New: We found 50 cops who misused Flock cameras and other license-plate readers for personal purposes, often to spy on their girlfriends or ex-wives. He "watched every single move I made. ... Who do you turn the chief of police in to?" wapo.st/3S6rTuo

She left her ex. He secretly tracked her through a network of policing cameras.

Flock’s array of license-plate cameras was built to fight crime. But at least 50 law enforcement officers were charged with or accused of misusing it and other systems.

wapo.st

Four years ago I broke the story about Google engineer Blake Lemoine, who thought the company's AI model was sentient. That was 5 months before the launch of ChatGPT. Today, tech execs yapping about AI consciousness is practically mainstream wapo.st/3SDUIhI

They built the world’s most powerful AI. They’re facing a mystery they can’t explain.

Anthropic, Google and Meta have hired computer scientists, neuroscientists and philosophers to study what some in the industry think may become a moral crisis.

wapo.st

I tested six AI models on 30 political questions. Most tended to give left-leaning arguments. Gemini mostly gave both sides — even about whether the U.S. should conquer new territories. What counts as “neutral” (and whether that should be the goal) is really hard to say. 🎁 wapo.st/3QEBMi3

"The meet-and-greet ended abruptly with Bilton saying 'Enjoy the bagels' and leaving in silence."

Scott Nover@scottnover.bsky.social · 2mo ago

One of many eye-popping exchanges between Scott Pelley and Nick Bilton in this morning’s meeting: www.washingtonpost.com/business/202...

Good reporting from @nitasha.bsky.social & others on the byzantine patterns of dark money funding for midterm candidates from the tech sector where apparent opponents often share an underlying material interest—keep the genAI boom going by whatever means necessary. wapo.st/4ukkLb3

If Elon Musk was really serious about his proposal for "universal high income," @scottsantens.com tells me, he could start funding it right now. But he isn't doing that, and in fact is spending his time complaining about the mechanism economists see for achieving it: taxation. wapo.st/4uYjCGE

AI leaders see mass job loss coming. They want government’s help solving it.

Elon Musk, Dario Amodei and other tech leaders back public benefits as AI threatens jobs. But critics question whether billionaires would support the massive redistribution needed to fund an AI welfar...

wapo.st

New from me: See the hidden rules behind AI. Then use them to rewrite this article. I hooked this article up to an LLM to help explain system prompts. Give it a try -> www.washingtonpost.com/technology/i...

The Washington Post won a Pulitzer Prize for public service for coverage of DOGE and the federal workforce. It’s the second time The Post has won the prestigious award in five years. Read more about our winning coverage here: https://wapo.st/3OX3l5A

This lede with Craig Venter emerging nude from the ocean was a real conversation in the Wired bullpen during edits. www.wired.com/2004/08/vent...

New: A former Rubik's Cube world record holder started work at the Commerce Dept on Monday to work on AI policy. Four days later the White House pushed him out due to concern he previously worked for Anthropic. www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2...

White House pushed out new AI official after just four days on the job

The White House forced out AI researcher Collin Burns days into a Commerce job, underscoring friction with Anthropic and a widening AI talent gap.

washingtonpost.com

New: We found out how much money Nick Fuentes makes from "superchats": $900,000 since the start of Trump's second term. Here's the story of Kristine in Ohio, a food-truck operator who became his most frequent donor, despite not making much money herself: wapo.st/4mERkhv

Look at the crumbling support among Virginians (America's first data center hot spot) for data centers: Q: Would you be comfortable or uncomfortable if a new data center were built in your community? 2023: 69% comfortable 2026: 35% comfortable www.washingtonpost.com/business/202...

Anthropic researchers met with Christian leaders to discuss AI's "spiritual value" and how it should respond to its own demise. "They are creating a creature to whom they owe some kind of moral duty" www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2... @nitasha.bsky.social @gerritd.bsky.social

@shaneisland.bsky.social & I figured out what happened! wapo.st/40Yjlqs

Post reporters called the White House. Some saw ‘Epstein Island’ on the screen.

Washington Post journalists who called the White House switchboard using Google Pixel Android phones saw “Epstein Island” on their screens Thursday.

wapo.st

So this happened when we called the White House switchboard yesterday.

BREAKING: Pentagon press policy ruled unconstitutional in case brought by N.Y. Times www.washingtonpost.com/business/202...

Pentagon press policy ruled unconstitutional in case brought by N.Y. Times

A federal judge struck down the Defense Department’s new press policy that triggered an exodus of reporters from the Pentagon, calling it unconstitutional.

washingtonpost.com

The NIH’s budget is less than $50b

Jeff Stein@jeffstein.bsky.social · 5mo ago

SCOOP: The Pentagon asked the White House today for more than *$200 billion* for Iran war supplemental, sources say Some in WH think Congress won't support b/c it's so big Will tee up giant battle in Congress My last story for WaPo: www.washingtonpost.com/national-sec...

Huge thank you to all *checks notes* 200,000 of you who subscribed in the last year! Extremely proud of my colleagues and to be part of Team @wired.com www.nytimes.com/2026/03/17/b...

Wired’s New Editor Doesn’t Care if the Tech Bros Are Mad

nytimes.com

A journalist filed a brief live blog entry on an apparent Iranian missile strike that hit no one and caused no serious damage. Next thing he knew, angry Polymarket users were demanding he change the story—and threatening his life and family if he refused. My story: wapo.st/4lI6Pon (gift link)

A journalist reported a missile strike. Then came the death threats.

An Israeli war reporter says online gamblers demanded he change a published story so they could win a payout on prediction market Polymarket.

wapo.st

New: AI job exposure is important, but there’s more to the picture. Here’s what the research says on adaptability. Find your job here 🎁 wapo.st/4cP2ZHM

Come say hi and grab a signed copy of the newly updated book! #RSAC

runZero (Official Account)@runzero.com · 5mo ago

Meet renowned author and investigative journalist @joemenn.bsky.social! Join runZero and Mallory on Tuesday, March 24 between 3:30-4:30 PM PT for a private book signing with the author of "Cult of the Dead Cow." Limited space—register now!

NEW: Three teens allege xAI and Grok were used to generate nude underage images. Photos from homecoming, yearbook, beach outings were turned into CSAM and distributed on Discord and Telegram + some were bartered for other child abuse imagery, a lawsuit alleges. www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2...

Teens allege Musk’s Grok chatbot made sexual images of them as minors

Three teenaged plaintiffs in a lawsuit filed Monday accuse xAI of distribution, possession and production with intent to distribute child pornography.

washingtonpost.com

Three Tennessee teens sue Elon Musk's xAI, alleging its chatbot Grok made sexual images of them as minors -- appears to be first major legal consequence of Grok's sexualised image spree via @faizsays.bsky.social www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2...

Teens allege Musk’s Grok chatbot made sexual images of them as minors

Three teenaged plaintiffs in a lawsuit filed Monday accuse xAI of distribution, possession and production with intent to distribute child pornography.

washingtonpost.com

Thank you to everyone who read and commented on our story about the Pentagon shutting out photographers for publishing “unflattering” photos of Defense Sec. Pete Hegseth. As always, I’m reachable on Signal at scottnover.99 if there’s anything you think I should know.

Pentagon bars press photographers over ‘unflattering’ Hegseth photos

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s staff took issue with photos taken in a rare briefing last week and decided to shut out press photographers from two subsequent news conferences.

washingtonpost.com

Whistleblower alleges that a DOGE employee told people he took a copy of the Social Security Adminstration's "Master Death File" with him when he left the government www.washingtonpost.com/politics/202...

Whistleblower claims ex-DOGE member says he took Social Security data to new job

The Social Security inspector general’s office is investigating allegations that the former DOGE engineer took sensitive data on a thumb drive in a major potential security breach, said people familia...

washingtonpost.com

It's been nearly one year since Trump issued an order to dismantle USAGM and Kari Lake placed employees on leave and fired contractors. Today, a judge found she's been running the agency illegally and found her decisions, including a RIF, null and void. www.washingtonpost.com/business/202...

Judge rules Kari Lake unlawfully ran U.S. media agency, voiding layoffs

Sweeping layoffs at Voice of America made by Trump appointee Kari Lake were declared void by a federal judge, who said she served unlawfully.

washingtonpost.com

Elon Musk emailed Jeffrey Epstein on consecutive Christmases 2012: "Do you have any parties planned? ... I really want to ... let loose." 2013: "When should we head to your island on the 2nd?" My piece looking at his fraught effort to position himself as a voice for victims now wapo.st/4b9kYWV

Musk asked Epstein for ‘the wildest party.’ Now he claims to stand up for victims.

The billionaire Tesla CEO has called for accountability for figures named in the Epstein files — despite appearing in them himself.

wapo.st

New: The White House is transforming the Iran strikes into a meme war. An "aesthetic of bloodlust" that gives Americans the empathy-free, Hollywood, video-game version of deadly combat www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2...

The White House is transforming the Iran strikes into a meme war

The White House is using memes that make light of violent combat in Iran, mixing footage of real missile strikes with clips from action films and video games.

washingtonpost.com

No one told Xi Jinping about the AI productivity bump? "Beijing set an economic growth target of 4.5 percent to 5 percent for 2026 — down from 5 percent last year and its lowest in almost 35 years" www.washingtonpost.com/national-sec...

China lowers growth forecast, boosts military, citing ‘grave’ environment

Beijing kicked off its top annual political gathering, pledging to further insulate its economy from Trump’s tariffs and accelerate efforts to supercharge its military.

washingtonpost.com