MIT Technology Review

Is the Pentagon allowed to surveil Americans with AI? AI is supercharging surveillance, and the law has not caught up with it.

AI is supercharging surveillance, and the law has not caught up with it.

SXSW 2026 Schedule Browse events, build your schedule, and get personalized recommendations for the 2026 SXSW Conference & Festivals from March 12–18, 2026 in Austin, TX.

Next week I’m heading to Austin to speak at @sxsw.com for the second time. A) come and watch if you’re there (it’s already fully-reserved 🤯but walk-ups are possible!) and b) shout if there anything I must attend! (And if we know each other say hi.) schedule.sxsw.com/2026/contrib...

How one controversial startup hopes to cool the planet

If you'd prefer to listen to—rather than read—words by me, here's an audio version of my recent feature on Stardust Solutions, exploring why a number of scientists are freaked out about the first serious for-profit company moving into the solar geoengineering field.

Online harassment is entering its AI era When Scott Shambaugh denied an agent’s request, things got weird.

AI experts have been warning us about the risk of agent misbehavior for a while. With the advent of OpenClaw, an open-source tool that makes it easy to create LLM assistants, the number of agents circulating online has exploded, and those chickens are finally coming home to roost.

How much wildfire prevention is too much? A startup aims to prevent lightning strikes, and the fires they cause.

A startup aims to prevent lightning strikes, and the fires they cause.

This startup claims it can stop lightning and prevent catastrophic wildfires But researchers aren’t as confident as the company.

Despite Smokey the Bear's motto, lightning-sparked wildfires rip across the largest areas of forests each year. Skyward Wildfire says we can simply shut it off.

This startup claims it can stop lightning and prevent catastrophic wildfires But researchers aren’t as confident as the company.

Can this Canadian startup really deliver lightning suppression on demand? Possibly maybe ... but caveats abound.

(In which I dig into the rich history of US agency efforts to control the weather.)

This startup claims it can stop lightning and prevent catastrophic wildfires But researchers aren’t as confident as the company.

If employed reliably on significant scales, this method might offer a powerful tool for countering rising fire risks as climate change drives up temperatures, dries out forests, and likely increases the frequency of lightning strikes. But researchers aren’t as confident as the company.

OpenAI’s “compromise” with the Pentagon is what Anthropic feared Anthropic pushed for moral boundaries. OpenAI settled for softer legal ones, and now it stands to benefit as the Pentagon rushes out a politicized AI strategy during strikes on Iran.

we’ve essentially ended up back where we started: allowing the Pentagon to use OpenAI's tech for any lawful use www.technologyreview.com/2026/03/02/1...

OpenAI’s “compromise” with the Pentagon is what Anthropic feared Anthropic pushed for moral boundaries. OpenAI settled for softer legal ones, and now it stands to benefit as the Pentagon rushes out a politicized AI strategy during strikes on Iran.

Anthropic pushed for moral boundaries. OpenAI settled for softer legal ones, and now it stands to benefit as the Pentagon rushes out a politicized AI strategy during strikes on Iran.

I checked out one of the biggest anti-AI protests ever Hundreds joined the march in London’s AI hub to warn against AI’s potential harms. I went along to see what they had to say.

Hundreds joined the march in London’s AI hub to warn against AI’s potential harms. Our reporter went along to see what they had to say.

We did the math on AI’s energy footprint. Here’s the story you haven’t heard. The emissions from individual AI text, image, and video queries seem small—until you add up what the industry isn’t tracking and consider where it’s heading next.

MIT Technology Review is thrilled to announce that this story, which offers a first-of-its-kind look at AI's energy use and climate impact, is a National Magazine Awards finalist in the Reporting category.

AI is rewiring how the world’s best Go players think Ten years after a milestone victory, AI now dominates Go training. Players are figuring out what that means for the game.

Ten years after a milestone victory, AI now dominates Go training. Players are figuring out what that means for the game.

So proud that @technologyreview.com has been shortlisted in the Reporting category in this year's National Magazine Awards!

Kudos to @jamesodonnell.bsky.social and @caseycrownhart.bsky.social and everyone involved!

(Shortlisted story below.)

asme.memberclicks.net/national-mag...

This is the story of how America blew its massive lead in the new space race: www.technologyreview.com/2026/02/26/1...

America was winning the race to find Martian life. Then China jumped in. The Mars Sample Return mission got off to a promising start, hunting for potentially humanity-changing space rocks. How did it fall off the rails?

Is there life on Mars? For decades, America was in pole position to find out with its multi-mission Mars Sample Return program.

But MSR is now officially dead. And in the race to find alien life on Mars, it’s now China’s to lose.

Me @technologyreview.com www.technologyreview.com/2026/02/26/1...

This company claims a battery breakthrough. Now they need to prove it. Let’s talk about Donut Lab’s solid-state batteries.

Let’s talk about Donut Lab’s solid-state batteries.

America was winning the race to find Martian life. Then China jumped in. The Mars Sample Return mission got off to a promising start, hunting for potentially humanity-changing space rocks. How did it fall off the rails?

Today's Big Story (from @squigglyvolcano.bsky.social) is the tale of how America blew its lead in the race to find evidence of alien life on Mars.

It's really really fun. Enjoy.

www.technologyreview.com/2026/02/26/1...

The Crime issue It's a bad, bad, bad, bad world out there, from AI-powered scams to roboticized drug-smuggling submarines. New technologies have supercharged the human knack for wrongdoing, just as they've juiced the...

Introducing: The Crime issue.

New technologies have supercharged the human knack for wrongdoing, just as they’ve juiced the law’s ability to chase them—challenging privacy and equity along the way.

Explore the full issue to understand how: www.technologyreview.com/magazines/th...

Listen to Earth’s rumbling, secret soundtrack A New England artist makes music from the imperceptible noises of nature—using tools that usually detect hidden nuclear explosions.

A New England artist makes music from the imperceptible noises of nature—using tools that usually detect hidden nuclear explosions.

The human work behind humanoid robots is being hidden AI’s concealed labor has repeatedly led us to overestimate the technology. Humanoid robots are entering a similar phase.

AI’s concealed labor has repeatedly led us to overestimate the technology. Humanoid robots are entering a similar phase.

We’re putting more stuff into space than ever. Here’s what’s up there. There’s a thin layer of human-made stuff enrobing the planet. A data dive into the anthroposphere.

Earth’s a medium-size rock with some water on top, enveloped by gases that keep everything that lives here alive. Just at the edge of that envelope begins a thin but dense layer of human-built, high-tech stuff.

Take a look at what’s up there: www.technologyreview.com/2026/02/24/1...

Why conservationists are making rhinos radioactive Rapid DNA tests, x-ray fluorescence guns, and other technologies are being deployed in the fight against wildlife trafficking.

Rapid DNA tests, x-ray fluorescence guns, and other technologies are being deployed in the fight against wildlife trafficking.

Peptides are everywhere. Here’s what you need to know. The compounds have exploded in popularity, but big questions about safety and effectiveness are still unresolved.

Peptides have exploded in popularity, but big questions about safety and effectiveness are still unresolved.

Inside Chicago’s surveillance panopticon For many people, life in and around Chicago means near-constant surveillance in the name of public safety. Meet the city residents engaging with this controversial space.

Chicago has tens of thousands of surveillance cameras—up to 45,000, by some estimates. That’s among the highest numbers per capita in the US.

How uncrewed narco subs could transform the Colombian drug trade Fast, stealthy, and cheap—autonomous, semisubmersible drone boats carrying tons of cocaine could be international law enforcement’s nightmare scenario. A big one just came ashore.

Fast, stealthy, and cheap—autonomous, semisubmersible drone boats carrying tons of cocaine could be international law enforcement’s nightmare scenario. A big one just came ashore.

Job titles of the future: Breast biomechanic UK biomechanics professor Joanna Wakefield-Scurr is trying to design better bras by decoding the many mysteries of boobs.

A UK biomechanics professor is trying to design better bras by decoding the many mysteries of breasts.

Measles cases are rising. Other vaccine-preventable infections could be next. Vaccine hesitancy could leave us vulnerable to mumps, polio, and hepatitis B.

Vaccine hesitancy could leave us vulnerable to mumps, polio, and hepatitis B.

Microsoft has a new plan to prove what’s real and what’s AI online A new proposal calls on social media and AI companies to adopt strict verification, but the company hasn’t committed to following its own recommendations.

A new proposal calls on social media and AI companies to adopt strict verification, but Microsoft hasn’t committed to following its own recommendations.

The building legal case for global climate justice How to get the biggest emitters to pay for their climate offenses.

How can we get the biggest emitters to pay for their climate offenses?