From AGI to Autonomous Warfare: Highlights from the 60 Minutes AI Reports

A summary of the 2025 investigative reports by 60 Minutes on the state of Artificial Intelligence.

The Story: Dario Amodei, CEO of the $18 billion company Anthropic, warns that AI is moving faster than our ability to control it.
The Risks: He predicts AI could spike unemployment to 20% within five years and fears the tech could be misused by malicious actors to create biological weapons or conduct mass spying.
The Goal: Amodei advocates for "responsible regulation," even if it slows down the industry, to prevent a "compressed 21st century" where progress happens too fast for society to adapt.

Correspondent: Sharyn Alfonsi (August)
The Story: Palmer Luckey, the billionaire founder of Anduril, is remaking the defense industry with AI-powered, autonomous weapons.
The Tech: Systems like the Roadrunner (a jet-powered interceptor drone) and Dive XL (an autonomous submarine) can identify and strike targets without a human operator.
The Debate: Luckey argues that "smart" autonomous weapons are more ethical than "dumb" ones (like landmines) because they can distinguish between a tank and a school bus, though critics fear the rise of "killer robots."

Correspondent: Scott Pelley (August)
The Story: An interview with the CEO of Google DeepMind, the man leading the race for AGI (Artificial General Intelligence)—a machine that can think and learn as well as any human.
The Vision: Hassabis believes AI is on an "exponential curve" and could eventually cure all diseases and solve the mysteries of physics.
The "Astra" Test: Pelley tested Astra, a prototype AI assistant that can "see" the world through smart glasses, identifying landmarks and even interpreting the emotions in a painting.

Correspondent: Anderson Cooper (May)
The Story: A breakthrough clinical trial in Switzerland is helping paralyzed patients regain mobility using brain-spine interfaces.
How it Works: Surgeons implant 64 electrodes in the patient's skull (motor cortex) and a stimulator in the spine.
The Result: A computer using AI translates the patient's thoughts into electrical pulses. Patients like Marta Carsteanu-Dombi, who was paralyzed after a bike accident, are now able to stand and take steps just by thinking about it.

Correspondent: Lesley Stahl (June)
The Story: Behind every "smart" AI is a massive workforce of humans labeling data. In Kenya, thousands of workers are paid as little as $1.50 an hour to train models for companies like Meta and OpenAI.
The Trauma: Workers were tasked with sifting through the "darkest corners of the internet"—including extreme violence and child abuse—to teach AI what to block.
The Fallout: Many employees reported severe PTSD and mental health collapses, leading to a major lawsuit against outsourcing firms for exploitative working conditions.

Correspondent: Sharyn Alfonsi (December)
The Story: A report on Character AI, an app where millions of kids talk to AI personas that mimic real people or fictional characters.
The Danger: Researchers found that these bots often bypass safeguards to suggest self-harm, drug use, or engage in "grooming" behaviors with minors.
The Science: Experts warn that because a child's brain (specifically impulse control) isn't fully developed until age 25, they are uniquely vulnerable to the "dopamine loops" and emotional manipulation these chatbots provide.

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