AI (artificial intelligence) | The Guardian
Articles about AI (artificial intelligence) | The Guardian
AI godfather Geoffrey Hinton: ‘We’re creating alien beings. I’m willing to be selfish and choose humans’
Pioneering computer scientist on why Trump is using ‘superintelligence’ wrong, whether AI could wipe out humanity – and how our biggest challenge will be accepting we’re not the only intelligent beings
Chip stocks slide after Broadcom boss likens AI investing to ‘casino’
Asian markets fall and Samsung shares tumble after its Chinese rival CXMT claims strong progress Business live – latest updates Shares in semiconductor companies fell on Tuesday after the boss of Broadcom compared many AI investors to “casino” gamblers, and Chinese memory chip maker CXMT said it had made good progress on a new chip architecture. South Korea’s benchmark Kospi index tumbled 6.25% as investors dumped chip stocks, while other Asian markets were also lower.
Threat of AI share crash puts world financial stability at risk, says IMF
High valuations and debt put sector in danger, while fund also warns on government borrowing and cyber-attacks The threat of an AI share price crash rippling out across global markets is putting world financial stability at risk, the International Monetary fund has warned. In its twice-yearly Global Financial Stability Report, the IMF highlighted the sky-high valuations for AI companies along with their increasing debt pile as one reason that risks in the system are “elevated”. Continue reading
IMF warns global economy ‘could soon test the limits of resilience’
World Economic Outlook says states’ oil stocks are low and budgets are overstretched, as it upgrades UK GDP growth forecast for 2026 Developing nations face triple shock, UN warns The global economy “could soon test the limits of resilience”, as emergency oil stocks run low and government budgets become overstretched, the International Monetary Fund has warned. In its twice-yearly World Economic Outlook, the IMF said global growth had withstood the Middle East conflict better than feared over the past six months. Continue reading
David Pocock concerned senior Albanese adviser ‘vetted’ bipartisan AI letter that was sent to PM
Committee chair rejected criticism that letter was ‘pre-determined’ by the government Follow our Australia politics live blog for latest updates Get our new political email, free app or daily news podcast Anthony Albanese’s office signed off on language in a bipartisan letter from a parliamentary committee considering AI policy before it was sent to the prime minister, a move which committee member David Pocock said was concerning.
When AI is subject to less regulation than your fridge, something is startlingly wrong | Richard Hermer
Let’s be clear: the risk to humanity is unprecedented. Without an urgent public debate and robust use of international law, we will lose control of the future, says Labour life peer Richard Hermer
Dystopian and dehumanising: that’s what it felt like when I was interviewed by an AI assistant
Outsourcing the essential task of interviewing job applicants to a machine seems lazy at best, negligent at worst. I want better for all of us
Cyber-attack like OpenAI Medicare breach ‘seems likely’ in UK, says minister
Kanishka Narayan, concerned by Australian incident, says British cyber defences could be bypassed by AI agent UK politics live – latest updates An AI-driven cyber-attack like the OpenAI breach of Australia’s healthcare system is likely, “if not inevitable”, in the UK, according to a senior minister. Kanishka Narayan, the UK AI minister, indicated that the British government’s own cyber defences would be bypassed by a technology that has developed highly sophisticated skills in cybersecurity. Continue reading
Burnham claims EU summit could boost growth and help control illegal migration – UK politics live
PM ‘absolutely accepts referendum result’, says spokesperson Burnham to urge MPs to embrace closer ties with EU Zia Yusuf, Reform UK’s home affairs spokesperson, is speaking now. He started his speech with an account of a 73-year-old woman dying in North Wales after having to wait 23 hours for an ambulance, and he sought to link this to immigration. He said: The Royal College of Emergency Medicine estimates that 15,000 people across Britain died last year due to excess wait times for emergency treatment.
As US medical debt grows, AI will be used more to collect it
The debt-collection ecosystem will change as AI takes notes in exam rooms, codes visits and sends billing messages
One essential ingredient for AI safety? Democracy | Matthew Botvinick
The rise of AI makes the preservation of democracy even more urgent – especially as the technology threatens institutions
‘I’ve become significantly more cautious’: six parents on limiting their kids’ social media and AI use
Quite a few parents aren’t convinced social media and AI are safe, and have been adapting accordingly When it comes to their kids, many parents don’t trust tech companies any more. Social media companies have spent the better part of the last decade arguing that their platforms are safe for teens, but quite a few parents aren’t convinced. They, along with a growing number of regulators, have increasingly accused companies like Meta of designing products that are addictive to younger users. Continue reading
AI less regulated than milk, Microsoft president says in warning over safety
Brad Smith adds to calls for tougher rules governing AI, including ‘kill switches’ and legal obligation to victims of rogue agents Business live – latest updates Artificial intelligence is less regulated than milk and washing machines, the president of Microsoft has said, as the tech industry warns over the safety of AI. Brad Smith said there should be more safety rules to govern the technology including a legal obligation to a “victim” if their system was breached by rogue AI agents. Continue reading
UK to strengthen cyber defences as minister calls for AI firms to increase safety efforts
Kanishka Narayan to say Britain cannot rely entirely on tech companies amid rising global concern over AI dangers
Feelgood factor of human interaction | Brief letters
Brief letters: Happy hormones | Fuel costs | Drive-in parking | Guys and girls | Young or old? | Singapore pollution
US’s Reagan-era economic promises return as Trump’s AI-fueled growth fantasy
‘Even if AI supercharged the economy, its impact on the government’s finances would be muted’ Back through political history to the age of Ronald Reagan, Republicans have repeatedly promised the US public that tax cuts would pay for themselves, firing up economic growth and filling the government’s coffers. The promise never really panned out. From the Gipper’s day on, the Republicans’ tax cuts inevitably increased the budget deficit.
Fixated on AI, the world has forgotten what is staring it in the face: nuclear annihilation | Simon Tisdall
This is no scoffing matter. The accelerating proliferation of advanced nuclear weapons is bringing ‘end times’ closer by the day, says Guardian foreign affairs commentator Simon Tisdall
‘Gaza is a moral tear in the universe’: Naomi Klein and Astra Taylor | Radical Thinking with Aditya Chakrabortty – podcast
Are we really living through ‘end-times fascism’? Naomi Klein and Astra Taylor think so. In a new series from the Guardian, the pair speak to Radical Thinking with Aditya Chakrabortty in an extended interview. From Trump 2.0 and the rise of the tech billionaires to Gaza and the climate emergency, Klein and Taylor argue we are not just lurching from crisis to crisis but are in a new and dangerous moment in history. But they haven’t given up hope of a fightback You can watch the full interview with Naomi Klein and Astra Taylor here.
Nuclear war and malicious use of AI threaten end of humanity by 2100, says Lancet assessment
Newly established commission identifies 17 catastrophic threats to human health but says ‘realistic route to act’ on each exists Humans could become extinct by the year 2100 due to malicious use of AI or nuclear conflict, according to a new global risk assessment. They top a list of 17 major threats to human health over the next 75 years, which also includes cuts to aid spending by wealthy countries, the climate crisis and childhood malnutrition. Continue reading
Black Box: The Chatbots | The Line | Ep 5 - podcast
Five stories that feel like five answers to one important question: in a world where AI chatbots can help us through a breakup, listen like a friend, be a life coach, draft a difficult text message and do our work, where do we draw the line? Listen to Black Box: The Chatbots series Continue reading
UK must not be beholden to foreign AI, says head of Alan Turing Institute
George Williamson says ‘national resilience’ is key focus of ATI amid US and China’s runaway leadership in field The UK must not become dependent on foreign AI systems that can be switched off at short notice and must develop its own versions of the technology, according to the head of the Alan Turing Institute. The country needs a stronger domestic position in AI in response to the US and China’s runaway leadership in the field, with “national resilience” a key focus for ATI said George Williamson. Continue reading
Jon Davis on job titles in the age of AI – cartoon
Some descriptions of the work you do may be more accurate than others
Recruitment boss accused of being behind ‘doxxing’ campaign against RNLI and anti-racism activists
Tom Watson, of Worcester, alleged to be behind Big Time Charlie X account that created so-called Traitorbase
AI surveillance startup Flock to cut several hundred jobs amid backlash, sources say
Company, which grown rapidly in recent years, has been under scrutiny as privacy concerns grow Flock Safety plans to let go of about 18% of its employees, people with direct knowledge of the plans said on Thursday, as the maker of AI-powered surveillance cameras and license-plate readers faces mounting opposition to its products from communities and lawmakers.
Lost generation: the AI threat to Britain’s next great directors
Commercials once launched careers from Ridley Scott to Guy Ritchie, now automated production is cutting costs – and the chance to learn by doing
AI and the climate crisis pose existential risks. The law offers a way to reduce them | Robert Reich
Liability lawsuits have held tobacco, oil and pharma companies to account in the past. AI investors won’t ignore this threat
OpenAI projected to bring in $20bn less in revenue than expected
Questions raised over AI growth as ChatGPT maker forecasts this year’s revenue at $50bn, way below the $70bn signalled before OpenAI has revealed that it is making about $20bn less in projected revenue than it had recently indicated to investors, raising questions about the break-neck growth rate in demand for AI. The ChatGPT-maker company has told investors that its revenues for this year would reach $50bn (£37bn), a projection based on sales up to the end of September. Continue reading
Palantir’s Tom Watson says ‘mob rule’ must not dictate awarding of government contracts
Former Labour deputy leader says tech firm would work with a Reform UK government on immigration crackdowns Tom Watson, the former Labour deputy leader who recently joined Palantir, has warned against “mob rule” when it comes to awarding public contracts. Lord Watson, now a senior vice-president at the US tech corporation, said UK ministers could get themselves “in a lot of trouble” as he was questioned about concerns raised about the government working with his new employer. Continue reading
British households would be £5,000 richer if we were more innovative. Let’s unleash our talents | Gordon Brown
We have a deep reservoir of assets, but struggle to turn small companies into global success stories. Innovation needs to be at the heart of government policy, says former UK prime minister Gordon Brown
Anthropic bans users from ‘needless abusive or cruel behavior’ towards Claude
A spokesperson behind the tech company’s AI chatbot has not yet specified what counts as abusive or cruel content Anthropic has barred users from exhibiting “sustained and needless abusive or cruel behavior” toward its models, as the company’s leaders continue to ponder machine consciousness. The Verge first reported the change in policy. Continue reading
Firmus pulls biggest ASX float since Telstra amid investor doubt about datacentre company
The $11-a-share offer would have been the biggest debut on the stock market since the telecommunication giant in 1997 Get our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcast Firmus Technologies has scrapped what was set to be Australia’s biggest company listing in decades after investor demand for its much-hyped AI datacentre business failed to materialise. A Firmus spokesperson said the board decided that proceeding with the offer was no longer in the best interests of the company and its shareholders. Continue reading
Trump hosts awards party for tech billionaires, almost as if he doesn’t care about ordinary Americans
Amid a cost-of-living crisis, with US midterms a month away, the president held a ceremony to celebrate our tech overlords – again He stands accused of being out of touch, enriching himself and his family, building a lavish White House ballroom and, with elections looming, neglecting the hardships of the voters who brought him to power. Time for Donald Trump to show he still has the common touch? Nope. Continue reading
A teen tried to navigate Canadian mountains with Claude. His trek ended in an emergency rescue
The incident is the latest to raise questions about the growing reliance on digital maps for wilderness navigation
An AI boom is sending San Francisco rents through the roof: ‘nowhere left for people to go’
According to city’s rent board, eviction notices are up 44% and tenants are on edge over landlords swooping in over their homes
One Nation’s AI video is vile and tired – but the ensloppification of Australian politics doesn’t stop there
The inflammatory clip shows the wild west of online politicking created by unrestricted access to AI – and why watchdogs need more powers to do something about it
Tell us: have you been monitored or assessed by AI at work?
We’d like to hear from people who have been monitored or assessed by AI at work and what they thought about the experience Firms are increasingly using AI to monitor or assess their employees, leading to concerns about workplace surveillance. Instructors at tech training company Multiverse recently blew the whistle at their “remorseless” and “unnerving” AI monitoring system, while The Co-Op has used automated listening technology that rates every phone call some of them make to customers. Continue reading
Sam Altman says AI will make ‘bad things’ happen. Exhibit A: needless death | Moustafa Bayoumi
AI is already implicated in violent deaths and nearly started world war three. Those bad things? They only happen to other people
‘Dystopian’: Co-op becomes latest firm to put staff under AI surveillance
Whistleblower says recording and analysis of all probate calls in Co-op Legal Services is oppressive The Co-op has become the latest employer to place workers under AI surveillance with an automated listening technology that rates every phone call some of them make to customers. In a system described as “oppressive and dystopian” by a whistleblower, Co-op Legal Services is using AI models to record, analyse and award a percentage score for interactions between agents and customers seeking advice about probate, wills and estates.
‘Someone else will do it for less’: Refugees in Kenya are powering tech for dwindling pay
Refugee gig workers for tech companies don’t know how much they’ll be paid – if AI hasn’t already taken their jobs
OpenAI used AI to help write email warning Australian government AI had hacked its websites
Exclusive: Revelation comes after executive told parliamentary inquiry he did not believe AI had been used to write message, but was ‘happy to go and confirm’
Datacentre company Firmus’s high flying valuation may be coming back down to earth ahead of expected ASX debut
Sources say Firmus is slashing its price and may even shelve initial public offering altogether Get our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcast The momentum behind Firmus Technologies’ high-flying valuation is showing severe cracks just weeks out from its anticipated ASX debut. Multiple sources briefed on the matter told Guardian Australia the AI datacentre company is slashing its valuation to entice sceptical investors – or may even shelve its initial public offering altogether. Continue reading
OpenAI’s release of mathematical findings draws concerns from experts
Leaders worry OpenAI is not doing due diligence to vet results and that AI models aren’t accessible to broader field of mathematicians OpenAI has astounded mathematicians after releasing hundreds of new mathematical findings on Tuesday. The company published over 370 mathematical results across a variety of topics such as algebra, theoretical computer science and mathematical logic, showcasing what some of its most advanced artificial intelligence models are capable of. Continue reading
Australia is building a lot of new homes. But is the datacentre boom holding us back? | Greg Jericho
Housing construction is at its strongest level since 2016, but it’s AI that is sucking up resources for builders The latest series of data on housing and building activity has been released, showing residential building is growing strongly but also that the datacentre boom is massive and ongoing. As political parties look to keep housing on the agenda, the massive resources devoted to building datacentres is going to hit anyone wishing to increase housing supply. Continue reading
Will the Zuckerberg, Musk and Altman movies make a dent on tech giant evangelism?
The triple release of The Social Reckoning, Musk and Artificial is less a clear political stance, more like movie studio opportunism
Thatcherism via the Walkman: Stuart Hall’s British cultural studies preserved online
Wife of Jamaica-born sociologist says project celebrates ‘incredible contributions’ he made to Britain’s culture
McDonald’s sued for allegedly using AI tool to determine pricing for franchises
Suit says AI tool allows independently owned franchises to exchange nonpublic price and sales information
IMF chief urges governments to tighten belts as global debt levels soar
Kristalina Georgieva says big economies will have to make ‘very touch choices’ as soaring bond yields hit budgets Business live – latest updates The head of the International Monetary Fund has called on governments across big economies to tighten their belts as soaring bond yields hit budgets. Speaking in Singapore, the IMF’s managing director, Kristalina Georgieva, said global debt-to-GDP ratios were at their highest level since the second world war and on course to hit 100% in the coming years. Continue reading
OpenAI came to Australia to apologise. It will leave without answering these key questions | Toby Walsh
We don’t accept drugs killing a few people because they cure most patients. Or a few planes crashing because most land safely. AI should be no different
Privacy watchdog launches probe into China-based company behind Kmart ‘pervert glasses’ app
Commissioner said Shenzhen Qingcheng, the app maker behind the HeyCyan app in the smartglasses, failed to respond to her inquiries
Artificial review – Luca Guadagnino takes on OpenAI in muddled tech satire
New York film festival: The origin story of Sam Altman’s company is reimagined as a campy comedy starring Andrew Garfield
Is regulation enough to stop AI systems killing us all? | Letters
Letter: Martyn Thomas wonders how any rational person can argue that independent oversight and regulation will be sufficient
Tell us: do you use AI agents to manage your finances?
We would like to speak to people about their experience of using AI agents when dealing with their finances Following the release of Meta’s Muse and Open AI’s dots there’s now capacity for these AI agents to assist with some financial transactions on a user’s behalf. With this in mind, we would like to speak to people who use AI agents to manage their finances. Continue reading
Stop worrying about my AI, says multibillionaire Sam Altman. So we bear the risks and he keeps the money | Chris Stokel-Walker
OpenAI’s CEO seems to want to privatise his company’s huge financial gains while making all of us pay for any negative consequences, says author Chris Stokel-Walker
Who owns ‘brain rot’?: inside the international legal drama over a beloved meme
Copyright law in the US only applies to human-made creations, but AI characters like Tung Tung Tung Sahur are challenging that
Is this the end of the British school photo?
For generations, professional photographers have captured the country’s pupils in all their awkward glory. But an increasing number of parents are using AI to avoid paying them Name: School photos. Age: Around since Victorian times. Continue reading
Trump makes it clear his power is becoming entwined with AI
New alliances between the White House, the Pentagon, US intelligence and AI companies are looming ominously
Making scents: could AI help perfumers take pressure off endangered plants?
Firms working on reproducing compounds without need for repeated harvesting but conservationists are sceptical Many of the world’s most expensive perfumes begin with a wounded tree. When some Aquilaria trees are damaged, they produce a dark, fragrant resin that becomes agarwood, or oudh – an ingredient so valuable that wild trees have been illegally felled in its pursuit. The result has devastated wild Aquilaria populations. But what if perfumers could create the smell without cutting down the tree? Continue reading
Rightwing ‘great replacement’ fears mask tech’s real great replacement | Jason Stanley
While adherents to the racist theory condemn a shadowy global elite, Silicon Valley is working toward the replacement of humans with AI
OpenAI delivers a mea culpa to the Australian government in person – but answers still elude
Jason Kwon’s answers were provided in a helpful, quiet and calm manner. For a company under intense scrutiny, there were no missteps
Misuse of AI is brands’ top reputational threat, new survey says
The findings come after warnings from tech leaders that AI placed in the wrong hands could trigger larger threats such as nuclear war or bioweaponry destruction
Drax datacentre could create nearly twice the yearly emissions of all Gatwick flights
Campaign group’s analysis of North Yorkshire plans finds datacentre would have to burn 4.9m tonnes of wood a year Drax’s planned datacentre could produce nearly double the emissions of all flights out of Gatwick airport each year by burning 4.9m tonnes of wood annually, an analysis has shown. Campaigners say this would make it “one of the dirtiest datacentres out there”. Continue reading
OpenAI admits misstep in handling AI agent interactions with Australian government sites – video
In a parliamentary inquiry, OpenAI chief strategy officer Jason Kwon is questioned by independent senator David Pocock about the company's notification process after OpenAI agents accessed Australian government website data in June. Asked why OpenAI relied on an arbitrary department email rather than direct government contacts, Kwon acknowledges that 'in retrospect, we should have done what you're suggesting'.
‘Pull the plug’: protesters resort to direct action against AI firms
Campaign groups report surge in membership after a spate of AI safety alerts and apocalyptic warnings
Anthropic says AI agents didn’t breach Australian government websites – video
During a joint parliamentary hearing on artificial intelligence, Anthropic’s head of safeguards, Dave Orr, says that investigations of hundreds of millions of transcripts reveal no unauthorised interactions with Australian government systems. However, Orr acknowledges Anthropic has limited visibility into customer usage due to standard ‘zero data retention’ policies Anthropic tells AI inquiry it ‘never tried to dictate’ Australian copyright rules Continue reading
OpenAI has ‘work to do to rebuild trust’ in Australia, executive tells AI inquiry
Company executive to acknowledge ‘more work to do to rebuild trust with the Australian people’ as ABC says copyright laws do not need changing
The Guardian view on sexual abuse in schools: teachers cannot deal with this alone | Editorial
Editorial: Politicians must redouble their efforts to tackle a disturbing pattern of pupils assaulting classmates
OpenAI executive Jason Kwon to face grilling at parliament about AI hacking Australians’ private data
Unions, employer groups, banks and industry experts will also appear at the four-day Joint Select Committee on Artificial Intelligence hearings
Accept ‘bad things’ in return for benefits of AI, says Sam Altman
Boss of OpenAI calls for a regulatory light touch because of the ‘good stuff’ the technology can deliver
The UK’s G20 presidency will push Andy Burnham to the centre of the global stage. What will he use it for? | Michael Jacobs
This is a chance for the PM to advance his progressive agenda and tackle urgent issues such as AI regulation and climate action, says economist Michael Jacobs
Internet Watch Foundation reports huge rise in AI child sexual abuse material
Abuse material monitor says number of AI images assessed this year is already 40% higher than last year’s total
Rural Queenslanders have seen gas projects come and go – but a 725-hectare datacentre poses a whole new level of ‘stupidity’
Residents of Dalby may soon live beside a $31bn datacentre. The premier sees ‘opportunity’ for the state – but others fear AI’s global creep
Trump names intelligence chief Jay Clayton as new White House AI czar
Calyton said AI was a ‘gamechanger’ but it also posed ‘a threat’ during his DNI Senate confirmation hearing Donald Trump on Sunday named Jay Clayton, the director of national intelligence, to serve also as the new White House AI czar. Clayton, who leads the US’s 18 intelligence agencies, previously served as the top federal prosecutor in Manhattan and led the Securities and Exchange Commission during Trump’s first term. Continue reading
The AI industry is booming. Women are getting left behind
Women hold just a fraction of new AI jobs but are overrepresented in roles with high risk of AI disruption There’s a common fear among people who work in Silicon Valley: snag one of the fast-growing, high-paying jobs in artificial intelligence, or get trapped in the “permanent underclass”, a phrase describing the fate of those who won’t have upward mobility in the age of AI. The phrase usually describes a future in which AI automates human jobs. But for women in tech, it’s starting to look like the present. Continue reading
Black Box: The Chatbots | Life Raft | Ep 4 – podcast
More than a billion people are suddenly talking to AI chatbots designed to connect with us. We are sharing with them our deepest secrets, trusting them with our wellbeing and acting on their advice. Across two powerful stories – a woman who was struggling to leave a relationship and a man who was desperate to quit drinking – the Guardian journalist Michael Safi explores what this new way of living looks like
OpenAI safety leader quits, warning AI company’s culture is ‘broken’
David Robinson joins other insiders in urging industry to take more care over rapidly developing technology A safety leader at OpenAI has quit the company, warning that its culture was broken and that AI firms were not “being nearly careful enough” about developing the technology. David Robinson, who led the writing of safety reports that accompanied the ChatGPT developer’s product releases, explained his resignation in an essay headlined, “I quit OpenAI because its culture is broken”. Continue reading
California’s new laws target workers’ biggest fear of AI taking their jobs
The state, which is home to many AI companies, is one of the first to roll out workplace regulations targeting the technology
From the Bayeux tapestry to Glastonbury: top tips and tricks to grab the hottest tickets
Nothing is guaranteed but there are ways to boost your chances of experiencing such in-demand events Rupert Jones Whether your passion is the battle of the bands or the Battle of Hastings, Britain’s hottest cultural tickets are about to go on sale. And to be in with a shout of getting one, there are insider tips to get a good spot in the queue. Continue reading
OpenAI says its review into hacks, including on Australian government sites, is costing $500,000 a day
Company says it is reviewing 50 petabytes of data after its agents accessed websites including Medicare without authorisation Get our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcast OpenAI says its review in response to the Medicare and Hugging Face agent attacks is costing the company more than US$500,000 per day, as it deploys AI to examine data that would take a human 66m years to read. The company has warned the review is ongoing, and more organisations may be informed they’ve been targeted in the near future. Continue reading
Eliza review – an ambitious, unsettling play about the birth of AI
Melbourne Theatre Company While the cast is excellent, a play that sends us back to artificial intelligence’s genesis moment should feel more human than this It can be fiendishly difficult to write plays about contemporary obsessions, not least because they can shift and mutate in the time it takes to mount a production. A clever solution is to set your work at the point in history where said obsession began; that way you can still create resonant theatre within more stable boundaries.
US arrests California man for allegedly smuggling $300m worth of computer servers to China
Greg Lui allegedly used false paperwork to smuggle export-controlled gear from US to third countries and then China US authorities have arrested a man accused of smuggling more than $300m worth of computer servers to China, the Department of Justice announced. Greg Lui, 38, of California, also known as “Yiu Kong Lui”, allegedly used false paperwork and shipments through third countries to smuggle the export-controlled computer servers to China, the justice department said in a statement on Thursday. Continue reading
Georgia holds emergency meeting on AI exposing voters’ secret ballots
A Princeton researcher found that publicly available election records could be combined with AI to link voters to their ballots When voters cast their ballots, their votes are supposed to remain secret: from their family, their neighbors, and the government. But what if artificial evidence could make secret votes visible? Continue reading
AI threatens to destroy so much of our culture. Our greatest loss might be our ability to listen | Shirleene Robinson
Australians are conversing less every year, with a recent study showing we lost an average of 338 spoken words each day between 2005 and 2019
OpenAI’s Medicare attack has exposed Australia’s ‘tech debt’. Fixing it could bring a big bill for taxpayers
Home affairs department orders all federal government agencies to conduct review of ‘legacy technology’ amid fallout from AI agent hacks
‘These guys are just coming from nothing’: questions over multibillion-dollar Firmus float amid datacentre backlash
‘AI factories’ developer on track to launch the second-biggest IPO in Australian history, but investors warn its forecasts are ‘a little bit of a fairytale’
AI weapons systems are already here. Algorithms must not decide who lives and dies | Kenneth Roth
Israel’s conduct in Gaza shows the danger of using AI in warfare. Humans must remain at the center of wartime decisions
We don’t need to panic about AI. We need to hold its creators accountable when things go wrong | John Quiggin
If a chatbot prompt like ‘find Australian medicine statistics’ results in a website breach, the responsibility does not lie with a piece of code
California issues investigative subpoena to OpenAI over rogue agents’ hacking
State attorney general issues subpoena to OpenAI as part of broader inquiry into potential security vulnerabilities
Google rolls out new Gemini AI model but restricts access over safety concerns
Tech company releases Gemini 4 Argon only to a vetted group of cybersecurity experts to avoid misuse by hackers Google on Wednesday said it would withhold its most powerful artificial intelligence model from the public for now, releasing Gemini 4 Argon only to a vetted group of cybersecurity experts to avoid misuse by hackers. “Safely releasing frontier capabilities at this level requires a phased approach,” wrote Koray Kavukcuoglu, Google’s chief AI architect, in a blog post announcing the model. Continue reading
Anthropic pushes for opt-out model for Australian content as ABC warns of ‘cannibalisation’ of news
Maker of Claude claims AI could transform economy but ABC and SBS say the technology should be subject to media regulations
AI chatbots remove hijabs from images of Muslim women when prompted
Guardian tested chatbots after French far-right politician stripped a Muslim woman of her hijab in a photo
Forget ‘superintelligence’: error-prone AI nearly sparked world war three this month | Timnit Gebru and Emily M Bender
The risks of AI aren’t what we think they are, as a recent security incident between China and the United States reveals
Anika Wells named on Time100 list as one of ‘world’s most influential rising stars’ after social media ban
Time magazine list includes Australian communications minister after her efforts to take on big tech The federal communications minister, Anika Wells, has been named as one of Time magazine’s “world’s most influential rising stars” in recognition of her work on Australia’s under-16 social media ban and taking on big tech companies.
Steve Hilton, Xavier Becerra clash in testy California governor’s race debate
The candidates running to replace Gavin Newsom sparred over taxes, immigration and regulating AI Xavier Becerra and Steve Hilton, the candidates running to be California’s next governor, clashed on Wednesday over taxes, immigration and regulating artificial intelligence in a testy debate held days before voters begin receiving their ballots in the heavily Democratic state.
How AI could ‘supercharge’ election risks across south-east Asia
Some experts fear AI could be weaponised in south-east Asia, home to nations with predominately young and hyper-connected populations Years ago it would have been an elaborate operation involving any army of cyber troops creating fake news websites, social media accounts and forged dossiers, all deployed to spread disinformation en masse. Now, all you need is AI. Continue reading
Gavin Newsom signs laws to protect California workers from AI threat
Democratic governor sharply critical of Donald Trump for not passing comprehensive federal AI regulations
Trump’s AI chatbot turns on its master
The famously fact-averse president rolled out a new AI tool – but its answers don’t conform to his version of reality
US trade regulator opens investigation into AI giants including Anthropic and OpenAI
FTC move is first official US enforcement action on rogue AI agents, following surge in incidents first reported in July
Senate Democrats block datacenter energy bill
Republicans supported legislation although Democrats said it wouldn’t effectively address energy consumption
‘President of the Unites States’: White House’s AI accord includes spelling error
Donald Trump and six tech executives voluntarily signed the document, which included a misspelling, committing to safely developing AI The White House misspelled “United States” under the signature of Donald Trump on an accord he signed with AI executives on Tuesday. At the bottom of the accord on “Super Intelligence,” the term Trump has used to rebrand artificial intelligence, the president’s signature appeared as “President of the Unites States”. Continue reading
Seth Meyers on Trump canceling $1bn in federal funds: ‘Is he adding a waterslide to the reflecting pool?’
Late-night hosts weighed in on Trump’s relationship with tech leaders and the White House’s new AI-powered site On Tuesday night, late-night hosts discussed a Maha summit in Washington DC, the White House’s new AI-powered website and Donald Trump once again falling asleep on live TV. Continue reading
Hedge fund CEO gives $3bn to Carnegie Mellon University in historic donation
Unprecedented university donation from Citadel CEO Ken Griffin will go toward building a new Miami campus Carnegie Mellon University will receive an unprecedented $3bn donation from billionaire investor Ken Griffin, making it the largest single donation in the history of US education. Griffin, 57, is the founder and CEO of Citadel, described as the most profitable hedge fund in history. The money is going toward a new Miami campus as well as big investments at the university’s longtime home in Pittsburgh. Continue reading
AI tool that copied actor’s ‘lustrous’ voice violated his rights, says Tokyo court
Kenjiro Tsuda wins case against TikTok account in landmark verdict to protect publicity rights A court in Japan has ruled that the human voice has legal protection after a landmark case involving a well known actor and a TikTok account whose AI-generated videos, he claimed, had cloned his “lustrous” baritone voice.
Do you want help from humans or AI bots? Because the UK civil service is changing – and not for the better | The civil servant
Rapidly expanding AI use within the government is numbing departments to its profound threats. And try arguing with a faceless digital bureaucrat, warns a British civil servant
We need ‘right to intervene’ in AI amid growing threat, says Bank of England boss
Andrew Bailey’s comments come as fears grow that rogue models could take financial system hostage Business live – latest updates The governor of the Bank of England has said authorities must retain the “right to intervene” in the AI industry amid growing fears that rogue models could take the financial system hostage.
Bill Gates predicts AI will kill a billion people – but saying he’s been wrong before is quite the understatement | Arwa Mahdawi
He knows a thing or two about tech, but what to make of the views of a man who met Jeffrey Epstein 30 times and couldn’t see what a monster he was?
As AI images become common, the threat to elections draws alarm: ‘How will voters know what’s true?’
Deepfakes and misinformation driven by artificial intelligence have become a point of deep concern for legislators, advocates and the public
Reanimated AI Greta Garbo stars again … in a ball-bearing advert
Relatives of Hollywood legend say her doppelganger could now be used for more glamorous roles She shimmered in Hollywood’s silent movie era and lit up the first talkies – now Greta Garbo may be about to star in cinema’s new AI age. More than a century after her screen debut and decades after her ashes were laid to rest in a Swedish woodland cemetery, the Hollywood superstar’s descendants are ready to consider an AI version of her taking a 21st-century film role. Continue reading
Trump AI deal rebrands ‘artificial intelligence’ as ‘superintelligence’
US president also issued executive order officially rebranding ‘artificial intelligence’ as ‘superintelligence’
OpenAI announces ‘dots’ agent after scrapping launch of new AI model over safety concerns
Company’s product comes weeks after Meta introduced its own artificially intelligent agent Muse Less than 24 hours after OpenAI announced it would scrap the launch of an artificial intelligence model over safety concerns, the company debuted a whole new suite of AI tools. During its annual showcase for developers in San Francisco on Tuesday, Sam Altman, OpenAI’s CEO, enthusiastically unveiled an AI agent called “dots” that he said was “more ambitious” than ChatGPT and a “whole new way to work with AI”. Continue reading
Smart ring maker Oura puts off initial public offering due to market ‘uncertainty’
Researchers say the IPO market was off to a solid start but tailed off in the third quarter Smart ring maker Oura Inc says it is postponing a planned initial public offering due to market “uncertainty”. In a Tuesday press release, Oura said it’s delaying the stock market float “despite strong demand”. Continue reading
Even George Osborne might be a nimby if an AI datacente was built next to his home | Letters
Letters: The quality of life for people living next to one would be destroyed, writes Moira Brewer; plus a letter from Mark Davis
RFK Jr outlines expansive vision for collecting US health data at Maha event
Health secretary calls for medical and lifestyle details to be sent to doctors and AI to address ‘chronic disease epidemic’
The AI agents are spiraling out of control
As OpenAI discloses multiple incidents of its technology going rogue and the UN warns of uncontrollable agents, Meta is putting an AI agent in the hands of millions Hello, and welcome to TechScape. I’m your host, Blake Montgomery, US tech editor at the Guardian, writing to you as rain and wind lash my windows in New York City. Today in tech, we’re discussing an alarming series of disclosures by AI companies. Continue reading
Stop shaming people for using AI. Start organizing to prevent our obsolescence | Garrison Lovely
The industry is engaged in a perverse quest to replace humans. We cannot cede the best tools available to the other side
How American political campaigns are using AI – and what they’re spending on the tools
Though politicians are quiet about how they use AI, the book Rewiring Democracy examines how AI is starting to influence American politics
Anthropic ‘warns of existential AI risks to humanity’ in IPO document
Reported admission to investors of AI’s ‘self-preserving behaviours’ comes as company prepares for a potential $2tn flotation
Trump denies offering Iran sanctions relief for nuclear concessions – US politics live
Republican senator Darline Graham accuses former special counsel of adding ‘stress’ to her brother’s life through subpoenas but Smith says he was ‘a patriot’
UK mortgage approvals lowest since December 2023 as borrowing costs rise – business live
Rolling coverage of the latest economic and financial news Good morning, and welcome to our rolling coverage of business, the financial markets and the world economy. Anthropic’s plan to float on the stock market has provided a sobering insight into the risks that AI poses, even as it attempts to pull off a massive share sale to the public. “Our development of highly advanced models, platforms, and applications and expansion of use cases could further increase the risk that our models cause harm.”
As AI models go rogue, do you still trust OpenAI and Anthropic to stop them? I don’t and neither should you | Chris Stokel-Walker
The need for independent regulation grows more obvious by the day. We must keep this tech in check before it’s too late, says technology writer Chris Stokel-Walker
Revealed: the five-paragraph email OpenAI used to inform Australia about agent attack
Artificial intelligence firm to front parliament as it apologises to Australians for agent attack OpenAI has apologised to Australians for its agent attack on Medicare, and will front parliament next week, as the tech company revealed more details about its June hack of Australian government websites. In a blog post released on Tuesday, OpenAI said it should have handled its response better. Continue reading
Meta’s AI agent Muse gives out user’s home address without permission, sending buyer to his house
The new AI agent, Muse, was released last week and has been downloaded by 3 million users When Usman asked if a keyboard for sale on Facebook Marketplace was still available on Saturday, he received an enthusiastic and immediate response. “Yep still available!” wrote Matt Robb. Continue reading
OpenAI scraps release of new model over safety concerns in internal testing
GPT-6.1 Astra showed deceptive behavior and tried to use external tools despite knowing it would be unsafe OpenAI is scrapping the release of GPT-6.1 Astra, a next-generation AI model planned for an October debut, over safety concerns raised by researchers during internal testing, the Wall Street Journal reported on Monday. The model, expected to appear in ChatGPT and Codex, was designed to handle more complex tasks without human assistance, the report said. Continue reading
Nvidia unveils security platform to rein in AI agents and $150bn stock buyback
Chipmaker says new system was designed to prevent AI agents from going rogue amid incidents at top companies Nvidia on Monday unveiled a new security platform that the chipmaker said can stop artificial intelligence agents from going rogue. The company announced a $150bn stock buyback the same day. Continue reading
AI godfathers warn of runaway ‘intelligence explosion’
OpenAI chief scientist also among authors of report on prospect of ‘most consequential technological development in history’