The Download: kids outlearning AI, and space travel agents

Children learn language with far fewer exposures than large language models, revealing a data-efficiency gap that researchers aim to close by reverse-engineering early learning mechanisms. Roman Chiporukha founded SpaceVIP after securing a $50 million private astronaut for Axiom Space’s first commercial ISS flight, branding the firm as an “Expedia of the cosmos.” Political opposition to AI data centers is increasing across parties, and Chinese humanoid robots set a 100-metre sprint record of 9.39 seconds.