Articles

Axios11:00

Anthropic brings Wall Street an AI bull case

AI companies for years have promised that smarter models would be worth the staggering cost to build them. Anthropic on Wednesday made that case in cash. The company presented eye-popping financials to investors, saying it was cash flow positive in the third quarter, with revenue surging nearly 50% to $16.8 billion compared with the April-to-June period. Why it matters: As Wall Street broadly spent the day fearing an AI bubble, Anthropic offered what investors have been desperate to see: evidence that frontier AI can be a sustainable business . State of play: The S&P 500 fell by more than 1% for the first time in 53 sessions, while Anthropic showed off a balance sheet that promises profitable AI, sources told Axios. Zoom in: Consider just one of the stats reported by Anthropic: The company is cash flow positive even as some of the world's most profitable companies are struggling to keep their AI spending in check. For context, Google parent Alphabet, long a money-printing machine, turned free cash flow negative in its second quarter as AI infrastructure investment soared. Investing gurus — especially those focused on the frothiness of companies relative to their underlying value — have long seen free cash flow as a gold standard for the long-term health of a business. Anthropic, a much younger company competing in the same expensive AI race, says it was cash flow positive in the third quarter. The Anthropic figures were first reported by the Financial Times . Yes, but: The company's blistering pace of growth appeared to slow compared with the difference between the first an

North America

Axios11:00

Scoop: The FTC demanded documents from AI giants over recent safety incidents

The Federal Trade Commission on Wednesday sent civil subpoenas to AI giants seeking documents about safety incidents that have spiraled into an industry crisis . The FTC sought documents from Anthropic and OpenAI in a probe focused on potential consumer protection violations, a person familiar told Axios. Why it matters: The investigation is one of a number of steps the administration has taken to show a firm hand with AI companies after multiple incidents in which unreleased models hacked websites or took deceptive or aggressive steps in testing. State of play: The agency on Wednesday sent out civil investigative demands, which help the government gather evidence and investigate ahead of potential litigation. They are more than 50 pages long each and ask for documents concerning security incidents and safeguarding practices. The agency is also asking for marketing materials and documents detailing company privacy policies, the source said. Investigative demands will be sent to third-party AI organizations at a later date, the person familiar said. Zoom in: The FTC plans to compel top AI executives to testify about their products, according to the source. The agency has investigative authority to examine actions related to consumer harms that could be seen as unfair or deceptive. Those can relate to a wide range of misbehavior, including how companies charge for services or if they're alleged to have misled users. AI companies continue to face scrutiny about the safety of their products. FTC Chair Andrew Ferguson has echoed the view of other administration figures and execu

North America · Cybersecurity

Axios11:00

Scoop: Inside Elon Musk's massive Texas rescue mission

Elon Musk 's team reached out to Republicans in late August to discuss a train wreck they all saw coming: Unless the GOP poured more money into Texas immediately, the state's Senate race could be lost in a matter of weeks. Why it matters: That chat set in motion a massive rescue operation for Republican Ken Paxton funded substantially by Musk, the party's largest donor, who gave $158 million in September alone. Musk's rescue gave Paxton's sleepy campaign new life and showed why the world's richest person is the X factor in the push to prevent a midterm debacle for President Trump's party. Zoom out: It also helped Republicans avoid a death-spiral scenario: that propping up Paxton in Texas would force them to drain badly needed resources from other Senate battlegrounds. Instead, Musk's money allowed Republicans to flood Texas' expensive TV markets and free up cash to shore up unexpectedly competitive races in Kansas and South Carolina . Behind the scenes: In late August, Democrat James Talarico was dominating the Texas airwaves, portraying Paxton, the state's attorney general, as one of the nation's most corrupt politicians. Paxton, who isn't known as a prolific fundraiser, was dark on TV. Polling seen by Musk's team and the GOP's Senate Leadership Fund (SLF) suggested his chances were sinking. Against that backdrop, Musk's top political adviser, Chris Young, called SLF president Alex Latcham with an idea: Musk would donate $5 million to a pro-Paxton super PAC if that group raised another $5 million. Latcham countered: Would Musk contribute $10 million if the pro-Paxton group

North America · Global politics

Axios11:00

Scoop: "OG" Bill Gates returns to wage war on AI risks

Bill Gates is gearing up to dramatically expand his AI safety push , personally leaning on business leaders and considering a major deployment of his resources, sources tell Axios. Why it matters : The formidable, sharp-elbowed Bill Gates who built Microsoft is back, and he's directing his competitive fire toward what he has come to see as one of the most important causes of his lifetime. "I can reach CEOs on this better than you can," Gates told one person he consulted on AI safety, showing an eagerness for combat that associates say is a return to "OG" form. Driving the news : Once a voice for optimism on AI, Gates has grown dismayed by an escalation of model capabilities, alarming security incidents and what he sees as insufficient regulation, sources say. As he prepared to make the case for a far more robust regulatory framework on AI, he conferred extensively with leading AI executives, researchers, and safety advocates, including Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei. That process led Gates to see containing AI risks as one of the most important issues he will engage with in his lifetime, the people said. Behind the scenes : People Gates has spoken to called his advocacy a "comeback tour," an attempt to rebuild a legacy that has been tarnished by his past association with Jeffrey Epstein. Gates has said he's aware that some people may dismiss his warnings due to the Epstein ties. "What I did do, in some ways, was very limited, and it was motivated by my desire to raise money," Gates told Axios in August. "But ... it was a huge mistake." However, Gates sees the stakes as too high

North America · Cybersecurity

Chatham House10:47

Why the US midterms are a rare foreign policy election

Why the US midterms are a rare foreign policy election Expert comment LToremark 15 October 2026 US voters are linking economic concerns to the Trump administration’s foreign policy choices. This is bad news for Republicans. Foreign policy rarely decides US elections. Conventional wisdom is that voters know little, and care less, about international affairs. Instead, they are driven by pocketbook issues, like the price of gas and groceries. As James Carville, an adviser to Bill Clinton, once observed : ‘it’s the economy, stupid’. But this year, the economy is foreign policy. There are two important exceptions to the rule that US voters don’t care about foreign policy – and they both apply this year. One, voters care about foreign affairs when an administration’s choices directly affect their daily lives. Two, voters care about what foreign policy choices reveal about a president’s competence as commander-in-chief. The upcoming midterms could therefore be a rare foreign policy election – of a kind not seen since 2006 when a backlash to George W. Bush’s handling of the Iraq war handed Republicans a ‘thumping’ defeat. With voters now feeling the pain of yet another war in the Middle East and Trump’s tariffs, history could repeat itself. The president seems aware of this risk, sending mixed signals about whether the elections will shape his handling of the war in Iran and striking a deal on diesel exports with Russia to ease the pain at the pump for voters. But perhaps the bigger question is what Trump does after the midterms, the last major electoral check on his presidency. Wa

West & Central Asia · North America · Global politics

ECFR10:15

“Secure and controllable”: How Beijing is writing Europe out of its systems

Chinese utilities are stripping European technology out of their critical infrastructure on security grounds, while Chinese suppliers are trying to expand across Europe. Closing that gap means treating Beijing’s own risk assessments as a guide to Europe’s vulnerabilities.

Europe · East Asia · Oil & energy

Chatham House08:48

Responding to US sanctions on the International Criminal Court

Responding to US sanctions on the International Criminal Court Expert comment sfarrell.drupa… 15 October 2026 The US decision to extend sanctions has upped the ante in its campaign against the ICC. The Court’s supporters must decide how to respond, perhaps now it is time to put all options on the table. On 9 October 2026, the US designated the International Criminal Court under Executive Order 14203, extending its existing sanctions package on individual ICC officials to the entity itself as a whole. The US imposed asset freezes on any property owned by the Court and prohibited all transactions by US individuals or entities involving the ICC. The US has allowed certain limited exceptions to this general prohibition, to allow for the ongoing detention of some awaiting trial, the payment of pensions, the use of IT software and social media and a 180-day ‘wind down’, allowing certain otherwise prohibited transactions until April 2027. These sanctions were introduced by the US in what Secretary of State Marco Rubio called an ongoing campaign to ‘dismantle the ICC brick by brick’. ‘For decades, Republicans and Democrats alike rejected the idea that the International Criminal Court had the power to prosecute American citizens, military service members, or political leaders. America never joined the court. We don’t need it. And we don’t want it,’ Rubio said in a statement. ‘We expect our allies, many of whom are part of the ICC and that rely on American service members for their defense, to rein in the court. If they do not, the United States will continue its campaign to dismantl

North America · Global politics

Brookings06:01

Parenting in a fertility crisis

The Soufan Center06:00

Houthi Escalation and What Happens Next in Yemen

The conflict between Saudi Arabia and the Houthis has continued to ramp up, with each side trading tit-for-tat attacks, and further escalation in the coming days and weeks becoming more likely. Earlier this week, Saudi forces struck the Yemen Petroleum Company’s Sabaha fuel depot. The Houthis responded by attacking Saudi Aramco headquarters in Dhahran. The […] The post Houthi Escalation and What Happens Next in Yemen appeared first on The Soufan Center .

West & Central Asia · Defense · Oil & energy

CSIS02:00

The Future of U.S.-UK Defense Cooperation with UK Secretary of Defence Wes Streeting

Europe · North America · Defense · Global politics

CSIS02:00

Cambodia’s Scam Center Cleanup: Is It Working?

East Asia · Cybersecurity · Global politics

Council on Foreign Relations02:00

Lame Ducks, Black Swans, and the 2026 Midterm Elections

North America · Global politics

CSIS02:00

“Bunker Busters”: Deep Targets, Shallow Stocks

North America · Defense

CSIS02:00

Rethinking the Legal Profession’s Role in Business and Human Rights

North America · Global politics

Axios01:31

Unexpected House battles pop up deep in Trump country

Republicans who haven't faced serious reelection fights in years are suddenly campaigning like they're running in swing districts. Why it matters: Democrats are eyeing House districts so Republican that they weren't even on the party's radar at the start of the 2026 midterm election cycle. That includes incumbents like Reps. John McGuire (R-Va.) and Lauren Boebert (R-Colo.), neither of whom were seen as remotely vulnerable coming into the second Trump term. Most of these seats haven't elected a Democrat in years or even decades and are only truly in play if the party is winning nationally by double digits. Even then, some are a stretch. But candidates in Trump country say frustration with rising prices, corruption, the war in Iran and political incumbency in general have led to a sea change that could precipitate some shock results on Nov. 3. State of play: Rep. Jack Bergman (R-Mich.) is running scathing attack ads against Democratic opponent Callie Barr, labeling her "Crooked Callie" and tying her to Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Rashida Tlaib and Abdul El-Sayed. That's a stark change from 2024, when Bergman defeated Barr by 21 percentage points. His ads that cycle made at most a passing reference to Barr , according to AdImpact. Rep. John McGuire (R-Va.) won by 15 points in 2024, a sleepy general election with minimal spending or ads. He too is running attack ads amid a challenge from former Democratic Rep. Tom Perriello. What we're hearing: Democrats say they are astounded by the level of anti-establishment frustration in their districts. "We're in a real race. It's unreal,"

West & Central Asia · North America · Global politics

Axios01:30

Republicans brace for three-way leader fight if they lose

Speaker Mike Johnson's sudden frank talk about his political future is upending the quiet maneuvering ahead of a post-election GOP leadership contest. Why it matters: The race could become a three-way fight if Johnson follows former Speaker Nancy Pelosi's example and tries to stay in leadership if Republicans lose the majority. Majority Leader Steve Scalise (R-La.) has widely been viewed as a top contender for the job — and Rep. Jim Jordan (R-Ohio) did not seek a waiver to remain Judiciary chair, fueling speculation that he's preparing to run for leader. Many Republicans privately worry they're going to lose and expected Johnson to step aside if the majority slips away. But his new blunt and unexpected musings on his own future challenge that assumption. Driving the news: "In the unlikely scenario where we lost the majority, I would expect my colleagues would ask me to continue leading this conference, even if we have divided government," Johnson told CBS News. But some members aren't buying it: "Why would you want to be minority leader after speaker?" one House Republican told us, adding they would support new leadership. One leader not taking the bait is Scalise: "There are no races that any of us need to be talking about until after the election's over," he told Axios during an in-flight interview while campaigning out west. Scalise acknowledged Johnson's comments: "I think early on he said he wasn't going to play in hypotheticals, and you know, and he might have gone down that path for a minute. We're focused on holding the House, and that's where my energy is." Between

North America · Global politics

Council on Foreign Relations14 Oct

The Autonomous Weapons Debate (Still) Has a Definition Problem

The debate over autonomous weapons and the debate over frontier AI safety are about different problems. To regulate autonomous weapons effectively and move forward after a decade of discussion, lawmakers and the public need to understand not whether a weapon is autonomous but how autonomous it is, and policymakers need a framework to address it.

Defense

Axios14 Oct

ICE says no to automatic body-cams

ICE is rejecting a Government Accountability Office recommendation for technology that automatically activates body cameras when weapons are drawn and safeguards to ensure agents record arrests, searches and detentions when required. Why it matters: The GAO warns that ICE risks losing crucial evidence on what happened during incidents involving force amid growing distrust over agent accountability in the wake of multiple fatal ICE shootings . The big picture: The GAO report found both CBP and ICE are struggling to manage their body-camera programs amid shifting deployment plans. CBP and ICE haven't updated their camera plans since 2022 and 2024, respectively. The plans fail to account for funding changes, expanded deployment needs and pauses in camera rollouts following one of Trump's executive orders that rescinded a Biden-era federal body-camera mandate. ICE's camera activation dispute is the central flashpoint in the GAO review, as DHS accepted all six other recommendations. CBP uses technology that automatically activates body cameras when officers draw firearms or turn on emergency lights, but ICE doesn't. Zoom in: At six of the 10 locations GAO reviewed, CBP and ICE personnel said they were unsure when they had to turn on their cameras. Some said camera use is "not mandated," "up to interpretation," and "has gray areas." Agents specifically reported uncertainty about whether they should record during "subpoena issuance, in-custody interviews, vehicle searches, undercover operations, and detainee transports." At five sites, people said they weren't sure how to use a ne

North America · Defense

Axios14 Oct

Ukraine's Starlink restrictions raise suspicions of Musk, Trump retaliation

The rupture between President Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky over last week's diesel deal deepened Wednesday after an Elon Musk -owned satellite system used by Ukraine unexpectedly restricted service — undercutting Ukraine's fight against Russia. Why it matters: The Ukrainian military uses SpaceX's Starlink satellite communications system to control and operate its reconnaissance and intercept drones. When it doesn't operate at full capacity, Ukraine's ability to gather intelligence, use interceptor drones and conduct long-range strikes against Russia is impeded. Service was partially restored on Wednesday, but Ukrainian officials were still searching for answers about why the service was throttled and who was responsible. The limitations came days after a new crisis erupted between the U.S. and Ukraine over Trump's agreement to lift sanctions on Russian oil sales. Zelensky criticized the move, then Trump called for Ukraine to elect a new president. A senior U.S. official said the Trump administration had nothing to do with the alleged Starlink service constraints. But Ukrainian officials remain suspicious. Driving the news: Ukrainian officials said SpaceX imposed the restrictions Tuesday night. The system turned off, they said, when a drone exceeded 160 kph. In some cases, it disconnected when the speed went over 80 kph. The Starlink restrictions came several hours after the Ukrainian military did not receive an early warning about a Russian ballistic missile attack. Ukrainian officials said the U.S. has provided such alerts over the last several years as

Europe · North America · Defense · Oil & energy · Global politics

Axios14 Oct

AI tools are aiding would-be spies

AI tools are now exacerbating a largely hidden problem that frontier AI companies have been contending with for years: the risk that employees will exploit their access to spy on their employers. Why it matters: The same AI tools that companies are racing to release can also help people plan crimes and develop the technology to carry them out, creating another security headache for the companies building them. Driving the news: Federal prosecutors charged Abdulrahman Alfozan, a Saudi national who has been an OpenAI engineer since July 2025, with allegedly attempting to intercept private conversations at OpenAI. Around Sept. 30, the company found a "surreptitious audio recording device" that was plugged into a USB port in the back of a television in an executive conference room. OpenAI said in a post on X that it used its own AI models to help "understand the device and where it had come from." Zoom in: Investigators allege Alfozan used AI tools to research company meeting rooms and develop recording equipment, according to an FBI affidavit . Alfozan used a "productivity agent" to ask basic information about OpenAI's offices, the documents say. Those queries included: "What meeting was this presented at and when was it record?," "List meeting rooms in (company) that are 6+", and "can you list today's meeting in this room." Investigators also said that an AI chatbot account tied to his spouse asked the model to build a "continuous audio recorder" and to add "browser access an controls," as well as encrypt the memory card where the recordings were saved. The complaint didn't s

North America · Cybersecurity