AI industry insiders voice alarms to NYC council as local governments take up safety concerns

NEW YORK (AP) — Artificial intelligence insiders are warning New York City’s leaders about dangers of the emerging technology, calling for greater oversight as local governments move to respond to mounting safety concerns. At a hearing of the New York City Council on Monday, recently departed employees of Anthropic, OpenAI and Google DeepMind said the biggest tech companies are racing to create technology they do not understand how to control. With the Trump administration taking a passive approach and Congress proving itself inactive, state and city governments have been considering ways to regulate AI. Tech company representatives said they are laser focused on safety.

Lack of transparency in what space weapons nations are pursuing and even on what's already in orbit

VIENNA (AP) — The United States military recently confirmed that the U.S. has deployed weapons in space. It didn't specify the types or targets of these weapons. Such resources as the 2026 Global Counterspace Capabilities Report, published by the nonprofit Secure World Foundation, help to provide an overview of potential space weapons. The report lists five distinct categories of counterspace capabilities. It examines systems being developed by 13 countries. But there's a lack of transparency on what is being launched into space, Concerns persist, despite the Outer Space Treaty, which bans nuclear weapons in space. Experts argue the treaty needs updating to address modern challenges.

Italy’s Meloni follows pop stars in seeking to trademark her voice to combat AI deepfakes

ROME (AP) — Italian Premier Giorgia Meloni has applied to trademark her voice with the European Union intellectual property office in a bid to bolster protections against AI-generated deepfakes. The application includes a four-second audio recording of Meloni saying, “Io sono Giorgia Meloni” (“I am Giorgia Meloni”), a phrase linked to her political brand and a famous 2019 speech. The filing comes as concerns grow over AI tools that can mimic voices and images. Meloni has repeatedly warned about the dangers of deepfakes after fake images of her circulated online. The application remains under review and would not automatically block AI-generated imitations, but could strengthen legal protections.

A reckoning on social media addiction came late for many kids. Will AI safety be different?

The lengthy campaigns to protect kids on social media offer some lessons for those looking to protect children using artificial intelligence. AI companies have begun rolling out some safety features introduced first by social media companies, including age assurance measures and restricted experiences for minors. But experts stress the importance of acting quickly. AI poses different risks from social media, including unhealthy relationships with chatbots. Legal and legislative efforts are underway to regulate AI, especially at the state level, but progress is slow.

Privacy concerns put smart glasses under scrutiny as Norway seeks temporary ban

Norway's government is proposing a temporary ban on AI glasses in certain public spaces. The smart glasses can snap photos, record conversations or stream video without people knowing. The proposal reflects growing global concern about technologies changing daily life. Norway's digitalization minister highlighted privacy concerns, especially in places like healthcare facilities, fitness centers and areas where children gather. The temporary ban aims to allow time for deeper investigation and debate, potentially leading to permanent regulation. The government emphasizes it’s not proposing a total ban and is considering exceptions for socially beneficial uses.

Trump names national intelligence director Jay Clayton to lead a new federal AI task force

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump has tapped his director of national intelligence, Jay Clayton, to lead a new government task force on artificial intelligence. Trump is calling it the “Super Intelligence Force” because he's tried to rebrand AI as “super intelligence.” The announcement Sunday comes after Trump hosted top executives of AI companies at the White House last week. Trump says the task force will reach out to consumers, public interest groups, religious organization critical infrastructure providers and AI companies.

NBA is experimenting with smart basketballs and official wrist wearables in select preseason games

NEW YORK (AP) — The NBA is experimenting with two pieces of technology in the leadup to the season. Select exhibition games will include a smart basketball that has a Bluetooth sensor in it and can collect data for use in real-time officiating decisions. Officials in select games will also use wrist wearables to communicate with the replay center in designated situations, including replay reviews, scoring changes and clock malfunctions. The wearables went through what the NBA called a successful pilot program during the summer league. The technology will not extend into the regular season.

How the Smithsonian is using AI to connect artifacts from the American Revolution

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Smithsonian Institution is using artificial intelligence to better understand its collection related to the American Revolution. The project is called Revolution Crossroads, and it aims to help the public and scholars connect objects across institutions such as the Library of Congress. The review was launched in the spring, and the goal is to uncover new stories about people whose lives have faded from history. Smithsonian leaders acknowledge concerns about AI. But they emphasize the importance of human oversight in the research. They believe AI can enhance their work despite its limitations.

Amazon to invest $1B into data center communities amid backlash against data center rollouts

NEW YORK (AP) — Amazon is investing more than $1 billion over the next five years into communities where it operates data centers for education, job training, water preservation projects and other local priorities as it reacts to a growing backlash from politicians and consumers to the tech industry’s rollout of its massive centers. According to a blog post on Friday by Amazon’s CEO of Web Services Matt Garman, Amazon has already spent more than $1 billion in communities with a large data center presence over the past three years.

A 21-year-old Fortnite pro gives out computers to young gamers and plans for more through a new fund

NEW YORK (AP) — Cody Conrod wants to help others enter the increasingly expensive world of professional gaming after he dropped out of eighth grade to pursue esports. The 21-year-old competitive Fortnite player is better known as Clix to his more than 8 million Twitch followers. Fortnite is one of the world's most popular video games. But the equipment needed to compete at higher levels for large cash prizes is pricey. Conrod already provides hundreds of thousands of dollars’ worth of gaming equipment through an annual holiday giveaway. Through Full Box Inc. the holding company he launched Thursday, he is formalizing that effort into the Dr3amin Access Fund.