The Download: storing nuclear waste and orchestrating agents

MIT Technology Review's latest newsletter highlights two pivotal technology trends: the rise of orchestrated AI agents and the urgent nuclear waste storage crisis. On the AI front, the publication argues that while ChatGPT demonstrated conversational AI, the real transformative power lies in AI agents that can take actions. The next evolution is multi-agent systems where teams of specialized agents coordinate to handle complex white-collar tasks. Tools like Codex and Claude Cowork offer early glimpses, with the potential to revolutionize knowledge work much like assembly lines transformed manufacturing. However, as these agents move into production systems, risks around safety, control, and unintended consequences escalate.

Simultaneously, the newsletter addresses the growing nuclear waste storage problem in the US, where annual production of 2,000 metric tons of high-level waste has no permanent disposal solution. This issue threatens to undermine nuclear energy's newfound bipartisan support, driven by Big Tech's demand for clean electricity to power AI data centers. The piece also covers Elon Musk's testimony in the OpenAI trial, where he claimed Sam Altman 'stole a charity' and that OpenAI was founded to prevent a 'Terminator outcome.' Other notable stories include AI bots teaching scientists to create biological weapons, China suspending robotaxi licenses after a major outage, and Meta being found in breach of EU child protection rules.