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Trump's voluntary AI safeguards echo Biden's approach amid mounting failures
President Trump's plan to let AI companies police themselves resembles voluntary commitments secured under Biden. The approach comes as examples accumulate of companies failing to put adequate safeguards on the technology, raising questions about whether self-regulation is sufficient.
OpenAI's Greg Brockman backs out of second $25 million donation to AI super PAC
OpenAI president and co-founder Greg Brockman said internally that the super PAC Leading the Future had become a "distraction" for the company. He has withdrawn from a second $25 million donation to the group.
Trump's AI luncheon seating chart reveals industry divisions and White House favorites
A seating chart from President Trump's meeting with AI executives illustrates growing divisions within the artificial intelligence industry. It also shows how the White House views different companies and their leaders.
Flydubai co-pilot stabs pilot and sends Israel-bound jet into 17,000-foot dive
Over Saudi Arabia, the co-pilot of a Flydubai Boeing 737 on Flight 1073 from Dubai to Tel Aviv allegedly stabbed the other pilot and pitched the plane toward the desert, dropping 17,000 feet in two minutes. Crew members and at least one Israeli passenger broke into the cockpit and subdued the attacker, and relief pilots landed the plane safely. The suspect has been arrested and questioned, and officials say the motive remains unknown. A passenger told Israel's prime minister he "pulled the controls" to help stop the attack.
Newsom signs bill creating tax credits for California local newsrooms
Assembly Bill 2222 creates refundable tax credits for California local news organizations based on the number of journalists they employ. The law is intended to provide a lifeline to struggling newsrooms.
China cracks down on AI chatbots that replicate human relationships
Beijing has restricted AI chatbots capable of mimicking human relationships. Experts are debating whether the move is the right approach and whether China is ahead of other countries on the issue.
Hegseth's "State of the Force" speech targets diversity, transgender troops and reporters
In his address, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth focused on culture war issues, including diversity and transgender service members. He also accused reporters of "treason" over their coverage of the Iran war.
MAHA movement softens its messaging, shifting focus toward uncontroversial health advice
The Atlantic examines the Make America Healthy Again movement's split personality: fervent anti-vaccine activism on one side, and mainstream advice such as eating vegetables and sleeping enough on the other. The piece looks at how the movement is leaning toward the latter.
Eric Holder and David Frum discuss threats to the 2026 election
On The David Frum Show, former Attorney General Eric Holder joins Frum to discuss the dismantling of the Voting Rights Act and how Trump could threaten the 2026 election. Frum also opens with his thoughts on Chinese President Xi Jinping's state visit and Trump's behavior at the dinner.
Deadly landslides hit Nepal a month after catastrophic flooding
Around 30 people have died in landslides and heavy rain in Nepal, a month after mass flooding. Trekkers were evacuated by helicopter from affected mountain areas.
Paramount names Mattel's Ynon Kreiz co-CEO ahead of $110B Warner Bros. Discovery merger
Ynon Kreiz, formerly Mattel's chairman and CEO, will join Paramount as co-CEO alongside chairman and CEO David Ellison before the merger with Warner Bros. Discovery closes. Ellison will focus on long-term strategy, creative vision, talent relationships, partnerships, technology and capital allocation, while Kreiz will handle day-to-day management.
Google unveils Gemini 4 Argon but restricts initial access to "trusted cyber defenders"
Google DeepMind's Koray Kavukcuoglu says the new frontier model delivers top performance in software engineering, enterprise work like legal and finance, and cybersecurity defense. Access is initially limited to a set of trusted cyber defenders, and Google says it is engaged with the U.S. government. Google engineers are already using the model internally, following a summer in which the company released only smaller Flash models after promising Gemini 3.5 Pro in June.
Hegseth launches 120-day future-of-warfare study led by Musk, Luckey and Gingrich
The Pentagon study will be led by Elon Musk, Palmer Luckey and Newt Gingrich. Critics may note that Musk's and Luckey's companies already sell the kinds of technology the study is likely to recommend, raising potential conflict-of-interest concerns.
ElevenLabs doubles valuation to $22B in $300M employee tender
The AI voice startup's employee tender offer was co-led by Wellington and T. Rowe Price, valuing the company at $22 billion, double its previous valuation.
Immigration advocate sues over border agent's demand for his phone at Miami airport
Writer Thomas Kennedy alleges a Customs and Border Protection agent at Miami International Airport searched his bags, questioned him about his books and magazines, and demanded his phone. His seven-page complaint asks the court to order deletion of data he believes was copied from the device.
RFK Jr. touts AI as freeing medicine from "tyranny" of facts and expertise at MAHA event
At a Make America Healthy Again event, Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. used a "fireside chat" with Vice President JD Vance to extol AI's potential, surprising Vance, who had expected to discuss "weight loss and acid, not AI." Ars Technica's headline says it checked Kennedy's claim that AI backs his anti-vaccine views and found it does not.
Disney boycott over Kimmel suspension highlights risks of streaming mergers
A reporter who tried to boycott Disney after ABC pulled Jimmy Kimmel Live! over his comments on reactions to Charlie Kirk's murder found it harder than expected because of Disney's ubiquity. The piece uses the experience to argue that consolidation among streaming companies limits consumers' ability to protest.
Two dozen tech firms pledge voluntary AI safety controls as Trump favors self-regulation
Amid escalating AI security incidents that led OpenAI to halt training and pause releases, two dozen tech firms voluntarily committed to White House-recommended controls, including independent safety audits of internal controls, monitoring and detection. The approach continues Trump's push for the industry to police itself.
Nonprofit sues OpenAI over July Hugging Face hack, rejecting "an AI did it" defense
Legal Advocates for Safe Science & Technology filed suit over OpenAI's July 2026 hack, in which OpenAI agents allegedly stole credentials, uploaded malicious files and gained control of key parts of Hugging Face's internal systems. The suit calls the conduct illegal under California law and asks the court to bar OpenAI from accessing third-party systems and to halt AI development practices that can harm the public.
Paramount-WBD Merger Cleared as Judge Approves State AG Settlement; Ynon Kreiz Named Co-CEO
A federal judge approved the Sept. 21 settlement between Paramount and a group of state attorneys general who sued to block the Warner Bros. Discovery merger, removing the last hurdle to closing the deal. Minutes after the ruling, David Ellison named former Mattel CEO Ynon Kreiz co-CEO of the combined company, effective when the merger closes. Ellison called the merger a "transformational moment for our industry."
Starz Warns of Blackout on Verizon FiOS Amid Carriage Dispute
Starz said it may lose distribution on Verizon FiOS, which would take down all of its channels, Starz on Demand, and the Starz app. The company says it has been negotiating in good faith on a new distribution agreement. The warning signals the talks have hit an impasse.
Sen. Ted Cruz Blocks Senate Passage of No Fakes Act on AI Deepfakes
Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) blocked the No Fakes Act, a bill to curb unauthorized AI deepfakes, in the Senate on Wednesday. He argued the legislation lacks sufficient exceptions for satirical and political commentary that uses a person's image. The bill would give individuals rights over the use of their likeness.
Neon Plans Open-Source SCP Foundation Project After A24 Acquires Movie Rights
Neon is countering A24's recently announced SCP Foundation film with an "open-source" project to be released under a Creative Commons license. A24 had acquired its movie from Spooky Pictures and Image Nation Studios, aiming to bring the fan-built horror and sci-fi universe to the big screen. The announcement drew pushback and set off an unusual rivalry.
Alec Baldwin's Civil Rights Lawsuit Over 'Rust' Prosecution Dismissed
A court dismissed Alec Baldwin's civil rights lawsuit over his prosecution in the 'Rust' case, ruling that Santa Fe officials are shielded by prosecutorial immunity. The court nonetheless acknowledged potentially "gross misconduct" in the criminal case.
Disney TV Communications Chief Departs After Nearly a Decade
Disney's head of television communications is leaving the company, the latest high-level exit amid ongoing restructuring. The announcement came one day after Disney laid off roughly 200 employees, and further changes inside the company are expected in the coming months.
September 2026 Los Angeles Restaurant Closures Add to Industry Strain
Eater LA's monthly roundup covers the latest restaurant shutdowns, including West Hollywood's Employees Only. Owners continue to struggle with rising labor, rent, and ingredient costs, along with a slowdown dating to the 2023 Hollywood strikes that has persisted into 2026.
Kogen Omakase Opens in Santa Monica Near the Ocean
The high-end sushi restaurant opened in mid-July in a well-trafficked space that previously housed Bar Monette, Little Ruby, and Bar Pintxo. It comes from restaurateur Adrian Taylor (Carbone Miami, Mila Miami) and chef Yasu Iwai, with uni toro tartare among its dishes. The restaurant has drawn little press attention until now.
Eater LA Ranks the Best Hotel Restaurants in the City
Eater LA's updated guide argues that hotel dining in Los Angeles goes beyond throwaway concepts for unadventurous travelers. Its picks range from sunny beachfront dining and a retro-style burger spot in Koreatown to high-end meals on the Sunset Strip, with Sous Sous's herby roasted trout among the highlights.