Robot "employees" are here—and they cost less than humans

PLUS: The US Inches Toward Building EV Batteries at Home, and more

View this email in your browser  |  Manage newsletter subscriptions  01.18.22   SUPPLY CHAIN | 6-MINUTE READ The US Inches Toward Building EV Batteries at Home BY GREGORY BARBER In an effort to reduce dependency on hard-to-source cobalt and Chinese manufacturing, US makers are finally getting into the cathode business.   GIG OUTSOURCING | 7-MINUTE READ Gig Workers Were Promised a Better Deal. Then They Were Outsourced BY MORGAN MEAKER A new subcontractor industry in Europe is benefiting from platforms' efforts to clean up their image and comply with stricter employment rules.   BUGS | 3-MINUTE READ 'Zero-Click' Zoom Vulnerabilities Could Have Exposed Calls BY LILY HAY NEWMAN The flaws are now fixed, but they speak to the growing concerns around interactionless attacks.   HOURLY RATE | 4-MINUTE READ Now You Can Rent a Robot Worker—for Less Than Paying a Human BY WILL KNIGHT Automation is reaching more companies, imperiling some jobs and changing the nature of others.   SPONSORED CONTENT The Billion Dollar Startup Disrupting the $27T Retirement Industry With more than 110 million Americans over age 50, this Princeton grad's startup raised $161M in funding to help people plan for an easier retirement. GET WIRED A helicopter on Mars. What to expect post-Covid. The next electrifying/terrifying leap in A.I. explained. Get 1 year of unlimited access to WIRED for less than $1 per month. That includes Steven Levy's exclusive newsletter and a free tote! Subscribe now.   BUYING GUIDE | 10-MINUTE READ Our 4 Favorite Electric Kick Scooters BY JULIAN CHOKKATTU These WIRED-tested e-scooters will help you scoot scoot scoot around town.   DIRTY SECRETS | 5-MINUTE READ Humanity Has Turned Land Itself Into a Menace BY MATT SIMON All of our meddling has primed Earth to collapse under cities and belch greenhouse gases, a nasty feedback loop that's accelerating global warming.   MIRROR IMAGE | 8-MINUTE READ Gaming Giant Unity Wants to Digitally Clone the World BY CECILIA D'ANASTASIO The company is leveraging its technology to help clients make "digital twins"—virtual copies of real-life objects, environments, and even people.   PRODUCT REVIEW | 7-MINUTE READ Meet Our New Favorite Travel Mug BY JOE RAY The Oxo Good Grips Thermal Mug keeps your coffee nice and hot—and it's dishwasher-safe!     Have questions or comments? Reply to this email.   This e-mail was sent to you by WIRED. To ensure delivery to your inbox (not bulk or junk folders), please add our e-mail address, wired@newsletters.wired.com, to your address book.   View our Privacy Policy Unsubscribe or Manage your newsletter subscriptions   Copyright © Condé Nast 2022. One World Trade Center, New York, NY 10007. All rights reserved.