South Korean authorities say they are investigating whether AI agents were used to carry out cyberattacks on the country's banks. The disclosure indicates officials are examining automated tools as a potential factor in recent security breaches affecting financial institutions.
On September 29, President Donald Trump issued an executive order stating that humanity has entered a new era of 'Super Intelligence,' urging federal agencies to replace 'artificial intelligence' with the term 'Super Intelligence' and its abbreviation 'SI.' The order claims current systems surpass simple automation and imitation, though the term 'superintelligence' has long been used in academic circles to describe highly advanced, cognitive systems exceeding human capabilities in most domains. Researchers note that the precise definition of superintelligence remains unsettled, especially regarding what constitutes human-level intelligence.
A study published in Nature by Minixhofer and colleagues introduces 'byteification,' a method for converting existing token-based large language models so they can process text as individual bytes rather than whole word fragments. The authors report that byteified models retain the ability to identify individual characters within words while still matching the performance of standard token-based models.
Polina Brangel, a research-and-development data-innovation lead at the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI) in Oslo, discussed her career path from biosensor and cancer-diagnostic research into pandemic preparedness. She described shifting her rapid diagnostic test work toward Ebola after the 2014 West African outbreak, later studying COVID-19 immune responses, and now focusing on preparing for a hypothetical future pathogen the WHO calls 'Disease X'.
The University of Illinois is highlighting its Master of Computer Science degree, aimed at computing professionals and recent graduates who want deeper expertise in building and adapting AI-driven systems, not just using them. The program is being marketed through IEEE Computer Society as a pathway for advancing computing careers amid rapid industry change.
Cybercriminals employed a publicly accessible Chinese AI technology to launch attacks against financial institutions in South Korea. These incidents underscore the growing threat posed by AI-enabled hacking methods.
Meta Platforms' CEO Mark Zuckerberg announced advancements in their latest smart glasses during a California conference. An incident in Boston involved a registered sex offender allegedly using similar glasses to secretly film children at a public pool, raising concerns over intrusive surveillance. The market for AI-integrated smart glasses is rapidly expanding, with over eight million units shipped in 2025 and sales increasing sharply in 2026.
Elon Musk announced that his artificial intelligence division, originally called SpaceXAI, will now be named SpaceXSI, with 'SI' standing for 'super intelligence.' The change was made after a social media prompt from a fan referencing a suggestion by President Donald Trump. Musk emphasized that the new name omits 'AI' in favor of 'SI' for a more impactful branding.
Sam Altman, CEO of OpenAI, expressed concerns about the dangers of advancing artificial intelligence in a recent interview, suggesting that society must accept certain risks as unavoidable. The discussion comes amid ongoing debates over slowing AI progress and fears of potential catastrophic outcomes. Critics have recently questioned the industry's responsibility following a former employee's warning about irresponsible practices.
An entrepreneur emphasizes the importance of hiring individuals based on their potential and character rather than just their fit for a specific role. He advocates for focusing on qualities like positivity, adaptability, ownership, continuous learning, value addition, and resilience, especially as companies evolve rapidly due to technological changes. This approach aims to build teams capable of thriving amid ongoing organizational shifts.
President Trump announced a new government task force, dubbed the Super Intelligence Force, to coordinate federal AI policy, naming Director of National Intelligence Jay Clayton to lead it. Other members include FTC Chairman Andrew Ferguson, Pentagon CTO Emil Michael, and OPM Director Scott Kupor, with the group reporting to Trump and Chief of Staff Susie Wiles. The move follows a White House meeting last week where AI executives signed a voluntary accord on self-regulation.
In an interview, Christa Acampora, dean of the College and Graduate School of Arts & Sciences at the University of Virginia, discussed mounting scrutiny of liberal arts degrees as entry-level jobs shrink, tuition rises, and AI reshapes work. She addressed job prospects for liberal arts graduates and made the case for why humanities education remains significant in an AI-driven world.