At a global AI summit in Paris next week, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman will warn world leaders they need to widen their AI mindset from risk — the typical focus of European gatherings on AI — to also include growth and opportunity,an industry source tells Mike.
Why it matters: For the past six months, Altman escalated his insistence on the need for U.S.-led, democratic AI, so a world built on U.S.-led AI rails can prevail over Chinese-led AI.
Streaming TV companies including Samsung, LG, Vizio, Amazon, Google and Apple have removed TikTok from their smart TV systems and app stores, complying with the ban law that went into effect Jan. 19, an Axios investigation found.
Why it matters: While the public's focus has mostly been on mobile companies, the removal of the app across the streaming TV ecosystem shows that corporate America is mostly determined to follow the law, despite President Trump's executive order promising the ban won't be enforced for 75 days.
For the past week, Americans have been bombarded with reports of Elon Musk and his team of 20-something IT workers allegedly gaining access to sensitive government systems.
Reality check: The speed at which the Department of Government Efficiency is moving is not normal. Many of these actions likely violate federal privacy and security laws.
For cybersecurity pros, a perfect Super Bowl performance this weekend means stopping hackers before they ever reach the field.
Why it matters: The Super Bowl has always been a breeding ground for sensitive data, from stadium WiFi networks and mobile payment systems to fans' personal devices and the NFL's corporate infrastructure.
Ye, the rapper formerly known as Kanye West, posted yet another antisemitic tirade on X on Friday, including praises for Hitler and declaring himself a Nazi.
The big picture: His outburst drew swift condemnation from Jewish and civil rights groups. It comes days after a coalition of U.S. and Canadian Jewish groups said they will leave X, the social media formerly known as Twitter, after seeing a rise in toxic speech on the platform.
👀 Employees at the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency are now allowed to take the Trump administration's deferred resignation offer after DHS initially said they would be exempted. (Nextgov)
💰 The Trump administration agreed to temporarily restrict DOGE's access to Treasury's payment system information. (Axios)
❌ Lawmakers introduced a bill that would ban DeepSeek from government-owned devices. (Wall Street Journal)
@ Industry
🚪 The British government has secretly ordered Apple to create a back door in its encryption that would let officials retrieve all content any Apple user worldwide has uploaded to the cloud. (Washington Post)
New "deep research" tools from OpenAI and Google offer utility today and hint at generative AI's broader potential, but have some important limits.
Why it matters: OpenAI CEO Sam Altman has said he thinks the company's product — which takes users' assignments and files lengthy research reports in 5 to 25 minutes — "can do a single-digit percentage of all economically valuable tasks in the world."
Two new pro-crypto PACs are launching this weekend, Axios has learned.
Why it matters: Both haveties to Sen. Cynthia Lummis (R-Wyo.), who is chairing the new Banking subcommittee on cryptocurrencies. It comes as President Trump promises to be "the most pro-crypto president" in history.
