OpenAI Woos Trump Administration as Investor ↗
OpenAI is reportedly discussing giving the US government a 5% stake, potentially through a sovereign wealth fund-style arrangement intended to give the public a share of AI’s economic upside.
Sam Altman has apparently raised the concept with senior officials, though discussions remain at a very early stage and any agreement may require congressional approval. Other American AI companies could be invited to join - whether they relish that prospect is another matter. (Time)
Argentina's plan for AI-run companies can't avoid humans ↗
Argentina’s proposed “automated companies” could use AI agents and robots to make operational decisions, potentially creating a new legal home for businesses with few or no employees.
The futuristic element has its limits, perhaps unsurprisingly. Every company would still require a human administrator, while the business and its managers would remain responsible for any damage caused by algorithms. (Reuters)
SAP cuts hiring and travel to fund AI ↗
SAP is restricting recruitment largely to critical AI roles and suspending most internal travel as it redirects spending towards its AI transformation.
Customer-facing work and essential AI projects remain supported. Even so, the message is fairly blunt - AI investment is no longer an extra budget line; it is eating from the rest of the corporate plate. (CIO)
Cisco’s in-house AI assistant is a jack of all trades ↗
Cisco’s internal assistant brings together coding, HR, document search and multiple AI models within a company-controlled environment, partly to prevent employees from feeding sensitive information into unauthorised tools.
The platform has more than 96,000 users and 90% employee adoption. Cisco says engineers save about six hours each week, while other staff save five - impressive figures, though they are company-reported. (CIO)
AI prey: why watchdogs are telling parents to protect children from nudification apps ↗
UK child-safety organisations are urging parents to limit public access to photographs of their children, warning that predators can turn ordinary images into explicit material using widely available AI tools.
Reported AI-generated child abuse imagery rose 14% last year. Authorities recommend private profiles, restricted sharing groups and reviews of older posts - an uncomfortable burden on families, in truth, when safer models should provide the proper firewall. (The Guardian)
The $725 million cargo theft economy has a new target: Data centers and AI hardware ↗
Organised criminals are increasingly targeting shipments of data-centre equipment, copper wiring and scarce computing components, then selling the hardware through overseas black markets.
Investigators recently recovered trailers containing roughly $1.3 million in stolen infrastructure and wiring. The AI boom has made chips and server equipment unexpectedly attractive loot - digital gold bars with cooling fans, more or less. (Fortune)
FAQ
Could the US government really take a stake in OpenAI?
OpenAI is reportedly discussing a structure that could give the US government a 5% stake, potentially through an arrangement resembling a sovereign wealth fund. The proposal remains at an early stage and may require congressional approval. Other American AI companies could eventually be invited to join a similar model.
How would Argentina’s proposed AI-run companies work?
Argentina’s proposed automated companies could use AI agents and robots to make operational decisions, allowing businesses to function with very few employees. They would not, however, operate entirely without human involvement. Each company would still require a human administrator, while the business and its managers would remain legally responsible for any damage caused by algorithms.
Why is SAP cutting hiring and travel to fund AI?
SAP is restricting recruitment largely to critical AI positions and suspending most internal travel so it can redirect funding towards its AI transformation. Customer-facing activities and essential artificial intelligence projects will continue. The decision illustrates how major technology companies may finance AI by reducing expenditure elsewhere, rather than treating it as an entirely separate investment.
How is Cisco preventing employees from using unauthorised AI tools?
Cisco has developed an internal AI assistant that brings together coding support, HR services, document search and access to multiple models within a company-controlled environment. This gives employees an approved alternative to public tools that could expose sensitive information. Cisco reports more than 96,000 users, strong adoption and several hours of time saved each week.
What safety and security risks are emerging from the AI boom?
Current AI news points to risks affecting both families and businesses. Child-safety organisations warn that publicly shared photographs can be manipulated using nudification tools, while criminals are targeting shipments of chips, servers and data-centre equipment. Recommended measures include stricter privacy settings, more controlled image sharing and stronger physical safeguards across technology supply chains.