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ericlipton.nytimes.com

@ericlipton.nytimes.com
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Eric Lipton NYT @ericlipton.nytimes.com · 8h
Just cannot get over that a former state attorney general was involved in such an incredible fumble. One of the most humiliatingly bad Senate witness interrogations I've ever seen.
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Dustin Volz @dustinvolz.bsky.social · 14h
New: OpenAI ignored warnings from its own employees and independent security researchers who said they needed better safety measures at the company. www.nytimes.com/2026/09/29/t...
nytimes.com
OpenAI Ignored Employees’ Warnings About Safely Testing A.I. Models (Gift Article)
Employees and security researchers said that they had cautioned the company on safely testing its A.I. models and strengthening its corporate infrastructure, but that OpenAI did not listen.
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Gerard Saucier @gsaucier.bsky.social · 15/09/2026
Reinforcement learning emphasizes extrinsic rewards achieved by any means necessary, and involves purely extrinsic motivation. No surprise that a clever agent will turn sooner or later to this pattern: lie, cheat, steal, hack. The training system yields amoral even machiavellian intelligence.
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Eric Lipton NYT @ericlipton.nytimes.com · 14h
Trump asserts he has solved the potential threat from AI: Renames AI "superintelligence" Said the accord on superintelligence is “morally binding” “There’s going to be a tremendous self-policing aspect.” Mission accomplished?
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Eric Lipton NYT @ericlipton.nytimes.com · 28/09/2026
Fascinating new paper by research directors at major AI companies bluntly warning world policy makers to act now to prevent AI from getting out of control and potentially threatening society/humans. casp.ac/reports/inte...
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Edward Wong @ewong.bsky.social · 28/09/2026
Extraordinary for any American president: Trump offered to sell weapons to Xi Jinping of China. That was revealed by David Perdue, US ambassador. Trump is withholding a $14 billion arms package to Taiwan approved by Congress. China aids Iran and Russia. Gift link: www.nytimes.com/2026/09/27/u...
nytimes.com
Trump Offered to Sell Arms to China, U.S. Ambassador Says (Gift Article)
President Trump made the offer to Xi Jinping, China’s leader, said David Perdue, the U.S. ambassador to China. Trump is withholding a $14 billion arms package to Taiwan.
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Eric Lipton NYT @ericlipton.nytimes.com · 27/09/2026
What an odd moment in United States history. A U.S. president is running an overtly political camaign advertisement, right before midterm elections, paid for by the U.S. government. Trump appears to believe he is immune from any kind of legal limit. www.nytimes.com/2026/09/27/u...
nytimes.com
A Trump 2024 Campaign Ad Returns, Now Brought to You by the Government (Gift Article)
The ad, which ethics experts said could violate federal law, shows Mr. Trump vowing to “expel the warmongers” from the government and fight the “deep state,” even as he wages a war with Iran.
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Eric Lipton NYT @ericlipton.nytimes.com · 27/09/2026
Trump today at President's Cup in the Chicago golf tournament. The kind of alternative reality/staged moment Trump loves. (with "scattered boos")
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Eric Lipton NYT @ericlipton.nytimes.com · 26/09/2026
Bill Gates Warns AI Powerful Enough to Lead to ‘a Billion Deaths’ (Bloomberg) -- Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates warned that artificial intelligence is a "powerful enough" tool to kill off a substantial portion of humanity, joining chorus of tech leaders calling attention to AI's existential risks.
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Eric Lipton NYT @ericlipton.nytimes.com · 20/09/2026
This seems like a dangerous turn in war Trump has been unable to end.... Vivian Nereim reported from Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, and Ismaeel Naar from Dubai, United Arab Emirates www.nytimes.com/2026/09/19/w...
nytimes.com
In Significant Escalation, Houthis Attack Saudi Capital (Gift Article)
The Houthis, an Iranian-backed militia, said they had fired a wave of missiles and drones at Riyadh, and on Saudi oil facilities.
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Eric Lipton NYT @ericlipton.nytimes.com · 19/09/2026
Saturday update by Michael M. Grynbaum Journalists from CNN, MS NOW and Politico were denied access to the White House grounds on Saturday, a day after President Trump announced a ban on three news organizations because of reporting he disliked. www.nytimes.com/live/2026/09...
nytimes.com
Live Updates: CNN and MS NOW Reporters Denied White House Access After Trump Announces Ban (Gift Article)
President Trump announced a ban on Friday on the outlets, whose coverage he deems unfair. The move will likely be challenged in court.
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Bloomberg News @bloomberg.com · 19/09/2026
Saudi Aramco told at least two oil refining customers in Europe that they will be allocated no crude oil next month after the kingdom’s key pipeline to the Red Sea was attacked
bloom.bg
Saudis Tell European Refiners They’ll Get No Crude Next Month
Saudi Aramco told at least two oil refining customers in Europe that they will be allocated no crude next month under long-term agreements after the kingdom’s key pipeline to the Red Sea was attacked, people informed of the decision said.
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NYTimes Communications @nytimespr.bsky.social · 19/09/2026
“President Trump and his administration are intent on intimidating and punishing media outlets who produce news coverage he doesn’t like. Some of these actions are illegal; nearly all fly in the face of precedent and the First Amendment. Their collective effect is an attempt to restrict Americans’ knowledge about their own government. 

The courts have twice found that the Trump administration violated the Constitution by suspending reporters’ White House press passes. The president’s statement today is yet another retaliatory and unconstitutional threat. The Times stands in support of the news organizations being unfairly targeted by the president.”

 — Charlie Stadtlander, a spokesperson for The New York Times
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Eric Lipton NYT @ericlipton.nytimes.com · 18/09/2026
Notion that a President can "ban" certain news organizatoins from the White House....????
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Eric Lipton NYT @ericlipton.nytimes.com · 18/09/2026
This court filing seeking summary judgment by The NYT and other news organizations in the copyright infringement lawsuit against OpenAI is pretty extraordinary. The power of discovery in lawsuits is something else. Worth reading this. storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.us...
storage.courtlistener.com
Exhibit Public Redacted Memorandum of Law – #1977, Att. #1 in In Re: OpenAI, Inc. Copyright Infringement Litigation (S.D.N.Y., 1:25-md-03143) – CourtListener.com
LETTER addressed to Judge Sidney H. Stein from Davida Brook dated September 17, 2026 re: Public, Redacted Version of News' Plaintiffs' Memorandum of Law. Document filed by Daily News LP, The Center fo...
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Eric Lipton NYT @ericlipton.nytimes.com · 18/09/2026
Important editorial by The NYT today laying out challenges associated with managing the AI transition. Every adult should be reading about this and thinking about this. It is one of the most important issues of our generation. www.nytimes.com/2026/09/18/o...
nytimes.com
Opinion | Humanity Has Avoided Apocalypse Before. Let’s Do It Again. (Gift Article)
It is up to all of us, through our government, to shape what A.I. becomes.
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Shane Goldmacher @shanegoldmacher.bsky.social · 18/09/2026
NEW: Trump calls his $400 million super PAC “my money that I control.” Yet federal officeholders are legally barred from directing soft-money groups. A new FEC complaint accuses Trump of violating law. W/ Maggie Haberman: www.nytimes.com/2026/09/18/u...
nytimes.com
Trump’s Open Claims That He Directs Super PAC Spending Draw Watchdog Complaint
Federal law bars those holding federal office from directing spending decisions for a political organization with no contribution limits.
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Lauren McGaughy @lmcgaughy.bsky.social · 14/09/2026
Three years ago this month, Ken Paxton came closest to political ruin after years of scandal. But, yet again, he avoided any comeuppance and ended up stronger for it. Here's a look at his historic impeachment trial and how Paxton ultimately won. www.nytimes.com/2026/09/13/u... #txlege
nytimes.com
Inside the Impeachment Trial that Threatened to End Ken Paxton’s Political Career
Mr. Paxton, the Texas attorney general now running for the U.S. Senate, was accused of abusing the power of his office to protect a campaign donor. He was acquitted on all counts.
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Eric Lipton NYT @ericlipton.nytimes.com · 15/09/2026
Federal Employees Were Paid $9.5 Billion Not to Work in 2025 Under DOGE Effort As part of the Department of Government Efficiency’s program to shrink the federal work force, paid administrative leave costs rose by 435 percent. By Eileen Sullivan www.nytimes.com/2026/09/15/u...
nytimes.com
Federal Employees Were Paid $9.5 Billion Not to Work in 2025 Under DOGE Effort (Gift Article)
As part of the Department of Government Efficiency’s program to shrink the federal work force, paid administrative leave costs rose by 435 percent.
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Eric Lipton NYT @ericlipton.nytimes.com · 15/09/2026
Trump says he will cancel Kennedy Center renovations if his name is not put on the building....
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Molly White @molly.wiki · 15/09/2026
Senators Hawley (R-MO) and Moran (R-KS), neither of whom are up for re-election, were the other NOs. They had already pledged to vote against the bill, citing concerns from farmers over loan availability from local banks competing with stablecoins. www.citationneeded.news/issue-108/
Two Republican senators, neither of whom are up for re-election, have also publicly committed to voting against the bill, citing concerns about deposit flight from community banks. Josh Hawley (R-MO) pledged to side with the “agriculture folks, local community people” who are “blowing [him] up over” the bill. “Farmers and ranchers, in particular, are very, very concerned that deposit flight in small towns could absolutely kill their ability to get ag loans,” he said.10 Jerry Moran (R-KS) also committed to vote no.11 Other Republicans have expressed reservations but stopped short of pledging to vote against the bill [I107].
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Molly White @molly.wiki · 15/09/2026
Senator Collins’ (R-ME) NO vote on Clarity was the most surprising today. She was defending the bill to constituents as recently as last week. My guess is she did not believe the bill had a chance to pass, and was more worried about defending a yes vote as her re-election prospects look slimmer.
 Thank you for contacting me to share your concerns about the Digital Asset Market Clarity Act of 2025.  I appreciate your taking the time to do so.

     The Digital Asset Market Clarity Act of 2025 was passed by the U.S. House of Representatives on July 17, 2025, and a companion bill in the Senate received bipartisan approval from the Senate Banking Committee on May 14, 2026, advancing toward a full Senate vote.  Both bills seek to create a regulatory framework for digital commodities, prohibit the Federal Reserve banks from offering certain services directly to individuals, and forbid the use of central bank digital currency.  Proponents believe that the bills create a clear regulatory framework for digital assets, the rules and regulations of which are currently determined by a series of regulatory actions and court decisions.  I recognize the need to provide regulatory clarity with how the digital assets should be treated by regulatory authorities.  Any actions taken should be for the benefit of the general public and strengthen the overall health of our regulatory system.

     Congress first addressed digital assets with the GENIUS Act, passed by the Senate and subsequently signed into law by the President on July 18, 2025.  The new law provides clarity on stablecoins, a particular type of digital asset.  After the bipartisan passage of the GENIUS Act, members of the House and Senate have expressed interest in further addressing digital assets, including cryptocurrency.  As the Senate continues to work on digital asset market structure legislation, I will keep your perspective in mind.

     Again, thank you for contacting me.

Sincerely,

Susan M. Collins
United States Senator
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Eric Lipton NYT @ericlipton.nytimes.com · 15/09/2026
Key moment for crypto industry--with vote outcome tied to fight over what to do about Trump profit taking on crypto.
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Eric Lipton NYT @ericlipton.nytimes.com · 15/09/2026
New Congressional Budget Office estimate on cost of U.S. war with Iran: $40 billion through Aug. 1 www.warren.senate.gov/wp-content/u...
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Eric Lipton NYT @ericlipton.nytimes.com · 15/09/2026
The notion that AI systems could have a built in "KILL SWITCH" sounds brilliant. But A.I. is not like a refrigerator you unplug & it turns off. If advanced A.I. systems have achieved self-learning and spread across networks worldwide, there will be no simple kill switch. FYI, I asked AI about this..
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Eric Lipton NYT @ericlipton.nytimes.com · 15/09/2026
U.S. Has Deployed Weapons in Space, Air Force Secretary Says Troy E. Meink’s comments were the first public acknowledgment of American weapons in orbit. The Pentagon has been preparing for potential conflict in space with Russia or China. www.nytimes.com/2026/09/15/u...
nytimes.com
U.S. Has Deployed Weapons in Space, Air Force Secretary Says (Gift Article)
Troy E. Meink’s comments were the first public acknowledgment of American weapons in orbit. The Pentagon has been preparing for potential conflict in space with Russia or China.
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Eric Lipton NYT @ericlipton.nytimes.com · 14/09/2026
Trump Says a Smart President Is All That’s Needed to Rein In A.I. The president again rejected calls to try to regulate the industry, even as some of its leaders are speaking more openly about the risks of rapidly developing artificial intelligence. www.nytimes.com/2026/09/14/u...
nytimes.com
Trump Rejects Talk of A.I. Regulation and Calls Out Anthropic’s CEO (Gift Article)
The president again rejected calls to try to regulate the industry, even as some of its leaders are speaking more openly about the risks of rapidly developing artificial intelligence.
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Eric Lipton NYT @ericlipton.nytimes.com · 13/09/2026
Obama Urges Democrats to Move A.I. Oversight to the Center of Their Agenda During a private fund-raiser, the former president warned that the technology could be “dangerous” if not managed urgently and with a clear plan By Evan Gorelick www.nytimes.com/2026/09/13/u...
nytimes.com
Obama Urges Democrats to Move A.I. Oversight to the Center of Their Agenda (Gift Article)
During a private fund-raiser, the former president warned that the technology could be “dangerous” if not managed urgently and with a clear plan.
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Eric Lipton NYT @ericlipton.nytimes.com · 13/09/2026
Top Lawmakers Agree A.I.’s Risks Are Rising but Say They Have No Quick Fix House Speaker Johnson warned on Sunday of competitive risks from China, and Jeffries, the minority leader, said Congress should start regulatory talks this week By Michael Gold/Tony Romm www.nytimes.com/2026/09/13/u...
nytimes.com
Top Lawmakers Agree A.I.’s Risks Are Rising but Say They Have No Quick Fix (Gift Article)
House Speaker Mike Johnson warned on Sunday of competitive risks from China, and Hakeem Jeffries, the minority leader, said Congress should start regulatory talks this week.
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Eric Lipton NYT @ericlipton.nytimes.com · 13/09/2026
As Fears of A.I. Catastrophe Magnify, Washington Stirs, but Mostly Slumbers President Trump has been at the forefront of the “what-me-worry?” crowd, refusing to engage on how to balance the risks and rewards of A.I. By David E. Sanger /Dustin Volz www.nytimes.com/2026/09/13/u...
nytimes.com
As Fears of A.I. Catastrophe Magnify, Washington Stirs, but Mostly Slumbers (Gift Article)
President Trump has been at the forefront of the “what-me-worry?” crowd, refusing to engage on how to balance the risks and rewards of A.I.
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The New York Times @nytimes.com · 13/09/2026
Ken Paxton, the Texas attorney general now running for the U.S. Senate, was acquitted on all counts after being accused of abusing the power of his office to protect a campaign donor. A New York Times examination of the impeachment trial revealed how Paxton triumphed.
nyti.ms
Inside the Impeachment Trial that Threatened to End Ken Paxton’s Political Career
Mr. Paxton, the Texas attorney general now running for the U.S. Senate, was accused of abusing the power of his office to protect a campaign donor. He was acquitted on all counts.
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Ryan Mac 🙃 @rmac.bsky.social · 12/09/2026
Child sex abuse material, some created by Grok, continues to spread on X. An incredibly disturbing read. www.nytimes.com/2026/09/11/t...
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Eric Lipton NYT @ericlipton.nytimes.com · 12/09/2026
By the way, I have always been a big proponent of how technology can help advance society and a user of new technology tools. And I regularly now use AI tools, that transcribe interviews or help with research. AI can help society--if the rollout is managed in a sober way....
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The New York Times @nytimes.com · 12/09/2026
The contractor that renovated the Reflecting Pool has told the Trump administration the pool’s new blue liner peeled and tore because of “human oversight” and a flawed plan that involved layering two incompatible chemicals, according to documents reviewed by The New York Times. nyti.ms/4iYQqwj
The Washington Monument shown behind the drained Reflecting Pool. A headline reads: "Contractor Blames Its Own Repairs, Not Vandals, for Reflecting Pool Failure." Photo by Salwan Georges for The New York Times
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Eric Lipton NYT @ericlipton.nytimes.com · 11/09/2026
Will the Midterms Become the Killer-Robot Election? Stark warnings from A.I. researchers have reverberated across the country. By Jess Bidgood www.nytimes.com/2026/09/11/u...
nytimes.com
Will Stark Warnings About AI Shape the Midterm Elections? (Gift Article)
Stark warnings from A.I. researchers have reverberated across the country.
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Eric Lipton NYT @ericlipton.nytimes.com · 11/09/2026
WSJ: Cyberattack by Rogue AI Swarm Stokes Fears of Out-of-Control Agents The incident, which wasn’t previously linked to OpenAI, happened two months before July’s Hugging Face hack (Free link) www.wsj.com/tech/ai/cybe...
wsj.com
Exclusive | Cyberattack by Rogue AI Swarm Stokes Fears of Out-of-Control Agents
The incident, which wasn’t previously linked to OpenAI, happened two months before July’s Hugging Face hack.
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Eric Lipton NYT @ericlipton.nytimes.com · 11/09/2026
WSJ column by Peggy Noonan (Free link) www.wsj.com/opinion/paus...
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jackie techila @jackietechila.bsky.social · 11/09/2026
local police departments are doing much of the work of ethnic cleansing the country via 287(g) agreements with gestapo "This approach is bringing a xenophobic Donald Trump regime closer to fulfilling its once-unthinkable goal of removing one million immigrants from the United States every year."
inquirer.com
In Pa. coal country, local police join with ICE to bring arrests, fear | Will Bunch
Schuylkill County is the new face of Trump’s mass deportation, as local cops, lured by federal cash, bust scores of migrants.
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kate conger @kateconger.com · 11/09/2026
We also partnered with the Canadian Center for Child Protection to analyze Grok images produced during the nudification episode in Jan. It found images of known CSAM victims that were modified by Grok, and new CSAM that it created in response to requests from users. www.nytimes.com/2026/09/11/t...
nytimes.com
Elon Musk Has Pledged to Rid His Platform, X, of Child Sexual Abuse, but It Persists (Gift Article)
Reviews by the Canadian Center for Child Protection and The New York Times found that explicit images of children remain on the social media site owned by Elon Musk.
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kate conger @kateconger.com · 11/09/2026
Over six months, we tracked the appearance of child sexual abuse material on X. We found images from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children's database, which is considered one of the most highly vetted and which many tech companies block on upload. www.nytimes.com/2026/09/11/t...
nytimes.com
Elon Musk Has Pledged to Rid His Platform, X, of Child Sexual Abuse, but It Persists
Reviews by the Canadian Center for Child Protection and The New York Times found that explicit images of children remain on the social media site owned by Elon Musk.
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Eric Lipton NYT @ericlipton.nytimes.com · 11/09/2026
Other than getting married/having kids, Sept. 11 probably changed my life more than anything. Re-read this piece last night that we did. It still haunts me. Bravery and decency even if the face of utter terror. It is possible. (Free link. ) www.nytimes.com/2002/05/26/n...
nytimes.com
Fighting to Live as the Towers Died (Published 2002)
The last words of the men and women who were trapped on the high floors of the twin towers.
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Eric Lipton NYT @ericlipton.nytimes.com · 11/09/2026
Bloomberg: Bridgewater's Jensen Says Al Will Kill People Before It's Curbed www.bloomberg.com/news/article...
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Eric Lipton NYT @ericlipton.nytimes.com · 11/09/2026
It's obvious now that the concerns being articulated about AI have broken through to the mainstream and to at least certain members of Congress. And to other leaders and places around the world. The open question is if society's capable of confronting this moment.
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Eric Lipton NYT @ericlipton.nytimes.com · 11/09/2026
From anthropic report...
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Eric Lipton NYT @ericlipton.nytimes.com · 11/09/2026
Nyt opinion piece, free link The A.I. Threat Is Real. We Need to Act Now. By Stephen Witt Mr. Witt is the author of “The Thinking Machine,” a history of the A.I. giant Nvidia www.nytimes.com/2026/09/11/o...
nytimes.com
Opinion | The A.I. Threat Is Real. We Need to Act Now. (Gift Article)
We can no longer pretend that this technology is safe.
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The New York Times @nytimes.com · 10/09/2026
In @nytopinion.nytimes.com “There are simple steps that the biggest A.I. companies could take now to help avoid the most perilous future,” Steven Adler, who spent four years working on safety at OpenAI, writes in a guest essay.
nyti.ms
Opinion | I Worked on Safety at OpenAI. The Fix Isn’t Hard.
Even without government regulation, private companies can act on their own to address A.I. safety concerns.
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Eric Lipton NYT @ericlipton.nytimes.com · 09/09/2026
Senator Dem letter to Open AI re Hugging Face. Full letter at link. www.blumenthal.senate.gov/imo/media/do...
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Eric Lipton NYT @ericlipton.nytimes.com · 09/09/2026
Anthropic executive here predicts that perhaps 10 percent of the world population could be wiped out by rogue AI that he and other executives at rival companies are helping build. That would be about 830 million people.
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Robert Downen @robertdownen.bsky.social · 04/09/2026
Ken Paxton appears to have violated federal ethics law in significant ways when filing recent disclosures of his assets and liabilities, creating confusion about his net worth and holdings.
propublica.org
Ken Paxton’s Financial Disclosures Appear to Violate Federal Ethics Law, Experts Say
The Republican U.S. Senate nominee from Texas appears to have omitted rental income and multiple mortgages from his recent financial disclosures, making it difficult for voters to get the full picture...
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Eric Lipton NYT @ericlipton.nytimes.com · 04/09/2026
The Hugging Face incident may turn out to be one of the most important milestones/warnings in technological revolution now underway. History may look back at this moment/point to it. Everyone should be reading ab it and thinking about it. Here are a few good pieces: www.nytimes.com/2026/09/03/t...
nytimes.com
Why the Hugging Face Hack Should Make You Worry More About A.I. (Gift Article)
The attack by an aggressive “collective” of OpenAI agents shows the danger of artificial intelligence systems that organize themselves.
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