The Download: animal welfare gets AGI-pilled, and the White House unveils its AI policy | MIT Technology Review

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Skip to ContentMIT Technology ReviewFeaturedTopicsNewslettersEventsAudioMIT Technology ReviewFeaturedTopicsNewslettersEventsAudioThe DownloadThe Download: animal welfare gets AGI-pilled, and the White House unveils its AI policyPlus: a jury has ruled Elon Musk is liable for misleading Twitter investors.
By Thomas Macaulayarchive pageMarch 23, 2026 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. The Bay Area’s animal welfare movement wants to recruit AI  In early February, animal welfare advocates and AI researchers arrived in stocking feet at Mox, a scrappy, shoes-free coworking space in San Francisco. They gathered to discuss a provocative idea: if artificial general intelligence is on the horizon, could it prevent animal suffering?  Some brainstormed using custom agents in advocacy work, while others pitched cultivating meat with AI tools. But the real talk of the event was a flood of funding they expect will soon flow to animal welfare charities, not from individual megadonors, but from AI lab employees.    Some attendees also probed an even more controversial idea: AI may develop the capacity to suffer—and this could constitute a moral catastrophe. Read the full story to find out why their ideas are gaining momentum and sparking controversy. 
—Michelle Kim & Grace Huckins  The must-reads 
I’ve combed the internet to find you today’s most fun/important/scary/fascinating stories about technology.  1 The White House has unveiled its AI policy blueprint Trump wants Congress to codify the light-touch framework into law. (Politico) + He also wants to block state limits on AI. (WP $)  + A backlash against the tech has formed within MAGA. (FT $) + A war over AI regulation is brewing in the US. (MIT Technology Review)  2 Elon Musk has been found liable for misleading Twitter investors A jury ruled that he defrauded shareholders ahead of the $44 billion acquisition. (CNBC) + But it absolved him of some fraud allegations. (NPR)  3 The Pentagon is adopting Palantir AI as the core US military system The move locks in long-term use of Palantir’s weapons-targeting tech. (Reuters) + The DoD wants it to link up sensors and shooters for combat. (Bloomberg) + Palantir is also getting access to sensitive UK financial regulation data. (Guardian) + AI is turning the Iran conflict into theater. (MIT Technology Review)  4 Musk plans to build the largest-ever chip factory in Austin Tesla and SpaceX will jointly run the project. (The Verge) + Future AI chips could be built on glass. (MIT Technology Review)  5 OpenAI will show ads to all US users of the free version of ChatGPT  It’s seeking new revenue streams amid skyrocketing computing costs. (Reuters) + The company is also building a fully automated researcher. (MIT Technology Review) + It plans to double its workforce soon. (FT $)  6 New crypto rules are set to do the Trumps a “big favor” Particularly the narrow securities definitions. (Guardian)  7 Tencent has added a version of the OpenClaw agent to WeChat Users of the super app will now be able to use the tool to control their PCs. (SCMP)   8 Reddit is mulling identity verification to vanquish bots It’s considering “something like” Face ID or Touch ID. (Engadget) 

9 People are using AI to find their lost pets Databases for pet reunifications supported their searches. (WP $)  10 Scientists have narrowed down the hunt for aliens to 45 planets The closest is just four light-years from Earth. (404 Media)  Quote of the day  “It doesn’t matter how many people you throw at the problem; we are never going to solve the challenges of war without technology like AI.”  —Alex Miller, the US Army’s CTO, tells Wired why he wants AI in every weapon.  One More Thing  STEPHANIE ARNETT/MITTR | GETTY A brain implant changed her life. Then it was removed against her will.  Sticking an electrode inside a person’s brain can do more than treat a disease. Take the case of Rita Leggett, an Australian woman whose experimental brain implant changed her sense of agency and self. She told researchers that she “became one” with her device.  She was devastated when, two years later, she was told she had to remove the implant because the company that made it had gone bust.   Her case highlights the need for a new category of legal protection: neuro rights. Find out how they could be protected.  —Jessica Hamzelou  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.)  + Looking for a good view? Earth's longest line of sight has been empirically proven. + A biblical endorsement of sin is a welcome reminder that we all make typos. + Richard Nadler’s illustrations of vertical societies are exquisitely detailed. + This 1978 BBC film evocatively exposes our tendency to stress over tech-dependency.  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 HeavenHow Pokémon Go is giving delivery robots an inch-perfect view of the worldWill Douglas HeavenMeet the Vitalists: the hardcore longevity enthusiasts who believe death is “wrong”Jessica HamzelouDeep 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
By Rhiannon Williamsarchive pageStay connectedIllustration by Rose WongGet the latest updates fromMIT Technology ReviewDiscover special offers, top stories,
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The Download, a daily newsletter from MIT Technology Review, presents a multifaceted overview of current technological developments and their societal impacts, as of March 23, 2026. The newsletter’s coverage spans several key areas, including artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, defense technology, and emerging scientific endeavors.

A central theme is the burgeoning interest in utilizing artificial general intelligence (AGI) to address animal welfare concerns. Advocates and AI researchers convened in San Francisco, exploring potential applications ranging from custom agent-based advocacy to AI-driven meat cultivation, while also grappling with the ethical implications of a potentially sentient AI. This discussion highlights a growing, albeit controversial, consideration of AI’s potential impact on non-human life and raises fundamental questions about moral responsibility in the age of increasingly sophisticated technology.

Furthermore, the newsletter details several significant legal and regulatory developments. The White House unveiled its AI policy blueprint, seeking Congressional codification of a light-touch framework and preempting state-level restrictions. Simultaneously, a legal battle concluded with Elon Musk found liable for misleading investors regarding his acquisition of Twitter, a case that underscored the heightened scrutiny surrounding AI deployments within established corporations. The Pentagon’s adoption of Palantir AI represents another critical development, locking in long-term use of the company's targeted weaponry technology and potentially reshaping the landscape of military operations. This move, combined with Palantir’s access to sensitive UK financial data, creates concerns about surveillance and data vulnerability.

Several other technological trends are highlighted. Tesla and SpaceX are collaborating on the construction of a massive AI chip factory in Austin, Texas, with the potential for utilizing glass-based chip fabrication, showcasing advancements in materials science for AI hardware. OpenAI’s decision to introduce advertisements within the free version of ChatGPT reflects a strategic move to diversify revenue streams amidst escalating computing costs, alongside efforts to build automated research capabilities and expand its workforce. Cryptocurrency regulations are also evolving, particularly with definitions designed to favor the Trump administration, and Tencent’s integration of the OpenClaw agent into WeChat demonstrates the increasing integration of AI-powered assistants into everyday communication platforms.

Beyond corporate developments, the newsletter covers broader scientific pursuits, including the narrowing of the search for extraterrestrial intelligence to 45 identified planets, alongside more practical applications like leveraging AI to reunite lost pets and utilizing databases of pet information for searches. The newsletter also includes a concerning exploration of AI-enabled cybercrime and the development of secure AI assistants.

Finally, the newsletter includes various “one-of-a-kind” segments, such as a piece on a woman whose brain implant dramatically altered her perception of self and the subsequent legal challenges surrounding its removal. It also includes a curated selection of interesting facts and articles ranging from social media’s “addictive” nature to the potential of vitalism as a longevity strategy. These sections, while varied, further illustrate the breadth of MIT Technology Review’s coverage and its commitment to exploring the far-reaching implications of technology across diverse fields.