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Spanish PM says unregulated AI could be 'devastating' * Tech * AFP * September 21, 2026 * 98 * 3 min Madrid - Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez on Monday joined a chorus of calls to regulate AI as safety fears around the technology escalate, warning of potentially "devastating" consequences. The debate over the risks from artificial intelligence has intensified this month, with many of the industry's leading lights voicing support for more cooperation, regulation and slower development of the technology. Former employees of major AI companies have resigned warning of the technology's risks, even pointing to an existential threat to humanity. "If artificial intelligence is concentrated among a few companies and a handful of countries, its impact on shared prosperity, and therefore on the idea of democracy, will be very negative, if not devastating," Sanchez told an AI-focused event in Madrid. "We must act urgently, because unregulated, opaque artificial intelligence running wild... and in very few hands is the perfect recipe for disaster," added the Socialist leader. US President Donald Trump - with whom Sanchez has repeatedly clashed - has dismissed fears that AI could wipe out humanity and rejected calls to put greater controls around the fast-moving technology. Download Interactive Maps Sanchez, an outspoken critic of the power of big tech companies and their bosses, on Monday renewed his criticism of "techno-oligarchs" and urged international coordination on AI. "Self-regulation does not work", said Sanchez, calling for an AI "focused on well-being and collective prosperity that enables the building of fairer societies". He presented a 12-month plan aiming for "a new social contract for artificial intelligence" in Spain in cooperation with civil society. This agreement would have to offer "security to people in the face of the changes in work and in life that this technology will entail", he said. In February, Sanchez announced a plan to ban social media for under-16s, sparking a spat with X owner Elon Musk and Telegram founder Pavel Durov. His government has also asked the Spanish prosecutors to investigate X, Meta and TikTok for possible offences related to AI-generated child pornography. Discover more Stream History Documentaries

TikTok creator agencies in Southeast Asia are deploying AI to reduce operational costs. Malaysia's W Talent Entertainment, managing over 800 creators, uses AI for data analysis and recruitment whilst human staff handle relationships. Indonesia's Folago, with 5,000 creators, employs AI across recruitment, content recommendations, and performance analysis. Folago has developed approximately 1,000 AI-generated creator accounts for commerce and 12 AI-avatar singers, with plans for an AI concert. The company has reduced its video editing staff as AI tools automate parts of the process, with manpower remaining the biggest expense. However, both firms see limitations. Folago notes AI creators suit e-commerce better than livestream entertainment, which depends on human interaction. TikTok supports these efforts with Live Bax, an AI business assistant launched at its Bangkok summit. The platform supports 21,000 creator networks managing 4.7 million livestream creators globally.

U.S. judge signals rejection of part of TikTok $400 million privacy settlement. Advertisements The TikTok logo appears on a smartphone screen against an abstract background in the app's colors. The European Commission formally accuses TikTok of violating the Digital Services Act (DSA) due to its design, which it considers addictive, and considers heavy fines if changes are not made in Creteil, France, on February 10, 2026. (Photo by Samuel Boivin/NurPhoto via Getty Images) Nurphoto | Nurphoto | Getty Images TikTok and ByteDance's proposed $400 million settlement with the U.S. Justice Department hit a hurdle on Friday after a federal judge indicated he would reject part of the agreement. TikTok and its Chinese parent company agreed in August to settle allegations that the short-video app violated U.S. children's online privacy laws. Under the deal, TikTok agreed to pay $300 million immediately and a further $100 million if a court terminated a 2019 consent decree imposed by the Federal Trade Commission on TikTok's predecessor, Musical.ly. But U.S. District Judge George H. Wu in Los Angeles said he was inclined to reject the request to end the consent decree and scheduled a hearing for Monday. Without further details, the court "cannot determine that it constitutes a durable remedy or that termination is suitably tailored to the asserted change in circumstance," Wu said in tentatively rejecting the bid to end the decree. The FTC said in 2019 that Musical.ly, later folded into TikTok, knew young children were using the app but failed to obtain parental consent before collecting names, email addresses and other personal information. Musical.ly paid a $5.7 million fine to settle the allegations. The consent decree requires TikTok to maintain certain reporting and record-keeping obligations through 2029. TikTok and the Justice Department did not immediately respond to requests for comment on Saturday. The $400 million settlement stems from a Justice Department lawsuit filed in 2024 accusing TikTok and ByteDance of failing to protect children's privacy and illegally collecting their personal information. The companies were accused of violating a law requiring online services aimed at children to obtain parental consent before collecting information from users under 13. The government said TikTok had undergone significant changes since the lawsuit was filed, including to its ownership structure, management, compliance functions and privacy practices. In January, ByteDance agreed to establish a majority American-owned joint venture aimed at safeguarding U.S. user data and averting a U.S. ban on an app used by more than 200 million Americans. The TikTok U.S. joint venture said in a court filing that it requires all users to enter their date of birth to use the site and added that it developed sophisticated age-moderation systems that identify children under 13 who misrepresented their age. Choose CNBC as your preferred source on Google and never miss a moment from the most trusted name in business news.