DHS Rule Lets Its AI Chief Waive Any Ban, Including on Mass Surveillance
A DHS directive that took effect in September keeps a prohibition on large-scale AI surveillance but lets the department's chief AI officer waive it, with no outside review, notice to Congress or expiration. It lands as ICE awards a $125 million monitoring contract, and as a separate review finds the department's AI transparency inventory failing to disclose tools like facial-recognition app Mobile Fortify.
Read full story →Tesla Starts Optimus Robot Production at Fremont as Profit Falls 43%
Tesla says it has begun building "production-quality" Optimus humanoid robots at its Fremont factory, where it once made the Model S and X. Quarterly net income fell 43% to $787 million as spending on AI and robots climbed. Musk projects 20,000 units a week by end-2027, a target set against a crowded field and a $33.4 billion first-half surge in robotics funding.
Read full story →Brown Bill Would Require FTC-Enforced Labels on AI Campaign Ads
Rep. Shontel Brown reintroduced a bill, now with 30 cosponsors, requiring disclaimers on AI-generated campaign content and FTC penalties for using AI to deceive voters. Her office cites $130 million in AI ads this cycle, 69% without disclaimers. The federal push arrives as Oregon's own 2024 disclosure law faces fresh complaints that show how hard such rules are to enforce.
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