Newscast

The broadcast led with the FBI charging a 35-year-old Saudi national, Abdulrahman Al-Fazan, an OpenAI employee, over an alleged bugging device found plugged into the back of a TV in an OpenAI boardroom in California. The transcript says the device was small, wrapped in tissue paper and had a USB connector, and that OpenAI fired him within two weeks. Authorities allege he planted it on 28 September and that it was spotted two days later; he was arrested on 9 October and first appeared in court on 13 October. The report said chatbot prompts were allegedly used to try to improve the device's Wi-Fi and live-listening abilities, and that the FBI has not said who he was allegedly recording for. OpenAI said it did not believe recordings captured anything of value, while the Justice Department release linked the case to the US super intelligence race and quoted Director of National Intelligence Jay Clayton. The broadcast also noted reporting that the alleged device was an XIAO ESP32-S3 Sense costing $13.99.

Next, the broadcast discussed MI5 Director General Ken McCallum's Tuesday afternoon speech, in which he covered threats including AI. It said MI5 had set up a new cell to monitor AI-related threats, and that McCallum described AI as a propaganda tool for generating and spreading misinformation and disinformation, as well as a potential enabler of AI-powered drones and bioweapons. The broadcast noted an Anthropic report about someone at a research institute using its Claude platform to seek information about a virus, and a briefing where a large AI firm said bio capabilities were growing as fast as cyber capabilities. It also mentioned a select committee hearing later that day where former and current AI industry figures and the UK AI Safety Institute gave evidence, defending their safety procedures while not disagreeing with McCallum.

Later, the broadcast returned to the Liberal Democrats, reporting that Sir Ed Davey remained leader after a lengthy parliamentary party meeting in Westminster. Two frontbenchers had resigned in the previous week or so, reportedly over concerns about Davey, policy direction and leadership, and the meeting was punctuated by division bells. Team Davey acknowledged grumblings and a small number of strident calls for a change at the top, but said the vast majority of the parliamentary party did not think changing leader was a good idea. The report said the Lib Dems' expansion from 15 MPs to 72 had brought growing pains and irritation over attention, and noted new appointments including James Holt as political director and Ruth Younger as chief of staff. It also set out the party's 2024 election result of about 3.5 million votes, a 12% share and 72 seats, compared with 2019's 3.7 million votes, 11.5% and 11 seats.