Daily News: May 19, 2025
AI news that pops: daily insights, fast takes, and the future right in your inbox
Hey there friends👋! In today’s edition, you’re getting 5 🆕 news item and my take on what it all means. That’s it — delivered to your inbox, daily.
Subscribe to LawDroid Manifesto and don’t miss tomorrow’s edition:
Today's News
Here are the top 5 recent news items on artificial intelligence:
1./ Trump Signs "Take It Down Act" Targeting Nonconsensual Images and Deepfakes
President Trump has signed the Take It Down Act, criminalizing the distribution of nonconsensual intimate images, including AI-generated deepfakes, and mandating social media platforms remove such content within 48 hours of notification. Although the bill received broad support from lawmakers, tech companies, and advocates, critics warn that its enforcement by a partisan FTC under Trump's administration could threaten free speech, privacy protections, and be misused politically, sparking concerns and likely future legal challenges.
Source: https://www.theverge.com/news/661230/trump-signs-take-it-down-act-ai-deepfakes
2./ LinkedIn Executive Warns AI Is Breaking the Bottom Rung of the Career Ladder
LinkedIn executive Aneesh Raman warns that artificial intelligence is rapidly eroding entry-level roles traditionally used by young workers to gain experience, disrupting career trajectories and intensifying inequality. With unemployment rates for college graduates climbing and Gen Z facing unprecedented pessimism about job prospects, Raman urges a fundamental reimagining of entry-level positions to provide meaningful skill-building opportunities, arguing that without this transformation, future generations risk losing critical pathways to professional advancement.
Source: https://www.nytimes.com/2025/05/19/opinion/linkedin-ai-entry-level-jobs.html
3./ Tech Billionaire Palmer Luckey Pushes Autonomous AI Weapons to Transform U.S. Military
Tech billionaire Palmer Luckey, founder of Anduril Industries, aims to revolutionize the defense sector by developing autonomous, AI-powered weapons systems, such as drone interceptors, robotic fighter jets, and autonomous submarines. Challenging traditional defense contractors, Luckey's company emphasizes product-driven innovation and has secured over $6 billion in contracts. While Luckey argues these weapons enhance national security and protect American soldiers, critics raise serious ethical concerns about delegating lethal decisions to AI systems.
Source: https://www.cbsnews.com/news/palmer-luckey-future-warfare-anduril-60-minutes/
4./ Klarna’s Revenue Per Employee Nears $1M Driven by AI Efficiency Push
Klarna's aggressive adoption of internally developed AI technology has significantly boosted operational efficiency, nearly doubling its revenue per employee to almost $1 million, primarily through substantial reductions in customer service costs and curtailed hiring. However, last week, the company said customers would again have the option to speak with a human agent. Despite reporting a 13% increase in quarterly revenue, Klarna has postponed its anticipated U.S. IPO amid recent market volatility following tariff announcements by President Trump.
5./ Labor dispute erupts over AI-generated Darth Vader voice in Fortnite
SAG-AFTRA has filed an unfair labor practice complaint against Epic Games subsidiary Llama Productions, alleging that its use of an AI-generated Darth Vader voice in Fortnite violates contractual obligations to negotiate terms regarding voice actor replacements. The AI voice, based on the late James Earl Jones, highlights broader industry concerns about AI replacing human performers, and escalates tensions amid SAG-AFTRA's ongoing strike for stronger AI protections in video games.
Today's Takeaway
Today's headlines underscore the growing tension between AI's potential and its pitfalls: Trump's "Take It Down Act" marks a meaningful step against AI abuses, yet its vague enforcement mechanisms under a partisan FTC could backfire, endangering privacy and freedom of speech. LinkedIn’s stark warning highlights a hidden but critical societal cost, the loss of entry-level jobs crucial to young people's development, intensifying inequality and potentially fracturing career progression permanently. Palmer Luckey’s aggressive push for autonomous AI weapons illustrates how swiftly and irreversibly lethal decision-making could shift from human hands, setting troubling precedents for warfare and ethics. Klarna’s productivity gains from AI are impressive, but at the expense of jobs and human connection, underscoring the rising conflict between efficiency and empathy. Finally, the Fortnite labor dispute signals broader unrest over AI-generated content's impact on human creatives, foreshadowing deeper conflicts ahead as industries grapple with automation. In sum, we're racing into uncharted territory, and the decisions we make now about AI's role in society could shape our ethical, economic, and security landscapes for generations.
Subscribe to LawDroid Manifesto
LawDroid Manifesto, your authentic source for analysis and news for your legal AI journey. Insightful articles and personal interviews of innovators at the intersection of AI and the law. Best of all, it’s free!
Subscribe today:
By the way, as a LawDroid Manifesto premium subscriber, you would get access to exclusive toolkits, like the Missing Manual: OpenAI Operator; a new toolkit released every month…
With these premium toolkits, you not only learn about the latest AI innovations and news items, but you get the playbook for how to use them to your advantage.
If you want to be at the front of the line to get first access to helpful guides like this, and have the inside track to use AI as a force multiplier in your work, upgrade to become a premium LawDroid Manifesto subscriber today!
I look forward to seeing you on the inside. ;)
Cheers,
Tom Martin
CEO and Founder, LawDroid