GoKawiil
Tech News
Fast Company reports that tech-industry-backed super PACs are spending tens of millions of dollars to influence midterm elections, yet their political advertisements largely avoid discussing artificial intelligence. The PACs are funded by donors with a stake in favorable AI policy, but their messaging focuses elsewhere.
Reports indicate that technology companies in Silicon Valley had already been increasing security measures against foreign spying before an arrest linked to OpenAI came to light. Separately, questions are being raised about restrictions placed on Ukraine's access to Starlink, and UBS is reportedly preparing for a significant strategic shift.
Federal authorities have accused Abdulrahman Alfozan, an engineer who worked at OpenAI, of concealing an audio recorder behind a television in a conference room used for sensitive meetings. Alfozan reportedly maintained connections in Saudi Arabia throughout his career in Silicon Valley, a detail investigators have highlighted in the case against him.
The FBI has arrested an OpenAI employee in connection with an espionage-related case, according to reporting on the matter. The arrest comes as AI companies in Silicon Valley have already been tightening security measures against spying, including the use of 'honey pots' and monitoring for insider threats.
Palantir CTO Shyam Sankar claimed on CBS's Face the Nation that some AI researchers have taken up smoking to signal their belief that AI will eventually cure cancer. He described this as a kind of 'mass psychosis' or social delusion within Silicon Valley's AI community, comparing faith in AGI to a substitute for religious belief.
During San Francisco's Tech Week, AI founders and venture capitalists discussed the Trump administration's largely voluntary approach to AI oversight, including a 308-word safety pact signed last month that asks labs to self-monitor rather than follow binding rules. At an Andreessen Horowitz-organized event, PitchBook's Kyle Stanford highlighted that the U.S. government is allocating $1 trillion to defense, with $13.5 billion earmarked for autonomous systems and AI, framing it as a major investment opportunity.
Following President Trump's push to replace the term 'artificial intelligence' with 'super intelligence,' several Silicon Valley executives have begun using the new phrasing. Elon Musk, Marc Benioff, Nvidia's Jensen Huang, and Microsoft's Satya Nadella have all referenced or adopted 'super intelligence' in company branding or public statements after attending or responding to a related White House summit and executive order.
Competing tech companies are striking alliances to secure scarce AI computing resources, according to a report describing a scramble for chips and data-center capacity. The report states that executives have had to step in personally to negotiate access to computing power needed to support AI development.
WIRED's Leah Feiger and Zoë Schiffer discuss Elon Musk's renewed political spending through America PAC heading into the midterm elections, following his major financial involvement in the 2024 cycle. They note this spending pattern is echoed by other Silicon Valley tech leaders and their own PACs, who are similarly active this election cycle.
Chris Gober, a Republican candidate with connections to Musk’s PAC and AI lobbying, is contesting Texas’ newly redrawn 10th district against Democrat Caitlin Rourk. Gober’s background includes legal work related to redistricting, data centers, and defense tech, with the district hosting plans for a major semiconductor manufacturing facility by SpaceX and Tesla. The race highlights the influence of Silicon Valley interests and AI regulation debates in upcoming elections.
Endeavor Catalyst announced the closing of its fifth fund with $320 million in commitments, increasing its total assets under management to over $850 million. The fund aims to support founders in regions outside the Bay Area, with a focus on those who are part of Endeavor's global network of entrepreneurs. The firm plans to make 40 to 50 investments annually, targeting up to 150 companies with checks typically ranging from $1 million to $3 million.
Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. recently endorsed artificial intelligence as a tool for individuals to verify their medical advice and reduce reliance on authorities. His stance has sparked criticism from both MAHA allies, who see it as a departure from their traditional skepticism of corporate influence, and medical experts, who argue that AI's capabilities are misunderstood. Kennedy's advocacy positions AI as a means for Americans to better understand and manage their health data independently.