Axios

Designating illicit fentanyl as a weapon of mass destruction (WMD) should "at least be a discussion," President Trump's border czar Tom Homan said Wednesday during Axios' Future of Defense Summit.

The big picture: Homan emphasized fentanyl is a dangerous drug, citing U.S. death tolls he said are around 73,000 annually and noted the number was higher during the Biden administration.

Thrive Capital, the New York-based VC firm led by Josh Kushner, is raising its latest flagship fund, per SEC filings.

Why it matters: There is no VC firm that makes bigger or brasher bets, including giant checks to Stripe and OpenAI at aneurysm-inducing valuations.

A growing number of people — including AI pioneers and other prominent tech figures — want to stop the development of AI that can outperform all humans.

• A group of scientists, policymakers and actors is calling for a pause on superintelligence until it's proven safe and controllable.

Why it matters: AI development is moving at breakneck speed with minimal oversight and with the full-throated endorsement of the Trump administration.

The Orionid meteor shower is set to treat stargazers to "one of the most beautiful showers of the year" — with streaking meteors and fireballs shooting across the sky as it peaks through Thursday, according to NASA.

The big picture: This meteor shower occurs every year as the Earth passes through the inbound debris stream of Halley's Comet, with the 2025 Orionids active from Oct. 2-Nov. 7 and peaking this week, per an American Meteor Society online post.

Samsung on Tuesday announced Galaxy XR, a $1,799 Android-based headset designed to compete with Apple's Vision Pro.

Why it matters: The device is a fresh bet that virtual reality will stage a comeback after years of failing to break into the mainstream.

Water powers communities, economies and industries. Yet the supply of this vital resource is under increasing strain.

Elon Musk is publicly brawling with the Trump administration again — this time with Transportation Secretary and acting NASA Administrator Sean Duffy.

The big picture: Musk's criticisms came as Duffy suggested this week that Musk's SpaceX was behind on its obligations to send U.S. astronauts to the moon.

Jan Gilg, chief revenue officer & president of SAP Americas and global business suite discusses how SAP's AI-first strategy weaves artificial intelligence throughout its Business Suite and turns productivity gains into measurable business growth.

Samsung has inked a deal to include Perplexity's AI engine on its latest smart TVs, the companies told Axios first.

Why it matters: The move is a sign that the shared living room experience is likely to be another key battleground in the AI wars.

A genetic testing startup launched an AI genomics research arm Tuesday aimed at predicting the likelihood that IVF embryos will develop certain cancers, Alzheimer's and other chronic diseases.

Why it matters: Nucleus Genomics is taking preventative health to an entirely new level: before birth.

China's weaponization of all-important rare earth minerals is sending the Trump administration scrambling to find new sources for the materials that power the modern world.

Why it matters: From Australia to Ukraine, and at all points in between, the U.S. position on rare earth minerals in the Trump administration is clear — get them out of the ground, at any cost, and the sooner the better.