Government
OpenAI reveals cases of 'concerning' AI behaviour as it announces new disclosure system
AI chiefs have called for a slowdown in artificial intelligence's development amid safety concerns. AI chiefs have called for a slowdown in artificial intelligence's development amid safety concerns. OpenAI reveals cases of'concerning' AI behaviour as it announces new disclosure system Model adopting'jailbreak-like instructions' among cases as firm says it is introducing new way of tracking AI misalignment OpenAI has disclosed six more examples of "unexpected or concerning" behaviour by its technology, as it warned the pace of development could not continue at "maximum speed for much longer". In one of the new cases reported by OpenAI, an unreleased research model inserted "jailbreak-like instructions" into its own notes to disregard its normal constraints and told itself to be "freed from the roles and identities that bind other chatbots". In another instance, an AI agent uploaded files to the internet to obtain a browser citation without asking the user.
Israel weaponises AI for West Bank demolitions
'This is an apartheid regime' Does Trump have real leverage over Netanyahu? As the world wrestles with the ethical implications of artificial intelligence and the dangers of removing humans from life-altering decisions, Israel has pressed ahead with deploying AI as part of its military arsenal. In Gaza, AI systems have been used to determine potential bomb targets, contributing to the scale of the killing of Palestinians there as recently documented in the award-winning documentary NAZA . The Turkish media outlet PalDigital, citing rights activists and Israeli media reports, highlighted how Israel uses AI tools - and specifically a product called ImiSight developed by the Israeli weapons manufacturer Rafael - to monitor vast swathes of land and observe changes that can then be used as justifications for demolitions. The tool was initially used by Israel in the Naqab desert, targeting Bedouin Palestinian citizens of Israel, PalDigital reported in July.
OpenAI reports more incidents of models acting deceptively
OpenAI says it has identified additional incidents of its AI models allegedly acting deceptively and taking unsanctioned actions during internal training and testing. Alongside these disclosures on Wednesday, the creator of ChatGPT stated it was introducing a public reporting framework intended to frequently share instances of what it termed as unexpected or misaligned AI behaviour. The company said the initiative aims to increase industry transparency around troubling model activities in the absence of standardised safety disclosure norms. The announcement comes amid broader calls from prominent technology leaders urging a slowdown in frontier AI development over concerns that rapid scaling could outpace human oversight and control. Last week, Anthropic claimed to have thwarted multiple malicious operations using its Claude models, ranging from cyber-espionage and weapons design to mass surveillance campaigns.
U.S., China security experts propose nuclear-style safeguards for AI risks
U.S., China security experts propose nuclear-style safeguards for AI risks BEIJING - An artificial intelligence system that interferes with a nuclear command network or launches a military cyber operation could leave Washington or Beijing with minutes to decide whether the other government attacked, according to U.S. and Chinese security experts. The experts, part of a U.S.-China dialogue whose work helps inform official discussions, are urging both governments to prepare for such scenarios amid rising concerns about increasingly powerful and more autonomous systems. Their proposals include red lines around nuclear systems, human control over consequential cyberattacks and a hotline for incidents involving autonomous AI. In a time of both misinformation and too much information, quality journalism is more crucial than ever. By subscribing, you can help us get the story right.
What are the biggest AI companies and how much are they worth?
What are the biggest AI companies and how much are they worth? Share What are the biggest AI companies and how much are they worth? A renewed debate has emerged over who should control the development of artificial intelligence (AI). The latest dispute follows an essay by Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei, who has argued that the development of increasingly powerful AI systems needs to slow down, calling for greater regulation. US President Donald Trump pushed back, writing on Truth Social that the US already has "tremendous CRIMINAL and REGULATORY power" over AI companies, framing safety concerns as a conspiracy that only benefits China. He went on to say that whoever wins the AI race wins outright.
'My mother apologised': A survivor's journey after genital mutilation
Sara Kahsai grew up in Sudan but moved to Birmingham, England, in 2022 after marrying a bus driver from the city. But as she settled into married life and her new home, she was coming to terms with a life-changing discovery. Sara realised she was a victim-survivor of Female Genital Mutiliation (FGM), a procedure she had endured as a young girl. She was floored by the revelation and, not least, the excruciating pain she was now beginning to fully understand. The shock was massive, she said.
'No doubt' that climate change played role in Nepal-Tibet flood, study finds
'No doubt' that climate change played role in Nepal-Tibet flood, study finds A study has found that climate change had contributed to the glacier collapse that unleashed devastating floods on the Nepal-Tibet border. More than 1,400 people were killed and thousands are missing following the deluge on 26 August. There was absolutely no doubt that human-induced climate change played a role here in the preconditioning of the disaster, said Friederike Otto, a climatologist at Imperial College London and one of the study's authors. The World Weather Attribution study, published on Thursday, said the disaster was the result of a compound event caused by rising temperatures, thinning glaciers, thawing permafrost and pre-existing geological weaknesses. Massive floods and landslides swept through border towns and villages in Nepal and Tibet, wiping out thousands of houses, destroying energy infrastructure and leaving thousands dead or missing.
Afghan inquiry into alleged SAS war crimes has already cost 58m, MoD figures show
An inquiry into allegations British Special Forces murdered unarmed Afghan civilians has cost UK taxpayers £58m, figures from the Ministry of Defence (MoD) show. When the inquiry was launched in 2023, its chair Lord Justice Haddon-Cave said it would aim to report, at least on an interim basis, within 12-18 months. However, the inquiry has now been running for more than three and a half years, and has yet to publish any findings. In a statement, the inquiry said its work was greater and more complex than it originally envisaged. It added that delays by the MoD in disclosing information had also affected the timetable.
Steve Rosenberg: Russia's elections will have few surprises, but for the Kremlin they matter
Rosenberg: Russia's elections will have few surprises, but for the Kremlin they matter To play this video you need to enable JavaScript in your browser. Figure caption, Low expectations that Russia's election will bring peace closer, Steve Rosenberg reports The system of power in Russia is often referred to as managed democracy (where the Kremlin does the managing). That means huge powers for the president and few political surprises. This weekend's election is set to deliver another parliament dominated by the party of power, United Russia, and a house of MPs fiercely loyal to Vladimir Putin. Critics dismiss the vote as neither free nor fair.
Palace in war of words with Earl Spencer over claims in Diana book
To play this video you need to enable JavaScript in your browser. Buckingham Palace is in a war of words with Earl Spencer, the brother of Diana, Princess of Wales, over a controversial memoir about her life and death. King Charles is accused of insensitively saying to Earl Spencer, in the wake of Diana's death in 1997, that we'll forget her soon enough, according to excerpts published in the Daily Mail. But the Palace has pushed back unusually strongly, angered by the claims and attempting to cast doubt on them. While we do not comment on books as a matter of principle, His Majesty is mindful that the pain of fraternal grief can cloud reason, affect judgment and colour memory in ways others do not recognise, even many years after such a loss, it said.