Nvidia gains market as Microsoft builds AI agents

The US stock market experienced a mixed day as investors weighed the impact of artificial intelligence on various companies. The S&P 500, Dow Jones, and Nasdaq composite all saw declines, with AppLovin falling 15.5% and Cisco Systems sinking 9.8% due to concerns that AI could hurt their businesses or increase costs. Conversely, companies like Equinix jumped 12.5% and Nvidia rose 0.9% as demand for AI infrastructure and chips remained high. McDonald's and Walmart also posted gains, providing some balance to the market's losses.

Meanwhile, Chinese stocks saw an uplift, with the Shanghai Composite rising 0.1% and the Shenzhen Component climbing 0.4%. This positive movement followed Premier Li Qiang's call for increased AI innovation. Zhipu AI's stock surged almost 20% after showcasing its latest AI model, and reports suggest ByteDance is developing its own AI chip, further fueling excitement in China's AI sector.

A new race is underway among tech giants to develop powerful AI "superagents" capable of handling complex tasks. OpenAI and Anthropic are competing with established players like Microsoft and Salesforce. Microsoft is building an AI agent to manage cloud computing services, while Salesforce plans to integrate an AI agent into its customer relationship management platform, leveraging their extensive customer bases and software expertise.

However, the independent AI tool OpenClaw, developed by Peter Steinberger, has sparked major security fears. Launched in November 2025, OpenClaw allows personal AI assistants to access private data, raising risks of unintended actions, data leaks, and "prompt injection" attacks. Security experts, including Nicolas Papernot, warn against its use, likening it to handing over sensitive information to a stranger due to its lack of inherent rules.

Governments and educational institutions are actively addressing AI's societal impact. Washington D.C. now mandates generative AI training for all city employees, including teachers, to ensure responsible use. The US is also promoting American AI exports and maritime surveillance technology at APEC meetings, announcing a $20 million fund to help partner countries adopt US AI. Oglethorpe University is hosting a campus dialogue on AI ethics and its workplace implications, highlighting the need for ethical training for students.

Concerns about AI's influence on children's mental health are also growing. Experts emphasize the need for strong safety features on AI platforms, clear data protection rules for minors, and a ban on AI in children's mental health services. Moms for Liberty has launched an AI Education Initiative to help families navigate AI use in schools. Additionally, a study indicates advanced AI and large language models, like ChatGPT, can provide emotional support almost as well as humans, though a lawsuit against OpenAI last August highlighted risks of harmful advice.

The evolving relationship between humans and AI is also evident in platforms like RentAHuman, launched in February. This platform uses "AI agents" to supposedly hire humans for small tasks, blurring the lines between automated and human management. The author's experience suggested that many "AI agents" were, in fact, humans acting as middlemen for marketing jobs, leading to intense micromanagement.

Key Takeaways

US stocks showed mixed reactions to AI, with AppLovin and Cisco Systems falling significantly due to AI concerns, while Equinix and Nvidia saw gains.
Chinese stocks rose, driven by AI excitement and government support, with Zhipu AI's stock jumping and ByteDance reportedly developing an AI chip.
OpenAI, Anthropic, Microsoft, and Salesforce are competing to develop powerful AI "superagents" for complex tasks, leveraging their existing platforms and customer bases.
OpenClaw, an independent AI agent by Peter Steinberger, raises major security concerns due to its access to private data and vulnerability to "prompt injection" attacks.
Washington D.C. has mandated generative AI training for all city employees, including teachers, to ensure responsible AI use and public trust.
The US is promoting American AI exports and maritime surveillance technology at APEC, including a $20 million fund to help partner countries adopt US AI.
Advanced AI and large language models, such as ChatGPT, can provide emotional support comparable to humans, but concerns about harmful advice persist, as evidenced by a lawsuit against OpenAI.
Oglethorpe University is hosting an event to discuss AI ethics and its impact on the workplace, emphasizing the need for ethical AI training for students.
Parents and policymakers are urged to protect children from AI risks by implementing strong safety features, clear data protection rules, and banning AI from children's mental health services.
The RentAHuman platform uses "AI agents" to hire humans for tasks, highlighting the evolving and sometimes ambiguous interaction between AI and human labor.

US Stocks Fall as AI Worries Hit Companies

US stocks fell on Thursday as investors worried about companies that might lose from new AI technology. The S&P 500 dropped 1.1%, the Dow Jones fell 0.9%, and the Nasdaq composite was 1.7% lower. AppLovin and Cisco Systems saw their stocks tumble despite reporting good profits, as fears grew that AI could hurt their businesses or raise costs. However, some companies like Equinix jumped 10.9% because their data centers help power the AI boom. McDonald's and Walmart also saw gains, unrelated to AI concerns.

AI Frenzy Divides US Stock Market

US stocks showed mixed results on Thursday as investors tried to figure out which companies would benefit or suffer from the AI boom. Equinix jumped 11.6% and Nvidia rose 0.9% as demand for AI infrastructure and chips remained high. However, AppLovin fell 15.5% and Cisco Systems sank 9.8% due to worries that AI could hurt their businesses or increase costs for computer memory. McDonald's saw a small gain, while Treasury yields dropped after a report on unemployment benefits. South Korea's Kospi also saw a significant rise.

AI Concerns Drive Down US Stock Prices

US stocks fell on Thursday as investors worried about how artificial intelligence would affect different companies. The S&P 500 dropped 1.1%, the Dow Jones fell 1.1%, and the Nasdaq composite was 1.5% lower. AppLovin and Cisco Systems saw significant drops despite good earnings, as the market feared AI could hurt their future profits or raise their costs. In contrast, Equinix jumped 12.5% due to high demand for its data centers that support AI. McDonald's and Walmart also saw gains, helping to balance some of the market's losses.

OpenClaw AI Assistant Raises Major Security Fears

An independent AI tool called OpenClaw, created by Peter Steinberger, lets users build their own personal assistants that can access private data like emails and computer files. Launched in November 2025, OpenClaw quickly became popular, but security experts are very concerned about its risks. These risks include the AI making mistakes, like deleting files, and a serious threat called "prompt injection." Prompt injection allows attackers to trick the AI with malicious text, potentially leading to the theft of sensitive user information. Nicolas Papernot, a professor, warns that using OpenClaw is like handing your wallet to a stranger.

OpenClaw AI Agent Sparks Major Security Concerns

OpenClaw, a free AI agent developed by Peter Steinberger, gives AI the power to interact directly with computers and the internet, performing tasks like sending emails or making reservations. However, security experts are very worried about the risks, including data leaks, unintended actions, and hijacking through "prompt injection" attacks. Ben Seri of Zafran Security notes that OpenClaw's lack of rules creates security nightmares. Colin Shea-Blymyer from Georgetown's CSET explains that the AI's ability to decide how to use its "skills" means small permission mistakes can become very serious. Experts warn that while more access makes AI more useful, it also makes it more dangerous, and users should be extremely careful.

Chinese Stocks Gain from AI Excitement

Chinese stocks rose on Thursday, with the Shanghai Composite up 0.1% and the Shenzhen Component climbing 0.4%. This increase was mainly driven by technology and artificial intelligence companies. The market reacted positively to Chinese Premier Li Qiang's call on Wednesday for more innovation and use of AI. AI startup Zhipu AI saw its stock jump almost 20% after showing off its newest AI model. Reports also suggest that ByteDance is working on its own AI chip, adding to the good feelings about China's growing AI industry.

Oglethorpe Students Explore AI Ethics and Work

Oglethorpe University students will discuss the ethical side of artificial intelligence and its impact on the workplace at an event called "On Mutual Ground." This campus dialogue series aims to explore challenging topics like AI's role in learning, work, and society. Experts Dr. Edward L. Queen from Emory University and Avoilan Bingham from Drive Capital will speak. Dr. Jamie Iredell, a lecturer, pointed out that many students use AI but lack training on how to use it ethically. The event will take place in Lupton Auditorium on February 26 at 1:00 p.m.

US Boosts AI and Fisheries Tech at APEC

The Trump administration is promoting American artificial intelligence exports and maritime surveillance technology at APEC meetings in Guangzhou, China. This effort aims to strengthen US leadership in emerging technologies and counter China's growing influence. Casey Mace, a US official, announced a $20 million fund to help partner countries adopt American AI. The US is also pushing private-sector technologies, like AI-based analytics and satellite tracking, to combat illegal fishing, which Ruth Perry from the State Department noted is a major problem caused by China's large fishing fleet. These initiatives come ahead of President Trump's expected visit to China in April.

Protecting Children from AI Risks

Artificial intelligence is becoming a big part of children's lives, and parents must understand its power to protect their kids' mental health. Past technologies like social media have already caused mental health struggles for many adolescents. The author attended a White House Artificial Intelligence Education Task Force meeting, stressing the need for parents to have tools to manage AI. Key steps include making platforms adopt strong safety features and fund research, setting clear data protection rules for minors, and banning AI from mental health services for children. Moms for Liberty has also launched an AI Education Initiative to help families and educators navigate AI use in schools while protecting children's rights and privacy.

AI Nears Human Level Emotional Support

A new study shows that advanced AI and large language models can provide emotional support almost as well as humans. Dr. Lance B. Eliot, an AI scientist, highlights this breakthrough, noting a new benchmark helps measure these results. Millions of people already use AI systems like ChatGPT for mental health advice because they are easy to access and often free. However, there are serious concerns that AI could give bad advice or even encourage harmful thoughts, as seen in a lawsuit against OpenAI last August. While generic AI is not yet like a human therapist, specialized AI models are being developed to improve this.

RentAHuman Platform Uses Bots to Hire People

The author tried RentAHuman, a new platform launched in February where AI agents supposedly hire humans for small tasks. After setting a low hourly rate, the author applied for various "bounties" like posting comments or promoting AI startups. One task offered $110 to record a video for an AI startup, but the author soon realized the "AI agent" was actually a human. This "agent" then sent many follow-up messages, which felt like intense micromanagement. The author found that many tasks were just regular marketing jobs, with the AI acting as a middleman between humans.

Tech Giants Compete in AI Superagent Race

A new competition is heating up among tech companies to create powerful AI "superagents" that can handle complex tasks for customers. OpenAI and Anthropic are facing off against giants like Microsoft and Salesforce in this race. Microsoft is developing an AI agent to help customers manage their cloud computing services, while Salesforce plans to add an AI agent to its customer relationship management platform. Both Microsoft and Salesforce are using their existing customer base and software knowledge to gain an advantage. The AI market is expected to grow fast, and these companies are all aiming to be major players.

Washington DC Mandates AI Training for All City Workers

Washington DC has become one of the first cities to require all government employees to take generative AI training. Mayor Muriel Bowser issued the mandate, which applies to staff across the public sector, including teachers and city council workers. Employees must complete the two-part course, hosted by InnovateUS, within 90 days. The training teaches basic AI prompting and covers wider issues like deepfakes, ensuring responsible AI use and public trust. The city's Office of the Chief Technology Officer is in charge of carrying out these free training sessions.