{"id":19671,"date":"2026-03-17T12:48:29","date_gmt":"2026-03-17T12:48:29","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ideainthebox.com\/index.php\/2026\/03\/17\/the-download-openi-us-military-deal-grok-xai-csam-lawsuit\/"},"modified":"2026-03-17T12:48:29","modified_gmt":"2026-03-17T12:48:29","slug":"the-download-openi-us-military-deal-grok-xai-csam-lawsuit","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ideainthebox.com\/index.php\/2026\/03\/17\/the-download-openi-us-military-deal-grok-xai-csam-lawsuit\/","title":{"rendered":"The Download: OpenAI\u2019s US military deal, and Grok\u2019s CSAM lawsuit"},"content":{"rendered":"
\n

This is today\u2019s edition of <\/em>The Download<\/em><\/a>, our weekday newsletter that provides a daily dose of what\u2019s going on in the world of technology.<\/em><\/p>\n

Where OpenAI\u2019s technology could show up in Iran<\/strong>\u00a0<\/h3>\n

OpenAI has controversially agreed to give the Pentagon access to its AI. But where exactly could its tech show up, and which applications will its customers and employees tolerate?\u00a0<\/p>\n

There\u2019s pressure to integrate it quickly with existing military tools. One\u00a0defense\u00a0official revealed it could even\u00a0assist\u00a0in selecting strike targets. OpenAI\u2019s partnership with Anduril, which makes drones and counter-drone technologies, adds another hint at what is to come.\u00a0<\/p>\n

AI has long handled military analysis. But applying generative AI\u2019s advice to actions in the field is being tested in earnest for the first time in Iran.\u00a0Read the full story<\/a>.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u2014James O\u2019Donnell\u00a0<\/em>\u00a0<\/p>\n

This story is from The Algorithm, our weekly newsletter on AI.\u00a0<\/strong>Sign up<\/strong><\/a>\u00a0to receive it in your inbox every Monday.\u00a0<\/strong>\u00a0<\/p>\n

The must-reads\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

I\u2019ve\u00a0combed the internet to find you today\u2019s most fun\/important\/scary\/fascinating stories about technology.<\/em>\u00a0<\/p>\n

1\u00a0xAI\u00a0has been sued over AI-generated child sexual abuse material<\/strong>\u00a0
Victims say Grok was built to create porn from photos of real people. (WP<\/a>\u00a0$)\u00a0
+\u00a0There\u2019s\u00a0a booming market for custom deepfake porn.\u00a0<\/em>(MIT Technology Review<\/a>)\u00a0<\/p>\n

2 In a world-first, China has approved a brain chip for commercial use<\/strong>\u00a0
The BCI has been approved for treating paralysis.\u00a0<\/strong>(Nature<\/a>)\u00a0
+ Brain implants are slowly becoming products.<\/em>\u00a0(MIT Technology Review<\/a>)\u00a0
+\u00a0Some are getting help from generative AI.\u00a0<\/em>(MIT Technology Review<\/a>)\u00a0<\/p>\n

3 Anthropic is recruiting a weapons expert to prevent \u201ccatastrophic misuse\u201d of its AI<\/strong>\u00a0
They want experience with \u201cchemical weapons and\/or explosives\u00a0defense.\u201d (BBC<\/a>)\u00a0
+\u00a0Anthropic\u2019s\u00a0relationship with the White House is in tatters.\u00a0<\/em>(MIT Technology Review<\/a>)\u00a0<\/p>\n

4 Nvidia predicts \u201cat least\u201d $1 trillion in AI chip revenue by the end of next year<\/strong>\u00a0
But the bullish forecast\u00a0failed to\u00a0impress Wall Street. (FT<\/a>\u00a0$)\u00a0
+ Nvidia has teamed up with Bolt to build European robotaxis.\u00a0<\/em>(Engadget<\/a>)\u00a0<\/p>\n

5 OpenAI plans to shift its focus to coding and business users<\/strong>\u00a0
Areas where its rival Anthropic already dominates. (WSJ<\/a>\u00a0$)\u00a0<\/p>\n

6 President Trump has driven a wedge between Republicans over AI<\/strong>\u00a0
And that divide led to a sweeping AI bill flopping in Florida. (NYT<\/a>\u00a0$)\u00a0
+ Trump was duped by a fake AI video again.\u00a0<\/em>(Reuters<\/a>)\u00a0<\/p>\n

7 The US wants the WTO to permanently ban ecommerce tariffs<\/strong>\u00a0
Brazil, India, and South Africa oppose the plan. (Bloomberg<\/a>)\u00a0<\/p>\n

8 OpenAI\u2019s wellbeing experts opposed the launch of ChatGPT\u2019s \u201cadult mode\u201d<\/strong>\u00a0
One said it risked creating a \u201csexy suicide coach\u201d for vulnerable users. (Ars Technica<\/a>)\u00a0
+ AI is already transforming relationships.\u00a0<\/em>(MIT Technology Review<\/a>)\u00a0<\/p>\n

9 A witness caught using\u00a0smartglasses\u00a0in court blamed ChatGPT<\/strong>\u00a0
He was getting real-time legal coaching through the specs. (404 Media<\/a>)\u00a0
+ AI is creating legal errors in courtrooms.\u00a0<\/em>(MIT Technology Review<\/a>)\u00a0<\/p>\n

10 Some people think Benjamin Netanyahu is an AI clone<\/strong>\u00a0
Despite his insistence to the contrary. (The Verge<\/a>)\u00a0
+ Generative AI is amplifying disinformation and propaganda.\u00a0<\/em>(MIT Technology Review<\/a>)\u00a0<\/p>\n

Quote of the day\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u201cThe inference inflection has arrived.\u201d<\/strong>\u00a0<\/h2>\n

\u2014Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang claims\u00a0we\u2019ve\u00a0reached a tipping point where AI usage is accelerating faster than its development,\u00a0AP reports<\/a>.\u00a0<\/p>\n

One More Thing\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

Meet the radio-obsessed civilian shaping Ukraine\u2019s drone\u00a0defense<\/strong>\u00a0<\/h4>\n
\n
\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n
EMRE \u00c7AYLAK<\/div>\n<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n

Serhii \u201cFlash\u201d\u00a0Beskrestnov\u00a0is, at least unofficially, a spy. Once a month, he drives to the frontline in a VW van equipped with radio hardware, roof antennas, and devices that\u00a0monitor\u00a0drones. Over several days, he searches the skies for transmissions that can help Ukrainian troops.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Drones define this brutal conflict, and most rely on the radio communications Flash has obsessed over since childhood. Though now a civilian, the former officer has taken it upon himself to inform his country\u2019s\u00a0defense\u00a0on all matters related to radio.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Unlike traditional spies, Flash shares his discoveries with over 127,000 followers\u2014including soldiers and officials\u2014on social media. His work has won fans in the\u00a0military, but\u00a0also sparked controversy among the top brass.\u00a0Read the full story<\/a>.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u2014Charlie Metcalfe\u00a0<\/em>\u00a0<\/p>\n

We can still have\u00a0nice things\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

A place for comfort, fun and distraction to brighten up your day. (Got any ideas?\u00a0<\/em>Drop me a line<\/em><\/a>.)<\/em>\u00a0<\/p>\n

+ A\u00a0newly mapped<\/a>\u00a0spiral galaxy 65 million light-years away is an absolute knockout.\u00a0
+\u00a0Miss the days of TV guides? A new app\u00a0recreates them<\/a>\u00a0for YouTube.\u00a0
+\u00a0Shameless plug: MIT\u2019s\u00a0Heirloom House<\/a>\u00a0shows homes can last for a\u00a0millennium.\u00a0
+\u00a0This\u00a0supergroup<\/a>\u00a0of musical dogs is creating truly fur-midable\u00a0harmonies (sorry).\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/p>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

This is today\u2019s edition of The Download, our weekday newsletter […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"content-type":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[226],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-19671","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-technology"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/ideainthebox.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/19671","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/ideainthebox.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/ideainthebox.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ideainthebox.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ideainthebox.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=19671"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/ideainthebox.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/19671\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/ideainthebox.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=19671"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ideainthebox.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=19671"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ideainthebox.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=19671"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}