Washington Technology

Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates has warned that if artificial intelligence development goes wrong, it could lead to as many as a billion deaths, according to a Washington Post report. Gates, who has been one of AI's most prominent backers while also urging caution about its risks, framed the stakes of getting the technology's development and control wrong in starkly human terms.

US House Speaker Mike Johnson says a meeting between President Trump and leading technology chief executives will focus on finding balance in the government's approach to artificial intelligence. The talks are expected to weigh innovation and commercial interests against safety and regulatory concerns, as Washington comes under pressure to set a clearer national direction on AI.

Former President Donald Trump and Speaker Mike Johnson are set to meet with technology CEOs to discuss the risks posed by artificial intelligence. The talks come as Washington weighs how to regulate rapidly advancing AI systems, with major tech leaders increasingly drawn into policy debates over safety, competition and national security.

US Congressman Ro Khanna is preparing to introduce an AI safety bill that would ban 'recursive' artificial intelligence development until adequate safeguards are in place. The proposal targets self-improving AI systems, reflecting growing concern in Washington over advanced AI risks and the lack of regulatory frameworks governing frontier technology.

Executives from OpenAI, Anthropic, Google and Meta are set to attend a meeting at the White House to discuss artificial intelligence policy. The gathering brings together the leaders of the biggest AI developers with US government officials, underscoring Washington's growing focus on regulating and managing the risks of rapidly advancing AI technology.

US lawmakers are weighing a series of proposals aimed at securing artificial intelligence systems and protecting them from misuse. The measures under consideration in Congress would address security risks posed by rapidly advancing AI technology, though details of the specific bills and their prospects remain limited.

A former Pentagon official said the United States needs to control China's access to advanced semiconductor technology, in comments carried by CNBC. The remarks feed into an ongoing debate in Washington over export controls on cutting-edge chips and chipmaking equipment, which US officials view as critical to maintaining a military and technological edge over Beijing.

Analysts argue the ongoing war is acting as a catalyst for Gulf states to deepen strategic technology cooperation with the United States, particularly around artificial intelligence. The Middle East Institute highlights how regional capitals are leveraging the conflict to secure AI partnerships, investment and advanced computing access, positioning themselves as indispensable tech intermediaries between Washington and the wider Middle East.

China is reportedly relying on American-made AI chips even as it follows its long-standing 'hide strength and bide time' strategy of concealing its technological capabilities. The report highlights the tension between Beijing's push for semiconductor self-sufficiency and its continued dependence on U.S. processors to power artificial intelligence development, a dependence Washington has repeatedly tried to exploit through export controls.

Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg and Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei are set to attend a meeting at the White House on artificial intelligence. The gathering brings together leading AI executives with US officials as Washington continues to weigh policy on the fast-moving technology, including safety, competition and national security concerns.

China is considering allowing ByteDance and Alibaba to purchase new Nvidia chips, according to a report by The Information carried by Reuters. The potential approval would open access to advanced US-made semiconductors for two of China's largest technology companies, amid ongoing restrictions and negotiations over chip exports between Washington and Beijing.

A protester interrupted a party in Washington, D.C. held by supporters of data center expansion, shouting that the technology is "killing the world" before making an obscene gesture at the crowd as attendees responded with chants of "USA!" The outburst highlights growing tension over the massive facilities powering America's AI boom, which have sparked battles over energy use, water consumption and community impact across the country.

Senator Elizabeth Warren has sent questions to Meta, Google, Amazon and Microsoft regarding tax subsidies connected to their artificial intelligence investments. The inquiry targets whether the tech giants are benefiting from tax breaks tied to massive AI data center spending. The move adds to Washington's scrutiny of how the largest technology companies fund and profit from the AI boom.

An Iranian national has been sentenced to 18 months in prison in the United States for a scheme to ship military-grade sonar parts from a Washington state business to Iran. The case, reported by KIRO 7 News Seattle, adds to a series of US prosecutions targeting illegal exports of sensitive defense technology to Iran despite sanctions and trade restrictions.

Chinese regulators are considering whether to approve the sale of Nvidia's RTX Pro 5500 workstation GPUs to ByteDance and Alibaba, according to a Bloomberg report. The decision comes amid ongoing US-China tensions over advanced chip exports, with Nvidia's China business restricted by Washington's trade controls and Beijing scrutinising purchases of American semiconductor technology by its biggest tech firms.

365 Retail Markets and Evergreen Refreshments have installed Amazon's Just Walk Out technology at Lake Washington Institute of Technology, letting students and staff grab items and leave without checkout lines. The deployment is an announcement from the companies, and there is no indication yet of reaction or discussion beyond the press release itself.

The Defense Health Agency has begun developing a contracting strategy for health data management, according to Washington Technology. The effort signals a push to consolidate how the military health system handles medical data across its facilities. Details on scope, timeline and potential contract value have not been released, and vendors in the federal health IT space are likely watching closely.