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.
South Korea’s hottest new bachelors are chip workers
Baek, a 35-year-old manager at the South Korean semiconductor titan SK Hynix, was enrolled in a matchmaking company a year ago. In a move typical of anxious South Korean parents, his mother signed him up, hoping to find a good wife for her son.
Lately, says Baek, he and his coworkers are having better luck finding dates—perhaps because of the dazzling bonuses they just got. Flush with eye-popping profits from the AI chip boom, SK Hynix agreed to pay 10% of operating profits to employees, which translates to an extra $476,000 per employee this year. Samsung workers received a similar deal this May.
With their newfound wealth, chip workers like Baek have become the most sought-after bachelors and bachelorettes in South Korea.
Discover how AI chip profits are transforming South Korea’s dating market—and stoking anxieties.
—Michelle Kim
A device that revives eyeballs from dead donors could make eye transplants possible
It’s not easy to transplant a whole human eye. The surgery is difficult, and eyes start to degenerate as soon as they’ve left the body. When surgeons attempted it a few years ago, the newly transplanted eye couldn’t see.
But researchers believe they might have a solution: a device that maintains and revives freshly removed eyeballs using a technique called perfusion. Treated eyes don’t degrade as quickly and appear to retain the ability to transmit electrical signals—and potentially see.
The device could one day make whole-eye transplants a viable possibility. Here’s how it works.
—Jessica Hamzelou
The must-reads
I’ve combed the internet to find you today’s most fun/important/scary/fascinating stories about technology.
1 The UN’s chief has warned that AI is outpacing global rules
He’s called for globally harmonised guardrails. (Reuters $)
+ The UN also said AI could worsen global inequality. (Guardian)
2 An Israeli battlefield system identified 850,000 targets in Gaza and Lebanon
Elbit Systems says it detected targets in real time. (Guardian)
+ Congress wants to permanently integrate US and Israeli defence tech. (Intercept)
+ How AI turned the Iran conflict into theater. (MIT Technology Review)
3 EU transparency rules have exposed Microsoft’s tax haven tactics
A new report shows how it shifts profits around to reduce tax bills. (NYT $)
+ Other US companies will soon need to provide similar reports. (Engadget)
4 A spacecraft has launched an audacious mission to rescue a NASA telescope
LINK will try to tug the SWIFT observatory to a higher orbit. (New Scientist $)
+ It will attempt to grab the telescope with three robotic arms. (BBC)
+ The observatory studies gamma-ray bursts. (NBC News)
+ We’re putting more stuff into space than ever. (MIT Technology Review)
5 Chinese tech giants are disabling humanlike AI due to new regulations
ByteDance and Alibaba have shut down the features. (SCMP)
+ Beijing is tightening its AI regulations. (Nikkei Asia)
6 Anthropic wants to develop its own drugs
The company says it will pursue treatments for “neglected” diseases. (Verge)
+ It’s also got a new AI for science product. (MIT Technology Review)
7 India is testing an alternative to Silicon Valley’s AI playbook
It’s based on small, offline, multilingual, open-source AI. (Rest of World)
+ India’s AI infrastructure is also attracting investors. (CNBC)
8 Big Tech has suddenly flipped on the AI jobs wipeout scenario
Negative public opinion has sparked a more optimistic public stance. (WSJ $)
+ The AI jobs hysteria needs a reality check. (MIT Technology Review)
9 Midjourney has accused Hollywood studios of covertly using AI
It’s escalated its legal fight with Disney, Universal, and Warner. (Gizmodo)
10 A martian rock has lots of carbon on it, and it’s not clear why
Scientists cannot yet tell whether biology played a role. (Ars Technica)
Quote of the day
“It’s just his AI and my AI going back and forth.”
—An anonymous employee explains why she’s struggling to develop a good working relationship with her boss, Fortune reports.
One More Thing
The AI relationship revolution is already here
AI is everywhere, and it’s starting to alter our relationships with our spouses, kids, colleagues, friends—and even ourselves.
Although the technology remains unpredictable and sometimes baffling, individuals from all across the world and from all walks of life are finding it useful, supportive, and comforting too.
People are using large language models to seek validation, mediate marital arguments, and help navigate interactions with their community. They’re using it for parenting support, self-care, and even to fall in love.
Explore how AI is changing our relationships.
—Rhiannon Williams
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.)
+ Radiohead’s seminal album “OK Computer” has been reimagined as a Nintendo 64 soundtrack.
+ Graphic design history meets stamp collecting in this beautifully curated archive of postage stamp design.
+ As Lionel Messi lights up another World Cup, his former coach breaks down his style of play in this fascinating analysis.
+ Armchair engineers will enjoy the brilliant product teardowns of everyday items like clicky pens and lighters on Mechanical Pencil.
