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.
Introducing: The Kids Issue
Once a quiet undercurrent, the push to limit children's technology use has become a dominant force. From countries enacting bans on social media for minors to US schools swapping iPads and Chromebooks for printed books, a global reassessment is underway. Even kids themselves are joining the movement—Gen Alpha's most coveted gadget is reportedly the vintage Sony Walkman.
Notably, a surprising—and perhaps troubling—number of tech industry insiders keep their own children at arm's length from technology. They lock down their kids' phones (if they have them at all) and bar them from social media. Even Mark Zuckerberg refrains from posting his children's faces on Facebook or Instagram.
Yet hiding from technology is no longer an option. It permeates nearly every facet of modern life. Our challenge is to prepare children for the world we've created, not the one we might wish for. How can we help kids not just survive but thrive in this digital reality?
That's the central question of the new Kids Issue of MIT Technology Review. Working alongside the publication's editors, we've assembled a collection of features and essays that explore how to navigate this complex landscape.
Bill Gates on AI: A Candid Admission
Amid the Kids Issue, we also bring you an exclusive conversation with Bill Gates, who reveals his deepest anxieties about artificial intelligence. In a wide-ranging interview, Gates discusses the potential societal disruptions AI could bring, from job displacement to the erosion of truth. He acknowledges that the pace of AI development in 2026 has outpaced his earlier expectations, and he warns of a future where "AI-generated misinformation could outsmart our ability to verify reality." Gates calls for urgent global cooperation to establish ethical frameworks before the technology gets further ahead.
Plus: Trump's EPA Eyes Looser Rules for Data Centers
In regulatory news, the Trump administration's Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is reportedly moving to exempt data centers from federal air pollution reporting requirements. Critics argue that such a move would undermine environmental transparency and public health protections, especially as AI's energy demands skyrocket. Proponents, however, say the change is needed to bolster US competitiveness in the AI race.
—Thomas Macaulay