AI error nearly triggered US-China military clash, CNN reports

An artificial intelligence error nearly triggered a US military operation against a Chinese vessel in the spring, according to CNN, with the incident almost escalating into a conflict between the two nations. The operation was launched after an intelligence report claimed the Chinese ship in the Middle East carried components for a nuclear weapons program. US military aircraft took off and armed soldiers prepared to board the vessel before officials reviewed the report and found it was compiled with AI assistance and contained errors. CNN reported the document was "completely wrong" but "almost started a war." The incident highlights AI risks, as analysts have warned about catastrophic miscalculations from flawed data. A US defense source noted the military's AI model resembles commercial ones, and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth released a strategy in January to accelerate AI adoption.