{"id":19727,"date":"2026-03-18T14:16:20","date_gmt":"2026-03-18T14:16:20","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ideainthebox.com\/index.php\/2026\/03\/18\/the-download-the-pentagons-new-ai-plans-and-next-gen-nuclear-reactors\/"},"modified":"2026-03-18T14:16:20","modified_gmt":"2026-03-18T14:16:20","slug":"the-download-the-pentagons-new-ai-plans-and-next-gen-nuclear-reactors","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ideainthebox.com\/index.php\/2026\/03\/18\/the-download-the-pentagons-new-ai-plans-and-next-gen-nuclear-reactors\/","title":{"rendered":"The Download: The Pentagon\u2019s new AI plans, and next-gen nuclear reactors"},"content":{"rendered":"
\n

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

The Pentagon is planning for AI companies to train on classified data,\u00a0defense\u00a0official says<\/strong>\u00a0<\/h3>\n

The Pentagon plans to set up secure environments for generative AI companies to train military-specific versions of their models on classified data, MIT Technology Review has learned.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n

AI models like\u00a0Anthropic\u2019s\u00a0Claude are already used to answer questions in classified settings, including for\u00a0analyzing\u00a0targets in Iran. But allowing them to train on and learn from classified data is a major new development that presents unique security risks.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n

It would embed sensitive intelligence\u2014like surveillance reports or battlefield assessments\u2014into the models themselves. It would also bring AI firms closer to classified data than ever before.\u00a0Read the full story<\/a>.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u2014James O\u2019Donnell<\/em>\u00a0<\/p>\n

What do new nuclear reactors mean for waste?<\/strong>\u00a0<\/h3>\n

The way the world currently deals with nuclear waste is as creative as it is varied: drown it in water pools, encase it in steel, bury it hundreds of meters underground. But an approaching wave of new reactors could introduce fresh challenges to nuclear waste management.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0
\u00a0
The\u00a0new designs\u00a0and materials could require some engineering solutions. And\u00a0there\u2019s\u00a0a huge range\u00a0of them coming, meaning\u00a0there\u2019s\u00a0an equally wide range of potential waste types to handle.\u00a0Read the full story<\/a>.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u2014Casey Crownhart<\/em>\u00a0<\/p>\n

This\u00a0<\/strong>story<\/strong><\/a>\u00a0is part of\u00a0our\u00a0MIT\u00a0Technology Review Explains series, which untangles the complex, messy world of technology to show you\u00a0what\u2019s\u00a0coming next. Check out the full series\u00a0<\/strong>here<\/strong><\/a>.<\/strong>\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/p>\n

MIT Technology Review Narrated: how uncrewed\u00a0narco\u00a0subs could transform the Colombian drug trade<\/strong>\u00a0<\/h3>\n

For decades, handmade\u00a0narco\u00a0subs have been among the cocaine trade\u2019s most elusive and productive workhorses, ferrying tons of drugs from Colombia to the rest of the world.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n

Now off-the-shelf technology\u2014Starlink terminals, plug-and-play nautical autopilots, high-resolution video cameras\u2014may be advancing that cat-and-mouse game into a new phase.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Uncrewed subs could move more cocaine over longer distances, and they\u00a0wouldn\u2019t\u00a0put human smugglers at risk of capture. Law enforcement agencies are only just beginning to grapple with the consequences.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u2014Eduardo Echeverri L\u00f3pez<\/em>\u00a0<\/p>\n

This is our\u00a0latest\u00a0<\/em><\/strong>story<\/em><\/strong><\/a>\u00a0to be turned into an MIT Technology Review Narrated podcast, which\u00a0we\u2019re\u00a0publishing each week on\u00a0<\/em><\/strong>Spotify<\/em><\/strong><\/a>\u00a0and\u00a0<\/em><\/strong>Apple Podcasts<\/em><\/strong><\/a>. Just navigate to MIT Technology Review Narrated on either platform,\u00a0and\u00a0follow us to get all our\u00a0new content\u00a0as\u00a0it\u2019s\u00a0released.<\/em><\/strong>\u00a0<\/p>\n

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

1 Nvidia has joined the\u00a0OpenClaw\u00a0craze with the launch of\u00a0NemoClaw\u00a0<\/strong>\u00a0
It\u2019s adding privacy and security to the AI agent platform. (Business Insider<\/a>)\u00a0\u00a0
+ Chinese AI stocks surged on the news.<\/em>\u00a0(Bloomberg<\/a>\u00a0$)\u00a0\u00a0
+ Nvidia has also gained Beijing\u2019s approval to sell H200 chips.<\/em>\u00a0(Reuters<\/a>)\u00a0\u00a0
+ Tech-savvy \u201cTinkerers\u201d are cashing in on China\u2019s\u00a0OpenClaw\u00a0frenzy.<\/em>\u00a0(MIT Technology Review<\/a>)\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n

2 Microsoft is mulling legal action over the\u00a0Amazon-OpenAI cloud\u00a0deal\u00a0<\/strong>\u00a0
Citing a potential violation of its exclusive partnership. (FT<\/a>\u00a0$)\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n

3 The Pentagon wants to mass-produce the drones it used to strike Iran\u00a0<\/strong>\u00a0
The kamikaze drone, called Lucas, is a copy of Iran\u2019s Shahed UAV. (WSJ<\/a>\u00a0$)\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0
+ The\u00a0Shaheds\u00a0have proven highly effective in the conflict.<\/em>\u00a0(NBC News<\/a>)\u00a0\u00a0
+ AI is turning the war into\u00a0theater.<\/em>\u00a0(MIT Technology Review<\/a>)\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n

4 US officials say Anthropic\u00a0can\u2019t\u00a0be trusted with warfighting systems\u00a0<\/strong>\u00a0
They want to oust the AI company from all government agencies. (Wired<\/a>\u00a0$)\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0
+ OpenAI has taken advantage of the spat.\u00a0<\/em>(MIT Technology Review<\/a>)\u00a0\u00a0
+ Here\u2019s how GenAI may be used in strikes.<\/em>\u00a0(MIT Technology Review<\/a>)\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n

5 China is penalizing people linked to Meta\u2019s $2 billion acquisition of Manus\u00a0\u00a0<\/strong>\u00a0
It\u2019s seen as an attempt to stop Chinese AI leaders from relocating. (NYT<\/a>)\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n

6 DeepSeek\u00a0appears to be quietly\u00a0testing a next-generation AI model\u00a0<\/strong>\u00a0
An official launch of the new system may be imminent. (Reuters<\/a>)\u00a0\u00a0
+ DeepSeek ripped up the AI playbook.<\/em>\u00a0(MIT Technology Review<\/a>)\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n

7 Meta is ending VR access to Horizon Worlds in June\u00a0<\/strong>\u00a0
It was Meta\u2019s flagship metaverse project. (Engadget<\/a>)\u00a0\u00a0
+ And became notorious for sexual harassment.<\/em>\u00a0(MIT Technology Review<\/a>)\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n

8 \u201cSensorveillance\u201d is turning consumer tech into tracking tools for police<\/strong>\u00a0
It\u2019s turning our most personal devices into digital informants. (IEE Spectrum<\/a>)\u00a0\u00a0
+ In the surveillance capitalism era, we need to rethink privacy.<\/em>\u00a0(MIT Technology Review<\/a>)\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n

9 Two landmark lawsuits could transform social media for the better\u00a0<\/strong>\u00a0
They target the dangers that the platforms pose to children. (New Scientist<\/a>)\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n

10 A DNA discovery suggests humanity may have seeded from space\u00a0<\/strong>\u00a0
An asteroid\u00a0may have transported the ingredients for life to Earth. (404 Media<\/a>)\u00a0<\/p>\n

Quote of the day\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u201cIt is now the largest, most popular, the most successful open-sourced project in the history of humanity. This is\u00a0definitely the\u00a0next ChatGPT.\u201d\u00a0<\/h2>\n

\u2014Nvidia CEO tells\u00a0CNBC<\/a>\u00a0why\u00a0OpenClaw\u00a0is a big step forward for AI.\u00a0<\/p>\n

One More Thing\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

\"\"
AP Photo\/Alex Brandon<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

How the Pentagon is adapting to China\u2019s technological rise<\/strong>\u00a0<\/h4>\n

It\u2019s\u00a0been just over a year since Kathleen Hicks stepped down as US deputy secretary of\u00a0defense.\u00a0<\/p>\n

As the highest-ranking woman in Pentagon history, Hicks shaped US military posture through an era defined by renewed competition between powerful countries and a scramble to modernize\u00a0defense\u00a0technology.\u00a0<\/p>\n

In this conversation with MIT Technology Review, Hicks reflects on how the Pentagon is adapting\u2014or\u00a0failing to adapt\u2014to a new era of geopolitical competition. She discusses China\u2019s technological rise, the future of AI in warfare, and her signature initiative: Replicator.\u00a0Read the full story<\/a>.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u2014Caiwei\u00a0Chen<\/em>\u00a0<\/p>\n

We can still have\u00a0nice things\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

A place for comfort, fun and distraction to brighten up your day. (Got any ideas?\u00a0<\/em>Drop me a line<\/em><\/a>.)<\/em>\u00a0<\/p>\n

+ Give typing a tuneful tempo by turning your keyboard into a piano with this\u00a0new tool<\/a>.\u00a0
+\u00a0Barry\u2019s Border Points<\/a>\u00a0is a fascinating photographic journey through the lines that divide us.\u00a0
+ Feast your eyes on these\u00a0five architectural contenders<\/a>\u00a0for \u201ca new wonder of the world.\u201d\u00a0
+\u00a0This Ancient Rome cosplay game<\/a>\u00a0lets you live your best gladiator life.\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

This is today\u2019s edition of The Download, our weekday newsletter […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"content-type":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[226],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-19727","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-technology"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/ideainthebox.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/19727","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/ideainthebox.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/ideainthebox.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ideainthebox.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ideainthebox.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=19727"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/ideainthebox.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/19727\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/ideainthebox.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=19727"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ideainthebox.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=19727"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ideainthebox.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=19727"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}