{"id":15929,"date":"2026-01-06T13:24:16","date_gmt":"2026-01-06T13:24:16","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ideainthebox.com\/index.php\/2026\/01\/06\/the-download-our-predictions-for-ai-and-good-climate-news\/"},"modified":"2026-01-06T13:24:16","modified_gmt":"2026-01-06T13:24:16","slug":"the-download-our-predictions-for-ai-and-good-climate-news","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ideainthebox.com\/index.php\/2026\/01\/06\/the-download-our-predictions-for-ai-and-good-climate-news\/","title":{"rendered":"The Download: our predictions for AI, and good climate news"},"content":{"rendered":"
\n

This is today\u2019s edition of\u00a0The Download<\/a><\/em>,\u00a0our weekday newsletter that provides a daily dose of what\u2019s going on in the world of technology.<\/em><\/p>\n

What\u2019s next for AI in 2026<\/strong><\/p>\n

In an industry in constant flux, sticking your neck out to predict what\u2019s coming next may seem reckless. (AI bubble? What AI bubble?) But for the last few years we\u2019ve done just that\u2014check out our pretty accurate predictions for 2025<\/a>\u2014and now, we\u2019re doing it all over again.<\/p>\n

So what\u2019s coming in 2026? Here are our big bets for the next 12 months<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\u2014Rhiannon Williams, Will Douglas Heaven, Caiwei Chen, James O\u2019Donnell & Michelle Kim<\/em><\/p>\n

Interested in why it\u2019s so hard to make predictions about AI\u2014and why we\u2019ve done it anyway? Check out the <\/strong>latest edition<\/strong><\/a> of The Algorithm, our weekly AI newsletter. <\/strong>Sign up here<\/strong><\/a> to make sure you receive future editions straight to your inbox.<\/strong><\/p>\n

This story is also part of MIT Technology Review<\/em>\u2019s What\u2019s Next series, looking across industries, trends, and technologies to give you a first look at the future. <\/strong>You can read the rest of them here<\/strong><\/a>.<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/p>\n

Four bright spots in climate news in 2025<\/strong><\/p>\n

Climate news wasn\u2019t great in 2025. Global greenhouse-gas emissions hit record highs (again). It\u2019s set to be either the second or third warmest on record. Climate-fueled disasters like wildfires in California and flooding in Indonesia and Pakistan devastated communities and caused billions in damage.<\/p>\n

There\u2019s no doubt that we\u2019re in a severe situation. But for those looking for bright spots, there was some good news in 2025, too. Here are just a few of the positive stories our climate reporters noticed this year. Read the full story<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\u2014Casey Crownhart & James Temple<\/em><\/p>\n<\/p>\n

Nominate someone you know for our global 2026 Innovators Under 35 competition<\/strong><\/p>\n

Last month we started accepting nominations for MIT Technology Review\u2019<\/em>s 2026 Innovators Under 35 competition. This annual list recognizes 35 of the world\u2019s best young scientists and inventors, and our newsroom has produced it for more than two decades.<\/p>\n

We\u2019re looking for people who are making important scientific discoveries and applying that knowledge to build new technologies. Or those who are engineering new systems and algorithms that will aid our work or extend our abilities.<\/p>\n

The good news is that we\u2019re still accepting submissions for another two weeks! It\u2019s free to nominate yourself or someone you know, and it only takes a few moments. <\/strong>Here\u2019s how to submit your nomination<\/a>.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n

The must-reads<\/strong><\/p>\n

I\u2019ve combed the internet to find you today\u2019s most fun\/important\/scary\/fascinating stories about technology.<\/em><\/p>\n

1 The US government is recommending fewer childhood shots<\/strong>
It\u2019ll no longer suggest every child be vaccinated against flu, hepatitis A, rotavirus and meningococcal disease. (WP<\/a> $)
+ We may end up witnessing a major uptick in rotavirus cases as a result. <\/em>(The Atlantic<\/a> $)
+ That brings the total number of recommended vaccines from 17 to 11. <\/em>(BBC<\/a>)
+ The changes were made without public comment or input from vaccine makers. <\/em>(NPR<\/a>)<\/p>\n

2 Telegram can\u2019t quite cut its ties to Russia<\/strong>
Bonds in the company have been frozen under western sanctions. (FT<\/a> $)<\/p>\n

3 America is in the grip of a flu outbreak
<\/strong>Infections have reached their highest levels since the covid pandemic. (Bloomberg<\/a> $)
+ All but four states have reported high levels of flu activity. <\/em>(CNN<\/a>)
+ A new strain of the virus could be to blame. <\/em>(AP News<\/a>)<\/p>\n

4 Humanoid factory robots are about to get a lot smarter<\/strong>
Google DeepMind is teaming up with Boston Dynamics to help its Atlas bipedal robots complete tasks more quickly. (Wired<\/a> $)
+ In theory, the deal could help Atlas interact more naturally with humans, too. <\/em>(TechCrunch<\/a>)
+ Why the humanoid workforce is running late. <\/em>(MIT Technology Review<\/a>)<\/p>\n

5 NASA\u2019s budget for 2026 is better than we expected<\/strong>
It\u2019s a drop of just 1% compared to last year, despite a series of brutal cut proposals. (Ars Technica<\/a>)<\/p>\n

6 Nvidia\u2019s first self-driving cars will hit the road later this year
<\/strong>Watch out Tesla! (NYT<\/a> $)
+ They\u2019re a pretty smooth drive, apparently. <\/em>(Ars Technica<\/a>)
+ The company is also going full steam ahead to produce new chips. <\/em>(Reuters<\/a>)<\/p>\n

7 Elon Musk\u2019s fans are using Grok to make revenge porn of one of his sons\u2019 mothers
<\/strong>Ashley St Clair says her complaints have gone unanswered. (The Guardian<\/a>)
+ This is what happens when you scrap nearly all rules and safety protocols. <\/em>(404 Media<\/a>)
+ Authorities across the world are attempting to crack down on Grok. <\/em>(Rest of World<\/a>)<\/p>\n

8 A Greenland ice dome has melted once before
<\/strong>And if temperatures remain high, it could do so again. (New Scientist<\/a> $)
+ Inside a new quest to save the \u201cdoomsday glacier.\u201d <\/em>(MIT Technology Review<\/a>)<\/p>\n

9 A Chinese chatbot went rogue and snapped at a user<\/strong>
Tencent\u2019s AI assistant Yuanbao told them their request was \u201cstupid\u201d and to \u201cget lost.\u201d (Insider<\/a> $)
+ At least it\u2019s not being overly sycophantic\u2026 <\/em>(MIT Technology Review<\/a>)<\/p>\n

10 Lego\u2019s bricks have been given a smart makeover<\/strong>
They contain tiny computers to bring entire sets to life. (The Verge<\/a>)
+ The tech will create fun contextual sounds and light effects. <\/em>(Wired<\/a> $)<\/p>\n<\/p>\n

Quote of the day<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u201cThe goal of this administration is to basically make vaccines optional. And we\u2019re paying the price.\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u2014Paul Offit, an infectious diseases physician, criticizes the Trump administration\u2019s decision to slash the number of recommended vaccinations for children, the Guardian<\/a> reports.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n

One more thing<\/strong><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/figure>\n

<\/a>I asked an AI to tell me how beautiful I am<\/strong><\/p>\n

Qoves started as a studio that would airbrush images for modeling agencies. Now it is a \u201cfacial aesthetics consultancy\u201d that promises answers to the age-old question of what makes a face attractive. Its most compelling feature is the \u201cfacial assessment tool\u201d: an AI-driven system that promises to tell you how beautiful you are\u2014or aren\u2019t\u2014spitting out numerical values akin to credit ratings.<\/p>\n

If that prospect isn\u2019t concerning enough, most of these algorithms are littered with inaccuracies, ageism, and racism. Read the full story<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\u2014Tate Ryan-Mosley<\/em><\/p>\n<\/p>\n

We can still have nice things<\/strong><\/p>\n

A place for comfort, fun and distraction to brighten up your day. (Got any ideas? <\/em>Drop me a line<\/em><\/a> or <\/em>skeet \u2019em at me<\/em><\/a>.)<\/em><\/p>\n

+ Baxter the horse and Mr Fuzzy the barn cat have a beautiful relationship<\/a>.
+ Cool\u2014a new seven-mile underwater sculpture park<\/a> has opened off the coast of Miami Beach.
+ Where can I buy this incredible Godzilla piggy bank<\/a>?
+ Congratulations to the world\u2019s oldest professional footballer<\/a> Kazuyoshi Miura, who\u2019s still going strong at 58 years old.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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