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The Download: the worst technology of 2025, and Sam Altman’s AI hype

December 18, 2025
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. The 8 worst technology flops of 2025 Welcome to our annual list of the worst, least successful, and simply dumbest technologies of the year. We like to think there’s a lesson in every…

The 8 worst technology flops of 2025

December 18, 2025
Welcome to our annual list of the worst, least successful, and simply dumbest technologies of the year. This year, politics was a recurring theme. Donald Trump swept back into office and used his executive pen to reshape the fortunes of entire sectors, from renewables to cryptocurrency. The wrecking-ball act began even before his inauguration, when…

Can AI really help us discover new materials?

December 18, 2025
Judging from headlines and social media posts in recent years, one might reasonably assume that AI is going to fix the power grid, cure the world’s diseases, and finish my holiday shopping for me. But maybe there’s just a whole lot of hype floating around out there. This week, we published a new package called…