Biden administration proposes new rules limiting AI chip exports
With just a week left until he leaves office, President Joe Biden is making his last few policy changes as president. On Monday, Jan. 13, the Biden administration proposed a new framework for how advanced computer chips used to develop artificial intelligence are exported.
The changes would help facilitate sales to allied nations while curbing access to countries where there are national security risks, like China. However, the proposal is raising concerns of chip industry executives, who said the rules would limit access to existing chips used for video games.
They also said the rules would restrict the chips used for data centers and AI products in 120 countries, limiting access to U.S. allies like Mexico, Portugal, Israel and Switzerland.
The Biden administration said the framework is designed to “safeguard the most advanced AI technology and ensure that it stays out of the hands of our foreign adversaries” but also enable the broad “diffusion and sharing of the benefits with partner countries.”
National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan said the framework would ensure that the most cutting-edge aspects of AI would be developed within the United States and with its closest allies, instead of possibly being handed over to other countries.
Because the framework includes a 120-day comment period, President-elect Donald Trump’s incoming administration would be in charge of seeing it through and determining the rules for international sales of advanced computer chips.
Wildfires force thousands to evacuate Southern California
Three massive wildfires are burning out of control in Southern California, putting thousands of homes at risk. And President-elect Donald Trump shares his plans to acquire Greenland, the Panama Canal and bring Canada as the 51st state. These stories and more highlight your Unbiased Updates for Wednesday, Jan. 8, 2025.
Southern California wildfires force thousands to evacuate
Three separate wildfires are burning in the Los Angeles, California, area, and there is no end in sight, as strong winds are fueling the flames. The most extreme of the three is the Palisades Fire, which spans nearly 3,000 acres and has already forced 30,000 residents to evacuate.
Cities surrounding Pacific Palisades, including Malibu, issued evacuation orders. Officials there told all residents to prepare to leave their homes, whether they were under evacuation orders or not since the inferno was moving so quickly.
All hands are on deck to fight the #PalisadesFire in Southern California. California is deeply grateful for the brave firefighters & first responders battling the blaze.
We will continue to mobilize resources and support local communities as they respond to this severe weather. pic.twitter.com/JZrYy85e4z
The neighboring city of Santa Monica also issued an evacuation order for the northern part of the city. It also closed the area to the public, warning of an immediate threat to life.
As thousands of firefighters continue to battle the flames, authorities work to find the fire’s cause.
A second wildfire, dubbed the Eaton Fire, burns near Pasadena. A city spokeswoman said it has “created its own firestorm” with flying embers igniting at least a dozen other spot fires.
So far, the Eaton Fire has consumed about 1,000 acres. It engulfed homes and forced more than 100 people to evacuate from a nursing home — some in wheelchairs and on gurneys. A federal disaster declaration is now in effect for the Eaton Fire.
Crews are also battling the Hurst Fire about 100 acres in the San Fernando Valley, which is in the northern part of Los Angeles County. The Hurst Fire also prompted evacuation orders.
The Los Angeles County canceled schools in 19 districts Wednesday, Jan. 8. Plus, more than 200,000 people are without access to power, either because of the powerful Santa Ana winds or because a utility provider turned off electricity to prevent additional fires.
The forecast called for the winds to continue for days, producing gusts that could top 100 miles per hour in the mountains and foothills.
Biden administration asks federal appeals court to block 9/11 plea deals
The Biden administration asked a federal appeals court to block a plea agreement for accused 9/11 mastermind Khalid Sheikh Mohammed. The controversial deal would spare Mohammed from the death penalty for his role in planning the terror attacks on the World Trade Center and Pentagon on Sept. 11, 2001.
The deadly attack rocked the U.S. and began the war on terrorism.
In court filings Tuesday, Jan. 7, the Justice Department argued the government would be irreparably harmed if the guilty pleas were accepted for Mohammed and two co-defendants in the 9/11 attacks.
It said the government would be denied a chance for a public trial and the opportunity to “seek capital punishment against three men charged with a heinous act of mass murder that caused the death of thousands of people and shocked the nation and the world.”
The Defense Department negotiated and approved the plea deal but later revoked it.
However, attorneys for the defendants argued the deal was already legally in effect and that U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, who began the administration’s efforts to throw it out, acted too late.
Mohammed is set to enter his guilty plea on Friday, Jan. 10, if the appeal is not granted. His co-defendants, accused of lesser roles in 9/11, are due to enter theirs next week.
Harris, Johnson deliver eulogies for President Jimmy Carter
The 39th president died last week at the age of 100.
Carter’s body had been lying in repose since Saturday, Jan. 5, at the Carter Presidential Center in Atlanta before being transported Tuesday morning to Washington D.C.
Vice President Kamala Harris and Republican House Speaker Mike Johnson each delivered a eulogy during Tuesday’s ceremony
“We all know that his care for humanity didn’t stop at building homes,” Johnson said. “In the face of illness, President Jimmy Carter brought lifesaving medicine. In the face of conflict, he brokered peace. In the face of discrimination, he reminded us that we are all made in the image of God. If you were to ask him why he did it all, he would likely point to his faith.”
Harris highlighted Carter’s faith. She said, “James Earl Carter, Jr. loved our country. He lived his faith. He served the people. And he left the world better than he found it.”
Carter’s body will lie in state through Thursday morning, Jan. 9, and then be taken to the National Cathedral for a state funeral. Biden is expected to deliver a eulogy.
Trump suggests using military, economic force to expand America
In a wide-ranging press conference from Mar-a-Lago on Tuesday, President-elect Donald Trump touched on a bunch of topics, including a $20 billion foreign investment to build data centers in the U.S. He also talked about his plans to revoke Biden’s recent ban on offshore oil and natural gas drilling as well as expansion strategies for the United States.
Trump reiterated his goals of acquiring the Panama Canal, which has been under Panama’s sole control since 1999, and Greenland, a territory of Denmark.
Trump’s son, Donald Trump Jr., is leading an American delegation currently in Greenland, though the country’s prime minister said he is there as “a private individual.”
The Prime Minister of Denmark Mette Frederiksen responded to Trump’s remarks Tuesday, saying Greenland was not for sale.
Greenlandic Prime Minister Múte Egede reiterated this point, saying “Greenland belongs to the Greenlanders. Our future and fight for independence is our business.”
A reporter asked the president-elect if he can assure that he would not use any military force to take control of either the Panama Canal or Greenland.
“I can’t assure you, you’re talking about Panama and Greenland,” Trump replied. “No, I can’t assure you on either of those two but, I can say this we need them for economic security. The Panama Canal was built for a military. I’m not going to commit to that now.”
In response to those remarks, the prime minister of Denmark called the United States its country’s “closest ally” and did not believe the U.S. would use any force to secure Greenland. Panama’s foreign minister repeated earlier comments from the country’s president that the sovereignty of the Panama Canal is not negotiable.
“[I’d use] economic force because Canada and the United States — that would really be something,” he said. “You get rid of that artificially drawn line, and you take a look at what that looks like. It would also be much better for national security. Don’t forget, we basically protect Canada.”
Outgoing Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau issued his response in a post on X saying, “There isn’t a snowball’s chance in hell that Canada would become part of the United States.”The president-elect also spoke of one more geographical goal of his in the upcoming term: to rename the Gulf of Mexico the Gulf of America, saying it “has a beautiful ring to it.”
Not long after his remarks, Republican Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia said she directed her staff to begin drafting legislation for the name change.
Police: Former soldier used AI to plan Las Vegas Cybertruck explosion attack
New details are emerging about the man who blew up a Tesla Cybertruck outside Trump Hotel in Las Vegas on New Year’s Day. Las Vegas police said Tuesday the attacker used generative AI, including ChatGPT to plan the attack.
An investigation into former soldier Matthew Livelsberger, 37, found his search history on ChatGPT included questions about firearms and explosives. Straight Arrow News reporter Lauren Taylor has more details on the investigation into the Cybertruck explosion.
Girl Scout cookie season begins, 2 flavors discontinued
Girl Scout cookie season has arrived. The annual tradition is meant to teach young girls about entrepreneurial skills through selling boxes of cookies.
Almost everyone has a favorite, of course, but if yours is Girl Scout S’mores or Toast-Yay! Cookies — bad news. The Girl Scouts plan to retire those two flavors later this year.
The organization said discontinuing those two flavors may lead to something new and delicious.
Trump announces Emirati businessman’s $20 billion investment in US data centers
President-elect Donald Trump revealed a major foreign investment into the United States economy Tuesday, Jan. 7, in an effort to keep up with the fast-moving advancements of artificial intelligence. Trump introduced Emirati businessman Hussain Sajwani, the founder of DAMAC Properties, announcing the company is investing $20 billion to build data centers for AI and cloud storage across the U.S.
“We’re very, very excited now with his leadership and his open strategy and policy to encourage businesses to come to the U.S. For the last four years we’ve been waiting for this moment,” Sajwani said at a news conference with Trump.
Sajwani’s pledge is the latest in foreign business leaders promising to invest in the U.S. as a result of Trump’s election victory.
Last month, the Japanese CEO of Softbank, Masayoshi Son said he will invest $100 billion in the U.S. creating 100,000 over the course of Trump’s second term.
Sajwani said he may eventually double the $20 billion investment as big tech companies race to set up data centers, which are essential for powering AI applications including OpenAI’s ChatCPT and Google’s Gemini.
The challenge is that they require a massive amount of power to operate nonstop. Many companies are now striving to keep their facilities going using primarily clean energy including solar and wind power and developing more nuclear power.
Several companies are also working to implement advanced cooling systems that don’t drain as much power.
Management consulting firm McKinsey & Company estimates global spending on data centers is likely to surpass $250 billion by 2030.
Microsoft recently said it will spend about $80 billion this year to ramp up its AI capacity.
Arizona’s data center growth negatively impacts underserved communities
Arizona has become one of the fastest-growing hubs for data centers in the United States. However, this rapid expansion is raising concerns about its impact on disadvantaged communities lacking access to basic electricity.
Since 2019, Maricopa County has built 12 data centers, with at least 20 more projects planned. By 2028, the region is expected to have the nation’s second-largest concentration of these facilities, which are critical to supporting the operations of the tech industry.
Data centers are known for their significant energy demands, requiring up to 50 times more power per square foot than a typical office building.
Arizona Public Service, the state’s largest utility provider, has projected that data centers will account for 55% of its power needs by 2031. Similarly, Salt River Project, the state’s second-largest utility provider, anticipates that about half of its power growth through 2029 will be tied to these facilities.
While the state’s tax incentives have drawn data center developers, their proliferation has placed increasing stress on Arizona’s power grid, leading to decisions that disproportionately impact vulnerable populations.
In 2024, the Arizona Corporation Commission approved funding for infrastructure improvements to support data center growth. Meanwhile, the commission declined a separate proposal to expand electricity access to parts of the Navajo Nation, citing concerns over potential consumer costs. As a result, thousands of Navajo homes remain without power.
Additionally, plans to expand a natural gas plant to meet the energy needs of incoming data centers have sparked environmental and health concerns in Randolph, Arizona. The historic Black community south of Phoenix faces heightened risks from emissions linked to asthma and lung cancer.
Arizona officials are now grappling with a critical decision: whether to prioritize data center expansion, which promises economic benefits like jobs and tax revenue, or slow the pace of growth to redirect resources toward addressing long-standing energy needs in underserved areas.
Enormous demand for AI could lead to US and Canada blackouts
Growing demand for artificial intelligence could lead to blackouts across the United States and Canada as soon as next year. The warning on Tuesday, Dec. 17, came from the North American Electric Reliability Corporation (NERC), an industry watchdog.
NERC predicts that electrical consumption will increase by 15% over the next decade. The report comes as AI resources like ChatGPT and Apple’s Private Cloud Compute servers expect to see data center power usage double in just the next four years.
Electricity regulators are concerned that the U.S. and Canada’s power grids won’t be able to keep up with demand, saying “the shortfall” could lead to “blackouts during peak demand periods” in the United States and Canada in 2025.
The watchdog’s prediction comes as the U.S. is currently facing challenges with a slowly growing renewable energy market and as the country tries to cut its reliance on fossil fuels.
Expanding the grid to make room for expanding AI data centers has reportedly been a national security priority for the outgoing Biden administration. The White House says that it is pushing to get clean energy deployed quickly so it can meet the enormous energy needs of AI.
Industry experts say they expect a surge of new data centers with the incoming Trump administration.
President-elect Donald Trump has vowed to cut regulations on fossil fuel energy, which would boost the tech sector, and as the surge in AI demand continues, some AI companies have turned to nuclear energy to power their expanding operations.
Amazon invests $10 billion in Ohio data centers to drive AI evolution
Amazon is adding to its major Midwest technology hub investment while helping to shape the future of artificial intelligence. The company will invest $10 billion dollars in Ohio over the next five years.
The company will use the money to expand its Amazon Web Service data centers. They house equipment for powering AI, machine learning and other cloud computing technologies.
Data centers provide the power behind everyday tasks like prompting ChatGPT, streaming movies and performing Google searches.
The latest investment is in addition to Amazon’s $7.8 billion plan for Ohio announced in 2023 and the more than $6 billion it has already spent in the Buckeye State.
State officials said the investment will bring hundreds of jobs through the end of 2030.
Amazon has already contributed around $3.8 billion to the state’s gross domestic product. Their contributions support more than 4,700 jobs annually and create demand for telecommunications, software development and power generation workers.
While the company currently has seven data centers in central Ohio, it’s unclear how many more they will build. However, Amazon plans to expand into other parts of the state.
“As reliance on digital services continues to grow, so does the importance of data centers; they are critical to today’s modern economy,” Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine said.
There are currently more than 2,500 data centers in the United States, with Amazon Web Services holding a 31% market share of online computing resources. That’s more than Microsoft, Google and IBM combined.
Foreign countries influencing 2024 election, Microsoft says
With less than two weeks until the 2024 U.S. presidential election, foreign adversaries are increasing their efforts to disrupt the democratic process, Microsoft warns. Russia, Iran and China are targeting key political campaigns and voters using cyber tactics and disinformation, according to a report from the Microsoft Threat Analysis Center.
Russia has concentrated its influence operations on the Harris-Walz campaign, according to Microsoft. Russian operatives have created AI-generated deepfake videos aimed at discrediting Vice President Kamala Harris.
One video falsely depicts her insulting former President Donald Trump, while another accuses her of illegal activities in Zambia.
Disinformation targeting Democratic vice-presidential nominee Tim Walz has also gained traction. One video has received more than 5 million views on social media.
Iranian hackers, tracked by Microsoft as “Cotton Sandstorm,” have been probing U.S. election-related websites and media outlets.
Despite ongoing tensions in the Middle East, Iranian operatives are preparing for cyber-influence operations targeting U.S. audiences. This is similar to their 2020 operation posing as the right-wing group Proud Boys. This time, Iran is encouraging voters to boycott the election, claiming U.S. support for Israel undermines candidates.
China, meanwhile, is focusing its disinformation efforts on down-ballot Republican candidates who advocate for anti-China policies. Sens. Marsha Blackburn and Marco Rubio, along with Rep. Barry Moore, have been targeted with accusations of corruption and amplified antisemitic messaging. Though these efforts have not seen high engagement, they represent China’s sustained attempts to influence U.S. political discourse.
Microsoft reports that all three countries are using AI to spread disinformation rapidly. As Election Day approaches, these foreign interference operations are expected to increase, undermine voter confidence and cast doubt on the integrity of the results. Early detection and fact-checking are critical to counter these efforts, Microsoft says.
Google invests in SMRs as more tech companies go nuclear for energy needs
Google has announced a new agreement to purchase power from small modular reactor (SMR) developer Kairos Power. The tech giant’s decision signals a growing trend among technology companies turning to nuclear power as a solution for the escalating energy demands of data centers, which are critical for supporting artificial intelligence (AI) operations and cryptocurrency mining.
Data centers rapidly expanded in recent years, with energy requirements sometimes reaching the level of a small city. This demand for a continuous, reliable power supply has led companies to explore nuclear energy, which offers around-the-clock availability that other renewable sources, such as wind and solar, cannot consistently provide.
In addition to Google, companies like Microsoft and Amazon have recently secured nuclear power deals to keep their data centers operational and meet ambitious sustainability goals.
“We believe that nuclear energy has a critical role to play in supporting our clean growth and helping to deliver on the progress of AI,” Michael Terrell, senior director for energy and climate at Google, said. “The grid needs these kinds of clean, reliable sources of energy that can support the build out of these technologies. We feel like nuclear can play an important role in helping to meet our demand, and helping meet our demand cleanly, in a way that’s more around the clock.”
Google’s agreement with Kairos Power involves purchasing electricity from multiple small modular reactors, with the company indicating that it is open to further investments in this energy source. The tech company stated that the purchase would “send an important demand signal to the market,” potentially encouraging further development of nuclear power technologies.
Small modular reactors are viewed as a promising alternative to traditional large-scale nuclear facilities, offering potential advantages in cost and efficiency. While conventional nuclear plants often face delays and budget overruns, SMRs are designed to be easier to construct and operate. However, there are currently only three operational SMRs worldwide, none of which are located in the United States.
Google plans for the first reactor from this deal with Kairos Power to come online by 2030, with additional reactors expected to be operational by 2035.
Developer denies HBO documentary claim he created Bitcoin
A new HBO documentary claims to have identified the creator of Bitcoin, a mystery that has captivated the cryptocurrency world for over a decade. But the man named in the film, Canadian developer Peter Todd, is rejecting the claim, calling it “ludicrous.”
In “Money Electric: The Bitcoin Mystery,” filmmaker Cullen Hoback names Todd as the elusive Satoshi Nakamoto, the pseudonymous figure behind the launch of Bitcoin in 2009.
Hoback’s conclusion is based on several pieces of evidence, including a forum post that he claims links Todd to Satoshi and Todd’s own comment about destroying a large number of digital coins.
However, Todd firmly denied the claim.
“I am not Satoshi Nakamoto,” Todd said on social media.
He explained that he was too busy with school and work during Bitcoin’s early development to have been involved.
The identity of Satoshi Nakamoto has long been a topic of speculation. Whoever they are, they are thought to control a Bitcoin wallet holding 1.1 million coins, now worth around $69 billion. If that fortune could be accessed, it would make Satoshi one of the 20 richest people in the world.
Peter Todd, a respected developer in the Bitcoin community, has never been widely regarded as a primary candidate for being Satoshi until now.
Ahead of the documentary’s release, over $44 million in bets were placed on the crypto market platform Polymarket, wagering on who the film would identify as Bitcoin’s creator.
This is not the first time someone has been accused of being Satoshi. In 2014, Newsweek named Dorian Nakamoto, a Japanese-American man living in California, as Bitcoin’s creator. Nakamoto denied the claim and the theory has since been debunked.
In 2015, Australian computer scientist Craig Wright claimed to be Satoshi, but his evidence was rejected by the cryptocurrency community, and a U.K. High Court later ruled that there was “overwhelming” evidence he was not.
For now, the true identity of Satoshi Nakamoto remains one of the great mysteries of the cryptocurrency world. Whether the documentary’s claims hold any truth may never be known, as Todd and many others continue to deny any involvement.
AI tools consume up to 4 times more water than estimated
A new report shows that artificial intelligence tools, including ChatGPT, are using up to four times more water than previously believed. This discovery raises concerns about the sustainability of data centers as AI continues to expand.
Researchers from the University of California, Riverside found that processing 10 to 50 queries on AI chatbots can consume up to 2 liters of water, far exceeding the earlier estimate of half a liter. The increase is attributed to the intense cooling needs of data centers, where the servers generate significant heat.
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According to Microsoft, the energy and water demands of AI models are much higher than anticipated. Between 2023 and 2024, Google, Microsoft, and Meta have reported water usage increases of 17%, 22.5%, and 17% respectively, further highlighting the growing environmental footprint of AI.
This is not just a U.S. issue. In the U.K., planned data centers are expected to consume as much water as a city the size of Liverpool. Meanwhile, in Ireland, data centers now account for 21% of the country’s electricity consumption.
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OpenAI CEO Sam Altman recently presented a proposal to the White House to build at least five massive data centers, with plans for unprecedented energy expansions. However, critics argue that the energy production process for AI remains inefficient, with 60% of resources wasted.
While tech companies pledge to offset their water usage by 2030, critics warn that these efforts may not sufficiently address water scarcity in regions where AI data centers are located.
