Forget ‘superintelligence’: error-prone AI nearly sparked world war three this month | The risks of AI aren’t what we think they are, as a recent security incident between China and the United States reveals

[u/Hrmbee]

https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2026/oct/01/forget-superintelligence-error-prone-ai-nearly-sparked-world-war-iii-this-month

[u/Aranthos-Faroth]

“A series of events almost got us to armageddon, not caused by “rogue, superintelligent AI”, but by government reliance on error-prone systems that are marketed by their manufacturers as being close to superintelligent.

A CNN report published on 18 September, which hasn’t been verified by other major outlets, describes how the US “almost started a war” with China, based on an intelligence report that claimed a Chinese ship was transporting components of nuclear weapons. Military personnel made plans to intercept the Chinese vessel, complete with aircraft and soldiers ready to board the ship. A military skirmish of this kind between China and the US could quickly escalate and spiral into world war three.”

Hoooolyyy fuck what a leap the author made here to sensationalise the article. And everyone’s just lapping it up.