soon as it lands. 母语——《母语》是作家兼人工智能伦理学家珍妮·威廉姆斯（Jenny Williams）创作的一篇短篇小说。“爸爸？”西奥（Theo）蜷缩在床边靠着我。“词语死后会去哪里？”“嗯，孩子，”我挠着胡子说，“词语从一开始就不是真正活着的。不像你和我这样活着。”在室内，西奥的人工智能伙伴用一种他父亲听不懂的语言教他唱奇怪的歌。但在室外，世界正走向灾难。一个名为“Tingsu”的神秘代理系统在一个拥有核武器的国家出现，似乎没人明白它想要什么。阅读完整短篇小说，了解当人工智能开始重塑语言时会发生什么。这篇故事选自我们最新一期的印刷版杂志，该期主题是关于孩子。立即订阅，即可在每期杂志出版时第一时间收到。

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，为您找出今天最有趣、最重要、最令人恐惧及最引人入胜的科技新闻。

1 OpenAI has launched Astra, its most capable model yet. The firm says boosted capabilities are being paired with stronger safeguards. (Verge)

OpenAI 发布了其迄今为止最强大的模型 Astra。该公司表示，性能的提升伴随着更强的安全保障。（Verge）

OpenAI’s president claims that AI is now as capable as humans. (WP $)
OpenAI 总裁声称人工智能现在的能力已与人类相当。（《华盛顿邮报》付费内容）
But the company is also warning that Astra can evade human monitoring. (Reuters $)
但该公司也警告称，Astra 可以规避人类的监控。（路透社付费内容）
It’s OpenAI’s first model to hit its “critical” risk level. (Quartz)
这是 OpenAI 首个达到“关键”风险级别的模型。（Quartz）
Bill Gates says we’ve lost control of AI. (MIT Technology Review)
比尔·盖茨表示，我们已经失去了对人工智能的控制。（《麻省理工科技评论》）

2 Automakers have urged Congress to ban Chinese cars permanently. On the basis of unfair trade, market dumping, and surveillance. (The Hill) 2. 汽车制造商敦促国会永久禁止中国汽车。理由是不公平贸易、市场倾销和监控。（《国会山报》）

The group wants legislation barring them from the US this year. (Reuters $)
该团体希望今年能出台立法，禁止中国汽车进入美国。（路透社付费内容）
It includes GM, Ford, Toyota, VW, Hyundai, Honda, and Stellantis. (CNBC)
参与者包括通用、福特、丰田、大众、现代、本田和斯特兰蒂斯。（CNBC）
China’s EV boom has a recycling problem. (MIT Technology Review)
中国的电动汽车热潮面临回收难题。（《麻省理工科技评论》）

3 Tesla has launched the Cybercab, starting with rides in Austin. The company has 45 of the robotaxis registered in Texas. (AP) 3. 特斯拉推出了 Cybercab，并率先在奥斯汀提供乘车服务。该公司在德克萨斯州注册了 45 辆自动驾驶出租车。（美联社）

It was an unusually muted launch. (Verge)
这是一次异常低调的发布。（Verge）
Regulators are already evaluating the steering-wheel-free service. (Reuters $)
监管机构已经在评估这项无方向盘服务。（路透社付费内容）

4 Republicans are increasingly breaking from Trump’s pro-AI agenda. The most striking shift is a data center backlash in Texas. (Reuters $) 4. 共和党人正日益背离特朗普的亲人工智能议程。最显著的转变是德克萨斯州对数据中心的抵制。（路透社付费内容）

Should we move data centers to space? (MIT Technology Review)
我们应该把数据中心搬到太空吗？（《麻省理工科技评论》）

5 Bernie Sanders wants a permanent ban on “superintelligent” AI. He also renewed his call to pause advanced AI development. (Politico) 5. 伯尼·桑德斯（Bernie Sanders）希望永久禁止“超智能”人工智能。他还重申了暂停先进人工智能开发的呼吁。（Politico）

Rep. Greg Casar is cosponsoring the bill. (Axios)
众议员格雷格·卡萨尔（Greg Casar）共同发起了该法案。（Axios）

6 The Pentagon and Commerce Department are split over Anthropic. An official said Anthropic is still considered a “supply chain risk.” (Axios) 6. 五角大楼和商务部在 Anthropic 问题上存在分歧。一位官员表示，Anthropic 仍被视为“供应链风险”。（Axios）

A day earlier, the commerce chief said the firm was back onside. (Quartz)
一天前，商务部长曾表示该公司已重回正轨。（Quartz）

7 A transplanted pig kidney worked in a human for a record 271 days. It enabled the recipient to stay off dialysis while waiting for a donor. (BBC) 7. 一颗移植的猪肾在人体内工作了创纪录的 271 天。它使受体在等待捐赠者期间无需进行透析。（BBC）

Supercooling is keeping pig kidneys alive longer. (MIT Technology Review)
过冷技术正在延长猪肾的存活时间。（《麻省理工科技评论》）

8 A fly-inspired algorithm that remembers smells could lead to better AI. It mimics how fruit flies remember new smells. (Ars Technica) 8. 一种受果蝇启发、能记忆气味的算法可能带来更好的人工智能。它模仿了果蝇记忆新气味的方式。（Ars Technica）

9 Did “technofascist” laws bring Peter Thiel to Argentina? Critics say the proposals echo his techno-libertarian ideas. (Guardian) 9. “技术法西斯”法律将彼得·蒂尔（Peter Thiel）带到了阿根廷吗？批评人士称，这些提案呼应了他的技术自由意志主义思想。（《卫报》）

10 Splash-free urinals and nose-blowing research have won Ig Nobels. The awards honor unusual research with genuine scientific value. (CNN) 10. 防溅小便池和擤鼻涕研究赢得了搞笑诺贝尔奖。该奖项旨在表彰具有真正科学价值的非同寻常的研究。（CNN）

Quote of the day 今日名言

“Despite its potential deadly consequences, cutting-edge AI technology is less regulated than the average food truck. That must change.” —Rep. Greg Casar (D-Texas) calls for a ban on “superintelligent” AI in a press release issued alongside Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vermont). “尽管尖端人工智能技术可能带来致命后果，但其受到的监管却比普通的餐车还要少。这种情况必须改变。”——众议员格雷格·卡萨尔（德克萨斯州民主党人）在与参议员伯尼·桑德斯（佛蒙特州独立党人）共同发布的新闻稿中呼吁禁止“超智能”人工智能。

One more thing 最后一点

Is fake grass a bad idea? The AstroTurf wars are far from over. In 2001, Americans installed just over 7 million square meters of synthetic turf. By 2024, that number was 79 million square meters—enough to carpet all of Manhattan and then some. The increase worries folks who study microplastics and environmental pollution. While the plastic-making industry insists that synthetic fields are safe if properly installed, lots of researchers think that isn’t so. Find out why AstroTurf has ignited heated debates. —Douglas Main 人造草坪是个坏主意吗？人造草坪之争远未结束。2001 年，美国人安装了略多于 700 万平方米的人造草坪。到 2024 年，这一数字达到了 7900 万平方米——足以铺满整个曼哈顿还有余。这种增长让研究微塑料和环境污染的人们感到担忧。虽然塑料制造业坚称，如果安装得当，人造草坪是安全的，但许多研究人员认为事实并非如此。了解为什么人造草坪引发了激烈的争论。——道格拉斯·梅恩（Douglas Main）

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.) 一个为您带来舒适、乐趣和放松，点亮您一天的地方。（有什么想法吗？给我写信。）

“Weird Al” Yankovic has performed a delightfully offbeat Tiny Desk concert.
“怪人奥尔”扬科维奇（“Weird Al” Yankovic）带来了一场令人愉悦且别具一格的 Tiny Desk 音乐会。
Step inside the sound world of The Price Is Right with broadcast mixer Henry Muehlhausen.
与广播混音师亨利·穆尔豪森（Henry Muehlhausen）一起走进《价格猜猜猜》（The Price Is Right）的声音世界。
Ease your fears of AI uprisings with these fails from the 2026 World Humanoid Robot Games.
通过 2026 年世界人形机器人大赛中的这些失误，缓解您对人工智能起义的恐惧。
A floating island that nature lovers feared had sunk has reemerged about 20 miles from where it was last spotted.
一个自然爱好者担心已经沉没的浮岛，在距离上次被发现地点约 20 英里处重新浮出水面。