NOT GOOD: PENTAGON WORKERS USED CHINA'S AI CHATBOT DEEPSEEK—BUT THANKFULLY NOW IT'S BLOCKED. Pentagon employees accessed DeepSeek’s AI chatbot for two days before the Defense Department shut it down over security concerns. The chatbot stores data on Chinese servers, raising alarms about potential espionage.
—> CHINA'S AI PENETRATES U.S. DEFENSE. The Pentagon’s IT agency moved fast to block access after discovering employees had connected work computers to DeepSeek. But some screens still displayed “Website Blocked” warnings as of Wednesday.
—> A PATTERN OF TECH INFILTRATION. From TikTok to Chinese-made routers, Beijing’s tech influence is deep inside U.S. infrastructure. Now, the military is scrambling to purge DeepSeek-related code from its networks.
Source: Bloomberg.
hello, future. it’s me, kev.
…and this is a dispatch from the digital frontier. It’s time to meet the future NOW — with the latest on markets, tech, and freedom. The day is 30. The year is 2025. The planet is Earth. My name is Kevin Cirilli —> LinkedIn. Sign-up to receive the future in your inbox here.
We publish Sunday through Thursday. Tonight we’re in Southeastern PA, where we guest lectured at West Chester University.
Back to the future...
D.C. AIRSPACE NIGHTMARE: TECH FAILURE OR HUMAN ERROR? A commercial jet and a military Black Hawk helicopter collided over Washington, D.C., killing 67 people, including three soldiers and top U.S. figure skaters. Investigators are looking into whether air traffic control staffing issues contributed to the crash. A leaked FAA report described coverage as “not normal for the time of day.”
—> HIGH-RISK SKY: Pilots have long warned D.C. airspace is a “nightmare scenario” due to its mix of commercial jets, military helicopters, and restricted zones. The question now: will regulators finally act?
Source: AP News.
FUTURES
STOCK MARKET: META, TESLA, IBM LEAD A RALLY. Wall Street bounced back as Big Tech stocks pulled markets higher. The S&P 500 rose 0.5%, while the Dow gained 168 points and the Nasdaq climbed 0.3%.
—> META FLEXES AI MUSCLE. Facebook’s parent company beat earnings expectations and promised more AI investment, helping calm nerves over China’s DeepSeek threat.
—> NVIDIA RECOVERS FROM AI PANIC. After a rough start, Nvidia clawed back gains, closing up 1%. The AI boom continues, but investors are watching how China’s low-cost AI disrupts Silicon Valley.
CRYPTO
BITCOIN CLIMBS AS FED SIGNALS CAUTION ON RATE CUTS. Bitcoin surged past $105K, extending a rally after Fed Chair Jerome Powell said banks can serve crypto customers if they manage risks.
—> TRUMP’S CRYPTO WAVE? Bitcoin is up 50% since Trump’s election as investors expect friendlier regulations. The SEC is under pressure to approve more crypto ETFs—including memecoin funds.
—> IS THE RALLY GETTING TIRED? Some analysts warn Bitcoin’s “maturing” rally could stall. Others say increasing U.S. engagement with crypto means the next bull run is just getting started.
Source: Bloomberg.
SPACE
NASA: A "CITY-KILLER" ASTEROID IS HEADED OUR WAY IN 2032! NASA is tracking asteroid 2024 YR4, a space rock with a 1-in-83 chance of striking Earth on December 22, 2032. That’s millions of times more likely than winning the lottery.
—> 500 HIROSHIMA BOMBS. If it hits, the asteroid could flatten an entire city, releasing energy 8 megatons strong—equivalent to 500 nuclear bombs.
—> TIME TO TALK PLANETARY DEFENSE?. Earth dodges thousands of near-Earth objects (NEOs) each year, but 2024 YR4’s high impact odds raise serious questions. Could NASA’s asteroid deflection technology stop it in time?
—> FLASHBACK: The last time an asteroid struck Earth it was Siberia back in 1908 — the Tunguska Event. This is the largest recorded impact from something — anything… manmade or space — in recorded history. It was an airburst. The asteroid exploded in the sky over a remote area of the Earth. There were no deaths because of where it struck.
Source: Daily Galaxy.
ONE MORE THING
HUMANOID ROBOTS ARE COMING FOR YOUR JOBS… AND MAYBE YOUR COFFEE. The U.S. and China are in an arms race—not for missiles, but for humanoid robots that can walk, talk, and work like us. Tesla, Nvidia, and Chinese tech giants are betting big on robots that can flip burgers, stock warehouses, assist in hospitals, and even care for the elderly.
—> WHY IT MATTERS: AI is hitting a wall without real-world experience. Enter humanoid robots. Every task they perform—whether making lattes or assembling iPhones—feeds into an AI feedback loop, accelerating machine learning and making them even better workers.
—> MEET THE FUTURE: Goldman Sachs sees a $38 billion market by 2035, with Citibank predicting 648 million humanoid robots by 2050. The robots aren’t just coming—they’re already clocking in. Question is: What happens when they outperform us?
Source: Foreign Policy, Goldman Sachs, Citibank.
With gratitude,
Kev
ABOUT mtf.tv’s meet the future: mtf.tv’s meet the future is a cutting-edge platform focused on addressing key challenges at the intersection of national security, technology, and business. With a mission to embrace freedom to meet the future’s challenges and opportunities, mtf.tv offers forward-thinking media offerings and forums.
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