Outlet
Everything tracked from Axios.
33 stories tracked · 13 negative, 3 mixed, 14 neutral, 3 positive
A host of industry players, policy wonks and businesses are grappling with the question of how to regulate AI in a trustworthy manner. Inside the White House, it's mostly business as usual. Why it matters: The industry's mad dash is the product of an ad hoc regulatory apparatus and a general consensus that swift action from Washington is unlikely in the near term . State of play: AI CEOs have…
An unprecedented wave of AI-powered, human-driven cyberattacks is coming, security experts say — and it's a far more urgent risk than theoretical conversations about AI wiping out humanity. Why it matters: The great September AI panic — which spread from boardrooms to Congress to American households in the last week — may have missed the point. Powerful models with advanced cybersecurity…
The House passed the bipartisan Ratepayer Protection Act on Wednesday, marking Congress' most significant step yet to shield consumers from the soaring infrastructure costs of the AI boom . Why it matters: Washington is facing growing pressure to put guardrails around AI's rapid expansion, from the technology itself to the data centers powering it. The bipartisan bill, which passed 417-3, would…
OpenAI on Wednesday disclosed six new incidents in which its models concealed mistakes, sought unauthorized credentials, uploaded files to the public internet or communicated across supposedly isolated training environments. The company also announced a new procedure for reporting similar misbehavior in the future. Why it matters: It's increasingly clear that the Hugging Face breach wasn't a…
The U.S. is open to discussing shared risks with China in upcoming AI talks this weekend, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent told Axios. Why it matters: The Trump administration has flatly rejected calls from industry to pace or slow down the development of AI, citing a fierce race against China. Bessent's scheduled meeting with Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng could provide an opening for talks on…
Data: The AP-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research and the Energy Policy Institute at the University of Chicago; Chart: Avery Lotz/Axios More than half of Americans are extremely or very concerned about the environmental impacts of AI, up more than ten percentage points from last year, per polling results out Wednesday. The big picture: It's just one area where Americans' AI concerns are…
Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) is the latest prominent Democrat to back a pause on advanced artificial intelligence, her office told Axios exclusively. Why it matters: The idea of slowing down AI development — once considered a non-starter in a fierce race to beat China — is gaining momentum. Driving the news: Warren on Wednesday will call for a pause on advanced AI development but will stop…
Members of Congress and governors are under increasing pressure to regulate AI , but more than two dozen of them who spoke with Axios said they don't use the technology or have rarely done so. Why it matters: That striking admission — particularly among older, influential lawmakers — comes amid calls for an AI slowdown and warnings within the industry that it could end humanity if left unchecked…
A new coalition launched Wednesday is seeking a triple win for a data center industry that lately has struggled to notch any wins at all. The big picture: Tech giants Google and Nvidia are partnering with startup Emerald AI to back data centers that can flex their power demand — a strategy they say could curb electricity prices, mollify angry neighbors and grow the economy with more AI…
Lawmakers who want to regulate AI are doing something unusual as Congress barrels towards a lengthy recess with no tangible solution in sight: They're working across the aisle. Why it matters: Bipartisanship is increasingly elusive on Capitol Hill of late, but it remains a crucial first step for action in a Senate that requires 60 votes to pass most legislation. The latest example: Sens. Josh…
President Trump's longtime pollster is offering Republican candidates a detailed playbook for neutralizing Democratic attacks over AI data centers — down to what language they should and shouldn't use. Why it matters: Republican strategists say GOP candidates have been all over the map in responding to the backlash to data centers. The goal is to put Republicans on offense after months of playing…
Most agree the AI industry needs oversight. The critical barrier: Few really trust the industry, or the safety advocates who come from inside the house. Why it matters: Factions in the Trump administration, business executives wary of competitive threats, and advocates for cheaper, more customizable "open" models fear that new regulatory hurdles will offer frontier AI companies too much power…
President Trump declared war on the AI safety panic Monday, dismissing the industry's apocalyptic warnings as part of a "sick conspiracy" to sabotage America and his legacy. Why it matters: Trump is rewriting a complex, years-long debate over AI's dangers in the partisan grammar that has defined MAGA for a decade — hoaxes, conspiracies, traitors and, at the center of it all, one man. "The only…
Majority Leader John Thune is asserting Congress' prerogative to act on AI — but he's urging a "light touch" even in the face of "consequential risks." Why it matters: On his first day back after a five-week break, Thune (R-S.D.) outlined his vision for congressional action on an issue President Trump has dismissed as a " hoax ." "Congress has a job to do," Thune said. "I think there are some…
Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang took a surprise call from President Trump onstage at the All-In Summit Monday in Los Angeles, where the two dismissed fears of an AI takeover. Why it matters: Trump and Huang are staking out an increasingly clear rejection of AI doomerism right as some of the world's most powerful CEOs and AI experts call for slower AI development over safety concerns. Driving the news…
President Trump lashed out at calls for new AI guardrails and protections on Monday, arguing AI only needs a "STRONG AND SMART (High IQ!) PRESIDENT" and that AI critics should "BEWARE!" Why it matters: Trump continues to plant himself against calls for AI safety regulations as a growing chorus of AI leaders and CEOs , spearheaded by Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei over the weekend, call for a slowdown…
President Trump is as all-in on AI as a politician could be: all gas, no brakes, and zero interest in hand-wringing about dystopian risks or public disdain. Democrats are as conflicted on AI as a party could be: skeptical of the labs, spooked by their warnings, but split on whether to shut it all down. Why it matters: This staggering divide makes consensus on federal AI regulation almost…
House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) said Sunday that Congress won't lead the charge on regulating AI safety . Why it matters: Calls for AI companies to adopt safety protocols reached a fever pitch this week, prompting the four biggest AI labs to endorse slowing their models' development. Driving the news: Johnson was urged this week to cancel the House recess and bring representatives back to D.C…
In nine startling hours on Saturday, the four biggest AI labs — which rarely agree on anything — set aside years of feuds and competition to endorse a slower development pace for their models. Their new stance: Prioritize safety over growth , even at a cost. The big picture: AI's unrelenting growth has hit an inflection point with the public, Washington and even the companies building it. Data…
OpenAI will not go public this year given all the safety work it needs to do, CEO Sam Altman said in a Fortune interview released Saturday. Why it matters: Altman's comments come as fears over doomsday AI scenarios have ramped up since an Anthropic employee resigned and issued a dire warning about AI's capabilities. What they're saying: "Right now would be an ill-advised moment to go public,"…
Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei is calling for an immediate slowdown in the pace of AI development, warning of potentially devastating consequences in a matter of months otherwise. OpenAI CEO Sam Altman quickly agreed that the industry needs to slow the pace of frontier-model advances and take more steps on safety. Why it matters: Amodei pulled no punches in a new essay , cautioning that swarms of…
The AI safety debate exploded this week over warnings that the technology could one day destroy humanity. Anthropic's latest threat report offers a more immediate wake-up call: Today's models are already helping U.S. adversaries develop kamikaze drones, hunt dissidents and conduct dangerous virus research . Why it matters: AI is tearing down barriers that have long constrained the world's most…
The White House, Congress and the country's leading AI companies have allowed AI to grow faster, stronger, more powerful and wildly lucrative (and dangerous), with no serious effort to control it or spread the benefits beyond the super-wealthy. It's not too late to change this. But if they all dither, duck or dance around it, the chances of AI worst-case scenarios will explode, likely early next…
A letter is circulating among House members urging Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) to bring back the House "immediately" and keep it in session until Congress passes AI safeguards , Axios has learned. Why it matters: Such drastic action has been proposed by members of both parties this week after current and former Anthropic researchers went public with warnings that AI could kill off humanity in…