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September 24, 2026

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Notable

China has a different idea of A.I. safety. “The race over A.I. is no longer only about technological superiority. It is also a contest over whose concepts of freedom, security and the role of the state become embedded in the powerful systems that are increasingly shaping how societies think, make decisions and wield power.”

— John Garnaut, a China expert and former journalist

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Dear Congress: Here’s what to ask A.I. leaders. “Before any intervention, Congress should lead a public fact-finding mission that reveals the unvarnished details of A.I. development.”

— Cal Newport, a professor of computer science at Georgetown University

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Soldiers want to tell their stories. “Transparency is part of the process of democratic governance. It’s irritating for leaders, but indispensable for democracies, and it’s indispensable for citizen armies. It’s what permits the electorate — our nation’s actual rulers — to understand the truth about the wars they’re asked to support and to fight.”

— David French, an Opinion columnist

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Spotlight

Illustrations by Lucinda Rogers

12 Texas Swing Voters on the Paxton-Talarico Race

The group discusses the economy, the president and the U.S. Senate race in the state.

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ICYMI

Trump has many vulnerabilities. One stands out. “What is perhaps most striking to me about the lay of the political landscape heading into the midterm homestretch is the way that among all of Trump’s vulnerabilities — his naked corruption, his malice on immigration, his paltry legislative achievement and his siding so blithely with A.I. accelerationists against a large majority of the country — the Iran war stands out.”

— David Wallace-Wells, an Opinion writer

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Listen (or Watch)

The New York Times Interesting Times How Worried Should We Be About the Midterm Elections? And how we learn to trust elections again. 45 MIN LISTEN

More in Opinion

Guest Essay Our Forests Are Demanding a Sacrifice Wildfire converted me from a tree-hugger to a tree-worshipper. By Robert Moor

The Conversation Trump the Destroyer The president has an edifice complex. By Frank Bruni and Bret Stephens

In Your Words

Re: “Here’s One Thing Joe Manchin Was Right About”

Read more Opinion comments here, and check out our Letters to the Editor.

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