AI news of 18 September 2026 · Humans Versus Robots

What Hollywood thinks about existential AI warnings

Entertainment unions focus on current AI harms to workers rather than existential risks.

As the tech sector sounds alarms about AI's potential to destroy humanity, entertainment labor groups are urging the public to stay focused on what's already happening. The Verge reached out to Disney, Netflix, Amazon, Lionsgate, and other studios who have started using AI, as well film startups focused on bringing generative AI into the mainstream to ask for their reaction to the recent warnings surrounding the technology. None have responded to our request for comment. The Screen Actors Guild - American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA) and Writers Guild of America East (WGAE) did, however. The AI tools used in entert …

The Verge 11h ago 5 min read

AI copyright

AI training built on fair use looks shaky when the companies' own people call it "astonishing theft" Opens at the publisher in a new tab

Internal communications reveal OpenAI and Microsoft executives called AI training on copyrighted work theft, contradicting fair use claims.

The Decoder 8h ago

Data centre regulation

Virginia governor creates an AI task force and moves to restrain data centers

Virginia governor creates task force to slow data center approvals and give communities more control over development.

The Verge 9h ago

AI safety, bioweapons

The specter of AI-enabled bioweapons is a wake-up call for biotech

AI leaders warn that advanced AI could enable bioweapon development, raising safety concerns.

MIT Technology Review 14h ago

AI regulation

California Governor Newsom signs executive order demanding "kill switch" for AI models

California governor orders independent auditors in AI labs and a kill switch mechanism for AI models.

The Decoder 6h ago

AI safety

If the AI Industry Followed Its Own Research, It Might Have Paused Already Opens at the publisher in a new tab

Anthropic CEO argues AI safety requires understanding model reasoning but evidence shows concerning results.

Wired 8h ago

AI security, government

US government website used Chinese model the FBI called "malicious"

Federal Register website briefly used open source Chinese AI search tool flagged by FBI as malicious.

Ars Technica 6h ago

World models, AI secrecy

World model companies are keeping a lot of secrets Opens at the publisher in a new tab

World model AI companies keep technical details and capabilities secret despite significant funding and interest.

TechCrunch 3h ago

AI safety risks

The Download: AI’s extinction risk and bioweapons threat

MIT Technology Review addresses questions about whether AI poses extinction risk and bioweapon threats.

MIT Technology Review 11h ago

AI lobbying

AI PACs Have Dumped Nearly $1 Million Into an Obscure Senate Race Opens at the publisher in a new tab

AI industry PACs spend nearly one million dollars in South Dakota Senate race.

Wired 8h ago

Your future hasn’t been written yet. No one’s has.
So make it a good one.

What Hollywood thinks about existential AI warnings

AI training built on fair use looks shaky when the companies' own people call it "astonishing theft" Opens at the publisher in a new tab

Virginia governor creates an AI task force and moves to restrain data centers

The specter of AI-enabled bioweapons is a wake-up call for biotech

California Governor Newsom signs executive order demanding "kill switch" for AI models

If the AI Industry Followed Its Own Research, It Might Have Paused Already Opens at the publisher in a new tab

US government website used Chinese model the FBI called "malicious"

World model companies are keeping a lot of secrets Opens at the publisher in a new tab

The Download: AI’s extinction risk and bioweapons threat

AI PACs Have Dumped Nearly $1 Million Into an Obscure Senate Race Opens at the publisher in a new tab

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