US AI report falsely flagged Chinese ship, nearly triggering military intercept

A US military plan to intercept a Chinese ship was nearly executed after an AI-generated report falsely claimed the vessel was transporting nuclear program materials to Iran, according to CNN. The report, created by a special operations command analyst using AI, prompted preparations to board the ship before the error was discovered shortly before the operation. Four sources confirmed the planned intercept, with one saying it "almost started a war." The incident highlights concerns about expanding AI use in military targeting, as the Trump administration pushes an "AI-first" strategy. A 2024 study found AI models often act more aggressively than humans in simulated wargames.