Plus: Musk's new Pentagon role has raised conflict-of-interest fears. Each year, Review puts together a list of the most promising climate tech companies in the world. This year, the stakes feel higher than ever. The world is on track for one of its hottest years on record, climate-fueled disasters are taking lives and costing billions, while political shifts and international conflict have stalled progress. We urgently need to cut emissions and avoid climate change's most harmful effects, and that's where our 10 companies come in. They also reflect the biggest shifts in climate tech--including the surging energy demands of AI data centers.

Misuse of AI is brands' top reputational threat, new survey says Misusing artificial intelligence (AI) is the top threat to companies' reputations - more so than being accused of putting children in the way of mental, emotional or physical harm and issues exposed by the US-Israel war on Iran, among other brand risks, according to a new survey of more than 150 public affairs leaders. Those findings in the new edition of the quarterly Reputation Risk Index, released on Tuesday, came on the heels of other perhaps more dire warnings from leading tech figures that AI in the wrong hands could precipitate existential threats on a mass scale such as nuclear war or destruction by bioweaponry. The index's publisher, the Global Risk Advisory Council, acknowledged that misuse of AI is not a particularly new concern in its area of focus, having been identified as a top worry repeatedly since the first edition of the survey in April 2025. But the council said what is new is its attaching an advisory to its latest survey advising business leaders to "take immediate and decisive action to mitigate potential long-term brand damage" with respect to AI, as the technology has "become a clear and present danger to public confidence for many corporations". "As AI is rapidly deployed for productivity gains, we have also seen diminishing public trust in the technology, elevating the need for businesses to take measures to protect their brands," council chair Isabel Casillas Guzman said in a statement. "In this environment, AI use or overuse can quickly damage a company's standing with customers, investors, or other key stakeholders, making it essential for companies to deploy preventive tactics now."

South Korea's Lee says AI appears to have been used in bank hacks SEOUL - South Korean President Lee Jae Myung said on Tuesday that AI models are believed to have been used in some recent hacking incidents against banks and called for the country to develop cybersecurity methods suited to the AI era. "In some hacking incidents, signs have emerged of AI being used, causing considerable public concern and anxiety," Lee said during a cabinet meeting. "Please establish the circumstances swiftly and clearly, and concentrate personnel and resources on minimizing the damage." South Korea's police have launched a full-scale investigation into the hacking attacks against commercial banks that led to a breach of customers' personal information, the Yonhap news agency reported on Tuesday. Shinhan Bank, KB Kookmin Bank and others had reported cyberattacks, the Financial Services Commission (FSC) said on Friday, while Yonhap reported that Hana Bank and Woori Bank also suffered breaches.

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Jason Kwon, chief strategy officer for OpenAI, speaks to the media ahead of an appearance at New South Wales parliament in Sydney on Tuesday. Sydney - OpenAI conceded Tuesday it botched the handling of a hacking incident in Australia, vowing to rebuild trust in a nation it is courting to host massive data centers. Chief Strategy Officer Jason Kwon appeared before Australian lawmakers to answer for the incident, in which a rogue OpenAI model bypassed safeguards to gain unauthorized access to a government health statistics website. Global unease about the power of advanced artificial intelligence is growing after a string of hacking incidents involving leading companies such as ChatGPT-creator OpenAI and rival U.S. firm Anthropic. In a time of both misinformation and too much information, quality journalism is more crucial than ever.

According to informed sources, an initiative to conduct research and development for the introduction of Self-Defense Forces transport ships equipped with artificial intelligence and automatic navigation technology will be included in the government's three key security-related documents that are slated to be revised by the end of this year. The Defense Ministry plans to enhance research and development for the introduction of Self-Defense Forces transport ships equipped with artificial intelligence and automatic navigation technology, informed sources have said. The move is part of the ministry's labor-saving efforts and is also aimed at reinforcing the SDF's maritime transportation capacity in preparation for contingencies. The initiative will be included in the government's three key security-related documents, slated to be revised by the end of this year, the sources said. An automatic ship navigation system helps select appropriate routes by assessing weather conditions and wave heights using satellites and various sensors.

OpenAI admits response to Australian government hacks'not good enough' OpenAI has admitted its actions were not good enough after one of its rogue agents breached Australian government websites in June and apologised again. The company's chief strategy officer Jason Kwon faced a parliamentary hearing into AI on Tuesday in Sydney, saying the breach should not have happened and it should have handled our response better. It took weeks before Australia was notified via an email to a generic inbox. We are sorry and we know we have work to do to rebuild trust with the Australian people, Kwon said. Anthropic also appeared at the hearing and said it had carried out a lengthy, deep investigation in recent months and not found any cases of Australian breaches.

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The Chinese AI champion has also begun laying the groundwork to gauge investor sentiment through early-look meetings starting as soon as this month.

Image caption, The UK's existing Sky Sabre air defence system, seen in 2022 at the Royal Artillery's change of colours parade at Baker Barracks, Thorney Island The Conservatives have pledged to invest in a new missile and drone defence system if voted into government at the next election. Branding it Britannia Shield, the party said it would spend up to £10bn over a decade on an integrated network of radar, command and control systems, as well as interceptor missiles. In a speech to the Conservative Party conference on Tuesday, shadow defence secretary James Cartlidge will describe it as the most significant upgrade to UK air defence for generations. In response, Defence Secretary Wes Streeting said the Tories had an abysmal record of defending Britain during their 14 years in power, adding: They owe Britain an apology, not another lecture. The Tories described their plans as a British'Iron Dome', a reference to Israel's elaborate air defence system .