Reed’s view There’s a groundswell of people in Silicon Valley and Washington claiming the AI doomer narrative sweeping the nation is part of some carefully coordinated “psyop.” I don’t buy that. Some inside OpenAI and Anthropic were “blindsided” by an apparent agreement over the weekend that both companies would slow ...
Month: September 2026
Fears about technology causing extinction are not unprecedentedFears about technology causing extinction are not unprecedented
The Scene A prominent researcher is warning the world is on the verge of a massive transformation thanks to the emergence of a new technology that could drastically benefit society or cause massive destruction. No one quite understands how it works, or whether governments should step in. It’s 1941 in ...
How Silicon Valley took over the military-industrial complexHow Silicon Valley took over the military-industrial complex
by Sharon Weinberger. Veteran security journalist Weinberger chronicles Silicon Valley’s takeover of the military industrial complex “in uncomfortable detail,” with chilling insights into the intricacies of drones, surveillance systems, and autonomous AI agents, as well as the CEOs and companies behind them. This “superb new book… describes how the US ...
Africa’s diaspora needs a bigger roleAfrica’s diaspora needs a bigger role
Yinka’s view The African diaspora is often discussed as a vast reservoir of capital and goodwill waiting to be tapped for the continent’s development. But that may undersell its value. The numbers are there: the broader sub-Saharan African diaspora in the US has swelled to roughly 4.8 million people, tripling ...
This Israeli election could be the country’s last – this week I saw that for myself | Jonathan FreedlandThis Israeli election could be the country’s last – this week I saw that for myself | Jonathan Freedland
Spend time on the ground and you see how high the stakes are for next month’s contest – for Israelis and Palestinians alike Candidates always say it, but this time it’s true. When Israel goes to the polls on 27 October, it really will be the most important election in ...
404 Media x The Intercept Live: How AI Is Used to Surveil and Kill404 Media x The Intercept Live: How AI Is Used to Surveil and Kill
In this collaboration with our friends at The Intercept, 404 Media’s Jason Koebler and the Intercept’s Sam Biddle and Akela Lacy discuss the ways AI is already used to empower private surveillance companies that filter data to the government, how AI is used in war, and the prospect of an ...
Behind the Blog: Eating the InternetBehind the Blog: Eating the Internet
This is Behind the Blog, where we share our behind-the-scenes thoughts about how a few of our top stories of the week came together. This week, we discuss just doing it, machines that eat the internet, and an eavesdropping watch. EMANUEL: It is a foundational, defining feature of 404 Media, ...
‘I’m telling the truth’: Earl Spencer defends Diana book claims about Charles in BBC interview‘I’m telling the truth’: Earl Spencer defends Diana book claims about Charles in BBC interview
Princess Diana’s brother tells the BBC’s Laura Kuenssberg that “we’ll forget her soon enough” were “exactly” the words used by the then-Prince of Wales. ...
Watch: Diana’s brother says Charles ‘went ballistic’ in phone call after her deathWatch: Diana’s brother says Charles ‘went ballistic’ in phone call after her death
Earl Spencer spoke exclusively with the BBC’s Laura Kuenssberg about claims he has made in a new book. ...
Yemen’s anti-Houthi forces launch inquest into sudden military collapseYemen’s anti-Houthi forces launch inquest into sudden military collapse
Rout raises questions about coordination and morale as some politicians claim billions of dollars were offered to persuade forces to abandon position A bitter inquest is under way among Yemen’s anti-Houthi forces as to how what was being billed as a decisive assault on Sana’a, the Houthi-controlled capital, suddenly collapsed ...