The Download: AI’s refusal problem and weight-loss drug side effects

We’re putting too much faith in AI’s ability to say no. While modern models refuse a vast number of prompts, their failures can be catastrophic. Relying on refusal means drawing lines between what a model should obey and what it must disobey, potentially restricting free speech and leading to dangerous dual-use technologies.

Meanwhile, the GLP-1 weight-loss drugs, which promise to slow biological aging, come with some weird side effects. Common gastrointestinal issues aside, researchers are investigating links to hair loss, nail disorders, and eye nerve damage. As we continue to explore the benefits and risks of these drugs, the potential for unexpected consequences looms large.

Envision Energy, one of MIT Technology Review’s 10 Climate Tech Companies to Watch 2026, is integrating renewable energy into data centers. The company has already powered a data center entirely with renewable energy, using an AI-powered system to optimize power output. Now, it aims to bring this approach to global data centers in deserts, using wind turbines to generate power and batteries to store it on-site.

The must-reads include the US freezing green cards for Microsoft and other IT firms, a drone strike in Russia that knocked out a Yandex data center, and Anthropic banning abusive behavior towards Claude. Other highlights include OpenAI’s revenue forecast cut, gene editing research, SpaceX’s plan to challenge AT&T and Verizon, and the death of Margaret Hamilton, the Apollo 11 software pioneer.