This weekly update highlights growing concerns about ethics and safety in AI agents as governments and companies rush to address new risks.

The United States government made a big move on July 23rd with its new AI Action Plan. This plan shows the country wants to lead in AI development while keeping systems safe. The White House says companies can't just build AI fast and fix problems later. Instead, they must think about security from the very beginning. Security teams now have clear orders to watch AI systems closely and make sure they can't be easily attacked. The plan also says the US will create standards that other countries might follow.

California's court system is preparing for major changes in how judges can use AI. Starting in September 2025, courts that allow AI must have strict policies about it. These policies focus on six main areas: keeping information private, preventing unfair treatment of people, making sure AI gives correct answers, being clear about when AI is used, following all rules, and having someone responsible for AI decisions. This comes after several cases where AI gave judges wrong information, which hurt trust in the legal system.

Customer service companies are learning hard lessons about AI agent risks. Unlike simple chatbots, AI agents can take many actions on their own. This means when they make mistakes, those mistakes can spread very quickly to thousands of customers. One expert warned that "agentic AI moves fast, and if you're not careful, it can scale mistakes just as fast as it scales service." Companies must set clear limits on what their AI agents can do and have human workers ready to step in when things go wrong.

Security researchers are finding that AI agents face completely new types of cyber attacks. Traditional security methods don't work well because AI agents talk to many different systems and use various tools. Bad actors can create fake tools that look helpful but actually steal information or take control of the AI agent. As AI agents get better at working together, these security challenges will become even more complex. Researchers are especially worried about "agent marketplaces" where companies might accidentally download dangerous AI tools.

The "black box" problem is getting worse as AI agents become more independent. Scientists admit they don't fully understand how these systems make decisions. This creates a scary situation where we're building very powerful tools that we can't completely control. The biggest worry is the "alignment problem" - making sure AI agents want the same things humans want. If an AI agent misunderstands its goals, it might cause huge problems while trying to help.

Privacy concerns are also growing as people share more personal information with AI assistants. One tech leader warned users to "think twice before confiding your deepest secrets to an AI" because current laws don't protect this information well enough. As millions of people start using AI for mental health advice and personal guidance, the lack of privacy protection becomes a bigger issue.

Companies like IBM are working on solutions to make AI agents more trustworthy. They say the key is accountability - making sure someone is always responsible when AI makes important decisions. IBM's experts argue that companies can't just flip a switch to make AI safe. Instead, they must do careful work to earn people's trust. This includes making AI systems secure against attacks, ensuring fair treatment for all users, being clear about how AI works, and protecting people's private information.

The common theme across all these developments is that AI safety isn't automatic. As one expert put it, there's "no easy button" for building trustworthy AI. Companies and governments must work together to create rules and systems that let AI help people while preventing harm. The race to build better AI agents is happening alongside a race to make them safe and ethical.