Mountain Journal: How Some Montanans are Taking Data Center Regulation Into Their Own Hands. “In Montana, where the state offers little in the way of oversight, citizen-led initiatives in Butte-Silver Bow and Yellowstone counties are forging a potentially new regulatory path: a grassroots approach that, if successful, would put the power to approve new or expanded data centers in the hands of voters.”

Ithaca Voice: Petition opposing Lansing AI data center garners over 20,000 signatures. “A proposed data center in Lansing has met its latest wave of backlash this week after over 20 thousand people signed a petition against the development.”

Planet Detroit: Google data center in Van Buren Township would destroy 13 acres of wetlands. “Michigan regulators are reviewing a wetland permit for Google’s planned data center in Van Buren Township, which would destroy 13.55 acres of wetlands in a county that has already lost 90% of them to development.”

Cleveland.com: Fire chief concerned about emergency planning for data center power plants. “If something goes wrong at a power plant being built next to an Amazon data center outside Columbus, Norwich Township firefighters will be the first to respond. But Fire Chief David Baird hasn’t seen or been allowed to see or help develop American Electric Power’s emergency response plans.”

Nevada Current: Las Vegas data center expansion approved as officials ponder need for future regulations. “The Clark County Commission, in its capacity as the zoning board, unanimously approved a proposal to expand the largest data center campus in Southern Nevada on Wednesday, but not without adjustments and acknowledging the need for future data center regulations.”

Ars Technica: Pentagon boasts of using AI to write reports mandated by Congress. “The US Department of Defense has a lot of congressionally mandated homework to do every year involving hundreds of required reports on various national security topics. But Pentagon officials have been proudly describing a new shortcut—using generative AI tools to write such reports for Congress.”

The Oaklandside: Who’s behind the AI-generated social media posts targeting Oakland’s mayor?. “The website and social media account allude to alleged scandals in the mayor’s past and lay blame for virtually all the city’s problems on her while posting AI-generated images depicting Lee in imagined scenarios, dining on lobster in a German mountain resort and drinking champagne with a local businessman who was indicted on corruption charges last year.”

The Baltimore Banner: AI put Wes Moore and Dan Cox in a very unlikely — possibly illegal — embrace. “Maryland Gov. Wes Moore and his Republican rival Dan Cox have never hugged, and definitely not in the State House. But a fake image circulating on social media shows the two men in a warm embrace in the Governor’s Reception Room. Cox, facing the camera, is grinning. Moore’s eyes are closed.”

Workday Magazine: FOIA Documents Show “Intrusive” AI System is Monitoring Rochester Bus Drivers. “Documents obtained through a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request show that bus drivers for Rochester, Minn., are being monitored by ‘artificial intelligence’ technology for alleged actions like distracted driving and running red lights, and at least one city official acknowledged the system feels ‘intrusive’ to workers.”

Search Engine Land: USA Today vs. Google AI Overviews: A World Cup battle for breaking news traffic. “USA Today Co. is using AI-assisted shell files to publish breaking sports coverage faster. The strategy is designed to capture search traffic before Google’s AI Overviews summarize the news. The publisher tested the approach during the 2026 Winter Olympics and is now using it for coverage of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, Digiday reported.”

SECURITY & LEGAL

Reuters: Trump administration backs Musk’s xAI in NAACP data center lawsuit. “President Donald Trump’s administration has asked a federal judge to block ​an NAACP lawsuit over emissions tied to data centers ‌powering Elon Musk’s artificial intelligence company xAI, in a case the government said pits executive power against limits on citizen enforcement of environmental laws.”

Courthouse News Service: Investors sue Adobe execs over AI copyright statements. “A group of investors claim Tuesday Adobe executives didn’t fully disclose the software company’s prioritization of artificial intelligence and the risks involved in training and utilizing generative AI.”

RESEARCH & OPINION

BBC: ChatGPT can be made to generate sexualised and violent images, researchers find. “The latest public version of ChatGPT can be made to generate sexualised images or depict scenes of graphic violence with a simple prompt, researchers have told the BBC. British AI security startup Mindgard figured out how to make ChatGPT create graphic pictures by slightly altering a widely-shared instruction, or prompt, which was originally designed to produce humorous results.”

Missouri S&T: Missouri S&T researcher combines lessons from ants and birds to improve AI. “One of the approaches, known as ant colony optimization, is inspired by the way ants collectively find the most efficient routes to food. The other, called particle swarm optimization, draws inspiration from the way birds and other groups share information and adjust their behavior based on successful neighbors.”

Mashable: Report: AI can perpetuate anti-LGBTQ hate. “AI has stoked many fears: The demise of entire industries, mass exploitation of vulnerable online denizens, a widespread crisis of literacy and critical thinking. Included in that long list is the fear that these systems can reinforce discrimination and bias levied against already marginalized groups. And according to a new report from LGBTQ nonprofit GLAAD, it’s already a problem.” Good evening, Internet…

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Categories: AI Roundup

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