AI researcher warns companies are ignoring catastrophic risks

In our news wrap Tuesday, Senate Democrats blocked a bill that would have introduced sweeping regulations for cryptocurrencies saying it needs stronger safeguards to prevent the president and other officials from profiting while in office, Kash Patel defended his handling of the FBI during a nearly five-hour Senate hearing and the U.S. military has confirmed it has weapons in space. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy

The warnings about artificial intelligence are growing more urgent, and increasingly, they're coming from inside the industry. AI researchers have resigned over safety concerns, while some of the field's prominent leaders are calling for stronger government oversight. But Congress has yet to agree on meaningful safeguards. Geoff Bennett discussed more with Democratic Sen. Mark Warner of Virginia. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy

Rising seas, stronger storms and relentless erosion are reshaping America's coastlines and forcing communities to make difficult choices. Special correspondent Ben Tracy of Climate Central has the story of two Atlantic coast communities grappling with erosion. It's part of our Tipping Point series. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy

President Trump rejected calls for greater oversight of artificial intelligence despite the dire warnings of some in the industry. The president's pushback comes after Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei published an essay arguing for a slowdown across leading AI companies, warning rapid advances in the technology now pose an existential threat to society. Amna Nawaz discussed more with Stephen Witt. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy

In our news wrap Monday, officials at the Kennedy Center are warning of "certain fiscal collapse" unless President Trump's name is added to the exterior of the building, several state election officials tell the News Hour they are bracing for uncertainty over mail-in ballots ahead of the midterms and NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte condemned Russia's attacks near Ukraine's border with Poland. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy

The EPA announced it is repealing rules limiting greenhouse gas emissions from coal and gas-fired power plants. The move eliminates requirements that would have forced some power plants to sharply reduce their emissions, including through technologies such as carbon capture and storage. Geoff Bennett discussed what this rollback means with Vickie Patton of the Environmental Defense Fund. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy

It's now believed that more people have died because of the toxic exposures they got from the 9/11 sites than were killed by the terrorists on that day. Survivors, first responders and volunteers have faced everything from cancer to respiratory disorders to PTSD. Horizons moderator William Brangham explores the long-term health impacts with Dr. Michael Crane, Dr. Benjamin Luft and John Feal. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy

In our news wrap Friday, the Labor Department reported that consumer prices rose 3.4% in August when compared to last year, the inflation report is fueling speculation that the Fed will raise interest rates, U.S. health officials declared an end to the cyclospora outbreak and a British official says more than half a million Russian troops have been killed since the start of the Ukraine invasion. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy

In our news wrap Thursday, the Supreme Court again rejected a Republican push for a new congressional map in Missouri that could have helped Republicans pick up a seat, climate scientists say August was the hottest month ever recorded globally and thousands of drones in New York recreated the Twin Towers as the city prepares to mark 25 years since the Sept. 11 attacks. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy

Concerns about the risks of artificial intelligence, and whether the companies building it are doing enough to keep it safe, have erupted across the tech world. Jacob Coxon, who previously worked at Anthropic and OpenAI, wrote that the industry understands the potential risks but is moving ahead anyway. Geoff Bennett discussed more with Amrith Ramkumar of The Wall Street Journal. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy