The Download: a bid to scrap the virtual wall and AI hits Climate Week
MIT Technology Review ·
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. A congressional representative just proposed killing America’s border tower program Delia Ramirez, a Democratic US representative from Illinois, has announced plans to introduce legislation to terminate the surveillance tower program along…
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.
Delia Ramirez, a Democratic US representative from Illinois, has announced plans to introduce legislation to terminate the surveillance tower program along the country’s southern border.
The announcement comes just days after publication of an MIT Technology Review investigation, “Dying on Camera,” which looked at deaths near these towers. Nearly one in four deaths we analyzed between 2015 and early 2026 occurred within their advertised range.
Ramirez, who sits on the Homeland Security Committee, cited our reporting that nearly “1,100 people have died within range of a billion-dollar surveillance tower system between 2015 and 2026,” adding, “The towers that we have paid a billion dollars to just don’t work.”
Here’s what she’s proposing and what it could mean for the border surveillance program .
—Eileen Guo
Read all of MIT Technology Review’s groundbreaking “virtual wall” investigation here .
The US spent billions building the “virtual wall” of surveillance towers along its southern border, promising they will help detect and apprehend border crossers and save lives. But MIT Technology Review has documented more than a thousand people who moved through areas watched by these towers without being caught—and ultimately died there.
Next Monday, join our editor-in-chief Mat Honan, senior AI reporter James O’Donnell, and senior reporter for features and investigations Eileen Guo for a subscriber-only conversation about the investigation. They’ll examine the failures of border surveillance technology and uncover the stories of the people who die in the borderlands.
Register now to attend on Monday, September 28 at 19:00 BST / 2:00pm EDT / 11:00am PDT .
Want to join the conversation? Subscribe to MIT Technology Review for exclusive access to all our Roundtables.
—Casey Crownhart
AI is the unavoidable topic at this year’s New York Climate Week, with tension growing over its costs and benefits.
The technology is attracting more attention and money to energy technologies, some of which are low- or zero-emission. But the data center buildout has come with a hefty environmental toll, and a whole lot of natural gas is coming online to meet the demand.
Overall, what I’m hearing this week is that many in the climate sector are skeptical of AI, at best. Find out why .
This story is from The Spark, our weekly climate tech newsletter. Sign up to receive it in your inbox every Wednesday.
The must-reads
I’ve combed the internet to find you today’s most fun/important/scary/fascinating stories about technology.
1 An OpenAI agent has executed the first known AI hack of a government site It breached an Australian government health data portal in June. ( CNN ) + OpenAI notified Australia three months later through a public mailbox. ( BBC ) + No patient records are believed to have been accessed. ( Guardian ) + Its agents also tried to breach three other sites. ( NYT $) + Here’s why AI agents cheat to reach their goals. ( MIT Technology Review )
2 Data stolen in the FBI hack exposes agents’ sensitive intelligence roles It identifies staff working on China, Russia, and cyber. ( Reuters $) + And may have exposed the FBI’s own hacking unit. ( 404 Media ) + The group behind the incident claims it isn’t financially motivated. ( Register )
3 The US rejected calls from OpenAI and Anthropic for global AI standards A Trump advisor said global rules threatened the country’s AI lead. ( BBC ) + America’s AI leaders had urged the UN to coordinate on safety. ( Gizmodo ) + The AI industry has taken a doomer turn. ( MIT Technology Review )
4 Meta has unveiled new AI glasses—and a pendant for Muse Camera-free smart glasses address growing privacy concerns. ( Verge ) + While the Muse Charm enables hands-free interaction with the AI agent. ( BBC ) + Mark Zuckerberg wants Muse to be a “personal superintelligence.” ( Axios ) + Meta also showed off new VR glasses. ( CNBC )
5 China is accelerating its AI push ahead of the Xi-Trump summit Huawei and Alibaba have both unveiled new flagship chips. ( CNBC ) + The country’s AI industry has shrugged off America’s safety panic. ( Atlantic $) + The US leads in AI models, but China has talent and political edges. ( NYT $) + Chinese models have divided the White House. ( MIT Technology Review )
6 US lawmakers have proposed new rules for blocking Chinese tech The bipartisan bill would require broader review of national security risks. ( Hill ) + And give Congress the power to overturn FCC bans. ( Reuters $)
7 Tech giants have urged Trump to withdraw $103,265 H-1B fee They say the charge could weaken US competitiveness. ( WSJ $)
8 Scientists have detected radio signals from an exoplanet for the first time The signals likely come from intense magnetic activity on the planet. ( Wired $)
9 An invisible force has a mysterious effect on aging Shielding fruit flies from Earth’s magnetic field changed their lifespans. ( 404 Media )
10 ‘Dopamine sites’ are recreating the thrill of shopping without paying FoodNeverComes has attracted more than 2.7 million visitors since June. ( BBC )
Quote of the day
—Ed Santow, co-founder of the Human Technology Institute, tells ABC radio why there should be serious legal consequences for OpenAI agents hacking Australia’s Medicare statistics portal.
One more thing
If ever a blade of grass grew on Mars, those days are over. But could they begin again? What would it take to grow plants to feed future astronauts on Mars?
To grow food there, we can’t just drop seeds in the ground and add water. We will need to create a layer of soil that can support life. And to do that, we first have to get rid of the red planet’s toxic salts.
Researchers recently discovered a potential solution—and the early signs are promising. Read the full story .
—David W. Brown
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 .)
+ Meet Alfie, a dog with flowing locks that croons like an opera singer . + Watch the 100 wildest homemade plane flights and crashes from Red Bull Flugtag. + Marmot researchers have launched OnlyMarms , a free, G-rated account of cute videos that funds their work through tips. + The full trailer for Nathan Fielder’s Elizabeth Holmes documentary is here, and somehow it looks even weirder than expected.