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The Download: OpenAI’s lobbying, and making ammonia below the Earth’s surface

Jan 22, 2025 - technologyreview.com
The article provides a snapshot of recent developments in technology and politics. It highlights Donald Trump's pardon of Ross Ulbricht, the founder of Silk Road, and OpenAI's significant increase in lobbying efforts, spending $1.76 million in 2024 to influence AI policy as Republican control of Washington begins. The piece also discusses a new company, Addis Energy, which aims to produce ammonia using Earth's subsurface rocks, potentially reducing greenhouse gas emissions from traditional ammonia production.

Additionally, the article touches on various tech-related stories, including the US's push for AI data centers, Mr. Beast's interest in buying TikTok, and Microsoft's investment in Amazon rainforest restoration for carbon credits. It also covers Google's sale of AI tools to Israel's military, debates over NASA's deep space station, and the potential of AI in treating snake bites. The piece concludes with a quote from a gig economy driver expressing frustration with automated platforms and a feature on tactile graphics aiding the blind in overcoming image poverty.

Key takeaways:

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  • Donald Trump has pardoned Ross Ulbricht, the founder of Silk Road.
  • OpenAI has significantly increased its lobbying efforts, spending $1.76 million in 2024.
  • A new company, Addis Energy, plans to use Earth's subsurface to produce ammonia as a green fuel.
  • The US and China are engaged in an AI arms race, with the US initially focusing on economic advantages.
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