{"slug": "report-ai-generated-intel-nearly-sparked-us-war-with-china", "title": "Report: AI-Generated “Intel” Nearly Sparked US War With China", "summary": "A U.S. special operations command analyst using artificial intelligence produced a false report that a Chinese ship near the Middle East was carrying components for a nuclear weapon, prompting military planes to deploy and boarding preparations before the error was discovered, according to CNN. A source with knowledge of the spring incident said the report was \"entirely false\" and \"almost started a war\" between the two nuclear powers. The episode comes as AI is integrated across U.S. military intelligence and targeting, and after a March strike on a girls' school in Minab, Iran, that killed 120 children and was deemed a war crime by the United Nations last week.", "body_md": "The U.S. military reportedly “almost started a war” earlier this year over an errant report created by an analyst who was using artificial intelligence (AI) to determine the contents of a ship from China in waters near the Middle East.\n\n[According to *CNN*](https://www.cnn.com/2026/09/18/politics/us-military-ai-false-intelligence-china-ship), the AI wrongly informed a special operations command analyst that the ship was transporting components that could be used to aid in the creation of a nuclear weapon. The report was “entirely false,” a source with knowledge of the situation said.\n\nBut it wasn’t until much later that the report was determined to be a false alarm. Indeed, the military was already preparing to board the vessel in question, based on the report’s findings. Military planes were also deployed in response to the errant report.\n\nThe situation, which took place in the spring, “almost started a war,” [the same source indicated](https://www.cnn.com/2026/09/18/politics/us-military-ai-false-intelligence-china-ship).\n\nSuch a war could have been devastating on a global level, as [both the United States and China are nuclear powers](https://www.globalmilitary.net/nuclear/). \n\n[AI is fast becoming a part of almost every aspect of the military’s work](https://www.cnn.com/2026/09/18/politics/us-military-ai-false-intelligence-china-ship), from intelligence gathering and analysis to selecting targets to bomb. Ultimately, people, not machines, make these decisions, but they are increasingly relying on AI, which is often inaccurate. Indeed, when an AI model doesn’t have an answer, it will frequently fabricate something and report it with confidence — [a phenomenon that tech experts call a “hallucination.”](https://www.cnn.com/2023/08/29/tech/ai-chatbot-hallucinations) \n\nDespite AI being integrated into almost all parts of the military, only 8 percent of Americans have heard “a lot” about the military using AI in its war on Iran, while [4 in 10 Americans have heard “nothing at all” about it](https://www.motherjones.com/politics/2026/09/killer-ai-iran-autonomous-maven-poll-ai-safety/). \n\nIn March, it was revealed that AI played a role in the military’s decision to bomb a girls’ school in Minab, Iran, [with military officials using AI to determine whether the site was a strategic target](https://truthout.org/articles/trump-admin-admits-to-using-grok-to-bomb-iran-in-federal-lawsuit-backing-musk/). Last week, the United Nations concluded that the attack, which killed 120 children, [was a war crime](https://truthout.org/articles/un-inquiry-finds-us-strike-on-minab-iran-that-killed-123-children-was-war-crime/), violating rules requiring aggressors in wars to “distinguish between civilian objects and military objectives.”\n\nSeveral tech experts have issued serious warnings about the explosive growth of AI. While AI leaders have largely insinuated that companies should self-regulate, many concerned observers have called for governmental regulation of the technology.\n\n“We should act urgently to demand strict regulation that protects people and holds AI companies accountable for the harm they’ve already done, while also preventing future harm,” Evan Greer, director of the digital rights group Fight for the Future, [said in a statement earlier this month](https://truthout.org/articles/describing-himself-as-a-hoax-buster-trump-dismisses-legitimate-ai-concerns/). \n\nBut President Donald Trump is resisting calls to slow down or regulate AI, likely [fearing that such regulations could hurt economic indicators he regularly brags about](https://politicalwire.com/2026/09/18/trump-worries-ai-slowdown-could-trigger-crash/). \n\n[In a Truth Social post last Monday](https://truthout.org/articles/trump-claims-the-only-ai-guardrail-needed-is-himself/), Trump claimed that “the only control or ‘guardrails’ that AI needs is a STRONG AND SMART (High IQ!) PRESIDENT.” On Saturday, he followed through with that idea, [announcing the creation of an “AI Force,”](https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/117298821562014906) which would be overseen by an AI czar of his choosing. \n\nThe details of the AI Force were not immediately clear, but Trump said it would be similar to the Space Force agency he created during his first term. That implies an AI Force would likely be used for military purposes.\n\n“We will not in any way hinder or stifle the Growth of this incredible Industry,” [Trump wrote](https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/117298821562014906). “Rather, we will cherish it, help it, and watch over it, as it grows!”\n\n##### 25 Years of Truthout: An important fundraising appeal\n\nThis September, Truthout is celebrating 25 years of publication. For over two decades, we have been a trusted source for fiercely independent journalism thanks to readers like you.\n\n**As we look to the next 25 years, we have launched a special fundraising campaign. Looking to a sustainable future for our publication, we have a fundraising goal of $57,000 in the next 72 hours.**\n\nWe are asking for your support at this juncture because we face greater threats than ever before in our organizational history. Trump and his MAGA allies are determined to control the information ecosystem, and movement-based organizations are subject to dangerous censorship and scrutiny.\n\nIf you can support Truthout with a one-time or monthly donation, you will make a significant impact on our work and our legacy. Anything you can do makes a difference!", "url": "https://wpnews.pro/news/report-ai-generated-intel-nearly-sparked-us-war-with-china", "canonical_source": "https://truthout.org/articles/report-ai-generated-intel-nearly-sparked-us-war-with-china/", "published_at": "2026-09-21 17:04:06+00:00", "updated_at": "2026-09-21 17:23:24.293533+00:00", "lang": "en", "topics": ["artificial-intelligence", "ai-safety", "ai-policy", "ai-ethics"], "entities": ["CNN", "U.S. military", "China", "Evan Greer", "Fight for the Future", "Donald Trump", "United Nations", "Minab"], "alternates": {"html": "https://wpnews.pro/news/report-ai-generated-intel-nearly-sparked-us-war-with-china", "markdown": "https://wpnews.pro/news/report-ai-generated-intel-nearly-sparked-us-war-with-china.md", "text": "https://wpnews.pro/news/report-ai-generated-intel-nearly-sparked-us-war-with-china.txt", "jsonld": "https://wpnews.pro/news/report-ai-generated-intel-nearly-sparked-us-war-with-china.jsonld"}}