PBS News Weekend: National Guard in LA, OpenAI's Empire, and Gene Editing for Citrus

National Guard Deployment in Los Angeles

• 🚨 President Trump ordered 2,000 National Guard troops to Los Angeles following clashes between protesters and immigration officers.
• ⚠️ Demonstrators protested mass deportations and perceived lack of due process, with some instances of property destruction and looting.
• 🏛️ California Governor Gavin Newsom criticized the deployment, stating it would escalate tensions and erode public trust.
• 🗣️ Representative Nanette Barragán condemned violence but emphasized peaceful protest, calling the deployment an unnecessary effort and a "dangerous power grab."

OpenAI and the "Empire of AI"

• 📚 Investigative journalist Karen Hao's book, "Empire of AI," examines OpenAI's shift from a research nonprofit to a competitive, secretive entity.
• 🚀 The book posits that OpenAI, under CEO Sam Altman, embodies a "growth at all costs" mentality, straining global resources and exploiting labor.
• ⚠️ Hao argues the greatest risk of AI development is not rogue AI, but the consolidation of economic and political power in the hands of a few companies, threatening democracy.
• ✨ Beneficial AI applications are seen in task-specific models for areas like renewable energy, weather prediction, and healthcare, contrasting with the risks of pursuing artificial general intelligence (AGI).

Gene Editing to Combat Citrus Greening

• 🍊 A devastating disease called citrus greening has severely impacted Florida's citrus industry, causing a 90% drop in orange production.
• 🔬 Researchers are developing gene-edited citrus trees using CRISPR precision breeding to turn off susceptible genes, aiming for resistance to the bacteria causing citrus greening.
• 🌱 While current solutions have failed or are too costly, the new gene-edited trees show early resistance and healthier growth compared to control groups.
• ⏳ Commercial availability of these gene-edited trees is anticipated by late 2026 or spring 2027, offering hope for the industry's recovery.