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    Trump orders federal agencies to stop using Anthropic; Hegseth designates the firm a supply-chain risk

    President Donald Trump ordered federal agencies to stop using Anthropic's products, and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth designated the AI company a national security supply-chain risk, a label usually reserved for foreign adversaries. The move followed Anthropic's failure to accept the Pentagon's terms by a Friday deadline. The dispute centers on Anthropic's refusal to drop two demands: that its AI not be used for fully autonomous weapons or mass domestic surveillance. The Pentagon says it does not intend either use but argues Anthropic's guardrails could jeopardize military operations. Anthropic says the latest contract language would let those safeguards be disregarded at will. Senate Armed Services leaders had urged both sides to extend negotiations.

    Key facts

    • Hegseth said Anthropic will keep providing services to the department for up to six months.
    • Anthropic said it would challenge the supply-chain risk designation in court.
    • Anthropic says the Pentagon's contract language made virtually no progress on preventing mass surveillance.
    • The Pentagon has used Anthropic's technology in a $200 million pilot program.
    • OpenAI announced late Friday that it reached a deal to deploy its models on the Pentagon's classified network.

    Commentary

    The sanction is the predictable part; the open question is who decides what counts as lawful use, which Senate leaders say still needs work. Using procurement penalties while OpenAI wins a classified deal suggests leverage matters more than principle. The real outcome will likely be settled in court and during the six-month wind-down.

    Sources: ABC News - Breaking News, Latest News and Videos

  2. 2

    China proposes export curbs on advanced AI technologies

    China has proposed adding advanced artificial intelligence technologies to its export-control list, which could restrict overseas transfers of AI models and chip designs. The Commerce Ministry said the aim is ensuring the safety and controllability of the technology, citing the risk of misuse by non-state actors or malicious entities to attack critical infrastructure, defense industries and core government systems. The proposal is part of a broader effort covering 40 technologies, including biomedical and solar items, in sectors where Chinese companies have grown more competitive. Beijing said the measures are not aimed at any particular country, region or entity, and the move follows Chinese AI startups closing the gap with US industry leaders.

    Key facts

    • China's draft proposal covers 23 AI technologies, including large language models, agents, chip designs and computing clusters.
    • Restricted technologies would include model weights and source code for products exceeding certain performance thresholds.
    • Core technology for models trained on important data, with at least 2 trillion parameters or ranking in the global top 10, would face export restrictions.
    • Open-source technology already in the public domain would not be covered, and open-source exports could receive automatic licensing.
    • A temporary registration requirement for covered exports took effect Friday and applies to transactions already underway but not completed.

    Commentary

    The sharper signal is that Beijing is tightening control just as Chinese labs gain ground, since limiting shipments of the largest models targets the systems that drive that competition. Companies that offer restricted models to overseas customers through apps or online services escape the rules, so the real burden falls on those exporting weights and deployments, which suggests developers will shift toward hosted access abroad.

    Sources: NDTV

  3. 3

    Flock Safety announces new safeguards after reports of law enforcement abuse of its license plate cameras

    Flock Safety, which makes AI-enabled cameras that scan and collect license plate information, announced new guardrails on Thursday after multiple reports of law enforcement abuse and growing public backlash over mass surveillance. The changes require officers to label every search with a criminal case number, add automatic review of abnormal search activity with proactive lockouts, and shorten default data retention to seven days from 30. CEO Garrett Langley said the company was listening to customers and communities. The Washington Post had reported that at least 50 officers were accused, charged or convicted of using Flock and other license-plate readers to spy on people, often partners or ex-partners. Civil rights advocates, including the Center for Democracy & Technology, said the measures fall short and that warrants are needed.

    Key facts

    • Flock requires law enforcement to label every search with a criminal case number.
    • Flock will make its abnormal-activity review mandatory by year's end, up from about one third of customers.
    • Flock will set seven-day data retention as default, replacing the previous 30-day default.
    • Cities can now restrict which offense types other agencies may search through their cameras.
    • The Center for Democracy & Technology said the changes are the same 'Just Trust Us' policy with a fresh coat of paint.

    Commentary

    The headline event is the predictable part; the real question is whether Flock's controls work without outside oversight. Its own tool, Audit Assistance, is credited with arrests, yet it was only adopted by about a third of customers, which suggests the company relied on voluntary uptake. Critics argue that police still police themselves, so the changes will likely be judged by whether warrant requirements follow.

    Sources: ABC News - Breaking News, Latest News and Videos

  4. 4

    Meta's Updated Terms Could Allow AI Training on News Website Content Without Payment, Prompting Publisher Concern

    Meta's updated commercial terms have raised concerns among news publishers that their website content could be used to train AI models without payment. The debate reignites questions about copyright, consent and whether publishers should be paid when their reporting feeds commercial AI products. Cornell Law School professor James Grimmelmann warned that the terms could let Meta use publisher content to train models that compete with the organisations producing it. Publishers argue that original journalism requires heavy investment in reporters and editors, and they want clarity on whether they can refuse permission and negotiate compensation.

    Key facts

    • Meta's updated commercial terms take effect October 30, 2026.
    • The terms allow automated tools, including web scrapers, bots and crawlers, to collect content from websites linked to businesses using Meta's platforms.
    • The terms say collected content may be used to train, develop and improve Meta's products and AI features.
    • Nieman Lab first reported the changes after consulting legal experts.
    • Most major news organisations maintain pages on Facebook, Instagram and other Meta platforms.

    Commentary

    The sharper risk is the pairing of collection and competition: a platform that can scrape publisher sites may build products that replace the traffic those sites depend on. Publishers have little leverage beyond asking for consent, and the terms leave unclear whether they can refuse at all, so the burden of opting out falls on them.

    Sources: LatestLY

  5. 5

    Foxconn to buy 50% stake in Mitsubishi Electric Mobility

    Foxconn Technology is buying a 50% stake in Mitsubishi Electric Mobility Co., Ltd. to strengthen its presence in Japan's EV sector, Taiwan News reported, citing reports on Friday. Foxconn's investment management subsidiary Lin Yin International Investment Co., Ltd. will spend NT$23.3 billion (US$717.4 million) on the stake, Foxconn said in a statement. The two partners will jointly manage the automotive equipment business once formalities are completed by Oct. 1, 2027. Foxconn said the partnership will combine its speed, scale and market deployment strengths with Mitsubishi Electric Mobility's capabilities in electric powertrains, software and vehicle control, and that it will strengthen Japan's industrial base and automotive industry.

    Key facts

    • Foxconn Technology is buying a 50% stake in Mitsubishi Electric Mobility Co., Ltd.
    • Lin Yin International Investment Co., Ltd. will spend NT$23.3 billion (US$717.4 million).
    • Formalities are to be completed by Oct. 1, 2027.
    • Foxconn already has ties to Mitsubishi group through its Foxtron joint venture with Yulon Group.
    • The Foxtron Bria EV will launch in Australia and New Zealand as the Mitsubishi ASX VR-e.

    Commentary

    The deal is a bid for Japanese automotive capability rather than a simple investment, since Foxconn is pairing its speed and scale with Mitsubishi's powertrain and vehicle-control expertise. Its existing Foxtron tie with the Mitsubishi group makes this a deepening of a relationship already in place, not a cold entry. The Japan-industry framing and the Made in Japan campaign suggest Foxconn is courting local legitimacy as much as technology.

    Sources: Taiwan News

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