Axios

As scientists warn about the risk of AI killing us all, the question is why governments and companies haven't done more to reduce the risk.

The big picture: The same capabilities making AI economically valuable and increasingly useful also make advanced systems harder to contain.

About 140,000 automated license plate readers, including thousands of Flock cameras, are installed across the U.S., according to this publicly available data.

Why it matters: The cameras can help police find stolen cars and wanted people, but their ability to track all vehicles all the time has fueled a growing privacy backlash and calls for tighter oversight or removal.

Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) will hold a bipartisan briefing next week to discuss the "extraordinary dangers" posed by AI, Axios has learned.

Why it matters: Rogue AI incidents and dire warnings from the very people building ever more powerful models are fueling fresh alarm in Washington.

Allen Control Systems is expanding its manufacturing footprint in Austin, Texas, to meet what the startup is calling "accelerating demand" for drone countermeasures.

Why it matters: The state capital has cemented itself as a haven for defense tech.

Hermeus is building what it's calling Ramjet-X — a super-fast aircraft that blurs the line between large drone, air-defense target and test bed for propulsion and materials science.

Why it matters: It's another big bet on unmanned speed from the company, which this year was valued at $1 billion post-money and moved its headquarters from Georgia to California.

The summer of love happened in 1967. The summer of lasers is happening right now.

• Both upset the status quo.

The big picture: These weapons, so often associated with science fiction or Congressional Research Service reports, are clawing into reality after decades of investment and experimentation.

DALLAS — A secretive donor network closely aligned with Vice President Vance drew Cabinet members, lawmakers and major GOP donors to a "cowboy-chic" bar here Tuesday night for a marquee pre-party ahead of the Republicans' midterm convention.

Why it matters: The donor group, Rockbridge, has become an influential hub for conservative donors and operatives as Vance prepares for a likely run for the White House in 2028.

Paige Willey, the top deputy to National Economic Council Director Kevin Hassett, is leaving the White House for a private-sector job at month's end.

Why it matters: Willey, an alum of the first Trump administration, was a Day 1 hire for the second administration and played an instrumental role in building up the National Economic Council.

Smithsonian Secretary Lonnie Bunch's retirement is leaving Washington with a big question: Who will lead one of the city's most cherished — and politically embattled — institutions next?

Why it matters: Bunch's departure comes at a pivotal moment for the Smithsonian, as the Trump administration pushes to reshape the world's largest museum complex — particularly how it tells American history.

Elon Musk's super PAC has entered the midterm campaign fray with a heavy dose of anti-trans messaging.

Why it matters: America PAC isn't running a traditional persuasion campaign. It's undertaking a massive get-out-the-vote operation, with targeted ads designed to get GOP voters to the polls.