A recent report indicates that the United States military came close to intercepting a Chinese vessel following a significant intelligence failure involving artificial intelligence. According to the report, US warplanes were already deployed for the mission when officials realized the intelligence briefing—which claimed the ship was carrying nuclear-related cargo bound for Iran—was inaccurate.

Sources cited in the report suggest that the error originated from a 'hallucinating' chatbot, a term used to describe when AI models generate false or fabricated information. The incident reportedly caused significant alarm within military circles, with one source quoted as saying the mistake 'almost started a war.' The military operation was called off once the data was verified as erroneous, preventing a potential international confrontation. While the incident highlights the risks associated with integrating AI into intelligence gathering, the specific branch of the military involved and the exact date of the incident remain undisclosed in the initial reporting.