The Download: controlling AI agents and “Super Intelligence” loyalty tests

This is today’s edition of The Download, our weekday newsletter that provides a daily dose of what’s going on in the world of technology. How “reverse game theory” could keep AI agents in check A new approach known as “reverse game theory” aims to control powerful AI models by designing systems that incentivize them to stick to the rules. While game theory predicts how rational actors behave under particular rules, reverse game theory designs rules to elicit the behavior we want. Think of splitting a cake: if one person cuts it and the other gets first choice, the cutter has an incentive to make the portions equal. Researchers believe the approach could align AI more closely with our rules and instructions. But big questions remain about whether these mechanisms will work in practice. Here’s how reverse game theory could help make AI agents behave. —Amit Katwala Here’s who is falling in line for Trump’s “Super Intelligence” loyalty test At the end of September, President Trump signed an executive order with just one directive: government agencies must rebrand artificial intelligence as “Super Intelligence.” One month on, the rebrand is slowly appearing across government websites and documents, but it hasn’t caught on with everyone. Even some of the biggest names in tech still use “AI.” But the bigger concern is the new term becoming a political loyalty test: Those who use it signal allegiance to the administration. Those who don’t become targets for attacks. So one month in, who’s on board? —James O’Donnell This story is from The Algorithm, our weekly AI newsletter. Sign up to receive it in your inbox every Monday. The must-reads I’ve combed the internet to find you today’s most fun/important/scary/fascinating stories about technology. 1 Today’s midterms will test AI’s influence on US politicsCandidates are betting that AI regulation will sway voters to their side. (Axios)+ Angry constituents could derail Elon Musk’s Republican bets. (BI)+ Tech investors are on edge about the results. (Reuters $)+ America is divided over AI regulation. (MIT Technology Review) 2 Nvidia is ordering data centre clients to limit their business with China It told providers that the majority of their sales must be non-Chinese. (FT $)+ The move follows pressure from Washington. (Bloomberg $)+ Chinese AI has ruptured the White House. (MIT Technology Review) 3 Hackers have turned supermarket fridges into a food security riskAttacks in Europe have put US supermarket systems on alert. (CNBC)+ They’ve also sparked concerns over other domestic appliances.(BBC)+ It’s a good time for doing crime. (MIT Technology Review) 4 Scientists have detected signals at the smallest scale ever exploredThe discovery offers clues to a world of exotic new particles. (BBC)+ It came via CERN’s Large Hadron Collider. (The Times $) 5 Zapping part of the brain makes you think harder—at a costIt can both improve performance and reduce motivation. (New Scientist $)+ Neuropixels probes are transforming how we study the brain. (Nature) 6 Big tech is splurging on mega gas plants to power data centersThe projectsthreaten to reverse years of climate pledges. (WP $) 7 Google says an Android partner infected 1.3 million devicesThe malware infected TV boxes and other Android-based devices. (Verge) 8 Apple is trying to create its first robotIt’s proving a lot harder than expected, though. (Information $)+ AI robots are still a long way from useful. (MIT Technology Review) 9 China’s biggest shopping festival has a new product to sell: AIAI tokens have become a major new Singles’ Day category. (Reuters $) 10 A meteorite in the Sahara has revealed new clues about MarsIts chemistry may help explain how the planet lost its water. (Wired $) Quote of the day “Don’t spend money unduly by asking a human expert to enter into a debate with a robot expert.” —Steven Benmor, a family lawyer, tells the Wall Street Journal that clients increasingly need to pay human experts to correct advice they’ve received from chatbots. One more thing The noise we make is hurting animals. Can we learn to shut up? As human society has expanded, animals have started struggling to hear one another. For many birds, the noise has grown so loud that they’ve begun to sing with faster trills. Now, their mating calls aren’t as effective.  The growing hubbub can also increase bird-on-bird conflict, and entire species that can’t handle urban clamor simply leave town for good. But there are technological solutions to the noises hurting animals—and they could help humans, too. Read the full story. —Clive Thompson 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.) + Watch five newborn cheetah cubs grow up on the Smithsonian’s livestream.+ Fifty years after Songs in the Key of Life, Stevie Wonder has released four lost tracks from the album.+ 50 air guitarists shredded absolutely nothing at the 30th Air Guitar World Championships in Finland.+ The Ocean Photographer of the Year winners show both the beauty of marine life and the perils it faces.