This is today's edition ofThe Download,our weekday newsletter that provides a daily dose of what's going on in the world of technology. AIs energy obsession just got a reality check Just a week in, the AI sector has already seen its first battle of wits under the new Trump administration. The clash stems from two key pieces of news: the announcement of the Stargate project, which would spend $500 billionmore than the Apollo space programon new AI data centers, and the release of a powerful new open-source model from China. Together, they raise important questions the industry needs to answer about the extent to which the race for more data centerswith their heavy environmental tollis really necessary.Read the full story.James ODonnell This story originally appeared in The Algorithm, our weekly newsletter on AI. To get stories like this in your inbox first, sign up here. Robotaxis: 10 Breakthrough Technologies 2025 If you live in certain cities in America or China, youve probably spotted driverless cars dropping off passengers. Perhaps youve even ridden in one yourself. Thats a radical change from even three years ago, when these services were still learning the rules of the road. And robotaxis could soon be operating in many more cities. After years of beta testing, driverless taxis are now finally becoming available to the public. In more than a dozen cities worldwide, riders can summon one whenever they want. Now, the biggest players are ramping up for intense competition as they expand into new cities under regulators watchful eyes. Read the full story. Rhiannon Williams Robotaxis is one of our 10 Breakthrough Technologies for 2025, MIT Technology Reviews annual list of tech to watch. Check out the rest of the list, and cast your vote for the honorary 11th breakthrough. The must-reads Ive combed the internet to find you todays most fun/important/scary/fascinating stories about technology. 1 DeepSeeks AI model is sending US data to ChinaWhich could open it up to a lot of scrutiny in the US. (Wired $) + The models popularity has made it a cyber attack target. (The Guardian)+ The company was forced to limit the number of new users registering. (The Verge)+ How a top Chinese AI model overcame US sanctions. (MIT Technology Review)2 DeepSeeks success is emboldening other Chinese startupsMoonshot and Zhipu are among the firms racing to capitalize on the worlds attention. (FT $) + DeepSeek mania has gripped the world and shaken the markets. (404 Media)+ The country is cheering on its homegrown success story. (Bloomberg $)+ And many Americans are impressed by it, too. (The Atlantic $)3 Microsoft has entered the fray to buy TikTok According to Donald Trump, at least. (WP $)+ Microsoft had originally floated buying the app back in 2020. (Reuters)4 Google Maps is changing the Gulf of Mexico to Gulf of America But users in Mexico will continue to see its original name. (CNBC)+ Other countries across the world will be presented with both names. (Forbes $) 5 Scammers are using AI to create blackmail videosThe clips feature AI-generated news anchors reporting on sextortion cases. (Wired $) + An AI startup made a hyperrealistic deepfake of me thats so good its scary. (MIT Technology Review)6 Amazon is seeking permission to fly drones in the North of EnglandThe retail giant is lagging behind other drone projects in the UK.(The Guardian) 7 This new fertility treatment could be a viable IVF alternativeAs well as a much less painful, invasive procedure. (The Atlantic $) + This biotech CEO decided to take her own (fertility) medicine. (MIT Technology Review)8 Yahoo is determined to become cool again By capitalizing on our obsession with nostalgia. (Insider $)9 The Pebble smartwatch is back Almost a decade after Fitbit bought the company, its relaunching. (The Verge)+ But its going to need a new name. (TechCrunch)10 How to measure the shape of the universe Subtle signals could help us to map it out. (Quanta Magazine)+ Why is the universe so complex and beautiful? (MIT Technology Review)Quote of the day It's legit invigorating to have a new competitor! OpenAI boss Sam Altman says hes not worried at all by the success of open-source AI model DeepSeek R1 in a post on X. The big story Meet the divers trying to figure out how deep humans can go February 2024 Two hundred thirty meters into one of the deepest underwater caves on Earth, Richard Harry Harris knew that not far ahead of him was a 15-meter drop leading to a place no human being had seen before.Getting there had taken two helicopters, three weeks of test dives, two tons of equipment, and hard work to overcome an unexpected number of technical problems. But in the moment, Harris was hypnotized by what was before him: the vast, black, gaping unknown.Staring into it, he felt the familiar pullmaybe he could go just a little farther. Instead, he and his diving partner, Craig Challen, decided to turn back. Thats because they werent there to set records. Instead, they were there to test what they saw as a possible key to unlocking depths beyond even 310 meters: breathing hydrogen. Read the full story.Samantha Schuyler 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 skeet 'em at me.) + How to make a tasty mocktail like a pro. + Happy birthday to the one and only Billy Ocean, who recently turned the ripe old age of 75.+ Fans of video game Deep Rock Galactic are a raritya kind, welcoming and friendly gaming community.+ Hongbao, the little red envelopes given out at Lunar New Year, have a long and fascinating history.