A rush by large tech players to build so many data centers for AI may end up being "irrational," and there's particular risk in building small nuclear reactors to run them, a prominent tech investor warned Wednesday.
Why it matters: Big Tech has been investing billions of dollar into data centers and energy sources to power them.
Actor Joseph Gordon-Levittsaid there needs to be an incentive to keep creatives paid and employed as AI disrupts the entertainment business at Axios' AI+ Summit in New York on Wednesday.
The big picture: Even though many tech firms won't say it, their generative AI models have been trained on existing art including movies and books — and controversially without compensation.
Axios had some of the biggest voices on artificial intelligence on our stage Wednesday in New York City talk about the global race to dominate AI, the state of play for enterprise AI, and how industries are adapting to the rapidly changing landscape.
The big picture: We're making it easier for you to follow along with our event.
New York Gov. Kathy Hochul (D) said Wednesday that lawmakers who claim not to have read parts of the GOP spending bill should use ChatGPT to ask: "Anything I should worry about in here?"
The big picture: Hochul spoke about the economic, political and social consequences of AI — from training workforces to children's safety — while speaking with Axios' Ina Fried at the AI+ Summit in New York.
Weather Company CEO Rohit Agarwal said that AI brings new opportunities for forecasting but keeping humans in the loop is their "secret sauce" during Axios' AI+ Summit in New York on Wednesday.
Why it matters: AI is improving forecasting and has the potential to help combat climate change, boost public safety and offer hyperlocal forecasts.
Hollywood giant Jeffrey Katzenberg at Axios' AI+ Summit Wednesday likened the arrival of artificial intelligence to the advent of computer graphics in the 1990s, which revolutionized animation.
The big picture: Whether Hollywood overcomes its unease to eventually embrace AI could be a bellwether for the technology's impact on other industries and on jobs.
Telcos aren't innovative enough and have ceded too much ground to big tech, says Lumen Technologies President and CEO Kate Johnson.
Why it matters: After selling its mass market fiber business to AT&T for $5.75 billion in late May, Lumen has pivoted to supporting and building an infrastructure for AI services.
WndrCo founding partner Jeffrey Katzenberg warned that the impact of kids' unsupervised access to technology is "destroying a generation" during Axios' annual AI+ NY Summit Wednesday.
The big picture: By 11, over half of children have a smartphone — but research has found screen time has played a key role in the youth mental health crisis.
Maxar Intelligence and Saab are expanding their partnership, this time focused on geospatial intelligence, drone autonomy and improved targeting.
Why it matters: The collaboration could bolster European security at a time when Russia's war machine looms large and a rearmed continent remains a hot topic.
"We can transfer that knowledge, their capabilities, into European defense in several different ways," Per Järbur, director of strategy and future capabilities at Saab's Dynamicsbusiness area, told Axios.
Today is the Axios AI+ Summit in New York, starting at 2:30 p.m. ET, with top guests from business, science, entertainment and government. Watch the livestream.
Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei's warning in our column last week about a looming AI-driven white-collar job apocalypse ignited a national conversation that pulled in everyone from former President Obama to President Trump's AI czar.
Critics saw the warning as alarmist, saying the "doomer" attitude fails to account for the new jobs and economic riches AI might shower on the U.S. public.
On the flip side, Obama and others saw the interview as vital truth-telling — a clear-eyed warning that government and companies should consider deeply and urgently.
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