U.S. Republican lawmakers asked the administration of President Joe Biden for an intelligence assessment of Microsoft's 1.5 billion investment in UAE-based artificial intelligence firm G42 over concerns about the transfer of sensitive technology and G42's historic ties to China. Rep. Michael McCaul, chair of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, and John Moolenaar, leader of the Select Committee on China, made the request for a briefing in a letter dated Wednesday to White House national security adviser Jake Sullivan, the committees said. The Republicans said they want the briefing on the deal, announced in April, before it advances to a second phase involving the transfer of export-restricted semiconductor chips and model weights, sophisticated data that improves an AI model's ability to emulate human reasoning.

Is this an invasion of privacy or fair practice to protect our country? Former DHS oversight counsel Mike Howell weighs in. The Trump administration announced Thursday that it's backing away from a proposal that would have required all U.S. citizens to submit to facial recognition scans at airports and other ports of entry whenever they leave or enter the country. The Department of Homeland Security said it removed the idea from its regulatory agenda following meetings with advocates and lawmakers who voiced serious privacy concerns for American citizens. U.S. passport holders can opt out of being photographed upon entering or exiting the country, a process that is required for foreign travelers.