Wednesday, March 18, 2026

The Obtain: The Pentagon’s new AI plans, and next-gen nuclear reactors


That is at the moment’s version of The Obtain, our weekday publication that gives a each day dose of what’s occurring on this planet of know-how.

The Pentagon is planning for AI corporations to coach on categorised information, protection official says 

The Pentagon plans to arrange safe environments for generative AI corporations to coach military-specific variations of their fashions on categorised information, MIT Expertise Evaluation has discovered.  

AI fashions like Anthropic’s Claude are already used to reply questions in categorised settings, together with for analyzing targets in Iran. However permitting them to coach on and study from categorised information is a significant new growth that presents distinctive safety dangers.  

It could embed delicate intelligence—like surveillance experiences or battlefield assessments—into the fashions themselves. It could additionally convey AI companies nearer to categorised information than ever earlier than. Learn the complete story

—James O’Donnell 

What do new nuclear reactors imply for waste? 

The way in which the world at present offers with nuclear waste is as inventive as it’s diverse: drown it in water swimming pools, encase it in metal, bury it lots of of meters underground. However an approaching wave of recent reactors may introduce contemporary challenges to nuclear waste administration.   
 
The new designs and supplies may require some engineering options. And there’s an enormous vary of them coming, that means there’s an equally big selection of potential waste varieties to deal with. Learn the complete story

—Casey Crownhart 

This story is a part of our MIT Expertise Evaluation Explains collection, which untangles the advanced, messy world of know-how to point out you what’s coming subsequent. Take a look at the complete collection right here. 

MIT Expertise Evaluation Narrated: how uncrewed narco subs may rework the Colombian drug commerce 

For many years, handmade narco subs have been among the many cocaine commerce’s most elusive and productive workhorses, ferrying tons of medication from Colombia to the remainder of the world.  

Now off-the-shelf know-how—Starlink terminals, plug-and-play nautical autopilots, high-resolution video cameras—could also be advancing that cat-and-mouse sport into a brand new part. 

Uncrewed subs may transfer extra cocaine over longer distances, and so they wouldn’t put human smugglers vulnerable to seize. Regulation enforcement businesses are solely simply starting to grapple with the implications. 

—Eduardo Echeverri López 

That is our newest story to be changed into an MIT Expertise Evaluation Narrated podcast, which we’re publishing every week on Spotify and Apple Podcasts. Simply navigate to MIT Expertise Evaluation Narrated on both platform, and observe us to get all our new content material as it’s launched. 

The must-reads

1 Nvidia has joined the OpenClaw craze with the launch of NemoClaw  
It’s including privateness and safety to the AI agent platform. (Enterprise Insider)  
+ Chinese language AI shares surged on the information. (Bloomberg $)  
+ Nvidia has additionally gained Beijing’s approval to promote H200 chips. (Reuters)  
+ Tech-savvy “Tinkerers” are cashing in on China’s OpenClaw frenzy. (MIT Expertise Evaluation)  

2 Microsoft is mulling authorized motion over the Amazon-OpenAI cloud deal  
Citing a possible violation of its unique partnership. (FT $)  

3 The Pentagon desires to mass-produce the drones it used to strike Iran  
The kamikaze drone, known as Lucas, is a replica of Iran’s Shahed UAV. (WSJ $)   
+ The Shaheds have confirmed extremely efficient within the battle. (NBC Information)  
+ AI is popping the battle into theater. (MIT Expertise Evaluation)  

4 US officers say Anthropic can’t be trusted with warfighting techniques  
They wish to oust the AI firm from all authorities businesses. (Wired $)   
+ OpenAI has taken benefit of the spat. (MIT Expertise Evaluation)  
+ Right here’s how GenAI could also be utilized in strikes. (MIT Expertise Evaluation)  

5 China is penalizing folks linked to Meta’s $2 billion acquisition of Manus   
It’s seen as an try and cease Chinese language AI leaders from relocating. (NYT)  

6 DeepSeek seems to be quietly testing a next-generation AI mannequin  
An official launch of the brand new system could also be imminent. (Reuters)  
+ DeepSeek ripped up the AI playbook. (MIT Expertise Evaluation)  

7 Meta is ending VR entry to Horizon Worlds in June  
It was Meta’s flagship metaverse undertaking. (Engadget)  
+ And have become infamous for sexual harassment. (MIT Expertise Evaluation)  

8 “Sensorveillance” is popping shopper tech into monitoring instruments for police 
It’s turning our most private units into digital informants. (IEE Spectrum)  
+ Within the surveillance capitalism period, we have to rethink privateness. (MIT Expertise Evaluation)  

9 Two landmark lawsuits may rework social media for the higher  
They aim the risks that the platforms pose to kids. (New Scientist)  

10 A DNA discovery suggests humanity could have seeded from area  
An asteroid could have transported the components for all times to Earth. (404 Media

Quote of the day 

“It’s now the most important, hottest, essentially the most profitable open-sourced undertaking within the historical past of humanity. That is undoubtedly the subsequent ChatGPT.” 

—Nvidia CEO tells CNBC why OpenClaw is an enormous step ahead for AI. 

One Extra Factor 

AP Picture/Alex Brandon

How the Pentagon is adapting to China’s technological rise 

It’s been simply over a yr since Kathleen Hicks stepped down as US deputy secretary of protection. 

Because the highest-ranking lady in Pentagon historical past, Hicks formed US navy posture by an period outlined by renewed competitors between highly effective international locations and a scramble to modernize protection know-how. 

On this dialog with MIT Expertise Evaluation, Hicks displays on how the Pentagon is adapting—or failing to adapt—to a brand new period of geopolitical competitors. She discusses China’s technological rise, the way forward for AI in warfare, and her signature initiative: Replicator. Learn the complete story

—Caiwei Chen 

We are able to nonetheless have good issues 

A spot for consolation, enjoyable and distraction to brighten up your day. (Bought any concepts? Drop me a line.) 

+ Give typing a tuneful tempo by turning your keyboard right into a piano with this new device
+ Barry’s Border Factors is an interesting photographic journey by the strains that divide us. 
+ Feast your eyes on these 5 architectural contenders for “a brand new surprise of the world.” 
+ This Historical Rome cosplay sport allows you to reside your finest gladiator life. 

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