{"id":22040,"date":"2026-04-30T12:25:12","date_gmt":"2026-04-30T12:25:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ideainthebox.com\/index.php\/2026\/04\/30\/the-download-north-pole-future-humanoid-data\/"},"modified":"2026-04-30T12:25:12","modified_gmt":"2026-04-30T12:25:12","slug":"the-download-north-pole-future-humanoid-data","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ideainthebox.com\/index.php\/2026\/04\/30\/the-download-north-pole-future-humanoid-data\/","title":{"rendered":"The Download: the North Pole\u2019s future and humanoid data"},"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

Digging for clues about the North Pole\u2019s past<\/strong><\/h3>\n

In the past, getting to the North Pole involved a treacherous trip through ice many meters thick. But last year, a research vessel encountered open water and thin ice, which created an easy passage. It provided a reminder of how quickly the Arctic is changing.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Now scientists are digging deep below the seabed to find out if the Arctic Ocean was ever ice-free\u2014and what that could mean for the future of Earth\u2019s northernmost waters. Here\u2019s what they hope to discover<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\u2014Tim Kalvelage<\/em><\/p>\n

This <\/strong>story<\/strong><\/a> is from the latest issue of our print magazine, which is all about nature. <\/strong>Check out the full issue here<\/strong><\/a>, and <\/strong>subscribe<\/strong><\/a> to get the next one when it lands.\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

Humanoid data: 10 Things That Matter in AI Right Now<\/strong><\/h3>\n

I was recently invited to join an app that would pay me to film myself doing tasks like putting food in a bowl and microwaving it. Another site asked if I\u2019d like to remotely control a robotic arm to help improve its dexterity. What on earth is happening?<\/p>\n

These examples are just part of a growing push by robotics companies to collect data on our movements for training humanoids. As the race for real-world data heats up, our everyday movements are being turned into training data. Read the full story<\/a>.<\/p>\n

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

Humanoid data is one of our <\/strong>10 Things That Matter in AI Right Now<\/strong><\/a>, a new look at the big ideas, trends, and technologies really worth your attention in the buzzy world of AI.<\/strong><\/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<\/strong> Google, Microsoft, Amazon, and Meta have all set AI spending records
<\/strong>Collectively, they\u2019re up 71% on the same quarter last year. <\/strong>\u00a0(NYT<\/a> $)
<\/strong>+ Microsoft, Google and Amazon reported big payoffs from the splurge.<\/em> (FT<\/a> $)
+ But Meta\u2019s shares slid after its plans spooked investors. <\/em>(BBC<\/a>)
<\/strong>+ What even is the AI bubble?<\/em> (MIT Technology Review<\/a>)<\/p>\n

2<\/strong> The White House opposes Anthropic\u2019s plan to expand Mythos access
<\/strong>It\u2019s concerned about the model\u2019s cyber risks. (Bloomberg<\/a> $)
+ And worried that the government will lose compute access. <\/em>(WSJ<\/a> $)
+ Anthropic is seeking funding at a valuation over $900 billion<\/em>. (Bloomberg<\/a> $)<\/p>\n

3<\/strong> Elon Musk has claimed OpenAI\u2019s leaders \u201clooted the nonprofit\u201d
<\/strong>During testimony, <\/strong>Musk said he \u201cwas a fool\u201d for trusting them. (Gizmodo<\/a>)
+ But he had raised his own concerns about OpenAI\u2019s non-profit status.<\/em> (The Verge<\/a>)
+ The case could reshape the AI landscape. <\/em>(MIT Technology Review<\/a>)<\/p>\n

4 Autonomous vehicles may be worsening
<\/strong>According to emergency first-responders, glitches are increasing. (Wired<\/a>)<\/p>\n

5 OpenAI has abandoned much of its Stargate plan
<\/strong>It will no longer develop its own data centers. (FT<\/a> $)
+ The project\u2019s compute requirements have been questioned. <\/em>(MIT Technology Review<\/a>)<\/p>\n

6<\/strong> A convicted Harvard scientist is rebuilding a brain-computer lab in China
<\/strong>He had previously been named the world\u2019s top chemist. (Reuters<\/a> $)
<\/strong>+ But was then convicted for lying about payments from China.<\/em> (NYT<\/a> $)<\/p>\n

7<\/strong> Families have sued OpenAI over a mass shooter\u2019s use of ChatGPT
<\/strong>They say OpenAI provided a dangerously defective version of the chatbot. (NPR<\/a>)<\/p>\n

8 Apple is reportedly close to giving up on the Vision Pro<\/strong>
After the latest model flopped. (MacRumors<\/a>)\u00a0<\/p>\n

9<\/strong> Senators are interrogating US AI firms on safeguards against China
<\/strong>Over fears of IP theft. (Axios<\/a>)<\/p>\n

10<\/strong> Friendly AI chatbots are more likely to be inaccurate
<\/strong>A new study found kinder answers contained more mistakes. (BBC<\/a>)<\/p>\n

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

\u201cNever talk about goblins, gremlins, raccoons, trolls, ogres, pigeons, or other animals or creatures unless it is absolutely and unambiguously relevant to the user\u2019s query.\u201d\u00a0<\/strong><\/h2>\n

\u2014OpenAI instructs Codex to avoid critter talk in a system prompt for the coding agent, Ars Technica<\/a> reports.<\/p>\n

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

\n
\"illustration<\/p>\n
ARTHUR MOUNT<\/div>\n<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n


<\/strong>Is this the most energy-efficient way to build homes?<\/strong><\/h4>\n

When engineers began designing an ultra-efficient home in the 1970s, they realized the trick wasn\u2019t generating energy in a greener way, but using less of it. They needed to make a better thermos, not a cheaper coffee maker.<\/p>\n

That idea helped inspire today\u2019s passive-house standard: airtight buildings that can cut energy use by up to 90% through better windows, insulation, and ventilation.<\/p>\n

Although they\u2019re often considered a cold-climate approach, passive houses actually have universal benefits. Find out what makes them so efficient<\/a>.<\/p>\n


<\/strong>\u2014Patrick Sisson<\/em><\/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>.)<\/em><\/p>\n

+ Finally, someone built a gaming PC inside a microwave<\/a> that runs DOOM.
+ Experience the rhythm of the city<\/a> through this rapid-fire collage of urban photography.
+ Get a dose of pure cuteness as these tiny snow leopard cubs<\/a> leave their den for the first time.
+ If you\u2019re staring at a random assortment of groceries, SuperCook<\/a> will find a recipe based on what\u2019s already in your pantry.<\/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-22040","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-technology"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/ideainthebox.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/22040","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=22040"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/ideainthebox.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/22040\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/ideainthebox.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=22040"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ideainthebox.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=22040"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ideainthebox.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=22040"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}