The Download: how AI affects creativity, and CRISPR babies

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.

AI can make you more creative—but it has limits

Generative AI models have made it simpler and quicker to produce everything from text passages and images to video clips and audio tracks. But while AI’s output can certainly seem creative, do these models actually boost human creativity?  

That’s what two researchers set out to explore by studying how people used OpenAI’s large language model GPT-4 to write short stories.

The model was helpful—but only to an extent. They found that while AI improved the output of less creative writers, it made little difference to the quality of the stories produced by writers who were already creative. Read the full story.

—Rhiannon Williams

CRISPR Babies: Six years later

Gene-editing can correct or improve the DNA of human embryos, essentially opening the door to ‘technological evolution’ of our species. But in 2018, a premature attempt to use gene-editing led to a prison term for the researcher involved.

Join our editor in chief Mat Honan and senior editor for biomedicine Antonio Regalado in a conversation to revisit China’s CRISPR babies and the future of editing in IVF clinics, in our subscriber-only Roundtables event. You can register here to join us on Thursday July 25 at 12.30pm ET.

The must-reads

I’ve combed the internet to find you today’s most fun/important/scary/fascinating stories about technology.

1 Conspiracies about Donald Trump’s shooting are circulating online 
Some observers are even claiming the shooting was faked. (WP $)
+ Far-right extremists are using it to call for violence. (Wired $)
+ Meta has lifted its restrictions on the former presidents’ accounts. (CNN)

2 Google is edging closer to closing its biggest acquisition yet
It’s reportedly willing to shell out $23 billion for security startup Wiz. (WSJ $)
+ Antitrust regulators are certain to be watching closely. (FT $)

3 AT&T appears to have paid hackers to delete stolen phone records
It’s just one company caught up in a major hacking spree that started in April. (Wired $)
+ An intermediary has provided extensive details from the reported deal. (The Verge)

4 A Brazilian influencer has been jailed for trafficking and slavery|
Kat Torres enchanted vulnerable women with her extravagant lifestyle. (BBC)

5 Samsung workers are defecting to a smaller chip rival
SK Hynix is hoovering up staff left dissatisfied by Samsung’s pay. (FT $)
+ What’s next in chips. (MIT Technology Review)

6 Good luck renting an electric car
Rental companies are trying to shift their EV fleets—and fast. (NYT $)
+ Car sales are down across the board, in fact. (Reuters)
+ Why some companies want you to rent the battery in your EV. (MIT Technology Review)

7 Immunotherapy is being touted as a treatment for cancer
Starting with one of the toughest kinds to combat: brain cancer. (NY Mag $)
+ Cancer vaccines are having a renaissance. (MIT Technology Review)

8 Better period products are on the horizon
Algae polymers turn menstrual blood into a spill-limiting gel. (Economist $)
+ Tiny faux organs could crack the mystery of menstruation. (MIT Technology Review)

9 The UK is addicted to weather apps
Dragging the national fixation on the forecast into the digital age. (The Guardian) 

10 This Japanese AI dating startup wants to make ‘Her’ a reality
Presumably with a slightly different ending. (Bloomberg $)
+ Everything you need to know about Google and OpenAI’s supercharged assistants. (MIT Technology Review)

Quote of the day

“One of the things I love about Sam is every day he’s calling me and saying, ‘I need more, I need more, I need more.’” 

—Satya Nadella reflects on his working relationship with OpenAI’s Sam Altman, the New York Times reports.

The big story

Is the digital dollar dead?

July 2023

In 2020, digital currencies were one of the hottest topics in town. China was well on its way to launching its own central bank digital currency, or CBDC, and many other countries launched CBDC research projects, including the US.

How things change. Three years later, the digital dollar—even though it doesn’t exist—has become political red meat, as some politicians label it a dystopian tool for surveillance. And late last year, the Boston Fed quietly stopped working on its CBDC project. So is the dream of the digital dollar dead? Read the full story.

—Mike Orcutt

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 or tweet ’em at me.)

+ Ever wondered why we can only see one side of the moon? Wonder no more.
+ Not to wish the remainder of the summer away, but it’s time to order your seeds for the fall.
+ Alien isn’t just a great sci-fi film: it’s a great mystery, too.
+ I could watch this heated wire slice into foam all day long.