Tags: public policy

Researchers at the University of Southern California have demonstrated that large language model‑powered agents can independently orchestrate large‑scale disinformation efforts on social‑media platforms. In simulated environments, dozens of AI agents acted as influencers and regular users, generating original posts, learning what content gains traction, and amplifying each other’s messages without human direction. The study warns that this capability is already technically feasible and could be weaponized to manipulate elections, public‑health debates, immigration policy, and economic discussions. Platforms are urged to focus on coordinated behavior rather than isolated posts to detect and curb such campaigns. Read more

Anthropic revealed that its Public Policy team will open a Washington, DC office this spring, expanding its influence in federal policy circles. At the same time, the company launched the Anthropic Institute, a research hub that consolidates its Frontier Red Team, Societal Impacts, and Economic Research groups. The move follows Anthropic's recent lawsuit challenging a Defense Department supply‑chain risk designation. New hires include former Google DeepMind senior director Matt Botvinick and OpenAI‑alumni Zoë Hitzig, who will help steer the institute’s work on AI safety, economic effects, and societal implications. Read more

Silicon Valley is spending tens of millions of dollars on the 2026 midterm elections through a network of AI‑focused super PACs. The largest, Leading the Future, is backed by Andreessen Horowitz and OpenAI president Greg Brockman and is running ads against candidates who support state‑level AI regulation. Meta has launched two super PACs to back pro‑AI candidates, while a bipartisan group called Public First is raising money to promote AI safety safeguards. The clash highlights a growing battle over how artificial intelligence will be regulated in the United States. Read more

A senior police official admitted that an erroneous intelligence report about football fans was generated by Microsoft Copilot, an artificial‑intelligence tool prone to "hallucination." The mistake triggered a ban on supporters, prompting the Home Secretary to criticize the police for relying on untested AI without policy or training. Lawmakers and party leaders called for the official's resignation, highlighting concerns over the use of unreliable technology in security decisions. Read more