Industry
Trump announces AI Force and AI czar
US plans for an unchecked AI growth push include a new military-style unit and a top official, amid warnings from AI leaders.
YESTERDAY, STILL WORTH KNOWING
Still
Crunchy.
The US government and Nvidia clash over AI safety while hardware prices climb and Microsoft patents intrusive advertising.
US AI Policy Shifts and Industry Divisions
Donald Trump has announced plans to create an AI Force modelled on the Space Force and intends to appoint an AI czar. The announcement frames criticism of AI and data centres as a left-wing attack, while promising to use existing laws rather than new regulations to address potential abuses. Trump claimed AI could reach 25 per cent of US economic output and vowed to maintain America's lead. This proposal signals a potential shift in US AI policy, moving from calls for regulation to a stance of active industry support under a new administration.
Nvidia chief Jensen Huang has dismissed fears that artificial intelligence could spell the end of the world as overblown and irresponsible. In an interview with CBS Sunday Morning, Huang said there was a 0% chance of AI being the end of the world and criticised researchers and CEOs who have sounded the alarm about the technology's risks. His comments highlight a deep rift within the AI industry between those who prioritise rapid development and those who advocate for caution and regulation.
Hardware Costs and Security Updates
Acer's chief executive has forecast that personal computer prices could climb by another 5% to 20% in the fourth quarter of 2026, with the average selling price expected to peak around mid-2027. The company's chairman attributes the pressure to persistent high costs for memory and storage, even though some components like DDR4 and DDR5 are no longer in short supply. This outlook suggests that consumers may face higher upfront costs for new computers in the near term, which could slow adoption rates.
Microsoft has patched a bug that made Windows Security wrongly claim Microsoft Defender Antivirus was turned off. The issue was addressed in Defender platform update 4.18.26080.4, released on September 17. The false alert typically appeared at boot or randomly, even with notifications disabled, but clicking it only opened the Windows Security home tab where everything showed as active. Microsoft acknowledged the bug, though the lack of a single rollback update complicates troubleshooting for administrators.
Gaming Releases and Development Insights
A new Control spin-off, Control Resonant, launches this week, sending players into a warped Manhattan. This release marks the continuation of the Control series, which has been a popular franchise for fans of paranormal action games. The game's release in September adds to the busy gaming schedule for the month. Meanwhile, Total Mayhem Games has set October 20 as the release date for We Were Here Tomorrow, the next entry in its cooperative puzzle series. Players take on the roles of two Explorers trapped in the Norcek Facility, communicating via walkie-talkies to solve asymmetrical puzzles.
Rebel Wolves' upcoming game, The Blood of Dawnwalker, reportedly cost around $40 million to develop, according to Bloomberg. The studio, founded by former CD Projekt Red developers, self-funded the first year before NetEase stepped in with the budget and a 26% stake. The team has grown to about 160 people, and the game is set to launch in September. Despite the relatively modest budget, the title has already sold 1.1 million copies, suggesting that AA games can be commercially viable.