Illinois Governor JB Pritzker has called for federal guardrails on artificial intelligence, warning that the technology is "dangerous on the level of nuclear weapons." Pritzker made the remarks in an interview on ABC News' "This Week," urging Congress to prioritize federal regulations for AI.
"You can't do this state by state. This needs to be a national effort as well as an international endeavor, especially together with our allies, because AI is not going to go away," Pritzker stated. He highlighted legislation he signed in Illinois in July, which mandates annual third-party safety audits for AI companies and requires them to disclose safety incidents to the state.
Pritzker criticized former President Donald Trump's stance on AI, who has referred to AI fears as a "hoax" and announced the formation of an "AI Force" to accelerate industry growth. "They are okay with just letting it, you know, run rampant and let the leaders of it self-govern and self-regulate, and I think that's a mistake because we clearly have seen that there are breakouts that they don't control, and they haven't had any real interest in it," Pritzker said. He clarified that he does not advocate for shutting down AI entirely but for ensuring it does not get out of control.
Pritzker also addressed AI's emergence as a political issue ahead of the midterm elections, emphasizing the Democratic party's focus on mitigating rising costs. "Democrats are fighting to lower costs, and we're fighting to put money in people's pockets," he said, advocating for measures such as raising the minimum wage. He pushed back against recent comments by Vice President JD Vance, who urged voters to "give us another chance," stating that the Republican party has "had too many chances already, and they've made mistakes over and over and over again."
Regarding the Democratic party's standing, Pritzker acknowledged a general distrust in government, suggesting that regaining public trust requires "delivering for them." He noted that Donald Trump's initial victory was fueled by promises to "blow it all up" and "drain the swamp," indicating a public desire for action.
When asked about his own political future and a potential presidential run in 2028, Pritzker, who is up for reelection as governor, demurred. He suggested that the Democratic party has a strong field of potential candidates. "All I can tell you is that I believe we have some really great people who are contemplating running for president. It may be the best bench that we've seen among Democrats for many, many years," Pritzker said, emphasizing the need for a bold agenda and proven ability to achieve results.