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Pope Leo XIV affirms need for media when asked about Trump ban at White House
Pope Leo XIV told reporters they were welcome to cover him as he responded a question about the Trump administration’s attempt to bar U.S. media from the White House by affirming the importance of...
Pope Leo XIV affirms need for media when asked about Trump ban at White House
Pope Leo XIV told reporters they were welcome to cover him as he responded a question about the Trump administration’s attempt to bar U.S. media from the White House by affirming the importance of...
Jürgen Klopp Confirms Kai Havertz Scan After Germany Injury
The Arsenal forward was forced off during Germany's draw with the Netherlands, with Jürgen Klopp confirming a muscular problem and further checks.
Rob Pelinka Confirms Luka Doncic Influenced Offseason Moves
The Los Angeles Lakers have put their full trust in Luka Doncic as the face of the franchise. General Manager Rob Pelinka confirmed that Doncic was strongly involved into the decisions he made to build a team around the All-NBA superstar. Moves like adding center Walker Kessler and extending Austin Reaves to a long-term contract […] The post Rob Pelinka Confirms Luka Doncic Influenced Offseason Moves appeared first on HEAVY.
Tuscarawas County Health Department confirms West Nile virus
The Tuscarawas County Health Department (TCHD) warns the community on Thursday of a horse that tested positive for West Nile virus (WNV) in the Mineral City area.
First flu-related death of season reported in Clark County
Southern Nevada Health District confirms the first flu-related death of the season in Clark County. Health officials urge Las Vegas residents to get vaccinated.
Taylor Swift Just Teased the 'Patient Zero' Music Video and I Think It Confirms *This* Theory
Taylor Swift announced that she'd be premiering a new music video, "Patient Zero," a the VMAs this weekend. Here's why I think it points to this long-standing theory.
The Copilot+ PC brand is dead: Microsoft and PC makers quietly pull back on tarnished Windows 11 AI PC branding
In a new interview, Microsoft Surface CVP confirms that its new Surface PCs are no longer called Copilot+ PCs, but will still support all Copilot+ features.
Apple Confirms iPhone 18 Pro Bug Fix Update is Coming Next Week
Apple has confirmed to 9to5Mac's Benjamin Mayo that it plans to release a software update early next week with a fix for a Face ID issue affecting some iPhone 18 Pro users. Apple has confirmed to 9to5Mac's Benjamin Mayo that it plans to release a software update early next week with a fix for a Face ID issue affecting some iPhone 18 Pro users.
Fossil-fuel firms in line for billions in benefits after answering Trump’s donation call
Senators’ report says taxpayers face higher bills after ‘bargain’ between president and major polluters
New report confirms length of Arteta’s new Arsenal contract
Mikel Arteta’s new contract is set to last for the next four years, according to a report, with his backroom staff to extend for the same period.Photo by Stu Forster/Getty ImagesFabrizio Romano repo...
Trump SBA to Extend Comment Period After Ranking Member Markey Leads Effort to Rescind SBA Policy that Reclassifies Billion-Dollar Businesses as “Small Businesses”
Trump admin policy would reclassify 114,000 larger businesses as “small” to access small business resources and win federal contracts meant for small businesses Letter (PDF) (Washington, September 23) – This week, the Small Business Administration (SBA) announced its plans to extend the deadline to submit comments on its controversial proposed rule regarding small business size standards until November 20. The Trump SBA’s announcement came shortly after Ranking Member Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.), alongside 12 of his Senate colleagues, sent a letter to Administrator Kelly Loeffler demanding that the Trump SBA rescind a harmful policy that would dramatically redefine what a small business is. The Administration’s proposed policy would change the small business size standard to designate 114,000 larger companies some with annual revenue above $1 billion—as small businesses, giving these businesses access to small business resources and federal contracts typically set aside for actual small businesses. In the letter, Ranking Member Markey and the lawmakers emphasized that small businesses will be shut out of the federal contracting space as government agencies award contracts to larger businesses, causing small businesses to lose revenue, lay off workers, or close their businesses entirely. “For more than 70 years, SBA’s mission has been clear: promote and protect the interests and viability of small businesses. By proceeding with this proposed methodology and rule, SBA moves further away from its mission of facilitating healthy small business participation in the U.S. economy. We urge SBA to rescind these proposals, meet in earnest with small businesses across the country, and discuss the proposal and methodology with congressional committees of jurisdiction. SBA must be committed to developing measured increases to the size standards that do not reward large, billion-dollar companies but instead helps our small businesses survive, grow, and thrive.” The lawmakers highlighted the following points in their letter: Under the Trump SBA’s new size standards, the highest receipts-based standard would exceed $1 billion in annual revenue—more than 20 times the current $47 million maximum—and the highest employee-based standard would reach 3,600 employees—more than twice the current 1,500 employee maximum. Specific increases include an increase in size of nearly 492% for banks, 1,500% for law firms, and more than 2,051% for private equity firms. Of the 114,000 businesses that would be newly classified as small, more than 37,000 of these businesses have collectively won more than 100,000 federal contracts worth approximately $71 billion in Fiscal Year 2025 alone without a small business designation. If SBA included the awards won by these 37,000 businesses in its Fiscal Year 2025 analysis, small business contracts would have accounted for 38% of all federal contracts, instead of the 27% that SBA announced this summer. The letter was co-signed by Senators Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii), Angela Alsobrooks (D-Md.), Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), Christopher Coons (D-Dela.), Elissa Slotkin (D-Mich.), Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), Jacky Rosen (D-Nev.), Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Tim Kaine (D-Va.), Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii), Mark Warner (D-Va.), and Ruben Gallego (D-Ariz.). Ranking Member Markey is fighting to protect small businesses in Massachusetts and across the country from the Trump SBA’s harmful policies that put big businesses and billionaires over American small businesses, workers, and families. In August, Ranking Member Markey slammed the Trump SBA’s proposal to overhaul its small business size standards to benefit big businesses over small businesses. In July, Ranking Member Markey and House Small Business Committee Ranking Member Nydia M. Velázquez (D-NY-7) introduced a Congressional Review Act (CRA) resolution to rescind the Trump administration’s policy that bans green card holders from accessing essential Small Business Administration (SBA) loans to start and grow their businesses. Also in July, Ranking Member Markey and Senator Hirono submitted a comment letter to the Small Business Administration (SBA) opposing a proposed rule change by Trump’s SBA to the 8(a) Business Development Program that would harm underserved small business owners and entrepreneurs. In June, Ranking Member Markey released a new report highlighting Trump’s drastic reduction in federal contracting dollars awarded to American small businesses. ###
Why universities, law firms, tech, and media didn't fight Trump
Profiles in cowardice were everywhere amid the administration’s threats. Even when capitulation made no sense.
Euro zone business activity posts surprise upturn in September, PMI shows
Business activity across the euro zone accelerated this month at its fastest rate in over three years, confounding expectations for a slowdown, but firms faced a steeper rise in operating costs, a survey showed.
German business activity grows in September, PMI shows
By Maria Martinez BERLIN, Sept 23 (Reuters) - German business activity expanded solidly in September despite firms facing increased inflationary pressures, a preliminary business survey showed on Wednesday. The S&P Global Flash Composite PMI Index fo...
German business activity grows in September, PMI shows
By Maria Martinez BERLIN, Sept 23 (Reuters) - German business activity expanded solidly in September despite firms facing increased inflationary pressures, a preliminary business survey showed on
Latest Kyrie Irving Trade News Could Be Great For Lakers
The NBA future of Kyrie Irving could see a big trade coming in his future. A new report confirms the Dallas Mavericks expecting to start the season with Irving as the starting point guard. Most teams around the league forecast him to get traded in the near future. Cooper Flagg becoming the face of the […] The post Latest Kyrie Irving Trade News Could Be Great For Lakers appeared first on HEAVY.
State of Decay Developer Undead Labs Confirms 'Significant' Layoffs Following Independence from Xbox
State of Decay 3 developer Undead Labs has confirmed that it has had to undergo "significant" layoffs following its independence from Xbox.
New 'Injustice 3' Leak Teases Highly Anticipated DC Characters
A new 'Injustice 3' leak seemingly confirms two beloved characters are on the way for the unannounced game.
Xbox transfers Rare and Halo franchise to Activision, proposes closure of Ninja Theory and confirms another 268 roles cut amid studio restructure
Major staff cuts at former 343 Industries and other teams; consultation begins at Ninja Theory; Obsidian transferred to Bethesda, buyer found for Undead Labs
Pascal Groß confirms retirement from German national team
Germany will have one less player in the potential talent pool moving forward.
Most firms keep cash from tariff refunds, Fed study finds
The bulk of companies receiving billions in tariff refunds are mostly holding on to the cash, according to a survey released Monday by the Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta. Of
F1 confirms new Hot Wheels "Infinite Rush" car collection for 2027 release
Formula 1 will bring all 22 cars from the 2026 grid to the Hot Wheels 'Infinite Rush' video game in March 2027
Department of Health confirms case of Powassan virus in Rhode Island
A 60-year-old Washington County man, according to the Rhode Island Department of Health, has been diagnosed with Powassan virus- a rare tick-borne disease.
Bham firms trade Hoover apartments for $7M
A Birmingham-based firm flipped a Hoover apartment property after nine months of new management and renovations.
Opinion: When bigger businesses are reclassified as ‘small,’ small firms lose
Small-business policies should help small businesses grow. It should not redefine them out of opportunity, Dan Seals writes.
Memorial Healthcare System Names Shane Strum President & CEO
Board of Commissioners confirms permanent leadership following a two-year interim tenure marked by record growth and expanded access to care HOLLYWOOD, Fla., September 3, 2026 — The South Broward Hospital District Board of Commissioners has voted to name Shane Strum President and Chief Executive Officer of Memorial Healthcare System, confirming a role he has held on […]
Samsung confirms One UI 9 rollout dates for some older Galaxy devices
Samsung confirms the One UI 9 rollout date for Galaxy S25, Galaxy Z7 foldables, and S23 FE. Find out when your Galaxy receives the update.
iFixit Shares iPhone 18 Pro Teardown With Inside Look at New Features
iFixit today published an iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max teardown in both article and video formats, providing a closer look inside the new devices. The teardown confirms the battery capacities for the eSIM-only models: iPhone 18 Pro: 4,288 mAh (+0.8% vs. 4,252 mAh for iPhone 17 Pro) iPhone 18 Pro Max: 5,567 mAh (+9.4% vs.
North Bay firms urge Newsom to sign website privacy lawsuit reform bill
Contractors in Sonoma, Marin and Solano counties are among thousands of California small businesses who say website privacy lawsuits are costing them dearly as CIPA litigation reform bill SB 690 awaits Governor Newsom’s action.
Devin Booker Reaffirms Long-Term Commitment to Phoenix Suns
Amid rising league-wide volatility, the four-time All-Star embraces a dual role as franchise lifer and veteran mentor, intent on recruiting elite talent to spark a championship resurgence.
Diesel prices in Bakersfield top $8 a gallon, squeezing trucking firms and raising grocery costs
Bakersfield diesel prices are up 60% from last year, topping $8 a gallon and straining local trucking and farm businesses.
Andre-Frank Anguissa can leave Napoli, confirms sporting director
Serie A side Napoli have been struggling regarding a renewal for Andre-Frank Zambo Anguissa and there are signs an exit can go through soon.The Partenopei take on Fiorentina in a league clash today an...
AI agents can finally run your errands
Tech firms like Meta are betting users will embrace AI agents, even though they have shown they aren't always aligned with our interests.
Florida health department confirms dengue as Tampa woman's cause of death
The 80-year-old was apparently the first person in the region killed by the mosquito-spread virus in nearly a century. There are signs the Hillsborough County outbreak could be waning.
Samsung Confirms Free Feature Upgrade For Millions Of Galaxy Phones
Samsung has officially confirmed One UI 9 is rolling out to Galaxy S26 phones today with 11 new features. Here's what's new and how to get the update.
Teardown confirms US iPhone 18 Pro Max lacks Apple's C2 modem
A teardown of the iPhone 18 Pro Max has confirmed an oddity of the US-based model, in that it uses a Qualcomm modem instead of Apple's C2 chip.
iPhone 18 Pro Max still uses a Qualcomm modem in the US, teardown confirms
TechInsights has published one of the first in-depth iPhone 18 Pro Max teardowns. Most notably, the teardown confirms that the iPhone...
Arteta confirms Arsenal Pro Ref meeting
Mikel Arteta said Arsenal used the meeting to discuss the decision and wider refereeing issues after Dan Ballard was awarded a penalty against Ezri Konsa.Photo by WM Sport Media/Getty ImagesMikel Arte...
Insomniac Confirms Wolverine Doesn't Contain AI-Generated Assets After A Weird-Looking Sign Goes Viral
A funky-looking bathroom sign is the result of an in-game glitch and is not AI slop
Florida confirms a death from dengue as the state struggles with one of its worst recent outbreaks
Florida is experiencing one of its worst surges of dengue fever in decades, and the toll now includes a death. The Florida Department of Health confirmed the death Friday, though it didn't provide fu...
iPhone 18 Pro Max in U.S. Equipped With Qualcomm's Snapdragon X80 Modem
TechInsights has published an iPhone 18 Pro Max teardown that confirms the U.S. version of the device is equipped with Qualcomm's Snapdragon X80 modem. The device's modem firmware also points towards the Snapdragon X80 modem. The smaller iPhone 18 Pro and the iPhone Duo use Apple's custom-designed C2 modem worldwide, and the iPhone 18 Pro Max uses the C2 modem in every other country, so the U.S. version of the iPhone 18 Pro Max having a Qualcomm modem is unique.
Barcelona star confirms plans to retire at the club
All of a Barcelona persuasion will no doubt be delighted to learn of the latest comments laid out by Raphinha regarding his future with the club.This comes after the Brazilian revealed his intention t...
Postal Service chief confirms Trump mail-in ballot security work stopped
The chief of the U.S. Postal Service confirmed the agency has stopped its work on implementing a computer system that would have verified mail-in ballots for the midterm elections under an executive order from President Donald Trump. In a Thursday interview with the Associated Press, Postmaster General David Steiner said “we’re not doing anything” because […]
Zinédine Zidane confirms Kylian Mbappé’s role as France’s captain
The question of whether he would feature in Zinédine Zidane’s first squad did not even arise, whilst the one surrounding his continued role as captain of the French national team was quickly resolv...
Ex-Labour deputy leader Tom Watson joins Palantir
Lord Watson praises his new employers but says there are "legitimate questions" about big tech firms that "require answers".
The Blood of Dawnwalker Dev Confirms New Game Plus Is on the Way
The Blood of Dawnwalker is indeed getting a new game plus mode in the future, according to the game's director.
English midfielder confirms he's ready to join Liverpool
An English midfielder confirmed with his performance that he's ready to make the move to Liverpool. Well, Andoni Iraola has a problem. It has become very apparent that he needs a solution for his midf...
US sanctions boost China’s science-driven innovation by over 70%, study finds
US tech restrictions have driven Chinese firms to expand and deepen their scientific research sourcing through citations and research.
Cole County Health Department confirms case of rabies in a bat
The Cole County Health Department confirmed that a bat was found to have a positive case of rabies.The bat was tested after it had contact with a stray cat.The
'Sinners' star Wunmi Mosaku confirms she quietly welcomed second child
LOS ANGELES — Wunmi Mosaku has confirmed the birth of her second child — with style. The "Sinners" actor posed for photos with her two children, a then-10-week-old son and
'Sinners' star Wunmi Mosaku confirms she quietly welcomed second child
LOS ANGELES — Wunmi Mosaku has confirmed the birth of her second child — with style. The "Sinners" actor posed for photos with her two children, a then-10-week-old son and
Oliver Glasner Confirms Nottingham Forest Injury Boost
Nottingham Forest have been handed a fresh injury boost, Oliver Glasner has confirmed.
Bungie Denies Rumor It Plans to Merge the Destiny and Marathon IPs, Confirms Marathon December and March 2027 Updates Are Free
Bungie has stepped in to deny a rumor that it planned to merge the Destiny and Marathon IPs amid continued questions about the future of both franchises.
David Ornstein confirms Arsenal interest in Liverpool’s Ngumoha
Arsenal like Rio Ngumoha and hold an interest in signing him, but Liverpool are keen to renew the young winger’s contract, according to David Ornstein.Photo by Naomi Baker/Getty ImagesDavid Ornstein...
Monaco CEO confirms plan to sell Folarin Balogun in January
AS Monaco’s CEO Thiago Scuro has confirmed that the club’s plan is to sell Folarin Balogun (25) during the January transfer window, which would allow Lamine Camara and Aleksandr Golovin, both heav...
Wow, attacker confirms Liverpool have signed a sensational player
Liverpool have signed a phenomenal attacker, he just confirmed it. It's been a roller coaster of the transfer window throughout the summer. Looking back on it, two weeks later most supporters will be ...
Google confirms a dangerous Pixel security flaw was exploited by hackers
Pixel owners were hit by zero-day attacks
Fossil tooth analysis confirms Tyrannosaurus rex was warm-blooded
By using fossil teeth, scientists measured T. rex’s body temperature for the first time. They found evidence of an active, warm-blooded predator.
Tyrannosaurus rex was warm-blooded, new study confirms
The King of the Dinosaurs had an internal temperature similar to you.
NY Fed: Business activity declines, firms ‘not very optimistic’
The New York Fed reports a modest decline in business activity and a pessimistic outlook among firms in New York, northern New Jersey and southwestern Connecticut.
Award-winning Wertheim College teacher, healthcare scholar embraces visibility, FSU
He displays his love for teaching and his students on his office door and walls, reaffirms his dedication to life-changing research in his steady stream
Google confirms Pixel phones were exploited in ‘targeted’ attack related to modem
Google has confirmed that a “limited” number of Pixel phones were attacked by a vulnerability related to the modem on...
Samsung starts rolling out Android 17 with One UI 9, confirms initial list of Galaxy devices
After months in beta, Samsung is now rolling out One UI 9, based on Android 17, to select Galaxy devices....
Aurora Cannabis Provides Business Update; Accretive Acquisition of Safari Flower Company and Leading European Performance Expected to Fuel International Growth in the Fiscal Second Quarter 2027 and Beyond
NASDAQ| TSX: ACB Re-affirms FY27 Q2 guidance for sequential growth in quarterly net revenue and adjusted EBITDA1 Following the receipt of EU-GMP certification...
‘What do they know that you don’t?’ The question driving sports prediction markets
Your biggest competition in sports prediction markets operate like high-tech trading firms.
Inside the automotive supply chain: Empirical evidence from Italian business-to-business trade data
Europe’s automotive industry is undergoing a significant transformation. This column uses firm-to-firm data to map the Italian automotive supply chain, covering both direct suppliers and firms connected through indirect linkages. Around 40% of the value added of the supply chain is generated by car manufacturers, with the remaining 60% split between direct suppliers and indirect suppliers. The supplier network is diverse across sectors and regions of Italy, reflecting both agglomeration forces and long-standing patterns of industrial specialisation. It estimates that demand shocks to the automotive sector would propagate through the supply chain and lead to large network multipliers.
Pa. Department of Health confirms state's fourth measles-related death in Mifflin County
Officials with Pennsylvania's Department of Health are reporting the fourth measles-related death in the Commonwealth.
Pa. Department of Health confirms state's fourth measles-related death in Mifflin County
Officials with Pennsylvania's Department of Health are reporting the fourth measles-related death in the Commonwealth.
US confirms for first time it has deployed weapons into space
Analysts warn of an acceleration in high-risk arms race with Russia and China. in Earth’s orbit
Steam Deck 2 plans remain unchanged despite the ongoing memory crisis, Valve confirms
The ongoing memory crisis has forced several companies to increase the prices of existing products or rethink plans for future hardware. However, it seems it hasn't changed Valve's plans for the Steam Deck 2.
THE WEEK OF SEPT 14, 2026
- NSF confirms new grants approach - Universities review Chinese ties - House Republicans look into biosecurity
‘StarCraft’ Is No ‘Destiny 2’ Live-Service Replacement, Blizzard Confirms
'StarCraft' is a shooter breaking past its RTS roots, but if 'Destiny 2' players were hoping it could be a replacement for their dead game, it's not happening.
Sega Confirms Persona 6 Physical Release for Switch 2
Persona 6 won't be a PS5-exclusive physical release after all
The powerful millionaires hiding in plain sight
They own car dealerships, law firms, dental practices, and restaurant chains. Collectively, these overlooked business owners hold far more wealth than the Forbes 400 — and wield considerable political power.
The powerful millionaires hiding in plain sight
They own car dealerships, law firms, dental practices, and restaurant chains. Collectively, these overlooked business owners hold far more wealth than the Forbes 400 — and wield considerable political power.
First Major Cast Member Confirms Appearance in GTA 6, Seemingly Going Off Rockstar's Script
The first major cast member has confirmed his appearance in Grand Theft Auto 6, seemingly going off Rockstar’s tightly controlled marketing script.
Inside the pipeline enshrining Trump’s conservative legacy on the federal bench
Experience as a Supreme Court law clerk has long been a prized credential, now drawing signing bonuses up to $700,000 at law firms. But it has increasingly become a ticket to a judgeship of one’s own, ensuring that long after the current justices are gone, like-minded protégés will be shaping the law in America.
Blizzard confirms no more Diablo 4 expansions from now until Diablo 5's release
Lord of Hatred is, indeed, Diablo 4's final expansion.
Carney Pitches Canada to Global Investors as Trump Tries to Pull Investment South
TORONTO (AP) — U.S. President Donald Trump wants factories and investment moving south to the United States. Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney is betting he can make billions flow north. About 300 CEOs and senior executives from some of the world’s biggest investment firms will descend on the Four ...
‘Sweat the asset’: new development minister plots path to make UK aid count
Kirsty McNeill reaffirms Labour’s 0.7% of GDP pledge and promises value for money to allay voter concerns
Newcastle Confirms Lewis Hall News Before Leeds Game
Newcastle United spent much of the summer rebuilding around a younger core after several established stars departed, making the futures of those players remaining at St. James’ Park particularly significant. Lewis Hall has now delivered a major vote of confidence in that project. Newcastle has announced that the England left-back has signed a new contract […]
African midfielder confirms he's ready to join Liverpool
An African midfielder is now ready to join Liverpool. Among the many eyebrow-raising decisions Richard Hughes made during his time at Anfield, not signing a midfielder over the course of the last summ...
Testing confirms ricin exposure at Hastings apartment complex, health officials say
Testing has confirmed an exposure to ricin at an apartment complex in Hastings and residents remain evacuated, with some pets still left behind, health officials said in a Saturday update.
Two measles cases confirmed in Wayne County
Wayne County, N.Y. confirms its first two measles cases, both in unvaccinated people. Officials say public risk is low as contact tracing and isolation begin, with a renewed push for vaccination.
Testing confirms ricin exposure at Hastings apartment complex, health officials say
Testing has confirmed an exposure to ricin at an apartment complex in Hastings and residents remain evacuated, with some pets still left behind, health officials said in a Saturday update.
Testing confirms ricin exposure at Hastings apartment complex, health officials say
Testing has confirmed an exposure to ricin at an apartment complex in Hastings and residents remain evacuated, with some pets still left behind, health officials said in a Saturday update.
Testing confirms ricin exposure at Hastings apartment complex, health officials say
The Barry-Eaton District Health Department (BEDHD) has confirmed a ricin exposure at Tyden Lofts in Hastings.
Wayne County Public Health confirms 2 measles cases on Saturday
WAYNE COUNTY, N.Y. — Wayne County Public Health said it got confirmation on Saturday of two measles cases in unvaccinated people. These are the first documented cases of measles in Wayne County.
Husted Senate campaign fires political director after Nazi photo surfaces
U.S. Sen. Jon Husted, R-Ohio, speaks to the media following a roundtable discussion with local representatives from defense firms, educational programs and other organizations on Friday, March 6, 2026. CORNELIUS FROLIK / STAFF
Major companies to cut back on 2027 health benefits in blow to workers
Disney and Starbucks are among firms cutting health benefits for 2027 as medical costs continue to soar. This trend may mean you'll pay more.
County receives three proposals for data center health study
Multiple firms submitted proposals to conduct a study for Lackawanna County attempting to quantify the potential cumulative health and air quality impacts of proposed data center development here.
SC Republican presidential primary stays ‘First in the South’ as party confirms 2028 order
RNC officials confirmed this week that South Carolina’s GOP presidential primary in 2028 would stay the “first in the South.”
The politics and possibilities of ‘AI could kill us all’
I found myself fielding a lot of questions from folks who don’t usually talk much about AI this week. They were mostly along the lines of “do you think AI is going to kill us all?” or “how worried should I be about this human extinction stuff?” Motivating this wave of existential anxiety was the highly dramatic resignation of now-former Anthropic employee Jacob Coxon, who quit his job while publicly sharing his concerns about safety practices at the leading AI companies. More specifically, he declared that almost everyone at OpenAI and Anthropic, the leading AI labs, believes that there’s a decent chance the AI systems they’re producing could “kill us all” by the end of the decade, and the companies aren’t “acting responsibly.” Other AI safety researchers, including those still employed at Anthropic and OpenAI, all confirmed that yes, Coxon is correct, they’re all worried that their company’s products might prove fatal for the entire human race as well. Two more AI employees quit and joined the chorus. Now, the warning shot has been covered everywhere from the Wall Street Journal to Fox News to WIRED to the Guardian. I understand why all this sounds scary, but my response to those who have asked, has generally been: No, you don’t need to worry that AI will kill go rogue and kill us all. But that does not mean we shouldn’t worry, period. Far from it. The companies building AI products are now among the wealthiest and most powerful entities in the world. And they very much are building enormous engines of mass surveillance, extraction, and automation. They can and have allowed their AI systems to carry out felony hacks of other companies, provided the government with autonomously generated kill lists, and sold enterprise technology to firms around the world that is explicitly intended to replace jobs. But “AI” has done these things not because they have all-powerful minds of their own but, ultimately, because people have programmed, calibrated, and directed them to. In other words, it’s not AI we need to worry the most about. It’s the people and corporations working to profit from and gain power by deploying it. The technology is sophisticated, sure, and, especially in cybersecurity contexts, potentially disruptive to plenty of existing systems. But if we want to stop this predatory, profiteering, and extractive form of AI—and it’s worth noting that at this point, most people do—we absolutely can. A quick note/plea: I can only do all of this with the support of readers like you, so if you find value in independent, critical tech journalism and analysis, please consider becoming a paid subscriber. I want to keep as much of this un-paywalled as absolutely possible, and I need your support to do so. Many thanks to all who continue to chip in, it’s very much appreciated. Onward. Subscribe First, some context: AI industry folks like Coxon have been discussing the prospect that AI will destroy humanity for years. Even before the beginning of the AI boom, many working in the industry, from the executive staff to the rank and file researchers, have obsessed over ‘x-risk’, or the possibility that AI will become sentient or semi-sentient and move one way or another to exterminate humanity. This is ostensibly why Elon Musk bankrolled OpenAI in the first place, and is the grounds for his lawsuit alleging OpenAI betrayed its charter by abandoning its nonprofit status to become a commercial enterprise. Many AI engineers and startup founders have calculated their own personal p(doom), or the probability that the tech product they are working on will initiate an actual humanity-extinguishing apocalypse. 10-25% p(doom)s are pretty common. (I wrote about a long weekend I spent among these folks at one of their top conferences here, to give you an idea of their ideas and belief systems.) Sam Altman himself drove the narrative of the imminent rise of a super-powerful AI, or artificial general intelligence, to prominence by declaring that the technology he was building posed an existential risk to humanity. This idea is in other words baked into the DNA of modern AI companies and into the products they engineer. It’s also why the industry is routinely accused, by myself and others, of “doom marketing,” ie, using such proclamations and framings to impart the sheer power of the technology behind your product onto investors, partners, consumers, and the state. Some ambient understanding of this tendency may have helped prevent the press from repeating the claim every time one of the x-risk folks made it over the years, including when they quit their jobs at AI companies while doing so. Yet Coxon’s AI x-risk alarm has broken containment, as they say, and has exposed the idea to the mainstream media once again. This has happened, I think, for a number of reasons. First, when AI CEOs were going around saying AI might kill everyone in 2023, their companies were well-capitalized, but not nearly to the extent they are today. They were more easily dismissed as eccentric geeks of the sort that Silicon Valley is supposed to produce. Now, not only do their products have much greater market saturation, but people are more aware of a) the often unethical ways the executives and companies comport themselves b) the other adverse impacts of AI that have already arrived, and c) the physical cost of building these systems, particularly when it comes to data centers. Finally, toss in the constant stream of headlines in 2026 about AI models going rogue or potentially upending the world’s infrastructure. [ ](https://www.bloodinthemachine.com/p/with-the-backlash-to-data-centers) [ With the backlash to data centers, Flock and AI glasses, a mass opposition to big tech is underway. Silicon Valley is in denial. ](https://www.bloodinthemachine.com/p/with-the-backlash-to-data-centers) Brian Merchant · Aug 27 [ Read full story ](https://www.bloodinthemachine.com/p/with-the-backlash-to-data-centers) As a result, general sentiment was already overwhelmingly skeptical of AI and its overlords, so the table was pretty well set for someone to come along and say ‘just a reminder, the companies that are building the product that promises to take your job and leave a data center in your neighborhood also think that it might exterminate the human race’ and get a strong reaction from the media and the public. The question is: Should we understand this stuff as hype, strategically fanned to feed already swelling valuations? Is it doom marketing? Genuine cause for alarm that the infrastructure that undergirds modern life is facing a novel threat vector? Or reason to be sincerely worried that AI companies are amassing too much power, and that their products are genuinely dangerous? The answer, I’m afraid, is “yes.” Let me try to untangle all of this a bit, because arguments over how to navigate this moment are extremely heated right now, as they are essentially arguments over how to approach the politics of AI at a moment where there may be a unique opening for action. Those sympathetic to AI alignment concerns and x risk arguments—which increasingly includes a faction on the left who want to shut down AI over safety concerns—argue that people who dismiss AI as all hype have their heads in the sand. Meanwhile, critics of the x-risk narrative—which I might note includes a cadre of investors and tech folks on the right, too—argue that it is hype and can be used to further inflate valuations or for pursuing regulatory capture. The challenge is that many feel that dismissing AI as just hype or purely marketing also diminishes the urgency of taking on the AI industry as the novel and threat to labor, civil society, and the public sphere it is; others that by accepting the industry’s own terms, we imbue it with undue power and enable it. But let’s be clear: Declarations that AI is so powerful it might end the world are a kind of marketing, and anyone who says otherwise is just as off base as those who say that’s all that it is. If you don’t think that these sub-trillion dollar companies have higher-ups who noticed that when their founders talked about super-powerful dangerous AI they got spikes in media interest and phone calls from investors, or that those founders didn’t notice that themselves, and lean into certain narratives to advantage their products, then I don’t know what to tell you. Not all marketing is a Pepsi ad campaign with a celebrity spokesperson. Yet confronting the AI industry should certainly be considered an urgent project. Do I share the x-riskers’ fear that out-of-control, super-intelligent AI agents might end the world? I do not. I’ve read a good deal of AI extinction literature over the last couple of years and I have not come across a credible, step-by-step documentation of how exactly AI might move from self-recursively improving AI to killing every single human on the planet. Most of what I’ve read seems predicated on a sort of reverse Ian Malcolmian logic: Eventually, it becomes smart enough and AI, uh, finds a way (to exterminate humanity). Are the AI companies also overstating and dramatizing what their products can do? Yes, pretty much all the time. They’re in a knife fight for market share and are trying to win customers and government contracts before their investors come knocking. And yet. They have concentrated enormous amounts of compute, have extensive data collection and surveillance capacities, have inserted themselves into the state in numerous capacities, including military kill chains, and they are being run by egomaniacal billionaires who are rushing to monopolize an entire new market. The way I think about their most recent frightening-seeming exploits is not as a “swarm of rogue AI agents building a new civilization” or whatever, but as corporations with a hitherto-unimaginable amount of compute at their disposal recklessly experimenting with automation programs, completely unafraid of any repercussions because we have been unwilling or unable to impose any on them. So I think we should welcome any newfound imperative to hold them accountable. I also think that ultimately, the AI critics, Pause AI folks, leftists, doomers, effective altruists, and, honestly, most of the public, want a lot of the same things: legitimate checks and limits on AI companies’ power, actual transparency into what the companies are doing, and for more of AI to be under public control. (Ultimately, a lot of what animates the x-risk fears are rooted in just that: a fear of losing control.) How we move towards all this, exactly, is the question of the day, and while there’s much to be argued over in terms of building a viable political platform to challenge the AI industry’s power, I do want to cast a vote against one particular approach. Not to pick on Chris here, as there are a lot of folks out there proposing stuff like this, and the policy ideas actually stem from AI safety groups. But not only would this be challenging to land politically (I can already hear the ‘China will beat us to AGI’ calls) and all but unworkable in practice, this approach is a) far too limiting, b) fails to address the current harms caused by AI and c) would likely only wind up serving Anthropic and OpenAI; it’s what regulatory capture looks like in action. Full model transparency is the floor for what should be on offer here. If these companies believe their products will kill us, the very least we deserve is to know how. It’s in the public interest. I would also argue we might get a lot of the way to stopping any currently envisioned robot apocalypse simply by forcing AI companies to assume liability, and to submit to the full brunt of the law. If Sam Altman were liable to be charged with a felony for approving the hack on Hugging Face1, if Google was forced to pay defamation fines each time it published a false and injurious AI Overviews, these companies might suddenly find cause to restrain their models’ output, and we might hear less about rogue AI. We would need to introduce new frameworks and available tools for tracking automated lawbreaking, to be sure, but I’d wager that little would frighten the AI companies more than actually being held accountable for what their products enable. To that end, Illinois has passed an AI liability law, which the industry fought tooth and nail, and Florida is considering one. The next steps would be towards moving AI under public control; again, it’s only reasonable, since everyone, not just AI insiders, should get a say over how a technology whose developers say might kill us is developed and deployed. Dismantling the whole industrial project as currently structured should be on the table, too, pending democratic input. But that’s for another post. For now, suffice to say that while I won’t be losing any sleep about an AI-enabled extinction event, Mr. Coxon and co. have given us an opportunity to underscore the urgency of the clear and present damage AI companies are doing, the extreme power they wield and the extent to which they hold themselves unaccountable, and the abundance of political capital there is out there for taking them on. Subscribe 1 Purely speculative! I do not know if he did or not.
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