The Download: The Russia-Ukraine war’s effect on tech, and shaking up AI search

In the future, CRISPR will get easier and easier to administer, potentially opening up paths for tinkering with human evolution. What will that mean for our species?

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The must-reads

I’ve combed the internet to find you today’s most fun/important/scary/fascinating stories about technology.

1 The US is struggling to kick Chinese hackers out of its networks 
Six months after its investigations into their intrusions began. (Axios)
+ Authorities are advising concerned users to switch to encrypted apps. (WP $)

2 Russia is using civilians as target practice for its killer drones
Creating an atmosphere of psychological terror for Ukraine’s residents. (FT $)
+ Meet the radio-obsessed civilian shaping Ukraine’s drone defense. (MIT Technology Review)

3 Can anyone topple Nvidia?
Many have tried, but none—yet—have succeeded. (NYT $)
+ China is claiming the US-made chips pose a security risk. (Reuters)
+ Meanwhile, Apple is using Amazon’s custom chips for its search. (CNBC)
+ Amazon has lofty plans for a colossal AI supercomputer made of chips. (WSJ $)