The Download: Pokémon Go to train world models, and the US-China race to find aliens

Niantic Spatial, a company spun out of Niantic, is using data from Pokémon Go to create a world model to help robots navigate more accurately. Meanwhile, the US's mission to find evidence of alien life on Mars has hit a roadblock, allowing China to take the lead in this space exploration race. The Perseverance rover's discovery of potential signs of alien life on Mars has sparked a new mission, but challenges have stalled progress. The article also highlights other tech news stories, including AI fakes of the Iran war flooding platforms and Meta's acquisition of a social network for bots.