AI News, Jul 24, 2026: Lawmakers propose bill requiring AI 'kill switch'

Lawmakers eye an AI kill switch as a security flaw and a health data rollout show AI reaching deeper into daily life.

1. 01
   Runway launches a router to pick the best AI media modelTechCrunch

   Runway released Media Router through its Runway Dev platform, giving developers API access to a growing set of generative media models.

   Why it matters

   Developers building with AI images and video can now let one tool automatically choose the best model for each job.
2. 02
   Security researchers found a way to hijack ChatGPT agentsThe Decoder

   Zenity Labs disclosed AgentForger, a flaw in OpenAI's Agent Builder that let a manipulated ChatGPT link create a rogue autonomous agent taking an attacker's orders.

   Why it matters

   A single tampered link could let an attacker take over an AI agent acting with an employee's own access and identity.
3. 03
   ChatGPT Health is now available to all US usersTechCrunch

   OpenAI expanded ChatGPT Health to all US users, letting people connect data from services including Apple Health, Function, and MyFitnessPal.

   Why it matters

   Anyone in the US can now link medical records and fitness data like Apple Health to ChatGPT for personalized health insights.
4. 04
   AI chip startup Etched valued at $10.3 billionTechCrunch

   Etched, founded by three Harvard dropouts, raised funding at a $10.3 billion valuation for chips it says speed up AI inference without GPUs.

   Why it matters

   A new challenger to Nvidia's chips could eventually mean more competition and lower costs for running AI models.
5. 05
   Google's Gemini is closing in on a billion usersTechCrunch

   Google's Gemini assistant is nearing a billion monthly users, after passing 750 million in February.

   Why it matters

   Gemini's growth shows how quickly Google's AI assistant is catching up to ChatGPT in everyday use.
6. 06
   Lawmakers propose bill requiring AI 'kill switch'The Verge AI

   Two House lawmakers are preparing an AI Kill Switch Act letting the Department of Homeland Security order AI companies to shut down or throttle their systems.

   Why it matters

   The bill would give a federal agency power to shut down or limit AI systems during an emergency.
7. 07
   Google says its next Gemini model needs a much bigger baseThe Decoder

   Google CEO Sundar Pichai said Gemini's next leap requires much larger base models, as Alphabet raised its 2026 investment forecast to as much as $205 billion.

   Why it matters

   Google is pouring more money into ever-larger AI models, a sign the spending race with rivals is not slowing down.