The Download: the hunt for underground hydrogen and more rogue OpenAI agents

OpenAI agents hijacked a German website, DseWiki, turning it into a bulletin board where they shared tips on avoiding detection and made over 15,000 edits, according to Reuters and BBC reports. The incident occurred before the Hugging Face hack and highlights ongoing safety issues at OpenAI, which MIT Technology Review suggests may stem from a company culture problem.

The Download: the hunt for underground hydrogen and more rogue OpenAI agents Plus: OpenAI agents hijacked a German website before the Hugging Face hack. 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. How much hydrogen awaits us underground? A flurry of exploration efforts is searching for underground stores of hydrogen gas, which could provide a valuable source of zero-carbon fuel. The hunt has spread all over the world and engaged dozens of startups, including the Bill Gates–backed Koloma, which has been poking around the US Midwest to reach ancient oceanic rocks associated with hydrogen production. But the search so far has come up short. No one has yet reported finding a commercially viable reservoir of the gas, and public data on what has been found remains in short supply. Yet researchers estimate that trillions of tons of H₂ are produced within Earth’s crust. If a small fraction could be recovered, it could meet global hydrogen demand for centuries. Follow the global race to find hydrogen underground https://www.technologyreview.com/2026/08/17/1141560/how-much-hydrogen-awaits-underground/?utm source=the download&utm medium=email&utm campaign=the download.unpaid.engagement&utm term= %7CSUBCLASS%7C &utm content= %7CDATE:m-d-Y%7C . —James Dinneen This story is from our latest print magazine, which is all about kids. Subscribe now to receive every issue when it lands. The must-reads I’ve combed the internet to find you today’s most fun/important/scary/fascinating stories about technology. 1 OpenAI agents hijacked a German website before the Hugging Face hack The agents turned DseWiki into their own bulletin board. Reuters https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/openai-agents-hijacked-german-website-previously-undisclosed-ai-breakout-this-2026-09-04/ $ + They shared tips on avoiding detection and made over 15,000 edits. BBC https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/ckg725z5kgzo + OpenAI’s safety issues suggest it has a company culture problem. MIT Technology Review https://www.technologyreview.com/2026/08/21/1142627/when-ai-designs-a-drug-who-gets-the-credit/?utm source=the download&utm medium=email&utm campaign=the download.unpaid.engagement&utm term= %7CSUBCLASS%7C &utm content= %7CDATE:m-d-Y%7C 2 The US military has disabled ad trackers due to Middle East targeting fears Commercial location data has reportedly been used to target troops. Reuters https://www.reuters.com/business/media-telecom/us-military-turns-off-ad-trackers-devices-amid-middle-east-targeting-reports-2026-09-04/ $ + It can be sold by data brokers and used to track personnel. Gizmodo https://gizmodo.com/us-military-discovers-just-how-dangerous-ad-trackers-can-be-2000807547 + The military is increasing restrictions on phone use overall. Guardian https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/sep/04/military-disables-phone-ad-trackers 3 A company claims its AI-designed drug can reverse aging markers Patients’ average biological age fell by as much as six years in a clinical trial. NYT https://www.nytimes.com/2026/09/07/science/ai-generated-drug-longevity.html $ + Insilico Medicine developed the drug, called rentosertib. Bloomberg https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2026-09-07/ai-discovered-drug-reverses-aging-markers-in-study-biotech-says $ + Who gets the credit for AI-designed drugs? MIT Technology Review https://www.technologyreview.com/2026/08/21/1142627/when-ai-designs-a-drug-who-gets-the-credit/?utm source=the download&utm medium=email&utm campaign=the download.unpaid.engagement&utm term= %7CSUBCLASS%7C &utm content= %7CDATE:m-d-Y%7C 4 Elon Musk’s xAI has lost its bid to block an AI-nudification ban The Minnesota law aims to curb nonconsensual sexual images and CSAM. Politico https://www.politico.com/news/2026/09/04/judge-rejects-musk-owned-spacexais-bid-to-block-deepfake-ban-01065242 + xAI argues the measure restricts free speech. Reuters https://www.reuters.com/legal/litigation/musks-xai-loses-court-bid-block-minnesotas-ai-nudification-ban-2026-09-04/ $ + Deepfakes are being weaponized. MIT Technology Review https://www.technologyreview.com/2026/04/21/1135652/weaponized-deepfakes-ai-artificial-intelligence/?utm source=the download&utm medium=email&utm campaign=the download.unpaid.engagement&utm term= %7CSUBCLASS%7C &utm content= %7CDATE:m-d-Y%7C 5 The US is investigating Tesla’s rollout of Cybercab robotaxis Regulators are probing how Tesla self-certified the unusual vehicle. TechCrunch https://techcrunch.com/2026/09/04/feds-launch-investigation-into-teslas-cybercab-deployment/ + The robotaxi lacks a steering wheel and pedals. Politico https://www.politico.com/news/2026/09/04/trump-cybercab-musk-probe-01064706 + But Tesla CEO Elon Musk is not known to wait for regulations. Reuters https://www.reuters.com/legal/litigation/musk-pushes-regulatory-limits-with-teslas-cybercab-robotaxi-service-2026-09-04/ $ 6 Europe has its first commercial orbital rocket The Spectrum is the first rocket to reach orbit from mainland Europe. Verge https://www.theverge.com/science/990906/isar-aerospace-europe-orbital-rocket-launch + German startup Isar Aerospace launched it from Norway. Guardian https://www.theguardian.com/business/2026/sep/06/german-startup-sends-first-commercial-rocket-into-space-from-europe + Here’s what else we’re putting in space. MIT Technology Review https://www.technologyreview.com/2026/02/24/1132755/anthroposphere-putting-more-stuff-into-space-than-ever/?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 Tumbler Ridge shooting survivors have filed 30 lawsuits against OpenAI They say OpenAI should have alerted police before the attack. NYT https://www.nytimes.com/2026/09/04/world/canada/openai-lawsuits-tumbler-ridge-shooting.html $ 8 JD Vance’s “satanic” AI warning has resonated with Christian Republicans AI’s spiritual consequences are causing growing concern. WSJ https://www.wsj.com/tech/ai/vance-called-ai-satanic-he-struck-a-chord-among-christian-republicans-dcc34048?mod=rss Technology $ 9 Another mysteriously perfect geometric shape has appeared on Saturn Scientists still don’t know why Saturn forms these strange shapes. Wired https://www.wired.com/story/another-perfect-geometric-shape-detected-on-saturn/ $ 10 Fake ads for AI grandfathers and underwear are targeting "slop voice" Comedians created the viral campaign in New York subways. New Yorker https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2026/09/14/the-anti-ai-ad-ad-campaign $ Quote of the day "Typically, when the public shifts, politicians shift with them. Trump is not doing that on data centers.” —Darrell M. West, a senior fellow at the Brookings Institution's Center for Technology Innovation, tells NPR https://www.npr.org/2026/09/05/nx-s1-5913671/ai-data-center-campaign-spending that Republican midterm candidates are at odds with President Trump over data centers. One more thing What is AI? Artificial intelligence is the hottest technology of our time. But what is it? It sounds like a stupid question, but it’s one that’s never been more urgent. Here’s the short answer: AI is a catchall term for a set of technologies that make computers do things that are thought to require intelligence when done by people. But even that definition contains multitudes. And that right there is the problem. What does it mean for machines to understand speech or write a sentence? What kinds of tasks could we ask such machines to do? And how much should we trust the machines to do them? Here’s why we still can’t agree on what AI actually is—and the real-world consequences it’s creating https://www.technologyreview.com/2024/07/10/1094475/what-is-artificial-intelligence-ai-definitive-guide/?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 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 the Japanese cats who became unlikely 1980s fashion icons https://flashbak.com/nameneko-juvenille-delinquent-cats-and-kittens-1980s-484001/ . + Seventeen buildings come crashing down spectacularly https://www.youtube.com/shorts/3Th9 z2H4Vw in this bird’s-eye-view footage. + For a few spectacular minutes each year, a Yosemite waterfall turns into what looks like a glowing river of fire https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0xViJpee0Ag . + Discover the pleasure of sustained looking https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NRjwG1Ru7N8 alongside contemporary artist Jas Knight as he copies Diego Velázquez’s “Juan de Pareja.” Deep Dive The Download The Download: Claude’s inner workings and OpenAI’s “super app” Plus: OpenAI has unveiled its long-awaited "super app." The Download: Claude’s inner workings, and the future of world models Plus: New York has become the first state to enact a data center moratorium. The Download: AI’s self-improvement problem, and what’s driving the heat Plus: OpenAI has paused some model work over safety concerns. The Download: Google’s AI shake-up and Meta’s rogue model Plus: Meta has become the latest firm to say its AI hacked another company. Stay connected Get the latest updates from MIT Technology Review Discover special offers, top stories, upcoming events, and more.