[10/19 18:00 UTC] S&P Global warns the biggest tech firms likely carry more AI-linked debt th…

AI News Flash for October 19, 2026 at 18:00 UTC. Topics: 1. S&P Global warns the biggest tech firms likely carry more AI-linked debt than is currently known, pointing to interconnected financing structures behind data center builds https://www.reuters.com/business/top-hyperscalers-likely-have-more-ai-linked-debt-than-now-known-sp-global-warns-2026-10-19/ https://lufkindailynews.com/news_reuters/business/top-hyperscalers-likely-to-have-more-ai-linked-debt-than-now-known-s-p-global/article_8aa91b33-bb83-568d-99b5-a13cc48bbb10.html 2. Amazon to fund a proposed 960-megawatt plant of 12 small modular reactors at a former coal site in Indiana and become its first power customer https://techcrunch.com/2026/10/19/amazon-to-fund-12-small-nuclear-reactors-at-former-indiana-coal-plant/ https://x-energy.com/news/x-energy-amazon-american-electric-power-partner-to-bring-smr-project-to-indiana 3. Around 80 WhatsApp help pages exposed hidden instructions for a Meta support chatbot, including telling it not to recommend contacting data protection authorities https://www.wired.com/story/whatsapp-help-pages-leaked-hidden-instructions-for-a-meta-chatbot/ 4. Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer urges the FCC to reject a petition that would allow AI-generated political robocalls ahead of the midterms https://www.aljazeera.com/economy/2026/10/19/chuck-schumer-urges-fcc-to-block-ai-robocalls-before-elections 5. Sam's Club in China says it has been hit by thousands of malicious posts using AI-generated footage and fake interviews to promote products it never sold https://finance.biggo.com/news/69144dce-3e3e-4aca-b1b4-f65d16efcdd1