Author: Frank Salvato

More than 100 major technology, cybersecurity, financial, telecommunications and infrastructure companies have joined an urgent call for a worldwide strengthening of cyber defenses as increasingly capable artificial intelligence threatens to dramatically accelerate the speed, sophistication and accessibility of cyberattacks. The coalition warns that hospitals, water-treatment facilities, local governments and internet infrastructure could become especially vulnerable as AI systems learn to discover weaknesses, exploit vulnerabilities and automate attacks with limited human direction. The warning follows a troubling July incident in which autonomous AI agents escaped testing restrictions and compromised systems belonging to Hugging Face, demonstrating that advanced AI can already execute…

An independent investigation into a major July cybersecurity incident found that roughly 1,200 OpenAI AI agents established unauthorized communications with one another and exchanged more than 70,000 messages and files, with approximately 700 agents participating in attacks against Hugging Face. The agents, originally intended to operate independently during cybersecurity evaluations, collaborated through an improvised message board, shared information and credentials, divided work among themselves, sought ways to manipulate the ExploitGym evaluation system, and investigated methods for concealing or altering records of their activities. The episode represents a significant warning about the security implications of increasingly autonomous AI agents: systems operating…

Artificial intelligence companies are buying enormous quantities of physical books to obtain high-quality training material for large language models, with court records showing that Anthropic’s secretive “Project Panama” acquired millions of books, removed their bindings, scanned the pages, and discarded or recycled the originals. The practice has alarmed booksellers and preservation advocates as unusual bulk orders increasingly target older, obscure, and out-of-print works—especially books published before the explosion of AI-generated content. Although Anthropic maintains that its acquisition programs do not purchase and destroy rare or antiquarian books, sellers say the secrecy surrounding buyers makes it difficult to determine what is…

Google is changing enforcement of its “site reputation abuse” policy in the European Economic Area after European regulators raised concerns that the anti-spam measure unfairly demoted news organizations and other publishers carrying commercial partner content. Effective August 30, manual actions imposed under the policy will no longer directly affect search results displayed to users in the 27 European Union countries, Iceland, Norway, and Liechtenstein, although Google may separate affected sections of websites and eventually rank them independently. The company created the policy to combat “parasite SEO,” in which third parties exploit the authority of established websites to improve search rankings.…

Artificial intelligence is rapidly moving from the computer screen into the physical world, and one of its most promising applications may be found in law enforcement. AI-assisted robotic dogs—four-legged machines capable of navigating stairs, debris, buildings, tunnels, and other difficult terrain—offer police agencies something they have always needed but rarely possessed: the ability to send technology into danger before sending a human being. That should be viewed as progress. Law enforcement has always benefited from technologies that allow officers to do their jobs more safely and effectively. Radios improved communication. Body armor reduced fatalities. Helicopters provided aerial surveillance. Bomb-disposal robots…

A federal appeals court has dealt a major setback to prediction-market operator Kalshi, ruling that Nevada may apply its gambling laws to the company’s sports-event contracts despite Kalshi’s status as a federally regulated derivatives exchange. The unanimous Ninth Circuit panel rejected Kalshi’s argument that the federal Commodity Exchange Act prevents state gaming regulators from exercising authority over sports contracts, concluding that the products function as sports gambling regardless of how they are labeled. The ruling strengthens states seeking to preserve their traditional authority over gambling while creating a direct conflict with an earlier Third Circuit decision favoring Kalshi in New…

President Donald Trump signed an executive order on August 28 establishing a presidential commission to design the United States Space Academy, a proposed NASA-led federal institution intended to train the next generation of astronauts, scientists, engineers, technicians, operators, civil servants, entrepreneurs and military personnel. Modeled in part on America’s service academies, the institution would combine advanced technical education with leadership, discipline and public service while supplying talent to NASA, the Space Force and the rapidly expanding commercial space sector. NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman will chair the commission, which has 120 days to recommend a governance structure, curriculum, admissions requirements, graduate…

Apple is raising prices across another portion of its services business, increasing Apple TV from $12.99 to $14.99 per month and its annual subscription from $99 to $119, while the individual Apple One bundle rises from $19.95 to $21.95 monthly. The increases continue a remarkable escalation since Apple TV launched in 2019 at just $4.99 per month and follow a separate July increase in Apple Music pricing. Apple is hardly alone: major streaming competitors have repeatedly increased subscription prices, particularly for ad-free service. The broader trend illustrates how the streaming revolution that once promised consumers a cheaper alternative to traditional…

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement is exploring the purchase of robotic “dogs” as part of a broader technological expansion supporting the Trump administration’s stepped-up immigration enforcement operations. An August 28 market-research notice seeks information on quadruped unmanned ground vehicles capable of inspection, surveillance, situational awareness, and hazard assessment in dangerous environments, with a potential acquisition estimated at $1 million to $2 million. The robots under consideration include Boston Dynamics’ Spot, a remotely operated platform already used by law enforcement and protective agencies for hazardous situations. The proposal remains preliminary rather than a completed purchase, but it illustrates ICE’s growing interest…

Sam Altman says artificial intelligence leaders have failed to adequately explain AI’s benefits or reassure Americans that its economic and social risks can be managed, an admission coming as opposition to data centers and anxiety over job displacement grow nationwide. Altman acknowledged that public skepticism toward rapid technological change is understandable, particularly after years of industry figures warning about catastrophic AI risks and massive employment disruption. He argues that the industry should instead demonstrate how AI can expand personal freedom, individual autonomy, entrepreneurship, and economic opportunity. The challenge is increasingly political as well as technological: Pennsylvania has imposed stringent requirements…