The Download: the tech reshaping IVF and the rise of balcony solar
Why this matters: a development in AI with implications for how people work, create, and decide.
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. What’s next for IVF IVF has brought millions of babies into the world over the last four decades. But the process can still be slow, painful, and expensive—and far from guaranteed to work. Now, a wave of new technologies aims to change that. Researchers are using AI to identify promising sperm and embryos, developing robotic systems that could automate parts of the IVF process, and even exploring controversial genetic editing techniques designed to prevent inherited disease. The technologies could make IVF more effective and accessible. But they’re also raising difficult ethical questions about how far reproductive medicine should go. Find out what’s next for IVF. —Jessica Hamzelou This story is from MIT Technology Review’s What’s Next series, which looks across industries, trends, and technologies to give you a first look at the future. You can read the rest of them here. The balcony solar boom is coming to the US Dozens of US states are considering legislation to allow people to install plug-in solar systems, often called balcony solar. These small arrays require little to no setup and could help cut emissions and power bills. Proponents say the systems could make solar power more accessible, but some experts caution that there are safety concerns. Read the full story on balcony solar’s potentially massive impact in the US. —Casey Crownhart This article is from The Spark, our weekly climate newsletter. Sign up to receive it in your inbox every Wednesday. Resistance: 10 Things That Matter in AI Right Now Resistance against AI’s proliferation is growing. People from all walks of life are speaking out against rising electricity bills from data centers, disappearing jobs, chatbots’ impact on teen mental health, the military’s use of AI, and copyright infringement—among other concerns. People want to have a say in how the