NYC Council Questions SpaceXAI on AI Regulations

Key Takeaways

• <ul><li>SpaceXAI representative Gabriela Castillo Madrid will testify before the NYC Council on Friday after being subpoenaed</li><li>ChatGPT usage among South Korean consumers rose from 39.6% to 54.5%, while Google Gemini grew from 9.5% to 28.9%</li><li>Nearly half of generative AI users in South Korea bought a product recommended by AI in the past three months</li><li>AI tools helped less experienced customer-service workers boost productivity in a 2024 study</li><li>Amazon and Starbucks now help employees gain education, with AI opening new career growth paths</li><li>Hundreds of AI researchers including Geoffrey Hinton demand air-gapped training for cyberattack AI systems</li><li>Meta launched cute AI assistants called Dots and a conversational bot named Muse, raising concerns about over-reliance</li><li>Konami president Hayakawa says generative AI will not greatly change the game industry</li><li>NeoGenomics expanded its partnership with Indica Labs to scale digital pathology using the HALO AP platform</li><li>UMass Boston launched an AI microcredential program with $5 million from Paul English</li></ul>

Musk's SpaceXAI to testify at NYC Council AI hearing

New York City Council members will question SpaceXAI representative Gabriela Castillo Madrid on Friday at 10 a.m. in City Hall. The company was subpoenaed after failing to appear at a prior hearing. Council members want to know what SpaceX is doing to protect user privacy, safety and accountability. The City Council is considering 10 bills to regulate AI in the city.

SpaceX senior official to face NYC Council AI safety questions

SpaceX senior manager of global government affairs Gabriela Castillo Madrid will testify before the New York City Council on Friday at 10 a.m. ET. The hearing follows a subpoena after the company failed to appear at a previous 10-hour hearing. Lawmakers want answers about data privacy, safeguards against harm and whistleblower protections. The Council is weighing 10 AI regulation bills.

Elon Musk's SpaceX set to testify at NYC Council on AI safety

Elon Musk's SpaceX will testify at a New York City Council meeting after being subpoenaed. The Council held a nearly 10-hour hearing where companies like OpenAI, Gemini, Anthropic and Meta also testified. Lawmakers want to know how SpaceX protects users regarding privacy, safety and accountability. The Council is considering 10 bills including rules on AI depictions of public officials and chatbot data privacy.

AI recommendations reshape how companies market products in South Korea

More South Korean consumers are using ChatGPT and Google Gemini for product recommendations instead of Naver portal searches. ChatGPT usage rose from 39.6% to 54.5% among consumers in their teens to 50s, while Google Gemini grew from 9.5% to 28.9%. Nearly half of generative AI users said they bought a product recommended by AI in the past three months. Companies now focus on generative AI search optimization to get their products recommended.

AI helps workers with fewer credentials get a second chance

AI is helping workers without traditional degrees perform tasks that were previously beyond their reach. A 2016 study found that educational credentials matter less as workers gain more years of experience. AI tools also helped less experienced customer-service workers boost productivity in a 2024 study. Companies like Amazon and Starbucks now help employees gain education, and AI provides another route for career growth.

AI researchers demand air-gapped training for cyberattack AI systems

Hundreds of AI researchers including Geoffrey Hinton and Yoshua Bengio have warned that AI models capable of cyberattacks must be trained only on air-gapped systems disconnected from the internet. They are calling for tougher rules and a new international body to oversee AI safety standards. The proposed body would set safety standards and track containment failures to improve accountability. Their demands go beyond recent calls for AI regulation from figures like Microsoft president Brad Smith.

Meta's cute AI bots raise concerns about losing human thinking skills

Meta has introduced cute, cartoon-style AI assistants called Dots and a conversational bot named Muse. The author argues that making AI appear friendly and adorable encourages people to depend on it too much. This charm can hide the risk that AI removes the need for humans to think, remember, or make decisions on their own. The article warns that while AI can help, it should expand human abilities rather than replace them.

Konami says AI will not greatly change the game industry

Konami president Hayakawa believes generative AI will not bring significant change to the game market because entry barriers have already fallen due to game engines and user-generated content. He stresses that humans and creators are the most important factors in making innovative and entertaining games. He says the creative blending of ideas among team members cannot be easily replaced by AI. However, he also sees new technology as a strong opportunity for creating fresh gaming experiences.

NeoGenomics expands AI digital pathology with Indica Labs platform

NeoGenomics has expanded its partnership with Indica Labs to scale its digital pathology operations using the HALO AP platform. The cloud-based, vendor-neutral system helps pathologists access advanced diagnostic tools faster and more consistently. The platform supports biomarker testing, clinical trials, and AI-ready infrastructure for cancer diagnosis. The partnership dates back to 2015, and NeoGenomics operates CAP-accredited and CLIA-certified labs across the US and in Cambridge, England.

UMass Boston launches flexible AI microcredential program

UMass Boston offers an AI microcredential program through the Paul English Applied Artificial Intelligence Institute. The program was started in 2025 after a recommendation by provost Joseph Berger and with $5 million from tech entrepreneur Paul English. Students and community members can earn credentials by completing short courses, hackathons, and AI contests. The program also includes a summer camp for high schoolers and teacher training to build practical, ethical AI skills across the community.

AI Misinformation Risks Threaten Fresh Produce Trust

Peter Wilson from FleishmanHillard warned that artificial intelligence is creating new risks for the fresh produce industry. He explained that AI makes it easy to spread false information and create fake images of damaged food. In the United Kingdom, 73% of people could not tell a real pizza from an AI-generated picture, which helps scammers get fraudulent refunds. Wilson noted that over 34 million AI images are created every day without any laws stopping this activity. To fight these threats, he suggested a three-step plan that includes monitoring online questions, mobilizing trusted experts, and using AI Engine Optimization to answer customer searches directly.

AI Helps Malware Evade Detection But Behavior Remains

New research shows that a Russia-linked group called Midnight Blizzard used artificial intelligence to make its malware harder to detect. The group used AI agents to automatically rebuild their software whenever security tools found it. However, a report from ReversingLabs found that the malware still showed the same behavior patterns even after being changed five times in 25 days. Ben Bernstein from Huntress explained that while AI can change the code structure, it cannot invent new ways to attack computers. Experts say the core goal of the malware stays the same, making it possible for security teams to spot the threat.

Sources

• Musk's AI company set to testify before NYC Council as lawmakers weigh AI restrictions
• New York City Council to question SpaceX official over AI safety
• Elon Musk's SpaceX to testify at NYC Council meeting on AI safety
• Asked AI to recommend appliances for newlyweds, and only rival products came up... Executives’ meeting thrown into turmoil
• AI Gives Workers a Second Chance
• Cyberattack AIs must be trained only on air-gapped systems, hundreds of AI researchers say
• A Muse for the Mindless
• Konami president Hayakawa believes AI “won’t bring a significant change” to the game market. “Humans” and “creators” are crucial for developing innovative games
• NeoGenomics Scales AI Digital Pathology Infrastructure with Indica Labs
• UMass Boston Offers AI Education Microcredential Program
• AI Misinformation Risks Threaten Trust in the Fresh Produce Industry
• Malware evasion made easier with AI — but behavior still gives it away