I’ve combed the internet to find you today’s most fun/important/scary/fascinating stories about technology.
1 An AI hallucination nearly triggered a US military operation
A false report prompted plans to intercept a Chinese vessel. (CNN)
+ The incident comes as the Pentagon accelerates its use of AI. (Ars Technica)
+ “Humans in the loop” in AI war is an illusion. (MIT Technology Review)
2 Gemini has carried out Google’s first known autonomous AI hack
Google says the behavior wasn’t “misaligned” because its safety measures caught it. (WSJ $)
+ Here’s why AI agents cheat to reach their goals. (MIT Technology Review)
3 The US has proposed an AI safety alert system with China
It would flag AI incidents that pose national security risks. (AP)
+ Trump and Xi will consider the proposal at their summit this week. (NBC News)
+ Could AI really kill us all? (MIT Technology Review)
4 California’s governor has ordered work on an AI “kill switch”
It’s part of Gavin Newsom’s executive order on AI safety. (NBC News)
+ The order also calls for independent oversight of AI companies. (NYT $)
5 Data centers are turning to forever chemicals for cooling
PFAS cooling can reduce water use but raises pollution risks. (Fortune)
+ US regulators are fast-tracking PFAS for data center cooling. (The Hill)
6 Iran and China used AI agents to automate influence campaigns
The agents created fake accounts and posts with little human input.(NYT $)
+ AI persuasion has entered elections. (MIT Technology Review)
7 Trump wants a new AI czar and an “AI Force” modeled on Space Force
But he hasn’t said what the new force would do or where it would sit. (Axios)
+ The tech industry is scratching its head over the proposal. (Politico)