Why it matters: Anduril, other corporations in defense tech, and growing numbers of individuals throughout the Pentagon itself are increasingly adopting a brand new worldview: A future “great power” conflict—military jargon for a worldwide war involving multiple countries—won’t be won by the entity with probably the most advanced drones or firepower, and even the most affordable firepower. It is going to be won by whoever can sort through and share information the fastest. The Pentagon is betting numerous energy and money that AI—despite its flaws and risks—will likely be what puts the US and its allies ahead in that fight. Read more here.
Bits and Bytes
Bluesky has an impersonator problem
The platform’s rise has brought with it a surge of crypto scammers, as my colleague Melissa Heikkilä experienced firsthand. ()
Tech’s elite make large donations to Trump ahead of his inauguration
Leaders in Big Tech, who’ve been lambasted by Donald Trump, have made sizable donations to his inauguration committee. ()
Contained in the premiere of the primary commercially streaming AI-generated movies
The movies, in line with author Jason Koebler, showed the telltale flaws of AI-generated video: dead eyes, vacant expressions, unnatural movements, and a reliance on voice-overs, since dialogue doesn’t work well. The corporate behind the movies is confident viewers will stomach them anyway. ()
Meta asked California’s attorney general to stop OpenAI from becoming for-profit
