>>> BREAKING NEWS TONIGHT, THE ALL-OUT SEARCH FOR A SUSPECT AFTER A SHOOTING AT A DENVER HIGH SCHOOL. THE 17-YEAR-OLD STUDENT ON THE RUN AFTER POLICE SAY HE PULLED A GUN WHILE HE WAS BEING SEARCHED FOR A WEAPON AND OPENED FIRE. TWO SCHOOL ADMINISTRATORS WOUNDED. THEIR CONDITIONS AND THE URGENT MANHUNT. >>> ALSO TONIGHT, THE RARE TORNADO HITTING LOS ANGELES COUNTY. DEBRIS FLYING AS ROOFS ARE TORN OFF. THE WEATHER SYSTEM BLAMED FOR MULTIPLE DEATHS NOW ON THE MOVE. >>> THE DRAMATIC VIDEO, A MAN DANGLING OUTSIDE THE 31st FLOOR OF A NEW YORK CITY SKYSCRAPER. THE HOURS LONG STANDOFF WITH THE FBI. WHAT WE'RE LEARNING. >>> DONALD TRUMP BRACING FOR A POSSIBLE INDICTMENT. THE MOVE TODAY BY THE MANHATTAN D.A. POTENTIALLY DELAYING A GRAND JURY DECISION IN THE HUSH MONEY CASE AND THE NEW BLOWUP FOR MR. TRUMP AND HIS CLASSIFIED DOCUMENTS INVESTIGATION. >>> THE NEW TWIST IN THE UNSOLVED DEATH OF STEPHEN SMITH, THE CLASSMATE OF BUSTER MURDAUGH. WHAT POLICE REVEALED ABOUT THE INVESTIGATION. >>> THE FED'S DECISION TODAY ON INTEREST RATES IN THE WAKE OF THOSE BANK COLLAPSES. >>> OUR NEW SERIES, "AI REVOLUTION." COULD IT BE BEYOND HUMAN CONTROL, AND IS THERE ANYTHING TO STOP IT? >>> AND STRANDED AT SEA. THE FRIENDS WHO WAITED HOURS FOR RESCUE AFTER THEY SAY A WHALE SANK THEIR SAILBOAT. >> Announcer: THIS IS "NBC NIGHTLY NEWS" WITH LESTER HOLT. >>> GOOD EVENING, AND WELCOME. WE BEGIN WITH ANOTHER SHOOTING AND ANOTHER SAD COMMENTARY ON VIOLENCE IN OUR NATION'S SCHOOLS. IN DENVER TONIGHT, TWO HIGH SCHOOL ADMINISTRATORS ARE HOSPITALIZED WITH GUNSHOT WOUNDS. THE SUSPECT, A STUDENT, WHO HAD APPARENTLY ALREADY BEEN UNDER SPECIAL SCRUTINY AND WAS BEING SEARCHED FOR WEAPONS AT THE TIME UNDER A SAFETY PLAN WHEN A GUN WAS PRODUCED. ACCORDING TO POLICE, THE TWO STAFFERS WERE SHOT, AND THE SUSPECTED SHOOTER LEFT THE AREA. THE TRAGEDY COMES JUST OVER A MONTH AFTER A DEADLY SHOOTING OUTSIDE THAT VERY SAME SCHOOL THAT LEFT A STUDENT DEAD. TONIGHT A SCHOOL COMMUNITY IS LEFT FRUSTRATED, ANGRY AND FEARFUL AMID QUESTIONS CONCERNING WHY POLICE OFFICERS HAD BEEN PULLED FROM THE DISTRICT'S SCHOOLS. GADI SCHWARTZ HAS MORE. >> A STUDENT HAS A WEAPON. DO NOT KNOW WHERE THEY ARE. >> Reporter: AT DENVER, COLORADO'S EAST HIGH SCHOOL, A NIGHTMARE SCENARIO STUDENTS AND PARENTS TURNING INTO A REALITY. >> RESPOND TO A GUNSHOT WOUND WITH MULTIPLE PATIENTS. >> SUSPECT IS NOT IN THE SCHOOL. >> Reporter: POLICE RELEASING THIS PHOTO OF 17-YEAR-OLD AUSTIN LYLE BEING SEARCHED FOR A WEAPON WHEN A GUN WAS FOUND. >> TODAY DURING THAT SEARCH WHICH TOOK PLACE AWAY FROM OTHER STUDENTS, AWAY FROM OTHER SCHOOL STAFF THEY DID PRODUCE THE WEAPON AND FIRED SHOTS. >> Reporter: BOTH ADMINISTRATORS RUSHED TO THE HOSPITAL NOW IN SERIOUS CONDITION. THE SEARCH OF THE STUDENT PART OF WHAT THE SCHOOL CALLED AN ONGOING SAFETY PLAN BUT WOULDN'T GIVE SPECIFICS CITING STUDENT PRIVACY. >> THESE ARE OUR KIDS. >> Reporter: IN THE CHAOTIC AFTERMATH PARENTS SURROUNDING POLICE DEMANDING ANSWERS. >> AS PARENTS WE SHOULDN'T HAVE TO SIT AT HOME WONDERING IF OUR BABIES WILL COME HOME EVERY DAY. >> Reporter: JUST A MONTH AGO, ANOTHER SHOOTING JUST NORTH OF THE SCHOOL LEFT ONE STUDENT DEAD. LOUISE GARCIA WAS KILLED IN THIS CAR AND SOON AFTER STUDENTS STAGED A WALKOUT MARCHING TO THE STATE'S CAPITOL. >> THAT DAY SCHOOL WAS CANCELED BECAUSE SHE WAS SHOT. >> Reporter: IT FOLLOWED A CONTROVERSY DECISION BY THE SCHOOL DISTRICT TO REMOVE DENVER POLICE RESOURCE OFFICERS FROM CAMPUSES. >> WHAT'S MORE IMPORTANT, BEING SAFE OR FEELING SAFE? >> YEAH. >> WE NEED ARMED SECURITY. THIS IS TRULY GROSS. >> Reporter: THAT DECISION BEING RE-EVALUATED AS EAST HIGH DEALS WITH ANOTHER SHOOTING THAT THEIR COMMUNITY INSISTS SHOULD HAVE BEEN PREVENTED. >> AND, GADI, WHAT IS THE LATEST ON THE SEARCH FOR THE SHOOTER TONIGHT? >> Reporter: LESTER, SO FAR THAT STUDENT STILL HASN'T BEEN CAUGHT, BUT ACCORDING TO OUR AFFILIATE KUSA A SUPERINTENDENT IN AN AREA AN HOUR SOUTH WAS TOLD THE SUSPECTED GUNMAN'S CELL PHONE MAY HAVE PINGED OFF A CELL PHONE TOWER NEARBY AND PROMPTED SCHOOLS THERE TO GO INTO WHAT THEY CALL SECURE STATUS, BUT AT THIS TIME HIS EXACT WHEREABOUTS STILL UNKNOWN. >> ALL RIGHT, GADI SCHWARTZ, THANK YOU. >>> IN CALIFORNIA, A RARE TORNADO TOUCHED DOWN NEAR LOS ANGELES AS THE LATEST STORM SYSTEM BROUGHT HEAVY RAINS AND DEVASTATING WINDS LEAVING FIVE DEAD ACROSS THE STATE. MIGUEL ALMAGUER WAS IN THE STORM'S AFTERMATH. MIGUEL, WHAT ARE YOU SEEING? >> Reporter: WELL, LESTER, WHEN YOU SEE THE DAMAGE HERE, IT'S INCREDIBLE THAT EVERYONE SURVIVED. I WANT TO SHOW YOU WHAT THIS BUSINESS LOOKS LIKE INSIDE. THE BUILDING HAS BEEN RED TAGGED. WE CAN'T GO FURTHER THAN THIS, AND THIS IS WHAT SO MANY BUSINESSES ACROSS THIS AREA LOOK LIKE TONIGHT. >> HOLY [ BLEEP ]. >> Reporter: THE LIKELY TORNADO TOUCHED DOWN THIS AFTERNOON JUST OUTSIDE DOWNTOWN LOS ANGELES. THE RARE JAW-DROPPING SIGHT HERE LEAVING AT LEAST ONE INJURED AND BUILDINGS DAMAGED. >> I WAS IN THE CLASSROOM, AND WE JUST HEARD, LIKE, A LOT OF WIND, I GUESS. >> Reporter: IT'S NOW THE SECOND TORNADO TO HIT THE REGION IN 24 HOURS. IT'S ALL CONNECTED TO THE 12th ATMOSPHERIC RIVER OF THE SEASON THAT UNLEASHED DEVASTATING WINDS AND ANOTHER TORRENT OF WATER ACROSS CALIFORNIA. TRIGGERING MAYHEM AND MISERY, THE STORM BLEW ASHORE AS A RARE BOMB CYCLONE IN THE BAY AREA LOOKING AND FEELING LIKE A VIOLENT HURRICANE. 75-MILE-AN-HOUR WINDS TOPPLED A BIG RIG. >> I'VE BEEN IN THIS SAME SPOT FOR AT LEAST A HALF HOUR, 45 MINUTES. >> Reporter: WITH MULTIPLE PEOPLE KILLED BY FALLING TREES, CHAOS UNFOLDED ON THE ROADS. >> I'M TIRED OF IT. I'M NOT A BIG FAN OF THE RAIN. >> Reporter: DRIVERS NEAR SANTA CRUZ NAVIGATING THROUGH A GAUNTLET OF DOWNED TREES AND POWER LINES, WHILE AT LEAST 244,000 LOST POWER. AS POUNDING SURF CANCELED FERRY SERVICE, SNOW BURIED HOMES IN THE MOUNTAINS. >> WE'VE SEEN GUSTS OVER 60 MILES AN HOUR. >> Reporter: WITH SHEETS OF WATER DRENCHING LOS ANGELES, THE CITY BROKE A RAINFALL RECORD. NOW, AFTER SWIFT WATER RESCUES IN ARIZONA, THIS UNFORGIVING STORM DELIVERING ANOTHER RARE SIGHT IN WHAT FEELS LIKE AN ENDLESS SEASON OF WIND AND RAIN. MIGUEL ALMAGUER, NBC NEWS, LOS ANGELES. >>> HERE IN NEW YORK, A DAY-LONG STANDOFF AT A HIGH-RISE BUILDING ENDED LATE TODAY. A MAN WHO BRIEFLY DANGLED PART OF HIS BODY FROM A WINDOW OF AN APARTMENT THAT WAS NOT HIS WAS TAKEN INTO CUSTODY BY POLICE AFTER HOURS OF NEGOTIATION. OFFICIALS SAY IT BEGAN AFTER THE FBI ENTERED TO SERVE A WARRANT ON CHARGES RELATED TO BANK FRAUD. >>> A SURPRISE DELAY WITH THE NEW YORK GRAND JURY CONSIDERING A POSSIBLE INDICTMENT OF FORMER PRESIDENT TRUMP. GRAND JURORS NOT MEETING TODAY AS SCHEDULED. GARRETT HAAKE IS WATCHING IT. GARRETT, THERE IS SOME REAL MYSTERY OVER WHAT'S GOING ON. >> Reporter: THERE IS, AND THE GRAND JURY PROCEEDINGS ARE SECRET, SO WE DON'T HAVE MUCH INFORMATION TO GO ON. JURORS WERE TOLD NOT TO COME IN, BUT SOURCES SAY THE D.A. IS PLANNING TO HAVE THEM BACK TOMORROW. MEANWHILE, SOURCES FAMILIAR WITH MR. TRUMP'S THINKING TELL US HE TRULY DOES NOT WANT TO BE INDICTED, BUT HE SEES THERE'S POLITICAL OPPORTUNITY IN HAVING A BIG PUBLIC BATTLE WITH A DEMOCRATIC PROSECUTOR. >> GARRETT, THERE'S ANOTHER HEADLINE FROM THE SPECIAL COUNSEL INVESTIGATION OF THE FORMER PRESIDENT REGARDING THOSE DOCUMENTS. >> IN THIS CASE WE HAVE A JUDGE WHO MADE A RULING IN A SECRET PROCEEDING ON FRIDAY THAT THERE WAS ENOUGH EVIDENCE THAT MR. TRUMP MAY HAVE COMMITTED CRIMES THROUGH HIS LAWYERS IN THIS CASE, THAT WOULD CREATE AN EXCEPTION TO HIS ATTORNEY/CLIENT PRIVILEGE, WHICH MEANS ONE OF THOSE LAWYERS CAN BE FORCED TO TESTIFY AND TO HAND OVER DOCUMENTS. IT'S A SIGNIFICANT WIN FOR THE SPECIAL COUNSEL. >> THANKS. GOOD TO SEE YOU HERE. >>> THE FEDERAL RESERVE RAISED INTEREST RATES AS IT TRIES TO TAME INFLATION, THIS TIME BY A QUARTER OF A POINT. THE MOVE COMES AS THE FED IS UNDER SCRUTINY AFTER SEVERAL BANK FAILURES IN RECENT WEEKS. HERE'S TOM COSTELLO. >> Reporter: WITH ITS REPUTATION ON THE LINE, THE NATION'S CENTRAL BANK TODAY CHOSE THE PATH MOST ANTICIPATED, HIKING INTEREST RATES FOR THE NINTH TIME IN A YEAR. MAKING CLEAR THAT DESPITE LOW UNEMPLOYMENT, INFLATION RUNNING AT 6% IS STILL TOO HIGH. >> THE PROCESS OF GETTING INFLATION BACK DOWN TO 2% HAS A LONG WAY TO GO AND IS LIKELY TO BE BUMPY. >> Reporter: TODAY'S INCREASE, A QUARTER POINT. THE FED WAS RELUCTANT TO RAISE RATES MORE AFTER THREE BANK FAILURES IN RECENT WEEKS. HIGHER INTEREST RATES OVER THE PAST YEAR WERE A CONTRIBUTING FACTOR TO SILICON VALLEY BANK'S COLLAPSE AFTER IT TOOK A BIG LOSS ON BOND SALES. FOR THE FIRST TIME TODAY, THE FED CHAIR PUBLICLY ADDRESSED THE BANKING CRISIS INSISTING THE CASES ARE ISOLATED. >> OUR BANKING SYSTEM IS SOUND AND RESILIENT WITH STRONG CAPITAL AND LIQUIDITY. >> Reporter: ON WALL STREET THE KEY INDICES LOST 1.6%. HAD THE FED NOT RAISED RATES TODAY, THE MARKETS MIGHT HAVE INFERRED THAT MORE BANKS ARE AT RISK. STILL, THE FED'S REGULATORS ARE UNDER FIRE FOR FAILING TO RECOGNIZE THE BANK FAILURE WARNING SIGNS BEFORE IT WAS TOO LATE. >> THESE PEOPLE HAVE READY ACCESS TO ANYTHING THAT THEY NEED TO BE ABLE TO STOP A PROBLEM IN ITS TRACKS, AND NOW IT IS COMING UNDER PRETTY HEAVY SCRUTINY FROM PEOPLE SAYING, WHERE WERE YOU? WHY WEREN'T YOU PAYING ATTENTION? >> Reporter: TODAY FED CHAIR POWELL PROMISED A THOROUGH REVIEW. >> MY ONLY INTEREST IS THAT WE IDENTIFY WHAT WENT WRONG HERE. HOW DID THIS HAPPEN IS THE QUESTION. WHAT WENT WRONG? >> Reporter: POWELL SAYS IT'S CLEAR THE FED NEEDS TO STRENGTHEN BANK SUPERVISION AND REGULATION TO PREVENT A REPEAT OF THE FAILURES THAT HAVE UNDERMINED CONFIDENCE IN THE BANKING SYSTEM. LESTER. >> ALL RIGHT, TOM COSTELLO, THANK YOU. >>> NEW DETAILS IN THE 2015 DEATH OF A SOUTH CAROLINA MAN. THE INVESTIGATION INTO STEPHEN SMITH'S DEATH WAS RE-OPENED AFTER NEW INFORMATION EMERGED AS POLICE INVESTIGATED THE MURDERS OF MAGGIE AND PAUL MURDAUGH. CATIE BECK REPORTS. >> Reporter: THE COLD CASE OF STEPHEN SMITH REIGNITED BY RENEWED INTEREST AND AN INVESTIGATION WITH A NEW FOCUS. >> BECAUSE I'VE BEEN WANTING THIS FOR THE LAST EIGHT YEARS, AND NOW IT'S HAPPENING. >> Reporter: THE SOUTH CAROLINA LAW ENFORCEMENT DIVISION WEDNESDAY ISSUING AN UPDATE ON THE CASE. PROGRESS HAS BEEN MADE AND S.L.E.D.'S INVESTIGATION IS ACTIVE AND ONGOING. S.L.E.D. OPENED THE CASE AS A HOMICIDE IN 2021 AFTER THEY SAY THEY RECEIVED INFORMATION ABOUT SMITH'S DEATH AND REVIEWED THE FILE. THE INITIAL CLASSIFICATION OF THE CASE AS A VEHICULAR MANSLAUGHTER WAS DOUBTED FROM THE EARLY STAGES. >> THE ONLY DAMAGE TO HIS BODY WAS HIS HEAD AND DISLOCATED SHOULDER, AND I NEVER BELIEVED IT. >> Reporter: 19-YEAR-OLD SMITH WAS FOUND AT 4:00 A.M. JULY 8th LYING LIFELESS IN THE MIDDLE OF A RURAL ROAD IN HAMPTON COUNTY. HIS SHOES STILL ON HIS FEET. LATER INVESTIGATORS CHALLENGING THE MEDICAL EXAMINER'S REPORT STATING SMITH HAD POSSIBLY BEEN HIT BY A MOTOR VEHICLE MIRROR. I ASKED HER WHY SHE STATED THAT IN THE REPORT, AND HER ANSWER WAS, BECAUSE HE WAS FOUND IN THE ROAD. SHE HAD NO EVIDENCE OTHER THAN THAT FOR THE STATEMENT BEING PUT IN THE REPORT. DURING THE COURSE OF THE INVESTIGATION, THE NAME MURDAUGH AND SPECIFICALLY BUSTER MURDAUGH IS REFERENCED SEVERAL TIMES. >> YOU'RE THE NINTH PERSON THAT I'VE TALKED TO IN REFERENCE TO THIS RUMOR. >> Reporter: EARLIER THIS WEEK BUSTER MURDAUGH DENIED ANY INVOLVEMENT IN STEPHEN'S DEATH. ERIC BLAND REPRESENTS SMITH'S MOTHER. >> SHE BELIEVES THAT STEPHEN WAS MURDERED AND IT WAS IMPORTANT FOR HIM, FOR HIS LEGACY TO PROVE THAT. >> Reporter: NOWHERE IN THE FILES FROM 2015 DOES IT INDICATE THAT INVESTIGATORS ATTEMPTED TO SPEAK WITH OR SPOKE WITH BUSTER MURDAUGH. MURDAUGH'S ATTORNEYS CONFIRM THEY NEVER DID. LESTER. >> ALL RIGHT, CATIE, THANK YOU. >>> THE NEW CDC >>> IN 60 SECONDS, THE NEW WARNING ON EYE DROPS FOLLOWING THREE DEATHS. PLUS, THE NEW PL >>> A NEW ALERT FROM THE CDC ON THOSE EYE DROPS TAINTED WITH BACTERIA. THERE ARE NOW THREE DEATHS LINKED TO THEM. THERE ARE ALSO EIGHT REPORTS OF VISION LOSS AND FOUR REPORTS OF PATIENTS NEEDING THEIR EYES SURGICALLY REMOVED AFTER USING THE EYE DROPS. THE CDC IS WARNING PEOPLE TO STOP USING THE TWO BRANDS LINKED TO THE MOST CASES, EZRICARE AND DELSAM PHARMA ARTIFICIAL TEARS. BOTH BRANDS HAVE BEEN RECALLED. >>> ALSO TONIGHT, MAJOR CHANGES ARE ON THE WAY FOR THE NATION'S ORGAN TRANSPLANT SYSTEM AFTER CRITICISM ABOUT THE LONG WAIT TIMES. THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT REVEALING PLANS FOR AN OVERHAUL. HERE'S KRISTEN DAHLGREN. >> Reporter: TONIGHT L.Q. GOLDRING IS 1 OF 104,000 PEOPLE WAITING FOR A LIFESAVING ORGAN TRANSPLANT. >> YOU DON'T KNOW THE HALF OF WHAT THE PHYSICAL AND MENTAL PAIN I HAVE TO HOLD ON EVERY DAY AND TRY TO SMILE THROUGH IT. >> Reporter: LIVING WITH KIDNEY DISEASE SINCE 3, HER FIRST TRANSPLANT FAILED IN 2015. SHE'S BEEN WAITING FOR A REPLACEMENT EVER SINCE. >> IS THE SYSTEM BROKEN? >> OH, YEAH, THE WAIT LIST HERE IN KENTUCKY IS FIVE YEARS. I'VE BEEN WAITING 7 1/2. >> Reporter: BUT TODAY, THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT ANNOUNCED PLANS TO REVAMP THAT SYSTEM SEEKING TO MORE THAN DOUBLE ITS FUNDING AND INVITING COMPETITION TO THE UNITED NETWORK FOR ORGAN SHARING OR UNOS, WHICH HAS LONG BEEN THE SOLE MANAGER OF THE NATION'S ORGAN DONATIONS. >> PART OF THAT AGENDA IS MAKING SURE THAT LIFESAVING ORGANS ARE GETTING TO PEOPLE WHEN THEY NEED THEM AS QUICKLY AS THEY NEED THEM AND THAT WE NEED TO BUILD AN INFRASTRUCTURE THAT SUPPORTS THAT. >> Reporter: 17 PEOPLE DIE EVERY DAY WAITING FOR TRANSPLANTS. THE SYSTEM HAS LONG BEEN CRITICIZED FOR LONG WAIT TIMES, DAMAGED AND DISCARDED ORGANS, UNEQUAL TREATMENT OF MINORITY PATIENTS AND OUTDATED TECHNOLOGY. >> WHEN YOU ORDER A TOOTHBRUSH ON AMAZON. THEY CAN TELL YOU MINUTE TO MINUTE WHERE THAT TOOTHBRUSH IS. WELL, THAT'S NOT BEEN POSSIBLE FOR ORGAN TRANSPLANTATION EVEN THOUGH WE THINK THAT WHAT WE DO IS CONSIDERABLY MORE IMPORTANT THAN ORDERING A TOOTHBRUSH. >> Reporter: UNOS SAYS IT'S COMMITTED TO REFORMS SAYING, WE WELCOME A COMPETITIVE AND OPENING BIDDING PROCESS FOR THE NEXT CONTRACT TO ADVANCE OUR EFFORTS TO SAVE AS MANY LIVES AS POSSIBLE AS EQUITABLY AS POSSIBLE. REFORMS WON'T GO INTO PLACE RIGHT AWAY AS THE GOVERNMENT WORKS WITH EXPERTS AND ORGANIZATIONS TO DESIGN THE REVAMP, BUT FOR L.Q. -- >> OH, I'M JUST WAITING AND WITH A SMILE JUST WAITING EVERY DAY. >> Reporter: -- IT GIVES HER HOPE THAT SHE'LL GET THE CALL FOR HER TRANSPLANT SOON. KRISTEN DAHLGREN, NBC NEWS. >>> AND UP NEXT TONIGHT, THE PROMISE AND PERILS OF ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE. I SPEAK WITH TWO EXPERTS WHO HAVE DEEP CONCERNS THEY SHARE WITH ME IN OUR NEW SERIES, "AI REVOL >>> RECENT ADVANCES IN ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE NOW AVAILABLE TO THE MASSES HAVE BOTH FASHION -- FASCINATED AND ENTHRALLED AMERICANS BUT OVER ALL THE WOWS THERE ARE SOME SAYING, WAIT, INCLUDING A PAIR OF FORMER SILICON VALLEY INSIDERS NOW WARNING TECH COMPANIES THERE MAY BE NO RETURNING THE AI GENIE TO THE BOTTLE. I SAT DOWN WITH THEM FOR OUR SERIES, "AI REVOLUTION." IT'S HARD TO BELIEVE IT'S ONLY BEEN FOUR MONTHS SINCE CHATGPT LAUNCHED KICKING THE AI ARMS RACE INTO HIGH GEAR. >> THAT WAS LIKE FIRING THE STARTING GUN THAT NOW ALL THE OTHER COMPANIES SAID, WELL, IF WE DON'T ALSO DEPLOY, WE'RE GOING TO LOSE THE RACE TO MICROSOFT. >> Reporter: TRISTAN HARRIS IS GOOGLE'S ]0cu FORMER DESIGN ETHICIST AND CO-FOUNDED THE CENTER FOR HUMANE TECHNOLOGY WITH AZA RASKIN. BOTH SEE AN AI WELCOME POSSIBILITY. >> WE WANT AI THAT ENRICHES OUR LIVES HELPING US CURE CANCER AND FIND CLIMATE SOLUTIONS. >> Reporter: BUT WILL THE NEW AI ARMS RACE TAKE US THERE OR DOWN A DARKER PATH? >> THE RACE TO DEPLOY BECOMES THE RACE TO RECKLESSNESS BECAUSE THEY CAN'T DEPLOY IT THAT QUICKLY AND ALSO GET IT RIGHT. >> Reporter: IN THE 2020 NETFLIX DOC, "THE SOCIAL DILEMMA," THEY SOUNDED THE ALARM ON THE DANGERS OF SOCIAL MEDIA. >> WE BUILT THESE THINGS, AND WE HAVE A RESPONSIBILITY TO CHANGE IT. >> Reporter: BUT TONIGHT, THEY HAVE AN EVEN MORE DIRE WARNING ABOUT IGNORING THE PERILS OF ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE. >> IT WOULD BE THE WORST OF ALL HUMAN MISTAKES TO HAVE EVER BEEN MADE, AND WE LITERALLY DON'T KNOW HOW IT WORKS, AND WE DON'T KNOW ALL THE THINGS IT WILL DO, AND WE'RE PUTTING IT OUT THERE BEFORE WE ACTUALLY KNOW WHETHER IT'S SAFE. >> Reporter: RASKIN POINTS TO A RECENT SURVEY OF AI RESEARCHERS WHERE NEARLY HALF SAID, THEY BELIEVE THERE'S AT LEAST A 10% CHANCE AI COULD EVENTUALLY RESULT IN AN EXTREMELY BAD OUTCOME LIKE HUMAN EXTINCTION. WHERE DO YOU COME DOWN ON THAT? >> I DON'T KNOW. THE POINT IS -- >> IT SCARES ME THAT YOU DON'T KNOW. >> YEAH. HERE'S THE POINT, LIKE IT'S -- IMAGINE YOU'RE ABOUT TO GET ON AN AIRPLANE, AND 50% OF THE ENGINEERS THAT BUILT THE PLANE SAY THERE IS A 10% CHANCE THEIR PLANE MIGHT CRASH AND KILL EVERYONE. >> LEAVE ME AT THE GATE. >> RIGHT, EXACTLY. >> Reporter: AI TOOLS CAN ALREADY MIMIC VOICES, ACE EXAMS, CREATE ART, AND DIAGNOSE DISEASES, AND THEY'RE GETTING SMARTER EVERY DAY. >> IN TWO YEARS BY THE TIME OF THE ELECTION, HUMAN BEINGS WILL NOT BE ABLE TO TELL THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN WHAT IS REAL AND WHAT IS FAKE. >> WHO IS BUILDING THE GUARDRAILS HERE? >> NO ONE IS BUILDING THE GUARD RAYS, AND IT'S MOVED SO MUCH FASTER THAN OUR GOVERNMENT HAS BEEN ABLE TO UNDERSTAND OR APPRECIATE AND IT'S IMPORTANT TO NOTE THE CEOs OF THE MAJOR LABS SAID, WE NEED TO REGULATE AI. >> THERE'S ALWAYS THE NOTION MAYBE THESE COMPANIES CAN POLICE THEMSELVES. DOs THAT WORK? >> NO. NO. >> SELF-POLICING DOESN'T WORK? >> NO, IT CANNOT WORK. >> DOESN'T THE PERSON ULTIMATELY CONTROL IT? CAN'T I SIMPLY PULL THE PLUG? >> UNFORTUNATELY, THIS IS BEING DECENTRALIZED INTO MORE AND MORE HANDS, SO THE TECHNOLOGY ISN'T JUST RUN INSIDE OF ONE COMPANY THAT YOU CAN JUST SAY I WANT TO PULL THE PLUG ON GOOGLE. HOW HARD WOULD IT BE TO PULL THE PLUG ON GOOGLE OR MICROSOFT. >> WHAT WOULD YOU TELL A CEO OF A SILICON VALLEY COMPANY RIGHT NOW, YEAH, YOU DON'T WANT TO BE LAST BUT CAN YOU TAKE A PAUSE? IS THAT REALISTIC? >> YOU'RE RIGHT. IT'S NOT REALISTIC TO ASK ONE COMPANY. THOSE COMPANIES HAVE TO COME TOGETHER IN A CONSTRUCTIVE, POSITIVE DIALOGUE ABOUT THINK ABOUT IT LIKE THE NUCLEAR TEST BAN TREATY, RIGHT? WE GOT ALL THE NATIONS TOGETHER SAYING CAN WE AGREE WE DON'T WANT TO DEPLOY NUKES ABOVE GROUND. >> THE STAKES, THEY SAY, ARE IMPOSSIBLY HIGH. >> WHEN WE'RE IN AN ARMS RACE TO DEPLOY AI TO EVERY HUMAN BEING ON THE PLANET AS FAST AS POSSIBLE WITH AS LITTLE TESTING AS POSSIBLE, THAT'S NOT AN EQUATION THAT WILL END WELL. >> WE REACHED OUT TO SOME OF THE COMPANIES IN THE FOREFRONT OF AI DEVELOPMENT. MICROSOFT TOLD US AI HAS THE POTENTIAL TO HELP SOLVE OF HUMANITY'S BIGGEST PROBLEMS, AND THEY BELIEVE IT'S IMPORTANT TO MAKE AI TOOLS AVAILABLE WITH GUARDRAILS. GOOGLE SAID THEY ARE COMMITTED TO RESPONSIBLE DEVELOPMENT INCLUDING RIGOROUS TESTING AND ETHICS REVIEWS. >>> WE'VE GOT MORE TO TELL YOU TONIGHT. COMING UP, AN EPIC STORY OF SURVIVAL. THE SAILOR WH >>> WE WANT TO TELL YOU THE STORY OF A ONCE IN A LIFETIME VOYAGE THAT TURNED INTO A STRUGGLE FOR SURVIVAL FOR FOUR FRIENDS WHEN THEY ENCOUNTERED ONE OF THE GIANTS OF THE OCEAN. HERE'S SAM BROCK. >> Reporter: FOR RICK RODRIGUEZ AND HIS SEAFARING FRIENDS, YEARS OF PLANNING WERE SUNK IN A MATTER OF MINUTES BY A WHALE. >> I CAN'T BELIEVE WE GOT HIT BY AN [ BLEEP ] WHALE. THAT WAS MOSTLY WHAT WENT THROUGH MY HEAD. >> Reporter: IT TOOK 15 MINUTES FOR THEIR BOAT "RAIN DANCER" TO BE SWALLOWED BY THE OCEAN, JUST ENOUGH TIME TO FIRE OFF MAYDAY TEXTS WHILE INFLATING A RAFT AND PREPPING A DINGHY. >> IT WAS AN INCREDIBLE AMOUNT OF WATER COMING IN VERY FAST. >> Reporter: HAVING LEFT THE GALAPAGOS ISLANDS TWO WEEKS PRIOR EN ROUTE TO FRENCH POLYNESIA, THE GROUP WERE STRANDED IN THE MIDDLE OF THE OCEAN, AND HIS TEXTS TO HIS BUDDY TOMMY MADE THE ROUNDS TO WHATSAPP TO SOCIAL MEDIA WRITING, TOMMY, THIS IS NO JOKE. WE HIT A WHALE AND THE SHIP WENT DOWN TO WHICH TOMMY REPLIED, WE GOT YOU SHARING YOUR COORDINATES REALTIME. >> HOW LOW WERE YOU ON BATTERY AT THAT POINT? >> BY THE TIME WE TURNED IT OFF, 30%. BY THE TIME WE GOT RESCUED, IT WAS DOWN TO, LIKE, 18%. >> Reporter: IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT A CREW SPOTTED THEM. >> WE HAVE FOUR PEOPLE IN A SMALL LIFE RAFT. >> WE WERE SHOCKED THAT WE FOUND THEM. >> Reporter: NOW GRATEFUL MARINERS. >> THANK YOU TO EVERYONE THAT WAS INVOLVED IN OUR RESCUE. >> Reporter: SAFE AND WITH A WHALE OF A STORY TO TELL. SAM BROCK, NBC NEWS. >> WHAT AN INCREDIBLE DRAMA. THAT'S "NIGHTLY NEWS" FOR THIS WEDNESDAY. THANK YOU FOR WATCHING, EVERYONE. I'M LESTER HOLT. PLEASE TAKE CARE OF YOURSELF AND EACH OTHER. GOOD NIGHT. YOURSELF AND EAC O