In this News Roundup, Elisa unpacks the latest AI-driven developments making headlines—from Chinese financing across U.S. energy and data infrastructure to emerging battlefield AI systems and early research raising concerns about AI-generated pathogens. She also examines evolving strategies for powering data centers, the strategic implications of a potential SpaceX–xAI alignment, and how Anthropic’s latest model signals a new phase in the global AI race.

EVENT: Register for our in-person luncheon on March 5 in Washington, D.C., featuring journalist Jason Rezaian and attorney David Bowker on hostage diplomacy and the wrongful detention of Americans overseas. View the full program here.

References:

• NSLT Ep. 127, The Insurrection Act Today with William Banks and Harvey Rishikof
• Parks, B. C., Zhang, S., Escobar, B., Walsh, K., Fedorochko, R., Vlasto, L., et al. (2025). Chasing China: Learning to Play by Beijing’s Global Lending Rules. Williamsburg, VA: AidData at William & Mary

America’s relationship with Venezuela has long been shaped by power, politics, and law, often in uneasy combinations. This week, Elisa Poteat is joined by Brian Egan, partner at Skadden and former State Department Legal Adviser, to examine the legal foundations of U.S. engagement with Venezuela, from maritime interdictions and sanctions to questions of war powers and executive authority. Drawing on history, international law, and recent developments, they explore how past interventions continue to shape today’s national security decisions and what lawyers should be watching for next.

Brian Egan is a Partner in National Security, CFIUS, and International Trade at Skadden

References:

• EVENT: Join us for our upcoming luncheon, Hostage Diplomacy and the Rule of Law: The Wrongful Detention of American Citizens, on March 5 at the Army Navy Club in Washington, D.C.
• UN Convention against Illicit Traffic in Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances, 1988
• UN Convention on the Law of the Sea
• The Maritime Drug Law Enforcement Act
• UN Charter Full Text
• S.J.Res.98 - A joint resolution to direct the removal of United States Armed Forces from hostilities within or against Venezuela that have not been authorized by Congress.
• The War Powers Resolution
• Reuters. “US Approves Possible Sale of Equipment, Services to Shift Peruvian Naval Base.” Reuters, 15 Jan. 2026
• Nantulya, Paul. "Mapping China’s Strategic Port Development in Africa." Africa Center for Strategic Studies, 10 Mar. 2025

As AI becomes central to national security, alignment itself may introduce new risks. This week, Elisa Poteat is joined by Dr. Michael Vaiana, Research Director at AE Studio, to examine how AI alignment, model testing, and system integration shape both defensive and offensive security capabilities. Together, they explore red teaming, data poisoning, under-researched risks, and what policymakers need to understand about how AI systems behave when deployed at scale.

Dr. Michael Vaianais a Research Director at AE Studio

References:

The Dwarkesh Podcast: Ilya Sutskever – We're moving from the age of scaling to the age of research. Nov. 25 2025.