A federal judge has allowed a lawsuit by the NAACP against xAI, the artificial-intelligence company owned by Elon Musk's SpaceX, to proceed. The civil-rights group accuses xAI of violating the Clean Air Act through pollution from its data center operations. The ruling clears the way for discovery and trial on the merits of the environmental claims. Source
OpenAI has reportedly reduced its target for its latest funding round, signalling that investor appetite for the artificial-intelligence company's capital raise may be cooling. The precise target figure remains unclear, but the reduction suggests the company is facing headwinds in its efforts to secure new investment at its previously sought valuation. Source
Security researchers have discovered a new infostealer malware called Volta-Autodoxer that leverages artificial intelligence to collect detailed personal data on victims. The malware harvests login credentials, credit card numbers, Discord sessions, and receipts from services including UberEats, then uses AI tools to synthesise this information into comprehensive profiles for extortion or identity theft. Source
A biotech startup has successfully deployed an AI agent to select a gene therapy and inject the treatment directly into the brain of a live mouse. The autonomous system navigated the drug-delivery task without human intervention, marking an early demonstration of artificial intelligence performing delicate biomedical procedures in laboratory settings. Source
Data-centre operators have accumulated tens of billions of pounds in debt as they finance the infrastructure buildout demanded by artificial-intelligence companies, raising concerns among analysts about the sustainability of the sector's expansion. The scale of leverage concentrated in lesser-known firms suggests that any slowdown in AI adoption or demand could trigger a financial stress in the market. Source