The Download: your stake in OpenAI, and the Treasury’s AI warning

<p><em>This is today&#8217;s edition of </em><a href="https://forms.technologyreview.com/newsletters/briefing-the-download/?_ga=2.179569122.736533416.1649661040-405833893.1649413289"><em>The Download</em></a>, <em>our weekday newsletter that provides a daily dose of what&#8217;s going on in the world of technology.</em><br></p> <h3 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>Your family’s $300 stake in OpenAI</strong></h3> <p>Sam Altman’s proposal that Americans should share in the wealth created by AI is back in the spotlight, with reports that he is discussing giving the US government a 5% stake in OpenAI. At the company’s current valuation, that stake would be worth roughly $320 per American household.</p> <p>The idea is meant to address concerns that AI companies are benefiting from human-generated work without compensating creators, while also easing fears that AI will cause a collapse of the labor market by providing a safety net.&nbsp;</p> <p>The details, however, remain unclear. Indeed, the offer may be more powerful as a political narrative than as a policy plan.</p> <p><a href="https://www.technologyreview.com/2026/07/06/1140176/your-familys-300-stake-in-openai/?utm_source=the_download&amp;utm_medium=email&amp;utm_campaign=the_download.unpaid.engagement&amp;utm_term=*%7CSUBCLASS%7C*&amp;utm_content=*%7CDATE:m-d-Y%7C*">Read the full story on what the dividend proposal reveals about the future of AI</a>.</p> <p><em>—James O&#8217;Donnell</em></p> <p><strong>This </strong><a href="https://www.technologyreview.com/2026/07/06/1140176/your-familys-300-stake-in-openai/?utm_source=the_download&amp;utm_medium=email&amp;utm_campaign=the_download.unpaid.engagement&amp;utm_term=*%7CSUBCLASS%7C*&amp;utm_content=*%7CDATE:m-d-Y%7C*"><strong>article</strong></a><strong> is from The Algorithm, our weekly AI newsletter. </strong><a href="https://forms.technologyreview.com/newsletters/ai-demystified-the-algorithm/?utm_source=the_download&amp;utm_medium=email&amp;utm_campaign=the_download.unpaid.engagement&amp;utm_term=*%7CSUBCLASS%7C*&amp;utm_content=*%7CDATE:m-d-Y%7C*"><strong>Sign up</strong></a><strong> to receive it in your inbox every Monday.</strong></p> <p class="has-medium-font-size"><strong>The must-reads</strong></p> <p><em>I’ve combed the internet to find you today’s most fun/important/scary/fascinating stories about technology.</em></p> <p>&nbsp;<strong>1 A leaked Treasury report compares the AI market to the dotcom bubble</strong><br>&nbsp;Which contradicts the administration&#8217;s public optimism about AI. (<a href="https://www.notus.org/economy/treasury-internal-report-warning-dangers-ai-bubble">NOTUS</a>)<br>+ <em>Fears that the market is overinflated are growing.</em> (<a href="https://www.reuters.com/data/ai-boom-sparks-rally-frenzy-fear-2026-06-10/">Reuters</a> $)<br><em>+ And AI profits are hiding bigger risks in earnings reports.</em> (<a href="https://www.ft.com/content/64aa80ed-47a0-441d-8337-58874ee3f623?syn-25a6b1a6=1">FT</a> $)<br><em>+ What even is the AI bubble? </em>(<a href="https://www.technologyreview.com/2025/12/15/1129183/what-even-is-the-ai-bubble/?utm_source=the_download&amp;utm_medium=email&amp;utm_campaign=the_download.unpaid.engagement&amp;utm_term=*%7CSUBCLASS%7C*&amp;utm_content=*%7CDATE:m-d-Y%7C*">MIT Technology Review</a>)<br><br><strong>2 Samsung profits have jumped 1,800% on booming AI chip sales</strong><br>It just reported its third consecutive record quarterly profit. (<a href="https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c1kyy8yrpxdo">BBC</a>)<br><em>+ But its shares slumped over fears that the AI boom will stall.</em> (<a href="https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/samsung-estimates-19-fold-rise-q2-operating-profit-beating-expectations-2026-07-06/">Reuters</a> $)<br><em>+ That boom has turned Samsung into a $1 trillion company.</em> (<a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2026/05/06/samsung-electronics-ai-chip-rally-kospi-record-1-trillion.html">CNBC</a>)<br>&nbsp;<br><strong>3 A US cyber agency is using Mythos to audit government code</strong><br>Sources say CISA is tapping Anthropic&#8217;s model to search for bugs. (<a href="https://www.reuters.com/world/us-cyber-agency-is-using-anthropics-mythos-audit-government-code-sources-say-2026-07-06/">Reuters</a> $)<br><em>+ Agencies are using it despite Anthropic&#8217;s&nbsp;feud with the White House.</em> (<a href="https://www.axios.com/2026/04/19/nsa-anthropic-mythos-pentagon">Axios</a>)<br>&nbsp;<br><strong>4 Illinois’ governor has signed the nation’s strongest frontier AI law</strong><br>It’s designed to protect citizens from AI risks. (<a href="https://gizmodo.com/illinois-drops-the-hammer-on-ai-companies-2000781932">Gizmodo</a>)<br><em>+ US lawmakers are clashing over AI rules.</em> (<a href="https://www.technologyreview.com/2026/01/23/1131559/americas-coming-war-over-ai-regulation/?utm_source=the_download&amp;utm_medium=email&amp;utm_campaign=the_download.unpaid.engagement&amp;utm_term=*%7CSUBCLASS%7C*&amp;utm_content=*%7CDATE:m-d-Y%7C*">MIT Technology Review</a>)<br>&nbsp;<br><strong>5 A hidden tracker in Claude Code has been exposed and removed</strong><br>It secretly monitored users in China. (<a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/2026/07/06/why-anthropic-alleges-chinese-firms-are-distilling-knowledge-claude/">WP</a> $)<br><em>+ Critics said it shows Anthropic’s willingness to surveil users. </em>(<a href="https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2026/07/anthropic-outed-for-claude-tracker-that-secretly-monitored-chinese-users/">Ars Technica</a>)<br><em>+ The company has also found a hidden “thinking” space in Claude. </em>(<a href="https://www.axios.com/2026/07/06/anthropic-claude-ai-conscious">Axios</a>)<br><br><strong>6 Russia is suspected of flying drones over Europe from a shadow fleet</strong><br>The flights were reportedly launched from commercial ships. (<a href="https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2026/07/kremlin-suspected-of-flying-drones-over-europe-using-russian-shadow-fleet/">Ars Technica</a>)<br><em>+ Europe has a drone-filled vision for future wars. </em>(<a href="https://www.technologyreview.com/2026/01/06/1129737/autonomous-warfare-europe-drones-defense-automated-kill-chains/?utm_source=the_download&amp;utm_medium=email&amp;utm_campaign=the_download.unpaid.engagement&amp;utm_term=*%7CSUBCLASS%7C*&amp;utm_content=*%7CDATE:m-d-Y%7C*">MIT Technology Review</a>)<br>&nbsp;<br><strong>7 A controversial AI “actor” is set to star in its first feature film</strong><br>Tilly Norwood will debut in a comedy-drama called “Misaligned.” (<a href="https://variety.com/2026/film/global/ai-actor-tilly-norwood-movie-debut-misaligned-1236802325/">Variety</a>)<br><em>+ A major actors union has lambasted the AI creation.</em> (<a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/pop-culture/pop-culture-news/tilly-norwood-fully-ai-actor-blasted-actors-union-sag-aftra-devaluing-rcna234685">NBC News</a>)<br><br><strong>8 AI costs are driving US companies toward Chinese models</strong><br>Businesses are hunting for cheaper model alternatives. (<a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2026/07/07/chinese-ai-models-costs-us-openai-anthropic.html">CNBC</a>)<br><em>+ Chinese AI labs are betting big on open source.</em> (<a href="https://www.technologyreview.com/2026/04/21/1135658/china-open-source-models-ai-artificial-intelligence/?utm_source=the_download&amp;utm_medium=email&amp;utm_campaign=the_download.unpaid.engagement&amp;utm_term=*%7CSUBCLASS%7C*&amp;utm_content=*%7CDATE:m-d-Y%7C*">MIT Technology Review</a>)<br>&nbsp;<br><strong>9 Researchers have shown quantum proofs can beat classical ones</strong><br>They found a problem that classical proofs can’t solve. (<a href="https://www.quantamagazine.org/researchers-reveal-the-power-of-quantum-proofs-20260706/">Quanta</a>)<br><br><strong>10 Earth will never be swallowed by the sun, according to new models</strong><br>But it probably won’t be much fun to live here by that point anyway! (<a href="https://www.wired.com/story/good-news-it-turns-out-the-earth-will-never-be-swallowed-by-the-sun/">Wired</a> $)</p> <p class="has-medium-font-size"><strong>Quote of the day</strong></p> <h2 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>“The goal might be to make machines in our image. But what I fear is that—perhaps without even quite noticing—we remake ourselves in theirs.”&nbsp;</strong></h2> <p>—Reporter Sarah O’Connor sounds a note of caution in her new book, <em>We Are Not Machines</em>, <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/books/2026/jul/07/we-are-not-machines-by-sarah-oconnor-review-can-dignity-at-work-survive-the-tech-revolution">the Guardian</a> reports.</p> <p class="has-medium-font-size"><strong>One More Thing</strong></p> <div class="wp-block-image"> <figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img fetchpriority="high" decoding="async" width="2978" height="1675" src="https://wp.technologyreview.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/MIT-Tech-Review_Evo-Genetics_thumb.jpg?w=2978" alt="mammoth walking on a strand of DNA" class="wp-image-1111647" srcset="https://wp.technologyreview.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/MIT-Tech-Review_Evo-Genetics_thumb.jpg 2978w, https://wp.technologyreview.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/MIT-Tech-Review_Evo-Genetics_thumb.jpg?resize=300,169 300w, https://wp.technologyreview.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/MIT-Tech-Review_Evo-Genetics_thumb.jpg?resize=768,432 768w, https://wp.technologyreview.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/MIT-Tech-Review_Evo-Genetics_thumb.jpg?resize=1536,864 1536w, https://wp.technologyreview.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/MIT-Tech-Review_Evo-Genetics_thumb.jpg?resize=2048,1152 2048w" sizes="(max-width: 2978px) 100vw, 2978px" /><div class="image-credit">KATE DEHLER</div> </figure> </div> <h4 class="wp-block-heading"><strong><br>Adventures in the genetic time machine</strong></h4> <p>Eske Willerslev, a specialist in recovering DNA from old bones and objects, has made numerous breakthroughs. These include recovering the first more or less complete genome of an ancient human and 2.4-million-year-old genetic material from Greenland, revealing that today&#8217;s Arctic desert was once a forest with poplar, birch, and mastodons.</p> <p>These findings are part of a wave of discoveries from what&#8217;s being called an &#8220;ancient-DNA revolution.&#8221;&nbsp;</p> <p>Beyond revealing stories of human migration and vanished ecosystems, scientists believe ancient DNA can unearth clues about modern diseases. It could even lead to a better food supply for our warming world. &#8220;And can we get that?&#8221; Willerslev asks. &#8220;Yes, I believe we can.&#8221;</p> <p><a href="https://www.technologyreview.com/2025/02/17/1111596/ancient-dna-genes-evolutionary-genetics/?utm_source=the_download&amp;utm_medium=email&amp;utm_campaign=the_download.unpaid.engagement&amp;utm_term=*%7CSUBCLASS%7C*&amp;utm_content=*%7CDATE:m-d-Y%7C">Discover how ancient DNA could rescue the future</a>.&nbsp;</p> <p><em>—Antonio Regalado</em></p> <p class="has-medium-font-size"><strong>We can still have nice things</strong></p> <p><em>A place for comfort, fun, and distraction to brighten up your day. (Got any ideas? </em><a href="mailto:[email protected]"><em>Drop me a line</em></a><em>.)</em></p> <p>+ Underworld’s electric set from EDC Las Vegas 2026 has been released as a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4wzyC3J6-NU">full concert video</a>.<br>+ This <a href="https://www.itsnicethat.com/articles/over-land-and-sea-topsafe-publication-project-220626?utm_source=chatgpt.com">photographic journey through global soccer culture</a> captures the mad passion of fandom around the world.<br>+ Feeling unhinged? Me too. This <a href="https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCyOfqgtsQaM3S-VZnsYnHjQ?utm_source=chatgpt.com">playlist of gloriously intense classical music</a> sympathetically captures the mood.<br>+ If you’re looking for visual inspiration, this <a href="https://wemadethis.co.uk/blog/2021/09/graphic-design-history-resources/?utm_source=chatgpt.com">collection of graphic design archives from across the web</a> is a goldmine.</p>