Scoop: Tech CEOs summoned to Capitol for June hearing

So Senate Judiciary Chairman Chuck Grassley has decided that the best use of a June afternoon is summoning tech CEOs to a hearing titled 'Examining Tech Industry Practices and the Implications for Users and Families.' Because nothing says 'meaningful oversight' like a gang of billionaires sitting in a room, nodding along to questions from senators whose combined technical knowledge wouldn't fill a tweet. The hearing will 'look at Big Tech and AI safety oversight' — which, in Washington speak, means we'll get two hours of grandstanding, a few viral soundbites, and precisely zero binding consequences.

Let's be honest: this is the same song and dance we've seen since the 1990s. Grassley, a man who has been in Congress since dinosaurs roamed the earth, is about to discover that 'AI safety oversight' is not something you can fix with a stern letter and a raised eyebrow. The CEOs will promise to do better, the senators will promise to legislate, and then everyone will go home until the next crisis. It's the political equivalent of a participation trophy.

The kicker? By the time any actual regulation emerges, AI will have evolved into something unrecognisable, and Grassley will be holding a hearing on 'Synthetic Overlord Practices and the Implications for Users and Families.' But sure, let's pretend this one matters.