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Elon Musk described artificial intelligence as a “magic genie” that “gives you any wishes you want” whilst warning people to “be careful what you wish for.”The billionaire tech entrepreneur was speaking to Rishi Sunak to close out the government’s AI safety summit on Thursday, 2 November.Mr Musk said AI presents a future challenge of how to “find meaning in life if you have a magic genie that can do everything you want” but could bring about “universal high income.””It will be somewhat of a leveller… I think everyone will have access to this magic genie,” he added. More

Elon Musk expressed concern over humanoid robots that “can chase you anywhere” during a conversation with Rishi Sunak at the end of the government’s artificial intelligence (AI) safety summit on Thursday, 2 November.The billionaire emphasised the need to have an off-switch for humanoid versions that can chase you up the stairs.”You can run up a flight of stairs and get away from a Tesla,” the billionaire said as the UK prime minister laughed.”If a robot can follow you anywhere, what if they get a software update one day, and they’re not so friendly any more?” Mr Musk added. More

A former civil servant has said that Matt Hancock displayed “nuclear levels” of overconfidence and pretended to be a cricketer batting off challenges during the coronavirus pandemic.Helen MacNamara, who served as deputy cabinet secretary, told the Covid inquiry on Wednesday, 1 November, that she witnessed a “jarring” episode in Downing Street in April 2020.Ms MacNamara wrote in her statement that she tried to reassure Mr Hancock it must be “very hard” to be health secretary, to which he responded: “They bowl them at me, I knock them away” according to her testimony. More

Helen MacNamara has suggested the government’s focus on Brexit ahead of the Covid-19 pandemic was one of the matters that put the UK on the “back foot”.The former top civil servant also claimed that Boris Johnson’s “monomaniacal focus” was on Britain’s exit from the European Union.“Everything else could wait until after this question was settled,” Ms MacNamara told the Covid inquiry on Wednesday 1 November.She was then asked if a focus on Brexit was one of the matters that “contributed to a sense of being on the back foot” at the beginning of the pandemic.“Yes,” Ms MacNamara replied. More

Sir Keir Starmer and Rishi Sunak welcomed the new Labour MP for Tamworth to the House of Commons on Wednesday, 25 October, after the Tory candidate for the seat told food bank users to ‘f*** off’.Andrew Cooper reportedly shared a Facebook post saying that people should only seek help if they give up basics like TV and mobile phone contracts.“Is the prime minister as relieved as I am that [Tamworth] constituents are not burdened with his defeated candidate who told them… to f-off if they’re struggling with the cost of living?” the Labour leader said. More

Sir Keir Starmer urged Rishi Sunak to call a general election as he criticised a Conservative by-election candidate who shared a Facebook post suggesting some parents using food banks to feed their children should “f*** off”.“Will he just call the general election and give the public a chance to respond?” the Labour leader asked during Prime Minister’s Questions on Wednesday 25 October.“They’ve heard the government telling them to ‘f-off’ and they want the chance to return the compliment,” Sir Keir added, referencing Andrew Cooper’s social media post from 2020.Mr Cooper, the Tory candidate in Tamworth, lost out to Labour’s Sarah Edwards in last week’s by-election. More

Rishi Sunak was scolded by the House of Commons speaker, Lindsay Hoyle, for asking questions of Sir Keir Starmer during PMQs on Wednesday 25 October.After Mr Sunak asked Sir Keir to explain why he “stood in the way” of Tory plans to “unlock 100,000 new homes”, the speaker halted proceedings.“Just to say, it’s Prime Minister’s Questions, not opposition questions,” Mr Hoyle said.After Mr Sunak appeared to sarcastically nod after the reminder, the speaker then added: “I’m sorry, prime minister. It is Prime Minister’s Questions, I don’t need you nodding against my decision.” More