It is one thing to say AI will change the world. It is another to expect the class of 2026 to applaud it. In fact, when former Google CEO Eric Schmidt told University of Arizona graduates that their task is to help shape AI, he was met with a resounding chorus of boos. "I can hear you," he said, before conceding that fears about disappearing jobs and a broken future were "rational." This is not exactly the message one hopes to hear while sweating under a polyester gown and tallying student loan payments. Graduates have been jeering at AI pep talks at other commencements too, including ceremonies at the University of Central Florida and Middle Tennessee State University.

The Holy Father referenced in his encyclical about AI--an expert (if unintentional) troll of tech billionaires who keep misinterpreting the series. Nobody was surprised that Pope Leo XIV cited well-known saints and previous pontiffs in his first encyclical, or papal letter of spiritual guidance,, released Monday. But the name that immediately jumped out to many readers is one synonymous with high fantasy literature: J.R.R. Tolkien, the Catholic author of . Leo's letter is concerned with "safeguarding the human person in the time of artificial intelligence," a major theme of his first year as leader of the Catholic Church. Drawing from his predecessor, Pope Francis, he warns of "the growing dominance of a technocratic paradigm," one capable of "reducing creation to an object of exploitation and human beings to mere cogs in a system driven toward ever greater efficiency."

Elon Musk attends Donald Trump's inauguration in Washington DC on 20 January 2025. Sam Altman attends a press conference at the White House on 21 January 2025. Elon Musk attends Donald Trump's inauguration in Washington DC on 20 January 2025. Sam Altman attends a press conference at the White House on 21 January 2025. Musk and Altman's AI rivalry reaches boiling point as IPO race heats up Let's recap a whirlwind five days that may determine the future of AI.

Tech billionaire Elon Musk's SpaceX is preparing to list its shares on the US-based Nasdaq in what will be the most hotly anticipated initial public offering (IPO) in years. Here's everything you need to know about the deal: Founded in 2002 by Musk, now the world's richest man, SpaceX is best known for designing and launching rockets, spacecraft and reusable launch vehicles. Since 2006, the company has partnered with NASA to deliver cargo and crew to the International Space Station (ISS). The Texas-based company has also launched rockets, satellites and spacecraft for various private companies. As well as its aerospace business, SpaceX provides internet services and artificial intelligence platforms through its dedicated divisions, Starlink and xAI.

The boss of Standard Chartered has apologised after describing employees whose jobs are vulnerable to being replaced by Artificial Intelligence (AI) as lower value human capital. Discussing how automation was likely to lead to thousands of job cuts at the bank at a recent conference, Bill Winters said it wasn't about cost cutting but replacing, in some cases, lower value, human capital, with the financial capital and the investment capital that we're putting in. He later sought to contextualise the remarks via LinkedIn and said he was sorry for his wording, which had caused upset to some colleagues. He said he was committed to helping staff cope with the accelerating pace of change. The rise of AI tools has led to predictions of huge job losses, particularly for tech workers and graduates.

Fans react to Stephen Colbert's final show Fans lined up outside the Ed Sullivan Theater one last time for "The Late Show" as Stephen Colbert prepared to host his final episode, marking the end of the franchise's 33-year run on CBS. The network announced last summer that the show would end, calling it "purely a financial decision against a challenging backdrop in late night. Colbert took on the show on September 2015 after David Letterman retired from the role he'd held for 22 years. Rescuers removed the vehicle from near the shoreline and police arrested the driver, who was attempting to use the vehicle's wade mode. As part of the ongoing investigation into the crash that killed 14 people, officials released footage showing the engine detaching during takeoff.

Watch a subscriber-only discussion exploring how AI might enter the physical world. AI companies want to build systems that understand the external world and overcome the limitations of LLMs. Recent developments have brought world models to the forefront of the AI discussion. Watch a conversation with editor in chief Mat Honan, senior AI editor Will Douglas Heaven, and AI reporter Grace Huckins exploring how AI might enter the physical world. A woman's uterus has been kept alive outside the body for the first time Jessica Hamzelou Want to understand the current state of AI? Check out these charts. Want to understand the current state of AI? Check out these charts.

Elon Musk's SpaceX has revealed its plans to go public in the US, allowing people to trade shares in the firm on the stock market. SpaceX makes rockets, offers a satellite internet service called Starlink, and also owns Musk's controversial artificial intelligence (AI) firm xAI. The initial public offering (IPO) on the US stock market is set to be the largest in Wall Street history and could start next month under the ticker symbol SPCX. Because of the shares he will own in SpaceX, the IPO could make billionaire Musk, who is already the world's richest person, a trillionaire. SpaceX values itself at $1.25tn, and Musk's majority ownership of the company means his share could be worth more than $600bn.

The ex-employees, who cofounded a new AI watchdog group, say investors deserve more information about xAI's safety practices before SpaceX goes public. Two former OpenAI employees and a group of AI safety nonprofits are warning that Elon Musk's AI lab, xAI, could become a liability for prospective investors in SpaceX, which is preparing to file what's expected to be the largest initial public offering in Wall Street History. In a letter directed to investors published on Tuesday, the ex-staffers highlighted what they describe as "unpriced risks" related to xAI that could complicate SpaceX's reported plans to raise up to $75 billion as part of its IPO. The rocket company's private valuation shot up to over $1 trillion after it acquired xAI last year . Musk claimed his rocket company could launch data centers into space for his AI lab, but the letter's authors argue that xAI's poor record on safety issues could complicate how investors view the combined company as it gets ready to submit its IPO prospectus filing .

It is not only OpenAI but the AI race itself that was vindicated in the California courtroom last night . Even though Elon Musk essentially lost on a technicality, there's a clear signal from the verdict that making lots of money from AI and competing fiercely with rivals is simply business. The industry sometimes tries to display a united front, especially when it comes to safety, research and inclusivity. But this case served as a powerful reminder that none of the AI giants are charities and don't have to be, even if they once said otherwise. Cracks in the façade of industry collaboration for the sake of humanity have been exposed before.