NYT: As Fears of A.I. Catastrophe Magnify, Washington Stirs but Mostly Slumbers

The drumbeat about unpredictable, out-of-control AI agents increased dramatically in the past several weeks. Washington not only struggled to respond. It barely could agree on whether there was much of anything to worry about. @sangernyt.bsky.social Dustin Volz www.nytimes.com/2026/09/13/u...

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...

The crazy idiocy of modern GOP. Does he not understand that the robots will kill us, not our enemies? “I’d rather they be American killer robots and not Chinese killer robots,” Mr. Cruz told Politico.” www.nytimes.com/2026/09/13/u....

I'm sick of this shit. Why aren't lawmakers putting "breaks and bans" on AI that is dangerous now, right at this very moment, like the chatbots that have already led multiple adults and children to kill themselves, as numerous lawsuits claim?

If scientists spotted a massive asteroid—far bigger than the one that wiped out dinosaurs—on a confirmed 2-year course for Earth, would people act? Of course. AI leaders are issuing the same warning—& begging the U.S. to regulate them. What’s happening? NOTHING. Unbelievable. shorturl.at/GICyy

Washington is scrambling to address renewed fears over artificial intelligence, as leading U.S. companies sound the alarm over technology they say is advancing beyond their control. Trump, meanwhile, continues to downplay the risks. www.cnbc.com/2026/09/13/a...

“[AI] development should not be steered exclusively by private entities, especially when the CEOs of those companies are calling out for restraint and regulation.” Josh Shapiro says… www.cnbc.com/2026/09/13/a...

[warning: is/ought distinction incoming!] ignore the source for a sec: it is *entirely* possible that we get some more illegal numbers at some point, and bipartisan effort to treat them like nuclear secrets, due to some minor catastrophe. open weight models _can_ be *dangerous*! [my pov? see img]

🤡 per CNBC: WITH A TOTAL APPROVAL OF 11% 👇 * Washington scrambles to meet calls for AI guardrails while window to act closes * www.cnbc.com/2026/09/13/a...

Still amazes me how they seem to think 🍊’s slumber and ineptitude as newsworthy. He is the greatest threat to America and the world - just insert topic, this time AI. #Pinks As Fears of A.I. Catastrophe Magnify, Washington Stirs, but Mostly Slumbers www.nytimes.com/2026/09/13/u...

I’ll tell you why: The authoritarian right is absolutely in cahoots with the mass-dumbification, mass-surveillance, mass-propagandizing project of much of big AI. Plus, since they lack actual creativity and originality, they like the slop they can produce with these “tools”

But when folks engage in that projection, it will necessarily lead to a few people taking it "too" seriously. No wonder, since the imaginary solution of projecting onto AI what are the properties of capitalism, does not solve the real problem if the climate catastrophe we're building

There are three AI camps: Those who think AI is an imminent threat. Those who don't. And those who couldn't care less. The reality is that one day, maybe tomorrow, maybe in a decade, an AI agent or collective of cooperating, self-organising agents is going to take control of a weapon system.

Pete Buttigieg: "There needs to be a kill switch on rogue AI."

Just Like The Psychopaths Back Before WW2 Yammering That The US Had To Develop A N00k Before Russia. The Psychopath Tech Bros Are Saying The Same To Justify Unfettered AI Because China. We Must STOP Letting Psychos Dictate Government. STOP Giving Them Contracts. youtu.be/hmZ2OdXdf3Q?...