The Download: AI bottleneck debates, and BCI trials take off

AI startup Subquadratic claims to have solved a mathematical bottleneck in large language models, enabling faster and cheaper computation, though experts remain skeptical. Meanwhile, brain-computer interface trials are accelerating, with China approving the first BCI for medical use and a man with ALS becoming a 'power user' of a brain implant. Amazon workers who advocated for data center limits face potential termination after internal investigations.

The Download: AI bottleneck debates, and BCI trials take off Plus: Amazon workers who backed data center limits face potential termination. This is today's edition of The Download https://forms.technologyreview.com/newsletters/briefing-the-download/? ga=2.179569122.736533416.1649661040-405833893.1649413289 , our weekday newsletter that provides a daily dose of what's going on in the world of technology. A startup claims it broke through a bottleneck that’s holding back LLMs AI startup Subquadratic came out of stealth last month with a huge claim: it had solved a mathematical bottleneck that had held back large language models for almost a decade. The purported breakthrough comes from slashing the number of computations transformers need to carry out to generate answers. The result is a faster and cheaper LLM that uses far less energy than any other model on the market. Many experts remained skeptical—but Subquadratic has started to share the receipts. They suggest that their approach might be worth paying attention to. Here’s how the system works—and why some researchers still aren’t convinced https://www.technologyreview.com/2026/06/19/1139313/a-startup-claims-it-broke-through-a-bottleneck-thats-holding-back-llms/?utm source=the download&utm medium=email&utm campaign=the download.unpaid.engagement&utm term= %7CSUBCLASS%7C &utm content= %7CDATE:m-d-Y%7C . —Will Douglas Heaven Brain-computer interface trials are taking off —Jessica Hamzelou This week, I covered the story of Casey Harrell https://www.technologyreview.com/2026/06/15/1138953/man-als-first-power-user-brain-implant-speak-bci/?utm source=the download&utm medium=email&utm campaign=the download.unpaid.engagement&utm term= %7CSUBCLASS%7C &utm content= %7CDATE:m-d-Y%7C —a man with ALS who is “the first power user” of a brain implant. The device has enabled him to maintain an income, reconnect with friends and family, and read to his daughter. He told me that it’s “nothing short of revolutionary.” Over the past couple of years, the number of BCI trial volunteers has soared. This year, China became the first country to approve a BCI for medical use. Advances in technology are allowing engineers to provide more features than ever. BCI research is properly taking off. Find out how the technology is edging from the lab towards the market https://www.technologyreview.com/2026/06/15/1138953/man-als-first-power-user-brain-implant-speak-bci/?utm source=the checkup&utm medium=email&utm campaign=the checkup.unpaid.engagement&utm content=06-18-26 . This story is from The Checkup, our weekly newsletter giving you the inside track on all things biotech. Sign up to receive it in your inbox every Thursday. The must-reads I’ve combed the internet to find you today’s most fun/important/scary/fascinating stories about technology. 1 Amazon workers who backed data center limits may face termination The engineers say they’re under investigation by the company. NYT https://www.nytimes.com/2026/06/18/technology/amazon-worker-retaliation-data-center-complaints.html $ + And could face discipline, including potential termination. The Verge https://www.theverge.com/ai-artificial-intelligence/952180/amazon-seattle-data-center-moratorium-aecj-disciplinary-action + They had testified at meetings about pausing data centers. CNBC https://www.cnbc.com/2026/06/18/amazon-engineers-ai-data-center-opposition.html + They’ve filed a joint complaint to Seattle’s Office for Civil Rights. Wired https://www.wired.com/story/amazon-workers-under-internal-investigation-after-speaking-out-about-data-centers/ $ 2 A new fossil discovery has rewritten 150 years of evolutionary theory It suggests early land vertebrates skipped the tadpole stage. New Scientist https://www.newscientist.com/article/2531039-remarkable-fossils-rewrite-the-story-of-how-animals-conquered-the-land/ $ + And raises questions about how vertebrates adapted to land. 404 Media https://www.404media.co/a-new-fossil-discovery-just-rewrote-150-years-of-evolutionary-theory/ + Sponges may have been the first animals. MIT Technology Review https://www.technologyreview.com/2026/01/06/1129016/sponges-may-have-been-the-first-animals/?utm source=the download&utm medium=email&utm campaign=the download.unpaid.engagement&utm term= %7CSUBCLASS%7C &utm content= %7CDATE:m-d-Y%7C 3 Bernie Sanders plans to give the public direct ownership of AI firms He’s unveiled new legislation to create an AI sovereign wealth fund. AP News https://apnews.com/article/bernie-sanders-ai-public-ownership-57b9f20d96490083e2749adba0f13977 + It would be funded through a one-time tax on AI companies’ stock. Quartz https://qz.com/bernie-sanders-ai-sovereign-wealth-fund-public-ownership-061826 + And make annual payments directly to Americans. Washington Post https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/2026/06/18/bernie-sanders-proposes-wealth-fund-give-americans-stake-ai/ $ 4 Investors in China secretly acquired stakes in SpaceX before its IPO One had ties to Chinese military contractors. ProPublica https://www.propublica.org/article/spacex-elon-musk-ipo-foreign-investors-china + The US fears China has got one of ASML’s top machines. Reuters https://www.reuters.com/world/china/us-targets-chinese-chipmaking-with-proposed-export-restrictions-asml-others-2026-04-03/ $ 5 Researchers have figured out Russia's nuclear-powered missile They call it “a terrible idea”—but not an impossible one. NPR https://www.npr.org/2026/06/18/nx-s1-5843252/russia-nuclear-powered-missile-burevestnik + NASA is building a nuclear reactor-powered spacecraft. MIT Technology Review https://www.technologyreview.com/2026/04/14/1135848/nasa-nuclear-powered-spacecraft/?utm source=the download&utm medium=email&utm campaign=the download.unpaid.engagement&utm term= %7CSUBCLASS%7C &utm content= %7CDATE:m-d-Y%7C 6 Longevity medicine faces a do-or-die moment in a landmark trial It will test whether cellular aging can be safely reversed in humans. Axios https://www.axios.com/2026/06/18/longevity-medicine-critical-moment + The next step is “chemical reprogramming.” MIT Technology Review https://www.technologyreview.com/2026/06/09/1138545/david-sinclair-plans-to-test-whole-body-rejuvenation-drugs-in-the-xprize-competition/?utm source=the download&utm medium=email&utm campaign=the download.unpaid.engagement&utm term= %7CSUBCLASS%7C &utm content= %7CDATE:m-d-Y%7C 7 Studies suggest AI may already be deskilling professionals Over-reliance appears to weaken doctors’ and engineers’ abilities. Nature https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-026-01947-1 8 Tech workers who maxed out their AI use are now trying to minimize it Spiralling costs mean “tokenminning” has replaced “tokenmaxxing.” NYT https://www.nytimes.com/2026/06/18/technology/ai-token-minimizing.html $ 9 Scientists say the human genome’s structure may confound AI models Which would constrain AI-based models of biology and disease. Quanta https://www.quantamagazine.org/why-the-human-genomes-tangled-physicality-may-confound-ai-20260618/ 10 A new robotic self-driving toilet brings the bathroom to you The Xiaoban also cleans up and empties itself all on its own. The Verge https://www.theverge.com/tech/952441/yueban-xiaoban-self-driving-autonomous-toilet Quote of the day “They hated me. They were doing everything they could to knock me down. And look at them now.” —Donald Trump mocks Mark Zuckerberg and Jeff Bezos in a conversation with Elon Musk that’s recounted in a new book, Wired reports https://www.wired.com/story/trump-mocked-mark-zuckerberg-and-jeff-bezos-by-showing-off-fawning-texts/ . One More Thing Technology can help us feed the world, if we look beyond profit Technology can help us feed the world, if we look beyond profit The pandemic exposed the weak spots in our interconnected food system. They’re the result of decades’ worth of technological advances, from globe-spanning shipping to refrigeration networks. But technology is not inherently opposed to sustainable and resilient food systems. Powerful technologies like genetic modification can create stronger local agriculture and a healthier food system—but they normally aren’t. The challenge is ensuring they serve food security and human well-being, rather than simply maximizing profits. Dive into our food system’s problems and the solutions that technology can provide https://www.technologyreview.com/2020/12/18/1013215/food-technology-sustainability-capitalism-pandemic-gmos/?utm source=the download&utm medium=email&utm campaign=the download.unpaid.engagement&utm term= %7CSUBCLASS%7C &utm content= %7CDATE:m-d-Y%7C . —Fabio Parasecoli 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 . + This intriguing video tracks the covert reality of Japan's shinobi https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bVc xY6TWiY . + Dive into this admirably obsessive archive covering over 100 different ways to tie your shoes https://www.fieggen.com/shoelace/index.htm . + One of the world’s largest digital collections of plants and fungi is now available for free https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-026-01917-7 to everyone. + A grand orchestra has beautifully covered Michael Jackson’s "Human Nature" at Abbey Road Studios https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GSKF-4jBJ-w . Deep Dive The Download The Download: DeepSeek’s latest AI breakthrough, and the race to build world models Plus: China has blocked Meta’s $2 billion acquisition of AI startup Manus. The Download: introducing the 10 Things That Matter in AI Right Now Plus: An unauthorized group has reportedly accessed Anthropic’s Mythos. The Download: AI hacking beyond Mythos, and chatbots’ impact on our brains Plus: Anthropic has called for a global slowdown in AI development. The Download: supercharged scams and studying AI healthcare Plus: DeepSeek has unveiled its long-awaited new AI model. Stay connected Get the latest updates from MIT Technology Review Discover special offers, top stories, upcoming events, and more.