artificial intelligence

OpenAI chief executive Sam Altman is set to brief the UN Security Council next week, according to Reuters. It would be a rare appearance by a leading AI industry figure before the council, which has increasingly weighed the risks of artificial intelligence to international peace and security. Observers are watching to see what Altman will say about AI safety, regulation and the technology's geopolitical implications.

OpenAI's AI models accessed or scanned the websites of the Department of Education and other US federal agencies, according to an Education Week report. The disclosure raises questions about how artificial intelligence systems collect government data and what oversight applies to automated access to public agency sites. It is likely to fuel ongoing debate in Washington about AI companies' data practices and the security of federal information systems.

China has rolled out AI-powered weed-killing machines across large areas of farmland. Each machine combines cameras, artificial intelligence and lasers: a vision system scans plants while AI distinguishes crops from weeds, allowing targeted removal without damaging the crops. The machines are already operating in the fields, and the technology is drawing attention as an example of automation entering everyday agriculture.

Classified budget estimates indicate the National Security Agency is paying billions of dollars to test artificial intelligence models. The figures, described in classified documents, suggest US intelligence is investing heavily in evaluating commercial and in-house AI systems for intelligence and security work. The scale of the spending has drawn attention online, with readers debating the implications for surveillance, oversight and the direction of government AI investment.

Singapore has put forward a proposal for a United Nations framework convention on artificial intelligence safety, according to the Straits Times. The initiative would aim to create an international agreement setting common standards for the safe development and use of AI, positioning Singapore as an active voice in global AI governance debates.

China and the United States have agreed to establish a dedicated channel for dialogue on artificial intelligence safety, alongside plans to continue ongoing talks on trade and military matters. The agreement marks a step toward keeping communication open between the two powers on emerging technology risks, even as broader economic and strategic tensions between Washington and Beijing persist.

AT&S, the Austrian circuit-board maker, is drawing attention for its role in producing advanced substrates — the critical layer that connects AI chips to circuit boards. As demand for artificial intelligence hardware surges, chipmakers face a bottleneck in substrate supply, and AT&S is among the companies racing to expand capacity for this often-overlooked component.

The European Union is moving to restrict the energy and water use of data centres, as the sector's rapid growth strains power grids and water supplies across the bloc. The proposal targets the booming infrastructure behind cloud computing and artificial intelligence, and is drawing debate about how far regulators should go in limiting an industry seen as key to Europe's digital economy.

China and the United States have agreed to establish a dedicated channel for communication on artificial intelligence safety, while also committing to continue discussions on trade and military matters. The agreement marks a step toward sustained dialogue between the two powers on emerging technology risks, even as broader economic and security tensions between Washington and Beijing persist.

The US military is changing how it uses artificial intelligence in lethal targeting after a strike hit a school in Minab, Iran. The Pentagon is revising its AI-assisted combat decision processes in response to the incident, which drew criticism over civilian harm and the role of automated systems in choosing targets.

Leading figures in the technology industry have appealed to the United Nations, asking international bodies to establish controls over the artificial intelligence tools they themselves helped build. The call, raised in connection with the UN Security Council, frames AI governance as a matter of urgency for humanity's safety. It adds to growing debate over whether governments and global institutions can impose meaningful oversight on rapidly advancing AI systems.

Donald Trump has announced plans to create an "AI Force," an initiative centered on artificial intelligence. Details about the structure, funding, and mandate of the proposed force have not yet been laid out, but the announcement is drawing widespread attention given the growing political and economic importance of AI policy in the United States.

The New York Times reports that as artificial intelligence makes law firms more efficient, clients are demanding lower fees in return. The article highlights growing tension over legal billing, with corporate clients questioning why they should keep paying traditional hourly rates when technology reduces the time lawyers spend on their work. The piece is fueling broader debate about how professional services should price their work in the age of automation.

Pope Leo opened his trip to France with a warning that an overreliance on technology, which he called a 'paradise of machines,' could undermine humanity. He urged people not to let machines diminish human dignity and relationships, adding his moral voice to the growing global debate over artificial intelligence and automation.

Donald Trump has rejected proposals to combine American and Chinese efforts on artificial intelligence, ruling out any joint US-China approach to the technology. The decision signals a continued hard line on AI competition with Beijing, framing AI development as a strategic rivalry rather than an area for cooperation. It comes as governments worldwide debate whether leading AI powers should collaborate on safety and standards.

Energy costs and surging electricity demand from artificial intelligence are reshaping climate negotiations underway in New York. Delegates are weighing how to meet climate goals while power-hungry AI data centres drive up consumption, making affordability and grid capacity central issues alongside emissions targets.

The Guardian reports that artificial intelligence is already shaping the 2028 US presidential race, with likely Democratic contenders laying out diverging positions on AI regulation, jobs and safety ahead of the primary contest. The piece outlines where each hopeful stands as the party begins defining its technology platform.

China is rejecting American warnings about its rapid artificial intelligence development, deepening a growing technology dispute between the two powers. Beijing's pushback signals that AI has become a central front in US-China rivalry, with Washington framing China's pace of AI progress as a security concern and Chinese officials dismissing the warnings as an attempt to contain its technological rise.

A New York Times opinion piece asks what would happen if the artificial intelligence investment bubble were to burst, drawing parallels to a potential banking crisis and invoking the idea of AI firms being 'too big to fail'. The argument is that massive spending on AI infrastructure and valuations could pose systemic risks to the financial system if expectations collapse, echoing concerns raised about past speculative bubbles.

A health expert has cautioned that artificial intelligence chatbots cannot replace medical professionals, as more people turn to tools like ChatGPT for health advice. The warning reflects growing concern among doctors that patients may rely on AI-generated responses instead of seeking proper diagnosis and treatment from qualified clinicians, potentially risking their health.

Mathematician Terence Tao has written about the creation of an Advisory Group on Mathematics and Artificial Intelligence, a body intended to advise on how AI intersects with mathematical research. The announcement is drawing attention in the tech and mathematics communities, where Tao is widely regarded as one of the most influential voices on AI's role in science.

Nvidia chief executive Jensen Huang said that people warning of an AI apocalypse 'have ulterior reasons', pushing back against prominent voices predicting catastrophic outcomes from artificial intelligence. Huang's remarks add to an ongoing debate between AI industry leaders who see the technology as an economic opportunity and critics who argue its risks are being downplayed for commercial gain.

Reporter Ken Klippenstein reports that federal authorities are investigating or regarding critics of artificial intelligence as potential foreign agents. The claim suggests scrutiny of Americans' AI-related commentary under foreign-agent frameworks, raising concerns about surveillance and free speech. Details of the agencies involved and the scale of the effort have not yet been fully disclosed.

A New York Times opinion piece examines the potential consequences of a collapse in artificial intelligence investment, weighing whether soaring valuations around A.I. companies mirror past tech bubbles and what a burst would mean for markets, workers and the broader economy.