U.S. military nearly seized Chinese ship on faulty AI intelligence, CNN reports

The U.S. military nearly intercepted a Chinese ship in the Middle East earlier this year based on a faulty intelligence report generated with artificial intelligence, CNN reported Friday. The American intelligence services had indicated the vessel carried components linked to nuclear weapons, prompting U.S. forces to prepare for its interception, according to the outlet, which cited four anonymous sources familiar with the incident. The operation was canceled after it emerged an AI chatbot used by an analyst had misidentified the material aboard the ship. One source told CNN the intelligence report was "entirely false" but "nearly triggered a war." The network did not specify what the ship was carrying or its destination. The U.S. military did not immediately respond to an AFP request for comment. The CNN report comes as warnings about AI risks have multiplied over the past week, though Donald Trump and several members of his presidential majority have reiterated their wish not to regulate the sector, officially over fears China would gain an advantage.