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The Pentagon wants $30 million to build an AI-powered lie detector

Image: MIT Technology Review

The US Department of Defense is requesting $30.3 million over five years to develop an AI-powered lie detection system called "Polygraph+" or "Polygraph Next." The program will focus on machine learning scoring algorithms and standoff sensing technology.

Why it matters

Government investment in AI-enhanced surveillance and interrogation tools raises questions about accuracy, bias, and civil liberties implications of deploying such systems in law enforcement and security contexts.

Coverage

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Tech7h ago

Anthropic signs $11.6 billion cloud deal with Akamai, pushing its compute spending past $500 billion in under a year

Anthropic has signed a $11.6 billion seven-year cloud computing deal with Akamai Technologies, bringing the company's total compute spending commitments to over $500 billion in less than a year. CEO Dario Amodei has warned that the company could face bankruptcy if revenue forecasts miss even slightly.

Why it matters: This massive infrastructure investment reflects the enormous capital requirements for AI companies to remain competitive, and raises questions about the financial sustainability of the current AI industry model.

SourceThe Decoder

Tech6h ago

Microsoft thinks its new Copilot ‘super app’ will be as influential as Office

Microsoft is officially launching a redesigned Copilot "super app" that combines chat, coding, and AI agents into a single interface. The company is also rebranding its AI assistant Scout as Autopilot as part of the release.

Why it matters: This positions Microsoft's AI assistant as a productivity powerhouse to rival other AI platforms, making advanced AI capabilities more accessible through a unified application.

SourceThe Verge

Tech6h ago

Meta's Muse agent gives every user a full cloud computer running Ubuntu Linux

Meta's Muse AI agent now provides each user with a free cloud computer running Ubuntu Linux, allowing users to install software, write code, and browse the web. A monitoring process called Sentinel tracks sensitive actions while users retain full file system visibility, and the agent has already attracted over 500,000 users in its first week.

Why it matters: Giving AI agents direct access to a full operating system marks a significant shift in how users can interact with AI, enabling it to handle complex computing tasks beyond text generation.

SourceThe Decoder