New York City has become a flashpoint for AI regulation as Mayor Zohran Mamdani deferred oversight to City Council Speaker Julie Menin. At a hearing on Monday, Menin questioned representatives from OpenAI, Anthropic, Google, and Meta on issues of risk and safety. Company officials struggled to answer basic questions about how they measure catastrophic risk or whether they carry disaster insurance. OpenAI policy director Morgan Dwyer admitted she did not know her company's risk level and did not think it was relevant, drawing sharp criticism from Menin, who called the responses unacceptable.
Former employees from Anthropic, OpenAI, and Google DeepMind went further, warning the Council that AI could pose existential threats to humanity. Jacob Coxon, a former Anthropic engineer, accused companies of pursuing a reckless strategy of building technology they cannot control and fixing problems only after the fact. He warned that without stronger safeguards, humanity could lose control of AI entirely. Meanwhile, President Donald Trump has dismissed AI fears as a hoax and endorsed a policy of letting companies self-police their own practices.
The hearing comes as several AI-focused regulations are under consideration in the City Council, including measures that would require third-party safety approvals and provide whistleblower protections for employees who raise concerns. The developments reflect a growing tension between rapid AI deployment and demands for accountability from both workers and civic leaders.
Beyond the policy arena, researchers are working to better understand the physical tools powering AI. MIT's Lincoln Laboratory Supercomputing Center has published its quarterly LAICS survey since 2018, tracking the evolution of AI hardware accelerators from companies like Google, Amazon, and Microsoft. The latest paper examines over 120 accelerators, including CPUs, GPUs, ASICs, FPGAs, and dataflow designs. By comparing peak performance and power consumption, the survey helps organizations identify the most effective hardware for specific AI workloads as new startups continue to release innovative chips each year.
On the employment front, AI is rapidly automating tasks that once defined junior roles. New college graduates are finding fewer entry-level opportunities as companies deploy AI tools for data analysis, report drafting, and meeting note-taking. Experts say this shift creates a soft skills gap, as young workers are exposed to AI-generated errors before they have developed the professional judgment to catch them. Leaders are being urged to invest in AI literacy programs to help close this divide and prepare workers for a changing job market.
Public pushback against AI companies is also intensifying. A conservative nonprofit called Humans First completed a 35-city, 28-state tour with a bus wrapped in an American flag and the slogan AI Data Center Revolt. The bus stopped at offices of OpenAI, Nvidia, Meta, Google, and Anthropic in the Bay Area. Group chair Amy Kremer, a Republican National Committee member, said the movement crosses political lines and reflects concerns about AI chatbots harming children, job displacement, and data centers consuming farmland.
Protest activity has escalated further. Campaign groups report surging membership after a series of AI safety alerts and apocalyptic warnings. Pull The Plug, launched in January, now has roughly 300 members and disrupted a tech industry dinner addressed by a senior Nvidia executive. Other groups, including PauseAI Global, also saw sharp increases in volunteer sign-ups. These efforts aim to demonstrate that ordinary people can challenge the influence of major technology executives.
Security concerns extend to the tools used in AI development itself. Langflow, a widely used open-source AI app builder, has been found to contain a severe vulnerability designated CVE-2026-0768. The flaw allows submitted code to run directly through Python's exec function without authentication, potentially exposing API keys, cloud credentials, and environment variables to attackers. All Langflow versions up to and including 1.4.2 are affected, and experts are urging immediate patching, credential rotation, and stricter access controls for AI development platforms.
In the enterprise space, Cognizant signed a five-year extension to its technology partnership with Gilead Sciences. The expanded agreement adds support for DevOps and AI-enabled capabilities, including agentic AI tools. The collaboration builds on more than a decade of work supporting Gilead's IT infrastructure, platforms, and analytics, with the goal of simplifying processes and helping Gilead's teams run technology programs more efficiently.
AI's broader societal impact continues to draw mixed reactions. Benefits such as higher productivity and healthcare advances are accompanied by problems including memory chip shortages and harmful generated content. Tech CEO Mike Fey of Island described defense against AI threats as asymmetric warfare during a recent interview on The Claman Countdown. As AI companies like OpenAI and Anthropic continue to grow, the debate over how society should adapt to the technology's expanding role shows no signs of slowing.
Key Takeaways
- <ul><li>NYC City Council Speaker Julie Menin held a hearing where OpenAI, Anthropic, Google, and Meta representatives failed to answer basic questions about AI risk and safety.</li><li>Former Anthropic engineer Jacob Coxon warned that AI companies are racing to build technology they cannot control and could lead to human extinction without proper safeguards.</li><li>President Trump has dismissed AI fears as a hoax and allows companies to self-police, contrasting with growing calls for regulation in New York City.</li><li>MIT's Lincoln Laboratory has tracked over 120 AI hardware accelerators since 2018, including chips from Google, Amazon, and Microsoft, to help organizations choose the right hardware for AI workloads.</li><li>AI is automating entry-level tasks like data analysis and report drafting, reducing early-career opportunities and creating a soft skills gap among new graduates.</li><li>Langflow, a popular open-source AI app builder, has a critical vulnerability (CVE-2026-0768) that exposes API keys and cloud credentials to unauthenticated attackers.</li><li>Cognizant extended its partnership with Gilead Sciences for five years, adding AI-enabled capabilities and agentic AI tools to support Gilead's technology programs.</li><li>A conservative group called Humans First completed a 35-city tour with a bus protesting AI, stopping at offices of OpenAI, Nvidia, Meta, Google, and Anthropic.</li><li>Protest groups like Pull The Plug and PauseAI Global are seeing surging membership, with actions including disruptions of tech industry events and rallies at company headquarters.</li><li>Tech CEO Mike Fey described defense against AI threats as asymmetric warfare amid growing concerns about AI safety and societal impact.</li></ul>
Mamdani yields AI regulation spotlight to City Council Speaker
New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani has left AI regulation to City Council Speaker Julie Menin. Menin held a hearing on Monday where she questioned AI company representatives. The representatives could not answer basic questions about risk and safety. AI regulation is becoming a key political issue in the city.
AI company officials fail to answer risk questions at NYC hearing
New York City lawmakers questioned AI company representatives on Monday about technology risks. The companies could not explain how they measure catastrophic risk or whether they have insurance for disasters. OpenAI policy director Morgan Dwyer said she did not know the risk level and did not think it mattered. City Council Speaker Julie Menin called the response unacceptable. The hearing featured representatives from OpenAI, Anthropic, Google and Meta.
AI insiders warn NYC council of dangers and call for oversight
Former employees from Anthropic, OpenAI and Google DeepMind warned the New York City Council on Monday that AI could endanger humanity. Jacob Coxon, a former Anthropic engineer, said companies use a reckless approach of moving fast and fixing problems later. He warned that humanity could lose control of AI. President Donald Trump has dismissed AI fears as a hoax and allowed companies to self-police. The City Council is considering several AI regulations including third-party approval and whistleblower protections.
AI insiders warn NYC leaders about technology dangers
AI insiders warned New York City leaders on Monday about the dangers of artificial intelligence. Former Anthropic engineer Jacob Coxon said the companies race to build technology they cannot control. He said AI could lead to human extinction without proper safeguards. City Council Speaker Julie Menin pushed for new legislation. Top executives from Anthropic, OpenAI and Meta appeared at the hearing. Some companies said they are committed to developing AI safely.
Researchers track AI hardware evolution through quarterly survey
The Lincoln Laboratory Supercomputing Center has tracked AI hardware since 2018. The quarterly survey monitors AI accelerators from companies like Google, Amazon and Microsoft. Researchers use the data to understand the AI accelerator landscape. The information helps with research and acquisition decisions about new AI technologies.
MIT team tracks the evolution of AI hardware accelerators
Researchers at MIT's Lincoln Laboratory launched the LAICS survey in 2018 to monitor AI hardware accelerators. The team studied 57 accelerators in its first paper and over 120 in its latest paper. AI accelerators include CPUs, GPUs, ASICs, FPGAs, and dataflow accelerators used for machine learning and other heavy computing tasks. The team compares peak performance and power to help find the best tools for specific needs. Lead researcher Albert Reuther plans to continue the survey as new startups keep releasing innovative accelerators each year.
New college graduates struggle as AI takes over entry-level tasks
AI is automating tasks that once defined junior roles, such as analyzing data, drafting reports, and taking meeting notes. This shift is reducing early-career opportunities and changing the nature of entry-level work. New graduates lack the experience needed to judge whether AI outputs are helpful or inaccurate. This creates a growing soft skills gap as juniors are exposed to AI errors before they have developed the judgment to catch them. Experts say leaders must focus on building AI literacy and closing this gap.
Langflow AI app builder has a dangerous backdoor vulnerability
Langflow, a popular open-source AI app builder, has a severe security flaw called CVE-2026-0768. The platform's validate endpoint runs submitted code directly through Python's exec function with no authentication. This exposes API keys, cloud credentials, and environment variables to attackers. All Langflow versions up to and including 1.4.2 are affected. Experts urge immediate patching, credential rotation, and keeping AI development platforms behind authentication.
Cognizant extends Gilead technology partnership with AI focus
Cognizant signed a five-year extension to support Gilead Sciences' technology programs. The expanded agreement adds support for DevOps and AI-enabled capabilities, including agentic AI tools. This follows more than a decade of work supporting Gilead's IT infrastructure, platforms, and analytics. The partnership aims to simplify processes and help Gilead's teams run technology programs more efficiently. Gilead's Global CIO said the work supports their mission to deliver for patients.
Conservative group drives anti-AI bus through San Francisco
A conservative nonprofit called Humans First completed a 35-city, 28-state tour with a luxury bus wrapped in an American flag and the words AI Data Center Revolt. The bus stopped at offices of OpenAI, Nvidia, Meta, Google, and Anthropic in the Bay Area. Group chair Amy Kremer, a Republican National Committee member, says AI concerns cross political lines. The group warns about AI chatbots harming children, job losses, and data centers using farmland. Brooke McGowan, a former Republican congressional candidate, serves as North Carolina state director for the group.
AI and the Las Vegas apartment fire displacement
One person died and seven others were displaced after an apartment fire late Monday night in Las Vegas. The Clark County Fire Department reported the incident. The article is titled How AI will impact the workforce but the content focuses on this fire event.
AI brings both benefits and serious risks
The rise of artificial intelligence comes from years of technological innovation. AI has brought benefits like higher productivity and healthcare advances. It has also caused problems such as memory chip shortages and harmful generated images. AI became widely known in late 2022. Companies like OpenAI and Anthropic continue to grow. AI companies have not faced consequences for their tools. The article says society must learn to adapt to AI's increasing role.
Tech CEO calls AI defense asymmetric warfare
Island co-founder and CEO Mike Fey discussed his company's role in browser security. He spoke as fears about AI continue to grow. The interview took place on The Claman Countdown. He described defense against AI as asymmetric warfare.
Protesters take direct action against AI companies
Campaign groups report a surge in membership after AI safety alerts and apocalyptic warnings. The group Pull The Plug was launched in January and has about 300 members. Protesters disrupted a tech industry dinner addressed by a senior Nvidia executive. They also staged a rally at Palantir's London HQ. Other groups like PauseAI Global saw volunteer sign-ups soar. Protesters want to show people they can challenge tech executives.
Sources
- In NYC, Mamdani cedes AI regulation lane
- A.I. Officials Stonewall on Questions About Technology’s Risks
- AI industry insiders voice alarms to NYC council as local governments take up safety concerns
- Insiders warn NYC of AI danger
- Supercomputing researchers document evolution of AI hardware
- Researchers Track Evolution of AI Hardware
- AI can’t supercharge inexperience. New grads are paying the price
- The AI app builder your team trusts has a root-level backdoor
- Drugmaker Gilead gets AI support for selected tech programs under a five-year extension
- That flag-wrapped anti-AI bus in SF? A conservative group drove it here
- How AI will impact the workforce
- Artificial intelligence brings world to brink
- Defense against AI is ‘asymmetric warfare,’ tech CEO says
- ‘Pull the plug’: protesters resort to direct action against AI firms
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