AI Force

Climate discussions in New York are being reshaped by two mounting pressures: rising energy costs for households and industry, and the surging electricity demand from artificial intelligence data centres. As negotiators and business leaders weigh decarbonisation goals against affordability and grid reliability, the rapid growth of AI is complicating plans to phase out fossil fuels, forcing climate policy to account for a new wave of power consumption.

Donald Trump has announced plans to create an 'AI Force', a new initiative focused on artificial intelligence. Details about the structure, funding, and mandate of the proposed force have not yet been laid out, and reactions are still forming as observers wait to learn what the initiative would actually do and how it would fit into existing government AI efforts.

Washington is pressing governments worldwide to align with the United States on artificial intelligence rules and technology, framing it as a choice between democratic and authoritarian models of AI development. But analysts note that China's pitch — offering affordable AI tools, infrastructure and investment without political conditions — may be more attractive to developing countries that want the benefits of AI without being forced into a superpower rivalry.

As artificial intelligence speeds up legal work, corporate clients are questioning why law firms still bill at traditional rates. The argument, reported by The New York Times, is that if tasks once billed by the hour are now done in minutes, clients say they should see savings, not just faster service. Law firms face mounting pressure to rethink hourly billing models as AI adoption spreads across the legal industry.

The US Air Force has taken delivery of its first 'robot wingman' drones, aircraft designed to fly alongside crewed fighters and be controlled autonomously. The delivery marks the start of trials into autonomous warfare, testing how unmanned jets can scout, jam or fight in tandem with human pilots.

The US military is expanding its use of artificial intelligence by introducing autonomous vehicle technology for the Marine Corps. The move is part of a broader effort to modernize US armed forces with AI-driven systems, reducing the need for human operators in transport and battlefield roles.

Technology companies are examining whether artificial intelligence systems could be granted certain rights, according to a report by the Jerusalem Post. The discussion touches on how rapidly advancing AI is forcing legal and ethical frameworks to reconsider the status of intelligent systems. The scope of any proposed rights and which companies are involved remains unclear.

Commentators are arguing that organisations are collapsing traditional divisions of labour as AI agents are treated like staff. They cite three markers: the EU AI Act (Regulation 2024/1689), which took effect on 1 August 2024 and imposes risk management, data governance and human oversight duties on high-risk systems in hiring, credit and infrastructure; enterprise software now giving agents employee-level standing; and the resulting shift of human work into supervisory roles. The debate frames this as a structural change already under way, not a forecast.

President Trump is reportedly assembling a new 'AI Force' and searching for a leader often described as a superintelligence czar to oversee the initiative. The New York Post reports on the contenders in the running for the role. The position would place one official in charge of the administration's most ambitious artificial intelligence plans, and speculation is growing over who will be chosen.

Insilico Medicine has signed a co-development deal worth tens of millions of dollars with an unnamed foundation-model laboratory, joining forces to apply large AI models to drug discovery. The Hong Kong-based biotech, known for using generative AI to design drug candidates, has not disclosed its partner or the exact terms, leaving observers speculating about which AI lab is behind the agreement.