The daily rap sheet of the machine age.
7 items
A US House Select Committee on the CCP report says up to 85 percent of DeepSeek's responses are altered or suppressed to suit CCP narratives, calls the chatbot a "profound threat" to US security, and alleges it channels US user data to the CCP via infrastructure tied to China Mobile. It deems unauthorized model distillation "highly likely".
Original report: House report says DeepSeek bends up to 85% of answers to Party line
The House Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party opened an investigation on April 16 into whether Nvidia knowingly provided DeepSeek with critical AI technology, potentially in violation of US rules. The committee says DeepSeek may have circumvented chip restrictions via intermediaries in Singapore. According to three people with knowledge, the Trump administration is debating barring Americans' access to DeepSeek's services.
Original report: House China committee opens probe into Nvidia chips reaching DeepSeek
Nearly 50 House Democrats wrote to the White House budget office on Wednesday urging the Trump administration to stop using AI systems lacking formal approval such as FedRAMP, citing reported employee monitoring and DOGE's access to sensitive data. They asked whether Musk's xAI technology was in use and warned of conflicts of interest; the OMB did not immediately respond.
Original report: House Democrats urge halt to any unapproved AI use by DOGE
A TikTok user posted an AI-generated 'starter pack' figurine image of a rape survivor, complete with props alluding to her abuse and a link to a 'libertine' dating site. The post drew 30,000 views and accusations that it condoned rape; TikTok told Tech&Co it banned the account for breaking its community rules.
Original report: TikTok bans account behind AI 'starter pack' mocking rape survivor
Telangana police served IAS officer Smita Sabharwal a notice under Section 179 of the BNSS for reposting, on 31 March, an AI-generated Ghibli-style image of bulldozers at the University of Hyderabad's Mushroom Rock amid protests over 400 acres of Kancha Gachibowli land. Officials allege such visuals were used to mislead the public; police confirmed the notice on 16 April.
Original report: Telangana police serve IAS officer notice over AI Ghibli image
Santa Catarina's Court of Justice on 16 April 2025 denied a habeas corpus petition it found drafted with AI by lawyer Micaelson Gelhen: of three Superior Court of Justice rulings cited, only one matched a real case, and the quoted passages did not remotely reflect what was decided. Calling it 'a complete disaster', judges sent the file to the bar's ethics tribunal.
Original report: Brazilian court denies AI-drafted habeas plea, refers lawyer to bar
South Korean actor Simon Lee told AFP his licensed AI avatar, sometimes posing as a gynaecologist or surgeon, promoted questionable health cures on TikTok and Instagram, and his contract barred him from getting the videos removed. British actor Connor Yeates found his Synthesia avatar promoting Burkina Faso's coup-installed president; Synthesia says some videos slipped its moderation.
Original report: Actors who licensed likenesses find AI clones pushing dubious cures, propaganda
