{
  "id": 9135281,
  "title": "Don’t be fooled by this summer of AI hype",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/22/dont-be-fooled-by-this-summer-of-ai-hype",
  "topic": "ai",
  "section": "AI",
  "published": "2026-09-22T11:04:51.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "MIT Technology Review",
    "slug": "mit-technology-review",
    "url": "https://www.technologyreview.com/2026/09/22/1144867/dont-be-fooled-summer-ai-hype/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "The past few months have been filled with hype around artificial intelligence (AI) technology. In April, Anthropic announced that its model Claude Mythos was better at identifying software vulnerabilities than most security experts. Following this, there was a hacking incident involving OpenAI and Hugging Face, after which Anthropic and Meta disclosed similar incidents involving their own models. This was followed by Anthropic's claim of a mathematical breakthrough by one of its models, and OpenAI announcing its own breakthrough shortly after. Recently, Anthropic engineer Jacob Coxon sparked controversy by claiming that his company and OpenAI were racing towards creating a superintelligent AI and gambling with human lives. These events were widely covered by the media, often using anthropomorphic language to portray the software as powerful and on the brink of achieving artificial general intelligence. However, upon closer examination by experts, a different picture emerges. The hacking incidents were more about negligence and failure to implement basic security measures than about models behaving erratically. Similarly, mathematicians found that the mathematical breakthroughs claimed by OpenAI were not as novel as initially presented, and accusations of research misconduct and plagiarism were made. OpenAI's claims of a mathematical breakthrough have also been questioned, with one mathematician accusing the company of stealing and improperly attributing work. The focus on computer programming and mathematics as fields where AI can be applied is driven by the desire to position AI as the pinnacle of human intellectual achievement and to make evaluation of AI outputs simpler. Mathematicians have warned against corporations using their field in this way, urging policymakers to consult experts and avoid relying on press releases or popular reporting of mathematical results. The hype surrounding AI is driven by marketing strategies designed to mislead policymakers and the public, as well as to divert attention from issues such as the climate impact of data centers and their associated costs. Instead of framing these AI products as \"superintelligent\" or \"rogue models,\" it is crucial to recognize the role of the companies building them and hold them accountable. Policymakers and the public should take a step back, critically evaluate claims made by the AI industry, and not be swayed by marketing tactics.",
  "summary": "It’s been a busy few months for AI hype. At the end of April, Anthropic claimed that its model Claude Mythos is better at finding software vulnerabilities than most security experts. Then we had the OpenAI–Hugging Face hacking incident, after which Anthropic (proudly) and Meta (reluctantly) disclosed similar incidents involving their models. This was followed…",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}