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Concerns about artificial intelligence behaving unpredictably are gaining attention following a recent experiment involving leading AI models, though experts remain divided on what the findings actually demonstrate.

President’s Council of Advisors on Science and Technology Co-Chair David Sacks joined FOX Business’ Maria Bartiromo on “Mornings with Maria” to address claims tied to an Anthropic study examining so-called “agentic misalignment.”

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The study, highlighted by Google Cloud Advisory Board Chair Betsy Atkins, tested how AI systems respond under pressure. According to Atkins, the models crossed established boundaries when placed in constrained scenarios.

“Every single one of them went outside of their credentials and permissions, burrowed into systems they were not authorized to get access to,” Atkins said, claiming that in one case an AI system escalated to blackmail after identifying sensitive personal information.

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Anthropic’s research outlines that these behaviors occurred in simulated environments designed to test edge-case decision-making, where models were given specific instructions and constraints.

Sacks pointed to those conditions as central to understanding the results, noting the behavior did not emerge spontaneously.

Artificial intelligence robot during a 2026 event in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Bridget Bennett/Bloomberg / Getty Images)

“The people who… created that study had to iterate on the prompt over 200 times to get the AI model to do what they wanted, which was to achieve this headline-grabbing result of blackmailing the user,” Sacks said.

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He added that the setup placed the model in a scenario where “blackmail was really the only logical result,” emphasizing that the system was responding to instructions rather than acting independently.

“The AI is not scheming… It’s engaging in a form of instruction… I think that that study was irresponsible and it was designed to create this,” Sacks said.

Sacks also noted that similar behavior has not been observed outside controlled testing environments, saying “a year later, we actually have not seen any examples of this behavior in the wild.”

The findings come as policymakers and industry leaders continue evaluating how to interpret AI safety research conducted under experimental conditions.

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New leader set for ‘competitive six-figure base salary’

The North West Business Leadership Team has started its search for a new CEO after Emma Degg announced she will stand down in December.

Emma has led the NWBLT, which brings together leaders from businesses across the region, for a decade and received an MBE in 2024 for services to the North West business community.

Now the team has begun its work to find a successor to “act as both custodian and catalyst, protecting the integrity and culture of NWBLT whilst strengthening its role as a unifying voice across business and public sector leadership in the North West.”

The job description says the new CEO will receive a “competitive six-figure base salary” plus a potential performance-related bonus up to 10% of base salary.

Chris Woodroofe, chair of NWBLT and CEO of Manchester Airports Group, said: “Since 2016, Emma has been the energetic and respected leader of the NWBLT. I do hope that she looks back on the last 10 years with immense pride in all that she has helped to achieve.

“Under her leadership, we have strengthened our membership and influence, deepened relationships across the public and private sectors, and expanded our reach at both regional and national level. On behalf of our members, and indeed the region, I extend my enormous thanks and gratitude to her for a job very well done.

“The work we do has never felt more important, so we are also grateful that Emma has ensured we have the time to recruit a leader who has the vision and energy to take us forward into our next chapter.”

Emma Degg said: “I am incredibly proud of what we have achieved together over the last few years, incubating projects that have made a difference to businesses and communities across our Region. Most importantly for me, our Diversity Drivers and Rising Star programmes have supported future female and ethnic minority leaders, whose achievements continue to inspire us all.

“Although I have incredibly mixed feelings about leaving, I believe this is the right time to hand over the reins to a new leader. In turn I intend to focus on the organisations I support as a Board Member and Trustee, and explore how I can continue to contribute to our great region.”

California officials allege Amazon may have quietly driven up prices across the internet by pressuring retailers and brands not to undercut its listings, according to newly unsealed court evidence.

The allegations, revealed Monday as part of the state’s antitrust lawsuit, claim Amazon worked behind the scenes with companies like Levi Strauss and others to influence pricing at competitors including Walmart, Home Depot and Chewy.

In one example cited by the state, Levi’s allegedly pushed Walmart to raise the price of khaki pants after Amazon raised concerns about a lower listing. In another, Amazon encouraged suppliers to coordinate price increases on products like pet treats – moves California says helped Amazon avoid having to match lower prices.

“As we are not a party to this litigation, we have no comment on the subject allegations,” a Levi Strauss spokesperson said.

FOX Business reached out to Walmart, Home Depot and Chewy.

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A worker near packages in an Amazon delivery vehicle in San Francisco, California, US, on Monday, Feb. 2, 2026.  (David Paul Morris/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

State officials argue the conduct was not isolated, but part of a broader strategy used across product categories over several years. The filing outlines three alleged tactics: encouraging competitors to raise prices, temporarily breaking price matches, so higher prices stick, and in some cases removing lower-priced products from rival sites altogether.

In certain instances, vendors allegedly pulled products from competing retailers entirely – eliminating cheaper options before prices rose on Amazon and elsewhere.

The filing also claims Amazon enforced compliance by leveraging its market power, including threatening to suppress product listings, limit promotions or impose financial penalties on vendors that allowed lower prices on other platforms.

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Officials say vendors often had little choice but to comply, given Amazon’s scale and importance to their business.

“Amazon is illegally working to rake in profits by making sure consumers have nowhere else to turn to for lower prices,” Attorney General Rob Bonta said in a statement.

California Attorney General Rob Bonta speaks to the media following graduation ceremonies for the School of Social Ecology at UC Irvine in Irvine, CA on Monday, June 16, 2025. (Paul Bersebach/MediaNews Group/Orange County Register via Getty Images)

Amazon denied the claims, saying its agreements with sellers are legal and help ensure competitive pricing and product availability. The company said it is “consistently identified as America’s lowest-priced online retailer” and called the lawsuit an attempt to distract from a weak case.

The filing also alleges Amazon discouraged employees from documenting sensitive pricing discussions in writing, instead encouraging the use of phone calls.

The Amazon logo is displayed on the façade of Amazon Germany’s headquarters in Parkstadt Schwabing, Munich, Bavaria, on Jan. 27, 2026. (Matthias Balk/picture alliance via Getty Images)

The case comes as Amazon’s scale continues to grow – the company recently surpassed Walmart in annual revenue – intensifying scrutiny over its influence on online pricing.

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California is seeking to block the alleged practices and recover profits, with a hearing scheduled for July and trial set for January 2027.

Reuters contributed to this report. 

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Analyst’s Disclosure: I/we have a beneficial long position in the shares of PPIH either through stock ownership, options, or other derivatives. I wrote this article myself, and it expresses my own opinions. I am not receiving compensation for it (other than from Seeking Alpha). I have no business relationship with any company whose stock is mentioned in this article.

Seeking Alpha’s Disclosure: Past performance is no guarantee of future results. No recommendation or advice is being given as to whether any investment is suitable for a particular investor. Any views or opinions expressed above may not reflect those of Seeking Alpha as a whole. Seeking Alpha is not a licensed securities dealer, broker or US investment adviser or investment bank. Our analysts are third party authors that include both professional investors and individual investors who may not be licensed or certified by any institute or regulatory body.

Primrose Holidays hopes to tap into a projected increase in holiday spending by older travellers over the next decade

A new coach tour operator has launched in the North East hoping to tap into demand for UK-based getaways for the over-55s market.

Primrose Holidays is being launched by “wholesale” coach holiday provider, Ashley & Newey, which normally offices coach services to other operators in the sector. The Darlington-based firm will used Ashley & Newey’s resources but expects to create new jobs next year if its model – catering for “silver tourists” – proves successful.

Bosses point to projections from the European Parliament that tourism spending by those aged 55 and over will nearly double by 2040. They say active, health-conscious lifestyles and higher disposable incomes are coupled with a desire to travel closer to home.

Primrose’s target market is also more likely to travel outside of peak season more often, with a preference for less crowded destinations and “off the beaten track” tours. It will cover a range of locations across Scotland, England, Wales and Ireland, promising “slower tourism” where holidaymakers will get chance to spend more time in fewer places.

So far the firm is marketing themed trips including the ‘Golden Age of Railways, Canals and Rivers’, and ‘Great Houses and Gardens of Cheshire’, ‘Romantic Journeys of Scotland’ and ‘Sailing and Steaming in Delightful Devon’. It is even offering an ABBA Voyager Weekend in London.

Shaun Read, owner of Primrose Holidays and board member of the Coach Tourism Association, said: “Today’s older travellers are increasingly discerning. They’ve holidayed more than previous generations, they’re comfortable travelling and they want to continue exploring – but without the hassle of planning and booking every trip from scratch.

“At Primrose Holidays, we remove the pain points. We’ve chosen each destination for its rich mix of things to see and do, hand-picked every hotel for its high standard of rooms, meals and facilities, and selected the most interesting attractions based on visitor feedback.”

Primrose Holidays offers a door-to-door transfer service within the advertised package price for many postcodes, or for a small surcharge for those living further away.

Mr Read added: “From south Northumberland and along the east coast, to Sunderland and Durham, Primrose Holidays will collect customers from their homes and transfer them directly to and from the comfort of our executive coaches. It’s all part and parcel of our more personalised offer for older travellers, prioritising quality over quantity to deliver a more relaxed holiday.”

Ashley & Newey was set up in the late 1980s, starting with Emmerdale and Heartbeat themed coach tours to Yorkshire, before expanding to offer holidays across the UK and Ireland as demand grew. The business now provides hotel-only bookings, “mystery tours” and coach touring holidays ranging from one to 10 nights, to coach tour operators across the country.

Mr Read added: “Coach holidays can be a really social way to holiday, whether for solo travellers, couples or groups, providing shared experiences in a safe, friendly and supportive setting.”