The Download: AI’s real extinction threat and age-reversal tech for eyes

《下载》：人工智能真正的灭绝威胁与眼部逆龄技术

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，为您提供每日科技世界的动态。

Roundtables: could AI really kill us all? Employees at the world’s leading AI labs are saying there’s a real possibility that advanced AI could destroy humanity. Are they right? Or is this more scaremongering and hype? Join MIT Technology Review executive editor Niall Firth, senior AI editor Will Douglas Heaven, and AI reporter Grace Huckins for a subscriber-only conversation unpacking the debate around AI extinction. They’ll explore where the fears come from, whether they hold any water and, if they do, what we should do about them. Register now to attend on Tuesday, September 15 at 16:00 BST / 11:00am EST / 8:00am PST. Want to join the conversation? Subscribe to MIT Technology Review for exclusive access to all our Roundtables. 圆桌会议：人工智能真的会杀死我们所有人吗？全球领先人工智能实验室的员工们表示，先进的人工智能确实有可能毁灭人类。他们是对的吗？还是这仅仅是危言耸听和炒作？欢迎加入《麻省理工科技评论》执行编辑 Niall Firth、资深人工智能编辑 Will Douglas Heaven 以及人工智能记者 Grace Huckins 的订阅用户专享对话，共同剖析关于人工智能灭绝的争论。他们将探讨这些恐惧的来源、其是否站得住脚，以及如果确实存在风险，我们该如何应对。立即注册，参加北京时间 9 月 15 日 23:00（英国夏令时 16:00 / 美东时间 11:00 / 美西时间 8:00）的会议。想加入讨论吗？订阅《麻省理工科技评论》，获取我们所有圆桌会议的独家访问权限。

This geneticist’s age-reversal tech could help restore sight. Yuancheng (Ryan) Lu is obsessed with aging. And with eyes. As he steps outside the Whitehead Institute in Cambridge, Massachusetts, his aviator glasses darken automatically in the sun. Age-related blindness runs in his family, and his own 23andMe test came back with a mutation for macular degeneration, a top cause of vision loss in old age. That obsession extends to his work. Lu is behind one of the coolest results in rejuvenation science and eye research: an age-reversal technique called reprogramming that repaired the optic nerves of blind mice, restoring their vision. Now, nearly the same genetic therapy he developed as a student has entered human clinical trials. Learn more about Lu’s work on restoring sight with age-reversal therapy. —Antonio Regalado 这位遗传学家的逆龄技术有望帮助恢复视力。陆源成（Yuancheng “Ryan” Lu）痴迷于衰老，也痴迷于眼睛。当他走出位于马萨诸塞州剑桥市的怀特黑德研究所时，他的飞行员眼镜在阳光下自动变暗。他的家族有与年龄相关的失明史，他自己的 23andMe 检测结果也显示他携带黄斑变性的突变基因，这是老年视力丧失的主要原因。这种痴迷延伸到了他的工作中。陆源成是再生科学和眼科研究中最酷成果之一的幕后推手：一种被称为“重编程”的逆龄技术，它修复了失明小鼠的视神经，恢复了它们的视力。现在，他作为学生时期开发的几乎相同的基因疗法已经进入了人体临床试验阶段。了解更多关于陆源成利用逆龄疗法恢复视力的工作。——Antonio Regalado

Yuancheng (Ryan) Lu is one of the biotechnology and health honorees on our 35 Innovators Under 35 list for 2026. Meet the rest of them here, or explore the full list across the biotechnology and health, AI, computing and robotics, and climate and energy categories. 陆源成是我们 2026 年度“35 岁以下科技创新 35 人”榜单中生物技术与健康领域的获奖者之一。点击此处认识其他获奖者，或探索涵盖生物技术与健康、人工智能、计算与机器人以及气候与能源类别的完整榜单。

The must-reads: I’ve combed the internet to find you today’s most fun/important/scary/fascinating stories about technology. 必读内容：我已梳理了互联网，为您找出今天关于科技最有趣、最重要、最可怕以及最引人入胜的故事。

Dario Amodei, Sam Altman, and Elon Musk have called for an AI slowdown. In a rare show of unity, the rivals agreed that AI needs stronger brakes.
Dario Amodei、Sam Altman 和 Elon Musk 呼吁放缓人工智能发展。在一次罕见的团结表现中，这些竞争对手一致认为人工智能需要更强的制动措施。
Trump and Congress are resisting calls for stronger AI regulation. Trump downplayed AI risks, prioritizing the AI race with China.
特朗普和国会抵制加强人工智能监管的呼声。特朗普淡化了人工智能风险，将与中国的“人工智能竞赛”置于优先地位。
China plans to lead AI development across the BRICS countries. President Xi proposed open-source AI cooperation.
中国计划引领金砖国家的人工智能发展。习近平主席提议开展开源人工智能合作。
South Korea has tightened espionage laws to protect its chip secrets. Foreign spies can now face up to 30 years in prison.
韩国收紧间谍法以保护其芯片机密。外国间谍现在可能面临最高 30 年的监禁。
The US and Mexico are teaming up to zap drones at the border. The operation may employ high-energy lasers.
美国和墨西哥正联手在边境打击无人机。该行动可能采用高能激光。
AI agents are creating a new problem for the criminal justice system. The law has no clear answer when AI agents act independently.
人工智能代理正在为刑事司法系统制造新问题。当人工智能代理独立行动时，法律尚无明确答案。
A Waymo pulled over and alerted police after detecting a gun. The riders were juveniles carrying a loaded AR-style ghost gun.
一辆 Waymo 在检测到枪支后靠边停车并报警。乘客是携带一把已上膛 AR 风格“幽灵枪”的未成年人。
Meta has been sued over data used to train its smart glasses. It allegedly used Facebook and Instagram photos without consent.
Meta 因用于训练其智能眼镜的数据而被起诉。据称，该公司未经许可使用了 Facebook 和 Instagram 的照片。
A hidden crypto farm in Mexico has put a spotlight on cartel funding. Authorities are investigating whether it stole power from a nearby dam.
墨西哥一个隐藏的加密货币农场引发了对贩毒集团资金来源的关注。当局正在调查其是否从附近的大坝窃取电力。
StarCraft is returning in 2030 as an open-world shooter. Fifteen years since its last release, the iconic franchise will be reborn.
《星际争霸》将于 2030 年以开放世界射击游戏的形式回归。在上一部作品发布 15 年后，这一标志性系列将重获新生。

Quote of the day: “Dr. Frankenstein is telling us the monster is escaping; help us stop this.” —Sen. Ruben Gallego, D-Ariz, calls for new AI regulation on CNN’s “State of the Union.” 今日名言：“弗兰肯斯坦博士正在告诉我们怪物正在逃脱；请帮我们阻止这一切。”——亚利桑那州民主党参议员 Ruben Gallego 在 CNN 的《国情咨文》节目中呼吁制定新的人工智能法规。

One more thing: Inside the hunt for the most dangerous asteroid ever. As asteroid 2024 YR4 hurtled toward Earth, astronomers determined that this massive rock posed a higher risk of impact than any object of its size in recorded history. Then, just as quickly as history was made, experts declared that the danger had passed. This is the inside story of the network of global scientists who found, followed, planned for, and finally dismissed the most dangerous asteroid ever found—all under the tightest of timelines and with the highest of stakes. Find out how they did it. —Robin George Andrews 额外内容：探秘史上最危险小行星的搜寻过程。当小行星 2024 YR4 向地球疾驰而来时，天文学家确定这块巨大的岩石构成的撞击风险比有记录以来任何同等大小的物体都要高。然而，就在创造历史的同时，专家们宣布危险已经解除。这是一群全球科学家网络的故事，他们发现、追踪、规划并最终排除了这颗有史以来最危险的小行星——这一切都在极其紧迫的时间表和极高的风险下完成。了解他们是如何做到的。——Robin George Andrews