Whoever controls rare earth minerals controls the future of technology

In the 1984 science fiction film Dune, Baron Vladimir Harkonnen said the famous quote that can be aptly used to describe rare earth metals: “He who controls the spices, controls the universe.”

Spices were central to the world of Dune, allowing trade to flourish and the planets to flourish. In the same way, rare earth metals seem to be the spice of today.

These metals are used in almost every electronic device, from smartphones and cars to ballistic missiles.

In a sweeping move on Thursday, China tightened export rules on these vital materials, asserting its dominance of the global technology supply chain.

The new measures mean companies need to apply for a license from Beijing to export any products containing Chinese-sourced rare earth metals, while companies linked to foreign militaries or placed on export control or surveillance lists will be denied permits.

China It represents about 70% of the global supply Important minerals were frequently used as a bargaining chip in trade discussions.

With a potential meeting between Trump and Xi in South Korea soon, Beijing may signal its influence ahead of the high-stakes talks by tightening controls on rare earth exports, sending a message to the world that in the race for technological supremacy, it ranks high.

— CNBC’s Annick Pauw contributed to this report.

China tightens exports of rare earth elements… China has Tightening export controls on rare earths and related technologies while preventing its citizens from engaging in unauthorized mining abroad. The latest restrictions came just weeks before a potential meeting between US President Donald Trump and his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping.

…sending rare earth stocks soaring. US rare earth and important mineral miners It rose Thursday After China tightened restrictions on exports, sparking market speculation that the Trump administration will move more aggressively to invest in building a domestic supply chain.

Ferrari hits the brakes. shares Ferrari Posted by them Worst trading day ever on Thursday after the luxury automaker’s full-year and 2030 guidance fell short of expectations, and it scaled back its electrification ambitions.

The S&P 500 and Nasdaq fell. Both indexes Take a break from their highest levels ever on Thursday in the United States, falling by 0.28% and 0.08%, respectively. Investors are awaiting the latest developments in the government shutdown, which entered its ninth day on Thursday. In Europe, pan-European Stokes 600 It ended Thursday down by 0.43%.

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Former Google CEO Eric Schmidt warns that AI models could be hacked: ‘They’re learning how to kill someone’

Former Google CEO Eric Schmidt has issued a stark reminder of the dangers of artificial intelligence and how vulnerable it is to hacking.

Schmidt, who served as Google’s CEO from 2001 to 2011, warned of “the bad things AI can do,” when asked whether AI was more destructive than nuclear weapons during a fiery talk at Sifted Summit.

“There’s evidence that you can take models, closed or open, and you can hack them to remove their guardrails,” Schmidt said. “So, as they’re training, they learn a lot of things. A bad example of this is they learn how to kill someone.”

– Bestial blackness