The Aporia
The Aporia
Hertling, M. (2026, September 19). America Nearly Made a Catastrophic Mistake With China | Command Post. The Bulwark. https://www.thebulwark.com/p/america-nearly-made-a-catastrophic
Hertling, Mark. “America Nearly Made a Catastrophic Mistake With China | Command Post.” The Bulwark, 19 Sept. 2026, https://www.thebulwark.com/p/america-nearly-made-a-catastrophic.
Hertling, Mark. “America Nearly Made a Catastrophic Mistake With China | Command Post.” The Bulwark, September 19, 2026. https://www.thebulwark.com/p/america-nearly-made-a-catastrophic.
Dated when The Aporia collected the article, usually within hours of publication. Check the original for its exact date and byline.
In spring 2026, US intelligence, influenced by an AI chatbot, falsely flagged a Chinese vessel in the Middle East as carrying nuclear weapons-related components. This error nearly led American forces to prepare for an interception that could have sparked military conflict with China. The operation was only halted after officials realized the AI had misidentified the cargo. CNN cited anonymous sources describing the report as "entirely false" and stating it “almost started a war.” The specific chatbot used and the actual contents of the ship remain undisclosed. This incident highlights growing concerns over the integration of AI in military intelligence, following recent controversies like the resignation of an Anthropic researcher due to fears about AI's potential to escape human control.
