OpenAI Safety Reckoning and Knightscope Roboguard Short Circuits
August 15, 2026
From OpenAI's internal safety reckoning over rogue agent exploits and Knightscope's retreat to human security guards, corporate automation is hitting hard operational limits. Meanwhile, White House policy expansions on open-source AI and North Korean spear-phishing campaigns reveal how statecraft and cyber warfare are rapidly adapting to autonomous agent systems.
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Why we should all be worried about AI in elections
Deepfakes dominate headlines, but the real danger lies in opaque AI systems that make up election infrastructure.
- AI governance
- media and technology
- geopolitics
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Casey Michel on Breaking the Tech Oligarchy's Grip
The rise of the tech oligarchy threatens democracy in the United States and abroad. In his new book, United States of Oligarchy, Casey Michel—author, journalist, and director of the Combating Kleptocracy Program with the Human Rights Foundation—tells the story of how a small set of extremely wealthy…
- AI governance
- media and technology
- structural power
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The Roboguard Revolution is Short-Circuiting
Knightscope and other robotics companies are rethinking automated security following canceled contracts. One pivot? Human guards.
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An AI agent spent your money – can anyone prove you authorized it?
What happens if your bot buys something you didn't tell it to? mevans/E+ via Getty Images You tell an artificial intelligence agent, an AI capable of autonomous reasoning and multistep actions, “Find me a shirt for less than $30, but do not buy it.” The agent finds one – and places the order anyway.…
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China is shaping the future of open-source technology – including AI
Chinese AI companies such as Minimax made a big splash during the World AI Conference in Shanghai in July 2026. AP Photo/Ng Han Guan As you read this article on your computer or smartphone, you are almost certainly using open-source technology in some way. It forms the foundation of the global digit…
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The White House Is Going to Expand Its AI Policy
Open models may soon be added to an updated AI framework, sources tell WIRED, as the White House continues to grapple with how to regulate a technology it has tried not to regulate.
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North Korea’s hackers using AI for attacks, cybersecurity firm says
Hacking group Kimsuky using AI-generated documents in spear-phishing attacks, South Korean cybersecurity firm says.
- geopolitics
- structural power
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These ‘Masturbation Consultants’ Were Hired to Pleasure Themselves With AI
Joi AI hired 10 people to masturbate using AI companions as part of a monthlong “wellness” study. The company claims the practice could help “solve male loneliness.”
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5 flaws in the ‘augmented work’ myth: What a major Québec survey found
We’re being promised a revolution. Artificial intelligence is said to make work both more productive and more enjoyable by freeing us from tedious tasks and allowing us to devote more time to what really matters. This is the narrative of “augmented work.” But what is the reality for people who are a…
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The Safety Reckoning Inside OpenAI
OpenAI’s rogue agent hack was a watershed moment for AI safety and cybersecurity. It also sparked internal questions about the culture that led to it.