Technology that matters

AI Safety

Waymo's School Bus Training Program Failed, Safety Issues Persist

What Happened Austin Independent School District entered into a partnership with Waymo to address a critical safety issue: the company’s autonomous vehicles were failing to recognize when school buses had activated their stop signs and flashing lights. The collaboration aimed to provide Waymo with real-world data on school bus operations, including lighting patterns, environmental conditions, and bus configurations. Despite this direct training approach and a December 2025 software recall affecting over 3,000 Waymo vehicles equipped with Jaguar I-Pace platforms, the safety violations have continued.

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OpenAI Signs Pentagon AI Deal With Built-In Safety Controls

What Happened OpenAI secured a significant Department of Defense contract to provide AI capabilities for classified military networks, with CEO Sam Altman emphasizing the inclusion of “technical safeguards” built directly into the system architecture. Unlike traditional defense contracts that rely on usage policies, this agreement embeds restrictions at the technical level. The safeguards specifically prohibit the use of OpenAI’s models for autonomous weapons systems and domestic mass surveillance operations. Additionally, the contract limits AI deployment to cloud environments rather than edge systems like aircraft or drones, and requires human oversight for any decisions involving the use of force.

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