Flawed AI-linked intel almost led U.S. to board China ship, report says

Washington - Earlier this year, the U.S. military came dangerously close to boarding a Chinese ship in the Middle East, according to CNN. The intelligence suggesting the vessel held nuclear weapons-related components prompted American forces to prepare for an interception, the broadcaster reported, citing four anonymous sources.

However, the incident was averted once officials realized an AI chatbot used by an analyst had incorrectly identified the cargo. CNN quoted a source as saying the intelligence report was "entirely false" but "almost started a war." The exact contents of the ship and its destination remain undisclosed. U.S. Central Command, overseeing American forces in the Middle East, has yet to comment on the alleged incident.

This report follows a recent controversy involving Anthropic, a leading AI firm, after a researcher resigned over fears of AI surpassing human control. Another Anthropic employee expressed concerns about the potential for AI to cause human extinction, estimating a probability exceeding 10% within the next decade. Despite these warnings, U.S. President Donald Trump and some of his allies have resisted calls to limit AI development.

Separately, Politico reported that F-35 jet components, including a stealth canopy, were allegedly diverted to Hong Kong, raising concerns that China might have acquired sensitive U.S. military technology. The parts were en route from Australia to the U.S. for repairs when the diversion took place, though the reason behind the rerouting and the current whereabouts of the components remain unclear.

A spokesperson for Lockheed Martin, the company managing the F-35 program, stated that they cannot comment on specific shipments due to security concerns, but emphasized their commitment to adhering to U.S. regulations and safeguarding the F-35 program and allied partners.