The Download: OpenAI is building a fully automated researcher, and a psychedelic trial blind spot | MIT Technology Review
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Skip to ContentMIT Technology ReviewFeaturedTopicsNewslettersEventsAudioMIT Technology ReviewFeaturedTopicsNewslettersEventsAudioThe DownloadThe Download: OpenAI is building a fully automated researcher, and a psychedelic trial blind spotBy Thomas Macaulayarchive pageMarch 20, 2026Plus: OpenAI is also creating a "super app."
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. OpenAI is throwing everything into building a fully automated researcher OpenAI has a new grand challenge: building an AI researcher—a fully automated agent-based system capable of tackling large, complex problems by itself. The San Francisco firm said the new goal will be its “north star” for the next few years. By September, the company plans to build “an autonomous AI research intern” that can take on a small number of specific research problems. The intern will be the precursor to the fully automated multi-agent system, which is slated to debut in 2028. In an exclusive interview this week, OpenAI’s chief scientist, Jakub Pachocki, talked me through the plans. Find out what I discovered.
—Will Douglas Heaven Mind-altering substances are (still) falling short in clinical trials Over the last decade, we’ve seen scientific interest in psychedelic drugs explode. Compounds like psilocybin—which is found in magic mushrooms—are being explored for all sorts of health applications, including treatments for depression, PTSD, addiction, and even obesity. But two studies out earlier this week demonstrate just how difficult it is to study these drugs.
For me, they show just how overhyped these substances have become. Find out why here. —Jessica Hamzelou This story first appeared in The Checkup, MIT Technology Review’s weekly biotech newsletter. Sign up to receive it in your inbox every Wednesday. Read more: What do psychedelic drugs do to our brains? AI could help us find out The must-reads I’ve combed the internet to find you today’s most fun/important/scary/fascinating stories about technology. 1 OpenAI is building a “super app” It’s merging ChatGPT, a web browser, and a coding tool into a single app. (The Verge) + It’s also buying coding startup Astral to enhance its Codex model. (Ars Technica) + The moves come amid a cutback on side projects. (WSJ $) + OpenAI has lost ground to Anthropic in the enterprise market. (Axios) 2 The US has charged Super Micro’s co-founder with smuggling AI tech to China Super Micro is third on Fortune’s list of the fastest-growing companies. (Reuters) + GenAI is learning to spy for the US military. (MIT Technology Review) + The compute competition is shaping the China-US rivalry. (Politico)
3 The DoJ has taken down botnets behind the largest-ever DDoS attack They had infected more than 3 million devices. (Wired $) + The DoJ has also seized domains tied to Iranian “hacktivists.” (Axios) 4 The Pentagon says Anthropic’s foreign workers are a security risk It cited Chinese employees as a particular concern. (Axios) + Anthropic’s moral boundaries have incensed the DoD. (MIT Technology Review) 5 High oil prices could wreck the AI boom, the WTO has warned Fears are growing of a prolonged energy shock. (The Guardian) + We did the math on AI’s energy footprint. (MIT Technology Review) 6 Jeff Bezos is trying to raise $100 billion to use AI in manufacturing The funds would buy manufacturing firms and infuse them with AI. (WSJ $) + Here’s how to fine-tune AI for prosperity. (MIT Technology Review) 7 Signal’s creator is helping to encrypt Meta’s AI Moxie Marlinspike is integrating his encrypted chatbot, Confer. (Wired $) + Meta is also ditching human moderators for AI again. (CNBC) + AI is making online crimes easier. (MIT Technology Review) 8 Prediction market Kalshi has raised $1 billion at a $22 billion valuation That’s double its valuation from December. (Bloomberg $) + Arizona’s AG has charged the company with “illegal gambling.” (NPR) 9 Meta isn’t killing Horizon Worlds for VR after all It’s canceled plans to dump the metaverse app (for now). (CNBC) 10 A US startup is recruiting an “AI bully” The successful candidate must test the patience of leading chatbots. (The Guardian)
Quote of the day “Imagine a sports bar… but just for situation monitoring — live X feeds, flight radar, Bloomberg terminals, and Polymarket screens.” —Kalshi rival Polymarket unveils its hellish vision for a new bar.
One More Thing SELMAN DESIGN How gamification took over the world It’s a thought that occurs to every video-game player at some point: what if the weird, hyper-focused state I enter in virtual worlds could somehow be applied to the real one? For a handful of consultants, startup gurus, and game designers in the late 2000s, this state of “blissful productivity” became the key to unlocking our true human potential. Their vision became the global phenomenon of gamification—but it didn’t live up to the hype. Instead of liberating us, gamification became a tool for coercion, distraction, and control. Find out why we fell for it—and how we can recover. —Bryan Gardiner 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.) + In a landmark legal win for trolling, Afroman has won his diss track case against the police. + This LEGO artist remixes standard sets into completely different iconic objects. + Ease your search for aliens with these interactive estimates of advanced civilizations. + A rare superbloom in Death Valley has been caught on camera. by Thomas MacaulayShareShare story on linkedinShare story on facebookShare story on emailPopularA “QuitGPT” campaign is urging people to cancel their ChatGPT subscriptionsMichelle KimMoltbook was peak AI theaterWill Douglas HeavenYann LeCun’s new venture is a contrarian bet against large language models Caiwei ChenHow Pokémon Go is giving delivery robots an inch-perfect view of the worldWill Douglas HeavenDeep DiveThe DownloadThe Download: AI-enhanced cybercrime, and secure AI assistantsPlus: Instagram's CEO Adam Mosseri has denied claims that social media is “clinically addictive”
By Rhiannon Williamsarchive pageThe Download: 10 things that matter in AI, plus Anthropic’s plan to sue the PentagonPlus: The US DoD has been secretly testing OpenAI models for years
By Thomas Macaulayarchive pageThe Download: protesting AI, and what’s floating in spacePlus: The US government wanted to use Anthropic's AI to analyze bulk data collected from Americans
By Rhiannon Williamsarchive pageThe Download: the future of nuclear power plants, and social media-fueled AI hypePlus: more European countries are considering banning social media for under-16s
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OpenAI is undertaking a significant shift in its research strategy, aiming for a fully automated researcher system, a project referred to as its “north star” for the next several years. This initiative, spearheaded by chief scientist Jakub Pachocki, involves the development of an “autonomous AI research intern” slated for debut in 2028. Initially, the company intends for this intern to tackle a limited set of specific research problems. This move represents a departure from OpenAI’s previous approach, signaling a commitment to a more self-directed and scalable research model.
Meanwhile, the scientific community’s exploration of psychedelic drugs continues to face substantial challenges. Jessica Hamzelou highlighted recent studies demonstrating the difficulty in rigorously assessing the effects of compounds like psilocybin, suggesting that the field has become overly hyped. These studies underscore the complexities inherent in conducting clinical trials with substances that profoundly affect the human mind.
Beyond OpenAI’s internal efforts, several external developments are shaping the technological landscape. The Verge, Ars Technica, and Axios report that OpenAI is consolidating its projects under a “super app” concept, integrating ChatGPT, a web browser, and a coding tool. This consolidation is occurring amid a competitive landscape, with Anthropic gaining market share in the enterprise sector. Additionally, the US Department of Justice has taken action against botnets, seizing domains linked to Iranian “hacktivists,” and is investigating Anthropic’s foreign workers, particularly Chinese employees, raising security concerns.
Furthermore, the energy implications of artificial intelligence are gaining attention. The World Trade Organization has warned that high oil prices could derail the AI boom, while MIT Technology Review has explored AI’s significant energy footprint, highlighting the need for sustainable computing practices. Jeff Bezos is also pursuing a massive investment—$100 billion—to deploy AI in manufacturing, aiming to revitalize industries through AI integration.
Several other noteworthy developments are unfolding. Signal’s creator, Moxie Marlinspike, is collaborating with Meta to encrypt the company’s AI systems, further illustrating the growing need for secure AI development. The rise of AI-powered online crime is also being monitored, as reported by MIT Technology Review. The US government is also exploring the utility of GenAI for military intelligence gathering.
Finally, the tech world is reacting to various trends, including Kalshi’s successful $1 billion fundraising round, Meta’s decision to maintain Horizon Worlds, and a unique recruitment strategy—seeking an “AI bully”—to test chatbots’ resilience. Bryan Gardiner’s commentary addresses the potential for gamification, a trend that initially gained traction but ultimately failed to achieve its ambitious goals. |