Jury finds Elon Musk misled investors during Twitter purchase, absolves him of some fraud claims
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — A jury has found Elon Musk liable for defrauding investors by deliberately driving down Twitter’s stock price in the tumultuous months leading up to his 2022 acquisition of the social media company for $44 billion. But it absolved him of some fraud allegations, finding that he did not “scheme” to mislead investors. The civil trial in San Francisco centered on a class-action lawsuit filed just before Musk took control of Twitter, which he later renamed X.
White House urges Congress to take a light touch on AI regulations in new legislative blueprint
WASHINGTON (AP) — The White House is laying out a new framework that it wants Congress to use to shape national rules for artificial intelligence without curbing growth in the sector. It wants Congress to “preempt” state laws is sees as too burdensome. The focus is on protecting children, preventing electricity costs from surging, respecting intellectual property rights, preventing censorship and educating Americans on using the technology. It comes as state governments have forged ahead on their own regulations. Civil liberties and consumer rights groups have lobbied for more regulations on the powerful technology. But the industry and the White House say a patchwork of rules would hurt growth.
Trump officials announce 10-gigawatt data center, gas plants for former Ohio uranium site
PIKETON, Ohio (AP) — The U.S. Department of Energy has announced a public-private partnership with SoftBank and AEP Ohio to develop a massive artificial intelligence data center and power complex at a former uranium enrichment site in southern Ohio. The project announced Friday includes a planned 10-gigawatt data center and up to 10 gigawatts of new power generation, most of it fueled by natural gas, along with billions in grid upgrades. Officials say the initiative will create thousands of jobs and support AI growth while keeping electricity costs down. The secretaries of energy, commerce and interior visited Piketon on Friday for the project announcement.
3 men are charged with conspiring to smuggle US artificial intelligence to China
NEW YORK (AP) — A senior vice president of Super Micro Computer Inc. and two others affiliated with the company have been charged with conspiring to smuggle billions of dollars of computer servers containing advanced Nvidia chips to China. U.S. Attorney Jay Clayton announced the arrests late Thursday, saying the men violated U.S. export controls laws by scheming to divert the high-performance servers assembled in the United States to China. An indictment alleges that two of the men directed executives of a company in Southeast Asia to place orders for $2.5 billion worth of servers from Super Micro Computer, a U.S. manufacturer, between 2024 and 2025. Authorities say the scheme became more brazen as time went on.
American Airlines and Google say AI helped airplanes reduce contrails that trap heat
American Airlines and Google said Thursday that they significantly reduced the climate impact of some of the airline’s flights using an AI-based forecasting tool to help prevent contrails. When airplanes fly through cold, humid areas, it can create heat-trapping clouds. Google is using artificial intelligence to predict where these condensation trails, or contrails, will likely form if planes pass through. American Airlines added the forecasts to its flight planning system on a trial basis, to show optional routes to go around these areas or change altitude. American Airlines and Google say this could be one of the most cost-effective, scalable climate solutions available in aviation now. The industry is under growing pressure to address climate change.
Brazil rolls out law boosting online protection of minors
RIO DE JANEIRO (AP) — Brazil now enforces a sweeping new law that aims to make the internet safer for children and teens. On Tuesday, the digital statute takes effect after Congress backs it and President Lula signs it in September. The law requires accounts for minors under 16 to link to a legal guardian. It also bans addictive design tricks like endless scrolling and autoplay. Platforms must use real age checks, not just a box that says “over 18.” Lula says online abuse and exploitation can no longer hide behind “freedom.” WhatsApp and Google already roll out parent tools.
Drone video from inside a Fukushima reactor shows a hole in pressure vessel, likely fuel debris
TOKYO (AP) — A video taken by tiny drones sent into one of three damaged reactors at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant shows a gaping hole in the thick-walled steel container of the core, with lumps of likely fuel debris hanging from it, in a first sighting of a pressure vessel bottom since the meltdown 15 years ago. The rare footage was taken by micro-drones to collect visual, radiation and other data from inside of the Unit 3 reactor. It was released Thursday. The three reactors contain at least 880 tons of dangerously radioactive melted fuel debris whose details are still little known.
Jurors wade through daunting evidence in high-stakes Meta trial about social media risks to children
SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) — A daunting stream of testimony and documentation has been presented in a New Mexico case that explores what Meta knew about the effects of its platforms on children. Meta closed out its showing of testimony and evidence on Friday, with closing arguments due next week. State prosecutors allege Meta knew about the risks its platforms — Instagram, Facebook and WhatsApp — pose to children but failed to warn users. Meta says it has been forthright about risks while continuously striving to improve safeguards. The trial is approaching its seventh week. Jurors aren't deliberating yet. But if they find that Meta violated state consumer protection laws, prosecutors say sanctions could be in the billions of dollars.
Cryptocurrency and AI industries tested their influence in Illinois. It didn't go that well
WASHINGTON (AP) — The artificial intelligence and cryptocurrency industries have suffered a setback as they try to reshape the midterm elections and establish themselves as power players in American politics. AI and crypto groups poured millions of dollars into Illinois' Democratic primaries to push candidates who favor lighter regulation, but they often lost. The industry super PACs ran ad campaigns that barely mentioned technology, highlighting other issues to avoid backlash. But they still became a lightning rod. Crypto-backed Fairshake spent more than $10 million against Lt. Gov. Juliana Stratton, but she won the Democratic nomination to succeed Sen. Dick Durbin. In House races, sometimes different AI groups ended up fighting each other.
An AI-rendered Val Kilmer will posthumously appear in a new film
NEW YORK (AP) — A year after the actor’s death, a generative AI version of Val Kilmer will co-star in an independent film. It's one of the boldest uses yet of artificial intelligence in moviemaking. First Line Films announced Wednesday that Kilmer has posthumously joined the cast of a film titled “As Deep as the Grave.” The producers said that before his death, Kilmer had signed on to perform in the movie but was unable to do due to his health. Kilmer’s estate gave permission for his digital replication, and is being compensated for it. Kilmer died last April from pneumonia at the age of 65.
