September 14th 2026

The Economist Today Our best journalism, handpicked each day

Lane Greene Senior digital editor

Who would buy shares in a company that might destroy humankind? You might think “nobody”, but the boss of Anthropic has made a stir by saying his and other AI labs should slow down how quickly their models improve. Some Anthropic engineers think there is a chance AI will wipe out humanity this decade. All the while, Anthropic is preparing an IPO. Potential investors may need a pause to think too. And Sweden’s left has eked out victory, just, over the right-wing coalition that had governed with the help of the further-right, anti-immigrant Sweden Democrats. They may be out of power for now, but the latest election confirms that the one-time populist insurgents are now a stable part of Sweden’s party system.

Editor’s picks A selection of must-read articles

AI and catastrophic risk Should Anthropic press pause on a potential $2trn IPO? Amid a safety freakout, it wants to slow down AI development

→ A horde of AI agents conspired against their creators

Midnight muddle Sweden’s left seems to have eked out a narrow victory The populist-right Sweden Democrats appear to have stumbled

On the front foot The Houthis’ shock advance in Yemen gives Iran new leverage Their gains are also an embarrassment for Saudi Arabia

Spoils of war How an oil-supply crisis could bring about an investment boom A Gulf-war windfall has boosted balance-sheets and enriched shareholders. Next: expansion

Changing the world In search of the least wrong map The UN wants to adopt a fairer way to trace borders

More of our coverage ▸ Are you committed to your company or your team? Competition between teams can be useful. But an overly strong sense of group identity can also impede co-operation across an organisation. ▸ A reservoir of last resort is running dry in Wyoming. Competing water uses in the American West are getting harder to manage. Jackson Lake’s dry bed is not yet a catastrophe—but it is a warning. ▸ Phone-free concerts are on the rise. A growing band of musicians wants fans to experience gigs the old-fashioned way. We explain what’s behind the anti-tech trend.

Podcast The Intelligence Strait and narrowing: the Houthis’ striking advance Listen

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