The World Today: Autumn 2026: AI: New frontier or global threat?

Artificial intelligence is developing rapidly and threatens to transform politics, economics and societies. How should it be regulated? Are significant job losses inevitable? Should countries try to compete with the US and China? What is most misunderstood about the technology? We asked six experts to weigh in on these and other big questions.

Sebastian Mallaby, the author of a recent book on Google DeepMind, tells Mike Higgins about the urgent need for regulation, why Europe will have to follow the United States’ lead and the way to talk to China about the technology’s safety issues. Listen also to the full podcast of their conversation.

The US offers the most advanced defence technology at the expense of sovereignty. Yet Britain can develop AI and other hi-tech capabilities without sacrificing autonomy or its transatlantic alliance, writes Phil Tinline.

When the fighting ends, America’s predominance in the region is likely to be eroded as Iran reasserts itself, the Arab monarchies reconsider their security – and China sees an opportunity. By Mohsen Milani.

Israelis across the spectrum dismiss criticism from old allies and propose new partnerships. But better relations with the US and Europe remain crucial for national security, argues Yaakov Katz.

Lebanese fleeing the country’s south are caught between the Israeli occupation and Hezbollah’s refusal to disarm. But for those seeking refuge in Beirut, further struggles await, writes Lemma Shehadi.

Chatham House’s research fellow in the Middle East and North Africa Programme on falling foul of Houthi warlords, testifying in the US Senate and how the Arab Spring changed his life.

AI threatens to transform the world. We asked six experts to weigh in on the big questions of regulation, the ‘AI race’, safety and much more. Also, China’s ‘double pivot’ towards global pre-eminence and what might happen if Trump rejects the results of the US midterm elections.

The administration’s efforts to undermine confidence in the US electoral system could spark a political crisis in November – with consequences for the 2028 presidential race and beyond, writes Bruce Stokes.

The human rights activist and Nobel Peace Prize Laureate speaks to Sara Seth about her journey from a prisoner of ISIS to her global mission to support survivors of conflict-related sexual violence – and why she nearly gave up her campaign.

High-level dissent is being stamped out as Putin makes big business bear the costs of the invasion – but concern is mounting, writes Natalya Kovaleva.

Sanctions are inadvertently transforming ‘dark’ tankers taking Russian and Iranian oil around the world into a parallel trading system. Even with improved international relations, they are unlikely to want to rejoin a global shipping order laid down by the West, warns Nitya Labh.

Daily power cuts, fuel shortages and empty shop shelves are part of everyday life for Cubans as they struggle with the worst economic crisis in decades. Photographer Daniel Desormais visited an island bracing itself for America’s next move.

After a long season of vigilantism and protests against undocumented foreign nationals, November’s local elections will test whether anti-immigrant populism has appeal for an electorate dissatisfied with the coalition government, writes Kiri Rupiah.

Interview: Patrick Schröder tells Sara Seth how the growth in biofuel production following the Gulf energy crisis is increasing pressure on agricultural land and exacerbating global food insecurity.

A potted selection of reviews from our sister journal ‘International Affairs’, by its editorial coordinator Aroni Sarkar.